2012 Reading Challenge Wrap up!

I know I am a bit late with this post as we have almost finished off two weeks in the new year. It's because I've been pretty much lazy, in not wanting to take the time to do it, haha. But now I think it's time to go with it and finish this now before it really does get too far into the year and too late to bring up this topic ^_^

 

So, here we go!

 

I signed up for 5 and I created my own. First we'll be taking at look at the goals I signed up for.

 

 

 

My goal was 12

I read 10

Not completed

 

Here's my list of the ones I did read, Goodreads.

 

Now, this is the reading challenge that got me hooked into signing up to other reading challenges. And why I am still hooked on reading challenges today! ^_^

 

I wish I completed it but I couldn't spend money and everytime I went to the library they were all pretty muched checked out. So, I had to be patient haha.Nonetheless, the ones I did read were fun and this challenge was well....a challenge haha. I'm proud of what I did accomplish but I won't be doing it this year as again....it was a challenge, at least for me haha.

 

 

 

 My goal was 15

I read 4

Not Completed

 

Here's my list of the ones I did read, Goodreads.

 

Again, this one was hard and I just didn't get into them or I couldn't find them at the library. Maybe if I tried harder but then again, I just wasn't into it enough to do that haha. Will not be doing this again, at least for this year. ^_^ Though, I hope everyone else that signed up had fun!

 

 

 

My goal was 50

I read 67

Completed

 

Here's my list of the ones I read, to page 4, Goodreads.

 

I read a lot and this was fun to seeing how much I actually do read. I won't be doing this challenge this year, instead I am doing the goodreads one. My goal is 80 and so far I'm doing good, just wish I could read faster haha.

 

 

My goal was 20

I read 62

Completed

 

Here's my list of the ones I read, to page 4, Goodreads.

 

I live in YA so this was a no brainer haha. I will be doing a YA challenge again but this time its hosted by My Overstuffed Bookshelf. And I so cannot wait to see how many I read this year!

 

 

And last one I signed up to was

 

 

My goal was 25

I read 33+ a few I have yet to review, haha.

Completed

 

I don't have a list for this one as I never made a shelf for it on Goodreads, haha.

 

I had a blast reading from all the new authors and I can't wait to read more new authors this year! ^_^

 

 

Now, onto the challenge I created!

 

 

My goal was 24

I read 17

Not Completed

 

Again, I don't have a shelf on goodreads for this one.

 

I created this cause early on in the year I was way too busy with school to really read a novel. However, when school was over I was able to get back to  reading them which is why I pretty much forgot all about this goal of mine, haha. Anyways, it was fun but will not be coming back!

 

There you go. I hope all had a great year of reading and I can't wait for this year of reading challenges. I will be completely them all, the is my goal and a mission! ^_^

 

Happy Reading Everybody!

 

 









Review: The Curse Girl

The Curse Girl by Kate Avery Ellison

Publication Date: May 14th 2011

Genre: YA Paranormal

Pages: 195

Goodreads

 

 

Summary

 

When Bee is imprisoned in a magical, cursed house because of her father's selfish choices, she has just one plan... escape! But she must solve a riddle and help her fellow prisoners break the curse that binds them all before she can leave, and that is proving more difficult than she originally thought thanks to the bitter young master of the house, Will.


Will wants nothing to do with Bee or her help (and he certainly isn't planning on falling in love with her), but he might have underestimated just how determined and clever--and irresistible--she can be.

 

 

 

I just love, love, love Beauty and the Beast. Then I find this retelling of it through a book blog and I knew I just had to have it! I’m so glad I put it on my Christmas list! *squeal* :D Thank you Daddy! <3

In the beginning you are plunged into the Beast’s world when Bee’s dad dropped her off. Seriously can’t believe this dude, ugh, hate (okay, maybe not hate but I seriously dislike) this guy >_<. Haha, you’ll find out why later on in the book. Anyways, I’m so glad that it started this way. Since it’s a short book it’s full of action and it gets straight to the point, making this all the more enjoyable!

My oh my, the world Mrs. Ellison has created for us is one magical ride. The ever room changing cursed house where you close a door but when you open it again you’ll get a different room than before, the self-ignited candles (the moment you take hold of it, it lights up. Lumiere anyone!), and the mirror you can fall into just to get to the Fey Lands. These are just the few things that created such an amazing world that brought forth the love I have for Beauty and the Beast, the Disney movie. <3

I feel like all the unique and different characters all stood out in their own way and that doesn’t happen much in books. And because of this, I feel like none fell flat or molded together as it was easy to tell them apart from one other. Will was a beast but as time goes by you’ll see he was just really at the wrong place at the wrong time, a guy who really isn’t a beast. Bee, she’s tough but some might see her as a baby, however, if your father just dropped you off at a strangers house for his own good then you too would be at the brink of tears. These two and their bickering moments made this story all the more true!

Overall, if you love retellings then this is a must, must read! The writing is wonderful, the story telling is hypnotizing, and Mrs. Ellison did a brilliant job at putting original twists into this old fairy tale.

 

Happy Reading Everybody!

 





Dreaming of Sequels (4)

Our new feature here is where we talk about sequels we are just dying to have. And you all know that there are many, many out there that we are just craving to have! ^_^

So, sequels means any sequels. As long as it's after the first, #1, then it is acceptable haha. Also, we will be doing this every Wednesday!

Okay then, here we go!



 

 

 

 

Through The Ever Night by Veronica Rossi

Publication Date: January 8th 2013

Genre: YA Dystopian

Pages: 352

Goodreads

 

 

Summary

 

It's been months since Aria last saw Perry. Months since Perry was named Blood Lord of the Tides, and Aria was charged with an impossible mission. Now, finally, they are about to be reunited. But their reunion is far from perfect. The Tides don't take kindly to Aria, a former Dweller. And with the worsening Aether storms threatening the tribe's precarious existence, Aria begins to fear that leaving Perry behind might be the only way to save them both.

Threatened by false friends, hidden enemies, and powerful temptations, Aria and Perry wonder, Can their love survive through the ever night?

In this second book in her spellbinding Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi combines fantasy and dystopian elements to create a captivating love story as perilous as it is unforgettable.

 

 

Not that long ago I read Under The Never Sky and oh my god, that was an mind blowing read! *squeal* So good and I seriously didn’t know how to put it to words, cause it was just that good, so I just hope my review did some justice to what this amazing book really is.

So, since I freaking adored the first of course I am just dying to get my hands on this one! :D And guess what? It just came out, woohoo, so when I get a chance to read it and hopefully the library will have it when I want it, I’ll be checking it out!!!!! *squeal* <3

So, what sequels are you dreaming about?

Happy Reading Everybody!

 

 

 



Teaser Tuesday (54)

 

 

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB from Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read.
• Open to a random page.
• Share (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.--BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS. Make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away. You don't want to ruin the book for others.
• Share the title & author, so others can add to their TBR list if they like your teasers.

Our Teasers This Week. . .

 

 

Bates swiftly shouldered the crossbow, aimed and fired. The twang of the string echoed off the trees as the bolt flickered across the twenty yards between them. With a smack it embedded itself into something beneath the flowing dark robes. But the man's stride remained unbroken.

 

 

-from page 18, The Doomsday Code

 

 

 

 

 

There is no better feeling than this sweet surge of victory. In a flash, it's gone and I'm thudding to my knees on the floor.

Bye-bye beastie.

-from page 7, Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs

Happy Reading Everybody!

 

Know Me Better (8)

Know Me Better is a Weekly Meme hosted by I'm A Reader, Not A Writer.

Each week she'll pick 5 questions off of her author's interview list to answer and invites us to join in on the fun, giving a way for our readers to get to know us better.



 

 

What's your favorite word?

D: Grotesque I think would have to be my favorite. I use it a lot, especially when I encounter a creepy ass spider. Eek! >_<

T: Hilarious. I’ve always mispronounced it and it’s just a word I use a lot.

What words or expression do you overuse?

D: Let’s see, I think I am going to answer both as they both come to mind. I say dude a lot, my whole life actually, and my boyfriend just loves that I do haha. And for expression (now if you mean like a phrase, I don’t have one haha), but I’ll have to say the goofy dorky grin I get when I’m with my boyfriend or thinking about/texting him. It goes ear to ear and everyone comments on how dorky it is, haha. Or another expression would have to be when I crinkle my nose, haha, my boyfriend just loves that too. ^_^

T: This is a tough one. I got to say that I say Peace out a lot. And hilarious.

If you were on Death Row what would your last meal be?

D: What comes to mind is orange chicken and rice, again something that has to deal with my boyfriend, haha. He’s half Filipino so I’m hooked on a lot of the food they eat, which also always consist with white rice. <3

T: My mom’s honey ham. We have it for most major holidays, including thanksgiving, and I wish she would make it more often.

Pets?

D: My oh my, well of course haha! When it comes to pets for my family it’s like a zoo. My whole life, no matter what, we always had a pet around. Right now we have four dogs and two cats, 6 total. Now, you may think that’s a lot but for us, that’s a pretty low number haha.

T: Going off what my sister said. Pets we had in the past: lizards, mice, fish, chinchillas, Guiana pig, and hamsters. And we’ve had plenty of other cats and dogs, too. And my brother has always wanted a snake.

 Facebook or Twitter?

D: Right now I’m loving Twitter, it’s getting a lot of action for the Blog and that’s what I hoped for! ^_^

T: I don’t spend a lot of time on either. But I play a few games on Facebook, so I’ll go with that one.

Now it's your turn! Share an answer to one or more of these questions as a comment or post your answers on your blog and link up here!


Thanks for stopping by!

 &



I am a Book Hoarder (14)





Of bookish things we got in the last week!

 

So, our mother got us each a Barnes and Nobles gift cards for Christmas and of course it didn't take us that long to spend them. I got a 50, which I spent the whole thing already. Look, it's not hard to do when paperbacks cost 10 haha. And Tasha got 70 cause I got other kinds of gift cards. She of course didn't spend it all, haha.





Barnes & Noble

Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs- I just adore her writing and have enjoyed all of her different series, so of course I am dying to start this one!

The Farm by Emily McKay- I've been very excited for this book to come out and then it comes out in only paperback, which means I obviously just had to grab it haha! 

Slice of Cherry by Dia Reeves- the plot seems like no other and I've been debating on this one for so long I decided just to finally grab it off the shelf and I'm so glad I did!

Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout- Seriously been wanting to read this for forever and now I finally find it, so I can't wait to dive into it! :D

Anna and the French Kiss by  Stephanie Perkins- I read the companion to this novel and very much enjoyed it, the best parts is when the main characters in this book came into play in Lola and the Boy Next Door. So I just had to get this one! <3

Reached by Ally Condie- I told myself I wouldn't get any new, hardback copies but for some reason (for this whole series) I just couldn't help myself, haha. I went over budget and so for this one I had to use the rest of my birthday money, haha. But totally worth it! <3

Now for the other two I didn't list yet I got those at a used book store. However, I doubt I'll be going back as it isn't fun talking to the people that work there.

Feeling like I'm being talked down to isn't fun and I know I can buy used books on amazon, however, since you are one yourself I just thought you might have them in your store. You know, so I can actually see them in person. >_<

Okay, breathe, haha sorry just had to get that out.

Anyways,

Avalon High by Meg Cabot- loved the movie so of course I've been wanting to read this for so long, now I'll be able to!

Reality Check by Jen Calonita- This seemed interesting so I just bought it haha most definitely an impulse buy.

So there you go. And now, I'm officially making a resolution to where I can't buy anymore books till my TBR pile dwindles down to only five books haha. Also, a great way to help me save (which I so need to learn more of, haha).

So, what books did you get this week? I would love to know!

Happy Reading Everybody!

 

 

The Doomsday Code (TimeRiders #3) by Alex Scarrow

 

 

 

The Prisoner of Cell 25 (Michael Vey #1) by Richard Paul Evans





The Alchemyst (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel #1) by Michael Scott





Katya's World (Russalka Chronicles #1) by Jonathan L. Howard







The Burning Bridge (Ranger's Apprentice #2) by John Flanagan

Review: Under The Never Sky

Under The Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Publication Date: January 3rd 2012

Genre: YA Dystopian

Pages: 274

Goodreads

 

 

Summary

 



Since she'd been on the outside, she'd survived an Aether storm, she'd had a knife held to her throat, and she'd seen men murdered. This was worse.

Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland - known as The Death Shop - are slim. If the cannibals don't get her, the violent, electrified energy storms will. She's been taught that the very air she breathes can kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He's wild - a savage - and her only hope of staying alive.

A hunter for his tribe in a merciless landscape, Perry views Aria as sheltered and fragile - everything he would expect from a Dweller. But he needs Aria's help too; she alone holds the key to his redemption. Opposites in nearly every way, Aria and Perry must accept each other to survive. Their unlikely alliance forges a bond that will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.

Honestly this book was a complete surprise to me…..

…..and it’s unlike any other dystopians out there! The only time this story line didn’t surprise me was when they were taking Aria to go “supposedly” to see her mother but that’s only cause of the summary. Other than that, this whole book was one surprise after the other.

From start to finish you’ll be sitting on the edge of your seat. And the foreshadowing, oh my lord, I couldn’t get enough of it! This story has left me completely breathless and my mind was blown, especially the ending…..seriously, my mind was blown, haha!

“She knew how to put one foot in front of the other even when every step hurt. And she knew there was pain in the journey, but there was also great beauty. She'd seen it standing on rooftops and in green eyes and in the smallest, ugliest rock.”

Aria, she’s tough and I’m really happy that Mrs. Rossi didn’t turn her into a whining bitch the moment she got dropped down into the “Death Lands”, where no one of her kind (Pod people) can survive. Instead, throughout the book she became stronger and a better person that her future needs- that is if they want to survive.

“She'd survived the outside. She'd survived the Aether and cannibals and wolves. She knew how to love now, and how to let go. Whatever came next, she would survive it, too” 

Perry, he’s got a lot to prove, to is family and to the people he hopes to rule as tribe leader one day. So when someone he cares about deeply gets taken by Pod people for unknown reasons, he decides to go after him, to bring him back. This journey he’ll take will show him the strength he didn’t know he had and that great unexpected things will come to you if you are just patient enough to let them. I thoroughly enjoyed him, ever since the beginning and he’s one guy I would want on my side. Plus, I believe he’s swoon worthy for all the ladies whom are interested in this book ;), haha.

“She’d fallen into a deep silence once, when the sun appeared, and it was then he’d wondered most what she was thinking.”

Overall, this is one great plot line and it’s perfect for anyone that wants a fresh dystopian on their nightstand. This book ties up nicely and doesn’t leave you with a cliff hanger. But don’t worry, no matter what, you’ll still be craving (like any book lover) for the sequel. The writing will have you smitten and you’ll be gladly to fall into this world Mrs. Rossi has created for us.

 

Happy Reading Everybody!