Book Review: The Immortal Rules by: Julie Kagawa

My Rating: ★★★★★
Date Published: April 24th, 2012
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 485
Do I own it?: Yes. (gorgeous book to own in hardcover)

Synopsis: (taken from Goodreads)

"In a future world, vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity."Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of "them." The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked--and given the ultimate choice. Die...or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend--a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what--and who--is worth dying for.


Review:
I'm on such a roll guys. I keep reading amazing books! When I started this book, I didn't expect much. It seemed like a typical vampire book, but when I started reading it I was definitely proven wrong. Julie Kagawa is such a brilliant author. This book was action packed (no joke) till the last page! You think that you are going to be terrified of the vampires in this book, but I was terrified of the rabids! They are like, futuristic zombies. A lot of things surprised me in this book, especially the characters. I always love strong female leads, and Allison was definitely one. She was a really bad ass vampire! Julie Kagawa made the atmosphere in this book really chilling, and I think that that's fabulous. It was creepy but at the same time there were strong emotions coming from different characters, and it felt like they were all over the place, but in a good way. This book is easily a great Halloween book. There is a lot of gore and the rabids are probably the scariest part of the book. I wanted to cry at certain parts especially the ending. One thing that I noticed that is very sneaky of the publishers, is that the book cover actually means something. At first you just think; "oh..she's crying blood? okay cool cover." and you move on. But no! The cover really does makes sense. Another thing that I thought was genius on behalf of Julie Kagawa, is that the romance didn't just appear out of nowhere like in most books. In this novel, the romance built up. In other books, it would usually just be the girl thinking that the other boy is attractive even if they don't know anything about each other, and then the boy would say he loves her. The romance in this book was amazing. It built up perfectly. It gave the characters time to get to know each other. You just have to read the book to find out. Words cannot explain how much I want the second book right now. The title has been released, and it is The Eternity Cure. I cannot wait for this book. It comes out May 2013. I know it's going to be just as good as this one was.

Book Review: So Close to You by: Rachel Carter

My Rating: ★★★★★ 
Date Published: July 12th, 2012
Publisher: Harper Teen
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 313
Do I own it?: Yes








Synopsis:
Lydia Bentley has heard stories about the Montauk Project all her life: stories about the strange things that took place at the abandoned military base near her home and the people who've disappeared over the years. Stories about people like her own great-grandfather.

When Lydia stumbles into a portal that transports her to a dangerous and strange new reality, she discovers that all the stories she's ever heard about the Montauk Project are true, and that she's in the middle of one of the most dangerous experiments in history.

Alongside a darkly mysterious boy she is wary to trust, Lydia begins to unravel the secrets surrounding the Project. But the truths behind these secrets force her to question all her choices--and if Lydia chooses wrong, she might not save her family but destroy them . . . and herself.

Review:

I received this book as an ARC from my local public library.

OH MY GOD. Why did this book have to end with this cliffhanger? I have to wait a year, maybe two until the next book comes out. This novel had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. It was romantic, suspenseful, and compelling. I finished this book in two days. I felt as though I was watching a movie. Everything was so clear and vivid. The characters were lovely, relatable, and fun. The main character Lydia was willful and strong. She wasn't one of those weak characters that rely on other people to save her. She did things her way. From the first chapter the plot was moving very fast. There wasn't a part in the story where I felt that I had to put the book down. Even after I finished the book, I wanted to continue reading. I felt as though I knew the characters very well. Like they were my close friends for years. This book really surprised me. I did not expect that there would be time travel, and it was such a nice surprise! We are so caught up in books with vampires, werewolfs, fairies, and witches. Especially Dystopian genres, and so it is refreshing, again, to read a book with a fresh idea. Rachel Carter has truly written a masterpiece, and I cannot wait to find out what lies in store for the characters in the next book!

Book Review: Way To Go by: Tom Ryan

My Rating: ★★★★
Date Published: April 1st, 2012
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 224
Do I own it?: No




Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads)
Kierce has a rule for everything, not to mention his whole future planned out. Jay has bad grades, no plans, and could care less. As for Danny, he’s stuck somewhere in the middle and can’t stop stressing out about it. His dad keeps nagging him about his post-high school plans, his friends won’t stop bugging him about girls, and a run-in with the cops means he has to to get a summer job – about the last thing he had planned. Worst of all, the secret he’s been keeping for years is threatening to spill out into the open.

Just when he’s beginning to wonder how he’ll get through the summer, let alone survive another year in Deep Cove, Danny meets Lisa Walsh. Lisa is dynamic, beautiful, and different from any girl he’s ever known. She’s also from New York City, which is about as far from Deep Cove as the dark side of the moon. For the first time in a while, things begin to look like they might turn out all right after all – that is, if friends, family, and reality don’t get in the way.

Review:

I don't know why Way To Go isn't extremely popular in the YA community yet. I thought that this novel was very original. It was the perfect blend between humour, family drama, and nostalgia. The most interesting aspect of this novel, is that it is set in the early 90s. It didn't feel like the 90s until the girl that Danny meets brings out the tapes (as seen on the cover). As Danny struggles with whether or not to tell his friends that he thinks he's gay, he goes through a ton of family, and work drama. Danny's naration and Tom's writing comes across as  very down-to-earth and authentic. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a nice contemporary novel. 

Book Review: The Blondes by: Emily Schultz

My Rating: ★★★★★
Date (to be) Published: August 14th, 2012
Publisher: Doubleday Canada (division of Random House Canada)
Age Group: Adult
Pages: 400
Do I own it?: Yes (ARC)




Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads)
Hazel Hayes is a grad student living in New York City. As the novel opens, she learns she is pregnant (from an affair with her married professor) at an apocalyptically bad time: random but deadly attacks on passers-by, all by blonde women, are terrorizing New Yorkers. Soon it becomes clear that the attacks are symptoms of a strange illness that is transforming blondes--whether CEOs, flight attendants, skateboarders or accountants--into rabid killers. 


Review:
I received this book through a giveaway hosted by Goodreads, from Random House Canada.

The idea for this book was what attracted me and compelled me to enter the contest on Goodreads. This novel was like a breath of fresh air. It was a lovely break from all the Dystopian books floating around. The story took place during a time when life as we knew it disappeared, and all hell breaks loose, instead of a typical Dystopian story which normally takes place after an apocalypse. Although this is an Adult book, I enjoyed it as much as I would have enjoyed a normal Young Adult novel. The only difference was that this novel, "The Blondes" had more vulgar language than a typical YA book. When I read the synopsis, I actually thought that the main character would be weak and depressed all the time, because of everything that was happening to her and to the world that this story takes place in. I was surprised and happy to find that the protagonist (Hazel Hayes) was strong-willed and hopeful. Normally when I read Adult books they are never interesting enough to keep me reading, but this novel was interesting until the last page. Although I found this book extremely sad at many points, I still thoroughly enjoyed it. The plot was entertaining and captivating, and almost all of the characters were well-rounded. My favourite parts in the novel was when Hazel would talk to her baby, and call it names like, "my little parasite" or "my little Amoeba" etc.... Through all of the intense scenes and sad parts, I was happy to find that this book had a happy ending. This book deserves the 5 stars that I give it.

Book review: Anna Dressed in Blood by: Kendra Blake

My Rating: ★★★★
Date Published: August 30th, 2011
Publisher: Tor Teen
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 316
Do I own it?: No


Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads)
Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until his gruesome murder by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father’s mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn’t expect anything outside of the ordinary: move, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he’s never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, but now stained red and dripping blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

And she, for whatever reason, spares his life

Review:
This book would really make a kick-ass movie. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, as it had just the right amount of humor, love interest, and horror. Kendra Blake did an amazing job portraying Anna as a ghost. She was super scary and didn't seem human, but after you know what happened to her, you understand exactly why she was like that. The horror in the book was just the right amount. Not too scary, just the right amount. The horror in the book had me cringing at some points. I would find myself reading, and also having my hand over my mouth as I was reading. I also found that this book was very well paced. It never slowed down enough for me to want to put the book down. This novel had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. Although there were some unessesary parts in the story that I did not find would have made a big difference in the book, it was still excellent, and deserves the 4 out of 5 stars I gave it. I recommend this book for anyone that wants to read a good somewhat scary story! It would have been better to read this novel in October! This book was fantastic, and I cannot wait for the second book to come out on August 7th of this year.

Book Review: The Knife of Never Letting Go by: Patrick Ness

My Rating: ★★★★★
Date Published: July 14th, 2009
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 479
Do I own it?: Yes


Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads)
Todd Hewitt is the only boy in a town of men. Ever since the settlers were infected with the Noise germ, Todd can hear everything the men think, and they hear everything he thinks. Todd is just a month away from becoming a man, but in the midst of the cacophony, he knows that the town is hiding something from him -- something so awful Todd is forced to flee with only his dog, whose simple, loyal voice he hears too. With hostile men from the town in pursuit, the two stumble upon a strange and eerily silent creature: a girl. Who is she? Why wasn't she killed by the germ like all the females on New World? Propelled by Todd's gritty narration, readers are in for a white-knuckle journey in which a boy on the cusp of manhood must unlearn everything he knows in order to figure out who he truly is.

Review:
This book, was just action after action after action. From the first chapter something interesting happened. Throughout this whole book, the story kept me interested, and kept me reading. This was a fantastic book. Patrick Ness executed the story wonderfully. The writing style in the book is so different from other books. Some people may not like it, but I think that that's what made this book so different and special. The characters are so amazing. It's so hard to find the right words to describe how much I loved this book. There were several antagonists in the story, but one in particular made me angry everytime he came into the story. Aaron. He would not die. He needed to die. He was the worst character I have ever encountered in a book, but that's exactly what makes a good antagonist. The protagonist, Todd and Viola, were great. They were there for each other throughout the whole story. They never gave up, and they had hope. My favourite character was Manchee (obviously). This book had me laughing, crying, and cringing at different parts. My emotions were on a rollercoaster throughout the entire book. This was such an amazing book.I cannot wait to see what Patrick Ness has written in his next book, The Ask and the Answer.

Book Review: Delirium by: Lauren Oliver

My Rating: ★★★★★
Date Published: February 1st, 2011
Publisher: Harper Collins
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 441
Do I own it?: Yes


Synopsis: (From Goodreads.com)
Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -- the deliria -- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the government demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.
But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

Review: (no spoilers)
This book captured my full attention on the first page. I immediately got sucked into the world that Lauren Oliver created. The world she made was very well described. With every description that Lauren Oliver gave, the image in my mind of the world, grew and grew. I felt as though I was there in the story alongside Lena. Although, I would've wanted to know more about the rest of the world, Maine was well described. Even though I haven't ever been to Maine, after reading this book I feel like I used to live there. I found myself constantly thinking about the world, story, and characters. When you read a book, and you think of it all the time, and you analyze little details, and make connections about the story, you know that it is a very good book. When you start to read a book, you want a book that will make you stay up late at night, reading under the covers of your bed, with a flashlight. Delirium was that book. Although I loved Lena and Alex, I did not like Hanna as much. I thought that she kept things from Lena in the beginning, and wasn't a good friend to her, but she grew on me by the end of the story.From the moment that Alex was introduced, I fell in love with his character. He was very sweet to Lena, and all through the story you fell in love with him! The most important part of the story, was that you were hooked through the whole plot. It was engaging, and amazing. The descriptions were so rich, especially in the prisons were described with so much detail, that I was actually scared that if I did something bad, I would be sent there. The ending, is the part that I have been dreading to talk about. The ending, made me absolutely not want to read the next book. I was devastated. I am still going to read the second book, but I think that it will take some time for me to get over what happened. Overall, this book was really amazing. I finished it very quickly, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I am extremely happy that I bought this book, because it really was worth every penny.

Introduction

Hello! My name is Emma, and this is a lovely little introduction to my book blog! I've always loved to read ever since I was about 7 years old. I decided that since I make reviews on youtube, why not start a blog and do the same thing here? So in this blog, I am going to focus on reviewing books. I will mainly be reviewing Young Adult books, but I will also occasionally review Adult books. I hope you will enjoy my reviews. To start my blog off, I will write a review on the book;"Delirium" By Lauren Oliver.

~Emma