Review: Above by Leah Bobet

Above by Leah Bobet
Publication Date: April 1, 2012
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Format: ARC
Pages: 368
*A copy of this novel was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

Matthew has always lived in Safe, a community hidden far beneath the pipes and tunnels of the city Above. The residents fled to Safe years before to escape the Whitecoats and their cruel experiments, and now Matthew is responsible for both the keeping of Safe’s stories and for Ariel—a golden-haired shapeshifter, and the most beautiful girl he’s ever seen. 
But one horrifying night, an old enemy murders Safe’s founder, Atticus, and the community is taken over by an army of shadows. Only Matthew, Ariel, and a handful of friends escape Above. Now they not only have to survive in a sunlit world they barely know, but they must unravel the mystery of the shadows’ fury and Atticus’s death. It’s up to Matthew to find a way to remake Safe—not just for himself and his family, but for Ariel, who’s again faced with the life she fled, and who needs him more than ever before.

My Review: This is very different than what I originally expected it to be like. There was one downfall but we can talk about that a little bit later.
       First, the characters. Matthew is our main protagonist. He lived in the city of ''Safe''. Safe is an underground place where I guess you could call them creatures?... live at. One day, the shadows come down into Safe and the place goes into complete and utter chaos for everyone who lives there. Matthew and   girl, Ariel, get out of there quick enough to go to ''Above''. Above is a place where average people like us live. Matthew is terrified of this but quickly changes his thoughts to other problems than worrying about the others he left down in Safe.
       Next, the writing style and plot. The writing style was very very different and something new. Bobet talks just a tad like someone from the South in this novel by saying '' 'bout'' instead if ''about''. It was really strange and hard to get into until maybe about one hundred pages in? I was finding myself going back and rereading what I had just read sometimes just so I could understand it. Random words are also capitalized in this novel so I didn't know if that was a place or person or what. The plot sounded alot different in the synopsis than what it actually turned out to be. If I tell you like more than three details about the plot, the whole novel would be given away.
      My overview of this book would definitely be that it would be something very,very,very, very different than anything I have EVER read before. This was an okay debut novel and I'm grateful that I got to read it but I don't know if I would read it over and over again. Definitely give it a shot though and tell me what you think.
                                                                        3/5

April Releases

 This are a few of April's new releases that I found and looking forward to. I am excited for a lot more but these are just a few.

(The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa) SOOOO excited!

(Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin) Edgar Allan Poe!

(The Peculiars by Maureen Doyle McQuerry)

(Above by Leah Bobet) reading this one now

(Lightning Tree by Sarah Dunster) This is next in my reading pile!

If you have any novel you are looking forward to, leave it in the comment section and I'll check it out.

Waiting on Wednesday (4)

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa
Expected Publication Date: April 24, 2012
Publisher: Harlequin Teen

 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. 

Why I can't wait: The covers cool... um.... NO? We aren't talking some hobo who just wrote down a bunch of words. We are talking Julie AWESOMENESS Kagawa! I loved Julie's Iron Fey series and I'm sorry but to me, it was better than The Hunger Games. This sounds like a very good change up in paranormal and I can't wait.

Check it Out!

Expected Publication: March 27, 2012
Publisher: Balzer & Bray
Purchase: Barnes & Noble.

Vee Bell is certain of one irrefutable truth—her sister’s friend Sophie didn’t kill herself. She was murdered. 
Vee knows this because she was there. Everyone believes Vee is narcoleptic, but she doesn’t actually fall asleep during these episodes: When she passes out, she slides into somebody else’s mind and experiences the world through that person’s eyes. She’s slid into her sister as she cheated on a math test, into a teacher sneaking a drink before class. She learned the worst about a supposed “friend” when she slid into her during a school dance. But nothing could have prepared Vee for what happens one October night when she slides into the mind of someone holding a bloody knife, standing over Sophie’s slashed body. 
Vee desperately wishes she could share her secret, but who would believe her? It sounds so crazy that she can’t bring herself to tell her best friend, Rollins, let alone the police. Even if she could confide in Rollins, he has been acting off lately, more distant, especially now that she’s been spending more time with Zane. 
Enmeshed in a terrifying web of secrets, lies, and danger and with no one to turn to, Vee must find a way to unmask the killer before he or she strikes again. 

Hey guys, yall should  definitely check out this awesome book that comes out tomorrow! I have it pre ordered and I can't wait to get it and devour it. This is a debut novel so definitely add it to your list.

Review: Gone by Michael Grant

Title: Gone
Author: Michael Grant
Publication Date: 
Publisher: HarperCollins
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Pages: 558

In the blink of an eye.Everyone disappears.Gone.Everyone except for the young. Teens. Middle schoolers. Toddlers. But not a single adult. No teachers, no cops, no doctors, no parents. Gone, too, are the phones, internet, and television. There is no way to get help.Hunger threatens. Bullies rule. A sinister creature lurks. Animals are mutating. And the teens themselves are changing, developing new talents—unimaginable, dangerous, deadly powers—that grow stronger by the day.It's a terrifying new world. Sides are being chosen and war is imminent.

My Review: Yes, it did take me almost a month to finish this but since it was over 500 pages, some parts got a little slow so I read other books. It was a very exciting sci-fi/dystopian. I really enjoyed the action and how the characters used the language that teens do these days.
         The characters, well this might take a few moments. Sam, our main  protagonist, is almost fifteen. When everyone blinks out, all the memories from a long time ago, when the class was on a field trip and the driver had a heart attack so Sam drove the bus, come rushing back. He knows they shouldn't freak out but then again he knows everyone will be. After he, Astrid, Quinn, and Edilio team up, they start trying to get things in order in Perdido Beach. I loved how the characters weren't trying to take over the universe like I figured they would, but they were scared and worried but knew they had to be strong for the younger ones.
         The plot of this story was very....interesting? The idea of everyone fifteen and over leaving all of a sudden, sounded very exciting and was the reason I decided to pick up this novel. How would you deal with it if you had no cellphones or internet? These kids had to deal with that and a whole lot more including some very strange coyotes. The only complaint was that all was happening for the first 100 pages was  ''No, we need to do this not that.'' '' They can't do that, that will hurt the city even more!''. Do you see how that got on my nerves sometimes? About 250 pages in, it started getting ALOT better. 
          Overall, this book was very enjoyable but could've had more happening in the first 100 pages. This was a great start to the first in the series and I can't wait to pick up the next novel, Hunger.
                                                                         4/5
         
         

Waiting on Wednesday (3)

Expected Publication Date: June 1, 2012
Publisher: Scholastic
Number of Pages: 304

*Silent Scream!*Kass Kennedy is nobody's idol. She does forget the lyrics. She's not a gleek. The x factor? Not her! Read her lips: She has the right to remain silent.Just try telling that to her dad.Because he's totally lost it this time, demanding Kass audition for a TV talent show. Which would be slightly less than death-by-embarrassment if Kass could (duh!) actually sing. And if even the smallest part of her craved the spotlight. Stardom is her dad's dream, not hers. But he's so fragile, she's afraid he just might crack if she doesn't go through with his latest, craziest plan.Not helping: Her hopelessly MIA mom. The budding criminal mastermind also known as her kid brother. And amateur shrink Izzy and used-to-be-sweet Char, who've gone all frenemies over a boy in brown boots. (Don't ask.)

Why I can't wait:  This sounds like a really cute read! Plus it comes out in the summer so um.. can you say beach read? I am definitely going to pre-order this because this will definitely be on everyone's radar by the time it comes out.
                              * Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine*

Review: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Title: The Fault in Our Stars
Author: John Green
Publication Date: January 10, 2012
Publisher: Dutton
Source: Purchased
Format: Hardback
Pages: 313

Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 12, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now. 
Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault. 
Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind. 

My Review: No, I didn't just now read this, I read it in January but I figured I should maybe do a pretty quick review since two or three people have asked me my thoughts on the book.
         First, the characters. The characters were amazing. I loved Hazel for so many reasons and in many different ways. Just because she had to lug around an oxygen tank, she didn't let that slow her down. Augustus was amazing also. He was super sweet and didn't treat anyone any different no matter what had happened to them whether it be cancer or something else.
          Now, I am going to skip going over the plot because well, you probably already know. My overall thoughts on the novel were OMG really dude really? This was a very heart touching story that I feel everyone should read. This was my first John Green novel and I cannot wait to read more. If you want, please tell me in the comments, what is your favorite John Green novel?
                                     5/5

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In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. IMM spotlights the books you have received for review, purchased or any other way.

For Review: 

  Fair Coin by E.C. Myers

Girl Stolen by April Henry

What did you get in your mailbox?

Leave me a link and I'll check it out!

Review: Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Title: Paranormalcy
Author: Kiersten White
Publication Date: July 26, 2011
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Pages: 337

Evie’s always thought of herself as a normal teenager, even though she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can see through paranormals’ glamours.But Evie’s about to realize that she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.So much for normal.

My Review: Let's just say that this book is abolutely nothing like I expected it to be. I raced through this book in about a day and a half which rarely happens because of prison school. It was a mix of humor, action, and everything else I love about paranormal romance.
     First, lets talk about the characters. Evie is a phanominal heroine. She wasn't your average teenage girl, she was 16 but she had never been to a real school. She had a personality which I feel in most YA novels, is  kinda pushed on the back burner. She was funny and relatable and OMG! Just go this book. Lend was a great character too but I am not going to go into him in case of acccidental spoilers. Reth was that evil ex I always hope for in books. He wasn't stupid like alot of male characters but he wasn't smart. Lish was Evie's best friend and a mermaid. She had to talk through a computer and when she used ''certain'' words the computer would translate it as ''bleep''.
    Now let's talk about the plot. Evie never knew who her parents were or where she was from. Nobody at IPCA would tell her anything. All she knew was that she had been at IPCA since she was 8 and had never went to a normal school. She was a dare devil kinda like me but was very intelligent at to what she should and shouldnt do. I loved going on her journey.
        Overall this book was amazing. Definitely go pick it up if you want your spirits lifted and to laugh. I will be picking up the second book as soon as it comes out in paperback so my covers can match. Below you can find the awesome trailer.
                                                                         5/5

                            

Review: Starters by Lissa Price

Title: Starters
Author: Lissa Price
Publication Date: March 13, 2012
Publisher: Random House Children's
Source: Netgalley/ publisher
Format: ebook ARC
Pages: 352

In the future, teens rent their bodies to seniors who want to be young again. One girl discovers her renter plans to do more than party—her body will commit murder, if her mind can't stop it. Sixteen-year-old Callie lost her parents when the genocide spore wiped out everyone except those who were vaccinated first—the very young and very old. With no grandparents to claim Callie and her little brother, they go on the run, living as squatters, and fighting off unclaimed renegades who would kill for a cookie. Hope comes via Prime Destinations, run by a mysterious figure known only as The Old Man. He hires teens to rent their bodies to seniors, known as enders, who get to be young again. Callie's neurochip malfunctions and she wakes up in the life of her rich renter, living in her mansion, driving her cars, even dating Blake, the grandson of a senator. It's a fairy-tale new life . . . until she uncovers the Body Bank's horrible plan. . . 

My review: This was a huge shocker novel. It was a dystopian novel with only one problem but we'll get to that later. There is a mix of everything for everyone.
      First, let's talk about the characters. Callie is our main character. She has a younger brother named Tyler. Callie is only 15 or 16 and has no parents. They were wiped out by the spore wars which you will learn about in this novel. Callie learns about a location called ''Prime Destinations''. She hears that you can earn a lot of money by going there. Michael is Callie's friendlie as referred to in the book. He is the same age as Callie. Describing these characters is very  difficult because it would be super super easy to give away the whole book.
      Next, let's talk about the plot of the story. After Callie discovers Prime Destinations, she then gets more knowledge of renters which are elderly people who go to Prime. Teenagers will go to Prime and basically rent out their bodies and these renters will get to walk around in the teenager's body for however long they purchase it. Callie does this to earn money for a real home for herself and her brother.
       Overall, I thought this book was a very refreshing novel. It is also a debut which is always amazing when an author can write like this. The only down point to this novel was the world building. It did give details about the world but I felt that as a dystopian novel, there should have been a little more. Still I would highly recommend this novel to anyone who loves YA as there is a mix of everything.
                                       4/5

  

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In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It gives bloggers the chance to appreciate the books they got last week and to meet new people. I had a great week in books this week. I have to warn yall though. Things will be slowing down a bit on the blog until the end of this month because I have 2 projects for school due. I hope you understand.

For Review:

                                  Above by Leah Bobet (Thank you Scholastic)
                    Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe by Shelley Coriell (Thanks Abrams)
Purchased: (ebook)

Oppression by Jessica Therrien

 What did you get in your mailbox?

Leave me a link and I'll check it out!

Review Copy Clean Up: Show off your Pile!

The Review Copy Cleanup challenge is hosted by Vicky (Books, Biscuits & Tea) and Celine (Nyx Book Reviews) to motivate all of us to finally reduce that pile of review books collecting dust on our shelves and eBook readers.

The first challenge is to show off our pile of review books that we're trying to read for this challenge. Below you can see a list of the books I'm planning to read and I really hope that I'll get to all of them.

Challenge: March 2012 Review Copy Cleanup

Vicky and Celine had the lovely idea to dedicate March 2012 to cleaning up your pile of review books. They have planned a fun month with challenges to motivate us (and themselves, of course) to finally read all of the review books that are currently collecting dust... no matter whether they are physical copies / ARCs or eBooks.

After having lost so much reading time to my projects ( I still have two due this month!), This will be a good opportunity to catch up on my books. I have SO many NetGalley books I need to read this month. Yes I am signing up a little late but oh well.

For more information and to join the fun, go here to sign up!

Review and Author Interview: The Fruit of the Fallen by J.C. Burnham

Dr. James C. Burnham was born in Oklahoma and lived in small, rural towns until his family moved to Northern California at the age of nine. He was said to have a Huckleberry Finn childhood. His backyard was the Sacramento River where he fished and swam at leisure. As a teen he left the Sacramento Valley to attend a private boarding school just north of San Francisco where he was encouraged to develop his talent for writing. He later graduated from Pacific Union College with a degree in music, and after moving to Southern California, completed a master's degree in school counseling and doctorate in education with an emphasis in learning psychology. Dr. Burnham currently lives and teaches in Riverside,California. 

When an infant is thrust into the arms of Dr. Jonathan Keats by a dying nun, he finds himself accused of murder. His search to identify the child carries him to Europe and to a secret religious society who reveals a prophecy of unimaginable proportions.Serenity D'Evele has always known she was different. When she begins hearing strange voices call to her in her dreams and is attacked by an evil creature, she is forced to consider a frightening possibility. Little does she know that the very love she turns to for help could destroy all she holds dear, and their every action, every decision, could decide the fate of the world.

                          *A copy of this novel was provided by the author for review purposes*
My Review: I really enjoyed this novel and going on Serenity's journey and also Jonathan's. I loved some of the characters in the novel and the details and how everything was played out.
      First, let's talk about the characters. Serenity was a 15 year old teenage girl who was trying to figure out who and what she really was. She wasn't a kick butt heroine which is what all YA novels that are coming out  seem to have, but she wasn't whiny all the time which I liked. Sometimes I though it could have given more of her feelings but since it is told in 3rd person, I can understand why the author didn't. Jonathan was a likable character but sometimes her got really uber annoying. I felt like he was a 2 year old whining for his mother. I know why he was whining but I am not going to tell you because of a spoiler but he was whining all the time.
   Next, let's talk about the plot. The plot of the book was very... interesting and unique. Alot of YA these days is dystopian, fantasy and one or two other things but this, well, I don't know if I would classify it as paranormal or what. Serenity was amazing at being independent and not depending on everyone when she needed something, important or not.
    My overall thoughts of the book are definitely that I will be picking up the next book in the trilogy and that it was very unique. At some points it would get confusing with Jonathan and the writing style sometimes confused me on details and dialogue like who was talking. Other than that it was very enjoyable and I would definitely recommend for you to pick it up. This novel is self published through Xlibris and I will give you guys a couple of links to where to purchase it: Barnes & Noble or The Fruit of the Fallen.

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IMM is weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren to showcase what books you received that week.


From NetGalley:

                                             Lies Beneath by Anne Greenwood Brown
                                                Don't You Wish by Roxanne St. Claire
                                                         Starters by Lissa Price
                                             On the Day I Died by Candace Fleming
                                         **Huge thanks to Random House Children**
Purchased: 

                                                  Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood
                                               
That's it for me this week. I had a fantastic week in books and I hope yall did too and also comment down below and tell me what book you're most excited about.
                                                 What did you get in your mailbox?
                                                  Leave me a link and I'll check it out!