August 31, 2013

Monthly Review: August

Welcome to Turning Pages!

It's always been a goal for me to post a "TBR" list at the beginning of every month, and a "Monthly Review" at the end of the month. Why? To set some goals, to have something to work towards, instead of just aimlessly blogging or picking up a book I know I shouldn't be reading because I have to read a different book first. Also it allows me and you to see what I posted the entire month, and if you want to check out a specific post, feel free to click the link!

Book Reviews:

Tiger's Quest (The Tiger Saga, #2)Black City (Black City, #1)Breathe (Sea Breeze, #1)The Clock Of LifeDelirium (Delirium, #1)


It's Monday, What Am I Reading:

The Vincent Boys (The Vincent Boys, #1)


Wednesday Memes:

Dancer, Daughter, Traitor, Spy


What's Coming This Week:

Heaven (Halo Trilogy #3) by Alexandra Adornetto: Book Cover


Book Hauls:

Velveteen


Blogger of the Week:

Grab button for Gin's Book Notes


Other:




What's Coming This Week?

Welcome to Turning Pages!

"What's Coming This Week?" is a meme hosted here at Turning Pages, showcasing all of the new YA books coming out within the next seven days. Interested in any of the books mentioned below? Click on the books title, it'll take you to that book's Goodreads page, where you'll be able to read more about it!

Paperback:

Lure of the Dead (Last Apprentice Series #10) by Joseph Delaney: Book CoverPromised (Birthmarked Trilogy Series #3) by Caragh M. O'Brien: Book CoverRuins by Orson Scott Card: Book CoverShadowlands (Shadowlands Series #1) by Kate Brian: Book Cover


Sweet Shadows (Sweet Venom Series #2) by Tera Lynn Childs: Book CoverAdaptation by Malinda Lo: Book CoverTime Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone: Book CoverGuardian (Halflings Series #2) by Heather Burch: Book Cover


Hardback:

I Am Alice (Last Apprentice Series #12) by Joseph Delaney: Book CoverThe Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black: Book CoverAll Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill: Book CoverThe 100 by Kass Morgan: Book Cover


Conjured by Sarah Beth Durst: Book Cover



August 29, 2013

Nerd Blast: After Alex Died


After Alex Died
"“Don’t be someone who defines her life by someone else’s death.”

Dee Dee DeMarco’s brother, Alex, was funny, free-spirited and creative. He was also gay. Tormented by bullies, Alex killed himself on his 15th birthday.

Two years later, and now in college, Dee Dee believes getting a summer job working with a college-prep program for disadvantaged high school students is a stroke of luck, until she discovers that the guy assigned to co-lead her group is Cameron Connelly, a star basketball player and one of the bullies who tormented her brother to death. How can Dee Dee possibly spend the entire summer working so closely with one of the boys she blames for her brother’s death?"

About the Author:

Dakota Madison has been writing since she learned to read and fell in love with books. When she’s not at her computer creating spicy new romances, Dakota is traveling to exotic locales or spending time with her husband and their bloodhounds.

Giveaway:


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you so much for stopping by!

August 28, 2013

Waiting On Wednesday

All Our YesterdaysTitle: All Our Yesterday.
Author: Cristin Terrill.
Summary:

""You have to kill him."

Imprisoned in the heart of a secret military base, Em has nothing except the voice of the boy in the cell next door and the list of instructions she finds taped inside the drain.

Only Em can complete the final instruction. She's tried everything to prevent the creation of a time machine that will tear the world apart. She holds the proof: a list she has never seen before, written in her own hand. Each failed attempt in the past has led her to the same terrible present-imprisoned and tortured by a sadistic man called the doctor while war rages outside.

Marina has loved her best friend James since they were children. A gorgeous, introverted science prodigy from one of America's most famous families, James finally seems to be seeing Marina in a new way, too. But on one disastrous night, James's life crumbles apart, and with it, Marina's hopes for their future. Marina will protect James, no matter what. Even if it means opening her eyes to a truth so terrible that she may not survive it. At least not as the girl she once was. Em and Marina are in a race against time that only one of them can win.

All Our Yesterdays is a wrenching, brilliantly plotted story of fierce love, unthinkable sacrifice, and the infinite implications of our every choice."

Release Date: 9/3/13.


August 26, 2013

Book Review: Delirium

Delirium (Delirium, #1)
Title: Delirium.
Author: Lauren Oliver.
Series: Yes, #1.
Pages: 441.
Source: Purchased.
Publisher: HarperCollins.
Published Date: 2/7/12.
Links:
Goodreads.
Barnes and Noble.

Summary:

"Ninety-five days, and then I'll be safe. I wonder whether the procedure will hurt. I want to get it over with. It's hard to be patient. It's hard not to be afraid while I'm still uncured, though so far the deliria hasn't touched me yet. Still, I worry. They say that in the old days, love drove people to madness. The deadliest of all deadly things: It kills you both when you have it and when you don't."

Cover:

I'm not one for covers with faces on them. Why? I just feel like they do nothing for the story; when looking at this book you know nothing about what's inside, you don't know that it has to do with love, or a controlling society!

I feel that the story itself has so much substance, and has so many great qualities, that the cover could portray, but doesn't.

My Thoughts:

PLEASE don't throw rocks at me!!! I know this book has come out forever ago, I know its been sitting on my shelf and collecting dust for months, and I know I'm extremely late!! But I finally read it, now I'm reviewing it, and I also purchased the second book! ...I know, I'm good.

Delirium got so much hype, amazing reviews, and had all book bloggers talking about it, back when it first released! I knew I had to pick up a copy for myself, and read it as soon as possible. But we all know things don't always work out that way and things come up, and even some things are forgotten! But I read, and completely loved Delirium, and I'm here today to tell you just how much I do!!!

Delirium follows the story of Lena Haloway, who lives in this strange backwards society, that claims love to be a disease.But luckily when Lena turns eighteen, the government will grant her with the "cure" to love. Once a person is "cured", that person doesn't feel any emotions, not to partner, not to their family, animals or anything. That person just doesn't feel. After the cure is given, that person is matched (by the government) to someone else who seems to be compatible.

Adults who aren't cured, are known as Invalids and are shunned out by society. Rumors have it, that many invalids live outside of the governments border. Due to this anyone who is cured and children under eighteen, must carry around identification cards at all times. The government has set crazy rules, such as a curfew time, and they are allowed to raid homes whenever they please.

But Lena's story isn't just that simple, she's afraid of getting the cure and it not working, just like it didn't on her mother. Lena's mother was given the cured four times, and love still took her over; she committed suicide due to the emotions she was feeling. Not wanting to turn out like her mother, and allowing love to take her over, Lena has to look her best, and do her best in the interview before receiving the cure.

Nervous and already making mistakes just a few minutes into the interview, Lena is relieved when cows come running in and taking over the place. Lena is given another date and time for an interview. But before she leaves she catches a glimpse of the guy who is the cause of the cow stampede, taking over her interview.

Lena and her friend Hana soon bump into the same guy later; Alex. Lena starts to feel these emotions, and have thoughts she never had before, and all of them involve Alex. Lena starts to think that maybe the cure isn't what she wants, maybe she does like the feeling of love taking her over...and maybe the government is wrong.

Uhhh can we all just agree this is an amazing book? Love? A disease? What the HECK?! I love the concept, I love the characters, and overall I really enjoyed the story!

Lena was down to earth, and feared a lot. Her mother went through a lot because of love and not receiving the cure properly. Lena's biggest fear was turning out just like her mother, and becoming completely shunned by society.

My first thought when meeting Alex was, why does he have all these cows? And why is he just letting them run wild? But then my next thoughts were that he was cute, sweet, good looking and older! (*wipes drool of keyboard*) I liked the relationship he had with Lena; it was true love, and not the disease this society is so afraid of.

There was one thing that did bother me a little bit throughout the story; Lena's quick change in mind over the cure. Lena has lived her life in fear of love, counting down the seconds until her cure, but with by barely meeting Alex she quickly changes her mind. I feel that Lena gave in much too quickly about not wanting the cure. Alex didn't have to beg her, or ask her over and over again. I felt like he asked one time, and before he could even finish the question Lena already agreed to do whatever it was he was saying.

Overall Delirium was an amazing reading, and I hate myself for just letting it collect dust on my shelf for this long! I'm excited to get to the next book, and finish the series! I haven't read any reviews on the rest of the books, so I have no clue what will happen next!


It's Monday, What Am I Reading?

Fire with Fire (Burn for Burn, #2)Title: Fire with Fire.
Author: Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian.
Summary:

"Lillia, Kat, and Mary had the perfect plan. Work together in secret to take down the people who wronged them. But things didn’t exactly go the way they’d hoped at the Homecoming Dance.

Not even close.

For now, it looks like they got away with it. All they have to do is move on and pick up the pieces, forget there ever was a pact. But it’s not easy, not when Reeve is still a total jerk and Rennie’s meaner than she ever was before.

And then there’s sweet little Mary…she knows there’s something seriously wrong with her. If she can’t control her anger, she’s sure that someone will get hurt even worse than Reeve was. Mary understands now that it’s not just that Reeve bullied her—it’s that he made her love him.

Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, burn for a burn. A broken heart for a broken heart. The girls are up to the task. They’ll make Reeve fall in love with Lillia and then they will crush him. It’s the only way he’ll learn.

It seems once a fire is lit, the only thing you can do is let it burn..."

My Thoughts So Far: 

I haven't gotten too far into it, but so far I'm loving the characters and their attitudes! The story starts with a accident, and right now its focusing on the injured quarter back. Fire with Fire switches points of view, but so far it's been a little confusing..I'm excited to see how the rest of the story goes (:


August 25, 2013

Blogger of the Week: The Book Monsters!

 photo button_zps91574611.pngYour Name/Blog's Name: My name is Kristen and my blog is called The Book Monsters, my blog partner Kate helps me run it.
Genre: I mostly review graphic novels, middle grade and young adult books. I tend to read more fantasy/science fiction than anything else along with the subgenres within. I do enjoy historical fiction as well and will dip into realistic fiction when I feel the urge.
Blog Established: Our combo blog The Book Monsters has existed for a little over two years. Before that I was blogging on my own for two years on a blog called Bookworming in the 21st Century.
Inspiration: Blogging was starting to wear on me as my life started to get busier with work and starting my masters degree, so Kate and I decided it was finally time to combine our blogging efforts and become a brand new blog. Kate formerly blogged at The Neverending Shelf. We decided to start fresh and just transfer our old reviews to the new blog and abandon our old ones. I first started blogging two years previously on a whim after seeing more book blogs talked about on Goodreads.
Coffee or Tea: Both! I prefer Coffee in the morning and Tea in the afternoon. :)

1. What book do you find yourself recommending to people over and over again, why?

This one is easy for me. I often recommend Fablehaven by Brandon Mull, one of my favorite fantasy series for 4th grade and up. This one is easy to pitch to both boys and girls alike because of the brother/sister main characters. The fantasy elements really draw readers to check this one out. To older readers, I'm often pitching Bloody Jack as a series, possibly one of my favorite adventure series set during the British-French war and involving lots of high seas adventures. I love Jacky's character especially as narrated by the actress Katherine Kellgren.

2. What is one distraction that you always face when trying to read?

My laptop is often too close to where I am reading. I tend to be a couch or a bed reader and my laptop is always perched on the coffee table in our living room. Sometimes I switch to reading in bed to keep away from the internet.

3. You have two minutes to go in your house before it burns down, what five books would you save?

Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens, Dangerous Angels by Francesca Lia Block, The Spiderwick Chronicles complete edition by Toni DiTerlizzi & Holly Black, The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater, and Fire by Kristin Cashore.

4. Name one book you didn’t think you would enjoy, but ended up loving it.

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry. I thought I would like it, but not fall in love with it the way I did. I had heard buzz but I'm sort of "meh" sometimes when it comes to realistic, especially when it seems to be more romancey, but it was a shock in a good way. I found myself tearing up quite a bit during this book and really loved it.

5. What are five books you just had to have, but are still sitting on your shelf unread?

Divergent by Veronica Roth, Across the Universe by Beth Revis, The Painted Boy by Charles DeLint, The Diviners by Libba Bray, and Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick (not to mention hundreds more...).

6. About how many books have you read since you created your blog?

Almost 1,000. I try to read 300 a year but never seem to make it, so I average in the 230s -250s in a year. I've been blogging for 4 years, so I'd say that's a decent amount.

7. What is the most recent book you’ve read, describe it in ten words!

Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell - unique, historical, orphan girl, caring guardian, lost mother, cello, rooftops

8. Name one book that made you shed a tear, why?

I believe I went through a whole box of tissues with See You at Harry's by Jo Knowles. This book had me from the beginning with the brother struggling with his homosexuality and then a terrible accident happens and someone in the family dies. The rest of the book just tears you apart as the reader.

9. If you won ten million dollars, what would you do with it?

Buy a house big enough to fit a library, open a bookstore, and donate to charity.

Kristen's Links:

Blog
Twitter
Goodreads
Facebook
Pinterest
Bloglovin'

Book Haul!

Welcome to Turning Pages!

This week I've received a few review copies, that I'm extremely excited to start reading! Comment below, if you've heard of any of these titles! Let me know what you think!

Project CainProject Cain by Geoffrey Girard.

"Fifteen-year-old Jeff Jacobson had never heard of Jeffrey Dahmer, the infamous serial killer who brutally murdered seventeen people more than twenty years ago. But Jeff’s life changes forever when the man he’d thought was his father hands him a government file telling him he was constructed in a laboratory only seven years ago, part of a top-secret government cloning experiment called ‘Project CAIN’.

There, he was created entirely from Jeffrey Dahmer’s DNA. There are others like Jeff—those genetically engineered directly from the most notorious murderers of all time: The Son of Sam, The Boston Strangler, Ted Bundy . . . even other Jeffrey Dahmer clones. Some raised, like Jeff, in caring family environments; others within homes that mimicked the horrific early lives of the men they were created from.

When the most dangerous boys are set free by the geneticist who created them, the summer of killing begins. Worse, these same teens now hold a secret weapon even more dangerous than the terrible evil they carry within. Only Jeff can help track the clones down before it’s too late. But will he catch the ‘monsters’ before becoming one himself?"

Vampires, Scones, and Edmund Herondale (The Bane Chronicles, #3)Vampire Scones and Edmund Herondale, by Cassandra Clare and Sarah Rees Brennan.

"Magnus Bane leverages his alliances with Downworlders and Shadowhunters on a venture to Victorian London. One of ten adventures in The Bane Chronicles.

When immortal warlock Magnus Bane attends preliminary peace talks between the Shadowhunters and the Downworlders in Victorian London, he is charmed by two very different people: the vampire Camille Belcourt and the young Shadowhunter, Edmund Herondale. Will winning hearts mean choosing sides?"

Twisted Perfection (Perfection, #1)Twisted Perfection, by Abbi Glines.

"Life outside of her house was a new experience for Della Sloane. The dark secrets of her past weren’t something she ever intended to share with anyone. They would never understand. No one would ever get close enough to find out. There was always a chance she’d go crazy sooner than they expected…

Woods Kerrington had never been one to be attracted to fragile females. They seemed like too much work. He wasn’t in it for the work just the pleasure. A night full of naughty fun had been exactly what was on his mind when he’d laid eyes on the hot little number that didn’t know how to pump gas and needed some help.

What he didn’t know was she was as fragile as they came.
The carefree girl who spoke her mind and didn’t care what the world thought of her was more breakable than he could ever imagine…"

Fire with Fire (Burn for Burn, #2)
Fire with Fire, by Jenny Han.

"Lillia, Kat, and Mary had the perfect plan. Work together in secret to take down the people who wronged them. But things didn’t exactly go the way they’d hoped at the Homecoming Dance.

Not even close.

For now, it looks like they got away with it. All they have to do is move on and pick up the pieces, forget there ever was a pact. But it’s not easy, not when Reeve is still a total jerk and Rennie’s meaner than she ever was before.

And then there’s sweet little Mary…she knows there’s something seriously wrong with her. If she can’t control her anger, she’s sure that someone will get hurt even worse than Reeve was. Mary understands now that it’s not just that Reeve bullied her—it’s that he made her love him.

Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, burn for a burn. A broken heart for a broken heart. The girls are up to the task. They’ll make Reeve fall in love with Lillia and then they will crush him. It’s the only way he’ll learn.

It seems once a fire is lit, the only thing you can do is let it burn..."


August 23, 2013

Book Review: The Clock of Life.

The Clock Of LifeTitle: The Clock of Life.
Author: Nancy Klann-Moren.
Series: No.
Pages: 364.
Source: Author.
Publisher: Anthonyann Books.
Published Date: November 2012.
Links:
Goodreads.
Barnes and Noble.

Summary:

"In the small town of Hadlee, Mississippi, during the 1980's, Jason Lee Rainey struggles to find his way amongst the old, steadfast Southern attitudes about race, while his friendship with a black boy, Samson Johnson, deepens. 
By way of stories from others, Jason Lee learns about his larger-than-life father, who was killed in Vietnam. He longs to become that sort of man, but doesn't believe he has it in him. 
In The Clock Of Life he learns lessons from the past, and the realities of inequality. He flourishes with the bond of friendship; endures the pain of senseless death; finds the courage to stand up for what he believes is right; and comes to realize he is his father's son. 
This story explores how two unsettling chapters in American history, the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War, affect the fate of a family, a town, and two boyhood friends."

Cover:

A little plain, very neutral and goes along well with the title of the book. The cover does it's job, but I'm usually one for the glitz and glam type of covers.

My Thoughts:

While the cover isn't what I would usually go for and grab, the author's description and various reviews I researched online, are what suckered me in. I love when I give books, that I would never pick up, a try and find myself falling in complete love with the story and it's characters.

I can ultimately say that this wasn't one of those books. I did research and found a ton of amazing things about The Clock of Life, but it still just wasn't for me. I do, however, see what everyone was talking and raving about in the story.

The story overall was a bit confusing to me, maybe because I found myself picking it up, putting it down for a while, and then picking it back up again. But I was just having a hard time keeping up with the different things going on in the story; the death of Jason's dad, the loss of his friend, and the entire ordeal with his mother.

The Clock of Life did have potential and I went in reading it, with a open mind, and high hopes. While the story wasn't for me, I do see why many others liked it! If the synopsis sounds like something you would enjoy, I say go for it; I think you will! Thank you all for stopping by and I apologize for the negativity; I always strive to keep my reviews as honest as possible!


August 21, 2013

WWW Wednesday!

Welcome to Turning Pages!

What am I currently reading?

Project Cain

I just recently received a review book in the mail called, Project Cain by Geoffrey Girard. I'm only on chapter five, but so far it's been interesting, creepy and already mind blowing! Only a week ago did I watch a documentary on Jeffrey Dahmer, so I can't believe that this story involves him!

What did I just finish reading?

Blue Bloods (Blue Bloods, #1)

The last book I read was Blue Bloods by Melissa De La Cruz. I've been wanting to read this series for ages, bought a couple of the books, but just never got around to them, until my read-a-thon! I loved the first book, and I'm excited to see how the rest of the series goes!

What do I plan on reading next?

Usually I have a TBR for the month, but with my read-a-thon this month, I wasn't sure if I should make one, because I wouldn't be able to stick with it anyways, if that makes sense.. So I don't really know what I'll be reading next, I've been wanting to continue the Mortal Instruments series; I might do that (:


Waiting on Wednesday

Just for NowTitle: Just For Now.
Author: Abbi Glines.
Summary:

"Preston is one bad boy. And Amanda has harbored a crush on him for forever. When she finally makes her move on him, it does not end well. But still, she can’t resist him. Especially now that he seems to be pursuing her, too.

No one wants wants them to be together. Not Amanda’s brother Marcus, who is on the verge of his marriage to Low, and definitely not any of Preston’s buddies. They know way too much about Preston’s dark side. Even Preston realizes he’s not good enough for someone like her.

But Amanda believes there is more to Preston than his bad boy persona, and she is determined to unearth what he’s hiding behind his seductive blue eyes—secrets that could explain his actions. Secrets Amanda might not be able to forgive.

Yet the dangerous attraction persists...and neither Preston nor Amanda is going to deny it."

Release Date: 8/27/13.


August 19, 2013

It's Monday, What Am I Reading?

The Sea of Tranquility
Title: The Sea of Tranquility.
Author: Katja Millay.
Summary:

"Former piano prodigy Nastya Kashnikov wants two things: to get through high school without anyone learning about her past and to make the boy who took everything from her—her identity, her spirit, her will to live—pay.

Josh Bennett’s story is no secret: every person he loves has been taken from his life until, at seventeen years old, there is no one left. Now all he wants is be left alone and people allow it because when your name is synonymous with death, everyone tends to give you your space.

Everyone except Nastya, the mysterious new girl at school who starts showing up and won’t go away until she’s insinuated herself into every aspect of his life. But the more he gets to know her, the more of an enigma she becomes. As their relationship intensifies and the unanswered questions begin to pile up, he starts to wonder if he will ever learn the secrets she’s been hiding—or if he even wants to."

My Thoughts So Far: I'm not very far yet, but the synopsis pulled me, and I can't wait to see how the story goes!