Showing posts with label ARC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ARC. Show all posts
Requiem by Lauren Oliver
Requiem by Lauren Oliver
Pages: 400 pages
Release Date: March 21st 2013
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Add it: GoodreadsBattling against a society in which love has been declared a disease, Lena now finds herself at the center of a fierce revolution. But the Wilds are no longer the haven they once were as the government seeks to stamp out the rebels. And Lena's emotions are in turmoil following the dramatic return of someone she thought was lost forever... Told from the alternating viewpoints of Lena and her best friend Hana, Requiem brings the Delirium trilogy to an exhilarating end and showcases Lauren Oliver at the height of her writing powers - emotionally powerful and utterly enthralling
Warning: this review will contain some minor spoilers!
My Thoughts
Before I enlighten you with the depths of my thoughts regarding Requiem, let me tell you this. If you haven't read this series, frickin'
Oh Requiem! It is different just like the other books Delirium and Pandemonium. This time, the chapters are told from the viewpoints of Lena and Hana. A great change! I particularly enjoyed reading Hana's chapter. I actually didn't think I would after her intentions being revealed in the short story novella Hana but at the end all was well. She made more discoveries and also lots of things associated with the cure so the action was much more entertaining to read.
Don't get me wrong, I loved reading Lena's chapters too. Lena, along with her companions on a mission with the invalids fighting for whats right. And, come on! I was itching to know what was going to happen in this love triangle.
Both the love interests I adore - Jullian and Alex. Though, my heart is set on Alex . Even though we see a different side to him in this book but you can tell he does still care about Lena. We see his yearn of protection. Awww I am forever and will be Team Alex. I always tend to cheer on the guy that is introduced first! But he's so the better choice. Saying that there's this other girl that's set her eyes on Alex too. I know! Boo hoo, her names Coral and yes, I do not like her.
Ending? Would you even call that an ending? I was there like, hoooooold on what just happened? I'm talking in relation the love triangle. I have so many feelings! Cause Lauren Oliver does just what she does best, expect the unexpected and prepare to be left hanging! I don't care anyways cause I just have way too much love for this series! And now lets cry, cause now its come to an end!
Buy it: Amazon UK | Amazon US
Other books in series: Delirium | Pandemonium
But hold on. It's the beginning of an end ;D
because...
did you know,
DELIRIUM IS GOING TO BE BE MADE INTO A TV SERIES
OMG, LETS CRY!
The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson
by Maureen Johnson
Pages: 352
Release Date: September 29th 2011
Publisher: HarperCollinsChildren'sBooks
Source: For Review from Publishers
Buy it: Amazon
Add it: Goodreads
Thrilling ghost-hunting teen mystery as modern-day London is plagued by a sudden outbreak of brutal murders that mimic the horrific crimes of Jack the Ripper."A gorgeously written, chilling, atmospheric thriller. The streets of London have never been so sinister or so romantic." Cassandra Clare, author of THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTSSixteen-year-old American girl Rory has just arrived at boarding school in London when a Jack the Ripper copycat-killer begins terrorising the city. All the hallmarks of his infamous murders are frighteningly present, but there are few clues to the killer’s identity.“Rippermania” grabs hold of modern-day London, and the police are stumped with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. In an unknown city with few friends to turn to, Rory makes a chilling discovery…Could the copycat murderer really be Jack the Ripper back from the grave?My Thoughts
Maureen Johnson completely surprised me with The Name of the Star. I read 13 little blue envelopes a while ago and though I did enjoy reading it and thought it was good, it didn't really grab me. But with The Name of the Star, it was just amazing. I loved reading it and I definitely think that the whole edited version of Jack the Ripper thing was pretty cool.
London has yet again been attacked with a series of murders leading to many investigations and troublesome media. And the deaths are so gruesome that its as though Jack the Ripper has returned. Well, someone who's been imitating his work. It was at this time where Rory arrives in London all prepared for their senior year in Wexford Academy. So then it begins, as Rory gets entrapped into the world Jack the Ripper bringing chaos yet more excitement that she could have ever imagined.
Rory is a very quirky teen. She has a great character and so she's most definitely someone you could easily hang around with. I love the way she sees London and their way of life. Really interesting stuff here. She meets lots of nice people. I love her roommate Jazza, she's just so cool and oh Alistair too. Jerome is alright for your average guy. I was a bit edgy with him at the beginning but I can safely say he's a great guy.
With the Jack the Ripper idea and how Jonson had brushed it with her touch, I have got to say it got me going. It was endearing and gripping. I really really liked it. Though the only thing I didn't like was that this isn't a book you should read in the night! I can't wait to see what Johnson has in store for us next!
Naked by Kevin Brooks
Pages: 320
Release Date: July 7th 2011
Publisher: Puffin
Source: ARC from Publishers
Buy the Book: Amazon
Add it: Goodreads
London, 1976: a summer of chaos, punk, love ...and the boy they called Billy the Kid. It was the summer of so many things. Heat and violence, love and hate, heaven and hell. It was the time I met William Bonney - the boy from Belfast known as Billy the Kid. I've kept William's secrets for a long time, but now things have changed and I have to tell the truth. But I can't begin until I've told you about Curtis Ray. Hip, cool, rebellious Curtis Ray. Without Curtis, there wouldn't be a story to tell. It's the story of our band, of life and death ...and everything in between. This characteristically gripping novel from award-winning author Kevin Brooks will rock you to the core!
My Thoughts
Oh.My.God. I can't even begin to express how much I loved Naked. For me, it has to be one of the best books I've ever read. It was just THAT good. It had everything a perfect book needs. The first thing in Naked which got me hooked was the catch line. 'Live Fast, Play Dirty, Get NAKED'. Totally catchy right? And it totally sums up the story. Naked has romance, hardship, despair and a great bonus, music that reaches you to the very core!
Naked starts off with a woman, Lili, reminiscing in the year of 1967. This is the time where she met two people that changed her life. Will and Curtis. Curtis was always known to be the rebellious bad boy at school. Everyone loved him and want to be like him or be with him. And so, it came a great surprise to Lili when she got asked to audition for his band 'NAKED'. Thereon, the real story unfolds as we get lured through Lili's life through her eyes.
Lili is a realistic character. I really like her. Yes, she has flaws and so do the other characters but, that's what really defines them and makes them who they are. When Lili first saw Curtis, he seemed like a pretty decent guy and all. Little did I know. I don't like him at all! Though, I have to say I love his band and music. It so rocks. The lyrics are oookay. But, sometimes they do get pretty weird. I really don't care (much) especially when Will came into the picture. I LOVE HIM. Yeah, I think that pretty much sums it up. He's plain awesome!
What I really really loved about Naked was how something interesting was always going on making it entirely engrossing. It's like one thing after another. You're tossed and turned into this fabulous world. Ideally, Naked is not your average read. It's tough, gritty and very edgy. Like, the ending! What can I possibly say? I knew it was coming, you could just tell but I didn't want to accept it. At all. Oh how I love Kevin Brooks books. Buy this. Now!
Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
Pages: 420
Release Date: September 29th 2011
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Source: ARC from Publishers
Buy it Amazon
Add it: Goodreads
Featuring necklaces made of wishes; an underground shop dealing in teeth; magical tattoos; a wishbone on a cord, DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE is a thrilling story about Karou and her secret life as an apprentice to a wishmonger. Karou manages to keep her two lives in balance. On the one hand, she is a seventeen-year-old art student in Prague; on the other, errand-girl to an inhuman creature who deals in wishes and is the closest thing she has to family. Her life is surrounded by mysteries she is desperate to unveil.
My Thoughts
When I received Daughter of Smoke and Bone, I didn't give it much thought. Well, except that I absolutely loved the ARC cover it's a deep purple and so so nice! The final cover for the UK is ookay but I prefer the US one which is just WOW. So, was the book as smashing as the cover? Yes. Yes. YES!
17 year old Karou is an art student. She loves to paint and draw whilst being stuck in a sticky ex-boyfriend relationship. And, that's just one half of her parallel life. On the side, lies secrets and magic. Karou is an orphan who was raised by loving demons and so she grew up by spending most of her time in a demon, Brimstone,'s workshop. Occasionally, she would run errands for him until one day she was confronted with someone. Akiva.
I wasn't sure that Daughter of Smoke and Bone was a book I would enjoy. Demons? Not my thing. But the next thing I knew I was flicking pages and was instantly entrapped into this extraordinary world. It is utterly unique and I loved it! I was especially interested to see how the angel/demon idea will work out. It was all fantasy making everything even more fascinating.
Yet, I was more drawn to the romance. It was the most perfect love. It was really hard to grasp what will happen next in their relationship and how it will continue. But then we're kicked in with Taylor's awe-ing writing and you can't help but love the way they see each other.
Daughter of Smoke and Bone was run with suspence and thrill. It was definetly action packed and I especially liked the part where Karou learns more about herself by opening more doors to her past and reexperiencing it all over again. Plus there was more and more of Akiva! (Oh and don't you just love their names! How unique.)
What hit me hard the most was the ending it was just spectacular yet twice as much nerve wracking. Special, engaging and beautiful Daughter of Smoke and Bone will sweep you off your feet leaving you completely breathless. Bravo!
Abandon by Meg Cabot
Abandon Pages: 304
Release Date: September 1st 2011
Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books
Series: Abandon #1
Other books in series: Underworld
Source: ARC from Publishers
Buy it: Amazon
Add it: Goodreads
Last year, Pierce died - just for a moment. And when she was in the space between life and death, she met John: tall dark and terrifying, it’s his job to usher souls from one realm to the next.
There’s a fierce attraction between them, but Pierce knows that if she allows herself to fall for John she will be doomed to a life of shadows and loneliness in the underworld. But now things are getting dangerous for her, and her only hope is to do exactly what John says . . .
My Thoughts
Being a major fan of Cabot, I just knew I had to grab her latest book. I've read all her YA books and so I was ecstatic to find out she had something new for us in store. Abandon was everything I imagined it to be. It's a retelling of the old story of Persephone and Hades, I never read or heard of it before so reading Abandon wasn’t familiar but I loved it all the same. I devoured this book!
Pierce drowned in the middle of winter but she didn't die. She had a near death experience where she was brought to the Underworld. At first, she won't able to leave because of the mysterious John Hayden. But when she finally did resulting in her moving back to the mother's hometown in Florida she couldn't get rid of him. Though, a part of her wanted him to stay as of her short lived attraction.
Peirce is a weird yet awesome character. I really liked her. I enjoyed watching her unravel her secrets and maturing all the while. She has problems and many times she got me wondering what trouble she gets into next. And, they pretty much always end up in the form of John.
John is not your average guy. I didn't like him much. He seemed arrogant and tardy. He completely contrasts with Peirce's personality. They're two completely different people. So you'll why I was surprised with how he felt towards Pierce. I should have known. It was only until the end that I actually liked him.
The plot was thrilling and fast paced. I especially loved the whole Greek mythology touch to it. Cabot has delivered yet another amazing read. I can't wait to read the next book. So pine worthy!
All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin
All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin
Pages: 368
Release Date: September 6th 2011
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Source: ARC from Publishers
Buy it: Amazon
Add it: Goodreads
In 2083, chocolate and coffee are illegal, paper is hard to find, water is carefully rationed, and New York City is rife with crime and poverty. And yet, for Anya Balanchine, the sixteen-year-old daughter of the city's most notorious (and dead) crime boss, life is fairly routine. It consists of going to school, taking care of her siblings and her dying grandmother, trying to avoid falling in love with the new assistant D.A.'s son, and avoiding her loser ex-boyfriend. That is until her ex is accidentally poisoned by the chocolate her family manufactures and the police think she's to blame. Suddenly, Anya finds herself thrust unwillingly into the spotlight--at school, in the news, and most importantly, within her mafia family.
My Thoughts
After reading Elsewhere, I could read every other book by Zevin. So, as soon as I heard about All These Things I've Done, I knew I had to have it. Luckily, I received it for review and I was simply overjoyed! And, do you know what? I was more pleased after reading All these things I've done as I LOVED it!
Anya Balanchine is an orphan. Her parents were murdered and all that's left for her is caring for her brother and sister. Anya's family then becomes involved in a an illegal chocolate business making things go from good to worst. So, when a chocolate poisoning comes at large, Anya is not in a good light. With these accusations, nothing gets better when she finds herself falling in love that which is forbidden.
Woah. Chocolate is illegal? What a great plot. And not only that, there are other twists and turns along the way. I couldn't stop reading! Even though, I didn't get why Chocolate was illegal. But, it really didn't matter as much as the star-crossed romance brings a great spin to the story.
The romance was great. It was a gradual build up so nothing was overdone. Not the typical love at first sight thing either. I loved reading every single moment. Things get even better when we discover that their love is forbidden.
All these things I've done is one promising story. Zevin has brought us a great plot and characters driven with utter suspense. I'm at the edge of my seat and I can't wait to see where this series leads!
Eight Keys by Suzanne LaFleur
by Suzanne LaFleur
Pages: 272
Release Date: August 11th 2011
Publisher: Puffin
Buy the Book: Amazon UK | Amazon US
Elise and Franklin have always been best friends. Elise has always lived in the big house with her loving Uncle and Aunt, because Elise's parents died when she was too young to remember them. There's always been a barn behind the house with eight locked doors on the second floor.
When Elise and Franklin start middle school, things feel all wrong. Bullying. Not fitting in. Franklin suddenly seems babyish. Then, soon after her 12th birthday, Elise receives a mysterious key left for her by her father. A key that unlocks one of the eight doors upstairs in the barn...
My Thoughts
As soon as I started reading Eight Keys, I was very intrigued to find out what secrets these keys will unlock. The synopsis had me hooked and it was only after a matter of pages into Eight Keys that I knew this book was something special.
Elise, the main character, is a 11 year old girl whose parents have both died leaving her in the care of her uncle and aunt. It's only until her 12th birthday that she notices a key addressed to her. And from that moment, many doors opened, many challenges are met and many lessons are learnt.
Elise is a great girl with an amazing friend, Franklin. Franklin is the type of friend that anyone would love to have. You could say he's very near to perfect. Nothing seems to set him and he is always there for Elise through think and thin. That's what I love about him. He's cute, caring and very childish. However, Elise believes his 'childlike' attitude isn't very grown up.
This is where Elise's locker buddy, Amanda comes in. I utterly despise her. Mainly because of what she does to Elise. It's quite funny how one small mean repetitive action like squashing your lunch every single day can make you really really not like someone. At least, shje got what she deserve at the end. Though not as quite I was expecting.
I really enjoyed Eight Keys. It's a book for all ages I believe. It had me wanting to read more. I look forward to reading more books by Suzanne LaFleur! An uplifting and insightful read.
Angel's Fury by Bryony Pearce
Pages: 304
Release Date: July 4th 2011
Publisher: Egmont
Buy the book: Amazon UK | Amazon US
I've started to have dreams while I'm awake. I remember music I've never heard ... I've got all this extra stuff in my head, but I'm forgetting things from my own life. I feel like I'm being taken over.
Cassie Farrier has always suffered from terrifying nightmares. On a trip to Germany she recognises scenes from her dreams and finds evidence of a sixty year-old massacre. Fearing for her sanity, her family sends Cassie to a retreat where she meets others with symptoms like her own and finds out that she has lived a number of past lives.
However, the Doctor at the retreat is not what she seems. Cassie and the boy she comes to love must escape the Doctor’s influence but can they also escape the misery of their shared past?
My Thoughts
As soon as I started reading Angel's Fury I knew that it was a book I would really like. It's a different sort of book and I think that was the main thing that held my interest. It was a combination of genres, a bit of love, thriller, historical and so I really enjoyed reading it!
Cassie, a teenage girl, constantly has these terrible nightmares. As time goes on they get even worse and terrible so she really is desperate for a way for them to stop. But then, one day on a school trip to Germany she realises so many things. Her dreams somehow awaken inside and she discovers that they are in fact scenes from her past lives.
Cassie's emotions go down really deep. As much as the dreams are fascinating she is really frightened and scared. That is when a specialist doctor comes into the picture, called 'The Doctor'. There is no doubt that I despise 'The Doctor', she is just intolerable. Then, Cassie has to move into this manor in the hope of getting rid of these dreams.
At the manor, she meets Seth and she starts to feel a sort of attraction towards him. Romance isn't a dominant theme in the book but I look forward to reading the moments between them and seeing how their relationship progresses.
I love the ideas behind this book. A great debut from a great British author. It is without doubt an original, and brilliant read. I would definitely recommend this!
Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini
by Josephine Angelini
Pages: 480
Release Date: June 3rd 2011
Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books
Buy it: Amazon
Set on the island of Nantucket, STARCROSSED tells the tale of Helen Hamilton, a young woman whose destiny is forever altered when she meets Lucas Delos and tries to kill him in front of her entire high school. Which is terribly inconvenient, not only because Lucas is the most beautiful boy on the island, but also because Helen is so achingly shy she suffers physical pain whenever she is given too much attention.
Making matters worse, Helen is beginning to suspect she’s going crazy. Whenever she’s near Lucas or any member of his family she sees the ghostly apparitions of three women weeping bloody tears, and suffers the burden of an intense and irrational hate. She soon learns that she and Lucas are destined to play the leading roles in a Greek tragedy that the Three Fates insist on repeating over and over again throughout history. Like her namesake, Helen of Troy, she’s destined to start a war by falling in love. But even though Lucas and Helen can see their own star-crossed destiny, they’re still powerfully attracted to each other. Will they give up their personal happiness for the greater good, or risk it all to be together?
My Thoughts
I seem to always come across books that I doubt reading at first but then love after. So yeah it happened once again and boy did I love Starcrossed. Greek mythology? Just gotta love it and plus I haven't read many books like that so yay!
When I say I was addicted to reading it, it's not an understatement. I don't know why. Probably everything about it was just so so awesome. Helen is great. She always had trouble in fitting in but that's what I like. She's different and she knows she is different. Not one of those typical teenagers. Like bleugh. And so when she discovers who she really is, it really is really cool.
Lucas! I love him! But, Helen can't be with him and their destined to kill each other. It was amazing though. Their first meeting, and how sweet he always is to her! They're so meant to be together especially since Lucas is ready to do so much for her :)
With that WOW ending I am just dying to read the next book. The Greek mythology makes it even better, very unique! Starcrossed is an addictive, fast paced novel that YA readers will not forget!
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