The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer Release & Trailer

Releasing today is what may be one of the most anticipated YA Books of 2011; The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer is hitting the shelves today, September 27. This book has flooded the blog world with phenomenal reviews and the countdowns have been plastered everywhere! Check out the synopsis and official book trailer!

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Goodreads | Amazon

Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.

She's wrong.

Get More: Movie Trailers, Movies Blog

First Impressions Friday (16)

First Impressions is a meme hosted here at Within Pages where we take a look at all things, mostly booky, and reflect on our initial thoughts. Non-bloggers, non-book bloggers, and everyone alike can participate on any topic you'd like. Feel free to drop your links or thoughts in the comments!

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Divergent Book Two: Insurgent Cover Reveal

Unlike the first book, this cover is dark with the skies of a dystopian world. What an ominous picture for the setting of Veronica Roth's new release in the Divergent Trilogy.

The emotion that I get from this cover is one of struggle, hopelessness, despair, and war. Having read the first book, I know those are all appropriate themes that I should be able to take away from the cover. With the tree spinning as it is in the center, I feel that it is saying something about the cycle of life, or as a theme in the book, the cycle of human nature.

One choice can destroy you.

What are we chosing? What decisions face Four and Tris and the rest of the characters in Insurgent? The very definition of insurgent tells us we should expect a thrill ride of adventure this time from Roth. I can't wait!

Review: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Goodreads | Amazon

Publisher: Scholastic, Inc. (September 1, 2009)
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages (Hardcover): 391
Series: The Hunger Games (Book 2)
Source: Bought
ISBN-13: 9780439023498
Genre: Dystopia
Author: Website
Series Reviews: Book 1 (5★)

Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark won the annual competition described in Hunger Games, but the aftermath leaves these victors with no sense of triumph. Instead, they have become the poster boys for a rebellion that they never planned to lead. That new, unwanted status puts them in the bull's-eye for merciless revenge by The Capitol.

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Overview:

The thrill of this book takes a considerable amount of time getting started. Unlike The Hunger Games, this book starts out very slow, with a long setup of the theme for this book. There is the agonizing threat and changes that are beginning to take place in Panem since Katniss and Peeta won the Games. The delicate balance of the love triangle is thrown into a tighter net with the announcement of the Quell. This book has interesting deaths and interesting desire behind it, but was missing something that gripped me like the first book, though I still really enjoyed it.

Review:

While lackluster in comparison to The Hunger Games, this book still has all the rights of being the sequel. The first thing that you notice about the first book is the thrill of action and it maintains that theme throughout the whole book. The first thing you notice about this book is that the beginning is a complete opposite.

With no further creation and depth of characters, we stay on the mainstream plot lines that were established for the characters through and at the end of the first book. We know that Katniss is strong, fierce, and independent but this book doesn't really continue to nurture that side of her; instead it takes her down the path of confusion and unable to bolster the responsibility of her actions. The same lack of definition exists with Peeta and Gale as well. What was once a carefully constructed and fragile love triangle is now a mash up of teenage confusion and anger.

However, once being able to get past the first half of the book and into the action heavy part, we are introduced to thick plot of conspiracy and rebellion all the while we are set in an amazing new arena. While the deaths were not as thrilling or unique, the remaining support characters that we witness were interesting and mysterious which adds a connection to the action.

Overall, this book was considerably slow in the beginning and the characters lacked further growth and depth but we were still thrown into the dystopian world of Suzanne Collins that we grew to love in the first installment. In this book, we got a new concept aside from a misconstrued existence in Panem; we were thrust into the middle of the underground, of the rebellion, of the conspiracy and what an intriguing place it is to be.

Rating out of 5:

Review: Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Goodreads | Amazon

Publisher: HarperTeen (August 31, 2010)
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages (Hardback): 335
Series: Paranormalcy (Book 1)
Read Next: Supernaturally
Source: Library
ISBN-13: 9780061985843
Genre: Paranormal

Weird as it is working for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, Evie’s always thought of herself as normal. Sure, her best friend is a mermaid, 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 still. Normal.

Only now paranormals are dying, and Evie's dreams are filled with haunting voices and mysterious prophecies. She soon realizes that there may be a link between her abilities and the sudden rash of deaths. Not only that, but she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.

So much for normal.
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Overview: 

Kiersten White writes in such an easy voice that it is very easy to construct the idea of Evie. Journalistic in its writing, we accompany Evie through the trials of a confused teenage girl; eager for all her teenage life but never understanding the truth. White creatively uses other characters, like Reth and Fehl, to weave together a story that twists, turns, and leaves you begging to understand...to know the truth.

Review:

Gripping and easy to read this book is a fantastic read. The connection in this book can easily be achieved and maintained through the simplicity of the voice that is used to develop Evie as a character. She is the first thing that really manages to capture your attention; with the story told from her perspective, we have a unique look at the way the world is seen through a special individuals eyes.

And what an interesting world it is to see. This book provides such a collection of interesting paranormal beings in one setting that it pulls in a sense of all the glamor and magic that could be surrounding us everyday. This book also offers unique paranormals that, even in my wildest fantasy readings, have never encountered. From the huldras to the interesting depictions of elementals such as Cressada and even the concept behind Evie herself, Kiersten White has added her individual interpretations of each of these beings to create a beautiful and unprecedented magical world.

Each character has a well defined life in the existence of this paranormal world and the journey Evie ends up on to unravel her own mystery is deep and thoughtful. Connected to faery tales and simple paranormals, this book excites us through its adventures, its confusions, its creatures, and its mysteries. Expertly crafted and a great recommendation for young adult paranormal fans!

Rating out of 5:

First Impressions Friday (15)

First Impressions is a meme hosted here at Within Pages where we take a look at all things, mostly booky, and reflect on our initial thoughts. Non-bloggers, non-book bloggers, and everyone alike can participate on any topic you'd like. Feel free to drop your links or thoughts in the comments!

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Breaking Dawn Trailer

So they have released a new Breaking Dawn trailer and this one has my excitement peaked! It covers a lot of the aspects about the book that I was wondering about including the point in which they end Part 1 to begin Part 2. I can say that I think this looks phenomenal; however, I don't seem to recall a time in the book when the wolves actually attack anyone. I just re-read it recently and I just don't recall this at all, so that will be an interesting thing to see.

I think that with each movie they have made Edward look more and more like a vampire and in the same beat, it makes it even more questionable as to why the wedding is in the daytime. I think the makeup for Bella during her pregnancy is done pretty well and I can't wait to see how this all plays out. Only a month and 2 days away!

According to the facebook fan page, tickets will go on sale for the midnight release 10/1! Are you ready?

The Milestone

Okay, so this isn't the best way to bring in the 6 month milestone for my book blog but it is still a milestone nonetheless! After six months I have had a wonderful time and think that the blog is blossoming so well! I have over 100 followers in Google Friend Connect, have reviewed two ARCs with the third one lined up (and three books unread!), have had almost 2000 unqiue visits, and have been receiving so many emails (still working on comments hehe)!

The sad part is that I would love to have a giveaway for this monument but a general update is that I am still in the midst of my job search and in the life change from the break up and needing a place to live, applying for graduate school, etc. So at the moment, I am just celebrating the success and thanking you all for your continued support! Even now, when I am so boogled and bumfuzzled, you are here reading what I have to say about some amazing selections in young adult literature and that means everything to me.

Thank you so much for helping me reach this point and thank you for supporting me through your understanding during a difficult time!

Ladybird, Ladybird Release & Trailer

Ladybird, Ladybird by Abra Ebner

Goodreads

Samantha was born on a full moon to a mother already dead. Revived by doctors and given to her unloving father, Samantha was raised a cursed child, her only friend the ghost of her mother who speaks to her through keys.

From the inside out, Sam burned with life, a fire so vivid it kept her peers at a distance, all except one. Leith, a quiet farmboy with a broken heart and demons of his own, enjoys the seclusion his classmates grant him, but the seclusion is all too familiar to Sam.

When their worlds collide... fires burn.

As part of their release event, Crimson Oak Publishing is giving away five $50 American Express gift cards. In turn they're also sponsoring a blogger reward where referral clicks to our specific GIVEAWAY LINK can help us win a Kindle. Click your way through! If I happen to win, really...it is like YOU win!

First Impressions Friday (14)

First Impressions is a meme hosted here at Within Pages where we take a look at all things, mostly booky, and reflect on our initial thoughts. Non-bloggers, non-book bloggers, and everyone alike can participate on any topic you'd like. Feel free to drop your links or thoughts in the comments!

_________________________________________________________________

The Hunger Games Teaser Trailer

As far as teaser trailers go, this video (released during the 2011 MTV Music Awards) barely wet our feet with excitement for the movie to release in 2012. Jennifer Lawrence, a Kentucky native, as Katniss looks to be a perfect match up. From the very small snips that we get to see, she has talent!

The jury is still out on the casting of Liam Hemsworth as Gale though. We weren't privleged with much on the way of acting so I'm still looking forward to seeing more!

This teaser is great though; a great introduction to a movie that I am sure is to be just as amazing as the book. If you haven't read the book(s), I strongly encourage at least reading the first one. Check out my five star reveiw for more!

Review: Sacrifice by M. Metz and L. Burns

Sacrifice by Melinda Metz & Laura Burns

Goodreads | Amazon

Publisher: Simon & Schuester Children's (September 20, 2011)
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages (Paperback): 256
Series: Crave (Book 2)
Source: Simon & Schuester Galley Grab
ISBN-13: 9781442408180
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series Reviews: Book 1 (5★)

Gabriel and Shay are convinced that they can make their relationship work. Knowing that Shay is half-vampire, Gabriel thinks that his coven will embrace her as one of their own, but instead they view her as an abomination, a thing that doesn’t belong in either world. And they want her dead. Now Gabriel must make the ultimate decision - watch his love be killed by his coven or defy the people closest to him, the people he has spent centuries with to save her.
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Overview:

I love the story that Metz and Burns started in Crave and it continues to maintain its hold on me through Sacrifice. Shay and Gabriel are amazingly constructed and the level of their love is something I "crave" to read about. While repitive at times, there are moments that are nail-biting and make you wonder how it is possible to make it out of this alive. Sacrifice.

Review:

I can't figure out where I want to start with this book. I was madly in love with Crave after my experiment of no reviews and an unknown title. There was so much to love about the story; I loved the spin on vampire lore just as much as I loved the characters.

The first book ends with a monstrous cliffhanger and in one of the smoothest transitions I have ever read, Sacrifice picks up in perfection at the exact following moment. This was an exciting to start to the book; however, the thrill didn't continue to propel excitement through the first chapters. This was the only problem that I had with this book. In the first book, we had such intricate details of the characters coupled with a great and enticing story that pulled you through the entire book. In the beginning of this book, we are left with our desire to have more Gabriel and Shay but not the pull of what was coming next. It was, in the beginning, a constant ebb and flow of  "I love Shay and need her" or "Gabriel loves me, he will find a way here" and any combination thereof with the two of them confessing their eternal love in the confines of their mind.

Once we break free of that cycle, it changes and the action picks up and we get a sense of the Shay that we fell in love with in the first place. We see "realistic" situations and scenarios as Shay takes on the world. In this book, we are introduced to tragedy, betrayal, and sacrifice. I was expecting Sacrifice to be more of a central theme, but it is only there, fleeting in the background and ending in a shocking turn of events.

Overall, I loved reading this book. I pushed through the lull of repetition to find a great story and a wonderful twist. So much of the background to the characters is woven into this story and I think it is a solid end, with no confusion and no questions. There is a possibility of another book, its end is not finite but leaves you with a solid feeling of resolution.

Rating out of 5:

Favorite Quote (ARC):

'You're with me. That's all that matters'...Even though it wasn't all that mattered, it was the most important thing. To both of them.

Hades Release & Trailer

Released yesterady is the sequel to Halo; Hades by Alexandra Adornetto hit the shelves yesterday, August 30 from Fiewel & Friends. This book has already had flooded the blog world with amazing reviews and the buzz surrounding it is intense! Check out the synopsis and official book trailer!

Hades by Alexandra Adornetto
Goodreads | Amazon

Bethany and Xavier are even closer since battling Jake Thorn and his evil influence (in Halo) and Beth and her angel siblings must still protect Venus Cove from the Dark Forces.

When a party game – a séance – inadvertently releases Jake from the Underworld, he disguises himself and tricks Beth into taking a ride on his motorcycle. When the highway opens up and swallows them, Beth learns too late that she’s now a prisoner in hell. What happens to angels there? As her archangel brother, Gabriel, her sister Ivy, Xavier, and her best friend, Molly search for her, Beth must weigh Jake’s bargaining for her freedom: one night with him, and she will be released back to Earth.
Can Jake be trusted in this wager? And is he also using Beth to engineer the fall of the archangel Gabriel? Xavier has already lost one love – when Jake tricks him into thinking that Bethany is dead, his grief and anger result in a betrayal that will leave Bethany – and readers – wondering if he is so good after all.

It will be up to Beth to use everything she’s learned about her powers as an angel – and about love – to free herself and those she loves from the clutches of Hades.

RAK: September

I have signed up to participate in Random Acts of Kindness this month! I think it is a great program with a great idea! If you don't know what RAK is, let me give you a little insight!

Random Act of Kindness is a way for book bloggers to just make someone's day by surprising them with a book they have been dieing to get. Sometimes, this world is so depressing when you think about all the cold and selfishness that is within it, this is a chance for us to beat it down and spread happiness and a love for reading. Created by Isalys and Vanessa at Book ♥ Soulmates and restarts and is open to new participants every month. 

RULES:

• Sign up each month that you'd like to participate.

• Show off your participation by grabbing our RAK button :)

• Create a wish list (on Amazon, Goodreads, or your blog etc) and post it in the Google Doc located in each R.A.K post for the month. 
• Please, once you receive a RAK, come back to the Google doc and mark the box that says you've received one. There are a lot of requests for this!

• If you choose to do a R.A.K for someone, check out their wish list and contact that blogger for their address.

• At the end of the month, SHOW US YOUR R.A.K!

Make a post saying 'Thank You' to whoever granted one of your wishes and share it with us :)

OPEN TO EVERYONE!

Let's keep our International bloggers in mind and in our hearts.

Remember, there's always the Book Depository and they offer FREE shipping!

Some items from my full wishlist are:

The Vampire Stalker by Alison Van Diepen

The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross

A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young

Forgotton by Cat Patrick

Iron Fey Series by Julie Kagawa
Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Hardback, paperback, new or used. I can even accept eBooks now ♥

Thank you to these lovely ladies for such a wonderful opportunity and for hosting this wonderful event!