On My Wishlist...

On My Wishlist is a great event that Book Chick City runs every Saturday. It's where you list all of the books that you desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming. I thought that this was a fantabulous idea so I thought I would join in!
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"Between The Sea and Sky" by Jaclyn Dolamore

From Goodreads: "For as long as Esmerine can remember, she has longed to join her older sister, Dosinia, as a siren--the highest calling a mermaid can have. Then Dosinia runs away to the mainland, and Esmerine is sent to retrieve her. Using magic to transform her tail into legs, she makes her way unsteadily to the capital city. There she comes upon a friend she hasn't seen since childhood--a dashing young man named Alandare, who belongs to a winged race of people. As Esmerine and Alandare band together to search for Dosinia, they rekindle a friendship . . . and ignite the emotions for a love so great it cannot be bound by sea, land, or air." 
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"Dead Rules" by Randy Russell 

From Goodreads: "Sometimes falling in love means you have to kill somebody.

Jana Webster and Michael Haynes were destined to be together forever. Of that, Jana was sure.

But Jana just died—in a bowling accident. And now she’s trapped in Dead School. Jana is certain that it won’t be long before Michael kills himself in order to spend eternity with her—but the days are passing and Michael is, inexplicably, still alive. So Jana decides to take matters into her own hands. And nothing—not even Dead School bad boy Mars Dreamcote’s enticingly warm touch or the devastating secret he holds about her death—will stop her from making her dreams come true.

Romeo and Juliet meets Heathers in this hilariously macabre take on paranormal romance, packed with heart-stopping suspense and sizzling star-crossed love."
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"Haunting Violet" by Alyxandra Harvey   

From Goodreads: "Violet Willoughby doesn't believe in ghosts. But they believe in her. After spending years participating in her mother's elaborate ruse as a fraudulent medium, Violet is about as skeptical as they come in all matters supernatural. Now that she is being visited by a very persistent ghost, one who suffered a violent death, Violet can no longer ignore her unique ability. She must figure out what this ghost is trying to communicate, and quickly because the killer is still on the loose.

Afraid of ruining her chance to escape her mother's scheming through an advantageous marriage, Violet must keep her ability secret. The only person who can help her is Colin, a friend she's known since childhood, and whom she has grown to love. He understands the true Violet, but helping her on this path means they might never be together. Can Violet find a way to help this ghost without ruining her own chance at a future free of lies?"

What is on your wishlist? 

"The Unfinished Song: Initiate" by Tara Maya

From Goodreads: "A DETERMINED GIRL...

Dindi can't do anything right, maybe because she spends more time dancing with pixies than doing her chores. Her clan hopes to marry her off and settle her down, but she dreams of becoming a Tavaedi, one of the powerful warrior-dancers whose secret magics are revealed only to those who pass a mysterious Test during the Initiation ceremony. The problem? No-one in Dindi's clan has ever passed the Test. Her grandmother died trying. But Dindi has a plan.

AN EXILED WARRIOR...

Kavio is the most powerful warrior-dancer in Faearth, but when he is exiled from the tribehold for a crime he didn't commit, he decides to shed his old life. If roving cannibals and hexers don't kill him first, this is his chance to escape the shadow of his father's wars and his mother's curse. But when he rescues a young Initiate girl, he finds himself drawn into as deadly a plot as any he left behind. He must decide whether to walk away or fight for her... assuming she would even accept the help of an exile."

In all honesty I am having a somewhat difficult time reviewing this book. While reading the first couple of pages of this book I was so confused as to what was going on because Tara had introduced so many different terms that I was unfamiliar with (ie. krall, aurochsen, etc.) and therefore I would have to reread sentences trying to use the words context in order to determine what they meant and a lot of the time I was unable to do so. Furthermore, in the beginning I was quite confused by the politics of the world/ how all of the different people were situated in comparison to all of the other, though this confusion did ease up with time. On the other hand, this story was super unique/ intriguing and unlike any fae-ish/ tribal story I have ever read before, the characters were quite believable and relate-able, and the cover? Super gorgeous (I think that I read that that Tara created the cover herself!).

Aside from Kavio, my favourite character was hands-down Gwenika (mainly because I can relate to her so much- hypochondriac/ major worrier much? You bet!). Kavio was such an interesting male character, he seemed to always be pulling a new talent out of his repertoire and I think that he can definitely be added to the 'swoon-worthy' list! And Dindi was also a very interesting character, she was so caring and patient with all of the people around her (I know I could never be as patient as she was).     

I loved how fast paced and action-packed the second half of this book was- I am looking forward to the next book in this series mainly because this book ended on a complete cliffhanger. 

Rating: 6.5/10

I received this book from the author, I was not compensated for my review.  

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating...

Title: Silence
Author: Becca Fitzpatrick
Release Date: October 4th, 2011

From Goodreads: "The noise between Patch and Nora is gone. They've overcome the secrets riddled in Patch's dark past...bridged two irreconcilable worlds...faced heart-wrenching tests of betrayal, loyalty and trust...and all for a love that will transcend the boundary between heaven and earth. Armed with nothing but their absolute faith in one another, Patch and Nora enter a desperate fight to stop a villain who holds the power to shatter everything they've worked for—and their love—forever."
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Title: The Girl of Fire and Thorns
Author: Rae Carson
Release Date: September 20, 2011

From Goodreads: "Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.

Elisa is the chosen one.

But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can’t see how she ever will.

Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.

And he’s not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people’s savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.

Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young.

Most of the chosen do."   

"Demonglass" by Rachel Hawkins

From Goodreads: "Sophie Mercer thought she was a witch.

That was the whole reason she was sent to Hex Hall, a reform school for delinquent Prodigium (aka witches, shapeshifters, and fairies). But that was before she discovered the family secret, and that her hot crush, Archer Cross, is an agent for The Eye, a group bent on wiping Prodigium off the face of the earth.

Turns out, Sophie’s a demon, one of only two in the world—the other being her father. What’s worse, she has powers that threaten the lives of everyone she loves. Which is precisely why Sophie decides she must go to London for the Removal, a dangerous procedure that will destroy her powers.

But once Sophie arrives she makes a shocking discovery. Her new friends? They’re demons too. Meaning someone is raising them in secret with creepy plans to use their powers, and probably not for good. Meanwhile, The Eye is set on hunting Sophie down, and they’re using Archer to do it. But it’s not like she has feelings for him anymore. Does she?"

When I picked up "Hex Hall" last year and saw that it was a Disney Hyperion book, I am not going to lie, I scoffed at it. I figured that it would be some totally mindless book that was only written to become some Saturday morning TV show like "Hannah Montanna" or "Wizards of Waverly Place", but boy was I ever wrong. The book completely blew me away (as you can see from my review) and well Lady Hawkins, you have done it again! You have written an amazing story!

I think these books are so successful because:

A) There really isn't a set age range to them, I think that a thirty year old would love them as much, if not more than a thirteen year old  

B) Snark. These books are friggin' hilarious. Three or four pages into "Demonglass" I was laughing my butt off and my parents were rolling their eyes saying "Oh gosh, here she goes again".  

C) Strong female character. Sophie, yeah, she has balls and is, as previously mentioned, snarky. While she may not have always made the best decisions at the time, she is overall a pretty selfless character.  

D) The boys (oh how I love me some book boys!). I was seriously crushing on Archer in the last book, but Cal? Well he didn't really make an impact on me whatsoever in "Hex Hall", but in this book? He is my new fav! I think that Cal can really give Archer a run for his money.

E) You honestly cannot put these books down (I know, I know, I say that all the time, but it is for reals in this instance)! The fam and I left to shopping/ to the movies when I was about halfway through the book. As the fam was walking around the mall I was trailing behind them reading as I walked. And then when we went to the movies later on I had my cell phone out during the previews trying to illuminate the pages so that I could continue reading. As soon as we got out the theater I pulled the book back out and continued reading until I finished it.

F) It isn't your typical YA paranormal/ witchy story. The Eye? The Removal Process and whatnot? Unlike anything I have ever read before. 

G) Fast. Paced. Action. And. Adventure. ('nuff said).  

H) If you are still reading this list and are not convinced to go read these series, well I think you are crazy and you really need to reread this list!

Rating: 10/10

***Special thanks to Jess from A GREAT Read for my copy of the book!***

"Firelight" by Sophie Jordan

From Goodreads: "A hidden truth.

Mortal enemies.

Doomed love.

Marked as special at an early age, Jacinda knows her every move is watched. But she longs for freedom to make her own choices. When she breaks the most sacred tenet among her kind, she nearly pays with her life. Until a beautiful stranger saves her. A stranger who was sent to hunt those like her. For Jacinda is a draki—a descendant of dragons whose greatest defense is her secret ability to shift into human form.

Forced to flee into the mortal world with her family, Jacinda struggles to adapt to her new surroundings. The only bright light is Will. Gorgeous, elusive Will who stirs her inner draki to life. Although she is irresistibly drawn to him, Jacinda knows Will's dark secret: He and his family are hunters. She should avoid him at all costs. But her inner draki is slowly slipping away—if it dies she will be left as a human forever. She'll do anything to prevent that. Even if it means getting closer to her most dangerous enemy.

Mythical powers and breathtaking romance ignite in this story of a girl who defies all expectations and whose love crosses an ancient divide."

I hate when I read reviews and people have compared books to "Twilight" saying that the book that they read is a blatant rip-off of "Twilight" and whatnot, because a) "Twilight" ain't the most original story out there and therefore it should not be the book that all other books are compared to and b) the majority of the time the book that the reviewer has said is just like "Twilight" isn't. At. All. A lot of time I go out of my way to defend these books because, as mentioned, in the majority of cases they are not like "Twilight" and in my opinion, I think that by comparing them to "Twilight" people who are completely anti-"Twilight" will set these books aside thinking that they are cliche-ridden books with lots of teen angst and sparkly hot male characters and not read them- and I think that in not reading them they are missing out on some really great stories.

Now you may be wondering where this is all leading to? Well, I must admit... I found the first half of this book to be entirely reminiscent of "Twilight" (hangs my head in shame, I know, I know... I am totally being hypocritical) and then the second half of the book seemed entirely reminiscent of Claudia Gray's "Evernight" series.

Now how was this book so similar to "Twilight"? Well first off, Both Bella and Jacinda move before they feel pressure to do so, second, they go to their new school and meet a boy, a boy who happens to hang out with a crowd that the entire school seems to worship/ hold in awe, the boys family. Though all of the girls at the boys schools throw themselves at said boy he never shows any interest in them until new girl comes along. New girl and boy start to develop feelings for one another, but boy keeps telling girl that she shouldn't hang out with him because he is dangerous. One of one's family members takes a weird interest in girl and tries to intimidate her whenever possible (ie. Rosalie and Xander). Both boys (and their families) disappear from school for days at a time (one uses the excuse of fly fishing, one uses the excuse of camping). When boy is gone from school girl becomes overly dramatic moaning and groaning about how she misses said boy and how her life is a little less bright without him in it.

And how is this book similar to Claudia Grays "Evernight" series? Both boy and girl are keeping major secrets from one another. Girl is a paranormal/ fantastical being and boy is a hunter, a hunter who kills said paranormal/ fantastical being. Despite knowing about one another's secrets, both fall in love and all seems doomed because of their families/ occupations. Both girls also have boys of their paranormal/ fantastical racewho wants to be with them, pretty much at whatever cost, and both boys get kinda jealous when girl chooses "the enemy" over him.

All in all? I think that despite the similarities between "Twilight" and the "Evernight" series this is still a good book, but I just wish that it had been a bit more unique. I must say that I do prefer Jacinda over "Twilight's" Bella because Jacinda actually has a personality, though I prefer Bella's/ Edward's family over Jacinda's family, mainly because (for the most case) Edward's family was supportive of him (I cannot comprehend whatsoever what is going on in Jacinda's mothers head. Yes, I understand that she wants to keep her daughter safe, but pretty much forcing her daughter's draki to die? Not cool. They could have moved to a town like Forks! Where it was always rainy and tree-y and everything, where Jacinda could have really thrived, instead she forced them to move to the dessert where Jacinda was pretty much in pain 99.9% of the time). And the ending? Well, I wouldn't consider this to be a full story whatsoever. There are a ton of loose ends that were not tied up, nor even touched upon! It seriously just ended, probably with one of the worst cliffhanger endings I have ever read before. But then again, Sophie is a genius in ending the book like that because it keeps us on the edge of our seats/ makes us want to know how everything is going to play out in the second book in the series, "Vanish", which comes out in September 2011.

Rating: 7.5/10

In My Mailbox (aka lots of fun stuff)

In My Mailbox is a weekly post hosted by Kirsti at The Story Siren as a chance to share the books we've bought or received over the past week.

This week has probably been one of the best book weeks I have ever had. Seriously. Usually my "In My Mailbox" features books that I have borrowed from my local libraries, but not this week, these are all MINE! ;)

First off I got my Kindle! I had been so on the fence about E-readers for quite a long time, but when I traded in some textbooks and got a $50 Amazon card from them, well I just knew that I had to apply it a Kindle purchase. I haven't had all that much time to play around with it yet because of school and whatnot, but from what I have done on it? Well it is amazing! I love that I can surf the net, Tweet, read books on it and everything!

Because I bought the Kindle I also decided to buy a few books for it. These books were all really cheap ($1.99 and less, and they had some pretty awesome ratings, so I thought I would give them a go!):

I then also joined the March Random Acts of Kindness Event over at Book Soulmates and within 15 or so minutes of posting my wishlist I received amazing 3 E-Books (thanks so much Ivy)!

I then went to Chapters (where I hate buying books because they are always so expensive/ the store never has sales when compared to Amazon) and lo and behold! They had a ton of great books on sale! I got all four for less than $17- and all hardcover (well except for the Melissa Walker book):

And then I got "Demonglass" by Rachel Hawkins from Jess over at A GREAT Read. I finished it within a couple of hours of receiving it and I cannot wait to share my review of it with y'all within the next couple of weeks: 

And okay, so obviously this did not happen in my mailbox, but I just had to share! 

Do you remember Oreo who I introduced to y'all when we rescued him a few months back? Well when we rescued him we figured that he was maybe 3-4 months old (because he was so tiny) and therefore we though that he wouldn't be able to reproduce being so young. Well, turns out we were wrong and he was older than we thought! A few weeks back I was looking at Ruffles our female cat and I said to my parents, "Ah. She looks preggos". Everyone thought I was crazy. Turns out I was not! And what do you get when you mix Ruffles and Oreo?!? Pumpkin and Patch!

 

I love them. They are so tiny/ fuzzy/ squeaky.

Anyways, what did you get in your mailbox?