tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78348234134238873652024-02-19T18:51:20.475-08:00YA Books: Beyond the CoverWhen you peel back the cover, is the book just as engaging?Alexis Ladighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08045368113498691967noreply@blogger.comBlogger132125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7834823413423887365.post-78272134052145830102014-07-20T23:19:00.000-07:002014-07-20T23:19:48.763-07:00Reading Updates for Week of July 20th-26thHi there guys! I wanted to add another weekly kind of post to my new blogging schedule. Last week I started my series New Book News to start about some books that I'm excited for, and now I want to start another weekly spot where I talk about my current reading process. I'm not sure exactly how much reading I can commit to getting done per week, but this way I can keep you guys updated.<br />
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Book 1: City of Heavenly Fire (Mortal Instruments #6) by Cassandra Clare</h3>
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Status: Pg 216/725</h4>
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What I think so far:</h4>
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So far this one has been great. I don't want to talk hardly at all about the plot though, since this is the last book in the series and I for sure don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't read the Mortal Instruments. I'm only about 30% done, but it has supplied enough action, romance, and suspense to keep me reading!</div>
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Book 2: To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han</h3>
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<a href="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1372086100l/15749186.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="To All the Boys I've Loved Before (To All the Boys I've Loved Before, #1)" border="0" height="320" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1372086100l/15749186.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="212" /></a>Status: Around 50% done with Audio book</h4>
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What I think so far:</h4>
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When going into this book, I expected a lot because I loved Jenny Han's other books (The Summer I Turned Pretty Trilogy). Though it has moved a little slow, I feel like Han really wanted us to fall in love with the characters before she got into the meat of the story. This is a contemporary novel, and I can already feel the romance starting! Who doesn't love a nice love story? Be sure to be on the lookout for my review for this one!</div>
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And there's my quick update on what I'm reading. What is on your currently reading shelf? For more updates you can find me on goodreads with the button on the right hand side or click <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/3829754-alexis">HERE</a>. </div>
<img align="right" src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/blogovationdesign/signature-2.jpg" width="20%" />Alexis Ladighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08045368113498691967noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7834823413423887365.post-90320166022247278512014-07-14T22:22:00.000-07:002014-07-14T22:22:08.632-07:00New Book News<br />
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Here comes the first weekly New Book News for YA Books Beyond the Cover! In this series I just want to spend a few minutes highlighting some books that are coming out soon and why I'm excited for them.<br />
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First up for NBN this week:<br />
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1. More Than This by Patrick Ness</h3>
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<a href="http://img2.imagesbn.com/p/9780763676209_p0_v4_s260x420.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="More Than This" border="0" src="http://img2.imagesbn.com/p/9780763676209_p0_v4_s260x420.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/more-than-this-patrick-ness/1114194334?ean=9780763676209&itm=1&usri=9780763676209">Synopsis:</a></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.799999237060547px;">Seth drowns, desperate and alone. But then he wakes. Naked, thirsty, starving. But alive. And where is he? The street seems familiar, but everything is abandoned, overgrown, covered in dust. He </span><i style="border: 0px none; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.799999237060547px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">remembers</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.799999237060547px;"> dying, his skull bashed against the rocks. Has he woken up in his own personal hell? Is there more to this life, or perhaps this afterlife? From the acclaimed author of the Chaos Walking trilogy and </span><i style="border: 0px none; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.799999237060547px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">A Monster Calls</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.799999237060547px;"> comes one of the most provocative teen novels of our time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.799999237060547px;">Why I'm Excited:</span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.799999237060547px;">After reading the summary for this, I immediately knew it would be a book that I would devour. Also, look at this little blurb from Author John Green: <b>"</b></span><span id="yui_3_8_1_1_1405400229005_1229" style="border: 0px none !important; display: inline !important; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px !important;"><b>Books are often described as ‘mind-blowing,’ but this is one of the few books in which, while reading it, I have exclaimed aloud, ‘Oh. My. God.’ on multiple occasions. I won’t tell you anything else about it. Just read it." — John Green </b>That little quote by itself is enough to make me want to pick this one up. I also love how the summary doesn't give too much away. It's just enough to get you interested. I haven't read anything else by Patrick Ness, but somehow I'm getting my hands on a copy of this one.</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px none !important; display: inline !important; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px !important;">Release Date: 7/22/14</span></h4>
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2. <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 24px; line-height: 25px;">OCD Love Story by Corey Ann Haydu</span></span></h3>
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<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ocd-love-story-corey-ann-haydu/1112350929?ean=9781442457331&itm=1&usri=9781442457331">Synopsis:</a></h4>
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In this “raw and well-crafted (<i style="border: 0px none; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Kirkus Reviews</i>)” romance, Bea learns that some things just can’t be controlled.</div>
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When Bea meets Beck, she knows instantly that he’s her kind of crazy. Sweet, strong, kinda-messed-up Beck understands her like no one else can. He makes her feel almost normal. He makes her feel like she could fall in love again.</div>
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But despite her feelings for Beck, Bea can’t stop thinking about someone else: a guy who is gorgeous and magnetic…and has no idea Bea even exists. But Bea spends a lot of time watching him. She has a journal full of notes. Some might even say she’s obsessed.</div>
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Bea tells herself she’s got it all under control. But this isn’t a choice, it’s a compulsion. The truth is, she’s breaking down…and she might end up breaking her own heart.</div>
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Why I'm Excited:</h4>
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I'm also on the look out for a good contemp read, and with so many coming out that seem the same, this one sounds like it has a darker vibe. Don't get me wrong, I like fluffy books just like anyone else, but every now and again it's nice to mix things up. The characters in this novel have flaws and like anyone else they have to learn to work their way through them. This read looks real, romantic, and most of all human.</div>
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Release Date: 7/22/14</h4>
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3. One Past Midnight by Jessica Shirvington </h3>
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<a href="http://img2.imagesbn.com/p/9780802737021_p0_v4_s260x420.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="One Past Midnight" border="0" src="http://img2.imagesbn.com/p/9780802737021_p0_v4_s260x420.JPG" /></a><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/one-past-midnight-jessica-shirvington/1117011663?ean=9780802737021&itm=1&usri=9780802737021">Synopsis:</a></h4>
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Sabine isn’t like anyone else. For as long as she can remember, she’s had two lives. Every twenty-four hours she ‘Shifts’, living each day twice. In one life, Sabine has everything: popular friends, expensive clothes, perfect grades, and the guy everyone wants. In the other, Sabine’s family struggles with finances, and she and her friends are considered rebels. But then she meets Ethan. He’s gorgeous, challenging, and he makes her feel like no one ever has before.</div>
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All Sabine really wants is the chance to live one life. When it seems like this might finally be possible, Sabine begins a series of dangerous experiments to achieve her goal. But is she willing to risk everything—including the one person who might actually believe her?</div>
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Why I'm Excited:</h4>
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I haven't read very much fantasy/paranormal in awhile, this this one just seems like the kind of book to get me back into the mood for reading them. A hot guy, a cool idea, and an epic story? What's more to want. If you ever wondered what it would be like to live two lives, this ones for you.</div>
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Release Date: 7/22/14</h4>
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Wrap-Up</h3>
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So that's it for my first New Book News! I'm not sure if anyone else calls their weekly new release list this, so feel free to tell me if the name is already taken. What books are you excited for this week? What do you think of my picks? Let me know in the comments. </div>
<img align="right" src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/blogovationdesign/signature-2.jpg" width="20%" />Alexis Ladighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08045368113498691967noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7834823413423887365.post-26054669770602830042014-07-07T21:40:00.000-07:002014-07-07T21:40:24.707-07:00Life Updates, Why I Took a Break, and Coming BackI realize in the past two years that this blog hasn't been on the top on my priority list and that fact is just sad. Of course high school is busy, but this blog brings me so much joy, and I shouldn't have let life get in the way of doing something that I love. Well, with high school behind me, I'm happy to start updating the blog again.<br />
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I'm happy to report I'll be headed off to University in the coming fall as an English major at Oregon State University. I may even begin doing a series where I talk about my different required readings at college and maybe even a classics series! I just feel like there are so many classics out there that I should have already read and haven't.<br />
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Though I haven't read much lately, I've started a few books and even started listening to an audiobook, so hopefully I can begin sharing with you guys about what I'm reading and what I think.<br />
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I know this isn't the first time I've claimed I'm "coming back", but hopefully I can prove to myself and you guys that this time is different. :)<br /><img align="right" src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/blogovationdesign/signature-2.jpg" width="20%" />Alexis Ladighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08045368113498691967noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7834823413423887365.post-26092141228351965042014-03-16T11:17:00.000-07:002014-03-16T11:17:05.753-07:00Review of The Distance Between Us by Kasie West<span style="font-family: inherit;">Title: The Distance Between Us</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Author: Kasie West<br />Release Date: July 2nd, 2013<br />Publisher: Harper Teen<br />Format: Ebook<br />Source: Library<br />Pages In This Edition: 320<br />Rating: 4/5 Stars</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">On the Cover:</span><br />
<img alt="The Distance Between Us" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1358144875l/15283043.jpg" /><br />
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Beyond the Cover:<br />
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Summary from <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15283043-the-distance-between-us">Goodreads</a>:<br />
"<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Seventeen-year-old Caymen Meyers studies the rich like her own personal science experiment, and after years of observation she’s pretty sure they’re only good for one thing—spending money on useless stuff, like the porcelain dolls in her mother’s shop.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">So when Xander Spence walks into the store to pick up a doll for his grandmother, it only takes one glance for Caymen to figure out he’s oozing rich. Despite his charming ways and that he’s one of the first people who actually gets her, she’s smart enough to know his interest won’t last. Because if there’s one thing she’s learned from her mother’s warnings, it’s that the rich have a short attention span. But Xander keeps coming around, despite her best efforts to scare him off. And much to her dismay, she's beginning to enjoy his company.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">She knows her mom can’t find out—she wouldn’t approve. She’d much rather Caymen hang out with the local rocker who hasn’t been raised by money. But just when Xander’s attention and loyalty are about to convince Caymen that being rich isn’t a character flaw, she finds out that money is a much bigger part of their relationship than she’d ever realized. And that Xander’s not the only one she should’ve been worried about."</span><div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">I was browsing my library ebook selection when I stumbled across this cute cover and thought that this book would be the perfect distraction from everyday stress. I was right. This book is super cute and I loved pretty much the whole thing. Don't get me wrong, this book isn't life changing or anything, but it is a great story with characters you can't help but care at least a little about.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">The only slight character issue I had was how Caymen sometimes was just a little too oblivious to things going on around her. There were times in this that I just wanted to shake her and be like "no please don't think that about him!". I personally didn't mind all that much because I could tell her actions were just driving the plot, but if you want a really realistic story then this one may not be for you. This book is more like a romantic comedy in book form, complete with dry sarcasm (which I happen to love). </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">If you want a quick light read I would definitely say to give this one a try. I haven't read anything else by Kasie West but after this I feel like I need to try her other books. Have you read anything by Kasie West?</span></span><br />
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Alexis Ladighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08045368113498691967noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7834823413423887365.post-55376984161745412082014-03-08T20:34:00.002-08:002014-03-08T20:34:55.257-08:00Follow on BlogLovin! Hey guys, I'm now on Bloglovin! Feel free to follow me. :)<br />
<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/5706523/?claim=zqd7ebvw3dk">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a><br />
<br /><img align="right" src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/blogovationdesign/signature-2.jpg" width="20%" />Alexis Ladighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08045368113498691967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7834823413423887365.post-77171890912531291902014-02-08T11:00:00.001-08:002014-02-08T11:00:42.829-08:00January Wrap-UpI only set one solid reading goal for this year: read thirty books. I know compared to some people that's a very small goal, but with all the senior year stuff I've been dealing with, I'll be happy if I can make it. Anyway, here's a list of the books I managed to read this month, and a link to the one review I did.<br />
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1. Manicpixiedreamgirl by Tom Leveen</h4>
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This one was okay, but I'm actually interested in reading Tom Leeven's other book Party; I've heard a lot of good things about it, but just haven't gotten the chance to read it. Manicpixiedreamgirl isn't bad, it's just very predictable. So if you're looking for a quick and somewhat entertaining novel you should pick it up.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">2. Hidden (A Child's Story of the Holocaust) by <span class="by smallText" style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 14px;">by</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person" style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span itemprop="name">Loïc Dauvillier</span>, <span itemprop="name">Marc Lizano</span> <span class="authorName greyText smallText role" style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">(Illustrations)</span>, <span itemprop="name">Greg Salsedo</span> <span class="authorName greyText smallText role" style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">(Ink)</span>, <span itemprop="name">Alexis Siegel</span> <span class="authorName greyText smallText role" style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">(Translator)</span></span></span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.799999237060547px;">Check out my review <a href="http://www.yabooksbeyondthecover.blogspot.com/2014/01/review-of-hidden-by-loic-dauvillier.html">HERE</a></span></span></h3>
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Hidden is a graphic novel that definitely deals with subject matter that often isn't used in a graphic novel. If you want to know more please check out my review. :)</div>
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3. Skinny by Ibi Kaslik</h4>
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I often find myself, for whatever reason, attracted to books about eating disorders. I think it's just so hard for me to relate to taking such dangerous and extreme measures and not realizing how deadly they can be. People with these disorders often become sucked into their mental illness and find it almost impossible to get out. Skinny is beautifully written and though the "plot" sometimes was a little slow, this book isn't really about the plot. It's about people and their relationships and how anorexia can destroy everything.</div>
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Question: What did you read last month? What are you planning to read this month? Feel free to link your post or tell me in the comments. :)</div>
<img align="right" src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/blogovationdesign/signature-2.jpg" width="20%" />Alexis Ladighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08045368113498691967noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7834823413423887365.post-69522029113544671952014-01-27T19:13:00.000-08:002014-01-27T19:13:37.279-08:00Review of Hidden by Loïc Dauvillier, Marc Lizano (Illustrations), Greg Salsedo (Ink), Alexis Siegel (Translator)<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Title: Hidden</span><br style="font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Author: </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Loïc Dauvillier, Marc Lizano (Illustrations), Greg Salsedo (Ink), Alexis Siegel (Translator)</span><br style="font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Release Date: April 1st, 2014</span><br style="font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Publisher: Firs tSecond </span><br style="font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Format: Hardcover</span><br style="font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Source: Publisher</span><br style="font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Pages In This Edition: 80</span><br style="font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Rating: 4/5 Stars</span><br style="font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br style="font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">On the Cover:</span></span><br />
<img alt="Hidden: A Child's Story of the Holocaust" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1377532004l/17934457.jpg" /><br />
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Beyond the Cover:<br />
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<span style="color: #444444;">Synopsis:</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;">"I<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;">n this gentle, poetic young graphic novel, Dounia, a grandmother, tells her granddaughter the story even her son has never heard: how, as a young Jewish girl in Paris, she was hidden away from the Nazis by a series of neighbors and friends who risked their lives to keep her alive when her parents had been taken to concentration camps."</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;">Review:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;">This quick graphic novel is definitely something that shouldn't be read lightly. I've always found myself drawn to readings of stories from the Holocaust for some reason, and I was curious as to how this story could be told in graphic novel form, especially from the eyes of a child. The book was very brief but it did a good job at telling a sad story with little hope from the perspective of an old person looking back but also from the eyes of a child.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;">The illustrative style had a big impact as well. I enjoyed the art and found myself studying pages for longer than needed to see the small details of the artwork on each page. There was also a little french that I was happy to see that I could understand (I've taken just a little bit of french.)</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;">Overall there isn't much to say about this graphic novel other than it did a good job of telling a story in a beautiful way, which should be the main goal of any graphic novel.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;">Question: Who else is interested in Holocaust lit? Does anyone have some amazing books to suggest that deal with this tough subject matter?</span></span></span><br />
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<img align="right" src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/blogovationdesign/signature-2.jpg" width="20%" />Alexis Ladighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08045368113498691967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7834823413423887365.post-23197951281556026672013-09-09T21:29:00.004-07:002013-09-09T21:29:55.915-07:00The Waking Dark by Robin Wasserman Chapter SamplerThought this looked awesome and wanted to share the chapter sampler. What do you guys think? Does this one look like it's worth the read?<br />
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<img height="400" src="http://htmlimg3.scribdassets.com/4bcygl0yps2frqjf/images/1-2754f1b96e.jpg" width="266" /><br />
Check it out here: <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/143419420/The-Waking-Dark-by-Robin-Wasserman#.Ui6eq1WzKph">http://www.scribd.com/doc/143419420/The-Waking-Dark-by-Robin-Wasserman#.Ui6eq1WzKph</a><br />
<img align="right" src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/blogovationdesign/signature-2.jpg" width="20%" />Alexis Ladighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08045368113498691967noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7834823413423887365.post-76897637618610922262013-08-19T14:25:00.002-07:002013-08-19T14:25:12.098-07:00Gated by Amy Christine Parker Chapter Sample! Hey guys! Just thought I would share this chapter sample because I'm excited to get to reading this book. :) Follow the link and totally check it out if you can. :)<br />
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"<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Do the gates keep the unchosen out or the chosen in?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">In Mandrodage Meadows, life seems perfect. The members of this isolated suburban community have thrived under Pioneer, the charismatic leader who saved them from their sad, damaged lives. Lyla Hamilton and her parents are original members of the flock. They moved here following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, looking to escape the evil in the world. Now seventeen, Lyla knows certain facts are not to be questioned:</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Pioneer is her leader.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Will is her Intended.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">The end of the world is near.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Like Noah before him, Pioneer has been told of the imminent destruction of humanity. He says his chosen must arm themselves to fight off the unchosen people, who will surely seek refuge in the compound's underground fortress--the Silo.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Lyla loves her family and friends, but given the choice, she prefers painting to target practice. And lately she'd rather think about a certain boy outside the compound than plan for married life in the Silo with Will. But with the end of days drawing near, she will have to pick up a gun, take a side, and let everyone know where she stands"</span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Goodreads link: </span></span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15752340-gated?ac=1">http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15752340-gated?ac=1</a><br />
<a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/147831105/Gated-by-Amy-Christine-Parker">Chapter Sample</a><br />
<br /><img align="right" src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/blogovationdesign/signature-2.jpg" width="20%" />Alexis Ladighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08045368113498691967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7834823413423887365.post-19730743991249724602013-08-09T12:31:00.000-07:002013-08-09T12:31:32.519-07:00Finally Have A Computer To Type WithI've been feeling really depressed because I haven't been active on this blog for a year now. But finally I have a computer I can use to update things. I just couldn't bring myself to use my kindle to post, because the whole experience was just terrible. I just got a samsung chromebook today and I'm happy to say updates to the blog should be happening soon. :)<br />
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<img align="right" src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/blogovationdesign/signature-2.jpg" width="20%" />Alexis Ladighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08045368113498691967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7834823413423887365.post-64897521507862073832013-06-13T15:28:00.000-07:002013-06-13T15:28:06.941-07:00Review for Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally Title: Stealing Parker<br />
Author: Miranda Kenneally<br />
Release Date: October 1, 2012<br />
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire<br />
Format: Ebook<br />
Source: Amazon<br />
Pages In This Edition: 242<br />
Rating: 4/5 Stars<br />
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On the Cover:<br />
<img alt="Stealing Parker" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1334451985l/12551077.jpg" /><br />
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Beyond the Cover:<br />
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Summary:<br />
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"<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Red-hot author Miranda Kenneally hits one out of the park in this return to Catching Jordan's Hundred Oaks High.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Parker Shelton pretty much has the perfect life. She’s on her way to becoming valedictorian at Hundred Oaks High, she’s made the all-star softball team, and she has plenty of friends. Then her mother’s scandal rocks their small town and suddenly no one will talk to her.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Now Parker wants a new life.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">So she quits softball. Drops twenty pounds. And she figures why kiss one guy when she can kiss three? Or four. Why limit herself to high school boys when the majorly cute new baseball coach seems especially flirty?</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">But how far is too far before she loses herself completely"</span><br />
I was browsing the teen books on my kindle and looking for a book that I wasn't going to break my bank on. As a rule, I try to look for books that are five dollars or under when I decide to go the ebook route. I just can't bring myself to spend more on something that is only a couple bits of memory. I saw this and it looked cute. With a 1.99 price tag, I was sold .<br />
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This book was everything I wanted it to. It was romantic, it showed growth in a character, and the writing wasn't boring. If a book can meet those standards, I'm a happy camper.<br />
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The story line is great, because just as it starts to slow down, you're given another situation to ponder. I've read a lot of books like this one, and it was really predictable, but in a heart-warming way. A way that didn't have me pounding my head against a wall, an urge that I've had with other books that were sort of like this. I'm only sort of kidding.<br />
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The reason I liked it was because of the main character. She actually seemed to think in a logical way before she did things, so I had less of a hankering to punch her for acting stupidly. Throughout the story, she questions her religious roots, but still upholds the moral standards that she knows are right, and I respect her for it. Unlike other stories that unrealistically show the good girl immediately jumping headfirst into romance and sex, they actually show Parker's indecision and thought process.<br />
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The guys are hunky too. ;)<br />
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Definitely check this one out if you can.<br />
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<img align="right" src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/blogovationdesign/signature-2.jpg" width="20%" />Alexis Ladighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08045368113498691967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7834823413423887365.post-45120446506175119392013-05-20T10:37:00.001-07:002013-05-20T10:37:44.341-07:00Coming Back Soon!!I can't even begin to explain how happy I am to be getting back into the blogging world! See you guys soon!<br />
<img align="right" src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/blogovationdesign/signature-2.jpg" width="20%" />Alexis Ladighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08045368113498691967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7834823413423887365.post-16608607674078069822012-08-27T11:34:00.001-07:002012-08-27T11:34:33.440-07:00Reading Challenges UpdateI haven't updated the challenge page or done a challenge update in forever, so I thought I would do a little post and let everyone know how I was doing on my challenges. I chose three challenges for 2012, and I'm managing to do great on two of them.<br />
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<b>Read 50 books in a year.</b><br />
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Books read for challenge: (so far)<br />
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1. Night by Elie Wiesel<br />
2. Every You, Every Me by David Levithan<br />
3. Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan<br />
4. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green<br />
5. Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King<br />
6. The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler<br />
7. Sailor Moon V.3. by Naoko Takeuchi<br />
8. Perfect by Ellen Hopkins<br />
9. Caged Moon by Rachel Deagan<br />
10. The Night She Disappeared by April Henry<br />
11. American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang<br />
12. The Eternal Smile: Three Stories by Gene Luen Yang<br />
13. Fruits Basket V. 1 by Natsuki Takaya<br />
14. Fruits Basket V. 2 by Natsuki Takaya<br />
15. Embrace by Jessica Shirvington<br />
16. Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber<br />
17. Lessons From A Dead Girl by Jo Knowles<br />
18. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley<br />
19. Every Which Way But Dead by Kim Harrison<br />
20. Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver<br />
21. Bloody Chester by J.T. Petty<br />
22. Watch Me by Lauren Barnholdt<br />
23. The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck<br />
24. Legends of Zita The Space Girl by Ben Hatke<br />
25. Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Vol. 4 by Naoko Takeuchi<br />
26. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor<br />
27. Crazy Beautiful by Lauren Baratz-Logsted<br />
28. Harmony by Sonya Bria<br />
29. City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare<br />
30. Friends With Boys by Faith Erin Hicks<br />
31. Defy The Stars by Stephanie Parent<br />
32. The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket<br />
33. The Reptile Room by Lemony Snicket<br />
34. A Bad Day For Voodoo by Jeff Strand<br />
35. A Wrinkle In Time (The Graphic Novel) by Madeleine L'Engle Adapted by Hope Larson<br />
36. Every Day by David Levithan<br />
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<b>The Contemp Challenge: Read X number of books that are YA comtep from 2010, 2011, 2012. The number I chose is 5, so I read 5 books from 2010, 5 from 2011, and 5 from 2012.</b><br />
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Books read for challenge: (so far)<br />
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2010: Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King, Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan<br />
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2011: Every You, Every Me by David Levithan, The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler, Perfect by Ellen Hopkins, Watch Me By Lauren Barnholdt<br />
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2012: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, The Night She Disappeared by April Henry, Defy The Stars by Stephanie Parent,<br />
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<b><strike>**Debut Author Challenge: Read at least one YA debut novel in every month of the year and review it on my blog, with a minimum of 12 books in the year.</strike></b><br />
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<strike>Books read for challenge: (will be updated as the year goes on)</strike><br />
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<strike>January:</strike><br />
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<strike>February:</strike><br />
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<strike>March:</strike><br />
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<strike>April:</strike><br />
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<strike>May:</strike><br />
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<strike>June:</strike><br />
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<strike>July:</strike><br />
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<strike>August:</strike><br />
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<strike>September:</strike><br />
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<strike>October:</strike><br />
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<strike>November:</strike><br />
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<strike>December:</strike><br />
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FAILED DEBUT AUTHOR CHALLENGE<br />
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Have you read any of the books I have this year? Which is your favorite? If not, what is your favorite read of the year so far? Please let me know down in the comments. :)<br />
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<img align="right" src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/blogovationdesign/signature-2.jpg" width="20%" />Alexis Ladighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08045368113498691967noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7834823413423887365.post-13719621554074202332012-08-26T01:00:00.000-07:002012-08-26T01:00:05.818-07:00Review for A Bad Day for Voodoo by Jeff StrandTitle: A Bad Day for Voodoo<br />
Author: Jeff Strand<br />
Release Date: June 5th, 2012<br />
Publisher: Sourcebooks<br />
Format: Paperback<br />
Source: Publisher (In exchange for an honest review)<br />
Pages In This Edition: 252<br />
Rating: 5/5 Stars<br />
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On the Cover:<br />
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<img alt="A Bad Day For Voodoo" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1339903230l/13634387.jpg" />
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<br />Beyond the Cover:<br /><br />Summary from <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13634387-a-bad-day-for-voodoo">Goodreads</a>:<br /><br />"When your best friend is just a tiny bit psychotic, you should never actually believe him when he says, "Trust me. This is gonna be awesome."<br /><br /><div>
Of course, you probably wouldn't believe a voodoo doll could work either. Or that it could cause someone's leg to blow clean off with one quick prick. But I've seen it. It can happen.<br /><br />And when there's suddenly a doll of YOU floating around out there—a doll that could be snatched by a Rottweiler and torn to shreds, or a gang of thugs ready to torch it, or any random family of cannibals (really, do you need the danger here spelled out for you?)—well, you know that's just gonna be a really bad day ..."<br /><br /><br />Review:<div>
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I loved, loved, loved, loved, loved this book. I had hardly any expectations for this book going in. I thought it might be a paranormal "boy book" with some gore, but nothing special. Boy, was I wrong.</div>
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For me, the thing that stands out most in this book is the voice. It's more like a person is telling me this story word for word, and less like a book narrative. And it works, and I love it. It drew me in instantly, and that's why I managed to finish this book in two sittings. Not to mention the fact that it was LAUGH OUT LOUD FUNNY. </div>
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And I'm not joking when I say this. It literally had been holding my stomach in laughter. There were times where I would find passages so funny that I had to get up from my seat, stop reading, and find someone to show it too, so they could laugh with me. I just couldn't help myself.</div>
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This book also has me raving about it's craziness. When I thought the pace was about to die down, there was some insane plot twist that either had me laughing or had my mouth gaped in disbelief and horror. And though this book is tagged as horror (and not to say that some portions of it are not horrific) I found this book more on the dark humor side. It's bitingly sarcastic in every way possible, and I can tell that the author probably had a good load of fun writing it. At least it was easy for me to tell.</div>
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Oh and the characters were just grand. The hero of the story is super lovable, and his voice shines in a way that is incredibly believable. Adam is probably my next favorite (the best friend) because though he makes some REALLY REALLY stupid choices, he is that puppy dog type of character that makes you love him anyway, because you're afraid to kick him while he's down.</div>
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Overall, I would say this isn't probably for everyone, because it has a certain sense of humor and quite a bit of blood and guts, but if you think an outrageously fun adventure full of sarcasm is up your alley, you must give this book a chance.</div>
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Alexis Ladighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08045368113498691967noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7834823413423887365.post-87816327390319869102012-08-22T18:07:00.000-07:002012-08-22T18:07:01.970-07:00Review of Defy the Stars by Stephanie ParentTitle: Defy the Stars<br />
Author: Stephanie Parent<br />
Release Date: August 1st, 2012<br />
Publisher: Self Published<br />
Format: Ebook<br />
Number of Pages in This Edition: 325<br />
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars<br />
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On the Cover:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDehRhzoJouXbnUbHQk2R5eZ6A7tUBzQc2AwKMf944UAik8G2KKbiz7tODhGlKhDtZH68vPHKoWf6oslPyRVcS2xCZpYQmI33YHNJBPRCgpy8gXycLo0j34EzrGL6oQ_qXFQTuE5184FyC/s1600/Defythestarscover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDehRhzoJouXbnUbHQk2R5eZ6A7tUBzQc2AwKMf944UAik8G2KKbiz7tODhGlKhDtZH68vPHKoWf6oslPyRVcS2xCZpYQmI33YHNJBPRCgpy8gXycLo0j34EzrGL6oQ_qXFQTuE5184FyC/s400/Defythestarscover.jpg" width="305" /></a></div>
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<br />Beyond the Cover:<br /><br />Summary from <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15770390-defy-the-stars">Goodreads</a>:<br /><br /><br />"Julia Cape: A dedicated classical piano student just trying to get through her last semester of high school while waiting to hear from music conservatories. <br /><br /><div>
Reed MacAllister: A slacker more likely to be found by the stoners’ tree than in class.<br /><br />Julia and Reed might have graduated high school without ever speaking to each other…until, during a class discussion of Romeo and Juliet, Julia scoffs at the play’s theme of love at first sight, and Reed responds by arguing that feelings don’t always have to make sense. Julia tries to shake off Reed’s comment and forget about this boy who hangs with the stoner crowd—and who happens to have breathtaking blue eyes—but fate seems to bring the two together again and again. After they share an impulsive, passionate kiss, neither one can deny the chemistry between them. Yet as Julia gets closer to Reed, she also finds herself drawn into his dark world of drugs and violence. Then a horrific tragedy forces Julia’s and Reed’s families even farther apart…and Julia must decide whether she’s willing to give up everything for love.<br /><br />Defy the Stars is written in an edgy free-verse style that will appeal to fans of Ellen Hopkins and Lisa Schroeder; however, the writing is accessible enough to speak to non-verse fans as well. The novel’s combination of steamy romance and raw emotion will appeal to fans of Gayle Forman, Simone Elkeles, Jennifer Echols, and Tammara Webber. With a story, language and form that both pay homage to and subvert Shakespeare’s play, Defy the Stars is much more than just another Romeo and Juliet story"<br />
Review:<br />
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I had little to no expectations going into this book. I had received a review request, and saw that the book was in verse. I'm a huge fan of verse novels, so I thought I would give this a try.<br />
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I loved it. It consumed me for two days. I couldn't stand putting it down, because I was so into the characters and plot of this novel. I play the piano, so I especially loved all the musicalness that Stephanie injected the verse with. If you don't know anything about music, I'm sure you could still enjoy this book, but some of the jargon may go over your head. But even if you've never even played Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, you should give this book a read.<br />
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I can see myself in Julia. Though she makes choices throughout this novel that I would question myself, I can still relate to her because she seems so real to me. The way her feeling and emotions were described in this book make perfect sense.<br />
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Reed: the kind of guy that most parents would cringe at seeing on the arm of their daughter. He definitely plays the bad boy well, but he avoids falling into a lot of shallow stereotypes by having an amazing back-story, and backbone for that matter. I love male leads who can stand on their own two feet and make decisions. His story is super tragic. :(<br />
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The plot was great, and though I thought that maybe it dragged a tiny bit right before the climax, I was too in love with the characters to care. For being a relatively unknown book, the depth of the characters really surprised me.<br />
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I knew from the beginning that this book was a retelling of Romeo and Juliet, but I still hoped somewhere in my heart that there would be a happy ending. I knew that I couldn't have one, and I'm actually glad there wasn't one. I don't want to give anything away, but the ending was bitter sweet, and perfect.<br />
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I really recommend this book to, well, anyone. Please give this a read if you have an ereader! You can find it on Amazon. :)<br />
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Alexis Ladighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08045368113498691967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7834823413423887365.post-23627175027086725792012-08-11T19:47:00.000-07:002012-08-11T19:47:05.820-07:00Review of Legends of Zita the Space Girl by Ben HatkeTitle: Legends of Zita the Spacegirl<br />
Author: Ben Hatke<br />
Release Date: September 4th, 2012<br />
Format: Paperback First Edition<br />
Source: Publisher (In exchange for an honest review)<br />
Publisher: First Second<br />
Pages In This Edition: 224<br />
Rating: 5/5<br />
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On the Cover:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTyV-ns4hKoZCOddSunMweT7qDlz1wVvEJP8w5h79gehO4kJl3IdcQBrlPJrxyLnDyreyBcZ-bSFPx8peIqq_j9t8L3yPD4J5mYDx32YqEchanlZShFAMQrQOefBlwLZWEao0kDWiNz9op/s1600/LegendsofZitaTheSpacegirl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTyV-ns4hKoZCOddSunMweT7qDlz1wVvEJP8w5h79gehO4kJl3IdcQBrlPJrxyLnDyreyBcZ-bSFPx8peIqq_j9t8L3yPD4J5mYDx32YqEchanlZShFAMQrQOefBlwLZWEao0kDWiNz9op/s400/LegendsofZitaTheSpacegirl.jpg" width="286" /></a></div>
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Beyond the Cover:<br />
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Summary from <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13170037-legends-of-zita-the-spacegirl">Goodreads</a>: <br />
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"Ben Hatke brings back our intrepid space heroine for another delightful sci-fi/fantasy adventure. Zita is determined to find her way home to earth, following the events of the first book. But things are never simple, and certainly never easy, in space. <br />
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Zita's exploits from her first adventure have made her an intergallactic megastar! But she's about to find out that fame doesn't come without a price. And who can you trust when your true self is being eclipsed by your public persona, and you've got a robot doppelganger wreaking havoc . . . while wearing your face? <br />
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Still, if anyone can find their way through this intractible mess of mistaken identity and alien invaders, it's the indomitable Zita, in Legends of Zita the Spacegirl."<br />
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Review:</div>
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Legends of Zita the Spacegirl is the second in an amazing series of graphic novels by my new favorite author/illustrator. I had heard great things about this series and decided when the opportunity came up to review this second installment to give it a shot. I'm so glad I did! </div>
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Never before have I loved the art style in a graphic novel as much as this one. As I was reading, I felt myself lingering on the pages for longer than need be just because of how detailed and amazing it was. The colors were rich and full and the lines were just curved enough to make it feel cartoonish. This helped add love to the characters that were already likable enough. Zita in particular, of course.</div>
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The plot was never boring, and just when you thought the adventure was going to stop, it picked right back up. I literally finished this in one sitting, which though not hard to do with a graphic novel, is something that seldom happens for me. And the end (which of course leaves at a cliff-hanger) leaves me just wanting more of Zita and her cute friends.</div>
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*A side note: My favorite character of all happens to be a huge mouse that Zita rides around like a horse. CUTEST THING EVER.</div>
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People who should read this book: boys, girls, teens, parents, and anyone with a fun-hearted soul. Actually let me re-phrase: everyone should read this book.</div>
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<img align="right" src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/blogovationdesign/signature-2.jpg" width="20%" /></div>Alexis Ladighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08045368113498691967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7834823413423887365.post-74637532665823699912012-08-01T13:51:00.000-07:002012-08-01T13:51:07.163-07:00July Wrap-UpHi guys! This is my wrap-up for the month of July. I haven't done a wrap-up post in a few months, but I want to get back into doing them. I'll link the reviews I've done this month, so please check them out and comment. :)<br />
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Books I read in July:<br />
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1. Sailor Moon Volume 4 by Naoko Takeuchi <br />
2. <a href="http://yabooksbeyondthecover.blogspot.com/2012/07/review-of-daughter-of-smoke-and-bone-by.html">Daughter of Smoke and Bone</a> by Laini Taylor<br />
3. Crazy Beautiful by Lauren Baratz-Logsted<br />
4. <a href="http://yabooksbeyondthecover.blogspot.com/2012/07/review-of-harmony-by-sonya-bria.html">Harmony</a> by Sonya Bria<br />
5. <a href="http://yabooksbeyondthecover.blogspot.com/2012/07/review-of-city-of-lost-souls-by.html">City of Lost Souls</a> by Cassandra Clare<br />
6. Friends With Boys by Faith Erin Hicks<br />
7. Defy the Stars by Stephanie Parent<br />
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Numbers 2,4,5 Link to reviews. Please comment!<br />
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Also I got a Tumblr this month. I haven't used it much yet, but it would be so cool if you could follow me!<br />
Tumblr: <a href="http://www.tumblr.com/blog/its-me-alexis">http://www.tumblr.com/blog/its-me-alexis</a><br />
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Thanks guys! As always, feel free to comment below and link/tell me what you read this month or what you plan to read next month. :)<br />
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<img align="right" src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/blogovationdesign/signature-2.jpg" width="20%" />Alexis Ladighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08045368113498691967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7834823413423887365.post-48574281822026357102012-07-22T12:30:00.000-07:002012-07-22T12:30:57.697-07:00Review of City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare (Spoilers for books 1-4)WARNING! SPOILERS FOR BOOKS 1-4 MAY BE INCLUDED<br />
Title: City of Lost Souls<br />
Author: Cassandra Clare<br />
Release Date: May 8th, 2012<br />
Source: Walmart (I know, I know)<br />
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry<br />
Format: First Edition Hardback<br />
Pages In This Edition: 534<br />
Rating: 4/5 Stars<br />
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On the Cover:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-P9Qd6OUvzIxmcYA7U4MXCBXWHimQh54eLDtjRjS7pRFs2oWvxToLAXDndLuyG2uslbgJphgivOn_3rqHUpW2NUixUjvC3CzJfmCL6FeEzKsshIuOpa1l4uipg1ovsimqEnqwuAj1Pd89/s1600/cityoflostsoulscover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-P9Qd6OUvzIxmcYA7U4MXCBXWHimQh54eLDtjRjS7pRFs2oWvxToLAXDndLuyG2uslbgJphgivOn_3rqHUpW2NUixUjvC3CzJfmCL6FeEzKsshIuOpa1l4uipg1ovsimqEnqwuAj1Pd89/s400/cityoflostsoulscover.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
<br /><br /><br />Beyond the Cover:<br /><br />Summary from <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8755776-city-of-lost-souls">Goodreads</a>:<br /><br />"The demon Lilith has been destroyed and Jace freed from captivity. But when the Shadowhunters arrive, they find only blood and broken glass. Not only is the boy Clary loves missing, so is the boy she hates: her brother Sebastian, who is determined to bring the Shadowhunters to their knees.<br />The Clave's magic cannot locate either boy, but Jace can't stay away from Clary. When they meet again Clary discovers the horror Lilith's magic has wrought - Jace and Sebastian are now bound to each other, and Jace has become a servant of evil. The Clave is determined to destroy Sebastian, but there is no way to harm one boy without destroying the other.<br /><br />Only a few people believe that Jace can still be saved. Together, Alec, Magnus, Simon, and Isabelle bargain with the sinister Seelie Queen, contemplate deals with demons, and turn at last to the merciless, weapon-making Iron Sisters, who might be able to forge a weapon that can sever the bond between Sebastian and Jace. If the Iron Sisters can't help, their only hope is to challenge Heaven and Hell - a risk that could claim their lives.<br /><br />And they must do it without Clary. For Clary is playing a dangerous game utterly alone. The price of losing not just her own life, but Jace's soul. She's willing to do anything for Jace, but can she still trust him? Or is he truly lost? What price is too high to pay, even for love?<br /><br />Love. Blood. Betrayal. Revenge. Darkness threatens to claim the Shadowhunters in the harrowing fifth book of the Mortal Instruments series."<div>
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Review:</div>
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I'm in love with Cassandra Clare's writing style and characters. For that reason (and also because I need my yearly dose of Jace's amazing snarkyness) this was one of my most anticipated reads of 2012. The Mortal Instruments Series has long been one of my favorites, and this book was just another great addition to an already great series.</div>
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Let's start with the characters. I have absolutely love all of them. Jace and Magnus are my favorites because of their wit and humor, but every single character this author puts on the page has something that I love. The depth to her characters astounds me; it's like a onion that has endless layers to peel off. I have no idea how she keeps it all straight. She must have endless notebooks full of traits for all of her characters or something. I would love to ask her how she develops her characters. Also, how does she think up the funny as hell dialogue?? I bet she could write for a stand-up comic.</div>
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Pacing and plot: the first was okay and the second was great. The pacing was the only problem I had with this book. I felt like the first 200 or so pages were kind of slow, and the only thing that had me keep reading was the characters and the dialogue. Thank god it didn't last that way forever. By the middle of the book I was on the edge of my seat. If fact, I finished that last 250 pages all in one sitting. I was even posting chapter updates on Twitter because I was so excited. The plot was definitely great. Clare is great at crafting an amazing story. The twists and turns in the plot have me guessing all the time, which is super important in a book that is as long as this one is. I was sad at the end though because of a certain thing. Maybe this will be worked out in book six though. I sure hope so!!</div>
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This wasn't my favorite book in the series (City of Glass is) but it's still good book to read. Now all I have left to do is wait for book six to come out. A WHOLE YEAR. I'm going to die. Definitely pick this up if you are a fan of the series. Stick with the beginning and I'm sure you'll love it. :) </div>
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<br /><img align="right" src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/blogovationdesign/signature-2.jpg" width="20%" /></div>Alexis Ladighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08045368113498691967noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7834823413423887365.post-76216852824286556252012-07-18T15:31:00.002-07:002012-07-18T15:31:36.842-07:00Review of Harmony by Sonya BriaTitle: Harmony<br />
Author: Sonya Bria<br />
Release Date: June 1st, 2012<br />
Source: Publisher (In exchange for honest review)<br />
Format: Paperback<br />
Publisher: Cambio Publishing<br />
Pages in This Edition: 234<br />
Buy it: Amazon (Available as an Ebook) And Paperback <a href="http://bit.ly/HarmonyStore">HERE</a><br />
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars<br />
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On the Cover:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_TRMif2LHcQpcknDYzGaHmqFznu7gNCFo0cclacFNamE32RHGuzsZ2imrH2lEEn2B4jCSJmFy-CCzMe2ihSOKgPlLsjg_OctFJrhqmuUaUuhfXlIt8eCO4zZsut0fO-EvvSbDBvfYm5IA/s1600/harmonycover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_TRMif2LHcQpcknDYzGaHmqFznu7gNCFo0cclacFNamE32RHGuzsZ2imrH2lEEn2B4jCSJmFy-CCzMe2ihSOKgPlLsjg_OctFJrhqmuUaUuhfXlIt8eCO4zZsut0fO-EvvSbDBvfYm5IA/s400/harmonycover.jpg" width="308" /></a></div>
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<br />Beyond the Cover:<br /><br />Summary from <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14751888-harmony">Goodreads</a>: <br /><br />"A Curse.<br /><br />It started with a curse centuries ago placed upon the House of Ulster:<br /><br />One more powerful than I will come,<br />She alone will break the spell.<br />With her as guide the dark will align.<br /><br />Destiny.<br />If someone told you that you were the key to an ancient tragedy, what would you do?<br /><br />Sophie is a high school senior with only two things on her mind, graduating from Jefferson High, and moving on, leaving the death of her mother firmly in the past. But the past is not done with Sophie, and she finds herself suddenly thrust into a tragic, Irish love story centuries old. Does she have the strength to accept her part, confront her own past, and rely on someone long forgotten?<br /><br />Ian is a vampire with only one thing on his mind...Sophie. For years, he has watched over Sophie, and protected her from the darkness surrounding her mother's death. He would like nothing more than to forget the past, but his fate lies with Sophie and her destiny. Can he help Sophie confront her nightmares and not fall in love?<br /><br />Choices.<br />Sophie and Ian will discover that they also have a connection-something that could bind them together forever or rip them apart. What will they choose?"<div>
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Review: </div>
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I hadn't heard anything about this book before I got the chance to review it (as is usual with books not published with the big six publishers) but once I heard the premise I became intrigued. I love books with Irish folklore/guys with Irish accents and so I thought this book would be a good fit for me. The only thing that had me worrying was that vampires were involved. More on that later.</div>
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Harmony started out fast paced enough. The prologue was super cool and all "back-in-time-like" and had me wondering where the story was going to lead from there. I think the pace was definitely what I liked most with this book. There never really was a point where we could sit back and relax as readers, because there was some kind of action always happening. I LOVE faced paces in books, so I was super happy with this.</div>
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Onto the characters: I liked some and disliked others. Characters I liked: Sophie, Ian, Max, and Emily. Why? These characters were believable and they way they were told in the story had me picturing it all in my head like it was a movie. I especially like Ian, mostly because I go head-over-heels for Irish accents and gentlemen, and he is both. Sophie is nice enough for a protagonist, even if sometimes I wonder how she believes all she is told so easily. And of course Max and Emily, Sophie's "human friends" were cute and though kind of one dimensional they did their jobs. Characters I didn't like: Grandma, and all the old characters from "way back when." Why? I don't like the grandma character for one reason. She does things that any person in her right mind wouldn't do. I don't want to give too much of the story away, but the way her choices are rationalized just don't sit right with me. And I don't like the old Irish characters because of lack of back story and overall confusion regarding basically everything having to do with them.</div>
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Reasons this book gets 3.5/5 Stars: Great romance, a good yet unpredictable ending, a spin on the now classic vampire YA paranormal romance thing, and a face paced adventure that has me wondering if there is going to be a sequel. If this sounds like your book, be sure to check it out!</div>
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<img align="right" src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/blogovationdesign/signature-2.jpg" width="20%" /></div>Alexis Ladighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08045368113498691967noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7834823413423887365.post-2188324067076474302012-07-09T14:33:00.000-07:002012-07-09T14:33:06.850-07:00Review of Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini TaylorTitle: Daughter of Smoke and Bone<br />
Author: Laini Taylor<br />
Release Date: September 27th, 2011<br />
Format: Hardcover<br />
Source: Library<br />
Publisher: Little Brown<br />
Pages In This Edition: 417<br />
Rating: 2/5<br />
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On the Cover:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEici4wAt5Msv1fNl1ySf0O1_PxgLRtW3hYpLOoO9yXKA9hrpEtiJH7K9IVpgUJ_l8FgN7Y-jEc-IaO08-3mQKVhRK7tpYahDHSaWcNlKuIBqoE2njCIgOTK_kKTO3akSPEovQXQh0xxaO8r/s1600/daughterofsmokeandbonecover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEici4wAt5Msv1fNl1ySf0O1_PxgLRtW3hYpLOoO9yXKA9hrpEtiJH7K9IVpgUJ_l8FgN7Y-jEc-IaO08-3mQKVhRK7tpYahDHSaWcNlKuIBqoE2njCIgOTK_kKTO3akSPEovQXQh0xxaO8r/s400/daughterofsmokeandbonecover.jpg" width="263" /></a></div>
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Beyond the Cover:<br /><br />Summary from <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8490112-daughter-of-smoke-and-bone">Goodreads</a>:<br /><br />"Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky. <br /><br />In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grows dangerously low. <br /><br />And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war. <br /><br />Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages—not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.<br /><br />When one of the strangers—beautiful, haunted Akiva—fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?"<div>
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Review:</div>
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When this book first came out, it had a bunch of buzz. Usually, for me, that means I'm going to love the book. So when after months of thinking about reading it but not getting a chance, when I saw this at the library I grabbed it right away. It sounded really interesting, so I was super excited. I read the first hundred and fifty pages no problem.</div>
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But then the romance entered.</div>
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I'm sad to say this is just one of those books that I had to skip large portions of to get anything out of the experience. The dialogue between Karou and her friends is great, and the world that Taylor created is so creative and creepy. But then LOVE had to happen and then I hated the book. It wasn't that I'm not a fan of love at first sight, but seriously, I just didn't like the way it was put together. I fell terrible for giving a book with such great opportunity and writing such a negative review, but I couldn't even really finish the book because the romance put a sour taste in my mouth for some reason. </div>
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I wouldn't say this book was outright terrible, because there were moments where I loved the writing and such, but I just can't stand the way the couple interacted. If this book had more fantasy and less super predictable romance, I may have given it four stars, with the romance, it gets two. :/<br /><img align="right" src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/blogovationdesign/signature-2.jpg" width="20%" /></div>Alexis Ladighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08045368113498691967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7834823413423887365.post-25978287892388865342012-07-05T16:32:00.000-07:002012-07-05T16:32:11.740-07:00July TBR/Currently Reading<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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These are the books I hope to be reading this month! Feel free to link up your July TBR stuff. :)<br />
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<img align="right" src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/blogovationdesign/signature-2.jpg" width="20%" />Alexis Ladighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08045368113498691967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7834823413423887365.post-17139780063117979572012-07-03T16:35:00.001-07:002012-07-03T16:35:47.632-07:00Mystery Blogoversary Giveaway Winners and Prize Reveal!The giveaway for my first ever blogoversary has ended! I'm happy to say that there were about a hundred entries. :) Thanks to anyone who participated or spread the word. And now.....(insert drumroll) the winners are Sarah Cruz and Monica Lopez! I'm going to be sending them a email right after I get done writing this post and they have 48 hours to send me there mailing addresses before another winner is chosen.<br />
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And what exactly did they win? One of them is walking away with a hardcover of Dreamland Social Club by Tara Altebrando, and the other a hardcover of The Death Cure by James Dashner! Since Sarah was the first name I drew then she gets to pick which one she wants. :)<br />
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Thanks again guys and here's to another amazing year!<br />
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<img align="right" src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/blogovationdesign/signature-2.jpg" width="20%" />Alexis Ladighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08045368113498691967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7834823413423887365.post-59347209247323991272012-06-28T14:51:00.000-07:002012-06-28T14:51:39.526-07:00Against All Odds Blog Tour--Giveaway and Guest Post<br />
Today on the blog I'm happy to say that I'm a stop on the Against All Odds Blog Tour! I was instantly interested when I heard about the book (maybe partly because the main character and me share the same name.) Stay tuned a giveaway and guest post!<br />
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<b>About the Author And Book:</b><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Aliaa El-Nashar is a 21 year old girl studying languages at university. Grew up in Kuwait and is currently residing in Cairo, Egypt. Loves to read, write and draw.</span></span></span> <br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">"</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">The Story revolves around:</span></div>
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<a href="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1338650023l/13617448.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Against All Odds" border="0" height="320" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1338650023l/13617448.jpg" width="233" /></a><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">-A boy called Damien who seems to have it all. He's rich, good-looking and athletic. He's also arrogant, obnoxious and a major player. Damien is one of 5 children who seem to not get along, until one day Damien meets Alexis and his life is turned inside out.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">-A girl called Alexis who has trust issues due to her parents. Her best friends mean the world to her, and she refuses to date anyone that doesn't fit completely in her 'Perfect Guy' list.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">They're thrown together a lot and start to face inner demons they've hidden away for so long." </span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Check out <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13617448-against-all-odds">HERE</a> for the Goodreads link. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><b>Guest Post:</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">"</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #244061; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">Hello guys! I get asked a lot what made me write ‘Against All Odds’ by friends. The story is quite complicated, to be honest I never intended it as an actual book. After spending the summer of tenth grade reading every Meg Cabot my friend owned, as well as complete the ‘Harry Potter’ series she had owned at the time – not all 7 were out obviously – I had developed a craving towards writing. I used to write before, a lot actually, to the extent I had 5 ongoing stories on Quizilla. But I never completed any of them due to the fact that I have the attention span of a goldfish. However, that didn’t mean my style wasn’t improving, and I reached a level where my friends were actually interested in reading what I come up with.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #244061; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">My English class teacher was the best. No really, he was. He’d give us around 8 or so assignments per term and sometimes I hand in one or two. </span></span><span style="color: #244061; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">I almost never did my homework for that class because I believed creativity can’t be forced. If I wrote it because I had to, it was so mundane and dull so I refrained till I was inspired. It helped that the English teacher didn’t mind, just as long as two or more essays were submitted per term, so I was good. He’d wanted a descriptive essay, and one day – almost a month after he’d given us the assignment – I was inspired. I had the perfect plot, this girl staring into a fog of sand thinking her friend was lost to her for good. I then described her feelings, the atmosphere, her physical appearance and wrote a minor description to what led her to that point where she’s staring at said friend who nearly fell off a cliff.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #244061; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">As I was reading the essay before going into class, a friend of mine decided to read it as well, and for some reason she really liked it. She begged me to write more and so I decided to work on it. I gave the characters names and background stories as I thought of the plot that led to the cliff incident and how things turned after that.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #244061; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">I started writing non-stop, but most of my new entries were on my hard drive ‘Buffalo’ and as I was nearing the end, Buffalo died a tragic death. Meaning, all my updates were lost. I felt so upset for a while that I stopped writing altogether. I think it was the end of eleventh grade where I found my old notebook and decided to give writing it another shot, but as I started to reread the first few chapters I didn’t like where it was going, so I started fresh, cancelled out some characters and added others. New background stories were made, though the plot was the same, I just changed how they got there. In the middle of math class – and many other classes really, I wasn’t that fond of school - I would sneak the notebook under that table and start writing, where another friend saw me and decided to read what I was writing. She got interested and nagged me incessantly for new chapters, before I knew it, a few months later and voil</span></span><span style="color: #244061; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">à! The book was done!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">~Aliaa"</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">And that's it for the guest post. Now for the giveaway! As part of the blog tour, Aliaa is helping me by giving away two ebook copies of her book! This is an INTERNATIONAL giveaway for two copies of Against All Odds. Check out the Rafflecopter below to enter!</span></h2>
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<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/" id="rc-6ad9df4">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><br />
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</div>Alexis Ladighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08045368113498691967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7834823413423887365.post-55831583903591591152012-06-23T13:20:00.002-07:002012-06-23T13:20:50.580-07:00Blogger Spotlight (1): Princess of PagesI decided I wanted to start doing posts where I spotlight a blog I love or a blog I have just discovered. So when this morning I found that a new up and coming blogger had highlighted me by nominating my blog for an award, I thought the best way to start doing these posts would be to spotlight her.<br />
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So the blog I want you guys to check out is.... <a href="http://princessofpages.blogspot.com/">Princess of Pages</a>!! The author of this blog is Maria. She is just starting to really work on her blog, so I'm sure she would love some followers to help get it going. I haven't known her for long but she seems like a really sweet person who wants to share what she think about books. So click the link and check it out for yourself. :)<br />
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<img align="right" src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/blogovationdesign/signature-2.jpg" width="20%" />Alexis Ladighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08045368113498691967noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7834823413423887365.post-52770141512617141482012-06-22T13:11:00.002-07:002012-06-22T13:11:26.180-07:00Stuck In Books #CleanUpTBRPile Read-a-Thon!It's been known for awhile that I've been failing at finishing any books lately. I decided to end this. NOW. I best way (at least for me) to get reading again has been to take part in read-a-thons, so when I saw that Stuck In Books was hosting one, I decided to jump in! Check it out if you want to sign up, I don't think it's too late. Click <a href="http://www.stuckinbooks.com/2012/06/kick-off-cleanuptbrpile-read-thon.html">HERE</a>.<br />
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For this read-a-thon, my goal is to read these books:<br />
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Fated by Alyson Noel (For the love of God I need to read this already!!)<br />
Beneath a Meth Moon by Jacqueline Woodson (already a hundred pages in)<br />
Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Lani Taylor (Can't believe I haven't read this book)<br />
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And, time permitting, The Hunt by Andrew Fuduk (ARC that NEEDS to be read!)<br />
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Wish me luck! You can follow by tweets about the read-a-thon @Bookish95 or the hashtag #CleanUpTBRPile ! <br />
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<img align="right" src="http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee444/blogovationdesign/signature-2.jpg" width="20%" />Alexis Ladighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08045368113498691967noreply@blogger.com0