Review: Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

March 2nd, 2010 ∙ HarperCollins

Source: Swapped

Format: Paperback

Page Count: 470

What if you had only one day to live?

What would you do?

Who would you kiss?

And how far would you go to save your own life?

Samantha Kingston has it all: the world's most crush-worthy boyfriend, three amazing best friends, and first pick of everything at Thomas Jefferson High—from the best table in the cafeteria to the choicest parking spot. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life.

Instead, it turns out to be her last.

Then she gets a second chance. Seven chances, in fact. Reliving her last day during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death—and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing.

Review:

After this book was recommended to me, I hiked it up on my to-read list and got myself a copy. And I’m so glad I did!

This book took me awhile to get into, roughly about 100 pages. This is when I would normally give up if I wasn’t enjoying a book, but luckily it picked up just in time! Why I found I became genuinely interested around the 100 page mark was because even though the same day kept repeating, each passing day became more and more interesting than the previous.

It was unique to see how Sam chose to do things a little differently than the last, as the repeated the same day over and over. It was fascinating to read about all the things Sam got up to, as  she could do anything and the next day it would be forgotten about because it didn’t happen, the day was repeating itself.

It reminded me of those, “Choose Your Own Adventure” books, where there a variety of paths to choose from and you pick what happens next. It was exactly like that with Sam, as each day she’d take a different path, do something a bit differently.

Even though I didn’t like Sam at that the start, I ended up really liking her character in the end, as she grows so much and becomes a much better person.

This book will inflict a whole load of emotions, especially tears, so get those tissues ready!

This is my first book by Lauren Oliver, but I guarantee it won’t be my last.

I don’t exactly know what I was expecting , but it certainly wasn’t this!

This book will really get you thinking. About the person that you are. And the person that you want to be. About how you act towards others. And how you live your life.  

The ending was sad, mysterious and completely surprising. It ended so different than I thought it would…

Such a thought provoking read that I’m so grateful that I finally picked up! If you haven’t done so yet, I suggest you grab yourself a copy and read it! If you do start reading it, and like me don’t like it straight away, keep powering through, don’t give up, because even though I found the start to be a bit of a bumpy ride, in the end I was completely blown away.

Rating 4.5/5

Review: Love and Leftovers by Sarah Tregay

Love and Leftovers by Sarah Tregay

December 27th, 2011 ∙ HarperCollins

Source: Brought

Format: Hardcover

Page Count: 448

My wish
is to fall
cranium over Converse
in dizzy, daydream-worthy
love.

When her parents split, Marcie is dragged from Idaho to a family summerhouse in New Hampshire. She leaves behind her friends, a group of freaks and geeks called the Leftovers, including her emo-rocker boyfriend, and her father.

By the time Labor Day rolls around, Marcie suspects this "vacation" has become permanent. She starts at a new school where a cute boy brings her breakfast and a new romance heats up. But understanding love, especially when you've watched your parents' affections end, is elusive. What does it feel like, really? can you even know it until you've lost it?

Love and Leftovers is a beautifully written story of one girl’s journey navigating family, friends, and love, and a compelling and sexy read that teens will gobble up whole.

Review:

As soon as I read the blurb for, Love and Leftovers, I knew I had to read it, I mean howawesome is that blurb, and that cute cover doesn’t hurt either!

My first verse novel!! I was soo excited and a tad scared. Excited because I couldn’t wait to experience a novel told in verse, but also a bit nervous as everyone raves about verse novels and I didn’t know what to expect. But I’m happy to say that I loved it!

Before you mark it as a fluff read because of the cute cover, trust me when I say this book’s got depth. Long distance relationships, boy troubles, parents who’ve just split, moving States, troubes with the boyfriend, you name it.

As the story progressed, the story only got better and better! And soon I was in a flipping frenzy to find out what was going to happen next!

I loved Marcie’s character. She’s your typical teen, who I could totally relate to. She makes mistakes and she’s not perfect but who is. Apart from Marcie, I loved every other individual, her family, J.D, Katie and Danny. I especially loved the Leftovers and Linus, as he was so sweet and such a gentlemen.

I really loved reading Marcie and Katie’s little chats.

After reading Sarah Tregay’s lovely debut, I seriously can’t wait to see what she does next!

Just when I thought I had a few more pages left, the book ends, which was a total bummer.

If you haven’t read a verse novel yet, I totally recommend this book! If all verse books are like this, I can’t wait to get reading!

Rating 5/5

Have you read Love and Leftovers? Did you enjoy it as much as I did!? What other verse novels would you recommend? Comment below!

Review: Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Everneath by Brodi Ashton (Everneath #1)

January 24th, 2012 ∙ Simon and Schuster

Source: Provided by the publisher

Format: Paperback

Page Count: 370

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's...

Review:

What first got my attention about, Everneath was the stunning cover. After being enchanted by the cover, I read the blurb and was intrigued, so I marked it as to-read. When a copy came in the mail for me, I started it pretty much straight away, eager to start it. I thought Everneath would be a good read, but never did I ever think it would blow me off my feet the way it did!

When I first began, Everneath, I was confused. I didn’t know what was happening and found it hard to piece together. It took me awhile to get into, and for a little while, thought I might not be able to get into it. But around the 50 page mark, something changed and all of a sudden the story stopped being confusing, started making sense and grabbed me completely!  And the rest is history!

The writing is delectable – easy, breezy, beautiful, and so lovely to read.

I’ve haven’t read any other Hades and Persephone retellings, but I have heard from others that the outcome hasn't been so good. So after reading Everneath, if your about to give up on trying another Persephone retellings, stop and try this book!

I bet your wondering, how the romance in this book was, well I can gladly say it was brilliant! Addictive, magical, enticing, and so much more, I guarantee, you’ll melt in your seats!

Nikki, the main character is strong and determined. I enjoyed getting to know her and her story, along with how things came to be in her life. Jack, oh where do I begin! Sweet, kind, protective, understanding, courageous, and that’s just a few of his qualities! He made me squeal in delight! Definitely, a new literary crush! Swoon! Cole was annoying, and I wished that he’d just leave Nikki alone, but I didn’t really think much about Cole though, as all attention was all on Jack!

Brodi Ashton, has done a superb job on her debut! I can’t wait to see what she does next! As for that ending! Oh, boy, I don’t know how long I’ll be able to last til for book two! I need that sequel, pronto!

In case it isn’t clear enough, I loved, loved, loved, Everneath!

Rating 5/5

Review: Fated by Sarah Alderson

Fated by Sarah Alderson (Fated #1)

January 5th, 2012 ∙ Simon & Schuster

Source: Purchased

Format: Paperback

Page Count: 320

What happens when you discover you aren't who you thought you were? And that the person you love is the person who will betray you? If your fate is already determined, can you fight it?

When Evie Tremain discovers that she’s the last in a long line of Demon slayers and that she’s being hunted by an elite band of assassins –Shapeshifters, Vampires and Mixen demons amongst them – she knows she can’t run. They’ll find her wherever she goes. Instead she must learn to stand and fight.

But when the half-human, half-Shadow Warrior Lucas Gray - is sent to spy on Evie and then ordered to kill her before she can fulfil a dangerous prophecy, their fates become inextricably linked. The war that has raged for one thousand years between humans and demons is about to reach a devastating and inevitable conclusion. Either one or both of them will die before this war ends.

If your life becomes bound to another’s, what will it take to sever it?(

Review:

When I heard Sarah Alderson had a new book coming out, you could imagine how I excited I was! After reading, Hunting Lila, Sarah has become one of my favourite authors, so I didn’t hesitate to pre-order, Fated! After finishing this book, I can gladly say you won’t be disappointed.

When I opened this book, even though I’ve only read one book by Sarah, her debut, I walked into this novel with total comfort and familiarity from the authors previous work. It was like a warm hug.

Not only can Sarah work her magic with steam, kissing and swoony boys, but she’s also got a knack for writing action! Even though the action was great, I wished there could have been some more delicious kisses, just like the one featured nearish the end. Swoon much! J

Evie, the main character of, Fated, is determined, driven, and a girl who won’t back down without a fight! In the beginning, I didn’t like Lucas, for the fact that he was trying to kill Evie, but my opinion of him soon changed, when he started developing feeling for her and as the story progressed.

The wonderful wicked world, Alderson has created will suck you in. Instead of using ordinary creatures, Sarah has put a bit of a spin on them and incorporated a variety of paranormals!

The ending was jam packed with action, a little hard to keep up with as pretty much all the characters are featured and knives and weapons are being thrown from all directions, but none the less still a great finish. What really blew me off my feet was the speech Lucas made near the end of the book. I can’t say much as I don’t want to spoil anything for you, but it’s awesome!

Even though I loved Hunting Lila a tad more, Fated is a knout out read and definitely a great start to the series!

Rating 4/5

Event: Road Trip Week 2012!

Have I got some great news to tell you! A few or so days ago, an awesome idea popped into my head – Road Trip Week! I LOVE road trip books, as they make the best stories, so instead of doing nothing, I put into action an event! The event will celebrate a few of the road trip books scheduled to come out in 2012!

Road Trip Week will run from the 13th -17th of February. Across the period of 5 days, we will be getting to know a bit more about the road trip stories that will gracing our presence this year and the authors themselves who created them! Not only will there be amazing posts but lots of giveaways too! So get ready for some awesome fun next month!

I bet your wondering who will be featured during the week. Well lucky for you, you’ve come to the right place! And here’s the schedule:

13th – Megan Bostic (Never Eighteen)

14th – Elissa Janine Hoole (Kiss The Morning Star)

15th –Jessi Kirby (In Honour)

16th - Nina LaCour (The Disenchantments)

17th – Hilary Graham (Reunited)

I know your itching in your seats, and are probably just as excited as I am for this event that will take place in a couple of weeks! So what can you do in the meantime? Why not take the groovy, road trip button I made and display it on your blog! You can view the button and grab the code at the top of page! Thanks in advance for spreading the word!

P.S - I also can’t forget to thank Anna from Literary Exploration who helped with my button code troubles! Thanks Anna! J

Review: Friendship On Fire by Danielle Weiler

Friendship on Fire by Danielle Weiler

March 1st, 2011 ∙ Sid Harta Publishers

Source: Author

Format: Paperback

Page Count: 471

Daisy Brooks’s senior year is not off to a great start. Her first assembly as school captain is slightly ruined by her new bright orange hairdo – thanks to her father’s inability to choose correct permanent hair dye. The local Blonde Brigade is already giving her a hard time (and affectionately dubbed her ‘ranga’) and her teachers have done the unthinkable and handed out assignments on the first day back.

The one bright spot in Daisy’s first day back is the appearance of a private school boy hottie. Oh, and her best friend and vice-captain, Roman, who she can count on to hold her temper and have her back.

But the winds of change are sweeping through Daisy’s small town of Twin Rocks. Turns out the private school hottie is new in town and fast friends with her brothers. His name is Nate and he turns Daisy’s legs to jelly. But her totally platonic best friend, always reliable Roman, is starting to act strange.

This is Daisy’s senior year. She’ll learn hard truths and lose small battles on the path to adulthood . . . but, hey, nobody said it was going to be easy.

Review:
When I heard about this book, I couldn’t wait to read it. Firstly, because it sounded like an awesome contemporary and secondly because the author, Danielle Weiler is from Perth, Western Australia, where I live.

Fifteen pages in and I was already craving snakes and redskins! I really recommend you stock up, because trust me, when your reading this book you will get a craving!

The start of the novel was great, as it grabbed my attention and pulled me into the story.

I liked the way the author described high school, it was spot on. The cliques, the mean girls, the rare teacher who is actually nice.  I enjoyed the swimming carnival event as it brought me back to my own high school memories, where it was compulsory to attend and everyone took part.

I didn’t like Daisy at the start as she was hot headed, and tended to act before thinking among other things. But at the end, I changed my opinion of her as I ended up liking the person she had become and how much she had grown.

Nearly 500 pages in length, this is huge for a YA contemp. I did find that it dragged in the middle, but was glad that it finally picked up in the end and made for an interesting finish.

Danielle has done a great job on her debut that focuses on the transition between teenage and adulthood.

Rating 3/5

Review: Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand (Unearthly #1)

January 4th, 2011 ∙ HarperTeen

Source: Brought

Format: Paperback

Page Count: 464

In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . . .

Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.

Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.

As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make—between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?

Unearthly is a moving tale of love and fate, and the struggle between following the rules and following your heart.

Review:

So far, the books I’ve read this year have been okay, average. But then I decided to pick up Unearthly and give it shot and for what it’s worth, boy am I glad I did!

When I started this book, I didn’t really know what to expect, except that it was an angel book. And a very good angel book at that!

Cynthia Hand weaves a beautiful story full of mystery, romance and intrigue. This story takes many twists and turns and will keep you guessing til the end. The further you move into the story the better it gets!

Even though this is an angel book, it’s very different to one’s I’ve read previously. I love the idea, that each angel has a purpose to fulfil on Earth. I especially liked how Unearthly put it’s own spin on angels and didn’t follow in the steps of other angel books but created it’s own original concept. This made for an interesting read.

Clara the main character is fun, funky and refreshingly real. Apart from being an angel, she’s your typical teenage girl. At the start when your first introduced to Christian and Tucker, I wasn’t sure which team I was on, but as the story progressed there was no denying it, I was Team Tucker! Christian, well he’s okay, but he’s got nothing on Tucker!! Apart from Clara and the two guys, Hand includes a well round supporting cast of characters that add to the storyline in different ways.

I would totally recommend this book to those who like paranormal, romance and swoony guys.

After being enveloped into the wonderful story that is Unearthly, I can’t wait to read the sequel, Hallowed and see what happens next!

Rating 4/5

Review: If I Stay by Gayle Forman

If I Stay by Gayle Forman (If I Stay #1)

May 6th, 2009 ∙ Definitons

Source: Gifted

Format: Paperback

Page Count: 224

What if you had everything:

A gorgeous boyfriend who was madly in love with you?
Quirky hip parents who totally got you?
A musical talent that could take you anywhere?

What if your biggest problem in life was choosing which path to take?

Follow your first love--music-- to New York City?
Or stay with your boyfriend, friends, and family?

What if one day, you went out for a drive...

And in an instant everything changed?

What if suddenly all the other choices were gone?

Except for one--the only one that truly mattered?
What would you do?

Review:

It starts off like a perfectly normal day and then bam. In a flash everything changes.

The best part of this book was definitely the characters. I loved the main character Mia, her boyfriend Adam, her groovy parents and Teddy, her adorable younger brother. I loved the main main characters especially but even the supporting group of characters were likable and added to the story.

Even though this book is sad, it wasn't gripping enough and I found myself losing interest and even skimming.

As for the flashbacks, it was interesting to see how she had gotten together with her boyfriend, how she’d come to play a musical instrument, among other things, but I found myself wanting to hurry up the book and get back to the present time so I could see how Mia was doing and what was happening.

Even though I didn’t enjoy it as much as I would of hoped, I still may pick up the sequel, Where She Went, as I’ve heard it’s better than the first and also as it’s told from Adam’s point of view.

I was pleased with the ending as it’s full of possibilities and gives the reader hope.

Rating 2.5/5

Review: Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout (Covenant #1)

October 18th, 2011 ∙ Spencer Hill Press

Source: Brought

Format: Paperback

Page Count: 281

The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi-pure-bloods-have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals-well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options: become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures. Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1:Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden. Unfortunately, she's crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn't her biggest problem--staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is. If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of suck.

Review:

When I heard about this book and great reviews that followed I decided to give it a shot. Even though I didn’t enjoy it as much as I would of liked it was still a pretty good read.

As soon as I started reading this book, there’s no wasting time as your thrown right into the action. The beginning isn’t very clearly as your thrust straight into the story, but it was a great way for the author to introduce the daimons and what they could do and were capable of.

My favourite thing about Half-Blood was Aiden. At the start he didn’t let anyone in but as the story went on and his shell started to crack, you see just how great a guy he is and how much he cares for Alex.

Alex the heroine of the novel of the novel is your average teenage girl (except not really…she’s a Half-Blood). She feisty, strong, snarky, stubborn and has the tendency to not think her actions through. Even though I like Seth, I would definitely choose Aiden over him.

Even though I didn’t love it, I would still be interested in picking up the following book, Pure, as I’d like to know if anything happens between Alex and Aiden (yep, that’s me always the dreamer).

Rating 3/5

Review: Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty

Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty (Jessica Darling #1)

August 28th, 2011 ∙ Three Rivers Press

Source: Brought

Format: Paperback

Page Count: 298

“My parents suck ass. Banning me from the phone and restricting my computer privileges are the most tyrannical parental gestures I can think of. Don’t they realize that Hope’s the only one who keeps me sane? . . . I don’t see how things could get any worse.”

When her best friend, Hope Weaver, moves away from Pineville, New Jersey, hyperobservant sixteen-year-old Jessica Darling is devastated. A fish out of water at school and a stranger at home, Jessica feels more lost than ever now that the only person with whom she could really communicate has gone. How is she supposed to deal with the boy- and shopping-crazy girls at school, her dad’s obsession with her track meets, her mother salivating over big sister Bethany’s lavish wedding, and her nonexistent love life?

Review:

After reading some heavier type books, I was in need of a fun, light contemporary and that’s exactly what I got.

Even though this was written a while ago, in 2001, you’d think it would be dated, but surprisingly it isn’t. It feels like it could have been written yesterday.

Jessica is darn funny. The things that come out of her mouth are funny and completely original. Trust me, you won’t be able to suppress a smile. I can totally relate to Jessica, I think everyone can, as she’s your average teenager. She’s that type of character you can’t help but like and wish only the best for. The thing I love is that she’s written like a true teen– nothing fake and phony here!

There are quite a few reasons why I enjoyed Sloppy Firsts, but the main reason is that it’s realistic. It’s not sugar coated, the author tells it like it is.

It’s got the perfect blend of everything: relatable characters, high school drama, boys, wit and humour.

After reading Sloppy Firsts, I would be interested in checking out more books in the Jessica Darling series, but for now there’s no rush.

Rating 3/5

Author Interview with Jennifer R. Hubbard

Here with us today, we have, Jennifer R. Hubbard, author of The Secret Year and soon to be released, Try Not To Breathe. After reading her debut, The Secret Year and really enjoying and then discovering she had a new book coming out, I asked her if I could possibly interview her and she kindly accepted! So without further ado, the interview:

What’s the best thing about being an author?

Getting to tell stories. The writing is the fun part—but it’s an honour to be read, also. I love when people send me messages that show they have read and really thought about the book.

What do you do when you are not writing?

Hiking and reading are my favourite non-writing pastimes. I also have a day job.

Tell us about the first time you saw The Secret Year in a store.

Honestly, it felt as if someone had snuck into the store and put my book up there next to all the “real” books! But over time, that has flipped. Now I think the book looks like it belongs there, but it feels less like it came from me.

Describe Try Not To Breathe in five words or less!

Recovery from suicide attempt.

What are some of your favourite young adult books currently on the market?

I have a list of twenty recommended books up on Goodreads which you can view here. 

But right here, I’ll give you three titles from that list: Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You (Peter Cameron); A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend (Emily Horner); Saving Francesca (Melina Marchetta).

Your books deal with real issues and don’t shy away from discussing the tough issues. Why do you choose to write darker contemporary rather than about boys, love and high school drama?

I think my subjects choose me more than I choose them. I write a lot about loss and about moving on from past difficulties because I think those are important things to deal with. It's endlessly interesting to me how people deal with the tough times in their lives and move on. Especially when they move on through ordinary believable means--most of us don't win the lottery or have someone drop the answers to all our problems right in our lap. And also, I like how we keep finding love and happiness in the middle of life's troubles.

Is there anything you’re working on after Try Not To Breathe is released? Can you tell us anything about it?

I am writing—I’m always writing—but I’m not ready to talk publicly about what I’m writing now. I do have a few short stories out in the world in addition to my books: two stories in Hunger Mountain online, one in the Truth & Dare anthology.

I hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know more about Jennifer and her books, and also enjoyed my first author interview here on the blog!

Review: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (The Hunger Games #3)

August 24th, 2010 ∙ Scholastic Press

Source: Brought

Format: Hardcover

Page Count: 390

Young Katniss Everdeen has survived the dreaded Hunger Games not once, but twice, but even now she can find no relief. In fact, the dangers seem to be escalating: President Snow has declared an all-out war on Katniss, her family, her friends, and all the oppressed people of District 12. The thrill-packed final installment of Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games trilogy will keep young hearts pounding.

Review:

I didn’t know what to expect from this novel. Except that it was going to be an exhausting ride. And it certainly was.

With so many things going on (especially towards the end) it gets a bit confusing, as it can, but I kept powering through and like it always does, it became clearer.

The ending is so messed up and I only wish things could have been different. I know people see that this is the only way to end the book, but I disagree. My exact words after reading Mockingjay: Oh, my, and I don’t mean it in a good way. Obviously it’s impossible to please everyone but I was disappointed with the ending.

I read this book a few days ago and I’m still reeling. I’m not happy with the ending. I’m just not. Especially since my mind is still whirling with everything that’s happened. But this is the ending, so hopefully soon I’ll except it and be alright.

I’ll end my rant now…

I hope I haven’t scared you. I still recommend you read it. Especially if you’ve been following the story so far. Just be prepared!

Rating 2.5/5

Books I'm Wishing For: January Edition

With so many wonderful books coming out in 2012, I though why not highlight all the books that I’m excited for each month!

Here are the books I’m wishing for this month:

Incarnate (Newsoul #1) by Jodi Meadows – This book sounds really good, and I want to read it even more after hearing rave reviews from my friends and those who were lucky enough to snag ARC’s!

Everneath by Brody Ashton – What caught my eye first was the cover, so after I checked out the blurb and the premise ended up sounding great, I knew I had to read it!

The Alchemy of Forever (Incarnation #1) by AveryWilliams – This book sound amazing! I can’t wait to sink my teeth into this one!

The Statistical Probability of Love at FirstSight by Jennifer E. Smith – I love contemporaries and this one sounds incredible! The good news is that it’s on its way to me, so I don’t have to wait too long now!

The Fault In Our Stars by John Green - I’ve actually never read a book by John Green before, but before you start throwing tomatoes at me (or something of the like), let me tell you this: that will change of 2012! I’ve known about this title for a couple of months now, but it wasn’t until yesterday that I watched the video of John Green reading the first chapter that I put it onto my to-read list. So far, the first chapter is very promising! Click here to watch it!

Try Not To Breathe by Jennifer R. Hubbard – I loved the author’s debut, The Secret Year, so when I heard she had another novel coming out, I went bananas. It’s a no brainer.

Ditched: A Love Story by Robin Mellom – This sounds like a fun read, do when I was doing an order a few weeks ago, I couldn’t help but put it in the basket, so expect a review soon!

Fated by Sarah Alderson – After reading Sarah’s debut, Hunting Lila, and loving it how could I go past her new book! I pre-ordered this, and since it came out a few days ago, on the 5th, it should be arriving soon!

What are you wishing for in January?

Recap of My Meet and Greet with Sarah Alderson!

A couple of days ago, (which was last year...ha!) on the 30th of December, 2011, I met Sarah Alderson, author of Hunting Lila and soon to be released, Fated, at the Greenhouse Cafe in Perth, Western Australia with a few other Perth book bloggers and fans. Not only was this an awesome experience getting to chat with one of my new favourite authors, but this was also my first ever author meet and greet!

I chat to Sarah a lot on Twitter but it was great to get to actually meet her in person! Not only is she amazing and super lovely, but she has a swoony British accent I could of listen to all day! We talked about everything and anything and of course there was lots of talk about BOOKS! Books we love, best series and best reads of 2011!

And of course before leaving, Sarah signed our books!

So if you haven’t yet read Hunting Lila, get onto it pronto, and if haven’t ordered Fated go do that too!

Thanks again Sarah for meeting with us!

Review: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (The Hunger Games #2)

September 1s,t 2009  ∙ Scholastic Press

Source: Brought

Format: Hardcover

Page Count: 391

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

Review:

With Christmas and everything going on I hardly read in December. I started this books about a week ago but was only reading a chapter or so a day, as I wasn’t really in a reading mood. It wasn’t until I sat down and just read that I really started to enjoy Catching Fire!

It started out a bit slow (but that was mostly because I wasn’t reading consistently and was only reading a bit here and there) but in no time your back into the swing of things and your hooked!

I’ll say it again, this book, this series, it’s beyond clever! I am in awe of the author!

At first I thought Catching Fire was good but not as good as good as the first, but as I moved further into the story it only get better!

The characters return and are better than ever! On top of that you are introduced to a whole new bunch! 

Because this book is awesome and I didn’t want to stop reading it, yet I also wanted to go on the treadmill, I decided to do both at once: read while walking on the machine. Let’s just say, not a good idea! Here’s what happened: I was reading and something out of the blue happened that shocked me. So here’s a future warning: No matter how good the book is, don’t operate exercise equipment at the same time… it could be deadly.

What a way to end the book! Those last and final, chilling words! Seriously, luckily I have the next book at home, otherwise I wouldn’t be a happy camper!

Overall, I loved this book and was surprised at how well the sequel turned out!

Rating: 5/5