Review: Never Eighteen by Megan Bostic

Title: Never Eighteen

Author: Megan Bostic

Publisher: HMH Children's Books

Release Date: January 17th, 2012

Source: Purchased

My Rating: 4.5/5

 

Austin Parker is on a journey to bring truth, beauty, and meaning to his life. Austin Parker is never going to see his eighteenth birthday. At the rate he’s going, he probably won’t even see the end of the year. The doctors say his chances of surviving are slim to none even with treatment, so he’s decided it’s time to let go. But before he goes, Austin wants to mend the broken fences in his life. So with the help of his best friend, Kaylee, Austin visits every person in his life who touched him in a special way. He journeys to places he’s loved and those he’s never seen. And what starts as a way to say goodbye turns into a personal journey that brings love, acceptance, and meaning to Austin’s life.

I read a review on this book awhile back and knew I had to check it out. It seemed to be one of those books that punches you straight in the heart, and leaves a mark for a long time to come. And it was. It most definitely was.

Although you expect the flow of events, when they happen they stun you. I remember sitting on my back porch with tears pouring down my face as I read the tragic and moving story of one Austin Parker. I love to be inspired by books, and I felt that with Never Eighteen. Watching the journey made by Austin to try and help all the broken people in his life was heart-warming, and heart-breaking. He was trying to give life to those around him, because he himself didn't have a chance to live. Each person that entered the story left their own impact, be it with their stories or their lost will to live. And each time, Austin, the boy marked for death, tried to mend the broken pieces. Not everyone let him, not everyone embraced his message, but I think that was just right.

What I really liked about Never Eighteen is that it didn't focus on the illness. It wasn't a tragic story about death, but an uplifting story about the beauty of life. Austin was surrounded by death but determined to live life to the fullest, and to make sure everyone else did the same. I felt invested in the story, but I didn't know how much until I felt myself breaking down along with everyone else. I wanted this boy to get a chance to grow up, to see the world, to live a life he so greatly deserved. But, what he did in his short time was moving, and was exactly what he wanted.

The only reason I couldn't give Never Eighteen five stars is because of the writing. This is a debut novel, which usually isn't a writer's strongest work. I felt the writing to be a bit too simple, and didn't wow me like I expected. The story made up for it, but the writing itself slightly detracted from my overall love.

This was a tiny book but it left a huge hole in my heart. A life and death story that lifted me up, while breaking my heart. A great read, and one I won't soon forget.

- Ciara (Lost at Midnight)

Find This Book: Amazon | Goodreads | Megan Bostic's Website

Stacking the Shelves/Ottawa Book Blogger Meet-Up

So, I'm trying out a new meme this week! It's called Stacking the Shelves. Similar to In My Mailbox, hosted by The Story Siren, Stacking the Shelves is all about featuring the books we bloggers have received each week, adding to our already packed shelves. It's hosted by fellow Canadian blogger, Tynga's Reviews! This week's post is also about the Ottawa Book Blogger Meet-Up I attended on Tuesday, but more on that later in the post.

My shelf this week got a ton added to it. May 1st was one my most anticipated release days of the year, and I'm so excited with my new books. Without further ado!

Bought:

- Insurgent by Veronica Roth *not pictured here because my friends are borrowing it!*
- Shine by Jeri Smith-Ready
- Gallagher Girls Box Set by Ally Carter

Borrowed:

- Masque of Read Death by Bethany Griffin (ARC)
- Wildfire by Karsten Knight (ARC)
- Belles by Jen Calonita (ARC)
- Witchlanders by Lena Coakley (ARC)
- Dust & Decay by Jonathan Maeberry (ARC)
- Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood (ARC)


Note: HUGE THANKS to the Ottawa Book Blogger gals! All these books I borrowed were from them, and I'm so excited to get started reading!

Swag:

- John Green book plate

Note: So, many of you probably know about The Fault in Our Stars. Author John Green promised to sign every pre-order that was received but, because of some mishaps with the online retailers, about 1% of pre-orders were not signed. I happened to be in that 1%. John Green promised to send all the people who's books were not signed a bookplate, and I finally received mine the other day. So, thanks to John Green and RazOrbill! I'm so happy about my bookplate!


Now, onto the Ottawa Book Blogger Meet-up!


I'll admit, I was really nervous before I went. I'm generally shy when meeting new people, and often just observe the conversation instead of taking part in it. The gals had already met up before, so most of them knew each other, another thing that had me worried. I really didn't need to be though! Everyone was really welcoming, talkative and book obsessed! It was fantastic. We met up at Chapters for Insurgent Day, and spent lots of time discussing books in the teen section. After, we went to the Works for dinner and more book talk, then over to Emilie's house for book swapping. It was tons of fun meeting everyone, and finding people as obsessed with books as I am! Thanks for a great time, and I can't wait to do it all again!

(Photo credit to Emilie's roommate and camera)

The Ottawa Bloggers who attended the meet-up! (From left to right)
- Emilie from Emilie's Book World
- Kaite from Bookishly Yours
- Meaghan from Feeling a Little Bookish
- Katherine from The Lady Critic's Library
- Me!
- Kathy from A Glass of Wine


*Also at the meet-up but not featured in the picture Mel from The Pretty Nifty (YA) Reader*


- Ciara who is lost at midnight

Review: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

Title: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

Author: Jennifer E. Smith

Publisher: Poppy

Release Date: January 2nd, 2012

Source: Purchased

My Rating: 4/5

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. She's stuck at JFK, late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's in seat 18C. Hadley's in 18A.

Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it

 
I'm not the best when it comes to forgiveness.

I have a bit of a tendency to hold a grudge. Not my best personality trait, I'll admit, and one that has gotten me into trouble a few times recently. I do forgive, but it just takes me a bit longer than some people.

Why am I talking about forgiveness? Well, a book I thought would just be a cutesy, comedic novel turned into a journey to let go of anger, to embrace change, and maybe find your soul-mate.

I had been hearing amazing things about The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight since its release in January. Everyone was calling it adorable and fantastic, so I knew I had to check it out. I started and finished it just the other day and, I have to say, it was just as great as everyone said it was. 

At first, I wasn't a huge fan of Hadley. Mostly because of her unfortunate name. There was a boy named Hadley in my elementary school that used to chase me around, try to kiss me, and was one of the most obnoxious people I've ever had to deal with. Once I got past the association, I started to like her. I felt angry on her behalf when she spoke of her father's abandonment, and smiled to myself constantly during her banter with Oliver. And Oliver. Oh, I'm a sucker for a pretty boy with an accent. The mystery surrounding his return to London, and his constant humor had me flipping the page to read more. Hadley and Oliver's dialogue seemed very natural and endearing, and their relationship, although formed quickly, seemed solid and heart-warming.

The idea of forgiveness, something both Hadley and Oliver struggled with added an extra element to the story. It wasn't just about a chance meeting, and a romance that bloomed from it. It was two people suffering the consequences of other people's actions, and finding it in their heart to move on. It made me realize the mistakes of others don't have to define my own life, and that holding on to a grudge doesn't hurt anyone more than myself.

I will say, I found the writing slightly repetitive. Hadley often had the same internal monologue over and over, just with minor rephrasing. I understood the importance of it, but I think it was adequately covered the first few times. I also wasn't a huge fan of the third person writing. I felt it didn't fit the story at some points, but that's more of a personal preference.

Overall, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight was everything I hoped it would be, and more. Witty, fun, romantic, with just the right amount of heart, this book was great, and one I would recommend.

- Ciara who is lost at midnight

Find this book: Amazon | Goodreads | The Book Depository
  

Review: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Title: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer #1)

Author: Michelle Hodkin

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Release Date: September 27th, 2011

Source: Purchased

My Rating: 4.5/5

Summary from Goodreads:

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

It can.

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

There is.

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

She's wrong.

I've always been slightly afraid of mirrors. You know in horror movies were people look away from the mirror then look back and the knife-wielding axe-murderer whatever is standing behind them? Yeah, that has made me very scared of mirrors.

So has this book.

I was literally shaking when I read it, and kept ducking and hiding from mirrors for days afterwards! I'm sorry, but seeing dead friends in mirrors instead of yourself? Yeah, it was terrifying. It was probably not my best idea to stay up 'til two reading but I couldn't help myself! I needed to know what happened! A midnight read at its finest.

I was absolutely hooked from the first page. That letter! Wow! What a grab. Actually, I could say I was hooked from the cover cause, um, yeah, one of the best covers I've ever seen. One question I heard about the cover, which made me love it that much more, was "Is the boy on the cover saving her, or pulling her under?" Every time I look at the cover I can't help but shiver.

The story itself was shudder-inducing (in a good way). Watching the main character, Mara Dyer, slowly slip into madness was engrossing while terrifying. Her visions had me cowering from the pages, while flipping them faster to read more. The flashbacks of the incident, the constant nightmares, and Mara's attempt to survive it all kept the story moving, and kept my heart-pounding.

Mara Dyer is not your typical heroine, and I loved that about her. She's dark, haunted, and scary in her own right. She's a bit of a tragic heroine; one fatal flaw could bring her all down. Which is fantastic (in a literary sense. I'm sure it's not so fantastic for Mara). A lot of books have strong female leads that have you cheering and rooting for their success. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer has a protagonist that has you staring in horror, yet fascinated by her every decision. I have to say, this series has a lot of potential. And the dark heroine of Mara is one to watch out for.

I have to also mention Noah Shaw. Although I found the beginning of their relationship slightly typical (by YA book standards), I adored him. I can't help but love a sarcastic hottie, with a sweet side. I mean really, who can!

I don't want to give away anything, so I'm going to put a big SPOILER ALERT right here (although, it's not really a huge spoiler, but if you don't want any, don't read this paragraph) but there was one thing that irked me about the book. I didn't like the supernatural element that was thrown in at the end. I liked the more contemporary, although a bit paranormal, style it was taking. But the end! Oh the end. Let's just say I NEED to have The Evolution of Mara Dyer in my hands...like yesterday.

If you're looking for a scary thrill-ride, pick up The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer. It'll have you cowering in a corner, while gluing your eyes to the page.
 
The cover of The Evolution of Mara Dyer was just released and my goodness is it gorgeous! As stunning and as deeply haunting as the first. Makes me wonder what's going to happen in the second book!

-Ciara who is lost at midnight  

In My Mailbox (6)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren, in which bloggers post about the books they got during the week!

I'm going on another book ban. Seriously, my bank account is yelling at me. I am only buying one more book this month, cause May is going to bankrupt me. Anyways, I manage to snag some fantastic deals this week because my local Salvation Army was having a huge book sale. All books under $1 were ten books for $5! I couldn't help myself! Here are the books!

Bought:

- Three Days to Dead by Kelly Meding
- As Lie the Dead by Kelly Meding
- Another Kind of Dead by Kelly Meding
- Wrong Side of Dead by Kelly Meding
- One Grave at a Time by Jeaniene Frost
Note: I technically already own this book. I'm a huge Night Huntress series fan and picked up One Grave at a Time days after it came out. And I lost it. I have no clue how, but it disappeared and I've been really upset about it since (ask my friend Crimson. On random occasions I will tweet her something along the lines of "I'M SO HEARTBROKEN! I NEED BONES" every couple of months). Much to my surprise, and delight, I found a copy for only 99 cents! Made my day!

- The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella

- Sins of the Angels by Linda Poitevin (I've heard a couple people talking about this one so I figured I might as well check it out!)

- I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga (not part of the bargain, just a book I've been meaning to pick up!) 

That's it for this week! What was in your mailbox?

-Ciara who is lost at midnight

Review: My Soul to Save by Rachel Vincent

Title: My Soul to Save (Soul Screamers #2)

Author: Rachel Vincent

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Release Date: December 29th, 2009

Source: Purchased

My Rating: 4.5/5

When Kaylee Cavanaugh screams, someone dies.

So when teen pop star Eden croaks onstage and Kaylee doesn’t wail, she knows something is dead wrong. She can’t cry for someone who has no soul.

The last thing Kaylee needs right now is to be skipping school, breaking her dad’s ironclad curfew and putting her too-hot-to-be-real boyfriend’s loyalty to the test. But starry-eyed teens are trading their souls: a flickering lifetime of fame and fortune in exchange for eternity in the Netherworld—a consequence they can’t possibly understand.
Kaylee can’t let that happen, even if trying to save their souls means putting her own at risk... 

(Side note: I apologize for the lack of reviews here on the blog recently. I've been battling this very weird tiredness which has had me sleeping all day, or not being able to sleep at all. I'm also in the middle of exams so I'm trying to juggle studying and blogging and it's becoming difficult. Once I'm done exams (Nine days from now!) I will be back on track!)

I love to re-read books. I know a lot of people who never do, but I adore it. I find you notice so many more things the second (or third, or forth, etc.) time around than you do the first and it often really adds to the story. Characters are seen in a different light, actions take on entirely different meanings, and little hints are finally noticed. In the case of My Soul to Save, it made me like the characters AND the plot line that much more.

Now, I liked My Soul to Save the first time around, but it wasn't as amazing as My Soul to Take. I thought the plot was a bit out there, and I was still very frustrated with Kaylee. This time I have to say, I really saw where the plot was heading, and my respect for Kaylee was definitely more than previously. Since I don't want to give out any spoilers for future books, I can't really say what I noticed about the plot, just that it plays a role in the next few novels. One thing about the plot I was really excited to notice is the "greed" element. A little while back, Rachel Vincent wrote a blog post (WARNING: The post contains spoilers for the series) about how each book was based on a seven deadly sin. My Soul to Take was vanity, and My Soul to Save was greed. I could definitely see where Vincent took that idea, and how she threaded it through each characters story line. Really fun to read about!


I also have to say, I was really proud of Kaylee. My first time reading it, I was always aggravated by her decisions and just her personality in general. This time, I could see where she was coming from and although she didn't always make the smartest choices, she made them with the best of intentions. 

I also loved getting to see Tod's flawed side. His sarcastic attitude and casual smirk took a backseat to his raw emotions in this book. I think it was fantastic to see a different side of him, and really added to his character.


Overall, My Soul to Save grabbed me, even reading it a second time. I was pulled into the fight to save Addison's soul, Kaylee's unrelenting courage to do just that, and all the emotion turmoil that this quest entailed. It was a ride, a heart-breaker, and just generally a fantastic book. Make sure to check out Rachel Vincent's Soul Screamer series, if you haven't already. Mythical creatures, heart-breaking characters, and kissing (lots of it) all wrapped up in one delicious series!


If it sounds good to you, why not make it even better and take part in the Soul Screamers Reading Challenge! It's a bit late into it, but it's very easy to catch up! These books will not let you go until you're finished!


- Ciara who is lost at midnight


Find this book: Amazon | Goodreads | Rachel Vincent's website

In My Mailbox (5)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren, in which bloggers post about the books they got during the week!

Here are the books I picked up this week! (A few more than planned!) Apologies for the lack of pictures this week. I couldn't find my camera and the pictures on my phone were not formatting right.

Bought:

- Moon Called by Patrica Briggs (Goodreads)
- Soulless by Christopher Golden (got on bargain!) (Goodreads)
- Fear by Michael Grant (Goodreads)
- Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton (Goodreads)

Borrowed (Library):

- Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins (Goodreads)
- A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness (Goodreads)
- Last Breath by Rachel Caine (Goodreads)


I'm so happy with the books I picked up this week. I've already read and loved both Fear and Last Breath! They were fantastic. What's in your mailbox this week?


- Ciara who is lost at midnight

Waiting On Wednesday (7): Shine by Jeri Smith-Ready

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine, in which bloggers talk about the books they are most eager for!

This week's pick: Shine by Jeri Smith-Ready

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Release Date: May 1st, 2012 

Life can change in an instant, and no one understands that better than Aura. It’s been almost a year since her boyfriend tragically died. She’s finally letting go of Logan’s violet-hued ghost, but not her search to uncover the truth about her past.
As the first in a generation that can see ghosts, Aura is convinced that she has a connection to the Shift. She’s trusted Zachary, ever patient and ever by her side, with all that she knows. But when the government threatens his life in an attempt to learn Aura’s secrets, she will stop at nothing to protect herself and the one she loves...even if that means betraying her own heart. (Summary from Jeri Smith-Ready's website)

Okay, it's time for me to gush like a crazy fan-girl, because I love everything about this series. The story, the characters, the writing, the concept, the author, and of course, the amazing group called Team Kilt all come together to make one of the best combinations in the world. I'm going to be terribly sad that this amazing series is coming to an end, but I know Shine is going to be one heck of a book. 

The reason I first picked up Shade was because Jeri Smith-Ready was going to be at a signing I was attending later in the year (2010). I read Wicked Game, one of her adult novels, first and absolutely adored it (I knew I was going to love it when, on the first page, the main character clarified "It's KEER-ah, not see-AIR-ah"). I purchased Shade not long after, and loved it even more. Such an interesting and original concept. Such fantastic characters (the only books in which I can truly say I can't choose between the guys), and such a fantastic (Irish) author. Pick up this book! You will love it. Seriously, I kid not, you will LOVE IT. The entire trilogy will even be out in paperback for the May 1st release of Shine!


For fans of the series, make sure to check out KiltandKeeley.com, the Shade fansite which is always up to date with information! They're planning an exciting Team Kilt Con, which sounds amazing! Too bad I live in Canada making it a little difficult to attend. 


Also, the website above is doing a fantastic pre-order giveaway! Just pre-order the book and win fantastic prizes!


Check out the Shine trailer below! Only a couple more weeks!

- Ciara who is lost at midnight

Find this book: Jeri Smith-Ready's wesbite | Amazon | Goodreads

Summer Book Lovin'

Hey everyone!

My post today is all about one of my favorite types of books: Summer Books. Now, to me, summer books are those light, fun, sometimes heart-warming, sometimes heart-breaking books that make you crave warm sunshine, and lapping waves. This year, my summer is longer than it's ever been. Since I'm in university, I end school in April, and because I've chosen to take a year off I don't return to school for sixteen months. Which is a crazy long summer for me to read books during. Here is a list of summer books (and authors) I plan on checking out this summer. 

1. We'll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han

This book has been out for almost a year now, but because I bought the first two in paperback, I chose to wait to read it until I could buy it to match. I'm excited/nervous to see what Belly finally decides!

2. Author: Alyson Noel

I've been an Alyson Noel fan ever since I first read Evermore. She has a few books I consider to be summer books and I'm looking forward to reading them.

3. Author: Maureen Johnson

Maureen Johnson is one of the most hilarious people I know of (seriously, go follow her on Twitter) and I loved her 13 Little Blue Envelopes books. She has a few others which fit the summer books bill, and will probably contain tons of laughs. What's not to love?

4. Author: Sarah Dessen

Although she has way too many books for me to read this summer (unless I wanted to ONLY read her books), Sarah Dessen is on my list because her novels are what I picture when I think "summer books".

5. Au Pairs by Melissa de la Cruz

So, I read the first Au Pairs book about three years ago and I really liked it. The books are all about the beach, cute boys, and learning about life, the ideal book to read on a hot summer day.

That's all I have for now! How do you feel about summer books? Love them? Hate them? Have any great ones to suggest?

-Ciara who is lost at midnight

In My Mailbox (4)

 
In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren, in which bloggers post about the books they got during the week!

I haven't done an IMM in a few weeks because I didn't really buy any books. I'm still trying to cut back both because I'm broke and because my TBR pile is already out of control! I did find a couple of baraign books which I just couldn't resist. Here are the books I picked up over the last couple of weeks!

                                                             Bought:

- Witches of East End by Melissa de la Cruz (Goodreads)
- Turn Coat by Jim Butcher (Goodreads)
- Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers (Goodreads)

Borrowed:

- Falling in Love with English Boys by Melissa Jensen (Thanks to Emilie at Emilie's Book World!) (Goodreads)

                                                               Swag:

I received a surprise in the mail the other day! Michelle Zink, author of the Prophecy of the Sisters trilogy and the new book A Temptation of Angels, sent me a postcard. It was really exciting! Thanks, Michelle! 

That's it for now! How was your mailbox?

- Ciara who is lost at midnight

Review: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Title: Shatter Me

Author: Tahereh Mafi

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: November 15th, 2012
Source: Purchased

My Rating: 5/5

Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days.
The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.
The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war-- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.  

This review is going to be hard to write. Why, you may ask? Well, even months

after I read it, my brain is still frazzled from the awesome-ness of it. I decided to pick up Shatter Me after all the buzz it was getting in the book world. The book itself sounded fantastic, and I was really getting excited to read it. I had exams and research essays due at that time so I knew I couldn't read it right away, but I figured I could start it at least. Yeah...it was literally impossible to stop. I would put it down thinking that "Hey, maybe you should, I don't know, actually work on that essay worth 30% of your grade?" but then my arm would just reach out, without an conscious thought of my own, and I would be reading again. It was definitely a midnight read, keeping me up well into the wee hours of the morning. It was worth every minute of it.

I want to start off by gushing about the writing. Tahereh Mafi is so ridiculously talented. The writing in this book was some of the best I've read in any book...ever. Yeah, I'm serious. The words flowed so beautifully, lyrically, it was like the story just lifted off the page. I felt so connected to this book because Mafi's writing made it real. She brought to life these characters, made me completely invested in every aspect of the story, made me feel every emotion the characters felt, and made me unable to do anything else until I read every last word. I wanted to read everything, take in everything, because her writing was just simply amazing. 

Now, Shatter Me itself was reminiscent of X-Men, and I loved it. Juliette was a girl to root for, and one to feel pride in. I found myself just hoping and praying it would all work out, because she didn't deserve what happened to her. I can't wait to see how she progresses in the next installment! I have a feeling she's going to make us all cheer. Then, there's Adam. Oh, Adam. Like, way to write my perfect guy, Tahereh Mafi! If the physical description wasn't enough, he has to go and be such a sweet, yet strong guy! The interaction between Juliette and Adam was heart-wrenching, and uplifting. The two of them are simply fantastic characters.

Everything (the writing, characters, storyline, etc.) comes together to create a fantastic, thrill-ride and an impossible to put down book. You will be swept away into a dark and twisted world, with hope in the form of a broken girl who's determination will have you cheering. Read this book. If you only read one book this year, make it Shatter Me.

- Ciara who is lost at midnight

P.S. I gave my friend Jeannine this book for her birthday as the start of her book collection so, if you're reading this Jeannine I hope you enjoy it!

Find this book: (Amazon | Goodreads | Tahereh Mafi's website)

Waiting On Wednesday (6): Fear by Michael Grant

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine, in which bloggers talk about the books they are most eager for!

This week's pick: Fear by Michael Grant

Publisher: Harper Teen

Release Date: April 3rd, 2012

It's been one year since all the adults disappeared. Gone.

Despite the hunger and the lies, even despite the plague, the kids of Perdido Beach are determined to survive. Creeping into the tenuous new world they've built, though, is perhaps the worst incarnation yet of the enemy known as the Darkness: fear. Within the FAYZ, life breaks down while the Darkness takes over, literally—turning the dome-world of the FAYZ entirely black. In darkness, the worst fears of all emerge, and the cruelest of intentions are carried out. But even in their darkest moments, the inhabitants of the FAYZ maintain a will to survive and a desire to take care of the others in their ravaged band that endures, no matter what the cost. (Summary from Harper Teen's website)

How many days until this book comes out again? I've been waiting almost a year to get the next installment in one of the best most terrifying series out there: Gone by Michael Grant. I don't think I've ever been more disturbed by a book than I have been reading this series. It's not for the faint of heart, let me tell you! But, if you can look past the gore and scares, this book is filled with so much heart and the characters with so much determination, it's amazing to read about.

I'm kind of terrified to read this book. I mean, it's called Fear, and considering how scary the last four books have been, I can only imagine what horror's await the kids of Perdido Beach. And I only have to wait just one more short week! I highly recommend this series, if you can handle terrifying monsters, vicious people, and more fear than you can imagine. Grant's frightful world will leave you gasping for breath and cowering under the covers all the while keeping your eyes glued to the page. It's wonderful.

- Ciara who is lost at midnight
 

Review: Crossed by Ally Condie

Title: Crossed

Author: Ally Condie

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile 

Release Date: November 1st, 2011

Source: Borrowed from library

My Rating: 3/5  

Rules Are Different Outside The Society

Chasing down an uncertain future, Cassia makes her way to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky--taken by the Society to his sure death--only to find that he has escaped into the majestic, but treacherous, canyons. On this wild frontier are glimmers of a different life and the enthralling promise of a rebellion. But even as Cassia sacrifices every thing to reunite with Ky, ingenious surprises from Xander may change the game once again.
Narrated from both Cassia's and Ky's point of view, this hotly anticipated sequel to Matched will take them both to the edge of Society, where nothing is as expected and crosses and double crosses make their path more twisted than ever. (Summary from Goodreads)

I don't really know how I feel about this book. Disappointed, I guess. Matched wasn't my favorite book, but I thought the storyline had a lot of potential. The ideas of choice and freedom over happiness and safety was one I thought fascinating, and a great concept. One of the scenes in the novel has haunted me to this very day. The book itself I didn't find overly interesting, the characters much to flat for me. But, I finished with the feeling that the second book could be very well done. Unfortunately, I didn't agree with this once I read Crossed.

Now, that's not to say I didn't enjoy parts of this book because I most definitely did. I found myself wrapped up in the story, flipping the pages quickly in hopes of getting to the climax. I really liked the new characters that were brought it, and Xander finally grew on me. But, I found myself unable to connect with Cassia and Ky once again, and felt my investment in their relationship waning by the end. I felt like the plot of this book really didn't have much substance. There was a lot of walking around in a canyon and talking, but not much else. I was waiting for a big surprise, or action even and found myself disappointed when there really wasn't much of one. There was a secret in the book that I loved, and was so glad was put in the story. In all though, I just didn't find this book very interesting, and the problems I had with the first novel (aka the characters) I still had in Crossed. Looking back on it, I think my biggest issue with Crossed was that it was all about character development. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE character development. I will read entire books just with interesting characters. My problem was that I wasn't invested in the characters to begin with, so diving deep into their thoughts was not something I found interesting. If you have read and really enjoyed Matched, this book will probably be great to you. I just didn't feel so impressed with it.


I will be reading Reached though, without a doubt. As I said, I love the concept of these books. I even wrote a paper on it in high school. Crossed seems to be a set-up book, that is, the book that lays the foundation for the finale. I just hope this finale finally lives up to the potential these books have.


As a end note: I do really like the covers of these books. Really simple, but gorgeous. And something I did love about Crossed (and Matched for that matter) was the poetry. I loved hearing new ones, reading old favorites, and watching the words being woven into the plot line. Very well done, in my opinion. 


Reached is out November 2012! And if you're interested in reading Crossed, here's the book trailer!

- Ciara who is lost at midnight


Find this book: Amazon | Goodreads

In My Mailbox (3)

Hello, book-a-lovin' people!

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren, in which bloggers post about the books they got during the week!

So, I failed. I made a promise that I would not buy any books in March. I totally failed. I blame Chapters and their very enticing "buy 3 get the 4th free sale"! It was too tempting. And I received my tuition rebate, so I felt like I had money to spare. Also, eleven - count 'em ELEVEN - books came in at the library. Normally, I don't have that many on hold, but a slip-up on my part had them all coming in at the same time. So, I have another massive mailbox. Here it is!

Bought:

Library Books:

Bought:

- Nightshade (Nightshade #1) by Andrea Cremer (Amazon | Goodreads)

- Wolfsbane (Nightshade #2) by Andrea Cremer (Amazon | Goodreads)

- The Iron King (Iron Fey #1) by Julie Kagawa (Amazon | Goodreads)  

- Poison Study (Study #1) by Maria V. Snyder (Amazon | Goodreads)
(Thanks to Liz over at Midnight Bloom Reads for telling me to pick up this book!)

- Rot & Ruin (Ben Imura #1) by Johnathan Maeberry (Amazon | Goodreads)
(Thanks to Emilie over at Emilie's Book World for convincing me to pick this one up! The cover still terrifies me.)

- Terrier (The Legend of Beka Cooper #1) by Tamora Pierce (Amazon | Goodreads)

- Inside (Inside Out/Outside In Omnibus) by Maria V. Snyder (Amazon | Goodreads) 

- Cracked Up to Be by Courtney Summers (Amazon | Goodreads)
(I read this book a few years ago and realized I didn't own a copy! Now my Courtney Summers collection is complete.) 

Library Books:

- Angelfire by Courtney Moulton (Amazon | Goodreads)

- BZRK by Michael Grant (Amazon | Goodreads)


- Crossed (Matched #2) by Ally Condie (Amazon | Goodreads)

- Die for Me (Revenants #1) by Amy Plum (Amazon | Goodreads)

- Eve by Anna Carey (Amazon | Goodreads)

- The Girl in the Steel Corset (Steampunk Chronicles #1) by Kady Cross (Amazon | Goodreads)

- The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson (Amazon | Goodreads)

- Going Bovine by Libba Bray (Amazon | Goodreads)

- Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles (Amazon | Goodreads)

- Wired by Robin Wasserman (Amazon | Goodreads)

- Witches of East End (The Beauchamp Family #1) by Melissa de la Cruz (Note: This is an ADULT novel) (Amazon | Goodreads)


Well, that's it for this week! How was your mailbox this week?

- Ciara who is lost at midnight