Stacking the Shelves (1)

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews where book bloggers share the books they've added to their shelves this week (physical or electronic).

Well, I figured it was about time I joined in on this meme. I picked up a few more books to add to my overflowing bookshelf (I really need to invest in a second one). They are:

Purchased From Bookstore:

Dark Kiss (Nightwatchers #1) by Michelle Rowan

Cinders and Sapphires (At Somerton #1) by Leila Rasheed

Via Netgalley:

Scrap by Emory Sharplin

That makes five books total this week if you include the book haul I did earlier in the week. (All book hauls will now be Stacking the Shelves posts from hereon out simple because it's a lot more fun to participate in a  meme with all of the other book bloggers out there - and it is a much more organised way of doing so).

What books did you buy this week?

Have you read any of the above titles? Let me know what you thought of them - I haven't heard much buzz about either, but they both sound pretty interesting. Here's hoping they're inpulse buys that pay off :)

Book Haul #4: Branching Out

It has been a while since I have done one of these! The hiatus had a lot to do with it (also because every time I tried filming one of these, my camera battery would die, so I think I have given up on video blogging these for the time being).

Earlier in the week I picked up two non-YA titles from work:

Angelopolis (Angelology #2) by Danielle Trussoni

I feel kind of silly because I went and bought the second book (knowing it is the sequel) to this series without first having Angelology, however my bookstore did not have Angelology in stock (okay, they did have one copy, but the corner edge of the cover was slightly bent) so I ordered it online in hardcover.

It seems the Angelology cover format is different from Angelopolis, so I will have the paperback of this one and the hardcover of Angelology on my shelf and I guess I'll just have to deal with that...
Anyway, this series sounds interesting. It's a little outside of what I usually read, specifically it's an 'adult fiction' series and not YA. Hopefully I like it. I mean, it sounds really interesting and I'm usually right (with the exception of a select few books I've made the unfortunate decision to buy), so we'll see.

The plot involves nephilim, which I except will be written different than those I enjoy of Cassandra Clare's, but it sounds like something I will enjoy and Angelopolis is currently a best-seller at the bookstore company I work for, so it had that going for it.
It will probably be a while before I get to these.

Cold Magic (The Spiritwalker Trilogy) by Kate Elliott

I have officially ventured into the heavy sci-fi/fantasy world by picking this one up. Especially since it sounds to be an intriguing mix of both sci-fi and fantasy (or at least science and fantasy, which I know isn't technically the same). I am very proud of myself to have made this venture (I mean, I own the Song of Ice and Fire novels, though I've yet to read them - hey, don't judge! Have you seen my to-be-read pile? Maybe I will do a tour of it next week. Let me know if the comments if you'd like to see that).

Excited to read this one, since it is right up my alley. The paperback I picked up is currently selling at 4.99 at my work, so I couldn't resist picking this up, and I think I'll dive into it sooner than I'd originally planned.

So those are the only two (three if you count the online order of Angelology) books I picked up this week. I've been trying to keep my book-buying to a minimum (I don't even want to think about how much I've spent on books since I got this bookstore job - it's amazing what a little discount can do to ease the money-spending conscience! Haha!).

Have you read any of the above series? If so, what did you think of them?

Even though I've dubbed this blog a YA and NA review blog, there might be a review of either of these two in the future (most likely Cold Magic), so keep an eye out for those.

It's Monday! (#2) Here is What I am Reading

(It's Monday! What are you reading? is a weekly blog meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. Each Monday participating blogs post about which books we are currently reading and our reading plans for the week. You can sign up at Book Journey by clicking here)

This week I am reading...

Onyx (Lux #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

I started this one last week, but put it on hold while I read another book, and I'm excited to get back to this series!

I am also starting to read...

Frostbite (Touch of Frost #1) by Lynn Rush

Format: e-arc

Blurb:

Amanda gives a whole new meaning to cool…

Amanda Smith is sick of getting chased from town-to-town. So when she lands in tiny Trifle, Arizona, she hopes it’s her last move for a long time. Despite hating the smallness of the town, she settles in and finds a best friend, and even a boyfriend. Normality at its finest.

But for a girl who can shoot snow from her hands and lift a two-ton truck over her head like a bag of feathers—normal is not an option.

The scientists who murdered her mother come barreling into Amanda’s quiet life. She must decide if she’ll run again or stay and fight. The price of either choice might be her life or the lives of those she’s come to love…

I am intrigued to start this one! Once I have finished it, I will not be posting a review until much closer to the release date. Frostbite is due to be released September 17th, 2013.


As for next week, I have not yet thought that far ahead, but more than likely I will pick up the final book in the Lux series (Opal) by Jennifer L. Armentrout.
I am open to suggestions, however, and if you want to take a look at my to-read/own shelf on my goodreads account (see it here) and see something you'd like me to read next, leave the title in the comments below!

Cover Reveal: The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa

Earlier today Hollywood Crush of MTV.com announced the official cover reveal of book two in the Call of the Forgotten series (and book six of the Iron Fey series).

After reading The Iron Fey series last year, Julie Kagawa quickly became one of my favourite authors (I also love her vampire dystopian series, Blood of Eden, which I highly recommend. You might think you're done with dystopians and with vampires, but you won't be once you start The Immortal Rules!).
When The Iron Fey series 'ended' with Iron Knight, I, along with many other members of the Iron Army (the self-dubbed fandom name of readers of the Iron Fey series), didn't want it to end.

And the Iron Army was luckily and happily resurrected when Julie Kagawa announced that she would be continuing the series with new books featuring Meghan Chase's younger brother, Ethan Chase.

The first book, The Lost Prince, of the new series, Call of the Forgotten, was released fall of last year. It was, in my strong opinion, amazing, and I, along with the rest of the Iron Army, am anxiously awaiting the second book, The Iron Traitor (originally called The Traitor Son).

There is not yet a description released for The Iron Traitor, but you can see the cover in all of its gorgeousness (and sexiness!) by visiting hollywoodcrush.mtv.com's exclusive cover reveal post here.

Go on. This post will be waiting when you get back...

...

...

...

WAS IT NOT THE MOST GORGEOUS THING YOU HAVE EVER SEEN?
Was anyone else expecting to see Ethan and not Keirran?
I for one and super stoked that they chose to go with Keirran on the cover, even though the books are not told from his perspective. I am jumping-up-and-down-in-my-chair excited to read this book (and also terrified - traitor son/iron traitor? Julie Kagawa, what do you have in store for us??)



The Iron Traitor comes out in November 2013, so there is still a few months' wait. Why not check out Julie Kagawa's other series, Blood of Eden, while you're waiting? (If you haven't already) The Immortal Rules is already out and the second book, The Eternity Cure, will be out May 1st. Check out my review of The Immortal Rules here. And look out in the near future for a review of Eternity Cure. I'm more than halfway through and it is great!



So what do you guys think of the reveal?
And hmm... What do you think?
Ethan? or Keirran?

The Iron Traitor cover looks a lot more similar to the original Iron Fey series covers, don't you think? Lost Prince's is too, of course, but the placement of the title reminds me a lot more of the Iron Fey series. I like it.

Wasteland by Lynn Rush

Title: Wasteland
Series: The Wasteland Trilogy
Placement in Series: Book 1/3
Author: Lynn Rush
Description:

Bound by the blood contract his human mother signed four centuries ago, half-demon, David Sadler, must obey his demonic Master's order to capture fifteen-year-old Jessica Hanks. But as he learns more about her, he realizes she may be the key to freedom from his dark enslavement.The only obstacle-Jessica's distractingly beautiful Guardian, Rebeka Abbott. He must not give in to their steamy chemistry, or he will lose his humanity. But fresh off a quarter millennia of sensory deprivation as punishment for not retrieving his last target, he may not be able to resist temptation long enough to save what's left of his human soul.

Review:

This book was unlike anything I've ever read. I meant to read it a lot sooner than I did, but it had been sitting on my Kobo e-reader (which I tend to forget I own and have books on -- oops!) for months. Finally, obviously, I picked it up, and of course, I am glad I did! I have been following Lynn Rush on her Twitter and Facebook and her blog, and participated in many of her #GetRushed parties (you guys should really check them out! I've discovered lots of great authors by doing so, and heard of even more intriguing books!), and she's great fun to interact with. But enough about that - let's get to the book!
(Caution: This review is slightly spoilery. If you are like me and don't like even hints at what happens, you might want to come back after you read this book. Which you should totally do. Read this book. And then come back ;) )

What I liked about Wasteland:
The plot was really intriguing. Like I said, Wasteland is unlike anything I'd ever read before. A half-demon bound by contract to his Master, forced to retrieve his Mark (humans Master wants to make demons), and if he fails, he is subjected to centuries of torture? Definitely unique, which was refreshing. David, the complicated half-demon, was also very well-written. Even though I had no idea where the story was going to take me, I was confident enough in David to stick with him. The way his character was written made me feel like I was inside his mind, feeling what he felt, hearing/seeing/touching what he heard/saw/felt. And I was certainly rooting for him all of the way.

What I did not like about Wasteland:
There were a few parts in the writing where I felt more could have been added. I came across a few scenes throught the first half of the book that made me feel I missed a page, because one moment we're in David's head, and the next he's slashing a demon without any textual indication that demons were there. Some things happened a little too fast that I had to back up to make sure I did not miss a paragraph or skip a page on my e-reader.

There were also some certain character choices (as in choices the characters made) that frustrated me a little, and this is just me shaking my finger at the characters themselves. Most specifically (and my only point for this matter, actually) whenever Beka and David went off to have their 'sexy times', the timing was not always the most appropriate. I mean, I understand that they were both deprived, but come on guys, your friend is dying and needs your help! Not so much a negative point against the book as a 'really, characters?'

What I loved about Wasteland:
I think my favourite part about this book were the characters, especially how they interacted with one-another. I want to say Beka and David were my favourite pair, but there was always a smile on my face when it came to the David and Russel scenes. I'd love to read more about these two, because I feel they will be good friends (and it was always a laugh seeing David get irritated with Russel calling David his King).
I would love to read more about Jessica, as well. I felt almost as if Beka and David are her parents, the way they care for her, and it was the sweetest thing. It was refreshing to read about a main character, also, who wasn't fighting for his life to save the woman he loved romantically. He fought with her and saw her as an equal (which I cannot say for all books, and loved every minute of it in Wasteland!) as they tried to save Jessica together. Beka's strength as a character was great as well. Even when David tried telling her no, you have to stay behind, she stood her ground (or air, if they were flying ;) ).

I also really enjoyed the action-packed fight scenes! They were so vividly written I was cringing whenever weapons struck flesh (whether or not I knew that flesh would heal quickly) and doing my best not to skip ahead to make sure all of the characters came out of it okay (and felt strongly for them when they did not).

I can't wait to read the rest of this trilogy. All I know about it is that the next two books involve different main characters. I'm excited to meet them, although I'm going to miss David and Beka.

Overall, interesting story with some great characters whom I will miss if they do not make appearances in the next two books. Man, though, Beka and David need to sort out some of their priorities ;) I mean I know they had both been sexually-deprived for centuries, but there are times (like when the person they are supposed to be protecting is dying and time is of the essence) when it is not the time for sexy times, haha.

Anyway, I look forward to reading the rest of this series, and I do recommend this book to all of you (who are of the maturity level and can handle the more NA scenes).

wasteland rating: 3.5/5

Have you read Wasteland yet? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Caution: Comments may include spoilers.


Where you can buy this book:

In Canada:
(see Kobo)

In the USA:
Barnes and Noble

Internationally:
Amazon

For your e-reader:
Kindle
Kobo
Nook

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #1

(It's Monday! What are you reading? is a weekly blog meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. Each Monday participating blogs post about which books we are currently reading and our reading plans for the week. You can sign up at Book Journey by clicking here)

This week I am reading...

Wasteland by Lynn Rush (Wasteland #1)

Blurb:

Bound by the blood contract his human mother signed four centuries ago, half-demon, David Sadler, must obey his demonic Master's order to capture fifteen-year-old Jessica Hanks. But as he learns more about her, he realizes she may be the key to freedom from his dark enslavement.The only obstacle-Jessica's distractingly beautiful Guardian, Rebeka Abbott. He must not give in to their steamy chemistry, or he will lose his humanity. But fresh off a quarter millennia of sensory deprivation as punishment for not retrieving his last target, he may not be able to resist temptation long enough to save what's left of his human soul.

I am about halfway through this e-book, but since I do not yet have the next books in this series, I will have to put the Wasteland books on hold. I am enjoying it so far, and am curious to find out where the book goes from here.


I try not to read multiple books at once, but it is a habit I am having difficulties breaking, especially now that I've started to read one book on my breaks at work and one at home before I sleep. So the second book I am devouring is...

Onyx by Jennifer L. Armentrout (Lux #2)

Blurb:

Being connected to Daemon Black sucks…

Thanks to his alien mojo, Daemon’s determined to prove what he feels for me is more than a product of our bizarro connection. So I’ve sworn him off, even though he’s running more hot than cold these days. But we’ve got bigger problems.

Something worse than the Arum has come to town…

The Department of Defense are here. If they ever find out what Daemon can do and that we're linked, I’m a goner. So is he. And there's this new boy in school who’s got a secret of his own. He knows what’s happened to me and he can help, but to do so, I have to lie to Daemon and stay away from him. Like that's possible. Against all common sense, I'm falling for Daemon. Hard.

But then everything changes…

I’ve seen someone who shouldn’t be alive. And I have to tell Daemon, even though I know he’s never going to stop searching until he gets the truth. What happened to his brother? Who betrayed him? And what does the DOD want from them—from me?

No one is who they seem. And not everyone will survive the lies…

The series that made me desperately miss book blogging! Again, I am halfway through this book and loving it completely. Who can stay away from Daemon Black? As much of a jerk as he can be, he is an irresistable one (perhaps that is why) I love to read about. And having a main character I, as a book blogger, can seriously relate to? Makes the reading experience that much better!


After this I have a pile of 70+ unread books (and growing - the curse/blessing of working at a bookstore with a discount - oops!) to attack, but more than likely I will be reading the following titles:

Opal (Lux #3) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

The Eternity Cure (Blood of Eden #2) by Julie Kagawa, procured very gratefully from Netgalley (see my review of book #1, The Immortal Rules, here)

Frostbite (Touch of Frost #1) by Lynn Rush, the e-arc I was lucky enough to get my hands on

Requiem by Lauren Oliver

Title: Requiem
Series: Delirium Trilogy
Placement in Series: Book 3/3
Author: Lauren Oliver
Description:

They have tried to squeeze us out, to stamp us into the past.

But we are still here.

And there are more of us every day.

Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has been transformed. The nascent rebellion that was under way in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight.

After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven—pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators now infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels, and as Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancée of the young mayor.

Maybe we are driven crazy by our feelings.

Maybe love is a disease, and we would be better off without it.

But we have chosen a different road.

And in the end, that is the point of escaping the cure: We are free to choose.

We are even free to choose the wrong thing.

Requiem is told from both Lena’s and Hana’s points of view. The two girls live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge.

Review:

I first read Delirium back in January 2012, when I was going through my 'what to read after The Hunger Games' kick (all right, I admit I'm still on a dystopian/post-apocalyptic kick, one that I'm not sure will end!) and it quickly became one of my favourite series. I had high expectations for Requiem, especially considering how much I loved Pandemonium (my first review on this blog!) and the direction it seemed to be taking the series. While I was on hiatus from here, I read a lot of reviews and opinions on the final book in this trilogy, and it seemed people were either disappointed with the ending, or they loved it. I, personally, loved it to the core. Below I have written why, but proceed with caution: if you have yet to read Requiem, there are some (major) spoilers below.


What I liked about Requiem:
As in the previous novels, Lauren Oliver's writing remained poetic and perfectly descriptive. I was there with Lena and with Hana in every moment. I understood them both, even though my feelings toward Hana are not the greatest (although I came around in the end).

I also liked that half of the book was written from Hana's perspective. After reading Hana's short story, it was pretty much necessary. It was certainly something that I, as a reader, wanted. Hana intrigued me, and it was important for me to see how Hana had changed (and not changed) after she received the Cure. I am glad she redeemed herself after what she did in the Hana short story (which, by the way, if you have not read before reading Requiem, I think you should).


What I did not like about Requiem:
There was very little that left me dissatisfied when it came to this book. There is a small part of me that wishes there were a few more loose ends tied up by the end of Requiem, but at the same time...


What I loved about Requiem:
Basically everything, but the ending was my favourite. Lauren Oliver had a lot of expectations to live up, and it is certainly not possible for her to end this series in a way that will satisfy every reader, but I was definitely one of the satisfied ones.

I loved how there were loose ends. I loved that I was left with questions. What happens to Portland after? And the rest of the world seeming infected with Deliria? And what about Hana? Where does she go? Does she survive and does she ever meet up with Lena? I like to imagine that she did. I like to imagine that they find each other in the future, while the world is being rebuilt, and that they are still a part of each other's lives. I like to imagine that, if their friendship is not rekindled, they at least are near each other and can exist for each other, especially considering how important they were to eachother before everything that happened happened.

And what of Lena's relationship with Julian and Alex? Who, ultimately, did she choose? There were strong reasons for her to choose Alex. There were strong reasons for her to choose Julian. However, I think if she did choose by the end of Requiem, it would have been too soon. So many characters in YA seem to make rushed decisions (which is understandable considering they are teenagers; however, Lena has grown up a lot since Delirium, and it is no longer in her best interest to make such hurried decisions). The way I see it, she waited a while longer to make her decision, perhaps until things were a little less hectic. After all, she has a lot of other things to worry about. Like repairing the relationship with her mother, mourning Raven, and helping rebuild (at least) Portland.

But again, these are all questions I was fine with having been left unanswered. If they all had been, the ending would have been too rushed. Like author John Green said: "Books belong to their readers", and in this case, I am very glad to have been able to make my own theories. There are some books that need loose ends like these tied, but Requiem is not one of them.

Requiem rating: 5/5
Series rating: 4.5/5


And you? How did you feel about Requiem? Agree with my review? Disagree?
Discuss in the comments!