Follow Friday/Blogger Hop

Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee. It's a great way to meet new blogger friends. This weeks question is:

Q. Keeping with the dystopian and apocalypse theme that seems to be running rampant on parajunkee.com, I have one very hard question for you: If you were stocking your bomb shelter, what books would you HAVE to include if you only had space for ten?

This sucks as I would want the whole Harry Potter series, the whole Mortal Instruments series, and the whole Hunger Games series. I also have a few stand alone books I would like to keep. Here are the ones That I would keep (doing so with tears in my eyes for the rest)....

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
2. The Hunger Games
3. Mortal Instruments - City of Bones
4. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
5. Pride and Prejudice
6. Infernal Devices - Clockwork Angel
7. Anna and the French Kiss
8. a book with a collection of Shakespeare plays
9. The Lovely Bones
10. Die For Me



Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted by Crazy-For-Books.com. It's a great way to meet new people and friends around the blogworld!

"Summer is coming quickly - what 2011 summer release are you are most looking forward to?"

Passion by Lauren Kate. The 3rd in the Fallen series.

Happy Friday everyone.

Amy and Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Amy and Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson
Release Date – May 4, 2010
Publisher – Simon & Schuster
Pages - 344
My Rating- 7.5/10

Here is the GoodReads synopsis -

Amy Curry thinks her life sucks. Her mom decides to move from California to Connecticut to start anew—just in time for Amy's senior year. Her dad recently died in a car accident. So Amy embarks on a road trip to escape from it all, driving cross-country from the home she's always known toward her new life. Joining Amy on the road trip is Roger, the son of Amy's mother's old friend. Amy hasn’t seen him in years, and she is less than thrilled to be driving across the country with a guy she barely knows. So she's surprised to find that she is developing a crush on him. At the same time, she’s coming to terms with her father’s death and how to put her own life back together after the accident. Told in traditional narrative as well as scraps from the road—diner napkins, motel receipts, postcards—this is the story of one girl's journey to find herself.

I picked up this book on a whim after seeing it at the library. I figured it would be a quick read that I might enjoy.

The thing with this book is that you get exactly what you think you are going to get. There is very little in the way of surprises or anything out of ordinary for the genre. It’s well written and the characters are very likeable. It’s a quick, cute, summery read that will hit the spot when you are in the mood for that type of book.

This story really only has 2 characters. We do meet a few other characters but they are either not in the book very long or spoken about by Amy or Roger. It’s hard when we really only get to know two characters because they have to sell us the story. Amy and Roger are both likeable. We meet Amy as she is still dealing with her dad’s death. She was written perfectly for someone in her position. We get to see her progress from where she is at the beginning of the book to where she is at the end. Roger on the other hand wasn’t as well developed to me. I liked him. He was sweet but I didn’t feel like we got to know much about him as we do Amy.

I loved the whole premise of the road trip and going off your original plan to find something. I loved the inclusion of receipts, journal entries, postcards, etc. It added a cute, fun touch to the story. I found myself actually reading them and looking forward to the next ones. These inclusions are sometimes awkwardly placed in the novel and cut the narrative while you are reading. It’s not a huge deal but you often have to go back once you’ve hit a break in the chapter to read the little extras.

This book will make you want to go on a road trip. The type of road trip that you just drive and see where it takes you. I recommend it if you are in the mood for this type of book.

Waiting on Wednesday - The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

My pick this week is The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin


Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Mara Dyer doesn't think life can 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 mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

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

She's wrong.

Pretty vauge synopsis but gives me just enough to get interested. Just from the brief description I have so many questions. The cover is stunning. I am so excited to get my hands on this one.

Expected release date September 27th, 2011

Female Characters that Rock…

I have noticed a trend that male characters in novels (YA novels in particular) get a lot of love. I myself have book crushes. I totally get it. Boys in books are hot.I felt that their female equivalents often get overlooked though. There are some amazing female characters out there totally worthy of having a girl crush on.

I sat down and decided to come up with a list of female characters that I felt broke the mould. Characters that made me want to stand up and cheer. Female characters that I felt had something more to offer. I just wanted to do my part to showcase some of these amazing, well written and developed characters that do not get enough attention.

I am going to include why I put them on this list. Not everyone will agree with me (of course) but I welcome hearing about the female characters you do admire and why!

Here are a few I could come up with (in no particular order) -

Katniss Everdeen (Hunger Games Series) - I don’t think any list of this sort can be complete without her on it. She is not only physically tough and capable but mentally as well. She proves time and time again that she is no pawn to be used to further anyone’s agenda. Her cunning, and strength not only keep her family alive but help make her a formidable contender in the Hunger Games. I find her bond to her family just as impressive and a sign of her strength. I love that she isn’t all about boys either. The choice for her between Peeta and Gale was secondary. It was welcome and refreshing.

Hermoine Granger (Harry Potter Series) - I love J.K. Rowling for showing that girls who read can be sexy. Hermoine loves school and loves to read. She prides herself on being one of the best in her year. She wants to excel. I would have loved someone like her to be in the books I read while in Gr 8. There is so many other things I love about her though. She is loyal, level headed and quick to assist Harry whenever he needs it. I love that she doesn’t let her feelings for Ron take over and make her incapable of rational thinking or blind to the bigger picture. I like a girl who can stick up for herself and Hermoine does that fantastically.

Kate Beaumont Mercier (Die For Me) - Kate is just your average girl. She is someone I could see being friends with. She does do something that made me want to hug Amy Plum for creating her though - She doesn't immediately fall for Vincent. She doesn’t just declare her undying love for him the second they meet. In the YA Paranormal romance genre it is so common for the female character to be blindly in love with the vampire/werewolf/etc and to not even flinch when she finds out. This was a welcome and unique change. Vincent has to win Kate over. It felt more like what a sensible person would do and for this I love Kate. Kate also has a strength in her that is a quiet strength. The way she deals with her parents death and other obstacles is amazing to read.

Isabelle Lightwood (Mortal Instruments series) - Tough, sexy, and complex. Isabelle Lightwood is physically capable of protecting herself and other people who might need it. I love that she is protective of herself when it comes to the matters of heart. I like that she doesn’t “need” a boyfriend. She had this vulnerability that is under her tough exterior that you just can’t help but love. The love and respect she has for her family and friends is another thing I adore about her. Plus, any girl that can use a whip has my respect!

There are just a few of the girls that I think rock. What do you think? Which female characters make your list?

White Cat by Holly Black

White Cat by Holly Black
Release Date – May 4, 2010
Publisher – Simon and Schuster
Pages - 310
My Rating- 9/10

Here is the GoodReads synopsis -

Cassel comes from a family of curse workers — people who have the power to change your emotions, your memories, your luck, by the slightest touch of their hands. And since curse work is illegal, they're all mobsters, or con artists. Except for Cassel. He hasn't got the magic touch, so he's an outsider, the straight kid in a crooked family. You just have to ignore one small detail — he killed his best friend, Lila, three years ago.
Ever since, Cassel has carefully built up a façade of normalcy, blending into the crowd. But his façade starts crumbling when he starts sleepwalking, propelled into the night by terrifying dreams about a white cat that wants to tell him something. He's noticing other disturbing things, too, including the strange behavior of his two brothers. They are keeping secrets from him, caught up in a mysterious plot. As Cassel begins to suspect he's part of a huge con game, he also wonders what really happened to Lila. Could she still be alive? To find that out, Cassel will have to out-con the conmen.
Holly Black has created a gripping tale of mobsters and dark magic where a single touch can bring love — or death — and your dreams might be more real than your memories.

This was the first novel by Holly Black that I had read. I found her writing style to be easy to read, and she has great pacing. I was immediately immersed into her story and the world she created

Cassel was my favourite part of the story. He’s the likeable bad boy that you can’t help but root for. He’s flawed but you want to forgive him. It can sometimes go very wrong when a female author tries to write from the male point of view, however Holly Black get its oh so right. It may be that I have a soft spot for the bad boy but Cassel was mesmerizing, charming and interesting. I found myself feeling angry on his behalf at how much he had been lied to. I am not ashamed to admit that I would most likely be conned by him.

The other characters in the book that I liked were his friends Sam and Daneca. They helped show a softer side of Cassel and show that he was capable of having a real friendship with someone. I found his brothers interesting and loved reading about them (even if they are not characters I “liked”).

The fact that the story deals with cons, secrets and people who can take your memories away often results in twists, reveals and surprises. I found myself thinking I had things figured out only to be proven wrong a little later. Once you understand the world the author has created some of the twists are easy to figure out, but there were also a few nice surprises.

As curse work is illegal a majority of what happens in the novel takes place in the “underground”. The story has a very “mobster” feel to it. It’s dark and gritty. A lot of the characters are flawed and this makes the book even better. Some people may have issues with the characters as some of them have very little redeeming qualities but this somehow made it work for me. The type of environment the story takes place in would absolutely have these people inhabiting it.

The ending of the story left me wanting more. I am now itching to get my hands on Red Glove and may have to run to the bookstore and grab it. I am hoping to see more of Cassel’s mother as she seems like someone I am going to love to hate.

If you are fan of complex, well developed plots and characters I think you will enjoy this novel

Follow Friday/Book Blogger Hop

Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee. It's a great way to meet new blogger friends. This weeks question is:

Q. Do you have anyone that you can discuss books with IRL? Tell us about him/her.

Q. What is on your current playlist right now?

Oh wow. My taste in much is so varied. Right now I have some Lady Gaga, Digital Daggers, Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, and some songs by the Glee cast(plus lots more of course).



Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted by Crazy-For-Books.com. It's a great way to meet new people and friends around the blogworld!

"If you find a book you love, do you hunt down other books by the same author?"


Of course. If I've loved a previous book I tend to find everything I can by that same author. There are some authors that just become an automatic pick up when the next book is released.

If you do comment or follow me please leave a link to your blog post so I can take at a look at yours in return.

Happy Friday everyone.

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan
Release Date – May 23, 2006
Publisher – Knopf Books for Young Readers
Pages - 183
My Rating- 8/10


Here is the synopsis from Good Reads

So you're a guy; you're at a band show and your ex, the girl who dumped you, walks in with the new guy. Looking for a safe exit, you ask the girl you happen to sitting with to be your girlfriend for five minutes . You're a girl; you're at a get-together and your least favorite female strolls in. The stranger sitting next to you asks you to be his five-minute date. So what do you? You lock lips . Nick and Norah's instant connect begins a roller-coaster "first date" that takes them through Manhattan and into themselves.

I picked this up because I enjoyed Dash and Lily’s book of Dares (see review here). I knew that there was a movie made from this book but had not seen it. I am so glad I hadn’t.

Nick and Norah both seemed very well developed and interesting. As in Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares the authors rotated chapters so we get to see things from each of their points of view. It provided you with two unique perspectives and with two main characters that I fully enjoyed. I liked that they both had their own issues and insecurities. It made them more relatable.

The premise of the book is that a chance encounter leads Nick and Norah to a “first date” that could turn into something more. I love that their meeting didn’t seem unusual. It seemed like it could actually happen. Too often in novels and movies the characters meet in an incredibly cute but illogical way. The highs and lows happen during their date make you realize how unique a first date is. It’s all there - nervousness, hope, interest, and promise. We all look for something on a first date (a relationship, a connection, a spark) and the authors capture that very well. They also capture the self cautiousness, and worry that can also be present.

The most important part of the book is the relationship or non-relationship that it building between Nick and Norah. The chemistry had to be there and the authors made it work. I honestly bought into the chemistry and was hoping for them to get together.

This book is filled with amazing pop culture references. My favourites were the Dirty Dancing and Heathers references. I love both movies so it was awesome to see them quoted. The fact that Nick and Norah played off each other using pop culture references was adorable (it might just be because I love quoting them myself).

The only warning I might give is that there is quite a bit of swearing in the book. It feels like it should be there and seems authentic to the characters so you don’t really notice it, but if you are sensitive to it you may want to consider it before picking up the book.

New York is almost a character itself. Nick dancing in Time Square in the room, to the hot make-out session in a hotel, to the few clubs they visit. You get a sense of what “hipster” New York would be like. The dialogue and locations seemed very “cool” and “hipster”. It was different from Dash and Lily but so much fun to read.

If you enjoyed the previous work by either author, or love pop culture (or even just New York) this is worth a read.

Waiting on Wednesday..Sisterhood Everlasting

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

My pick this week is Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares



Here is the Goodreads synopsis

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Ann Brashares comes the welcome return of the characters whose friendship became a touchstone for a generation. Now Tibby, Lena, Carmen, and Bridget have grown up, starting their lives on their own. And though the jeans they shared are long gone, the sisterhood is everlasting.

Despite having jobs and men that they love, each knows that something is missing: the closeness that once sustained them. Carmen is a successful actress in New York, engaged to be married, but misses her friends. Lena finds solace in her art, teaching in Rhode Island, but still thinks of Kostos and the road she didn’t take. Bridget lives with her longtime boyfriend, Eric, in San Francisco, and though a part of her wants to settle down, a bigger part can’t seem to shed her old restlessness.

Then Tibby reaches out to bridge the distance, sending the others plane tickets for a reunion that they all breathlessly await. And indeed, it will change their lives forever—but in ways that none of them could ever have expected.

As moving and life-changing as an encounter with long-lost best friends, Sisterhood Everlasting is a powerful story about growing up, losing your way, and finding the courage to create a new one

I loved the previous Sisterhood books and had no clue that there was going to be a fifth book. I am really excited to get my hands on this! The cover is very different from the other Sisterhood books. I do like the cover a lot though. I am curious to see what it will be like without the pants.

Expected release date - June 14, 2011

Trailers...

The trailer for Invincible Summer by Hannah Moskowitz is in stores today and here is the official book trailer. It's pretty awesome.



There was also a trailer released for the movie The Help. I read the book and loved it and was happy to see that the trailer has the same feel. I hope it'll be just as fantastic as the book.

Sadly I can't find the video to put here, but you can view it at EW.com by clicking here.

The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong

The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong
Release Date – April 5, 2010
Publisher – HarperTeen/Doubleday Canada
Pages - 359
My Rating- 8.5/10


Here is the synopsis from Good Reads

Maya lives in a small medical-research town on Vancouver Island. How small? You can’t find it on the map. It has less than two-hundred people, and her school has only sixty-eight students—for every grade from kindergarten to twelve.

Now, strange things are happening in this claustrophobic town, and Maya's determined to get to the bottom of them. First, the captain of the swim team drowns mysteriously in the middle of a calm lake. A year later, mountain lions start appearing around Maya's home, and they won’t go away. Her best friend, Daniel, starts getting negative vibes from certain people and things. It doesn't help that the new bad boy in town, Rafe, has a dangerous secret—and he's interested in one special part of Maya's anatomy: Her paw-print birthmark.

I had read Kelley Armstrong’s other YA series and enjoyed it. I was very excited to get my hands on a copy of this book to see how it would measure up. I was not disappointed.

The book starts out with the death of the swim team captain and Maya’s best friend Serena. We get the impression right away that this book is going to be full of secrets, twists and reveals.

I immediately liked Maya. She was strong, had clear opinions and stuck to what she believed in, and loves animals as much as I do. I loved her relationship with her parents. It was a bonus that her parents were present, responsible and actually took care of Maya. It is very common in YA for the parents to be not around, clueless as to what is going on, etc so it was a welcome change. I loved Maya’s teasing of her Dad and the how she was able to cutely embarrass him. I really like that Kelley Armstrong creates strong, and capable female characters.

The other characters in the book are well developed and interesting. I adore Daniel (Maya’s best friend). Daniel is relaxed, and a great friend to Maya. Rafe is the new boy in town. He’s the bad boy, the outsider, the rebel. He does appear, in the end, to be very sweet. We only know what he is telling Maya and Rafe likes to keep secrets.

The love triangle (or maybe not triangle) of Maya, Rafe and Daniel has my interest. I am not sure if Daniel is interested in Maya. I felt that he was interested at some points, but at others I was fully convinced they were just friends. Maya and Rafe do have some great chemistry and I am looking forward to more in the next books. I want to learn more about Rafe as I think we just scratched the surface with him. Daniel also seems to have things that will be revealed in later books. That seemed to be a familiar feeling throughout the whole book - I always felt that there is so much more to the story. We’ve only just began to uncover secrets and learn about these characters. The town of Salmon Creek itself seems to have it’s share of surprises in store for readers in the next two books.

The novel ends on a cliff hanger that is going to make the wait for the next book excruciating. It’s a world I am going to be excited to jump back into.

As a fan of the previous series I was thrilled to see references to characters from the Darkest Powers trilogy mentioned in this series. I am hoping that some of them make an appearance later on this series.

If you are a fan of Kelley’s previous work (either adult or YA) I would recommend this. I would also recommend it to anyone who likes strong female characters, or if you just enjoy a great YA series.

Follow Friday/Book Blogger Hop

Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee. It's a great way to meet new blogger friends. This weeks question is:

Q. Do you have anyone that you can discuss books with IRL? Tell us about him/her.

I am lucky to have 2 people I can talk about books with. My sister Sandra is the first one. She doesn't read as much as I do, but I tend to pass along any really good books to her after I am done. We usually talk about them once she's finished.

The other is my friend Nicole. She doesn't get to read as much as I do (she is still in school for nursing) but when she does, she reads as fast as me. We tend to talk about books together a lot.

I will admit that I don't have very many people who enjoy it as much as I do though.



Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted by Crazy-For-Books.com. It's a great way to meet new people and friends around the blogworld!

Pick a character from a book you are currently reading or have just finished and tell us about him/her

I am currently reading The Gatheriny by Kelley Armstrong. The character I am going to talk about is Maya. She is living with her adoptive parents in a "small town" of Salmon Creek. She is a highschool student who is smart, very athletic and loves the outdoors. She has a close group of friends and likes to help injured animals that live in the woods surrounding her community. She is part Native and doesn't know much about her birth parents. She has a birthmark that is in the shape of a paw print..which is very important to the story.

If you do comment or follow me please leave a link to your blog post so I can take at a look at yours in return.

Happy Friday everyone.

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
Release Date – Dec 2, 2010
Publisher – Dutton
Pages - 372
My Rating- 10/10

Here is the GoodReads synopsis -

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris—until she meets Étienne St. Clair: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home.
As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near-misses end with the French kiss Anna—and readers—have long awaited?

Have you ever finished a book and wanted to hug it? That’s what happened after I read Anna and the French Kiss. This is a book that will leave you giddy. Stephanie Perkins has created a world that I would gladly live in. The school Anna goes to, and Paris itself seem like an ideal place to be…especially if it comes with cute boys that have sexy accents.

All of the characters seemed real. They were well developed, complex and drew you in. Anna is someone I would hang out with. She is someone I would want to be friends with. I liked that she was quirky, a little shy, and had some family issues. She was very relatable. Étienne St Clair is my new book boyfriend. I kept picturing Jonathan Groff while I was reading. I liked that he was funny, and sweet. I also liked that he had issues too. It is what drew him and Anna together.

The other characters in the book were also great. I really liked Josh and Rashmi a lot. A certain girl named Isla also makes a brief appearance but she seems like someone we will love when we read Isla and the Happily Ever After.

I didn’t expect to laugh as much as I did while reading this book. I think I spent most of the book either laughing, smiling, or swooning. The humour is perfectly timed and you will find yourself laughing out loud. There is a scene with Étienne talking to Anna while drunk. The reason he is drunk is definitely not funny but him as a drunk mess actually is. It just one example of how Stephanie Perkins is able to fuse a little humour into some sad situations.

I really loved that Étienne and Anna became friends first. Yes, there was an immediate attraction but they really did get to know each other and become friends before anything. The emails they exchange over Christmas was one of my favourite parts of the book. It showed how close they had gotten as friends. I have read so many novels where the two main characters fall in love right away. This seemed gradual and real.

As anyone who has ever had a crush knows there is nothing more excruciating or thrilling as that period of “he likes me, he likes me not”. We’ve all been there. Stephanie Perkins captures that feeling perfectly in this novel. Anna is confused and spends most of the novel trying to figure out what Étienne’s actions/words/etc might mean. It was adorable and brought me back to many late night conversations with my best friends.

I was expecting the end chapter or so to take place at the Eiffel Tower (for reasons you will discover by reading the book) but was pleasantly surprised when it actually happened at another location. I love that it was able to surprise me and not go with what one would normally expect.

This novel was the perfect mix of romance, humour and sweetness. If you haven’t read it, do so immediately. You will be swept way by the cute boy with the accent, and Paris itself.

Waiting on Wednesday... Lola and the Boy Next Door

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

My pick this week is Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins


Here is the GoodReads synopsis

For budding costume designer Lola Nolan, the more outrageous, the outfit—more sparkly, more fun, more wild—the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins move back into the house next door.

When the family returns and Cricket—a gifted inventor and engineer—steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door

So I just recently read Anna and the French Kiss (review to come tomorrow actually) and fell in love. I adore the writing style, and it was such a cute book. I can only hope this one will be as much fun. Plus Lola's hair is purple...that's awesome.

Expected release date is September 29, 2011.

Cover Models....

I recently had a conversation with someone that got me thinking.

It was about cover models. When we read a book that has a cover model are we influenced to view the character in the book as the cover model? My friend mentioned that she did not like books with cover models on them as she feels it prevents her from picturing the character as she wishes. She feels that once she has a vision in her head as being associated with the book that she can’t picture anything else. I felt the opposite - that I still have the ability to picture the character as I wished.

This lead me to wonder how much of our character perception and views are based upon the model on the cover. Are we all influenced by it even if we claim not to be? I will say that I have been influenced but I think it’s more of a situation where I agreed with the vision of the character on the cover.

I personally love basing what I think the characters look like off of the descriptions in the book. I think it’s fantastic that everyone can picture someone completely different from the same description. It’s interesting to see how different or the same those images can be.

I end this with a question - are you influenced by the cover model or do you still picture your own version of the character?

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare *Spoilers for some of the series*

*There may be spoilers in this review. There will be spoilers for the first 3 books in the series*


City of Fallen Angels (Mortal Instruments #4) by Cassandra Clare
Release Date – April 5, 2011
Publisher – Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Pages - 432
My Rating- 10/10


Here is the synopsis from GoodReads

City of Fallen Angels takes place two months after the events of City of Glass. In it, a mysterious someone’s killing the Shadowhunters who used to be in Valentine’s Circle and displaying their bodies around New York City in a manner designed to provoke hostility between Downworlders and Shadowhunters, leaving tensions running high in the city and disrupting Clary’s plan to lead as normal a life as she can — training to be a Shadowhunter, and pursuing her relationship with Jace. As Jace and Clary delve into the issue of the murdered Shadowhunters, they discover a mystery that has deeply personal consequences for them — consequences that may strengthen their relationship, or rip it apart forever. Meanwhile, internecine warfare among vampires is tearing the Downworld community apart, and only Simon — the Daylighter who everyone wants on their side — can decide the outcome; too bad he wants nothing to do with Downworld politics. Love, blood, betrayal and revenge: the stakes are higher than ever in City of Fallen Angels.”

I will start this review with a brief disclaimer (it’s also at the top of the post and in the subject line) - there will be spoilers for the first 3 books here (and maybe some minor teases from this book). If you haven’t read the first three books you may want to wait and read this review after…also run to a bookstore and pick them up (and Clockwork Angel while you are at it). I will also say that this is going to a be a bunch of gushing.

I had been waiting to get my hands on this novel for what feels like forever. I went at lunch the day it was released to purchase a copy. Couldn’t wait to start reading. My expectations were so high…and this book did not disappoint. It met all my expectations and more.

Cassandra Clare’s talent as a writer was evident in the previous books, but I noticed that Clockwork Angel was on a whole other level. This book was also a step up from her previous work (which was already perfect). Her writing style, and pacing is perfection. I have to applaud how much she’s grown from book to book.

I was curious to know what was going to happen with Simon and the Mark of Cain that Clary put on him during City of Glass. I was so happy to see it addressed fully in this novel. I was surprised that we get to see what it means for Simon to have it and we are just beginning to see the effect it’s going to have on Simon’s life I expect. I was also surprised that we get to see what consequences there are for other choices Clary made in the previous novels.

One of the things I love about these novels is Cassandra Clare’s ability to weave in romance along the way and make it a seamless part of the story. The romance in this novel is sigh inducing and some of my favourite in literature. Jace and Clary are the main couple and novel is filled with cute, sweet dialogue, some angst, and heavy duty make out scenes. The Dirty Sexy Alley Scene lives up to it’s nickname and was SO hot. I fully believe that Clare writes some of the best make out scenes. Alec and Magnus are my favourite couple though. Magnus is my favourite character so that may have something to do with it. I loved the speech Magnus gives Alec towards the end of the novel. I was smiling so big and wanted to hug my book after. I enjoyed getting a reference to Clockwork Angel with Will Herondale being mentioned. It was cute to see Alec jealous and unsure because he cares so much. I was trying to gain some information about Will and if he was alive when this series takes place but nothing was given away (grumble). I like it that way. I want to be shocked in both series and that is something Cassandra does very well.

The twists/reveals/etc in this novel were genuine surprises. There was one especially that I never saw coming. I didn’t even think of it as a possibility and once I found out I was floored at how much planning and detail must go into writing one of these books.

We meet some characters that were not in the previous novels. Jordan, and Maureen are the two main ones that come to mind. They both had some what important roles in the story. They were nice additions and I am interested to see what happens with both of them in the next two instalments.

There is a tradition that these books end on insane cliff hangers and that they make the wait for the next one unbearable and this novel is no exception. The ending wrecked me, shocked me, and left me anxious about what is in store for us in the next two books. I do not expect it to be an easy journey and I am going to love every minute of it. What makes this series so great is that fact that I adore some of the characters. I care enough to be moved and impacted. I would much rather feel this than indifferent. It makes the novels even more fun to read.

This series is one of my favourites and I can not recommend it highly enough. Read it, you won’t be disappointed.

Follow Friday/Book Blogger Hop

Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee. It's a great way to meet new blogger friends. This weeks question is:

Q. Do you judge a book by it's cover?

Yes, of course. I have added books to my reading pile based on a cover. The synopsis is also important though. It has to grab me along with the cover.



Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted by Crazy-For-Books.com. It's a great way to meet new people and friends around the blogworld!

Question coming this afternoon!

If you do comment or follow me please leave a link to your blog post so I can take at a look at yours in return.

Happy Friday everyone.

Jekel Loves Hyde by Beth Fantaskey

Jekel Loves Hyde by Beth Fantaskey
Release Date – May 3 2010
Publisher – Harcourt Children's Books
Pages - 282
My Rating- 6.5/10


Here is the synopsis from Good Reads

Jill Jekel has always obeyed her parents rules;especially the one about never opening the mysterious, old box in her father's office. But when her dad is murdered, and her college savings disappear, she's tempted to peek inside, as the contents might be the key to a lucrative chemistry scholarship.
To improve her odds, Jill enlists the help of gorgeous, brooding Tristen Hyde, who has his own dark secrets locked away. As the team of Jekel and Hyde, they recreate experiments based on the classic novel, hoping not only to win a prize, but to save Tristen's sanity. Maybe his life. But Jill's accidental taste of a formula unleashes her darkest nature and compels her to risk everything, even Tristen's love just for the thrill of being . . . bad

This novel is a twist on the classic “The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde” tale. I had read the original tale in high school and was interested to see what this novel would be like. I liked that the author used the novel as a prominent part of the story (Tristen actually has a copy of it that is important to the plot).

We meet Jill Jekel the “good” girl and Tristen the “mysterious” boy in her chemistry class. I liked that the author decided to make Jekyll(Jekel) and Hyde two different people. It was a nice touch, almost a yin/yang element to it. It made the chemistry between Jill and Tristen that much more electric. The chemistry between them was one of the best parts of the story. It was obvious they were meant to be together.

I also really liked that the author switched point of views between the two characters. It made it much more interesting to see what the other character was thinking. I find in stories told from one perspective people usually want to hear the other side.

What I liked most about the book was that the message was sort of relatable(even though it’s a fantasy type story). I think everyone can relate to having a side to themselves that they might be unwilling or afraid to show people. A part of themselves that they struggle to accept or bring out. This is especially true for teenagers and young adults as they are trying to find themselves, and decide who they are as an individual. Jill, for example, is the “good girl” but she does a lot of things in the novel that do not fit that characterization. She has a hard time with some of the stuff she does. Tristen is afraid of the “beast” (as he calls it) taking control and losing himself.

The story does move a littler slower, and parts were hard to get through. It was a lot darker and more twisted than I expected. The twists and turns of the story are mostly predictable (with very few genuinely surprising twists) but it was a dark and enjoyable read.

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

My pick this week is Enshadowed by Kelly Creagh


Here is the GoodReads synopsis

While Varen remains a prisoner in the dream-world, Isobel is haunted by his memory. He appears to her in her dreams and soon, even in her waking life. But is she just imagining it? Isobel knows she must find a way back to Varen. She makes plans to go to Baltimore. There, she confronts the figure known throughout the world as the Poe Toaster—the same dark man who once appeared to Isobel in her dreams, calling himself "Reynolds."

Isobel succeeds in interrupting the Toaster's ritual and, in doing so, discovers a way to return to the dream-world. Soon, she finds herself swept up in a realm which not only holds remnants of Poe's presence, but has also now taken on the characteristics of Varen's innermost self. It is a dark world comprised of fear, terror, and anger.

When Isobel once more encounters Varen, she finds him changed. With his mind poisoned by the dream world, he becomes a malevolent force, bent on destroying all—even himself. Now Isobel must face a new adversary, one who also happens to be her greatest love

This is the second book in the Nevermore series. I enjoyed the first one and am curious to see what happens in this next installment. The cover fits the series perfectly.

Expected release date is January 24, 2012.

Epic Book Release Day...

Today I will be going to the bookstore and walking out with an amazing haul. April 5 has turned into a fantastic day for book lovers.

Cassandra Clare's 4th Mortal Instruments novel City of Fallen Angels is released today. It's one of the most anticipated novels of the year and I expect it to be a hot seller.

Here are some promotional videos that were released.

A cute video shot by Maureen (a new character in the novels). It's cute, and we get to see some of our favourites. View it here at EW.com

A second video discusses the making of the audio book. You get to hear Ed Westwick's sexy voice. It can be found here. (Again, from EW.com). I could listen to him read all day.

Also, Holly Black's Red Glove is released today. I have yet to read White Cat (must fix this immediately) but there is tons of buzz surrounding this sequel.

Also being released today is the first book in Kelley Armstrong's new YA series The Gathering. I had posted the trailer for the book here.

Lastly (and there may be more that I am forgetting) is Gayle Forman's Where She Went. The follow up to If I Stay that I can't wait to get my hands on.

So fellow book lovers - which books are you picking up today? Or will you be getting all 4? Any I forgot?

The Carrie Diaries - Candace Bushnell

The Carrie Diaries by Candace Bushnell
Release Date - April 27, 2011
Publisher - HarperCollins (HarperTeen)
Pages - 400
My Rating 7/10

Here is the GoodReads synopsis -

Before Carrie Bradshaw hit the big time in the City, she was a regular girl growing up in the suburbs of Connecticut. How did she turn into one of the most-read social observers of our generation?

The Carrie Diaries opens up in Carrie's senior year of high school. She and her best friends -- Walt, Lali, Maggie, and the Mouse -- are inseparable, amid the sea of Jens, Jocks and Jets. And then Sebastian Kydd comes into the picture. Sebastian is a bad boy-older, intriguing, and unpredictable. Carrie falls into the relationship that she was always supposed to have in high school-until a friend's betrayal makes her question everything. With her high school days coming to a close, Carrie will realize it's finally time to go after everything she ever wanted.

Rabid fans of Sex and the City will love seeing Carrie Bradshaw evolve from a regular girl into a sharp, insightful writer. They'll learn about her family background -- how she found her writing voice, and the indelible impression her early friendships and relationships left on her. We'll see what brings Carrie to her beloved New York City, where the next Carrie Diaries book will take place

I must start this review by giving the disclaimer that I am a huge fan of the TV show Sex and the City. I loved it, own all the season (the movies…errr….not so much). Carrie, Charlotte, Samantha and Miranda were all characters that I ended up loving and was sad to part with when the series ended. I picked up this book because of the fact I adored the series.

We first meet Carrie and I was happy to see that she was “Carrie” even as a teenager. Her character in this book fit what I pictured she would have been like as a teenager. It was nice to see some of her background story and see her work on her first newspaper column. It was great to see her take those first steps to become the “Carrie” from the series.

A few of her friends grew on me. I especially liked Walt and Mouse. However, some of the characters felt like stereotypes and not real, flushed out characters. It felt like some of them were put in the story only to fulfill a certain purpose and not because they were organic to the telling of the story.

The storyline and writing are pretty much what you would expect from the synopsis with very little surprises. There are also quite a few more mature elements to the story that would make it more suitable for older teens.

Without giving any spoilers away, the final pages of the book where we get the first reference to one of three other women we know and love from the Sex and the City series made me ecstatic. I was so excited to read that familiar name on the page and that makes me eager to pick up the second book. I have a feeling that the second one might delight TV show fans even more.

If you are a fan of the original TV series I would expect that you would enjoy this book. If you are not familiar with the series it could be a hit or miss.

Follow Friday/Book Blogger Hop

Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee. It's a great way to meet new blogger friends. This weeks question is:

Q. What is the book that you really don't want to admit to loving??

Hmmm...I would say the Twilight series. I read them so quickly and loved them. However, I think most people think of them as a joke.



Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted by Crazy-For-Books.com. It's a great way to meet new people and friends around the blogworld!

Today's question is "What is the best prank that you have ever played on someone, or that someone has played on you?"

I am not sure that I've ever played a prank or had one played on me, sadly. I am a little boring in this department.

If you do comment or follow me please leave a link to your blog post so I can take at a look at yours in return.

Happy Friday everyone.