Weekly Obsessions

The awesome Kelly at KellyVision started posting a weekly post highlighting whatever she happened to be obsessed with that week. I LOVE this idea, so much in fact that I will be doing it myself every Saturday.

Here are my obsessions this week:

BOOKS

The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

I was extremely fortune to be able to read an advance reader copy of this. LOVE! LOVE! LOVE! Without giving my whole review away, all I will say is the mythology is explored, questions are answered, more questions surface and Noah Shaw literally made me squeal. Michelle has amped up the sexy in this one. Oh and the ending? Just as deliciously torturous as The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer's ending was. Full review and other awesomeness to come in October.

The Diviners by Libba Bray trailer



Creepy doesn't even begin to describe this trailer. I am so excited to read this book. I love anything set in the 1920s and it just sounds awesome.

MOVIE

The Perks Of Being A Wallflower trailer



I can't believe I had not watched this until this week. I have watched it a whole bunch of times, and I laugh every single time Patrick does the "Be Aggressive! Passive Aggressive!" cheer, and the whole "below average" reaction to his grade - HILARIOUS. The quote "we accept the love we think we deserve" is such a twistedly beautiful quote (and sadly, often true). I am going to read this book before the movie comes out. Ezra Miller (who plays Patrick) was fantastic in We Need To Talk About Kevin and Emma Watson is adorable so I am hopeful this will be really good.

So what you are obsessed with this week?

Follow Friday

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

Q: Do your reading habits change based on your mood? Do you read a certain genre if you are feeling depressed or happy?

I don't select books based on my moods, but I believe enjoyment of a book can be shaped by my mood.

I try to not allow it to influence anything and just enjoy the book for what it is though.

Happy Weekend!

Drowning Instinct by Ilsa Bick

Drowning Instinct by Ilsa Bick
Release Date – February 1, 2012
Publisher Website –  Lerner Publishing Group
Pages -  352 pages
My Rating- 3.5/5
**obtained from the library**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

There are stories where the girl gets her prince, and they live happily ever after. (This is not one of those stories.)

Jenna Lord’s first sixteen years were not exactly a fairytale. Her father is a controlling psycho and her mother is a drunk. She used to count on her older brother—until he shipped off to Afghanistan. And then, of course, there was the time she almost died in a fire.  

There are stories where the monster gets the girl, and we all shed tears for his innocent victim. (This is not one of those stories either.) 

Mitch Anderson is many things: A dedicated teacher and coach. A caring husband. A man with a certain... magnetism.  

And there are stories where it’s hard to be sure who’s a prince and who’s a monster, who is a victim and who should live happily ever after. (These are the most interesting stories of all.) 

Drowning Instinct is a novel of pain, deception, desperation, and love against the odds—and the rules.

‘I'm a liar. I am lucky, a liar, a good girl, a princess, a thief—and a killer.’ With this we are introduced to Jenna Lord. Unreliable characters have the effect of making the reader second guess everything they tell you. When a story is told from their perspective it can result in a wonderfully complex and illuminating read. Jenna Lord is exactly this kind of character.

Jenna’s life has quickly dissolved since her brother was shipped off for duty in Afghanistan. She is, in every way, falling a part. She’s a cutter, has a rough relationship with her parents, especially her father.

Mitch Anderson is charming. He’s also broken in his own way. The moment he enters the story you can see where his relationship with Jenna is going to lead. As they grow closer you can see the potential web that each of them is weaving but it is never clear which one is ensnaring the other.

The novel is written in the format of Jenna talking into a tape recorder for a police officer named Bob. This allows for very short chapters, and made for a quick read as a result. This also means that only Jenna’s perspective is given. We are not aware of what is going on with characters when not directly interacting with Jenna. This is true for a lot of novels, but this one felt even more limited. This style compliments the tone and overall intrigue of the novel wonderfully.

My only real issue is with the parents. I understand that Jenna believes they do not love her, but Jenna also told us she’s a liar. It seemed strange that her mother, who searched her body for new scars, would leave her alone for a week.

The ending will make you go back and re-examine what you previously read. Our narrator is, by her own admission, a liar. It is not a clear cut ending and not all the answers are provided. This could infuriate some, but I found it realistic. Nothing is ever black and white, and we don’t always have all the answers for why things happen.  Many questions go unanswered, the biggest one being exactly how much of Jenna’s story is true.

Filled with twists, reveals, and a stunning ending this novel will leave you wondering who, if anyone, is the victim. It may not be a novel for everyone, but those do read it will find much to dissect, examine and discuss after finishing the last chapter.

Waiting on Wednesday....17 & Gone

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 17 & Gone by Nova Ren Suma

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Seventeen-year-old Lauren is having visions of girls who have gone missing. And all these girls have just one thing in common—they are 17 and gone without a trace. As Lauren struggles to shake these waking nightmares, impossible questions demand urgent answers: Why are the girls speaking to Lauren? How can she help them? And . . . is she next? As Lauren searches for clues, everything begins to unravel, and when a brush with death lands her in the hospital, a shocking truth emerges, changing everything.

Does this not sound creepy?! I love the cover so much. I can't wait to dive into the mystery of these disappearing girls.

Expected release date - March 21, 2013

The Goddess Legacy by Aimee Carter

The Goddess Legacy by Aimee Carter
Release Date – July 30, 2012
Publisher Website –  Harlequin Teen
Publisher Social Media -  Twitter
Pages -  395 pages
My Rating- 4.5/5
**received from publisher for an honest review (via Netgalley)**

**SPOILERS FOR THE GODDESS TEST and GODDESSS INTERRUPTED**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

For millennia we've caught only glimpses of the lives and loves of the gods and goddesses on Olympus. Now Aimee Carter pulls back the curtain on how they became the powerful, petty, loving and dangerous immortals that Kate Winters knows. 

Calliope/Hera represented constancy and yet had a husband who never matched her faithfulness.... 

Ava/Aphrodite was the goddess of love and yet commitment was a totally different deal.... 

Persephone was urged to marry one man, yet longed for another.... 

James/Hermes loved to make trouble for others-but never knew true loss before.... 

Henry/Hades's solitary existence had grown too wearisome to continue. But meeting Kate Winters gave him a new hope.... 

Five original novellas of love, loss and longing and the will to survive throughout the ages

While reading The Goddess Test and it's sequel Goddess Interrupted I often found myself wondering about some of the other characters and their actions. The story is told from Kate's perspective and we only know what she is privy to. These are the kind of novellas that make you want to go back and re-read the previous novels. Each novella gives you insight into the characters and paints their actions in a new, and often changing, light.

The notion of good and bad is tossed aside as Aimee shows each character is a shade of grey. I felt for each of them, and yet disliked many of their actions, but each story brought me something new to think about.

The first story, titled The Goddess Queen deals with Hera (Calliope) and her story. Her callous and unthinkable actions from the previous novel are not excused, but rather explained. The heartbreaking, crushing betrayal from not only her husband but her sisters  had a hand in turning Hera into the cold hearted, formidable goddess we know. Her love for Henry is understandable, if somewhat intense. Her strength is shown, and I do believe she is a force to be reckoned with.

The second story titled The Lovestruck Goddess deals with Aphrodite's (Ava) story. The theme of different loves providing you with different things, and if we should expect to get everything we need from one person are explored in this story. Aphrodite is absolutely fickle, but she never hides this. She is upfront and honest about what parts of herself she can give to another person, and what she is unwilling to comprise on. The importance of finding someone who cares and loves you for who you are is also something I took away from the novella. She’s quite sure of who she is and what she needs which is not always the case for young women.

The third story title The Goddess of the Underworld happened to be my favourite. It is Persephone’s story. It resonated the most with me because we learn about events that not only motivate Persephone, but Hades (Henry) as well.  The power of love, and what you are willing to sacrifice for it was beautifully touched upon in this sad novella. The theme of not settling for anything less than someone you care deeply for, and who cares just as deeply for you is one that also ties into the present time story as well. Love can not, and should not be one sided no matter what the circumstances and letting someone go might just be the greatest act of love there is. I did enjoy seeing where the Persephone/Ava dynamic began. The heartbreak both Henry and Persephone go through in this novella really helps the reader understand Henry’s current state of mind in dealing with Kate.

The fourth story is titled God of Thieves tells of Hermes (James) relationship with a girl named Tuck. Acceptance from our family is very important, but sometimes our family can be those who are not related to use by blood. James learns the true nature of loss and love. James sought out the answer to why the gods and goddesses are fading, and I think this story may be quite important to The Goddess Inheritance. Getting to see how the relationship between Henry and James became strained was something I was happy to discover, and this novel made me look at James quite differently.

The fifth story entitled God of Darkness revolves around the path Hades (Henry) takes leading up to meeting Kate. The devastation he felt each time a small piece of hope was ripped away when one of the girls was murdered tore at my heart. His distance from Kate is not only understandable but expected. Henry’s fear of getting close, to only be hurt again, has caused him to shut down. Everyone who has had their heartbroken can relate to the pain of opening up again. The Henry we meet in The Goddess Test is already in ruins, and this tells his side of how he got to that point. Ultimately this ends on a note of hope in the form of Kate. A tentative, small step out of the darkness and towards the light.

This novel deepens the characters, shines new light on the previous novels, and might even get you to view beloved (and maybe not so loved) characters differently. This is the reason novella’s should exist.  It is a book for the fans in every way and for that, I say thank you Aimee.

In Honor by Jessi Kirby

In Honor by Jessi Kirby
Release Date –  May 8, 2011
Publisher Website –  Simon and Schuster
Publisher Social Media -  Twitter
Pages -  240 pages
My Rating- 3/5
**borrowed from library**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Hours after her brother’s military funeral, Honor opens the last letter Finn ever sent. In her grief, she interprets his note as a final request and spontaneously decides to go to California to fulfill it.

Honor gets as far as the driveway before running into Rusty, Finn’s best friend since third grade and his polar opposite. She hasn’t seen Rusty in ages, but it’s obvious he is as arrogant and stubborn as ever—not to mention drop-dead gorgeous. Despite Honor’s better judgment, the two set off together on a voyage from Texas to California. Along the way, they find small and sometimes surprising ways to ease their shared loss and honor Finn’s memory—but when shocking truths are revealed at the end of the road, will either of them be able to cope with the consequences?

In Honor has the makings of a great read - likeable characters, a pop star that brings to mind Taylor Swift and a road trip. While the novel was certainly likeable it left me wanting more. I was hoping for something deeper. It ended up by an average read for me.

The characters while quite likeable did not resonate with me to leave a lasting impression. The plot, while engaging, is reminiscent of  other books I’ve read. Jessi Kirby does, however, make the plot her own and does so with her wonderful writing and charming characters.

The pacing  was great at the start but it felt a little rushed towards the end.  Once they reached California a lot was a lot happening very quickly and it felt a little jarring to me.

Honor’s journey isn’t just to fulfill what she sees as her brother’s last request but to also challenge herself.  She does  a lot of things she would normally never do while on this trip of self discovery and growth. Her character learns some hard truths, and this makes her perspective change. Having your character grow and change is important in any novel and this aspect was a strength of this one.

Rusty is the bad boy who might be hiding something good underneath it all. He goes from sweet, to infuriating many times throughout the novel. The cute banter between he and Honor provided some sweet moments.

Finn, the protective older brother, is such a large part of the novel because his death is the catalyst for everything. While you think the novel would have a sad, darker feel this is not the case. Finn’s death does provide many heartfelt moments but the novels tone is much more light hearted over all.

Part coming of age, part road trip Jessi Kirby has created a cute, quickly readable story. It may resonate with other readers more than it did with me. I found it to be a average read that will compliment those long summer days at the beach

New To My Book Closet

It's that time of the week again. Time to show you what bookish goodies made their way into my home and book closet (to be saved from the evil book eating cat monster named Aria). This is inspired by the various "mailbox" posts out there (eg. In My Mailbox by The Story Siren, and Stacking the Shelves by Tynga's Reviews).

My books this week consist of some amazing titles from Raincoast Books.

Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake (goodreads)
Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally (goodreads)
Death and the Girl Next Door by Darynda Jones (goodreads)

A huge thank you for Raincoast! I have already read and LOVED Girl of Nightmares! I also really liked Catching Jordan so I have high hopes for Stealing Parker.

I also snagged an eARC from Netgalley

Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire (goodreads)

Been hearing great things about this one and decided to give it a try.

Happy Sunday and Happy Reading!