The Weekly Progress (Thanksgiving edition!)

It's Thanksgiving, so every post on this blog has been delayed by a day. I've also had a superb weekend. Lots of food makes me a very happy girl. Perhaps the biggest accomplishment of this weekend bookwise is that I read three books in three days. That made a very significant bump in my TBR list (I'm at 117 books! Woohoo!) I also made crepes!

Anyway, let's move on to the stuff that really matters. The books. 

Books Read

Some of this is from last week, but I read most of these this week. And holy wow, some of these were so incredibly good. Like, I could rave like a lunatic about how much I loved Froi of the Exiles. Fathomless was really good too, and The Talk-Funny Girl was powerful. I liked Intentions too. The only book I didn't like was Wake. I wrote a review for that, so keep an eye out. 

Currently Reading

I'm curious to read this book. I have read several reviews where people had huge issues with this book, and I can see them, but I still think this book can be entertaining. 

Next, I'll Read 

After that, I'm going to go through all my laptops for the ebooks I'm supposed to review. I think there's 5, but I have to download them again on to my new ereader. It's a little bit stressful. 

Random Thoughts

October is probably my favourite month of the year. I love the fall colours (they're especially stunning here), I love Thanksgiving and Halloween, and it's my birthday month. It's also TV month! Though there won't be the NHL to watch (%@$# the lockout) some of my favourite TV shows come back. I'm a huge TV person: I follow Supernatural and The Vampire Diaries almost religiously. I'm also trying out Arrow, so I'm pretty excited. 

 Recap

This week there was a new Cover Wars: Flutter vs Boundless. 

I posted two reviews of books from this new publishing imprint, Strange Chemistry. Poltergeeks and The Assassin's Curse. I also posted my review for Falling Under. 

I decided early on last week that I needed to read more (guess that worked) so I wrote a discussion post asking when and where people read. 

Also, this post isn't mine but I thought it was very interesting so I'll link you to it. It's called YA Shame and Stigma and it's from Read Now Sleep Later. There's a very good discussion going on and it really makes you think. Personally, I disagree with Isaac Marion, and that's all I'll say about the subject for now. Except that maybe it's not the YA genre that needs to change, but some "adult" reader's attitudes toward YA. For example, a lot of books that could appeal to adults are in YA and they can be found and enjoyed if some adult readers didn't have the perception that YA is lesser writing just for kids. As a teen, I'm open to reading the occasional MG and adult read that appeals to me, so I see no reason for bookish snobbery on an adult's part. 

TTYL

Phew, I guess I have a lot to say. Thanks for reading this entire post! And let me know what you're reading in the comments! 

Review: Falling Under

Author: Gwen Hayes

Pages: 324

Publisher: New American Library

Source: Library

Synopsis: Theia Alderson has always led a sheltered life in the small California town of Serendipity Falls. But when a devastatingly handsome boy appears in the halls of her school, Theia knows she's seen Haden before- not around town, but in her dreams.

As the Haden of both the night and the day beckons her closer one moment and pushes her away the next, the only thing Theia knows for sure is that the incredible pull she feels towards him is stronger than her fear.

And when she discovers what Haden truly is, Theia's not sure if she wants to resist him, even if the cost is her soul.

Buy the Book (Amazon/)

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The beginning of Falling Under was pretty average and typical as far as a paranormal romance goes but the last parts blew me away. I need the next book!

Falling Under started out as a typical PNR with a few exceptions. Girl meets guy and instantly falls in love. Guy acts like a douche but she still thinks there's more to him. They fall in love. Guy warns girl to stay away because he's dangerous. Girl doesn't listen. The same formula didn't enthrall me. Don't worry though, it got better.

Till we get to that awesome part I'd like to mention the characters a bit. Theia was this repressed English girl living in the US. She was locked under the watchful eye of her father because her mother was dead. I actually liked Theia and her father's dynamic. They were quiet and had big issues they needed to overcome but they loved one another.

Theia's friends didn't annoy me. I honestly loved the dynamic between them. They were true friends and had distinct personalities that fit with each other. I could see them at my high school. Donny was loud but honest and I loved reading about her and Gabe (whom I'm totally crushing on). Ame was so sweet and I'm really curious how her storyline goes. That's the other thing I liked; the BFFs had their own lives and weren't inserted into the story just for Theia to talk to occasionally.

Haden... He was very hot and cold. He was very typical and called Theia a lamb a lot (which admittedly is kind of weird). But he was also so sweet when he wasn't being furiously evasive. Haden had his secrets and he was very good at keeping them. In the end I ended up really liking Haden. When he was less angst-y (totally justified though) he was great. Plus, Falling Under had the rare alternating perspectives when needed for the story thing so we got a peek into Haden's head. It helped me relate to him.

Now, after the frustrating task of finding out Haden's secret, the story became very interesting. The plot appealed to me a lot. There were some "OMG" moments and the story ended in the best way: leaving me wanting more. There was also a fair bit of awkwardness too, which is always great. Life is awkward and this book had me giggling at some of the moments. There wasn't too much action but that may change in the sequel. Falling Under had all the great makings of an awesome series and now that we're past the typical, set up part, I can't wait to see where this story goes.

The premise is great-- not overly done. The characters I like. The plot has potential. I'd say fans of the paranormal YA will enjoy this book if they stick with it. 4 stars,

****

Review: The Assassin's Curse

Author: Cassandra Rose Clarke
Pages: 320
Publisher: Strange Chemistry
Source: Review Copy- thank you!
Synopsis: Ananna of the Tanarau abandons ship when her parents try to marry her off to an allying pirate clan: she wants to captain her own boat, not serve as second-in-command to her handsome yet clueless fiance. But her escape has dire consequences when she learns the scorned clan has sent an assassin after her. 

And when the assassin, Naji, finally catches up with her, things get even worse. Ananna inadvertently triggers a nasty curse — with a life-altering result. Now Ananna and Naji are forced to become uneasy allies as they work together to break the curse and return their lives back to normal. Or at least as normal as the lives of a pirate and an assassin can be.

Buy the Book (Amazon/)

The Assassin's Curse is really a rich, and solid fantasy read. It was a nice book to read in the sense that it captured my attention every time I opened the book, though not in the sense that it was a complete page-turner. When I had the book, I very comfortably immersed myself into the story but when I didn't have the book it wasn't begging for me to read it or lingering in my mind.

I think some parts of the story were under-developed. The world sounds very interesting what with the Confederation of Pirates and the Empire along with the magic but it wasn't explained. I didn't see much history or almost any explanation and that made it hard for me to imagine the surroundings and thus make it more real in my head. I kind of found it weird that a fantasy-ish novel didn't feel very much like fantasy because the most fantastical part -- the world -- wasn't really explained. It's especially confusing considering how dynamic the premise is. This is an awesome world -- the pirates, the magic, the Mists and it could have been a really strong part when it came to the book. I do hope in sequels there will be more explanations. I don't think it would bog down the plot either. The Assassin's Curse was relatively short (or at least it felt that way). I think it would add some more depth to a pretty good plot.

There was a genuinely interesting story. Ananna doesn't want to marry the guy her parents choose so she runs away and then an assassin is sent to kill her but instead she ends up saving his life thus initiating a curse. Ananna and Naji's story was really interesting. They both had their own story and strengths and didn't know how to deal with the other. I get the feeling that they were both very lonely so it was nice when they found each other. One issue both characters have is communicating. Naji has a hard time trusting Ananna and telling her anything (which is quite annoying) while Ananna is often in her own world and doesn't seem to notice. I did like both characters though. I liked reading of their insecurities and their personalities. Ananna is a strong character. She is very blunt and confident, and she can take care of herself. I enjoyed reading of her independent attitude.

Plot wise, I like the story. It was a good debut story though now that I've read the ending it's very obvious this was a 'set up' story. The characters are introduced, the general story arc is introduced, and we get a glimpse of the world. By the end of the book not much is resolved but some important information is learnt that will obviously influence the rest of the books. The bad thing about about this kind of plot is that the first book is a bit like a long intro. A lot of important stuff happens, but the overall story isn't furthered and the whole tension and suspense level is pretty slow. The Assassin's Curse was entertaining, but it's not yet spectacular.

I can't emphasize how much I loved the premise. It was seriously great in every way and I think that the sequel to this book will be much better with more descriptions of the world as well as the story arc firmly established and expanded. Till then, I liked this book so I'll give it 3 stars.

***

Thoughts on... Reading Here, There, Everywhere!

I've always been the type of person that finishes a book in no time. Seriously, I'm that girl- the one who reads like a book a day. Except I'm not anymore. For the first time in a long while, I've been so busy I only manage about four chapters a day. It's not a reading slump either, I enjoy very much what I read. My life has inexplicably gotten so much more busy, so I thought I might as well share where/when I do manage to read.

On the bus

Every morning I take a 25 minute or so bus ride to school. I always try to make the most of my time so I try to read on the bus. 

Pros: 25 minutes of reading makes me much calmer and more happy in the mornings. 

Cons: I have to stop reading when I get off the bus... and that's often only after I truly feel into what I'm reading so it's a bit jarring. Also, I kind of want to talk to my friends too and I can only do so many things at once. 

During class

I always bring a book to class in case I have a few minutes to read, or we have free time. In some classes we get specific time just to read. 

Pros: I get to show off and promote the awesome books I get to all my peers. 

Cons: I'm so into what I read sometimes that I miss instructions. Also, reading in class isn't usually very continuous. If a teacher notices I have nothing to do, (which is rare in 11th grade) they'll give me something to do. Which sucks. 

When I come home after school 

Ahh, school's over. NOW I can read. Let me bring my bag upstairs to my room and then relax on the bed until my family gets home. 

Pros: Continuous, relaxing, uninterrupted reading time.  

Cons: If I read too early on, I have issues stopping. I have no self control and I will neglect my homework for a really good book. I'm also generally very hungry right after school and I don't want to spill crumbs on my books. 

Before I go to bed

I'm on my bed, relaxing. I've done pretty much all I could do and I decide to end the day with some reading. 

Pros: Comfy, nice, soothing, and potential unlimited amount of time. 

Cons: Staying up too late (anyone else notice their sense of time while reading is completely out of whack?) as well as falling asleep because I'm usually so tired. 

Anyway

I've noticed the best time to read is anytime. Just read as much as you can at any point in the day because it will add up. And don't be upset with yourself for not having time to read. There's always tomorrow. No specific time of day is perfect for reading... at least on a weekday, imo. What do you think? When/where do your read? 

Cover Wars: Flutter vs Boundless

I haven't been around as much as usual so Cover Wars was temporarily delayed last week. This week's it's back though, and stronger than ever!


Cover Wars is when I post two covers, and you basically get a week to vote for your favourite. The winner continues on to next week, and it's kind of cool seeing which covers work and which don't. In the comments section we can discuss what we like about what cover, and it's basically some fun and friendly competition.

Flutter continues to dominate the competition with a convincing win against With All My Soul. Can Flutter continue it's winning ways against Boundless by Cynthia Hand?

Both of these covers focus on one colour- a warm amberish colour for Flutter, and a more purplish colour for Boundless. They both feature gorgeous font, and pretty female cover model. It's hard to pick which one you prefer, but I'm making you do it. Which cover do you consider more beautiful? 

Pick your favourite and vote in the poll below! Remember you can vote all week, so make sure to share and leave a comment! 

Let the Cover Wars begin! 

Which is your favourite cover?

Review: Poltergeeks

Author: Sean Cummings
Pages: 320
Publisher: Strange Chemistry
Source: Review Copy (Thank you!)
Release Date: October 2nd 2012
Synopsis: 15-year-old Julie Richardson is about to learn that being the daughter of a witch isn't all it's cracked up to be. When she and her best friend, Marcus, witness an elderly lady jettisoned out the front door of her home, it's pretty obvious to Julie there's a supernatural connection. 

In fact, there's a whisper of menace behind increasing levels of poltergeist activity all over town. After a large-scale paranormal assault on Julie's high school, her mother falls victim to the spell Endless Night. Now it's a race against time to find out who is responsible or Julie won't just lose her mother's soul, she'll lose her mother's life.

Buy the Book (Amazon/

Poltergeeks is a new story from Strange Chemistry and I am honestly so conflicted about what I felt. See, there were a lot of really awesome aspects to Poltergeeks but there were some stuff I liked a bit less. I'll settle by mixing the good and the bad in my review.

First, something I personally loved was that the story was by a Canadian author and took place in Canada! Me being Canadian and all, I loved that the story took place in Calgary (which is further from me than the States, but whatever). Not enough books take place in Canada so I get ridiculously excited when they do. Oh! And bonus points for mentioning Tim Hortons!

A negative would be the story felt a touch immature. I think the story is ideal for younger teens. It's very fast paced and moves along well. I think the entire book took place in two or three days. There's nothing wrong with being fast paced- I personally love it, but it left some scenes feeling underdeveloped and the slightest bit stereotypical. For example, Julie was very clichéd as the outsider with the nerdy friends. She always went on about how stupid the popular kids were and how she would rather be different than one of them. For the record, there was only one popular kid even mentioned by name in the books and he was your typical male bully. I honestly don't see that in my high school so characters like that are unrealistic for me.

Another thing I loved was the language. The story was full of humour. The writing wasn't severe- I absolutely freaking loved that Julie talked the way most teens talk. There was swearing, sarcasm, exaggerations and slang. The best parts were reading something Julie said and being all, "HEY! I said that yesterday!" (True story.) The language isn't very elegant but I consider it very realistic.

Julie herself won't make it to my list of favourite characters. See, she was sometimes a little bit too unreasonable, reckless, one might even say dumb. Like, "Look, some super powerful witch is attacking me and my family?! Grrr, I'm going to confront you all by myself, even when my mom told me not to." She was rebellious and made a lot of mistakes. I did think she matured towards the end. I'm curious to see in future novels how her character has progressed.

I think I've explained the bad things in the novel (slightly clichéd characters) so the rest is all the good. I like that Julie's mom was a huge part of her daughter's life. There was a real relationship between the two and they argued a lot but I liked it.

The ending had some pretty good twists to it. I wasn't really sure about some of the reasoning behind the actions, but I was surprised a bit. (Not too much though- see, I had my suspicions about the villain all along.) The ending also wrapped up the story pretty well but left room for a sequel.

The mythology was also very interesting and new. Ghosts, witches, immortals, oh my! There were a lot of interesting little tidbits (or should I say Timbits? I know, bad joke) of information about the supernatural world and I'm looking forward to reading more about that world in depth. I really liked Marcus and Julie's friendship and I thought they were both really cute together. Slightly awkward, but still sweet.

Overall, Poltergeeks was a good debut. There were some aspects to the story I didn't like but that didn't take too much away from the story. All in all, I enjoyed the fast paced action, the real teen speak, and I liked the the story was very light yet super entertaining. It was a good beginning and I'm really excited to see where the story goes from here. Since I liked it, I'm giving Poltergeeks 3 stars,

***

Trailers! YA Book to Movie Updates & Awesome Book Trailers

I haven't been in the loop too much, but I was browsing through Youtube when I found this! I can't wait to see this movie. I'm not sure how it's going to work though. I hope the movie end up being as good as the books.



The Host's book trailer isn't spoiling anything. It looks interesting though- I think I may check it out.




Those were the two trailers I found, but a really awesome list of book to movie trailers can be found here from Big Books Tiny Voices. They have an awesomely comprehensive list.

Now for book trailers... What's Left of Me's trailer ROCKS. It's so good- I can't wait to read that book!



Then I stumbled on this gem. Jay Kristoff sounds like a really cool guy. The more about him I read, the more I think so. Check this out.




The future looks bright for movies and books!