Feature and Follow (13)

The Feature &and and Follow is hosted by TWO hosts,  of Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read. Each host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it’ll allow us to show off more new blogs!

This weeks Feature:

If you could change the plot or ending of any book would you?

This feature was pretty easy dor me because sadly he past few years have been filled with disappointing endings. Please keep in mind that I don't think I'm a better writter that the authors of this books, the problem I had with the authors is that they gave me amazing books and the final one was simply a let down.

1)Allegiant by Veronica Roth

Although I didin't like the ending very much I understand why Veronica Roth did it nd admire her for having the guts to do it; what I didn't enjoy was the dual point of view since Tris and Four's voices were so similar, so I would change that and write the whole book only in Tris's  point of view.

2) Requiem by Lauren Oliver

For Requiem the ending felt very  rushed I would've liked an epilogue or just a few more chapters.

    

I have more books on my list but these two were the ones that broke my heart since they weren't as great as I thought they would be.

Mini Reviews

I'm having a hectic schedule at the moment so I don't have the time to write full lenght reviews, so here come a few short ones.

Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi

After the second book I had very low expectations for this book but fortunately Tahereh Mafi proved me wrong, Juliette redeemed herself  in my eyes, Kenji continued to be awesome my only complaint would be that everything ended rather abruptly but all things considered it was a great book.

Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi 

I have mixed feelings with this book, don't get me wron it's beautifully written and a very satisfying endeint to the series but I just can't shake off the feeling that somethings off maybe it's because I hade huge expectationd or the fact that I always hoped Liv would be alive. My new hope is that Veronica Rossi will write a spin off focusing on Roar.

Landry Park by Bethany Hagen

I knew I was going to have problems with this book the moment I met tha main character and she was already complaining how unfair her life was. The main problem I had with the book is that I felt that Madeleine only helped the lower class so David would see that she wasn't a shallow debutante and the fect that Madeleine felt fake to me.

Waiting on Wednesday (18)

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

This week the book I'm waiting on is:

Title : The Nightmare Dilemma
Series:The Arkwell Academy #2
Author: Minde Arnett
Pages:384
Expected Publication: March 4th 2014
Publisher: Tor Teen

The second in a thrilling new fantastical mystery series

Dusty Everhart might be able to predict the future through the dreams of her crush, Eli Booker, but that doesn’t make her life even remotely easy. When one of her mermaid friends is viciously assaulted and left for dead, and the school’s jokester, Lance Rathbone, is accused of the crime, Dusty’s as shocked as everybody else. Lance needs Dusty to prove his innocence by finding the real attacker, but that’s easier asked than done. Eli’s dreams are no help, more nightmares than prophecies. 

To make matters worse, Dusty’s ex-boyfriend has just been acquitted of conspiracy and is now back at school, reminding Dusty of why she fell for him in the first place. The Magi Senate needs Dusty to get close to him, to discover his real motives. But this order infuriates Eli, who has started his own campaign for Dusty’s heart.

As Dusty takes on both cases, she begins to suspect they’re connected to something bigger. And there’s something very wrong with Eli’s dreams, signs that point to a darker plot than they could have ever imagined.

Although the first book of this series was not my favorite book of 2013 I liked it enough to be very excited to see what is happening next in this series.

Top Ten Tuesday (15)

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted at The Broke and The Bookish.  Each week a new top ten list is posted, and to participate all you have to do is fill in YOUR top ten for the list.

This week is rewind week so I got to choose from an old top ten that I wanted to redo:

I piced the top ten covers Iwish I could redesign because I have to admitt that I have many books that I bought just because I loved the cover and I have also not bought a book because the cover is ugly so I'm showing the covers I think deserve a better cover.

1) Maid of Deception by Jennifer McGowan 

This one looks like the cover of a hisorical romance novel instead of a novel of elizabethan spies.

2)Between the Spark and the Burn by April Genevieve Tucholke

I think it's the color combination that doesn't work for me.

3) Extraction by Stephanie Diaz

The eye in the middle bothers me a bit, I would have removed it.

5) Tomorrow by C. K. Kelly Martin

A little bit overwhelming, too much color the pictures that were used don't work together

That would be all for this week's top ten ( although I only did five)

Of Sea and Stone by Kate Avery Ellison Book Blitz

Of Sea and Stone by Kate Avery Ellison
Publication date: February 2014
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Synopsis:

All her life, clever Aemi has been a slave in the Village of the Rocks, a place where the sea and sky meet. She’s heard the stories about the fabled People of the Sea, a people who possess unimaginable technology who live below the waves in the dark, secret places of the ocean. But she never dreamed those stories were true.

When a ship emerges from the ocean and men burn her village, Aemi is captured, and enslaved below the waves in Itlantis, a world filled with ancient cities of glass and metal, floating gardens, and wondrous devices that seem to work magic. To make matters worse, her village nemesis, the stuck-up mayor’s son Nol, was captured with her, and they are made servants in the same household beneath the sea.

Desperate to be free, Aemi plots her escape, even going so far as to work with Nol. But the sea holds more secrets than she realizes, and escape might not be as simple as leaving…

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AUTHOR BIO

I live in Georgia with my wonderful husband and two spoiled cats. When I'm not writing, I'm usually catching up on my extensive Netflix queue, reading a book, giggling at something funny online, or trying to convince my husband to give me just ONE bite of whatever he's eating.

Learn more about my writing and books at my blog (http://thesouthernscrawl.blogspot.com/), find teasers for upcoming works on my Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/kateaveryellison), and subscribe to my new releases newsletter to be notified of new novels as soon as they hit stores (https://tinyletter.com/kateaveryellison)!

Waiting on Wednesday (17)

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

This week's  pick is:

Title: The Course of  True Love (And First Dates)

Series: The Bane Chronicles #10

Author:Cassandra Clare

Pages:40

Release date: March 18th 2014

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood might fall in love—but first they have a first date. 

When Magnus Bane, warlock, meets Alec Lightwood, Shadowhunter, sparks fly. And what happens on their first date lights a flame...

glitter-graphics.com

This book has been the source of huge frustracion for me, why? because at first this was supposed to be published  in december then it was moved to january but it was moved to Februar 18 but a couple of days before it was due to be published it was moved yet again and is now going to be published in March.

Review In the Place Where There Is No Darkness by K.M. Douglas

Title: In The Place where there is no Darkness
Author: K. M. Douglas
Pages:152
Date Published: November 13th 2013
Publisher:FriesenPress

The year is 2019. The Watchers maintain a state of constant surveillance: guns are outlawed, media is censored, and unmanned drones patrol the skies. Derrion Parsing is a high school senior and the son of an ex-Army Ranger. Unlike his classmates, he has access to information from the time before the Invisible War, when the government shut down the Internet, reformatting into a propaganda tool. When Derrion attempts to use this information as part of a school project, he awakens to his worst nightmare.

*I received a free copy in Exchange for an honest review*

Let me start by saying that if you’re looking for an excellent dystopian novel this might be the book for you.

Things I liked.

-It wasn’t so far into the future; it actually takes place five years from now.

-Derrion knew from the start that the way his government worked is not right. I hate it when the main 

character has to fall in love to see that things are wrong but not in this case; Derrion actually thinks for himself and is very observant of the things going around him

-The ending. I won’t go into details but it was something I wasn’t expecting

Things I didn’t like

-Sometimes it felt like I was reading a contemporary young adult novel instead a dystopian novel

-It was slow at times.

In the end I can say that this is a very good book not my favorite but a great read that I would recommend to many people.

Rating: 

Top Ten Tuesday (14)

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted at The Broke and The Bookish.  Each week a new top ten list is posted, and to participate all you have to do is fill in YOUR top ten for the list.

This week the topic is:

Top Ten things I love about being a blogger/reader

1) I love book blogging because I can talk about all the books I love and have people actually understand why I'm so obsessed with certain titles.

2)I love reading because I never feel alone. I've moved a lot during my life and in every new place I lived in my books always kept me company.

3)I love blogging because it has helped me discover so many new books and authors.

4)I adore reading because it helps me relax, seriously it has been scientifically proven that reading is more relaxing that listening to music or dinking tea.

5)Blogging has helped me pick up books that are out of my comfort zone

6)If a book I love is turned into a movie I already know what is going to happen and what should have happened if the direcor made any changes.

7)Before I started blogging I had always considered authors as people I would love to meet but never would, I may not have met many authors but the ones I have interacted with  have been so nice.

8)Reading is forever, even if I lost my sight I would still be able to read, if for some reason technology failed books will still be there for me.

9) Reading makes you look good, I have to admit that I love the look on peoples faces when I tell them that I've already read certain books.

10) Book Boys, they are so much better that all the boys I know in real life.

Mini Review Blood Orange Soda by James Michael Larranaga

Title: Blood Orange Soda
Author: James Michael Larranaga
Pages:350
Expected Publication Date: March 15 2014
Publisher: JML

Darius Hunter is a bullied high school freshman. When he drinks Blood Orange Soda to transform into a Vampire and earn respect, he soon learns life as a Vampire has its own challenges.

Set in the future on the rural landscape of St. Cloud, Minnesota where pre-Vampire teens are required by the government to take a daily Red pill to prevent their urge to bite, Blood Orange Soda is a coming of age story of love, life and death.

*I received a copy via Netgalley*

I honestly didn’t enjoy this book I actually only read 75% when I decided to call it quits, it never really caught my attention and it had too much angst for my liking. There were times, especially at the beginning at the book when I had no idea what was going on with all the different type of cliques.

Maybe it was me or this is one of those books that need a certain state of mind to be enjoyed so I’m giving it the benefit of the doubt

Review Masked Love by Nicole Zoltack

Title: Masked Love
Author:Nicole Zoltack
Pages: 75
Date Published: October 28th 2013
Publisher: Swoon Romance

Isabelle is content being a maid, and will do anything for her lady, even accompany her to a masquerade ball. Lady Theodosia needs extra support and encouragement on this night, for tomorrow she will meet the man her parents have pledged her to.

Isabelle has never had occasion to attend such an event, and is at first ill at ease. But meeting an enchanting young man during the course of the evening makes her wish for a life she can never have. Thinking she will never see him again, she returns his flirtation and even reveals her face. Imagine her shock when he shows up the next morning, announcing his claim on Lady Thedosia.

Isabelle does all she can to avoid Lord Adrian Wingave, but then he not only sees her, he recognizes her. To make matters worse, Isabelle fears her feelings are not one-sided.

Torn between duty and desire, Isabelle hopes for something more this Christmas.

                                     *I received this book in exchange for an honest review*

This is a very nice and sweet Christmas time regency novella that features a lady’s maid that falls in love with a Lord.

Things I liked:

• Isabelle’s relationship with Lady Theodosia, very nice to see a lady hat is not a brat and can be friends with her maid.
• Adrian not being a rake, ha admitted to being attracted to Isabelle yet he made the effort to get to know his bethroed and he never asked Isabelle to be his mistress.

Things I didn’t like

• Theodosia’s name. There are many beautiful names out there give the poor girl a nice one.
• Isabelle’s and Adrian’s insta love, they had one interaction and they just pinned away from each other from afar and suddenly they were in love.

All things considered this is a very short and pleasant read.

Rating:

Weekly update and Stacking the shelves #21

Stacking The Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews. It is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course e books! 

This week I got many books that I have been wanting for a very long time

Reviews:

• Solving for Ex by Leigh Ann Kopans
• Winter Omens by Trisha Leigh

This week I also created a twitter account for the blog so please follow me: @littlebookpixie

Review Solving For Ex by Leigh Ann Kopans

Title: Solving for Ex
Author: Leigh Ann Kopans
Pages: 300
Date Published: February 11th 2013
1 crush on your best friend +
1 gorgeous, scheming new girl +
1 Mathletics competition =
1 big mess

SIMPLIFY.

Ashley Price doesn’t have much in life after being bullied so hard she had to leave her old school to live with her aunt and uncle in Pittsburgh. But the camera she borrowed from her best friend and secret crush Brendan, and her off the charts math abilities, make things a lot more bearable. Plus, since Brendan is the captain, making the school Mathletes team should be easy. 

But when gorgeous new girl Sofia rolls in and steals Brendan, Ashley's place on the team, and her fragile foothold on the Mansfield Park Prep social totem pole, it’s on. Sofia is everything Ashley left her old school to escape. The only thing Ashley didn’t count on is Sofia’s sexy twin brother Vincent.

Vincent is not only the hottest boy in school, he’s charming, sweet, and he’s got his eye on Ashley. He’s also not taking no for an answer. There's no real reason Ashley shouldn't like Vincent, but with the
battle lines being drawn between her and Sofia, Ashley’s not sure which side he’s on. Or which side she wants him to be on.

She does know Sofia is trouble with a capital T, and she’s determined to make Brendan see it.

SOLVING FOR EX is a YA contemporary romance that remixes Mansfield Park as Clueless meets Mean Girls in a crazy mix of high school society, mathletic competition, and teenage romance.

I began to read this book fully knowing it was a retelling of Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park so I knew there was going to be a shy demure girl that fell in love with her best friend but the best friend is attracted to the new girl therefore I knew there was going to be angst and pinning for the guy but this book took it to another level. I don’t think there was a single page in the book that didn’t have Ashley thinking how great life would be if Brendan loved her. What bothers me the most is that this book had great potential but it was ruined with all the pinning for Brendan.

-Ashley had all the things to make a great main character: She is smart loves math, very realistic problems and a love for photography but in the book she does nothing but think how unfair it is that Brendan doesn’t like her back and date a guy she admits that she doesn’t like.

-There were many interesting issues that could have been explored a little bit more like Brendan’s mother alcoholism, the way Ashley was bullied in her former school or the consequences Sophia and Vincent would face because of their cheating.

-I found Sofia to be a very boring mean girl, Ashley basically hated her because she was rich, beautiful and going out with Brendan. Another thing that annoyed me was how Ashley always had to say how good Sofia smelled, we get it she smells like flowers, how is that relevant to the plot?

Overall I got very bored so I wouldn’t recommend it very much. As far as retellings go you can see the elements that Mansfield Park inspired but the plot was badly executed

Rating:

Mini Review Winter Omens by Trisha Leigh

Title: Winter Omens

Series: The Last Year #2

Author: Trisha Leigh

Pages:398

Date Published:September 25th 2012

Althea and Lucas barely escaped the Others’ clutches in the autumn, and were separated in the process. Alone and on the run from the cruel alien race determined to exterminate her, Althea struggles to adapt and survive in a world she never imagined. 

When a boy named Pax appears out of nowhere, he quickly recognizes Althea for what she is – a human/Other hybrid just like him. Althea begs him to help her find Lucas, but Pax refuses, intent on following his own mysterious agenda. 

The Others’ presence continues to devour the planet’s resources, and if history is an indication, they won’t leave until Earth is destroyed beyond repair. Althea and Pax sense the only way to save themselves – and maybe their home – is to understand the powers simmering inside them. 

Together they push the limits of their capabilities in the quiet Wilds, but are soon confronted with a terrifying fact: no place is safe from the relentless pursuit of the Others.

Least of all their own minds.

I didn't enjoy this book as much as the first one. It seemed rather slow and I hated that the Author used the new character Pax as an element in a love triangle. Overall the book didn't capture my interest until the very end. I'll continue to read the series but I really hope that the next book is better.