Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Awesome Giveaway!
I LOVED Ashfall and Ashen Winter by Mike Mullin. Thought they were amazing books, and I am super excited for the 3rd book in the series. Mike is doing a giveaway for a printed copy of a novella he wrote! Not only is in printed, but it is also signed. He will ship to anywhere in the world so check out his blog. I would say good luck, but I really want to win! :-) http://mikemullin.blogspot.com/2013/08/announcing-darlas-story-and-one-of-kind.html?spref=tw
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Monument 14: Sky on Fire by Emmy Laybourne
Words cannot being to express how much I was looking forward to this book. Monument 14 was one of the first times I ever screamed, "No!", when finishing a book. It was such an exciting book, and it ended on such a cliffhanger that I was not ready to close the book. Monument 14:Sky on Fire gave me the same reaction. It is a bit shorter than I am used to, it is only 215 pages, but holy crap, Emmy Laybourne packs a serious wallop in those pages. The benefit of the 2nd book is that the characters have already been introduced and the writer can focus more on the action of the story. In Sky on Fire readers get a quick reminder about who is who in the story through a journal entry. They are also reminded about the toxic chemicals in the air and how it affects each person. Ordinarily this technique bothers me, but with so many characters to keep track of, I was very grateful.
***SPOILERS FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN'T READ THE 1ST BOOK*****
In the 1st book, 14 kids ranging in age with some being as young as 5, have taken refuge from a disaster in one of those supercenter places. The kind of place where one can find practically anything. They are attempting to survive while chaos reigns outside and there are no adults to comfort them inside. This isn't Lord of the Flies though. The kids, for the most part, get along, and it's the occasional adult that happens upon the kids, that introduces things that are truly scary. As the first book ends, part of the group decides they are going to try to make it to the airport since they heard that people are being rescued there.
****NO MORE SPOILERS****
As our not so merry band of travelers set out, they get a glimpse of just how bad things actually are. Cars are abandoned on the side of the road and so are bodies. Everything has a sort of white mold growing on it. There are looters, killers, and people who will do anything to survive, even if that means condemning someone else to certain death. Some of the scenes reminded me of The Road things seemed so bleak and hopeless. I questioned choices made some of the characters as they seemed to have dire consequences. There seems to be a serious shortage of good people out there, and yet, you do get to see that there are still good people out there. There are still people willing to help a complete stranger and expect nothing in return.
The action never stops in Monument 14:Sky on Fire Laybourne barely gives you a chance to catch your breath. It's a plot technique that works. What also works is that the story jumps from the kids who are on the road and those that have stayed behind. We learn the fate of characters who left in book 1, and we are left guessing about others by the end of this book. Be warned that there is another cliffhanger in this book. There is some resolution. There are characters that I don't think I need to worry about anymore, but that might be a false sense of hope.
I'm a huge fan of this series. I'm excited for book 3. Laybourne is a talented writer with a gift for getting a reader's attention and maintaining it. I predict great things from her, and look forward to all the stories she is going to tell.
***SPOILERS FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN'T READ THE 1ST BOOK*****
In the 1st book, 14 kids ranging in age with some being as young as 5, have taken refuge from a disaster in one of those supercenter places. The kind of place where one can find practically anything. They are attempting to survive while chaos reigns outside and there are no adults to comfort them inside. This isn't Lord of the Flies though. The kids, for the most part, get along, and it's the occasional adult that happens upon the kids, that introduces things that are truly scary. As the first book ends, part of the group decides they are going to try to make it to the airport since they heard that people are being rescued there.
****NO MORE SPOILERS****
As our not so merry band of travelers set out, they get a glimpse of just how bad things actually are. Cars are abandoned on the side of the road and so are bodies. Everything has a sort of white mold growing on it. There are looters, killers, and people who will do anything to survive, even if that means condemning someone else to certain death. Some of the scenes reminded me of The Road things seemed so bleak and hopeless. I questioned choices made some of the characters as they seemed to have dire consequences. There seems to be a serious shortage of good people out there, and yet, you do get to see that there are still good people out there. There are still people willing to help a complete stranger and expect nothing in return.
The action never stops in Monument 14:Sky on Fire Laybourne barely gives you a chance to catch your breath. It's a plot technique that works. What also works is that the story jumps from the kids who are on the road and those that have stayed behind. We learn the fate of characters who left in book 1, and we are left guessing about others by the end of this book. Be warned that there is another cliffhanger in this book. There is some resolution. There are characters that I don't think I need to worry about anymore, but that might be a false sense of hope.
I'm a huge fan of this series. I'm excited for book 3. Laybourne is a talented writer with a gift for getting a reader's attention and maintaining it. I predict great things from her, and look forward to all the stories she is going to tell.
Friday, May 24, 2013
Firecracker by David Iserson
When I found out one of the writers form one of my favorite shows was having a published I was excited, when I realized that it was going to be YA I was ecstatic. I was certainly not disappointed. Astrid Krieger is an amazing protagonist and narrator. I found her biting commentary a refreshing departure from the typical female characters in YA novels. There is no trite love triangle; no girl pining over a boy who doesn't like her. There is a pissed off teenager hell bent on revenge and very talented at discovering what people are useful for. She speaks her mind and says what most people think but are afraid to say.
Astrid has been recently expelled from her prestigious boarding school for a cheating scandal. To add insult to serious injury, she is confident that one of her useful associates turned on her. To make things even worse she is forced to go to (dun dun DUUUUNNNNN) public school. As a teacher, I found the descriptions of public school particularly hilarious. The smell of urine, disinterested teachers, and administrators who have already made up their minds about a new student are very realistic.
Astrid only seems to trust and care about one person, her grandfather. I absolutely adored their scenes. It showed a softer side of Astrid and made her character more sympathetic. The path that their relationship takes through the story arc is crucial to her development and growth as a person.
Will Astrid get her revenge on the mysterious person who caused her demise or will her whole plan go up in smoke? Find out by reading the hilarious Firecracker by David Iserson.
Favorite Line From the Book:
"If someone wants to win me over, they should give me something useful like juice boxes or a boat"- Astrid Krieger
Astrid has been recently expelled from her prestigious boarding school for a cheating scandal. To add insult to serious injury, she is confident that one of her useful associates turned on her. To make things even worse she is forced to go to (dun dun DUUUUNNNNN) public school. As a teacher, I found the descriptions of public school particularly hilarious. The smell of urine, disinterested teachers, and administrators who have already made up their minds about a new student are very realistic.
Astrid only seems to trust and care about one person, her grandfather. I absolutely adored their scenes. It showed a softer side of Astrid and made her character more sympathetic. The path that their relationship takes through the story arc is crucial to her development and growth as a person.
Will Astrid get her revenge on the mysterious person who caused her demise or will her whole plan go up in smoke? Find out by reading the hilarious Firecracker by David Iserson.
Favorite Line From the Book:
"If someone wants to win me over, they should give me something useful like juice boxes or a boat"- Astrid Krieger
Monday, April 8, 2013
Icons by Margaret Stohl
Augh! I came home Friday from work to an ARC of Icons by Margaret Stohl! I didn't know anything about the book, but I was a fan of the Beautiful Creatures series. I am really enjoying reading it and can't wait to share my review of it. I'm hoping to finish it and post my review by the weekend. There will be plenty of time to whet your appetite for this book before its May 7th release date!
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Amaze-balls giveaway!
Hi all! It's been forever since i have posted because I have been under a mound of books and student papers to grade. I have temporarily emerged to bring you news of a fantastic giveaway! Check out the link for your chance to win an ARC of Unravel, an ARC of Requie, (I'm dying for this book to come out), or an ARC of Shards and Ashes. If that's isn't enough to warm your bookworm hearts, there is also a SIGN hardcover version of Divergent up for grabs.
Here's the link! http://www.lindsaycummingsblog.blogspot.com/ Good luck!
Here's the link! http://www.lindsaycummingsblog.blogspot.com/ Good luck!
Monday, October 29, 2012
The Evolution of Mara Dyer
Wow! I'm still breathless from the second installment of the FANTASTIC Mara Dyer series! Fans of the first book will not be disappointed. The book once again takes readers on a ride that leaves them with no idea of a destination. Michelle Hodkin kicked it up a notch with this second book. There is more of a mystery, more frights, and more romance. A great deal more romance. Some of the scenes between Noah and Mara were downright swoon worthy. The connection evident between the two characters in the first book is even stronger in the second book. Readers will wish for their own Noah who would be willing to follow them anywhere and protect them from everything the world might throw at them.
Readers can also take solace in the fact that many of the burning questions from the first book are resolved. Of course, many new questions are raised. The conclusion, once again, leaves you hungry for more. I found myself reading the ending over and over again hoping that I was wrong somehow and that the book wasn't really over. Alas, it was, and I am stuck waiting until next year for the final installment.
I was lucky enough to meet Michelle Hodkin on the day her book was released. She assured all of us that we already had all the answers to the puzzle, we just didn't know it yet. That really made me want to go back and reread the first book and see if I could piece together the mystery. She also said that she is hard at work on the final book and almost has the first draft done.
I wish I could tell you more about The Evolution of Mara Dyer, but telling you anything, anything at all really, would be a big fat spoiler. There wasn't a scene I could really tell you about that wouldn't give away something. I can say that it is a must read for fans of Mara Dyer, YA literature, really just books in general. Michelle Hodkin's words fly off the page and are a true delight to read.
Next Up: My next book is an ARC! I am so excited to check out Mila 2.0 by Debra Driza and will be back soon with a review of it.
Happy Reading!
Remember, life is too short for bad books!
Readers can also take solace in the fact that many of the burning questions from the first book are resolved. Of course, many new questions are raised. The conclusion, once again, leaves you hungry for more. I found myself reading the ending over and over again hoping that I was wrong somehow and that the book wasn't really over. Alas, it was, and I am stuck waiting until next year for the final installment.
I was lucky enough to meet Michelle Hodkin on the day her book was released. She assured all of us that we already had all the answers to the puzzle, we just didn't know it yet. That really made me want to go back and reread the first book and see if I could piece together the mystery. She also said that she is hard at work on the final book and almost has the first draft done.
I wish I could tell you more about The Evolution of Mara Dyer, but telling you anything, anything at all really, would be a big fat spoiler. There wasn't a scene I could really tell you about that wouldn't give away something. I can say that it is a must read for fans of Mara Dyer, YA literature, really just books in general. Michelle Hodkin's words fly off the page and are a true delight to read.
Next Up: My next book is an ARC! I am so excited to check out Mila 2.0 by Debra Driza and will be back soon with a review of it.
Happy Reading!
Remember, life is too short for bad books!
Welcome!
Welcome! I've decided to start a YA book review blog because I'm obsessed with YA literature and helping my friends, family, and students to find new books to read. I will be reviewing books new and old and hopefully some ARCs! I have a HUGE stack of books on my nightstand so expect my reviews to come flying in. I'm very excited to share my first review of The Evolution of Mara Dyer! Be on the look out, it should be posted soon!
Happy Reading!
Happy Reading!
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