BBReview: "Released" By Megan Duncan and Question of the Moment 52

From Goodreads.com

Genre: Young Adult -Paranormal/Romance/Dystopian
Publishing Date: April 1st, 2011
Page Count: 260
Source: Sent to me by the author
Format: E-Book

Description from Goodreads.com:
After a demon apocalypse kills their parents and everyone they know, 17-year old Abby Phillips, her brother, Carter, and friend, Max flee their home to travel through what has become the wastelands of America. When radio transmissions of a resistance offering shelter and safety cease, Abby is tempted to give up. Struggling to overcome life-threatening obstacles in their dangerous journey, Abby and her companions quickly discover there are much worse things lurking in the dark than they could have ever imagined.

Review:
I was completely wowed by this novel. Released was not at all like i expected. I thought for sure that i was just going to like it, but not really want to read from that genre again, but i was highly mistaken. The way that Released reads is just like an awesome paranormal movie, almost like Resident Evil. I love those movies and Released reminds me of them ALOT, which is why its not too much of a shocker to me of why i loved this book. I really did love everything about this novel. The creatures that are attacking the world are very different and not what i initially think of when the apocalypse comes, but it worked so well. The only thing is that i wish Megan Duncan would have expanded on them a little more. Just maybe gave more details as to what some of the monsters looked like or had sketches in the book, because sometimes i just couldn't really picture what they looked like. This review is going to be a tad short, because i can't say too much without giving away any scenes and i really don't want to spoil this for any one, because i really want you all to read and experience the events for yourself.

The characters are great. I loved every persons role in this novel and wouldn't have changed a thing, even the bad guys. Every event that took place in this novel was perfect and i loved everything. Every time you thought they were safe and everything was going to be calm for a few hours it flips and goes completely nuts. Everything was  unexpected, but nothing was cheesy or unoriginal. Everything was different and fantastic. I don't know what else to say unless i start mentioning specific events, which like i said before i don't want to, but just know that this book is fantastic and should really be made into a movie to compliment it.

Overall:
Released was amazing. I don't think it could have gotten any better. I loved every character and every freaky, scary scene that took place. I think that everything was original and fantastically placed and i wouldn't change a thing about it. Megan Duncan did a fantastic job on this novel and i hope i get the chance to read the next one, because i really want to know what happens next. The romance was fantastic and made me feel all gushy and the gore-y scenes made my heart race and want to run and fight with them. I don't have any other words to describe this book other than it being amazing and should be made into a movie. I recommend this novel to anyone who likes action with a little romance thrown in, anyone who loves strong female leads, any resident evil fans, and anyone who is a fan of the genre or just looking to try something new. This is a perfect novel.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 5/5

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Question of the Moment 52

Pretend your life was a post-apocalyptic book or movie. Do you think you would be one of the main characters who fights to stay alive and usually succeeds or do you think your would be one of the background people who dies instantly and not play a huge role in the event?

I honestly don't know. I mean i would obviously try and fight to stay alive, but i might just end up being a background character. I wouldn't want to be the first one to die or die instantly before getting the chance to run and fight, but i think that might just happen, especially if i was all alone. 

Who would you be? Let me know in the comments below =]

BBReview: "The Space Between" By Alexandra Sokoloff

From Goodreads.com

Genre: Young Adult -Supernatural/Thriller
Publishing Date: June 29th, 2011
Page Count: 153
Source: Sent to me by the author
Format: E-Book

Description from Goodreads.com:
Sixteen-year old Anna Sullivan is having terrible dreams of a massacre at her school. Anna’s father is a mentally unstable veteran, her mother vanished when Anna was five, and Anna might just chalk the dreams up to a reflection of her crazy waking life — except that Tyler Marsh, the most popular guy at the school and Anna’s secret crush, is having the exact same dream. Despite the gulf between them in social status, Anna and Tyler connect, first in the dream and then in reality. As the dreams reveal more, with clues from the school social structure, quantum physics, probability, and Anna's own past, Anna becomes convinced that they are being shown the future so they can prevent the shooting… If they can survive the shooter — and the dream Based on the short story "The Edge of Seventeen," winner of the ITW Thriller award.

Review:
The Space Between is a very different book than what I'm used to reading. It is very dark and strange and really makes you take a second look at the people around you. The main character, Anna, is having dreams of a shooting at her school, but these images are way too real to be just a dream. Anna must work with her crush, Tyler, to figure out what's going on before the massacre happens. I think Anna's character is really unique. If you read a lot of YA paranormal, like i do, you are used to very strong females who go out looking for dangerous people, but in this novel it is a scared, innocent high schooler who must figure out who the person in her dreams is that is killing all her classmates before it happens.

This is such a dark subject and very hard to think about yourself being in that situation. You have your main character as this girl who is absolutely terrified of the situation and the way that Alexandra Sokoloff describes her is as if she is sitting right next to you. You can literally feel all of her emotions when she does. And the way that Alexandra Sokoloff describes the settings in the dreams is so vivid that you really do get scared. I know that this is a dark subject, and maybe also a little taboo to talk about, because its such a horrible thing to happen, but i really appreciate that Sokoloff went all out for it. She didn't try to make it PG or tone down the violence. She described it how it really was, and yes it wasn't too bad because it is a supernatural thriller so you still had elements of things not being "real" so it kind of helped you cope, but she didn't try to clean it up. I really like that, because i wanted to be scared and feel those emotions that Anna was feeling. I didn't want to read the book with a smile on my face and say "everything is going to be great in the end =D". I still wished for that ending, but not because the story line made it seem that way. And the ending was completely unexpected so i really liked that i couldn't have guessed that one happening.

Even though i did like it there were still somethings that i didn't. Since it was a supernatural i did get a little confused here and there, especially with the possible outcomes equation that kept being repeated. I get the meaning behind it and the significance, but i was confused until the part came where the reader understood WHAT exactly it meant. I also think the parts about her mom were a little confusing as to what exactly happened, but i still think it was a good part of the story. I think i just dont know if this subject is for me. I did really like it, but its just not the genre that i turn to when looking for a book. Great story, just not my first pick.

Overall:
This is a really good book. It is on a very dark subject and i think that instead of tip-toeing around the subject that Alexandra Sokoloff did a great job with just putting it out there with all its gore-y details. I think she did an excellent job on Anna's character. I felt everything that she felt and was a little surprised by her character, because most of us are used to strong, brave characters and not the innocent, terrified character and Anna was. Her being this way wasn't bad though, it made it feel that much more real, because that is real emotion for this situation. It did get confusing at times though, which kind of had me lost for awhile, but in the end i was shocked by the ending and satisfied with the story. I did like this book, but its subject/genre is not the first thing i would turn to look at when looking for a new book. I do recommend you read it, because it is a very different YA novel and i think everyone should get a bit of dark reality in their minds sometimes.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 31/2 /5

Question of the Moment 51

Are you the type of person who thinks "that will never happen to me" or the type of person who "expects the unexpected" and has a plan for most situations?

Im a dreamer, i think bad things wont happen to me, but at the same time i can tell you all the bad scenarios that can happen in that situation. I am a pessimistic dreamer. If i am scared or just really think about it, i first think of all the bad things that could happen in that predicament, but when I'm about to walk to my car i don't think to walk with someone in fear of getting mugged, or worse. There are some people out there, like police officers, who see all these bad things everyday and know what can really happen to anyone, so they are usually prepared for anything, but i dont think of action plans until in the situation or reminded that something bad can happen to me.

So which one are you? A dreamer or a realist? Let me know in the comments below =]

Follow Friday #16

 This Weeks Follow Friday Question: If you had to spend eternity inside the pages of a book which book would you choose and why? I think that i would choose to live in the world of Daughter of Smoke and Bone. I loved that book so much and i keep thinking about it. The world that Laini Taylor creates is so interesting and imaginative that i would love to live there. I think i would want to be on the "bad" side, not the angels. I think it would be so cool to be in that world, and i would LOVE to be Karou's friend so i could hear all about her amazing life.  For the list to add your name and follow others go to Alison Can Read's Follow Friday post =]

2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge

I am so excited for this challenge!! I have so many books that i own and haven't read that it is ridiculous. I dont think im going to make a list of books i need to read, because there is too many and i dont want to set myself up for failure either so i am just going to let it run free. Im going to attempt to achieve the second level which is 11-20 books, a friendly hug.
This TBR Reading Challenge is running from January 1st, 2012 to December 31st, 2012. You have TONS of time to enter so dont feel rushed to sign up before the first, because you have till December 15th, 2012. Only book bloggers can enter, because you have to link up your reviews. They can be any length, format, or genre, but they have to have been released 2011 or earlier. No 2012 new releases. There are mini challenges once a month, a huge one at the end, and TONS of prizes. 
Click Here to Sign up 
Levels:

• 1-10 Firm Handshake
• 11-20 Friendly Hug
• 21-30 Sweet Kiss
• 31-40 Love At First Sight
• 41-50 Married with children

Hosts:

• Evie from Bookish - http://www.evie-bookish.blogspot.com @SeoEvie
• Nicole from All I Ever Read - http://www.nicoleabouttown.com @Nicoleabouttown
• Bonnie from Hands and Home - http://www.handsandhome.ca @HandsHomeBlog
• Donna from Book Passion For Life - http://www.bookpassionforlife.blogspot.com @BookPforLife
• Caitlin from WatchYA Reading - http://www.whatchyareading.net @caitlingss
• Rie from Mission To Read - http://www.missiontoread.com @missiontoread
• Vicky from Books, Biscuits & Tea - http://www.booksbiscuitsandtea.blogspot.com @alouetteuette
• Christa from Hooked On Books - http://www.christashookedonbooks.blogspot.com @ChristasBooks
• Jenna from Fans Of Fiction - http://www.fansoffiction.blogspot.com @fansoffiction
• Angel from Mermaids Vision - http://www.mermaidvision.wordpress.com @mermaidvisions

BBReview: "Daughter of Smoke and Bone" By Laini Taylor and Question of the Moment 50

From Goodreads.com

Genre: Young Adult -Paranormal/Fantasy
Publishing Date: September 27th, 2011
Page Count: 418
Source: Borrowed from my local library
Format: Hardcover

Description from Goodreads.com:
Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky. In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low. And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war. Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out. When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

Review:
One word describes this novel and thats is AMAZING. I absolutely loved this story. It is so imaginative and breathtaking. I couldn't stand to put it down to sleep and wanted to just keep reading to see what was going to happen next. Karou's character was so interesting and she really drew you in and made you want to know everything about her. Everything she did i seemed to be able to understand why and agree with her, because the transparency to the reader of who she was made you feel like she was your best friend or even yourself.The entire story was just amazing and there was no way i could have ever come up with this. I bow to Laini Taylor for her amazing imagination. I will here on out read everything by her if they are as good as this novel, because it was unlike anything i've ever read.

I was drawn in from not only all the buzz from the other bloggers, but also the beautiful cover. If you think the picture is amazing wait till you see it in person. I borrowed this from my library and i want my own copy to not only lend out to my friends to make them read it, but to use it as a decoration on my bookshelf. Other than the main character, the ideas behind the story, and the beautiful cover the story as a whole was amazing the entire way through. I loved every single character and every even that took place. It was too good to even put into words really. Karou and Akiva's story is amazing i loved their relationship so much especially when they learn the truth. My heart ached with just pure bliss that this story made me feel. This is why i love reading, because you read these amazing books sometimes that just put you in an entirely different place and make you feel so amazing and peaceful.

Overall:
I couldn't love this story more. It was overall breathtakingly amazing. All the characters were amazing and the story line was impeccable. I hands down bow to Laini Taylor for her imagination, because this story was simply beautiful and unlike anything i've ever read. I loved everything from start to finish. Karou and Akiva's story was beautiful and loved every part of it. The beautiful cover is no trick to get you to read it, because the story does not disappoint behind that cover. I recommend everyone read this story, because it was just that good. No amount of words are good enough to describe how much i liked this.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 5/5

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Question of the Moment 50

Imagine you are raised by demons and you always thought of them as the "good guys". If you found out one day that they were really the "bad guys" would you continue to love them and fight for them or turn on them and go to the "good" side?

I think i would fight for both sides in a way. I would always stick by my "bad guys", because they are my family. They raised me and love me, but i would want a good outcome. I would try and make both sides see the light and come to a compromise. I would understand that what they are doing is wrong, but i would always continue to love them and be on their side. I wouldn't agree with the bad things that they do, but i would try and convince them to be better. 

So what would you do? "Good side" or "Bad side"? Let me know in the comments below =]

IMM #12

"In My Mailbox" is a weekly feature hosted by The Story Siren that showcases what you have bought, received, won, and borrowed through out the week


I know it has been a long time since I've been able to do an IMM so here are some of the books you missed while i was gone. Next weeks will be much more updated so stay tuned =D

Borrowed (Library):

• "Shut Out" By Kody Keplinger
• "Epic Fail" By Claire LaZebnik
• "Pledged" By Alexandra Robbins

For Review:

• "Lockdown" By Alexander Gordon Smith
• "Hades" By Alexandra Adornetto 
• "All These Things I've Done" By Gabrielle Zevin

Thanks for checking out what i got. Now what did you get?

BBReview: "Epic Fail" By Claire LaZebnik

From Goodreads.com

Genre: Young Adult -Contemporary
Publishing Date: August 2nd, 2011
Page Count: 295
Source: Borrowed from my local library
Format: Hardcover

Description from Goodreads.com:
Will Elise’s love life be an epic win or an epic fail? At Coral Tree Prep in Los Angeles, who your parents are can make or break you. Case in point: As the son of Hollywood royalty, Derek Edwards is pretty much prince of the school—not that he deigns to acknowledge many of his loyal subjects. As the daughter of the new principal, Elise Benton isn’t exactly on everyone’s must-sit-next-to-at-lunch list. When Elise’s beautiful sister catches the eye of the prince’s best friend, Elise gets to spend a lot of time with Derek, making her the envy of every girl on campus. Except she refuses to fall for any of his rare smiles and instead warms up to his enemy, the surprisingly charming social outcast Webster Grant. But in this hilarious tale of fitting in and flirting, not all snubs are undeserved, not all celebrity brats are bratty, and pride and prejudice can get in the way of true love for only so long.

  Review:
Just like every other Pride & Prejudice inspired novel i've read this year Epic Fail has stolen my heart. I don't think that i will ever get old of this timeless tale. It is just too sweet of a story to not keep reading more and more different versions of it. I feel that Epic Fail has been the closest to the real story by far. Other stories that i have read usually depict the two girls as being best friends instead of sisters, but LaZebnik kept them as sisters which i really liked. I also really loved that the mom played a factor in this story. I loved how in the movie the mom was depicted as a little too pushy and not caring what others thought of her and just sang to her own tune a bit and thats what LaZebnik did in her novel. Her depiction of their mother being the school principal was perfect. Nobody likes their principal, usually, because they always knit pick at things students do and usually get them in trouble so it was perfect that the way to have people not like someone's mother for no good reason was to have them be the new principal.

I don't know what else to say besides the fact that i will never get tired of this story. LaZebnik did a beautiful job retelling it and i loved the entire story. If you are a Jane Austen fan, a Claire LaZebnik fan, or a Pride & Prejudice fan you NEED to check out Epic Fail. 

Overall:
I loved this story and i always will. Pride & Prejudice is such a classic love story and no matter how many different versions you tell me i will always love the story. Claire LaZebnik did a beautiful job with Epic Fail and i highly recommend it. The story line and characters were terrific and i couldn't put it down. If you want a nice light romantic tale that will keep you up reading till you finish go pick up a copy of Epic Fail.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 4/5

Question of the Moment 49

Is there a classic book/movie that you are willing to read/watch every version of it? If not is there a book that you are willing to re-read till the end of time? Which one and what about it makes you keep coming back?

Mine is Pride & Prejudice and Beauty & the Beast. I read every modern remake for both movie and books for both of these titles. They are my favorite. I just love reading the new versions that people have come up with, because they always stick to the same story line but just give it a new flavor. So far i have been reading ALL the modern remakes of Pride & Prejudice and they have yet to be a let down. I think i keep coming back, because i just love the story and i don't want it to end.

So what book keeps you reading? Let me know in the comments below =]