Captivate by Carrie Jones

Pages: 173

Publisher: Bloomsbury
Age Group: Young Adult
Challenges: N/A
Release Date: January 5, 2010

Zara and her friends knew they hadn't solved the pixie problem for good. Far from it. The king's needs grow deeper every day he's stuck in captivity, while his control over his people gets weaker. It's made him vulnerable. And now there's a new king in town.

A turf war is imminent, since the new pixie king, Astley, is moving in quickly. Nick nearly killed him in the woods on day one, but Zara came to his rescue. Astley swears that he and Zara are destined to be together, that he's one of the good guys. Nick isn't buying it, though Zara isn't as sure -- despite herself, she wants to trust the new king. But it's a lot more than her relationship with Nick that is at stake. It's her life -- and his.
 
Stars: 4.5/5
Cover: B

Plot:
Zara knew that their solution to the pixie problem was only temporary, but she didn't know how soon everything would come crashing down.

While on a run, she discovers a pixie king, named Astley, hurt in the woods. While she tries to rescue him, she meets the vicious Valkyrie pixie, who warns Zara that she'll be back to take Nick as a warrior to fight on their side of the inevitable war between pixies.

When Zara and Nick go to check on the pixies in the house, Nick is kidnapped by a Valkyrie. Now, it's up to Zara to get him back --- and she only has one option and a limited amount of time to do it.

I loved Captivate almost as much as Need. It had the suspense, the romance --- all of it. I love reading about Zara and all the predicaments she and her friends get into. Captivate definitely didn't disappoint in the suspense area. I was holding my breath in excitement for practically half of the book!

Characters:
I love the characters. They're all unique and exciting, and you can relate to each one of them in some way.

I really like Nick and Zara's relationship. It felt like they had a lot of chemistry, and genuinely cared about each other. However, it someetimes seemed like their dialogue was too and artificial. They called each other "baby" so many times, that each time I read that word I mentally cringed.

Writing:
Carrie Jones is turning out to be one of my favorite authors. She really knows how to write an awesome pixie story, and completely suck the reader into her words. I just couldn't put this book down!


One thing that I didn't really like was how inconsistent the writing would be. At parts, there were sentences that seemed to run-on forever, but at other times the sentences were short and choppy.

Ending:
Oh. My. Goodness. The ending was crazy! Not crazy, in the way that it was action-packed, but crazy in the way that it was a total cliffhanger.

I have no clue what's going to happen next, and that makes me super-duper excited to read Entice, and find out what happens.

Lovely Line:
"That's harsh, Betty," Nick defends me.


"Harsh? I'll tell you what's harsh. Her little do-gooderness set a pixie free, possibly a king, judging by how quickly he healed, and she almost died because of it." She takes a corner and even though she's mad at me she takes it slow so I don't bounce around too much. "You get that, don't you, Zara? You could've died today."


My bruised ribs hammer her point home. We pull into our driveway. All the windows in the Cape are dark. The sky is dark. Everything is dark. The woods are just pieces of shadow. You can't tell what's back there. You can't tell who might be watching.
(Page 70)

Cover:
I don't like this cover as much as the other two books in the series, but it's still not too bad. I love the shiny-ness of it, though. :D

The Final Verdict:
Captivate is definitely worth reading. I loved it, and it's such a great sequel to Need. This book was so good, I almost wish it was a little longer!

I suggest you read this book after you get the third one, because, trust me, you're not going to be able to wait to find out what happens next!

FTC: I bought this book.

"Waiting On Wednesday" (9)

Babe In Boyland by Jody Gehrman

When high school junior Natalie--or Dr. Aphrodite, as she calls herself when writing the relationship column for her school paper--is accused of knowing nothing about guys and giving girls bad relationship advice, she decides to investigate what guys really think and want. But the guys in her class won't give her straight or serious answers. The only solution? Disguising herself as a guy and spending a week at Underwood Academy, the private all-boy boarding school in town. There she learns a lot about guys and girls in ways she never expected--especially when she falls for her dreamy roommate, Emilio. How can she show him she likes him without blowing her cover?


Release Date: February 17, 2011


I already featured this one, along with a ton of other books, in my first "Waiting On" post. 


But since its release date is coming up, and I wanted to shed some special light on the book, just because of how awesome it sounds.


I love the whole premise behind it; it seems like a cute book. It honestly kind of reminds me of She's the Man (the movie with Amanda Bynes in it) and I love that movie.


The cover is aaamamammamaaazingggg! I love it. Times a thousand.


Anyways, I can't wait to read this book.


*I'd love to see what you're waiting on! Post your links below. :)

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Pages: 441

Publisher: Harper

Age Group: Young Adult

Release Date: February 1, 2o11

Love. It kills both when you have it

and when you don't.

Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love - the deliria - blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. 

Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy. 

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

Stars: 4.5/5

Cover: A

Plot:

Lena lives in a dystopian society: Earth in the near future, where as soon as people turn eighteen, they get a surgery that "cures" them of love.

Lena (short for Magdalena) can't wait to have her surgery. That is, until she meets Alex. As she starts falling for him, she starts dreading her surgery date. He introduces her to the world of the "Invalids" --- people who refused to get cured and live wild outside of the gates of the community --- and love, something she never thought she would experience.

I really, really liked this book. "Really" isn't even a strong enough adjective to describe how much I liked it!

But, the first pages were a little difficult to get through --- not because it was bad writing, or that the story was boring, but for whatever reason, I had trouble getting into the beginning.

 

After about eighty pages, it started picking up for me. I had read it for three hours straight --- it was that good. I just couldn't put it down!

 

Characters:

I really felt like I could relate to Lena. She had good qualities and was likable, but not too likable to the point where her character becomes unrealistic. Also, her relationships with the other characters were extremely believable.

Writing:

The way Lauren Oliver writes is captivating. I found myself thinking about this book for days after I had finished it. She uses descriptive words that make the story vivid and lively. Lauren made me feel like I was actually standing in Portland, Maine, with Lena.

Delirium was the perfect mix of romance and suspense. This book uses pretty intelligent words, but they flow with the story --- it doesn't feel like the bigger words were just thrown in there.

Now I seriously can't wait to read Before I Fall, Lauren Oliver's debut novel that came out in 2010. (It's being moved up in my TBR stack!)

Ending:

Oh my goodness. I don't think I breathed at all in the last ten pages! The book ended in a cliffhanger, and now I don't think I'll be able to wait for the sequel, Pandemonium, to come out in 2012. That seems so far away! 

Cover:

The ARC cover is different than the finalized version, but I love both of them! They're both gorgeous, and the font on both of them is very pretty.

If I had my choice, though, I would have to say that the ARC cover is prettier. Here's a little snapshot I took with my phone:

You may have to tilt your head. :)

The picture doesn't do the cover any justice, trust me.

Lovely Line:

"Would you like some water?" Evaluator One, the woman, gestures to a bottle of water and a glass set up on the table. She has noticed my momentary flinch, but it's okay. My personal statement is done, and I can tell by the way the evaluators are looking at me --- pleased, proud, like I'm a little kid who has managed to fit all the right pegs in all the right holes --- that I've done a good job.

(Page 32)

The Final Verdict: 

Delirium left a big impact on me. It's definitely a thought-provoking book. I ended up spending a lot of time wondering what our current world would be like without love, and how it would effect my family, friends, and I.


This book is already being highly anticipated. But if you're one of the few people that don't have Delirium on pre-order, or aren't rushing out to the bookstore on February 1st to get yourself a copy, I suggest that you do so.

FTC: I won this book from Goodreads.

In My Mailbox (8)

Zara and Nick are soul mates, meant to be together forever. 
But that's not quite how things have worked out. 

For starters, well, Nick is dead. 
Supposedly, he's been taken to a mythic place for warriors known as Valhalla, so Zara and her friends might be able to get him back. But it's taking time, and meanwhile a group of evil pixies is devastating Bedford, with more teens going missing every day. An all-out war seems imminent, and the good guys need all the warriors they can find. But how to get to Valhalla? 

And even if Zara and her friends discover the way, there's that other small problem: Zara's been pixie kissed. When she finds Nick, will he even want to go with her? Especially since she hasn't just turned . . . she's Astley's queen.




I won this from Chick Lit Teens, and it came in the mail only a couple of days after I found out that I won! I was pleasantly surprised.


I'm reading the second book in the series, Captivate, right now, so I can't wait to finish it and read Entice.


I read Need, and loved it. Check out my review here.


That's all I got this week, but I'm expecting a lot more this next week (Daisy Whitney book signing, Book store, Birthday, and Zoe) so I'm 99.78% sure I'll be doing a vlog.


Anyways, I'll see you guys later! :)

L.A. Candy by Lauren Conrad

Pages: 326
Publisher: Harper
Age Group: Young Adult/Adult
Challenges: N/A

Los Angeles is all about the sweet life: hot clubs, cute guys, designer . . . everything. Nineteen-year-old Jane Roberts can't wait to start living it up. She may be in L.A. for an internship, but Jane plans to play as hard as she works, and has enlisted her BFF Scarlett to join in the fun.

When Jane and Scarlett are approached by a producer who wants them to be on his new series, a "reality version of Sex and the City," they can hardly believe their luck. Their own show? Yes, please!

Soon Jane is TV's hottest star. Fame brings more than she ever imagined possible for a girl from Santa Barbara—free designer clothes, the choicest tables at the most exclusive clubs, invites to Hollywood premieres—and she's lapping up the VIP treatment with her eclectic entourage of new pals. But those same friends who are always up for a wild night are also out for a piece of Jane's spotlight.

In a city filled with people chasing after their dreams, it's not long before Jane wakes up to the reality that everyone wants something from her, and nothing is what it seems to be.

Stars:  4.5/5

Cover: A-

Plot:

Jane and Scarlett move to L.A. a year after they graduate high school so that Scarlett can attend U.S.C. and Jane can intern for an event planner. When in a club, a man approaches them telling them that he has a pitch for a reality T.V. show, and that he thinks they'd be perfect for it.

Before long, Jane and Scarlett are being followed by cameras taping their every move, and the spotlight is not as sweet as they thought it would be.

This is the third time I've read this book, and it has still not lost it's magic on me. The plot is great. There are a lot of books about reality T.V., and how people go from nobodies to overnight superstars, but Lauren Conrad managed to make her story different from all of the others out there.

The plot was fast-paced, and interesting at all times. There were a couple of twists and turns, and I was always wanting to read more and more.

Characters:
The characters were well-developed and extremely realistic. They each had their own personalities, and weren't just remakes or cliches of characters in other books. I felt like I could really relate to them.

Writing:
Lauren has a way with words. She made the book exciting and fun, and something that I want to read and re-read time and time again.

She did a great job of writing from different perspectives. I've noticed that a lot of authors, when writing from the different points-of-view, give the characters the same voices. But Lauren did an awesome job of distinguishing the different characters' personalities in their chapters.

Ending:
The ending was perfect; everything that I would want in a first novel. It left me practically drooling for the second book.

Not to mention, I gasp everytime I come to the ending part, even though I know what's going to happen.

Yes.
It's that good.

Cover:
I love the simplicity of the cover, and how there's one pop of color. I also reallllly like the fonts used (on the cover AND in the book).

Lovely Line:
Jane laughed a little bit at the idea and tried to catch Scarlett's eye, but she was staring at her water glass. They were about to take off on a big adventure, but Jane wondered if either of them was ready for it.


It didn't occur to Jane until later that night, as she lay awake trying to ignore her fear and excitement so she could finally fall asleep, that not once during their unspeakable glitzy, glamorous, life-altering lunch at the Ivy had Trevor actually asked them if they wanted to be on L.A. Candy. He just assumed they would.


He had been right.
(Page 102)

The Final Verdict:
If you're one of those people that are completely against reading a book by a reality T.V. star, look past that and go get this book.

My mom's friend also read it, and loved it just as much as I did, so I really think that L.A. Candy is fantastic for all ages.

I recommend this if you want a fun, fast read that leaves you entertained and excited to read more of Lauren Conrad's books.

FTC: I bought this book.

Tricks by Ellen Hopkins

Pages: 628

Publisher: McElderly Books

Age Group: Young Adult (Mature Readers) 

Challenges: 350 Page Challenge

Release Date: August 25, 2009

Five teenagers from different parts of the country. Three girls. Two guys. Four straight. One gay. Some rich. Some poor. Some from great families. Some with no one at all. All living their lives as best they can, but all searching...for freedom, safety, community, family, love. What they don't expect, though, is all that can happen when those powerful little words "I love you" are said for all the wrong reasons.

Five moving stories remain separate at first, then interweave to tell a larger, powerful story -- a story about making choices, taking leaps of faith, falling down, and growing up. A story about kids figuring out what sex and love are all about, at all costs, while asking themselves, "Can I ever feel okay about myself?"

Stars: 5/5

Cover: A-

Plot:

Tricks is told from five different points of view. 

Eden has parents that are extremely religious, so much that she can't date until she's ready to marry. When she falls in love with Andrew, and her parents find out, she is sent off to a brutal religious facility in the middle of nowhere that is supposed to put her back on the right path to God. There, she is isolated, fed minimal amounts of food, and is never allowed outside of her little room.

Seth is gay. His mom died a year ago from cancer, and he can't tell his dad about his sexual orientation because he knows he won't understand. But when Seth's boyfriend moves away, and sends a letter to Seth, Seth's dad ends up reading the letter. He finds out that Seth isn't straight, and kicks him out.

Whitney lives in her older sister's shadow. She doesn't get along with her mom, and her dad lives a couple of hours away. She and her older boyfriend decide to run away together.

Ginger is one of many children. Her mom has a new man practically every other day, and it seems she barely even cares about her children. When an event happens that leads Whitney to the breaking point, she and her friend run away to Las Vegas together to get out of their crappy lives.

Cody's life is alright. He has a job at GameStop, and his family is pretty cool. But then, he gets addicted to gambling. He goes deeper and deeper into debt, and it gets to the point where he'll do anything for money.

I definitely thought Tricks was the most disturbing out of all the Ellen Hopkins books that I've read, but also the best. 

I love books that start off with the characters leading separate lives, and then by the end of the book they're all connected somehow. I just think it's a really great way to tell a story, and it takes a lot of planning and effort.

The whole book was fast-paced and exciting, and I didn't want to put it down. (Even though, like Identical, it got too intense to read in one sitting.)

Characters:

I really liked all the characters, though my least favorite one was Eden. I just didn't understand why she did most of the things that she did, and she kind of frustrated me at points.

The characters had a lot of depth to them, and there was a lot of character development throughout the novel.

The characters definitely made the entire book. 

Writing:

I usually end up feeling just a little bit sad after finishing one of her books though, and this book definitely didn't disappoint in that aspect. It makes me so sad to think that the things Ellen Hopkins writes about really do happen in the world, and that people have to go through it every day. It's definitely eye-opening.

Ellen Hopkins has a way of writing completely uncensored, and I think that's what makes me like her so much. She can tell it like it is, brutal honesty and all. 

I also love how at the end of each section, one characters' last words would tie into the next characters' first words.

Ending:

The ending was pretty good. I really liked how everything ended, and how the loose ends were tied up. Ellen still left you wondering what would happen next though, which I think was the perfect way to end a book like this.

Cover:

This cover is fantastic. I love the red, and how the paper looks like it's crinkled. My favorite thing, though, is the way it's made to look slightly charred around the edges.

Lovely Line:

Once

I thought fairy tales were

lies or worse, promises

spoken, yet meant to be 

broken. Intent is all.

Why

do grown-ups feel

the need to make up

a story, only to later

confess that it was a

lie?

Why look for a prince

when frogs are much

more common? Why

reach for a dream

when

you're at ease within

your nightmares? Why

scramble to disguise

what your personal

truth is

when reality not only

hurts less in the long

run, but is most often

the easier path?

(Page 164)

The Final Verdict:

Be cautious before you pick this book up. If you get nightmares easily, this probably isn't the book for you.

It's disturbing and dark, but also enlightening and entertaining.

I recommend this book for kids in high school and up.

FTC: I borrowed this book from my brother.

Glass by Ellen Hopkins

Pages: 681

Publisher: McElderly Books

Age Group: Young Adult (Mature Readers)

Challenges: 350 Page Challenge

Release Date: August 21, 2007

Crank. Glass. Ice. Crystal. Whatever you call it, it's all the same: a monster. And once it's got hold of you, this monster will never let you go.

Kristina thinks she can control it. Now with a baby to care for, she's determined to be the one deciding when and how much, the one calling the shots. But the monster is too strong, and before she knows it, Kristina is back in its grips. She needs the monster to keep going, to face the pressures of day-to-day life. She needs it to feel alive.

Once again the monster takes over Kristina's life and she will do anything for it, including giving up the one person who gives her the unconditional love she craves -- her baby.

The sequel to Crank, this is the continuing story of Kristina and her descent back to hell. Told in verse, it's a harrowing and disturbing look at addiction and the damage that it inflicts.

Stars: 4.5/5

Cover: A

Plot:

Kristina thought she was done with meth. And she was, for a while. But then the "monster" calls to her, and before she knows it, she's back under its powerful grasp.

When her mom kicks her out because she is under the influence again, she turns to Trey, the boy she met through meth.

Kristina falls into a pattern where her life revolves around getting high, selling the drug, and getting through the "crash," when the drug wears off.

Her mom takes care of her young son, Hunter, and Kristina is too high to even care about seeing him. 

When their cash supply starts running low, and they don't have enough money to pay the "Mexican Mafia," Kristina and Trey devise a plan . . . but all does not go well.

I love this series. It hasn't disappointed, and this is the second time I've read it. 

I have a kind of love-hate relationship with Ellen's books. I love the stories that she tells and how dark and twisted they are. But that's also the reason that I "hate" them --- they're really thought provoking, and it makes me sad to think that people really do struggle with this drug (and others), and that the drugs completely destroy their lives.

But anyways, Glass proved to be exciting and entertaining all the way through. There weren't any dull moments in the plot, and I loved how there were some twists thrown in.

Characters:

I love the way Ellen Hopkins lets us go deep down into the minds of her characters, letting us see how messed up they are. It really adds to the story.

I felt a lot of compassion for Kristina in Crank, but while reading Glass, I found myself wanting to yell at her, "What the heck are you doing? You're throwing it all away!" It didn't make the story any less enjoyable; it just helped develop the theme that drugs can completely take over you and change you for the worse.

Bree, Kristina's more bold and assertive "self" is much more pronounced in Glass. We see Bree coming through a lot more, and Kristina even has a few "conversations" with her. 

Writing:

As always, Ellen Hopkins writes a memorable, dramatic, and disturbing book that you want to lend to all your friends and make them love it as much as you do.

Ending:

The ending was good. It left you with a lot to think and wonder about, making me want to read Fallout (the third book in the series, told from Kristina's kids' perspectives) even more. 

Cover:

That shade of purple on the cover is gorgeous. All of Ellen's covers are simple, but they completely fit the contents of the book perfectly.

Lovely Line:

Not a wink

Of sleep tonight.

I know that without

trying. Even if I wasn't

totally wired out of my tree,

thinking about Trey would 

keep my mental wheels

turning. Churning.

I managed to

choke down dinner,

a major accomplishment.

Meth usually makes me yak.

But not tonight. Tonight, all

I could think about was 

Trey. Trey. Trey.

After dinner I

played with Hunter,

watched TV with Mom,

Scott, and Jake, like nothing

was new, nothing different.

But everything's different.

And I'm scared.

(Page 278)

The Final Verdict:

I really recommend you read this if you're a fan of Ellen Hopkins. This book is just as great as her others, if not better.

This book deals with a lot of mature things, though, so I wouldn't read this book if you're one of the light-hearted, or aren't at least in high school.

FTC: I borrowed this book from my brother.