3/28/14

20 Book Recommendations!


Fantasy:
1. The Treachery of Beautiful Things by Ruth Francis Long
2. Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr
3. Prophecy of the Sister by Michelle Zink
4. Nameless by Lili St. Crow
5. Mistwood by Leah Cypess

Fiction:
1. The Chaos of Stars by Kiersten White
2. Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen
3. Nightshade by Andrea Cremer
4. Oh. My. Gods. By Tera Lynn Childs
5. Remember Me by Christopher Pike

Contemporary:
1. Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma
2. The Promise of Amazing by Robin Constantine
3. Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally
4. The Book of Luke by Jenny O'Connell
5. Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

Dystopian:
1. Graceling by Kristin Cashore
2. Fire by Kristin Chashore
3. Wither by Lauren DeStefano
4. The Host by Stephenie Meyer
5. All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin





Happy reading! 
-Ivey

3/26/14

The Chaos of Stars by Kiersten White Review



    Have you ever wanted to know what it is like to have gods as parents? Now you can find out. Isadora is not your normal teen; her parents are Egyptian gods, Isis and Osiris. Isadora’s life is a good one until she realized that unlike her parents, she is not immortal, and her parents only had her so that they would have a worshiper. That is right; she has to pray to her parents, talk about messed up.  Isadora has had it. After years of carrying anger towards her parents, she finally decides that leaving Egypt will be for the best. Her mother reluctantly allows her to go to San Diego with her brother. Isadora begins to have fun for once in her life, and she realizes that she might be falling in love. However, dark dreams begin to invade Isadora’s mind and they seem to be getting worse. They are always the same, Isadora’s mother is taken by darkness and Isadora cannot do anything but watch. Isadora pushes the dreams away until she begins to feel like she is being watched even when no one is around. Something dark is coming for Isadora and her mother, will Isadora find out who is behind the darkness in time? 

    All I had to hear was Egyptian gods and I was fascinated. I was practically in love with this book before I even read it. There is something about making gods seem more human that captures my attention. This book did not disappoint me. From the beginning, this book evoked strong emotions from me and that is when I knew I would love this book. The main character, Isadora is headstrong, sensitive, and creative and I can relate to that. I could easily put myself in her shoes as if I was living her story. Ry, the hero of the book, is probably one of my favorite male characters. At first, he is shy and quiet, but as the story goes on, he begins to open up. By the end of the book, I was in love with him. Isadora and Ry’s interactions in the book just made the plot better.  The beginning of the book lacked a little action; however, that lack of action was made up for in the end. It was as if I was eased into the book and then thrown into the action. The plot had a way of keeping my attention. In every chapter, something had me wanting to read more. There was a plot twist a mile wide that I did not see coming and I loved it. I recommend this book to anyone who loves mythology or just anyone who wants to read a great book. I gave it five out of five stars!

3/22/14

Scorched by Mari Mancusi Review



    Trinity's biggest problems were paying the bills and trying to keep their little museum and house running, but those problems pale in comparison to the ones that arrive in the form of an egg, a dragon egg to be exact. All of the sudden Trinity is thrust into a world of dragons, sketchy dragon rights activists, and two twin brothers both fighting for opposite sides. Trinity is stuck not knowing who is right or wrong and when her dragon hatches, Trinity knows for sure that she would die for it. Will death be the price she has to pay in order to keep her dragon safe? Trinity begins to unravel the truth and when she finally realizes what the dragon rights activists have in store for her, she decides it is time to trust in her power and her dragon. Together Trinity, her dragon, and the twins fight for survival, and in the end, someone will burn.

     I picked up this book on a whim because of the amazing cover. I know, do not judge a book by its cover but come on, the cover is eye catching. By the way, that second picture of the dragon is what the hardback looks like without the dust jacket on. Amazing, right? Anyway, I am glad I picked it up. The story is so unique and creative that you cannot help but be captivated by it. I mean, have you ever heard of a borderline dystopian/futuristic book, that still takes place in the normal world? Well, now you have. I loved the plot and the characters in this book also. Trinity is a character I want to be. She is brave, courageous, selfless, and sometimes stubborn. Connor and Caleb are only two of the many complex characters in this book. Connor has a dark side that only his brother, Caleb, knows about, and Caleb is kind but too trusting which can be his downfall. Together they find a balance, but when they were torn apart by their father’s death, they were never the same. Now they fight against each other, and that simple fact fascinated me throughout the whole story. The writing is so captivating that I read this book in one sitting. I just had to know what happened next and every chapter had me turning each page in anticipation. Before I knew it, I was finished and ready for the next book in the series as soon as I could get it. The action, adventure and sheer creativity of this book kept me up until I finished it and I believe that this is a book that everyone will love. I highly recommend it! I gave it five out of five stars.

3/21/14

The Gift of Charms (The Land of Dragor #1) by Julia Suzuki Review



    In the Land of Dragor, where dragons hide from humans, a new era is about to arise. Yoshiko was born from a multi-colored egg. There has only been one dragon whose egg was not the normal lilac color, Surion. Some say that because of his odd egg he was cursed because he brought war upon the dragons, this causes Yoshiko’s parents to fear for their son so they keep his special egg a secret. As Yoshiko grows he begins to notice that he is different from all other dragons, he can change color. Soon Yoshiko seeks out help from an old dragon that is feared by all. However, that old dragon helps Yoshiko discover his destiny. Yoshiko never could have imagined that a young dragon like him would be destined to save the Land of Dragor.
    As soon as I heard this book was about dragons, I jumped at the chance to read it. I was so happy to receive the ARC (Advanced Readers Copy) of it. This book is a middle-grade book, but if I had not been told that, I would have never known. This book had me hooked from the beginning. I was so entranced by the writing that I forgot that this book was for younger readers, and I began to fall in love with it. This book follows Yoshiko on his journey through fire school, and it also deals with him being bullied there. One of the many things I love about this book is that it deals with problems kids have at school. Yoshiko was bullied a little, but he learned to ignore it and turn the other cheek. This is only one of the many lessons in the book and that is what makes it perfect for young people and adult.
    Along with the great lessons, you get to enjoy the enchanting world of Dragor. The world building in this book blew me away because with every word I read it was as if I could see the Land of Dragor. I was thoroughly enchanted with Julia’s writing. She made me feel like I was in the story, experiencing everything and that is what I love about this book. The feeling I get when I read this book is free and magical. The plot is so creative and unique that you cannot help but feel gripped by it. The characters in this book are all so relate-able even though they are ten and eleven years old, most of them. I related to Yoshiko because he felt so useless and scared, but then he realized that he is special in his own way and cannot let others tell him any different.  The real beauty of this book is that it is not only about one little dragon who does extraordinary things, but also about a little dragon who had the courage to prove wrong those who told him that he was just a curse.
    I highly recommend this book to anyone really, but if you are looking for a world of dragons, mystery, and beautiful writing then The Gift of Charms is the book for you. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series! I give it five out of five stars!

You can follow the author of this book, Julia Suzuki, on twitter @JULIASUZUKI_UK  ! For more information about the book and author, you can visit these sites:

PERSONAL WEBSITE and BLOG:



BOOK SERIES INTERACTIVE WEBSITE:


 (Here you can visit Guya's secret cave and chose a magical charm)

YOU MAY NOW PRE-ORDER THE PAPERBACK RELEASE OF ‘THE GIFT OF CHARMS’ AT AMAZONhttp://tinyurl.com/o95ufw9

3/19/14

The Treachery of Beautiful Things by Ruth Long Review



    The Treachery of Beautiful Things is a story that will leave you enchanted. Jenny and her brother Tom have always been close, almost inseparable. That all changed one night when they ventured into the woods and Tom was swallowed by a tree. That was seven years ago; seven years of worry, therapist visits, and closed off parents. However, Jenny has had  enough of it. She is determined to find her brother and bring him home, no matter what the cost is. Jenny, and Jack, a forest guardian, set out to help find her brother, but the king and queen of Faerie have a different idea. Soon Jenny finds out that finding her brother could be more dangerous than she ever could have imagined, and Jenny may be the one to pay the price to get him.

    The Treachery of Beautiful Things is one of the most beautifully written books I have ever read. The scenery seems to come alive on the page, and it felt like I was in the realm of Faerie with Jenny. The writing was so poetic and hypnotizing that I could not put the book down. I strongly admire the main character, Jenny, in this book because she is a force to be reckoned with. She is fierce like a warrior, but has a heart of gold. The love story in this book is so sweet and almost unattainable, but that just makes the ending of this book all the more special. There is a sweetness to this story that warms your heart and a fierceness that will have you cheering for Jenny to find her brother, I know I was. The beautiful writing and story of this book will have me coming back for more; I only wish that the book had not ended so soon. I recommend this book to anyone who loves a fierce main character with an extremely soft side, and to anyone who loves a story about finding love. This book is so much more than I thought it would be. I give it five out of five stars.

3/18/14

Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen Review


    

    Will Scarlet is a thief who steals from the rich and gives to the poor. She and Robin protect the people of Nottingham from the sheriff that preys on the weak. Most know Will Scarlet as just a scrawny boy, but Robin and his men know Scarlet’s secret, that she is posing as a boy who likes sharp knives. Scarlet is hiding for reasons that Robin does not know, but when her past rears its ugly head Scarlet is forced to choose, leave Robin or face her past head on. Robin, his band of men, and Scarlet realize that Lord Gisbourne, a hired thief tracker, hunts them. They are soon caught, and Scarlet is forced to make a decision that might very well kill her.
 
    Let me tell you that it takes a lot for me to love a book at first sentence, but this book had me hooked. I could have read this book in one sitting but sadly, sleep called to me. I was so engrossed in this book because of the action packed scenes, creative storyline, and it had its romantic moments, which is always a plus for me. I have never read a book about Robin Hood or anything like that, but this book makes me want to read more. Scarlet’s story is just so unique and surprising. Her past is shrouded in mystery and it is not until the end of the book that everything becomes clear. Usually I can tell where a story line is headed, but I never could have guessed what mysteries lie in Scarlet’s past. I also loved that there was a hint of a love triangle in the story. It was not has noticeable as most love triangles, but you could tell there was chemistry there. I love that this book is not focused solely on Scarlet’s relationships, but her goal to help the people of Nottingham. I loved this book, and I am now completely obsessed with it. I cannot wait to see what Scarlet and Robin’s journey takes them next! I gave Scarlet five out of five stars, and I highly recommend it!

3/17/14

10 Ways to Annoy A Book Lover

1. Marking in a book.
-underlining, highlighting, or marking the top or bottom of the book in marker. The later only really applies at bookstores, but these are the first ways to annoy a book lover. I think I can speak for every book lover out there when I say we HATE having our books marked in. Marking in a book is horrifying to us.

2. Damaging a book.
-cutting the pages, cutting up the book to make "art", dog-earing the pages, folding pages in half, the cover being ripped, or the cover being warped. Every time I see a picture of one of these things I cringe. Books are meant to be preserved and when I see that they are cut up or ripped I could faint. To a book lover, books are our life so when we see one damaged in any way it's like we can feel the damage. Book stores are really bad about putting out books with dust jackets damages or ripped and the pages mashed up, and they don't know how much it hurts to see a damaged book, especially a book we love that is damaged.

3. Asking to borrow our books.
-yes, I know that books are meant to be shared but no one said that I had to share mine! Imagine this, I ask you for your favorite dress, and when I bring it back to you, the dress is dirty and ripped. Now, you would be very angry, yeah? That's how book lovers feel about books. Those book are our babies and we don't want them out of out site. I once lent my favorite book out to a fairly good friend of mine and a week later I got it back with water stains on it. WATER STAINS. She said that she accidentally split water on it. I demanded she buy me a new book, but still I almost cried when I saw the damage. That is why I never lend my books to anyone because I don't want them to get damaged. So don't even ask a book lover to borrow one of their books.

4. Talking bad about books.
-This is an easy way to get killed by a book lover. Let me tell you a story, once upon a time there was this book lover, and this book lover had a friend. This friend didn't know how protective of books her book lover friend was so she didn't censor her words when she said the books her book lover friend reads were weird. This book lover lit into her friend, and ever since then her friend has been scared to talk bad about books. True story. Let this be a lesson to all who want to be brave and offend a book, don't. Because you will likely leave with scars.

5. Claiming a character as yours.
-Now this is a problem in fandoms. I have claimed a lot of fictional characters as mine and so have a lot of other girls. This can result in a big fight. Let me tell you when fangirls fight, there will be blood. But that doesn't annoy me as much as brand new book lovers claiming a fictional boy as theirs. I have to step in and say,"Look, honey. I was here first so you are just going to have to back off before I get angry." My friends and I have a way to solve this problems. If I read a book first then I get dibs on the fictional character of my choice, and if they read it first then they get to claim him. I like this solution because I read fast and they can't catch up. Power to the speed readers!

6. Having to choose between a hardback book when there is a paperback that is cheaper, but your series is all hardbacks.
-I swear to God, I have more mixed series books than anyone alive. I'm the kind of book lover that loves to get books as cheap as I can so if I had a choice between hardback books and paperback then I will always choose a paperback, unless by some miracles the hardback is cheaper. That being said, when this happens I temporarily forget that the rest of the series that I own is in hardback and in paperback in a series of hardbacks just looks wrong. So I suggest that bookstores make hardback books as cheap as paperback books so they don't have a ton of annoyed/broke fangirls having to choose paperback books when we can't afford hardback books!

7. Ink stains on a book.
-FREAKING INK STAINS. I have gotten so many books where ink has gotten in the pages and left little black dots thought the book, and it annoys the heck out of me because it looks terrible! One book I read even had an ink stain so large that it covered up words and I couldn't make them out! Do you know how infuriating that is? And I always seem to get the books with the ink stains in them. It's like the world is punishing me for something.

8. CHANGING A COVER DESIGN IN THE MIDDLE OF A SERIES.

-There is a reason that it is in all caps. I can't tell you how many times a publishing house has decided to change the cover of a series I love right in the middle! As a book lover I want all my covers to match and be pretty, but apparently the publishers have other ideas. I swear it is like the publishers don't even care that we NEED our books covers to match. It's not even a want, it's a need. AND when these cover designs take place they don't redesign the book/books from the beginning of the series! Now THAT is a way to piss me off. It's like if you are going to change the covers DO IT FOR THE WHOLE SERIES.

9. Changing the height of books.
-This is just as bad as changing the covers mid-series. I must have my books matching in every aspect, and when that doesn't happen I go a little crazy. Books are meant to be put on bookshelves and admired, BUT WHEN THE HEIGHT CHANGES MID-SERIES THEY CANT BE ADMIRED, JUST STARED AT IN CONFUSION.

10. Talking when we are reading.
-This is a big no-no. When I am reading, I am in the zone. I am in that world and I am so into that story that I don't want to know what is happening in the real worlds. So when someone interrupts me, it's like someone pouring cold water on me. I am shocked back to the real world when I don't want to me. When I am reading, there is this invisible shield around me that should prevent you from talking to me, but some brave soul always comes along and ignores it. If I have a book in my hand, don't talk to me. When I am ready to leave that fictional world I will talk to you, but not a moment before.

Those are just ten ways to annoy a book lover, there are more I assure you, but these are the ones that irk me the most. Are these at the top of your list?

Enjoy your books, my friends XOXO
-Ivey