Updates

So I found out two things yesterday. Maybe three.
EDIT-this was really a rant when I was super angry. Although I still might quit for other (personal) reasons--hopefully I'll be around for another year or two! :D

1) Google is a fucking bitch and decided to shut down Google Reader

• No one told me about it so I am in a rush to understand everything
• I am absolutely clueless
• Google, again, is a bitch
• I may switch to Wordpress, but transferring everything...dear God

2) There's a good chance of me quitting (50%) after this. I shall give this maybe one more year. We'll see.(EDIT-I'll still try to be around. Worst case scenario--I take a 6-12 month hiatus. Except, posting n summer. Because then I have nothing to dooooooo.)

Btw. I HAVE 76 SCHEDULED POSTS. (And a to of Drafts for my debut author series in Sep) which means I'm starting to schedule in October. MUAHAHAHAHA

So yeah. Since Google decided to shut down Google Reader, please click the button to the right on my sidebar, under GFC. :) It should lead  you to my blog page on Bloglovin. Just click follow! 

Also, since I have yet to do my 1000 follower giveaway I'll postpone it until some number on Bloglovin or Feedburner (Email subscriptions also on sidebar) is reached. Probably 500 or something. Probably less actually.
ALSO.
THE MERP SQUADDERS AND I ARE STARTING BLOG TOURS. Sign up here 

Book Haul will be next week. I know, I keep postponing these. Hopefully the books I got will cheer me up. But more likely not.

Hope you have a better week than me! 

Just For fun: DNF'd Books

HELLO. I DRAGGED MY BEST FRIEND EILEEN HERE TO TALK ABOUT BOOKS WE DNF'D (Did not finish) AND WHY. Then reply to those. It should be interesting. And just because WE didn't like these books doesn't mean you wouldn't. And we don't mean to insult anyone so, just...*backs off*

Nikki's DNF'd

Zenn Scarlett by Christian Schoon
 This was just really slow for me at first and the weird names turned me off. Not to mention, it went hard-hard-hardcore sci-fi and did the whole Martian thing and weird alien names and creatures. I don't think I was quite prepared for this much sci-fi.
  Yeah, so I've never heard of this book before you said you DNFed it a few days ago.

 Eternal Starling by Angela Corbett

I really did enjoy this at first. I'd been pining over it for months! But the main character...she was just so...ugh.  It's been a looonnnggg time since I tried to read it, so I'm blurry on details, but there was this forest scene where she was just so stupid. I just snapped. She was ridiculous! If it wasn't for Evie though, I'm sure I would've loved Eternal Starling!
  Oh, look! Eileen hasn't heard of another YA book! Surprise, surprise.

Heaven by Alexandra Adornetto
 Beth was just so idiotically stubborn in the first 15 pages and it just got super cheesy. I also skipped to the ending and saw the dreaded HEA (Happy Ever After) I wasn't surprised, but I was definitely irritated. Unbelievably so. I'll probably give it another chance when I ahve the time since I liked the other 2 books well enough!
  Heh. Never read this one. BUT at least I've heard of it!

Chosen Ones by Tiffany Truitt

I was so excited for this! And it would've been amazing, I think, except for the insta love and the coincidences that led to the main romance. Immediately our two characters have a "connection" across a room when they connect eyes. Then he happens to stumble upon her with a piano and he just happens to be kind and not get her in trouble.

Ooh yay for me not buying it! EWW INSTA LOVE! GET. IT. AWAY.

Doomed by Tracy Deebs 
 I wasn't exactly the...biggest fan of her Tempest series, but I took the chance since Doomed just sounded amazing! But...within (I think) The first 2 chapters, we have a seemingly unattractive, tom-boyish main character which, you know, is fine. And then we suddenly have two brothers, one dark haired and moody (and rude.) and one (I think) blonde and bouncy and completely chivalrous. And they were both pretty into our main character even though they had gaggles of girls after them. Mhmm. DUDE RIGHT? 
Seriously the fights between the brothers were SO forced and it was ridiculous and seriously I ranted SO HARD about this one on my Kindle. There are still the notes somewhere *digs them out* Merp. Apparently my brother has the iPad so I can't get to my Kindle app (where I read this when my first Kindle was...injured...let's say), JUST TRUST ME WHEN I SAY IT'S BAD. It's not even about the game that much rather than the real life aftermath. *sigh*


Eileen's DNF'd

Blood Red Road by Moira Young

I actually was really intrigued by this one. It sounded like a fantastic promise, but I only got 15 pages in before I realized that I just couldn't do it. We all know that I'm OCD (CDO, since the letters need to be in alphabetical order or else I will go insane), and when I saw the grammar mistakes and the spelling mistakes, I started twitching like nobody's business.

There weren't QUOTATION MARKS. I had no idea when someone was talking and when she was just thinking! In this case, it wasn't anything to do with the book, it was more of the fact that the direction Moira took the writing wasn't compatible with what I could handle.

OMG. I DNF'd this too for the same reason! Props to the author for writing like that for over 300 pages, but I just couldn't get used to it and it bothered me so much. ACK.

City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare
Oh dude, this book literally put me into a reading slump. I was reading this one, just not feeling it, and then put it down and all of the books I read after that for months made me want to puke all over myself. It was absolutely ridiculous, how City of Fallen Angels and City of Lost Souls were both just last-ditch efforts to milk her success as much as she could. Don't get me wrong, I loved The Infernal Devices, but that was a well thought-out series. This one just kind of ruined a trilogy that was fine on its own. 
I was badass and quit the book before this. ;) It just started going EVERYWHERE. But same, TID totally beats TMI for me!

Taken by Erin Bowman

Dear God, can I just take a moment to express how utterly boring this one was? There was no world-building, and the beginning left much to be desired. What I expected was to finally discover how the Heist worked, and what this world he lived in was like, but then he ditched it all to go running after some lighting. I'm disappointed in you, Gray. It just got more boring and boring that eventually I stopped reading it, and then I started another book. And another. And another. And then I officially shelved this as a DNF a month later.

ADIFHWLKSAFNLKWHES:LDCKN. *headdesk* IT WAS SO AMAZING AFTER. Definitely give this another try or I will cremate you. THE COVER IS GORGEOUS TOO

What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang
This one had so much promise. I heard such fantastic things, and I was doing some serious cover-lusting for that beautiful cover. And then, alas, I opened the book. The beginning was great, and I was thinking, "This is getting really interesting!" Halfway through, I started to get bored. Soon enough, I couldn't bring myself to finish, or even turn another page. What's Left of Me concentrates a lot on the character development between Addie and Eva, which was a serious issue for me because I need a strong plot to love the book. And if the plot isn't very intense, there has to be some romance. And if there isn't any romance, then that plot really better be good. And so on. Of course, I do care about character development, but it's not my main priority when reading a book. It's just the way I was built.
Yeah this one was sort of slow. Can't blame you for DNFing! I was so close, but I finished! Book 2 is definitely going to be really good though, since we've gotten most of the introducing out of the way! :D

Nantucket Blue by Leila Howland

Goodreads Blurb

For Cricket Thompson, a summer like this one will change everything. A summer spent on Nantucket with her best friend, Jules Clayton, and the indomitable Clayton family. A summer when she’ll make the almost unattainable Jay Logan hers. A summer to surpass all dreams.
Some of this turns out to be true. Some of it doesn’t. 
When Jules and her family suffer a devastating tragedy that forces the girls apart, Jules becomes a stranger whom Cricket wonders whether she ever really knew. And instead of lying on the beach working on her caramel-colored tan, Cricket is making beds and cleaning bathrooms to support herself in paradise for the summer.
But it’s the things Cricket hadn’t counted on--most of all, falling hard for someone who should be completely off-limits--that turn her dreams into an exhilarating, bittersweet reality.
A beautiful future is within her grasp, and Cricket must find the grace to embrace it. If she does, her life could be the perfect shade of Nantucket blue.

Nantucket Blue arrived right when I was aching for a fluff, so the timing was absolutely impeccable. And the best part about it? I loved the book.

Just to get it out of the way, my one problem was with our main character. While completely real with her own flaws and misconceptions, she was a bit annoying to me. She interfered with almost everything, even if she did have good intentions. Whether it was with her mom's love life or barging onto an island and her friend's vacay (when clearly she wasn't wanted) it annoyed me so much. And then she did such drastic things for a crush. Maybe it's because I never had a serious crush, but...I didn't like how desperate she seemed sometimes. And I also felt she apologized when the other person should've--maybe it's just me though! I did love her determination and her development as the story progressed though.

But oh, I did love all these other complex characters. Some of them had surprisingly deep layers that I loved and they were absolutely hilarious at times! They're easy to relate to characters who were so real--the whole story was. There were these people who twined with each others' lives and left just as quickly as they came, and I loved that because that's just how life is! And the resolution was another favorite of mine--they didn't all come together into one gigantic ending. It was pretty open-ended and I loved it. There were so many possibilities! But even if I am a fan of open-ended stories, I really wish we could've had an epilogue of some kind--just for a little closure?

The romance was so adorable--that's all I can say. Okay, maybe it has more to do with the absolutely adorable and cute love interest, but still. In these kinds of books, we always know that the main character falls for someone else...but I really don't want to say who. Just know that he's sweet and romantic and so hilarious sometimes.

The writing was definitely one of the strong points too! The setting was beautifully described, taking us right to Nantucket. Not only that, the relationships were, by far, one of my favorite parts. They were like the characters--flawed, sometimes broken, real, and layered. Whether it was familial, friendship, or romance, they were all amazing to read and just made everything so much better!

Filled with laughs and sighs, Nantucket Blue is one of those books absolutely perfect for the beach side! (The first inside pages even match the sand!) It's a wonderful debut that definitely makes you realize that you're in charge of you're own life and that you have to be the one to guide yourself.

Pages: 304
Genre: Contemporary/Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Release Date: May 7, 2013
Rating: 3.5-->4 stars

Waiting on Wednesday

Across a Star-Swept Sea by Diana Peterfreund

Centuries after wars nearly destroyed civilization, the two islands of New Pacifica stand alone, a terraformed paradise where even the Reduction—the devastating brain disorder that sparked the wars—is a distant memory. Yet on the isle of Galatea, an uprising against the ruling aristocrats has turned deadly. The revolutionaries’ weapon is a drug that damages their enemies’ brains, and the only hope is rescue by a mysterious spy known as the Wild Poppy.

On the neighboring island of Albion, no one suspects that the Wild Poppy is actually famously frivolous aristocrat Persis Blake. The teenager uses her shallow, socialite trappings to hide her true purpose: her gossipy flutternotes are encrypted plans, her pampered sea mink is genetically engineered for spying, and her well-publicized new romance with handsome Galatean medic Justen Helo… is her most dangerous mission ever.

Though Persis is falling for Justen, she can’t risk showing him her true self, especially once she learns he’s hiding far more than simply his disenchantment with his country’s revolution and his undeniable attraction to the silly socialite he’s pretending to love. His darkest secret could plunge both islands into a new dark age, and Persis realizes that when it comes to Justen Helo, she’s not only risking her heart, she’s risking the world she’s sworn to protect.

OMG. SO REMEMBER MY REVIEW OF FOR DARKNESS SHOWS THE STARS IN WHICH I SAID THAT THERE HAD BETTER BE A SEQUEL? Well, SQUEE. I can't believe it! A companion novel! It's not a SEQUEL, but it's good enough! Hopefully Elliot and company sail by one of the islands and we see their lovey-doveyness! Oh I love them...anyways, this sounds EPIC! I mean, it's like...wait. I don't remember the book. NO...EH. IT SOUNDS AMAZING and I can't wait to get my grubby little book hoarder hands on it!

Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger

Goodreads Blurb

Twelve-year-old Sophie Foster has a secret. She’s a Telepath—someone who hears the thoughts of everyone around her. It’s a talent she’s never known how to explain.
Everything changes the day she meets Fitz, a mysterious boy who appears out of nowhere and also reads minds. She discovers there’s a place she does belong, and that staying with her family will place her in grave danger. In the blink of an eye, Sophie is forced to leave behind everything and start a new life in a place that is vastly different from anything she has ever known.
Sophie has new rules to learn and new skills to master, and not everyone is thrilled that she has come “home.” There are secrets buried deep in Sophie’s memory—secrets about who she really is and why she was hidden among humans—that other people desperately want. Would even kill for.
In this page-turning debut, Shannon Messenger creates a riveting story where one girl must figure out why she is the key to her brand-new world, before the wrong person finds the answer first.

Oh my gosh. There are no words for how much I absolutely adore Keeper of the Lost Cities. It was an amazing debut and one of my favorite books by far--impressive, considering I rarely read Middle Grade in the first place! And honestly, if you crossed out Sophie's age, I could almost peg this as YA (except, of course, the cussing and stuff. So, umm, no worries there. I'm rambling. ON WITH THE REVIEW)

My friends can confirm that I was squealing so much while reading! There were plenty of hilarious parts (which I just had to read over and over and over, by the way) and I was beside myself with joy! From the blurb, Keeper of the Lost Cities, admittedly, sounded a bit typical, but OH, it was far from it! Talk about originality! I loved the world that Messenger created! It was well thought out, vivid, and detailed to the core! Not to mention the fascinating animals! (Seriously, guys. Can I have an imp?) I would've killed to see some artwork for this book! I especially loved Sophie's time at Foxfire because, while it did sometimes seem typical high school (or, umm, middle school? Migh School?), the classes and happenings were beyond fun. I loved discovering everything about Foxfire (Glowing fungus!) Academy and loved the classes and how Sophie handled them! 

I loved the plot! Somehow I managed to blow through all 500 pages of this in a day and still have free time on my hands. I really don't know how. What I do know is that the plot was definitely one of my favorite parts! While it's not action packed, we get to see Sophie adjust to the school, her new life, and deal with being the odd one out. Which, trust me guys, was even better than action-packed. It was just so fun seeing the world through her eyes! And we still had our action scenes that almost gave me a heart attack! Also, conspiracies, rebellions, social standings, and more. What more could a girl want in her plot?

Characters? Oh they were absolutely wonderful. They were well developed and they each had their own personalities! And I could definitely connect with Sophie. (Okay, so that may have something to do with us being near-same age.) I actually cried at a certain part in the book that was heartbreaking for Sophie and I pretty much squealed whenever she did. Whatever she did, I pretty much had the same reaction! And I just loved that as a reader! She was a strong character and I loved her for the sacrifices she was willing to make so that others weren't hurt. She was such a determined character who would really do anything she thought was right and would help people.

Our secondary and supporting characters were amazing as well! Grady, Edaline, Aldine, Dex, Keefe, Fitz, Biana, all of them! (Oh, and I fun learning their names too!) They were fun characters who supported Sophie and I loved all their personalities to the core. Especially Keefe, who's our resident bad boy! Fitz was a bit oblivious though, but it was endearing!

Relationships were a big part of the book, and the biggest one was definitely my favorite. Sophie and Grady and Edaline. I loved their familial bond and I loved how they were all there for each other. They had a sweet family relationship going and I loved them so much for caring about Sophie like their own daughter. 

Oh. And then, the crushes. I'm not really sure if Keefe had any crush on Sophie or anything, but I had to laugh at how oblivious Sophie was to a certain friend's crush and how Fitz was oblivious to her crush. I sort of wanted to push it, until I remembered this was an MG I was reading. Sorry! 

Keeper of the Lost Cities, I can safely say, was one of my favorite reads of the year! I can't wait for book 2 so I can fall even more in love with the characters and the world. Honestly? I have to recommend it for any fans of Harry Potter. So, umm, basically? All of you reading this right now should go grab a copy. Seriously.

Pages: 496

Genre: Fantasy/Middle Grade

Series: Keeper of the Lost Cities #1

Publisher: Aladdin

Release Date: Oct 2, 2012

Rating: 10/5 stars

Gameboard of the Gods by Richelle Mead

Goodreads Blurb

In a futuristic world nearly destroyed by religious extremists, Justin March lives in exile after failing in his job as an investigator of religious groups and supernatural claims. But Justin is given a second chance when Mae Koskinen comes to bring him back to the Republic of United North America (RUNA). Raised in an aristocratic caste, Mae is now a member of the military’s most elite and terrifying tier, a soldier with enhanced reflexes and skills.

When Justin and Mae are assigned to work together to solve a string of ritualistic murders, they soon realize that their discoveries have exposed them to terrible danger. As their investigation races forward, unknown enemies and powers greater than they can imagine are gathering in the shadows, ready to reclaim the world in which humans are merely game pieces on their board.

Gameboard of the Gods, the first installment of Richelle Mead’s Age of X series, will have all the elements that have made her YA Vampire Academy and Bloodlines series such megasuccesses: sexy, irresistible characters; romantic and mythological intrigue; and relentless action and suspense.

OKAY, so even if this is a YA (once in a while NA) review blog, how could I pass up Richelle Mead? So I decided to finally start my first adult read. And it was...a bit disappointing. I guess I finally realized jsut how big the difference between YA and Adult is!

Gameboard of the Gods was so slow for me. I was bored so many times and the twists were completely predictable. While there were plenty of developments and action scenes, my attention slowly withered away and, I admit, I may have started skimming a bit without realizing. (NO I DID NOT SKIM THE WHOLE BOOK. Maybe 25 pages.). From the first mention of ravens, I already guessed the big "surprise" at the end and that was sort of ridiculous, considering it was so obvious. Same goes for the mystery goddess too. They were (SEMI SPOILER) pretty much the most written about gods, excluding Greek. (SPOILER END)

Richelle Mead is always great with characterization and this time was no exception. They were all flawed characters who were still likeable, to a point, though it did take some time to get to know them. Though I do have to admit, Mae is a lot better than Justin  in my eyes. I think that's mainly since she was so kickbutt!

I liked the dystopian world in this story and it was captivating from the first description. Everything fit together and every question I had about the world was eventually explained. It was a creative concept that I enjoyed reading about and one that's definitely pure Richelle. It was such a complex world!

I didn't really enjoy the alternating POVs, though. It was random and often confused me. and I mean often. I'm not really a fan of alternate POVs, though, so that may make me a bit biased! Each section did advance the plot though and I did enjoy, at times, seeing the story from a different character's view.

Fans of Richelle Mead's work are sure to like this one (if they generally read adult, that is!). It brings a new idea to the table and a story that's pure genius. People who usually avoid dystopian should definitely try this one since I'm pretty sure it'll coax a great reaction out of readers! 

Pages: 464

Genre: Dystopian/Mythology

Series: Age of X #1

Publisher: Dutton Adult

Release Date: June 4, 2013

Rating: 3.5--->3 stars