Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday #59

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

SHADES OF EARTH BY BETH REVIS

Goodreads Description: (SPOILERY)

Amy and Elder have finally left the oppressive walls of the spaceship Godspeed behind. They're ready to start life afresh--to build a home--on Centauri-Earth, the planet that Amy has traveled 25 trillion miles across the universe to experience.

But this new Earth isn't the paradise Amy had been hoping for. There are giant pterodactyl-like birds, purple flowers with mind-numbing toxins, and mysterious, unexplained ruins that hold more secrets than their stone walls first let on. The biggest secret of all? Godspeed's former passengers aren't alone on this planet. And if they're going to stay, they'll have to fight.

Amy and Elder must race to discover who--or what--else is out there if they are to have any hope of saving their struggling colony and building a future together. They will have to look inward to the very core of what makes them human on this, their most harrowing journey yet. Because if the colony collapses? Then everything they have sacrificed--friends, family, life on Earth--will have been for nothing.

FUELED BY LIES.
RULED BY CHAOS.
ALMOST HOME.


Hardcover, 369 pages
Expected publication: January 15th 2013 by Razorbill
Pre-Order here.

What? What do you mean I still haven't had Shades of Earth as a WoW? Oh my. I think about this book every day. Of course I need to share that I'm waiting on it :) I am DYING to read Shades of Earth. It is the sequel to Across the Universe and A Million Suns. I need to know what happens next. I need this book. I cannot wait to read it. It will be perfect. Sigh. I'm not that happy with the new covers. Or happy about it at all. But I will live. I think :D Just wish it had the old covers.. sigh. Anyway. I will still love the book; because it is the words that matter :D Sigh. I want this book. <3 Also, Beth is adorable :)
What are you waiting for?

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Review: Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

I have waited for Scarlet ever since January, when I first read Cinder. Ever since the ARCs got out months ago I have wanted one. More than anything. Never thought I would actually get one, since I live in Norway. But then yesterday I did. From Macmillan Kids. And it was the best surprise ever. I will always treasure this first official ARC that I have gotten. And it is also the best one. Because Scarlet is amazing. Just as good as Cinder. The writing is perfect. The characters most amazing. The story so incredible. Everything is so extremely good.

Scarlet starts where Cinder ends. Kind of. Because Scarlet isn't just about Cinder, like the first book was. This is also about a new girl, named Scarlet. Most of the book is from her point of view. Before I got the book I wasn't sure if I would like anyone as the main point of view that wasn't Cinder. But then I started reading. And I couldn't have been more wrong. She is amazing. So perfect. So happy she was a new character in this series. :)

While most of the book is from Scarlet's point of view, it is also from Cinder's pov. And Kai's. And Thorne's. And Queen Levana's. Every point of view was amazing. I just wanted more from them all. But anyway. I won't say too much about the plot in this book. Just a few things. First, in the beginning, Cinder escapes from prison. Which isn't really a surprise ;) But she doesn't escape alone. She gets this guy with her; Captain Thorne. I must admit that I would have been afraid of a love triangle. Since he's twenty and handsome. But Marissa promised me that she won't have any love triangles. Thank god. Most sequels these days seems to have that. I do not approve at all.

Thorne is an amazing character. And I can see why Marissa says he's one of her favorites. He's fun and kind of charming. So glad he wasn't a love interest. Cinder doesn't fall for him or anything like that. He doesn't try anything with her. Thank god. But I do like their sort of friendship. They are kind of adorable. And, yeah, I did like him. As a friend ;p Hope there will be more of him in the next books. While Cinder isn't in this book all the time, we do get to see her a lot. And I liked that very much. Still love Cinder a whole lot. Wanted more of her. We also get to know what happens to Iko. Sigh. Love.

Then there is Scarlet. We get to know her a lot. And I loved that. I adored Scarlet. She is an amazing character. And I love her just as much as I love Cinder. And I can't wait to read more about her as well. She has a close relationship with her Grandma, and I loved that. It was sweet. But also so painful, about her Grandma.. It was heartbreaking. But so good. And amazing. I loved the farm they lived at, the town they lived in. Even though the people were a bit stupid; and I didn't approve of them most of the time.

We also get to meet another new character. Wolf. I was a tiny bit confused at first. Had kind of expected the big, bad Wolf to be kind of an asshole. And more sure of himself. But Wolf is shy. And careful. And he seems a bit scared of everything. And it's beyond adorable. I loved this version of him. He's perfect. He's handsome and strong, and kind of dangerous. But he's also sweet and careful. And loving. He truly is perfect. So glad we got to know him a lot. Just wish there had been even more :D

There is some romance in this book. Between Scarlet and Wolf. And it is adorable. Even if some might call it insta-love. Unsure how that measure that. But I felt like the romance in this book was done just perfect, and at the perfect time. It was really sweet and I just wanted more. Scarlet and Wolf has the same issues as Cinder and Kai, though. With the secrecy. Wolf has secrets. Dark ones. Felt like Scarlet was overreacting a bit a few times, but she probably wasn't. Just me seeing only good in Wolf.

There is also Kai in this book. While we don't get him and Cinder together, I'm hoping for that in the next book. Pretty please, Marissa? <3 But we do get a few chapters from Kai. And I loved that. Wanted more from him as well. He's just adorable. Had read somewhere that someone said he was cruel in this book. That is so not true. Kai is the sweetest. He tries his best to be Emperor. And he does a fine job, to be honest. And I truly believe that he loves Cinder. He doesn't hate her. He's just amazing.

There is a lot of plot in this book. And I felt like it ended way too soon. Even though it's almost 500 pages. I wish it had been even longer. That much more had happened. But I guess that's what the next two books are for ;) A lot of things happen in Scarlet. Lots of awful things. All amazing things. There is a lot of murders. We get to see some crazy people. And it's all kinds of awesome. I do love awful, heartbreaking things. But there is also sweet moments. And those are perfect. Everything is amazing.

I'm not saying more about what happens in this book. Just that a lot of things do. And it was all I had wished for. But, yeah, it did end way too soon :D And it ends on a cliffhanger. Kind of. It isn't too bad, I just need to know what happens next. Right way. Cress is too far away. Hopefully the time will pass fast. Scarlet is an amazing book. The fairy tale aspect of it is done so well. It is breathtaking at times. Most of the time. All the characters are very loveable and so interesting to read about. The little romance is great, wish it had been more, but it didn't need to be. It is perfect just the way it is.

Marissa Meyer is an amazing writer. She writes stunning words. She creates breathtaking worlds. She writes the best characters. And I cannot wait to read more from her. She is also one of the kindest people there is. She's always been kind to me, and I appreciate that so much. Also, you must follow her on twitter because she is adorable. Anyway. This ended up a bit long. Sorry for that. Although not really. Scarlet was so good. Everything I had hoped for and more. Now I'm just dying for the third book :)

Something you must read before reading Scarlet is The Queen's Army; a short story by Marissa. It is a must read. We get to know the wolves in Scarlet some more, how they are made and such. And it's important to know before reading this. At least, I'm very glad I read the short story first :) In Scarlet we get to know what happens next to Z, his brother and the rest of the pack. So so happy about that. I want more. I need more. Everything is just so good. And everything fits together so nice. Cress will be amazing. It will be so perfect, I think. I cannot wait to read it. Wish it was out right away :)

Thank you so much to Marissa Meyer for writing these amazing books. I adore you. And thank you so much to Ksenia at Macmillan Kids for sending me the ARC. Never thought I would actually get one. And it was the best thing that has happened this year. So happy for this ARC. It has been perfect. And I will love it always. Thank you. <3 While my ARC does not have the final gorgeous cover, it does have this really pretty red cover. And I love it so much. It's very special. You need to read Cinder, if you haven't yet. And you must read Scarlet the moment it comes out. It is more than worth the wait.

Goodreads - Pre-Order

Update: Newer and better review of the book can be found here.

Top Ten Tuesday #15

Top Ten Most Anticipated Books For 2013

1. Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare. Dying for this book. Way too much heartbreak, though.
2. Sever by Lauren DeStefano. Loved the first two books so much. I need the last one. So excited.
3. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer. So excited for this. Dying to read it. Will be so good. Cinder is amazing.
4. Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo. Shadow and Bone is perfect. The sequel will be even better.
5. The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa. Dying for this! The Immortal Rules was amazing. So will this be.
6. Shades of Earth by Beth Revis. I need this book. It will be epic. The first two are perfect. So good.
7. The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin. Dying. Book two ended so bad. But so perfect.
8. Dracomachia by Rachel Hartman. I loved Seraphina! Dying to read this sequel. Think it will be epic.
9. Rise by Anna Carey. I did love Eve and Once. But oh. It ended so bad. Cannot wait to read Rise.
10. The Essence by Kimberly Derting. I loved The Pledge so much. Super excited for it's sequel!


This is my first Top Ten Tuesday in many, many months. Just haven't felt up for it, for some of the topics. But this week. This week it was something that I really wanted to do. Top Ten books to read in 2013 :D And yeah. I have a long list. But I'm going to pick just 10. They are all sequels. Might do another Top Ten soon, with new releases :) But yeah. Sequels first :D So excited for them. But also, be aware that while they are in a list, I cannot choose between some of them, so they are kind of random :) Also, uhm, please forgive my bad editing skills. Suddenly wanted to make this cover picture (A) Update about Scarlet! I JUST GOT AN ARC OF IT! Ahh. Dying of excitement. <3 I am reading it right now, and it is so good :D Sigh. Cannot wait to finish it. <3 Thank you so much Macmillan Kids :) (Aka, Ksenia. <3)
What is on your list?

Top Ten Tuesdays is a weekly meme held by The Broke and the Bookish :)

Saturday, November 24, 2012

In My Mailbox #56

Hi! I might have gotten some things this week as well. Hih. I adore it all. <3 Sigh. Also. didn't really read this week either. Read Renegade last Sunday. And read a short-story last night; The Queen's Army. Still not wanting to read anything. Hopefully this weekend, or next week. We'll see :) Don't want to push it, or it might end up with me not wanting to read at all anymore. Anyway. I got two Disney Store packages this week :D More coming next week. <3 Can't wait! Also got some books and other things ;p
What did you get this week?


Twilight Complete Archive. Second copy. First one was damaged inside, so got a free one :) Gorgeous.
Shiver - Linger - Forever - Lament - Ballad. Had the first three books, but now I have all :D Such a pretty box set. It was cheap too. And I kind of adore Maggie's books. So needed these two :)
Divergent/Insurgent. Second copy. Heh. Got this one free, because damage to the first one. Perfect! <3
Soul Screamers Volume 2. Have Volume one ;p Have not yet read this series. But I will! Someday :)
Monsters Inc. Sigh. I love this movie. So I needed to get a few of these gorgeous books. So pretty.
On The Road. Another movie-tie-in :) Have not yet seen the movie, but I have it on my laptop :D
Harry Potter 1. Special edition :D Have number 4 too. Want them all ;p So pretty. Love the cards :)
The Treachery of Beautiful Things. So pretty. Unsure if I will like the book, but now I own it :D Hih.
Poison Princess. A lot of people seemed to love this book. I hope I will too. It does look amazing :)
Unspoken. Will NOT read this book until I have the sequel. But I will read it. Sigh. So beautiful.
A Million Suns. Gorgeous paperback! Still, first cover is my favorite. Short Shades of Earth teaser. <3
The Lost Prince. Well, yeah, second copy. It is gorgeous. And I did love this book. Teaser inside too. <3


Breaking Dawn towel. Heh. Not sure I will ever use this one. But it is so so pretty. <3 I love it.
Beautiful Creatures movie-tie-in. I loved this book. But HATE the movie-Ethan. So sad about it :\
Hih. I kind of adore Britney Spears. So I just needed this DVD/CD. It does look pretty awesome :)
The Casual Vacancy. I think it's called. JK Rowling's new book. Norwegian sample for it :)
Beautiful Creatures movie-tie-in. Smaller version :) These two books are gorgeous though. They are.
Wreck-It Ralph book. Second copy. But so so so gorgeous. Sigh. I want many more. These are perfect.
Breaking Dawn CD. Sigh. Well. You all should know about my love for Robert Pattinson :) Needed.
How To Train Your Dragon: Gift of a Nightfury :D Well. Maybe it's called that (A) Norwegian version, though ;p Bought the UK version a year ago. Sigh. I adored this gorgeous movie. Too much love.
Donald Duck's Christmas Tales. Ah. I love this blu-ray. So gorgeous. Cannot wait to watch it all :D
Puss in Boots. Well. I adored Puss in the Shrek movies :D Haven't watched this one yet ;) Soon, I hope.
Wreck-It Ralph CD. Sigh. I neeed this one. I NEED TO WATCH WRECK-IT RALPH! Stupid Norway.
My fourth Angry Birds ball. Was missing this one :D So pretty. I love these. Angry Birds is awesome ;)
Brave 3 disc. Brave 5 disc. These are PERFECT! So damn gorgeous. Gonna watch all the extra stuff very very soon I hope :D Sigh. Cannot wait to watch this perfect movie again. Been some time. <3
Timmy Time playground :D Ahhh. I love Timmy Time. Heh. He is just adorable. Also. Because I SUCK, I forgot to take a picture of my gorgeous Night-Night Timmy plush :( He is GORGEOUS. So cute.


First Disney Store package! Cinderella doll pack. <3 They are all gorgeous. Cannot wait to open them :)
Robert Pattinson calendar. This one is amazing. So many pretty pictures ;) Sigh. I love Rob so much.
The Dark Light. Well... I needed this book. I did. Hih. It just seems pretty awesome :) Hope I'll love it ;)
Castle in the Sky comic book. First Castle in the Sky book :D Getting the others as well ;) Gorgeous.
Tales from Earthsea. Since the first one went missing, had to get a new one. Gorgeous film, though :D
Princess Mononoke figure. I now own a lot of these figures :D Perfect. A little damaged. But pretty.
The Nightmare Before Christmas. Another Disney Store package :D They are all so perfect. Love them.
Edward Wedding Doll. My god. He is gorgeous! Have the first two regular E/B barbie dolls, they are both perfect. But yeah. This one is my favorite. He's just perfect. A bit damaged hair, though :\

In My Mailbox is an weekly meme made by The Story Siren

Friday, November 23, 2012

Mini Review: The Queen's Army by Marissa Meyer

The Queen's Army is a prequel to Scarlet by Marissa Meyer. This is her second short story from the Lunar Chronicles world. And it was amazing. Truly amazing. I have missed Marissa's writing so much. It really is stunning :) This short story is so good. It's written really well, and while it isn't so long, it's also perfect. I wish it had been longer. Like a whole book. I seem to fall for all of Marissa's characters. Which is pretty good, to be honest ;) While this is short, and I wanted more, it is also enough. It's an amazing teaser, and it has made me more excited for Scarlet.

This prequel is about Z. Ze’ev. We get to know him a bit when he's twelve, and then more when he's seventeen. I loved both ages. He's a perfect character. Thinking he would be a perfect love interest too, lol :) But yeah. He's an amazing person. He's kind. And vulnerable. He was chosen to be a part of the Queen's Army at the age of twelve. He was chosen because he's strong and smart. It isn't a good thing to be chosen, though. Awful things happen to those in the Queen's Army. Those in the 'special' army is a bit luckier, but not by much, not really.

I won't spoil it. But if you know what Scarlet is about, you know what Z might be. Become. It's kind of awful, what they do to him in the hospital. It's heartbreaking too. And painful. But it's also kind of perfect. I do seem to love stories like this one. The painful heartbreaking ones. But it's also so good, even if it almost made me cry. There is some characters in this story. Mostly we get to know about Z, and I loved that. But we also meets his pack. Hated the Alpha. Hated his brother as well. Which was sad. Because he could have been an amazing person. But yeah. It made a lot of sense. Also, sad.

It is nice getting to know someone who lives at Luna. Even though we don't see much about Luna. But Z lives there; he's one of them. We learn a tiny bit more about the mind control, which is pretty awesome, and I very much want to know more about it. We get to see some officers in this story. They all seemed pretty awful though. But it's more about the plot, and I loved that. I loved this short story a whole lot. Loved the voice of Z. Loved getting to know how he "grew up." I enjoyed getting to know him a whole lot. And yeah. I just want more. I always want more when it comes to Marissa's words :)

I'm kind of hoping that Z is Wolf in Scarlet. I know it might not be so, but I can hope, right? ;) But even if he isn't, I still want to know more about him. Get to know what happens to him next. Even though I'm dreading it. Because the Queen's Army isn't a nice place to be in. It really isn't. But I also loved reading about it. And gah. I cannot wait to read more from Marissa! She truly is amazing. And I adore her writing. And her story telling. Her worlds are the most amazing. The Queen's Army is an amazing short story. And you really need to read it. If you have read Cinder, that is ;) Which you should read right now if you haven't yet. It is perfect. And you need it in your life. Also, the art is amazing.


If you end up searching for Marissa Meyer on my blog a lot of posts will show up. Because I love Cinder so much, and I adore Marissa. She's amazing. Here is my book recommendation for Cinder. I cannot wait to read all her books; but mostly excited for Scarlet at the moment :D Cannot wait to read it! Want it right away. I have no patience when it comes to books I want to read. Did you know that the book trailer for Scarlet is out? It is! And it's amazing. You can watch it here :)

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday #58

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

THE RISING BY KELLEY ARMSTRONG

Goodreads Description:

Things are getting desperate for Maya and her friends. Hunted by the powerful St. Cloud Cabal and now the Nast Cabal as well, they’re quickly running out of places to hide. And with the whole world thinking they died in a helicopter crash, it’s not like they can just go to the authorities for help.

All they have is the name and number of someone who might be able to give them a few answers. Answers to why they’re so valuable, and why their supernatural powers are getting more and more out of control. Maya is unprepared for the truths that await her, but she’ll have to face them if she ever hopes to move on with her life. Because Maya can’t keep running forever.

With all the twists, thrills, and romance that have made Kelley Armstrong an international bestseller, plus the surprising return of some fan-favorite characters, The Rising will hold you under its spell long after the breathtaking end.


Hardcover, 416 pages
Expected publication: April 9th 2013 by HarperCollins
Pre-Order here.

I blogged about this cover reveal back in June. I adore the covers of this series. They are all so gorgeous and special. I LOVED the first two book; The Gathering and The Calling. Dying to read The Rising. I need to know how it will all end. I need to know if Maya and Rafe will be together. I must know. <3 I also need to know more about the really exciting story :) I need this book. <3 Not sure I will survive until April. Does anyone have an ARC they want to share with me? :D
What are you waiting for?

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Review: Renegade by J.A. Souders

I have wanted to read Renegade for many months now. Ever since I first saw that gorgeous cover. And truly, the cover is amazing. So pretty in person as well. I'm a sucker for gorgeous book covers ;) But not only the cover drew me to this book. I also liked the summary. Thought this book sounded so good. Then I got accepted for it on NetGalley a week ago, but felt that I wanted to wait for my hardcover to arrive. And yesterday it did. And I decided that I needed to read it right away. I'm glad that I did. Because Renegade is an amazing book :) Some things bothered me, but I did enjoy the book.

At first I didn't think I liked the writing. Because the main character, Evelyn, wasn't thinking right in the beginning. But she got better. And then I started to see that the writing was actually really good. And I'm glad for that, since I'm no good at reading books where I don't like the writing. But with Renegade I did like the writing. And I found the book to be pretty good. I couldn't stop reading it until I had finished it :) Which is good; cause I haven't read in a while. Renegade was perfect for that.

First I want to talk about the world Renegade is set in. I have no idea what time frame it is, if it's in the future, or in the past. It mentions a war, but yeah, there have been a lot of wars, and I'm pretty sure there will be many in the future too. But anyway. While the time frame confused me a bit, I didn't really mind it much. Renegade takes place under water for the most part. On Elysium. This underwater 'resort.' And I loved reading about it, truly. I do love everything underwater :) Wished we had seen more of it all. I really do love things like that. Even if it is creepy and kind of awful ;p

I enjoyed the plot in this book. I did. Really. Kind of liked how little the people who lived in Elysium knew about the 'Surface Dwellers.' How little they knew about anything, really. It was fascinating to read about. I also enjoyed reading about the Enforces; the police in this city. They are just little girls. But they are killing machines. Was a bit disturbing, but I liked it, still. Also enjoyed reading about Mother. The person who rules Elysium. She seems sweet at first. But she's evil. And cruel. And awful.

But Mother was an amazing character, to be honest. A good villain, I think. But she wasn't done entirely perfect, a few things about her annoyed me. But I'm willing to overlook that :) She is also the mother of our main character; Evelyn. At first I didn't like her much. Then I realized she wasn't to blame for it. A lot of bad things are happening to Evie. Her memory isn't right. She thinks everything is perfect. But it isn't. Nothing is. And it's all kind of perfect. Except for a few things, though :\

Evie is a great character. I did like her. But towards the end she changed a lot, and I didn't really see the point of it. I mean, it made some sense, and I did like reading about it, but it also just made her more unfeeling and I didn't like that all. She doesn't remember much. There is a huge reason for that. Won't spoil it ;) But it's amazing. One thing I disliked was that she actually had a boyfriend before Gavin. He's dead now, but still. She kissed him and such. I didn't like that. Also, she didn't seem to care much about him. Granted, she didn't remember him much at all. But still. Wish he hadn't been there.

I did enjoy reading about Gavin. He was a great character. And I did like getting to know him. But like my friend Sam mentioned, the romance wasn't that believable at times. But I did like it, still. The romance is good, just, it could have been even better :) But it's still sweet. And Gavin is amazing. One thing that annoyed me about Evie was that she got an arm injury in this book, but then in many action scenes it was like it wasn't there at all. That didn't make sense. Still. I did enjoy this book :)

The plot in this book is amazing. And I won't spoil it. Because a lot of things happen. And while a few things confused me, and didn't make sense to me, I still managed to enjoy this book a whole lot. I wasn't sure I would read it, because I peeked at the ending, but I have hope. And the ending is still sweet and good. But yeah. Kind of cruel. Anyway. Cannot wait for the next book; and I'm hoping it won't take half the book before something is sorted out :D Also, no love triangle, pretty please. I beg you.

Anyway. I'm not sure what else to say about this book. The writing is great. The characters are pretty amazing. We get to know a lot of people. Some I really liked. Some I really disliked. But the story is good. And I cannot wait to read more of it. Renegade was an amazing book. Romance, action, mysteries. It has it all. Excitement too. It is a great book. And I would recommend for you to read it :)

Saturday, November 17, 2012

In My Mailbox #55

Hi! I have not read a lot this week. Not at all, really. Just re-read The Scorpio Races which I finished on Monay. And I'm kind of guessing that's why I don't want to read anything. Because I re-read all my favorite books. Graceling. Fire. Bitterblue. The Scorpio Races. And I'm afraid. Because I'm pretty sure no book will ever be better. And that might be why I'm not reading at the moment. Oh, well. Hopefully I will see a book soon that I will just want to read right away :) Anyway. I did get some stuff this week :D And ahh. I love it all. <3 It looks so perfect :) And heh. More Rise of the Guardians :D So awesome.
What did you get this week?


Rise of the Guardians. Lots of perfect books. <3 My Pop-Up book is AMAZING! I love it so much :)
The Hobbit. These two books are gorgeous. Sigh. Loves them :) Also bought my Hobbit tickets. <3
Twilight: Mad Magazine. Heh. This cover is awful :D So I wanted it. lol :) It does seem fun.
Tangled Ever After. My second copy. Can't blame me, though; because it is PERFECT! So gorgeous.
Wario Ware: Smooth Moves. Bought this on sale, it does seem good, I hope :) I adore Wario. lol ;p
Harry Potter 4 Blu-ray collectors edition. Ohh. Favorite HP movie. Perfect collector edition :) Adore.


The Art of Hotel Transylvania. It is of course damaged. Damn it. But still. Gorgeous! So amazing.
Monsters Inc. I loved this movie so much. And I needed these new books. Hih. They are adorable :)
Nausicaä. I have Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle in Comic Books. Now I needed these :D
Harry Potter Lego Book. Bought this one on sale ;) I love it, though. Pretty lego figure inside :)
Deity. A lot of people love this series. Haven't started it yet. But at least I own all the books :D lol.
Coraline. My second copy, since first one was damaged. But this one is more damaged. Damn it.
Red. Have the deluxe album; but I need the regular one as well :D Taylor Swift is amazing.
Reached. Well. I only read book one. Didn't love it. But now I know how it all ends :D Hih ;)
Renegade. Think I will start this one tonight or tomorrow. So pretty. Hope I'll love it a lot :)
Middle Ground. I have not yet read book one. But I have it. And I'm happy with ending. Reading soon :)
Black City. Damn it. I HATE that I know what happens in the sequel. Does not want to read this anymore. I wanted to so much, before. Sigh. Plus side. Got this gorgeous bookmark inside :D
EOS. Ohh. Pretty package. <3 I adore these. Favorite one ever is Sweet Mint, but these are great :)
The Hand of the King Pin. So so so much love. It's gorgeous. Sigh. Love Game of Thrones so much :)
Teto from Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. Adore him! But also damaged :( Damn it. Sniffs.

I got one book via NetGalley this week. Greta and the Goblin King :D Hopefully reading it soon. Have also pre-ordered a paperback copy months ago :) It does seem pretty good ;p

In My Mailbox is an weekly meme made by The Story Siren

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Blogoversary Giveaway Winner

My blogoversary giveaway has ended! Thank you all so so much for entering :) It means a lot to me. There were a total of 1246 entries; and I think that's amazing :) My giveaway lasted for a month, and in this month I got 78 more GFC followers, 99 more Facebook likes, and 68 new twitter followers. <3 You are all amazing. And it means so much to me that you follow my blog, and read my entries :) Also, I know I haven't read much lately, but I just haven't felt like reading anything. Soon, though :)

Anyway. I have now picked a winner for my giveaway! The winner will get to choose one book of the twenty choices I put up in my blog post. They are all amazing. And even if you didn't win, you should still read all these books :) Also, I will be having a swag giveaway in December sometime. But now, the winner of this giveaway is ...


Congrats! Have just sent you an email. Please respond within 48 hours with your pick and address :)

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday #57

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

PAPER VALENTINE BY BRENNA YOVANOFF

Goodreads Description:

The city of Ludlow is gripped by the hottest July on record.  The asphalt is melting, the birds are dying, petty crime is on the rise, and someone in Hannah Wagnor’s peaceful suburban community is killing girls.

For Hannah, the summer is a complicated one.  Her best friend Lillian died six months ago, and Hannah just wants her life to go back to normal. But how can things be normal when Lillian’s ghost is haunting her bedroom, pushing her to investigate the mysterious string of murders?  Hannah’s just trying to understand why her friend self-destructed, and where she fits now that Lillian isn’t there to save her a place among the social elite. And she must stop thinking about Finny Boone, the big, enigmatic delinquent whose main hobbies seem to include petty larceny and surprising acts of kindness.

With the entire city in a panic, Hannah soon finds herself drawn into a world of ghost girls and horrifying secrets.  She realizes that only by confronting the Valentine Killer will she be able move on with her life—and it’s up to her to put together the pieces before he strikes again.


Hardcover, 368 pages
Expected publication: January 8th 2013 by Razorbill
Pre-Order here.

This will be my third book by Brenna. Have read The Replacement and The Space Between. Loved the first one the most :) But both books were amazing. And I'm pretty sure I will love Paper Valentine. The cover is gorgeous, like always, and I love the summary. It seems very interesting and mysterious exciting. I will love this book. I do love these murder books :) Cannot wait for this book. <3
What are you waiting for?

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Giveaway Reminder

Hi! I just wanted to remind you all of my international Blogoversary giveaway :) It ends in less than two days. It's open to everyone who can get a book from the book depository, and there will be one winner. The winner will get to choose from my list of twenty paperback books. And they are all amazing ;) It truly is an amazing giveaway. Just so you know. I, at least, love the prize :)

So go enter! And thank you. All of you. For following me, and for commenting on my posts, and just for visiting my blog :) You are all amazing. Thank you. <3 Only rule for the giveaway is to follow via GFC :)

Enter my giveaway here.

Monday, November 12, 2012

Book Recommendation: The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater


The Scorpio Races is a book about love. It is the perfect book about love. And I have so much love for this book. I might end up talking a lot about it. This is my fourth time reading The Scorpio Races. And I have loved it just as much each time, if not more. This is also my second book recommendation, because, well, my first one kind of really sucked. :) I'm recommending this book to you because it is perfect. And I want everyone to read it. The Scorpio Races is not a book to be missed.

I have never liked horses. Have never wanted one. So I wasn't sure I would like this book at all. But once I started reading it, it was impossible not to fall in love with them. Because they are not horses. They are the capaill uisce. Water horses. And they are perfect. They are monsters. They would rather eat you than play with you. They are creepy as hell. They are beautiful. I'm not sure I have ever loved a creature more than the capaill uisce. They truly are perfect. And they are written so well! Extremely good.

 The Scorpio Races is told from two different point of views. There is Kate "Puck" Connolly. And Sean Kendrick. I loved both point of views. Because they are both loveable characters. I might have preferred Sean the most, but that might be because I'm in love with him ;) But I did love Puck as well. They are both amazing. And that the book is from both's point of view is amazing. We needed to see what happened with them both. And it's written so well. And they are so amazing. It's just perfect.

I adored Puck. She's amazing. She lives with her two brothers; Finn and Gabe. They just lost their parents a year ago to the capaill uisce. They aren't doing well, because it isn't easy to get a job where they live; at Thisby. It truly is an amazing Island they live on. Not that many people live there, and it isn't that big, but it's beautiful and amazing. And I wished I lived there. Puck loves it there. She would never leave. And I adored that about her. She's loyal. And kind. And protective. And strong.

It isn't easy for them. Not at all. They don't have enough money, they don't get enough to eat. And I hated it. But I also loved it, because it was so real. Puck has her horse/pony; Dove. And I loved her. Cutest horse. lol :) I'm unsure about her brothers. I disliked Gabe so so much. He just wanted to leave. And I might get that, truly, but he was so cold towards them. He lied to them a lot. And he's just going to abandon them. And I hated it. But gah. He is kind. Kind of. Still, I disliked him a whole lot.

But Finn. I loved Finn. Puck's younger brother. He's adorable. Not a boy, but not yet a man. I loved his relationship to their cat; Puffin. It was adorable. Finn was adorable. Would have loved for him to be my brother. He is a bit weird at times, but that only made me love him more. He is the perfect younger brother. He loves Puck so much. And Gabe. Ugh. And he worries a lot. And I loved that about him so much. Sigh. I just adored Finn. And Puck. And they have the best relationship, really.

Then there is Sean Kendrick. He's nineteen, but seems so much older. But he's still just 19, and I adored him. I loved getting into his head. He's different. He's kind of gifted with the horses. And the capaill uisce. There isn't anyone who loves them more than Sean do. He has his own water horse; Corr. And omg. Corr is the most perfect capaill uisce ever. He's been with Sean for years. He's still a monster like the rest, and dangerous, but Sean loves him. And Corr loves Sean as well. And it's perfect.

But Sean is alone. His mother left for the mainland when he was smaller, and his father died in the Scorpio Races. Now he lives with Benjamin Malvern and his son, Mutt. Sean lives in their barn. But he's kind of happy about it. Maybe. He works for the Malvern farm. There is a lot of horses to take care of, and some capaill uisce. He rides in the Races for Malvern. Which he has won four times. I just hated that Benjamin got all the money from that. Sean deserved so much more. Sigh. A bit angry.

But anyway. Sean is an amazing character. He's so loving and protective and kind. He might not talk a lot, but he listens. And he says everything that matters. I hated that he lived where he lived. It wasn't fair. But he did love working with the horses, and with Corr. That's the thing. Malvern owned Corr, and refused to sell him to Sean. And gah. It made me so angry at times. But it also made a tiny bit sense. Maybe. Either way. I loved reading about it all. Even if it did annoy me sometimes.

Then there was Mutt. And my god. He was so awful. He hated Sean. Truly hated him. But, well, he was mostly jealous I think. But goddamn it. I hated him so much. He was so cruel towards Sean. He did so many awful things to him. The last thing he did in the book was the worst. And ahh. I hated it so much. But it was also so perfect. I was happy that he was in this book. Maybe. I also disliked all the people hanging out with him. There were a lot of assholes in this book. But many good people too.

Like George Holly. A thirty-something horse buyer. He was pretty amazing. I liked him a lot. He seemed to love Sean. He was very kind to him. And to Puck and Finn. And yeah. I just adore him :) Also kind of liked the three sisters. They were pretty awesome too, I think ;p A bit scary and weird, though. That is most of the characters. Those that matters, anyway ;p But there were a lot of people in this book. Many amazing. Many not so amazing. But they were all interesting to read about :)

The plot in The Scorpio Races is amazing. This book is about the Scorpio Races. Which happens every November. It's a race between the capaill uisce. The man capture them from the ocean, and try to train them to race. Some it works with, others it don't. Many of the capaill uisce just wants to go back to the ocean. Or fight. Or kill and eat. But not Corr. Corr is amazing. I wish he was mine. He and Sean. There is so much love between them. They truly love each other. And it was so beautiful.

There is some romance in this book. It's not very much, but it's there and it's perfect. It's sweet. And Sean and Puck belong together. They are so good together. And the love is just beautiful. Although I kind of liked the love between Sean and Corr the most. Maybe. I'm not sure. It was just so amazing and so powerful and never-ending. Anyway. The story in this book is amazing. It's mostly about The Scorpio Races, and I liked that. It's about Puck and Sean racing in the races. For different reasons.

Puck needs to race in the Races because otherwise they will lose their house. Okay, she needs to win all the money to not lose the house. She's racing because her brother, Gabe, is leaving for the mainland. And she wants him to stay longer. And he can't even bother to be there. Grrr. Still. And Sean is racing because he does so every year. But it is different this year. If he wins, he gets to buy Corr. And that is all Sean has ever wanted. It's all he wants. But then he and Puck start training together.

I loved when they trained together. Sean on Corr. Puck on Dove. And omg. Favorite part was when Sean and Puck was riding Corr together. It was a perfect moment. Truly perfect. And it's so amazing and beautiful. There is so much happening in this book. Everything exciting and amazing. There is a lot of evil people in this book. But because there is Sean and Puck I didn't mind. Because they are amazing. And I just adored them so much. And Corr. He was so perfect. Sigh. I adore him way too much.

One of the things I loved the most in this book were the capaill uisce. They are amazing creatures. I also kind of liked the normal horses as well. But the capaill uisce are magic. They do something with your heart. At least with mine. I wanted them. I wanted them all. And I just could not help loving them, even though they killed a lot. But they were beautiful and deadly. And so amazing to read about. I just wanted more and more. I never wanted The Scorpio Races to end. I wanted it to go on forever.

I don't know how to describe my feelings for this book. I truly don't. But I will try my best. I'm just so conflicted. Because I loved this book more than anything. It's my favorite stand-alone book. Can't choose between this and Graceling. I can't. But I adore both. The Scorpio Races is amazing. It is a beautiful book. Full of love. Full of loss. Of grief. But also hope and romance. And some happiness. But also a lot of sadness. The ending made me cry. But it was also so damn perfect. Could not have been better.

Think I have said it all now :) I want a sequel. But not because there need to be one. The ending of The Scorpio Races is perfect. But it is also heartbreaking. But so good. There does not need to be another book. But I want one. More than anything. I want more Sean. And more Puck. And more Corr. I want more of anything. Hoping I might have been able to convince you to read this book :) Because you truly must read it. The Scorpio Races is a perfect book. Everyone needs to read it. Go buy it!


My first and very bad review of The Scorpio Races. My first sucky book recommendation of The Scorpio Races. Where to buy it. Also. Below all of this I'm sharing a few teasers that I adore. :)

I also have a blogoversary giveaway going at the moment. Where you can win a UK paperback copy of The Scorpio Races. Trust me, you want it. You can enter that one here. :) Also, it ends very, very soon.


Update: Newer and better review of the book can be found here.

Saturday, November 10, 2012

In My Mailbox #54

I might have gotten some things this week. <3 Sigh. I adore it all :D But yeah. Still waiting for lots. Heh. I also just yesterday ordered from Disney Store! First and last time. There was just so many things I wanted and needed. But goddamn it. It was so so so expensive. Truly. Waaay too much. But I'm happy with it, I think :D Cannot wait to get it all. <3 I didn't read much this week. But I did re-read the Graceling books. And that was so much love. <3 Probably because of those amazing books that I haven't wanted to read another book yet :) But I'll try to very soon, I think ;p Just need the will to do so.
What did you get this week?


The Art of Rise of the Guardians. I adore this one. I truly do. Cannot wait to see the movie!
Rise of the Guardians Calendar. Love. So pretty. Sigh. I want to watch the movie now, please.
Rise of the Guardians Movie-Tie-In.  Hih. Adore. It's awesome :D I want this movie. So excited :)
Wreck-It Ralph books :D Ahhh. So many Wreck-It Ralph books :D And I just want more and more and more. Cannot wait to watch this amazing movie. Want to watch it right away. Pretty please? <3


The Hobbit Annual 2013. This one is pretty amazing. Cannot wait to see the movie in a month. <3
The Infernal Devices Manga. I had two of this. But this is from a different publisher ;) Needed all.
Insurgent Collectors Edition. <3 Second copy. Heh. Adore this one so much. Gorgeous book.
Beautiful Creatures Box Set. I only owned them in paperback. Now I have these gorgeous books :D
Where's Wally? This tiny book is pretty awesome. I adore it a whole lot. Kind of pretty too, lol :)
Stormdancer + Tokyo Heist SIGNED bookmarks :D Won from Braiden. <3 Adore them. Awesome :D
The Cat Returns. Got a new one, since the first one was a bit ruined :( But I did adore this movie. <3
Lady Gaga CD. My first Lady Gaga CD. Bought it because it was on sale ;) Plus, she is pretty awesome.
The Evolution of Mara Dyer + The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer. <3 Signed. Gorgeous books. Perfect.


Wreck-It Ralph. Paint book + stickers :D Looks amazing. But also a bit damaged. Grrrr. Do not approve.
Rise of the Guardians. Few more of these amazing books <3 I adore them all. Waiting for some more :)
Entertainment Weekly. Two copies. Mostly because of the new gorgeous Breaking Dawn picture :)
Tangled. A short Tangled book. <3 Since I mostly own them all, I needed this one too ;) Gorgeous.
Days of Blood & Starlight. Well. I won't start this series for some time :\ Love triangle? Maybe. Grrr.
Insurgent Collectors Edition. Third copy. Heh. First one was damaged, so I got a new one :) Adore.
Cosmopolis Blu-ray. Adore adore adore. I did love this movie. And Rob is so good. Dreamy sigh ;p
Little Ashes Blu-ray. Have the DVD, but, well, I wanted this blu-ray :D Rob on blu-ray is always best.

UPDATE: Because I kind of suck, I ALWAYS forget to add the ebooks that I get in my inbox :\ Well, I don't count those free ones I buy via Amazon. Because I don't read those at all. Heh. But I have gotten accepted for a few books via NetGalley, so sharing those now :)


Renegade. Cannot wait to read this book! Getting my hardcover soon too, so unsure how to read it ;p
Moonset. Ahh! This book sounds amazing :D And I did enjoy Witch Eyes by Scott ;) Can't wait to read.
Gravity. I am excited to read this book. Adore the cover. And I love Melissa. Soon, I hope :)
Hysteria. Have already read this book, and I loved it a whole lot. <3 It was amazing :)
The Madness Underneath. I have peeked.. not reading this one :\ Maybe in many months. We'll see.


 And this gorgeous thing. LOVE IT! One inside each book. <3 Sigh. Adore adore adore.


In My Mailbox is an weekly meme made by The Story Siren

Also! Did you know that I have an awesome giveaway up? International too. Ending soon! Enter here:
http://carinabooks.blogspot.no/2012/10/one-year-blogoversary-giveaway.html   

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Book Recommendation: Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore


Just finished re-reading the three Graceling books. This was my second time reading Bitterblue. They are all amazing. Still think Graceling is the best. Then Fire. Then Bitterblue. While I didn't enjoy Bitterblue the same way I enjoyed the first two, I still loved it so much. The writing is perfect. The characters adorable and loveable. And the story is extremely good. Just a tiny bit boring and long in this third book. But it was also the book with the most horror. And I enjoyed that. Just, not enough action.

Bitterblue is an amazing book. I loved re-reading it. While it is very, very slow at times, it is also very enjoyable. I did love every part of the book. And I did feel like it was necessary for it to be slow at times. Because time needed to pass. Even when I didn't want it to. I don't like it when time passes. But that's the thing about these books; living where there is just horses. It takes ages to travel. And I sort of adored that. Kind of. When it didn't keep my favorite people apart :) I seem to dislike those parts ;p

This book is about Bitterblue. Leck's daughter. The little princess that Po and Katsa saved in Graceling. Back then she was just ten, but now she's eighteen. And the Queen of Monsea. Being Queen for a broken kingdom is not easy for Bitterblue. She doesn't know what to do about it all. At first she believes there is nothing wrong with the kingdom or the people. She's been missinformed. All she does all day long is paperwork. And she's getting pretty tired of it. So one night she sneaks out.

Which truly is the best thing she has done. She starts doing it often, mostly every night. She meets a few new people. Some amazing people. Like Saf. And Teddy and Tilda and Bren. They are all so amazing. And we get to know them so well. I adored Saf and Teddy. Saf is the love interest. Tilda and Bren is the sisters of Saf and Teddy. They are adorable as well. Thing is, Bitterblue lies to them all about who she is. That creates a whole lot of problems. But it needed to be done. And I enjoyed it ;p

There is so many characters in this book. Bitterblue. Who I adored. She may not be perfect, but she's so great, still. She's kind. And sweet. And broken. But also strong. I adored her. She's a great Queen. Then there is the people working for her; her advisors. Like Thiel and Runnemood. I disliked them a whole lot. Evil people. But I also felt so sorry for them, because I understood them, and they had been tortured so much by Leck. For 35 years. It was all so horrible to learn. But also so perfect.

Other people who work at the castle is Helda, who also worked for Katsa. She's so kind and sweet. She's also not stupid, which they do seem to think. lol :) I liked her a lot. Then there is Madlen; their healer. She was also really sweet. Liked her. There is also Death. The librarian. I liked him very much. He was awesome. Also adored his cat; Lovejoy ;) Then there was this girl named Fox. I never liked her. Ugh. There was also Hava; who I did like reading about :) She had an amazing Grace.

Then, of course, there was Po and Katsa. They will forever be my favorite characters. Well, okay, mostly Po :D But I love Katsa as well. Bitterblue loves them. And I adored that. They aren't that much in this book, and I was a bit upset about that. Especially because they were mostly apart :( In the past as well. But always a couple, thank god. They are the most perfect couple. And they love each other so much. Sigh. There need to be another book about them. And another about Bitterblue.

Po is amazing. He does have a big part in this book, kind of. They need his Grace a few times :) But oh. I mostly hurt for Po in Bitterblue. He isn't with Katsa much. And he's in pain so often. All the time. He gets sick, and it's not nice, because Katsa isn't there. Grrr. Do not approve. And he gets punched in the face. Twice. By Giddon and Skye. Sniffs. I might understand them for doing so, but why must they punch Po? He does not deserve more pain. It isn't fair, not really. Adore him so much.

We also got more of Giddon in this book. And I actually liked him. Which I didn't in the first one. Okay, I hated him for punching Po. But I liked him at other times. He was a great friend for Bitterblue. I wonder if he could be her love interest in the next book. If there ever is one. But I don't want him to be. I want Saf. But, okay, I might be fine with Giddon. But it isn't fair to just take away Saf after having given him to us. Not fair at all. Still. I did like Giddon. Really :) He was pretty nice. I also felt sorry for him o.O

Then there was Raffin and Bann. They were adorable together. I loved Raffin. He'll make a great King someday. Really wish to see that in a new book :) There is too many characters in this book to mention. So I won't talk about more of them ;p Hih. Felt like I have written about them for ages. But I needed to. Because they are adorable. All of them. And I need more. So much more. But now, now I must talk some plot. But not too much. It will also hurt me to think about it. Sniffs. So much heartbreak.

First I wish to talk about the romance. The romance in this book is sweet. It is too little. I wished there had been more. But it is also real. Bitterblue and Sapphire is amazing together. And I adore Saf. Okay, he might have been an asshole at times. But I didn't blame him. Just wished he had forgiven her sooner. And wish he hadn't left at the end. Which I shouldn't be telling you. But it's kind of awful. Bitterblue ends without having solved the romance issue. It is UNFAIR. And I need to know what happens.

I need to have Saf and Bitterblue together. They are perfect with each other. Even though it can probably never be, as he doesn't want to be a Prince/King, whatever he would become after marrying Bitterblue. Still. I adored him. He's a Graceling, with purple eyes. He seemed adorable. And he's Grace is perfect. So sweet. Won't say what it is, because I did like learning about it. Just, sigh. I wish the romance had been better. With a better ending. There must be a sequel to Bitterblue. There must be.

The plot in this book is pretty amazing. While it is boring at times, it is also amazing. I won't say much about it. Just that there is a lot of murders. And a lot of awful past. There is also this big mystery that I liked, and I liked figuring out the answers. We get to learn so much more about Leck. About what he did in the 35 years that he was King. I don't know how to feel. My heart is broken. Because he was awful. So awful. He did so many disgusting things and cruel things. But, he did them because he was crazy. He seemed to have a reason for doing things like that. Made it even worse, to be honest.

We get to read some of his own personal journals. Some things were awful. But I also felt that some things weren't awful enough. I'm weird like that. I'm also crazy for wanting to read all those thirty five journals. I want them. And that must make me crazy. But I'm curious. And I sort of like horror books. And I adore this world. Anyway. Leck was goddamn awful. Perfect villain, though. Even though he's dead, and have been dead for eight years. He still causes so much pain for everyone.

A lot of things does happen in this book. And I did enjoy reading about it all. I loved hearing more about the Dells, from Fire. It was amazing. But, yeah, the best pages of this book was the last 100 pages. Also the most heartbreaking ones. Sniffs. There is so much pain in this book. So much heartbreak. But there is also happy moments. Amazing moments. I adored what happened between Saf and Bitterblue on the bridge. Favorite moment in this book. But then the heartbreak when he left.

I hated that Saf left at the end of Bitterblue. I'm not sure how to feel about it. I need a sequel to this book. I need to know what happens with Bitterblue. Who she must marry. And I need to know that Saf will come back. I need them together. Biggest wish for future book. Pretty please, Kristin? <3 All I wish. Okay, now I kind of lied. Biggest biggest wish is a new book with just Po and Katsa. But that probably won't happen, so I'll wish for more Bitterblue and Saf ;) And more Po and Katsa. <3 I need it all.

There isn't more to say about this book, truly. I'm pretty sure I have said it all. lol :) Okay, not really. But you should know that Bitterblue is an amazing book. And you need to read it. After you have read Graceling and Fire :) Those first. I loved Bitterblue. It has romance, perfect characters, amazing writing, stunning plot. I adored reading more about this perfect world that Kristin has created. I need more of it. Anyway. I loved reading this book :) And I cannot wait for more. There must be more. <3


My first and very bad review of Graceling. My first and bad review of Fire. My slightly better review of Bitterblue. My first sucky book recommendation of Graceling. Also. It has teasers. Perfect teasers. You must see those. They are the best. Where to buy them all. My new, perfect, book rec of Graceling. 
My new, perfect, book rec of Fire. 
I also have a blogoversary giveaway going at the moment. Where you can win a paperback copy of Graceling. Trust me, you want it. You can enter that one here. :)

Update: Newer and better review of the book can be found here.

Waiting on Wednesday #56

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

SCARLET BY MARISSA MEYER

Goodreads Description:

Cinder returns in the second thrilling installment of the New York Times-bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She’s trying to break out of prison—even though if she succeeds, she’ll be the Commonwealth’s most wanted fugitive.

Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit’s grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn’t know about her grandmother and the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother’s whereabouts, she has no choice but to trust him, though he clearly has a few dark secrets of his own.

As Scarlet and Wolf work to unravel one mystery, they find another when they cross paths with Cinder. Together, they must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen who will do anything to make Prince Kai her husband, her king, her prisoner.


Hardcover, 464 pages
Expected publication: February 5th 2013 by Feiwel and Friends
Pre-Order here.

It isn't fair that I don't have this book yet. It really isn't fair. Cinder is one of the best books there is, it is just perfect. Perfect cover. Perfect writing. Perfect characters and story. I loved it so much. And I am dying to read it's sequel; Scarlet! I need it. I really do. I am so sure that it will be perfect. I need more of Cinder and Kai. But also so excited about learning of the new characters :) Sigh. I adore this world Marissa has created. I also adore Marissa. Plus, she has promised no love triangle in her books. <3 Also. Just so you know, I blogged about that gorgeous cover right here. <3 :)
What are you waiting for?

Monday, November 5, 2012

Book Recommendation: Fire by Kristin Cashore


I'm trying to come to terms with my feelings for these perfect books. It's hard. Because I love them all so much. And my heart feels close to bursting. I'm not even sure how to describe my love for them all. I love Graceling the most. Then Fire. Then Bitterblue. But I love them all so much, still. I'm unsure which world I love the most. The Middluns world from Graceling and Bitterblue, or life in the Dells from Fire. I might be leaning more towards Fire. Maybe. I'm so unsure. Everything is all just so much love.

It will never happen that I will grow tired of these books. Never. Fire is amazing. It's different from Graceling. It's set about thirty years before Graceling, and in an entirely different world called the Dells. It isn't far from the seven kingdoms, though. It's just over the mountains. Except that no one has ever been there. Except for Leck. And, omg, shudders. Leck is an awful human being. In Fire we learn a lot more about him; when he was a child of 11 years. We learn too much. And not enough. It's creepy.

The Dells is a much different place than the Middluns. There are no Gracelings. No people with different colored eyes. Instead there are monsters. Monsters in the shape of normal animals; horses, cats, raptors. But in different colors. Beautiful colors. They are all so interesting to read about, and I loved that about this world. It's so beautiful and interesting. So much to learn about. There is even a human monster. The only one left. She's called Fire. And Fire is amazing. And perfect. This is her book.

Fire truly is amazing. She's such a great character. She's kind and loving. She's strong, even though she's broken. And she's broken a lot in this book. Truly. It is very heartbreaking. But so amazing. Fire grew up with her monster Father. He was an awful person. So cruel. But he loved his child. He truly did. And he was never cruel towards her. And I kind of loved that. A bit sad that he was dead, but I also understood it so well. He caused a lot of pain. But still. I couldn't help liking him. He did seem awesome.

Fire lives very close to her best friend Archer, and his father. She and Archer are lovers. And while that did bother me a lot in this book, it isn't really that bad. Because while she loves him, she isn't in love with him. She just used to have sex with him. Also him being her best friends. And I do think he would have been an awesome friend; if he didn't have feelings for her. Archer is a complicated character. Liked him a little, disliked him a lot. He's possessive and jealous and a bit cruel. But kind at times.

Fire also have a horse; Small. I adored Small. He was a great comfort for Fire, and they were so sweet together :) There is a lot of characters in this book. Sometimes too many to remember. But those most important I could not forget. Like Brigan. Brigan was perfect. Love interest, but there wasn't much romance in this book. Not until the last part. But there was a lot of love before that, truly. It was subtle, but it was also perfect. Even though I did wish for a whole lot more. lol :)

Brigan is amazing. He's so kind and loving. Once he likes you, that is ;) And at first he hates Fire so much. I do not blame him though. He had reason to. But he comes around. And he's so perfect when he does. Sigh. Truly a perfect character. I also loved Hanna. She was adorable. And I loved Fire's guards. They were so kind. I also kind of loved the King, Brigan's brother, Nash. He was very.. pushy, to be honest. But I still liked him. He was loyal to his brother, and that was the most important thing.

There is too many characters in this book to mention. So I won't. But those are the ones I loved the most, I think :) Now to talk some plot. But not much. First there is Fire. She's a human monster. Meaning she's extremely beautiful. Her hair is wild and so red. She's gorgeous. It isn't really a good thing, though. It makes men crazy. Seriously. She's also a mind reader of some sort. She can control the minds of others. Like her father did. That was pretty amazing, though. Even if it was disturbing to her.

There is so much happening in this book. There is a war. And it's awful. But so interesting and perfect. There needed to be a war. And it was done really well. Another thing I liked about this world was the monsters. The raptors. Those were amazing to read about. And deadly. And amazing. I loved them. The plot in this book is too big. So I won't say more about it. Just that the story is amazing and I loved every moment of it. I loved the romance between Brigan and Fire. I wanted more. But it was perfect.

I loved reading this book. Both the first time and now. Felt like I understood it even better this time. Loved it even more. I'm unsure what else to say about this book. Other than the fact that I loved it to pieces. And that it's heartbreaking. A lot of death that I wished hadn't happened. But that also needed to be. I loved all the heartbreak. I loved the ending. Even though it should have been longer. I loved the writing, like usual, and I loved every page. Fire is a breathtaking novel. It's perfect. I recommend starting with Graceling. Then you must read Fire. You cannot not read it. It is too perfect to pass up on.


My first and very bad review of Graceling. My first and bad review of Fire. My slightly better review of Bitterblue. My first sucky book recommendation of Graceling. Also. It has teasers. Perfect teasers. You must see those. They are the best. My new, perfect, book rec of Graceling. Where to buy them all.
I also have a blogoversary giveaway going at the moment. Where you can win a paperback copy of Graceling. Trust me, you want it. You can enter that one here. :)

Update: Newer and better review of the book can be found here.

Gravity Blog Tour: Guest Post with Melissa West

Today I'm a part of the blog tour for Gravity by Melissa West! I haven't yet read this book, but I cannot wait to do so :) It seems amazing. And I just adore Melissa. She's amazing. Today she's sharing her inspiration for Gravity with us. And it's amazing, to be honest :) You must read it! I'm not having a giveaway for this tour, but, I am having a blogoversary giveaway where one of the choices is a paperback copy of Gravity :) You can enter that one here. Thank you, Melissa, for allowing me to take part in this blog tour. <3 (And to Heather, for doing the same :))


Topic: Inspiration behind GRAVITY
By: Melissa West  

When I sat down to write GRAVITY, I had one agenda—write a novel with a strong, female main character that young readers can look up to. I already knew the plot of the story would involve aliens that host to humans. I already knew that I wanted a lot of tension between my human main character and her assigned alien. But I did not yet have the strong main character that I needed.

So I set in to reading and re-reading YA books with strong female leads that people loved, despite their hard exterior—Katniss, Tris, Katsa. These characters made an impression on readers. They remembered them long after closing the book. I wanted that same level of respect for my main character, Ari.

But respect and toughness wasn’t enough.

I wanted her to have a strong moral compass and to cry when it was warranted. In other words, I wanted a tough female lead that didn’t act like a brooding guy. I feel it’s important that young girls know that it’s okay to be sensitive. You can be strong and caring at the same time, which is very much Ari. She’s smart. She’s tough. She’s fiercely loyal and protective of those she cares about—and even those she doesn’t know.

I hope readers enjoy Ari’s character. She was a blast to write! 


Gravity by Melissa West
Paperback, 304 pages
Expected publication: November 20th 2012
by Entangled Publishing, LLC

In the future, only one rule will matter:

Don’t. Ever. Peek.

Seventeen-year-old Ari Alexander just broke that rule and saw the last person she expected hovering above her bed — arrogant Jackson Locke, the most popular boy in her school. She expects instant execution or some kind of freak alien punishment, but instead, Jackson issues a challenge: help him, or everyone on Earth will die.

Ari knows she should report him, but everything about Jackson makes her question what she’s been taught about his kind. And against her instincts, she’s falling for him. But Ari isn’t just any girl, and Jackson wants more than her attention. She’s a military legacy who’s been trained by her father and exposed to war strategies and societal information no one can know — especially an alien spy, like Jackson. Giving Jackson the information he needs will betray her father and her country, but keeping silent will start a war.


Gravity. Melissa West. Pre-order Gravity here and here.