The Promise by C.E Wilson

Date Published: July 18, 2013


*Received from the author in exchange for honest review

Introduction
       Lily was once 6 feet tall. She has a good life despite her rough childhood. She has married a wonderful guy named Erik, and everything is perfect. Until one day she discovers that she is shrinking. I'ts only a little bit at first, then right before her eyes she's down to 4 feet. Now all she can do is try to continue to live her normal life, with the ever- present worry that the shrinking might not ever stop.

 Cover
       I don't like this cover, It's obvious that it's Lily, but I cannot stand entire faces on covers.

Lily
       I liked Lily. She knows how to stand on her own, and hates being treated like a child. I admire the fact that she stayed pretty strong even though she was rapidly shrinking all the time

Erik
       Erik was so sweet! Every time I read this book, Erik would say something so adorable to Lily. Some of these things were cheesy, but adorable at the same time.
       Just as I felt bad for Lily, I felt bad for Erik too. Throughout the entire book, Erik felt as if Lily was slipping through his fingers, and that he could do nothing to help her. It was just so sad...*sigh*

Conclusion
       This book is a fairly quick read, pretty light. I read it in a matter of days. Guys and girls could read this book and I think they could both enjoy it. I for one, really liked it

Top 10 Tuesday: Favorite Opening Lines/ Closing Lines

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the fabulous ladies at The Broke and the Bookish.


*Not in any order

Beginning Lines

#1 Shatter My by Tahereh Mafi
"I have been locked up for 264 days"

#2 Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi
"The world might be sunny -side up today"

#3 This is Not a Test by Courtney Summer
"Lily,
I woke up and the last piece of my heart disappeared"

#4 Revived by Cat Patrick
"I'm flattened and thrashing on the sun-warmed track next to the football field"

#5 Need by Carrie Jones
"Everybody has fears, right?
I'm into that"

Ending Lines

#1 The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

"Our lives were limitless and unknowable, not perfect, but ours. This was life in Gentry. This is just what we do"

       I am terribly sorry guys. This is all I can think of. Even just this took me about an hour. FORGIVE ME!

Matched by Ally Condie

Author: Allie Condie
Format: Paperback
Pages: 369
Date Published: November 30, 2010
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Book Website: Trilogy Website

Introduction
       You don't get to choose who you marry. The Society does that for you. When you are 17, you go to your matching ceremony and get matched with anybody. The matches are always perfect. When Cassia goes to her Matching Ceremony, her match turns out to be her best friend Xander, Cassia couldn't be happier. She is going to marry somebody that she has known for her entire life. It was Xander's face on the screen. It couldn't be anymore prefect. Then for a split second, another boy's face appears. The face of Ky Markham. Officials tell her not to worry. Just a mistake. Some kind of cruel joke. Now Cassia can't help but wonder, who was she meant to be with? Her best friend, or the boy that has a life full of secrets?

Cover
       So...Cassia is in her green dress that she wore to the match ceremony, in a bubble. I wonder what the bubble represents? maybe that she is trapped? What I do like about the cover: They didn't show her face, also, in the background, the green colour fades. It looks pretty cool.

Xander
       Xander wasn't really that interesting. Despite him and Cassia being matched together, he wasn't in the book a lot. The scenes he was in, he was boring. He didn't talk much, and you never really learn anything particularly interesting about him.

Ky
       Ky was more interesting than Xander. He had a story. He had secrets that he has never shared with anybody but Cassia. Learning is story was cool, I liked the way he told Cassia his story through pictures instead of words.

Love Triangle
       Alright, let me first just say that I do not mind love triangles, but they have to be done right.
 It was so blatantly obvious who Cassie was going to choose. Which is disappointing, since the whole question was who she was going to end up with.

Movie
       I litterally just found out about the movie that is being made. I think that Disney has the film rights. I can't seem to get any details on the cast, but apperantly the movie is already in production.
       I myself, am not interested in the movie. If I do end up seeing it  I'll watch it on TV, or rent it when it comes on DVD.

Conclusion
       I guess, If you want a light read, this might be a good choice. No huge action scenes, no fights or anything like that. It's basiclly Cassia going through life, while being faced with some pretty hard decisions.

Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

Author: Tahereh Mafi
Format: Paperback
Pages: 461
Date Published: February 5, 2013
Publisher: HarperCollins

Introduction
       
       Juliette finally feels somewhat safe at Omega Point. She is no longer seen as a weapon, no longer being forced to kill. Instead she is seen as another person with extraordinary power, another person who is going to help the world get a little better. Unfortunately, Juliette knows that being safe is never going to be permeate, for her, or anyone of her friends. Warner needs her in a way that Juliette just can't comprehend, and soon, The Reestablishment will find her. Unless Adam, Kenji, and her can figure out a plan before The Reestablishment finds them first.

Cover
     
       Yet another eye on a cover. Like Shatter me, this one is unique, with the snow covered tree branches as eyelashes. I think it is very beautiful.

Characters/Relationships
     
       Juliette is once again a stunning protagonist. I can will never be able to get enough of what goes on in her mind.
       In the Shatter Me I didn't really have an opinion of Kenji, since he came in near the end. But he is in Unravel me much more than the first book. He adds such great humor to the story and is always ready to lighten up an intense situation.
       Juliette and Adam, the relationship that they have now almost brought a tear to my eye...it was so full of emotion.

Team Warner or Adam
        
       It has come to my attention that Team Adam/Team Warner is a thing. I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, who to choose. I guess that I like Adam a little more. When Juliette and Adam are together, it's so sweet. Adam loves Juliette so much and is willing to do anything for her. On the other hand, Warner is becoming pretty interesting too. Behind the mean and terrible side of Warner, he loves Juliette too. Although, I think I will always want Adam and Juliette to be together a little more.

Conclusion
       
       While I was reading this book, I swear I forgot how to breathe. Then, when I remembered, it got caught in my throat and only managed to come out a sharp gasp. I promise you, this book will have you sqeeing from happiness. It will shatter your heart all over the floor and then slowly mend it back together, and I just could never get enough. I am so excited for the third and final installment. Even though I am fairly certain that this book doesn't even have a title yet. I really wish I could read Destroy Me, a book that is in Warner's POV but I can't because it is only available in e-book format. That, just so you know, is totally and completely destroying me.

Teaser Tuesday (1): Unravel Me

 Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB of Should be Reading.
Anyone can participate in Teaser Tuesdays. Just do the following:
• Grab your read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• Be careful not to include spoilers!
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teasers:

#1 "Sh** hitting the fan doesn't work around your schedule, Princess" 

#2 "I wish that he could see me being strong and confident, and now I wonder about when when I began caring about Kenji's opinion of me." 

From page 183 of Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

Rosebush by Michelle Jaffe

Author: Michelle Jaffe
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 326 Date Published: December 7 2010
Published by: RazorBill

Introduction
       Jane doesn't remember what happened the night of the party. Everybody Jane knows is trying to convince her that she was a victim in a hit and run. Since Jane is in the hospital unable to move all she can do is think. She knows that what everybody is telling her isn't true. Somebody tried to kill her. Unfortunately, she can barley recall the night of the party herself. So as her friends come to visit to help her remember what happened, she has to try to uncover the secrets that she has long since locked away.

Cover
       I like the roses on this cover, but while I was looking at this cover with somebody that I know, we noticed that you can see right up the girls nose. Not very attractive.

Characters/Relationships
       Jane was not a good character. Jane is the girl that is popular, and mostly, she gets everything she wants. That said, I could not relate to her at all. She is the type of girl who thinks that everybody has to like her, which in books, and reality, is quite annoying.
       I didn't like Langley or Kate either. They are both just uninteresting rich girls.
       Oh yeah, and then we have how Kate says things that aren't questions, like questions. here's an example of when she does this in the book (The bold writing will be Kate) *NOT A SPOILER*
       "What's wrong?"
       "N-Nothing, I'm just tired?"
       After a while it becomes rather annoying.
       As for David and Jane. I didn't like this relationship. I guess it doesn't really help if I don't like either of them to begin with. I found David mean and irrational most of the time. Also, it really bugged me that David calls Jane 'lover lips.' I'm not a big fan of nicknames like that. Or how about the fact that instead of saying goodbye, he says, 'Stay Soft.' First of all,  what does that even mean? Stay...nice? Stay...happy? I don't even know.

Writing
       This book goes back and forth between the present day and Jane's memory. The times that it switches back are random because she suddenly remembers things about the party that she forgot about. I found the random switching okay, but sometimes confusing.
 
Conclusion
       I tried to like this book, I really did. I was super excited when I started to read it. Then you get to know some of the characters, and the excitement kind of wears off. Completely. And doesn't come back. Ever.

Lullaby by Amanda Hocking

Author: Amanda Hocking
Format: Paperback
Pages: 290
Date Published: November 27, 2012
Publisher:  St. Martin Griffin

Introduction                                                                                                                                                       In the second installment of the Watersong series, Gemma has gone off to live with the sirens, under the condition that Alex and Harper are not harmed. While Penn, Lexi, and Thea are off frolicking on the beach, Gemma refuses to enjoy any part of it. She won’t swim or take any pleasure in her new life, but everybody can see it. Gemma is growing weaker, getting sicker. She knows that soon she will have to swim, and she will have to eat.                                                                                                                                                     Alex and Harper will stop at nothing to get Gemma back. They don't know what she is, where she went, or how she is doing. What they do know is Gemma left with Penn, Lexi, and Thea. Those girls are nothing but bad news. Harper knows that Gemma is a good girl, but hanging around with those girls, would never do anybody any good.

Cover

       I found this cover nice but I think that I like the cover for Wake better. The cover shows Gemma (?) holding feathers. Probably from the bird form that the sirens can take.

Characters/Relationships

       Gemma is a little better of a protagonist this time around. I mean, I still prefer Harper, but Gemma is a little bit more fun to read about, and I wasn't constantly feeling the urge to roll my eyes at her.

       I don't have much to say about Alex and Gemma but I still don't really care for their relationship.

       Harper and Daniel however, make some progress in their relationship. I really like the relationship that they have. I have liked it since the very beginning because it wasn't insta-love and it doesn't feel rushed. They still aren't really serious, but Harper is more open to liking Daniel now.

The Ending

       Lullaby's ending was really disappointing. When I finished reading the book all I was thinking was,

       Sooo...That's it?...That's all?...A whole 290 pages for this?

       Fortunately, the Watersong Series still has two more books, so maybe the endings to those will be more fulfilling.

I've Fixed Everybody's Problems!
       Alright, so everybody wants to kill the sirens right? Gemma basically decided that she would rather die than eat like a siren. So, I think that Gemma should run away the day before a full moon. That way, the sirens will have no time to find a replacement, and then they will all die. Problem solved. Of course Gemma would die too...eh I've always liked Harper better anyway

Conclusion

          I am happy to say that in my opinion, this book is better than the first. It still had faults, (The ending) but hey, no book is perfect.

 QUESTION TIME

        So,   I've been thinking about starting to participate in some Top Ten Tuesdays (A feature/weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish) or maybe a Teaser Tuesday once in a while. I've been thinking about this for a while but I didn't know if anybody would read them. So what do you guys think? should I try it out? 

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Author: James Dashner
Format: Paperback
Pages: 384
Date Published: October 6, 2009
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Author's Website: www.jamesdashner.com


Introduction
        Thomas can't remember anything other than his first name when he finds himself in the Glade. A big space surrounded by stone walls. Many other boys are in the Glade, and like him, they don't remember anything before arriving. All Thomas wants is some answers, unfortunately the other boys in the Glade don't have all the answers. All they know is that:

1. A new boy comes to the Glade every month.

2. Outside the Glade is a maze

3. The walls that lead inside the Maze open every morning and close every night

4. Nobody has ever survived the Maze overnight.

       Just a day after Thomas' arrival, something extraordinary happens. A girl comes to the Glade and she delivers a mysterious message. Then suddenly, nothing is as it seems, and everything is different. So different in fact that the all the boys are starting to lose hope that an exit inside the Maze exists.

Cover
      I really dislike this cover. I can't put my finger on why, but I can't bring myself to like it.

Characters/Relationship
      All of the characters in this book are boys except for one. I didn't mind that at all. Sadly, I couldn't bring myself to like the protagonist. Throughout the whole story he didn't really show a lot development. Overall he just wasn't very interesting.
       A character I did like in the book was Newt. He had a good personality and was fun to read about.
       Then of course, I have to mention Chuck. He is the first person that Thomas befriends and they stay friends throughout the entire book. He can get a little annoying at times but most of the time he is really sweet.
       No real love story in this book, though I suspect that something might happen between Thomas and Teresa in the next book.

Dislikes
       I just have one thing to mention that really bugged me about the book. The beginning is really slow. I mean for the longest time nothing really happens. I went through about 100 pages being bored with the book.

Conclusion
        I had really high hopes for this book. When you read the blurb on the back it seems quite interesting. Also after seeing all the hype that this book was getting, I decided that I better read it before the movie comes out. (Read on for details on the movie.) But yeah, I haven't really decided if I am going to continue with the series, but maybe If I find out a little more about it       
       






Movie
        The movie is scheduled to be released on February 14, 2014. (So many movies are going to be released around Valentines Day!)

Cast

      Dylan O'Brien as Thomas

       

       Kaya Scodelario as Teresa

       Aml Ameen as Alby

       Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Newt

       Blake Cooper as Chuck

       

       Will Poulter as Gally

       Ki Hong as Minho

       I think some of the actors look a little old to be playing teenagers, but overall it's an alright cast n my opinion.

      

       Hey look, pictures! YAY!

 

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Author: Tahereh Mafi
Format: Paperback
Pages: 338
Date Published: November 15 2011
Publisher: Harper

Introduction

       
       "Stay away from Juliette."

       "I heard that she got kicked out of her old school."

       "What a freak."

       These words are burned into Juliette's mind. Her touch is lethal, so nobody wants to risk getting close to her. She has spent her entire life believing that she is a monster. After one accident she is taken away to live in an asylum (basically). She hasn't made contact with anybody in exactly 264. Then out of the blue she is taken away by The Reestablishment. A group that is supposed to be fixing the dying world. They want to use  Juliette as a weapon. Juliette doesn't want to hurt anybody, but this is Juliette's first chance at freedom in almost a year. If she could just get away from the Reestablishment, then maybe she could hope for a better future. With a guy she never thought she would see again. Only one problem, guards are always near, and the leader of this project, Warner, never leaves her side. Even though Juliette doesn't want to, she's going to have to learn that sometimes people have to get hurt. 

Cover

     
       This cover is nice I guess, but I must say that I, have seen so many covers with eyes on them. Don't get me wrong, most of the are nice but it's getting sort of old don't ya think? At least this one is a little memorable, you know with the eyelashes being trees and such.

Characters/Relationships
        
        I liked all of the characters in this book, they were all pretty cool. I have absolutely no complaints. Can I just take a moment to mention Juliette's name? I have never seen it spelled like that before. I have only ever seen it as the classic Juliet. Anyway, I just love it. Almost as much as I love the name Ophelia. :)
       As for Adam and Juliette I really liked there relationship. I liked it because Juliette and Adam actually have some sort of history together, it's not like they just met each other, then  BAM the're being all cute and couple-y. They knew each other before all this happened.

Writing
       
       On Goodreads, When I read some reviews on this, I noticed that some people have a huge problem with the way that Tahereh Mafi writes. She uses strikeout text and many metaphors and similes, many people couldn't stand it, but I loved it with every fiber of my being. Every sentence was beautiful and flowing gracefully. I can't get enough

Genre
     
       Another thing that people argue about on Goodreads is the genre. They disagree that this book could be classified as a dystopia. They believe that it is just a romance. This book is more than just a romance. It has romance in it, However, that's not all. Okay, I'm just going to quickly list some of the obvious things that make a dystopian novel what it is. (I am aware that the're more, like I said, I am listing the obvious ones.)

#1. This novel takes place in the future.

#2. The people of this futuristic world are pretty controlled

#3. The world is no longer what it used to be, and everything is pretty much going to garbage.

Conclusion
     
       This is one of those books that you either like it, or hate it. I absolutely LOVED it. As soon as I can I am going to pay yet another visit to the bookstore and buy Unravel Me.

Fallen by Lauren Kate

Date Published: December 8 2009
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Authors website: Laurenkatebooks.net

Introduction
       After a disaster that lands Lucinda (Luce) in a reform school, Luce is sure that nothing can get worse. Then she sees Daniel Grigori, an amazingly cute, strangely familiar guy. Who just so happens to want nothing to do with her. For weeks Daniel is nothing but mean to her, but Luce is determined to get to know him, and whatever secrets he may be hiding, no matter what the cost.

Cover
       The cover is actually really nice. (Am I the only one that really wants a pair of those gloves that she is wearing?)

Cam 
       Is it bad that I really like Cam? I mean sometimes I really question my choices in fictional characters. I'm not talking about just in the beginning of the book, when Luce was trying to get a lot of her problems sorted out. I'm talking throughout the entire book. As in from page #1 all the way to page #452. I just really liked Cam, okay. Don't judge me.
 
Luce
       Luce seemed to have misplaced her personality. Or maybe she just never had one. All she did for this entire book was gush over Daniel for no good reason. Somebody tell me why she likes Daniel. He isn't funny, he isn't interesting, I got it! He's nice! Oh wait--No. No he's  not. Never mind.

Daniel
       Daniel switches personalities in 2 seconds flat. First he'll be:
       Angry Daniel
       "Get the hell away from Luce, Cam you dirty little ^&%&*^*
       Possessive Daniel
       "Don't hang out with Cam, Luce"
       Then, rarely you will have the awkward, forced, romantic Daniel
       "You Luce, are the light of my life, the very air I am fortunate enough to breathe." *insert forced and awkward make out scene here*
         And the cycle repeats.

Movie
       I swear, I am the last one to hear about this. The casting just began last month-ish and should be filming in September. The general release has not been set. I won't be going to see this in the theaters, I mean, I don't think I could take all these mindless characters doing mindless things on the big screen. Please oh please, I am begging you universe, don't let this become the next Twilight. I don't think I could handle it

Conclusion
       This book was hard for me to finish. I didn't like the main characters so that made the whole book challenging to get through.