Beautiful Creatures Book Review

Hi Guys,
This week I'm going to review Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. This is the first book in the Caster Chronicles. This book tells an amazing story with bewitching characters, and plot twists. Here is the synopsis from the back of the book:


There were no surprises in Gatlin County.
We were pretty much the epicenter of the middle of nowhere.
At least, that's what I thought.
Turns out, I couldn't have been more wrong.
There was a curse.
There was a girl.
And in the end, there was a grave.
Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.
Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.
In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

My first impression of this book was that it was going to be amazing, just simply because, after reading the synopsis, it left me with so many questions. I hardly knew anything about what this book was about, and yet I bought and read it anyway. That's something that's never happened to me, and I loved it. I read half the book in anticipation of who Lena really was, I had my suspicions of who she was, one of which was very close, but not exactly who she was. I loved that when we learned who she is, it's something that has a very unique twist on it. It was very easy to connect with the characters in this book, even the minor characters held my attention when the story drifted to their scenes. I could really connect with Ethan, he reminded me of myself in some ways. I really enjoyed the fact that the male character was the "normal" one. I also liked how Ethan wasn't just a dumb jock, but he was somewhat intelligent. I also liked Lena and her family, one of my favorite characters was Macon, and I loved learning more about his character. I loved the "powers" in this book, I thought they were very unique. I give this book 4/5 stars. I don't believe there is a specific reason that this is a 4/5 star book, it just simply was not a 5 star book to me. I hope the books get better as they go, not that this book was bad, but I would love to see how amazing this series could be. 


Additional Announcement: This book is also becoming a movie that is set to release in 2013. Most of the actors/actresses are not that well known, and I love that. They will start filming for this movie in just a couple of days. I can't wait to see this book come to the big screen.

City of Bones Book Review

Hi Guys,
This week I'm going to review City of Bones, the first book in the Mortal Instruments series, by Cassandra Clare. I read this book in January of last year I believe... so I hope I remember this correctly, but I did jot down some key points I would focus on, I just hope that's enough for you guys. This is about a girl named Clary Fray, and the discovery she makes about her world, and even herself. Here is the synopsis from the back of the book:


When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder -- much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing -- not even a smear of blood -- to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?
This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know. . . . 

My first impression of this book was good, I thought that it looked very interesting, I don't know what it is but books that have something special happen with tattoos, I tend to read them. A few examples are: Mortal Instruments, House of Night, and (I'm not 100% sure, but the cover has a guy with a facial tattoo) Reckless. Anyway, when I read the synopsis, I thought it sounded unlike anything I've ever read, so I bought the first three books right then. I started this book in 2010, and I got about 100 pages into it, but for some reason, I lost interest, and their it sat in my "debt-pile" for a couple months. When I finally decided to pick it back up, I was on the part with the motorcycle gang of Vampires, right before you meet Magnus. From that point on, I couldn't put this book down, I believe I finished it that night, and I was confused as to why I put it down in the first place. This book had TONS of action, there was hardly a moment without action. I give this book 4/5 stars, just for the simple fact that for some reason I was disinterested enough to put it in my debt pile. I definitely recommend this to anyone who wants to read a book that is different than anything else they've read. 


Additional Announcement: This book is becoming a movie that is set to release in 2013 with the actress Lily Collins as the role of the heroic Clary Fray. It has had a bumpy start, but I believe that it's finally coming together, and very excited for it. It's going to be an amazing movie.

Winner of Giveaway #1

Hi Guys,
             A few weeks ago, I posted info on the 1st Giveaway that YAB has had. We got 133 entries for the giveaway, and I was very excited that we had that many for our first giveaway. Through a random selection, the winner was chosen, and e-mailed about their win. The winner of this giveaway was Laura Wood, I mailed her book a couple days ago, and I hope she receives it soon. CONGRATULATIONS LAURA! I HOPE YOU ENJOY THE BOOK!

*Stay tuned for the upcoming giveaway, and I believe it will probably be something about angels... and temptation!  :D

(I hope you guys enjoy the picture (Above) from the book Laura won: The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making.)

March (2012) Book Haul

Hi Guys,
I just found out Friday that I won a finished copy of Replication: The Jason Experiment by Jill Williamson. I won this book on the Fragments of Life blog, during the Dystopian Domination Part 2. I'm really excited for it to get here, and I can't wait to read it, here is the synopsis:

When Your Life Is Not Your Own Martyr---otherwise known as Jason 3:3---is one of hundreds of clones kept in a remote facility called Jason Farms. Told that he has been created to save humanity, Martyr has just one wish before he is scheduled to 'expire' in less than a month. To see the sky. Abby Goyer may have just moved to Alaska, but she has a feeling something strange is going on at the farm where her father works. But even this smart, confident girl could never have imagined what lies beneath a simple barn. Or what would happen when a mysterious boy shows up at her door, asking about the stars. As the reality of the Jason Experiment comes to light, Martyr is caught between two futures---the one for which he was produced and the one Abby believes God created him to have. Time is running out, and Martyr must decide if a life with Abby is worth leaving everything he's ever known.

I can't express how excited I am to read this, and I hope you guys get a chance to check it out, and I'll hopefully have a review of it on the blog soon.

Darkly Dreaming Dexter Book Review

Hi Guys,
This week I'm going to do a book review on Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay. This is the first book in the Dexter series. This book is not really a YA book, it's more of an adult crime book with lots... and lots... of gore. This is about a blood splatter analyst/serial killer named Dexter. Here is the synopsis from the back of the book:

Meet Dexter Morgan, a polite wolf in sheep's clothing. He's handsome and charming, but something in his past has made him abide by a different set of rules. He's a serial killer whose one golden rule makes him immensely likeable: he only kills bad people. And his job as a blood splatter expert for the Miami police department puts him in the perfect position to identify his victims. But when a series of brutal murders bearing a striking similarity to his own style start turning up, Dexter is caught between being flattered and being frightened -- of himself or some other fiend.

I started reading this book to get into crime novels. I like watching crime shows like CSI, NCIS, AMW, etc. Since this book had a television show on Showtime, I thought it would be easier for me to read if I could read it and then watch the show to stay into the story. It turns out that I didn't need any help from the show to stay "into" this book. This was a fast-paced thrill ride, I could not put my kindle down for this one, I looked down at the progress bar one second and saw 10%, and looked again an hour later (give or take) and saw 50%. This was my first fiction crime novel, and I'm happy to say so, because this is an amazing read, and I look forward to reading the next couple books in the series. I've never read a psychological book either, but this book shows you what goes through Dexter's mind, and it was intriguing. The scenes were described well... I felt that I was there watching all this happen. (Which sounds pretty scary thinking back on it haha... at least I didn't feel like I was Dexter in my mind, that would've been more creepy). There were tons of twists in this book, but the twist at the end was the most shocking of all. I loved it, because the twist actually made sense, and it wasn't just thrown in at the last second. I give this book 4/5 stars, I really loved this book, it just didn't seem like a 5 star book to me... maybe the others will though (I sure hope so)!

Additional Announcement: After reading the first book, I watched the first season of Dexter. I didn't feel that it was horrible and disgraced the book at all. I actually loved it, I thought all the actors fit the characters well, especially Dexter, I don't know what it is, but the two fit perfectly. So when you finish reading the book, definately check out the television show.

Fairyland Giveaway (aka YAB's First Giveaway)

Hi Guys,
This week I'm going to be having my first book giveaway. The giveaway is for the book The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland In A Ship of Her Own Making. I'm really excited about this giveaway! All you guys have to do is follow the instructions given to you by the widget and you are entered to win. I hope the winner really enjoys this book, and here is a synopsis of it to entice you even more:

Twelve-year-old September lives in Omaha, and used to have an ordinary life, until her father went to war and her mother went to work. One day, September is met at her kitchen window by a Green Wind (taking the form of a gentleman in a green jacket), who invites her on an adventure, implying that her help is needed in Fairyland. The new Marquess is unpredictable and fickle, and also not much older than September. Only September can retrieve a talisman the Marquess wants from the enchanted woods, and if she doesn’t . . . then the Marquess will make life impossible for the inhabitants of Fairyland. September is already making new friends, including a book-loving Wyvern and a mysterious boy named Saturday. With exquisite illustrations by acclaimed artist Ana Juan, Fairyland lives up to the sensation it created when the author first posted it online. For readers of all ages who love the charm of Alice in Wonderland and the soul of The Golden Compass, here is a reading experience unto itself: unforgettable, and so very beautiful.

The Giveaway Widget is on the sidebar of the blog, because for some reason it wouldn't work by posting it in this post. If any of you know how to post the widget in the post, please let me know. :D

Guys, also stay posted on the blog, because soon, I will be giving away 4 Temptation of Angels bookmarks, and I may also be giving away a copy of the book with those, so as I said before, stay posted, and may the odds be ever in your favor! :D

January (2012) Book Haul (3)

Hi guys, today I'm going to tell you about winning a book from a blog. I can't believe it... I never really win anything, so winning three things in the span of 2 weeks is amazing. I appreciate all the blogs having these contests, and the authors for writing these amazing books. I hope I keep winning though. The one I won that I'm going to talk about today is Angel Evolution by David Estes, I won an e-book of this, I'm excited to read this one, and I'm very glad I won it. Here is the cover:

Doesn't it look amazing? I'll post a review of this book, when I finish it...(which I haven't started yet... but I hope to soon!) :D

January (2012) Book Haul (2)

I won another contest, I found out about it this morning. I won a copy of Article 5 and a copy of The Girl who Circumnavigated Fairyland. I won the books from this site Pub(lishing) Crawl Blog: http://www.publishingcrawl.com. I will most likely have a giveaway for the Girl who Circumnavigated Fairyland... but it's undecided yet, here are the covers for the books:

Dystopian Domination Part 2

Hi Guys,
Today I'm going to be discussing a huge event in the YA blogosphere. The name of it is the Dystopian Domination (Part 2). If you have never heard of this here is a quick wrap-up of what it's about from one of the creators:

It's just this month long celebration for books in the wonderful and all too awesome dystopia genre. And for those who participated last year, it was a month filled with awesome interviews, reviews, insights from various authors and fabulous giveaways.
And this year...
WE ARE BACK!
And.. we're here for a:
BIGGER.
BETTER.
DYSTOPIAN DOMINATION BLOG EVENT!
How so? You may ask. Well for this year, we are featuring dystopian books, AND we included some wonderful Apocalypsies and 2012 debut authors in our line up as well!
How about that? Want a copy of Hemlock? How about Insignia? The Forgetting Curve? Or Stormdancer? I am lusting over those four books, just so you know. Even I am not getting my own copy. So yep, you'll have your chance to get your hands on these wonderful books and you'll also get to know the authors as well! Isn't that awesome or what?

I'm sorry I'm posting this so late. But I figured better now than never, so here it is... I hope you guys can still win some cool things, just as I hope I can. If I win some things, be looking forward to some giveaways! Here is the link to the original post for the Dystopian Domination Part 2 on the Amaterasu Reads blog: http://amaterasureads.blogspot.com/2012/01/introducing-dystopian-domination-part-2.html. Here is the link to the other blog hosting this event, Fragments of Life:http://shusky20.blogspot.com/2012/01/dystopian-domination-2-schedule-button.html. Don't forget to follow the blog while you're there (and if you want to get a head-start on some of our giveaways here, follow this blog now!). :D

January (2012) Book Haul

Hi guys,
Today I received a piece of mail from a certain YA author. Her name is Kim Harrington, author of the Clarity series. I entered her Perception giveaway and I won a signed bookmark, and a signed bookplate. I was really excited when I got it today, because this was the first giveaway for swag I've won. Here are the pictures of the Bookmark/Bookplate:

Check out these great books (Clarity/Perception). I haven't read them yet, but I have wanted to for a long time, and I can't wait to now. I hope you guys are as excited as I am. :D