Books Read in December 2011

1. Variant - Robison Wells (373 pages)
2. What Happened to Goodbye - Sarah Dessen (402 pages)
3. Vanish - Sophie Jordan (294 pages)
4. Divergent - Veronica Roth (487 pages)
5. Eve - Anna Carey (336 pages)
6. The Hidden - Jessica Verday (387 pages)

Books Read: 6
Books Read this Year: 67
My Favorite: Divergent!
My Least Favorite: Eve and What Happened to Goodbye.
Books from Library: 6
Books I own: 0
Books Borrowed: 0
Reviews Posted: Variant, What Happened to Goodbye, Eve

Happy Birthday to ME!

 Yes, today is my Birthday. I will be nineteen years old at 8:10 p.m. Well, at least that is what my mom tells me. That is the supposed time that I was born. I never actually celebrate my birthday on the fifth cause of school and work.  I celebrate it on New Years Eve! So yes... all that I am getting today is a single cupcake with a candle. But it whatevs! I had the coolest cake on New Years Eve.

Now read the following on how I explain in three parts how this is the best day:

• The first best part is that I only had one college class, the rest got cancelled :D
• The second best part is that THE VAMPIRE DIARIES comes back on tonight, along with THE SECRET CIRCLE! Probably my favorite birthday present that anyone could of got me!
• The third best part was that I got to have an awesome lunch at Butterbee's with my best friend, Laura. I don't get to see her that much since she moved away to college, so that was awesome.

Eve - Anna Carey

Title: Eve
Author: Anna Carey
Release Date: October 4th, 2011, hardcover

Publisher: HarperTeen
Group: Young Adult Literature
Rating:★★★

 
The year is 2032, sixteen years after a deadly virus and the vaccine intended to protect against it -- wiped out most of the earth's population. The night before eighteen-year-old Eve's graduation from her all-girls school she discovers what really happens to new graduates, and the horrifying fate that awaits her.

Fleeing the only home she’s ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust...and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.

****************************************

Eve had a lot of potential and promise. The idea of the story is very creepy and awful to imagine. Eve is one of the orphans after the plague killed her mother and almost all of the population in the world. She has grown up believing in the dangers of men and knowing that after she graduates she will be able to learn a trade and move into the city. However, this is all a lie that she has been told. She learns that after she graduates, she will be used to help populate the New America and won't be able to do anything else with her life.

I don't know what it was, but I thought the story was boring and dull. This could be because I just finished the amazingly wonderful "Divergent by Veronica Roth" before I read this. So my expectations were kind of high for this novel. The cover looks absolutely gorgeous and I was pulled in from the first line in the summary, but that is where my fascination stopped. I didn't like the main heroine Eve. She was weak and naive, which I understood, but I just love fierce strong characters to read from. I also found the story almost kind of cheesy, and no, this wasn't the good kind of cheese that I like. The whole idea of the King is almost laughable along with the whole idea of the Sand City.

While the pacing of the story is fast paced and easy to read, I found myself rolling my eyes at some parts in the story. It just seemed weird that she would point out a Wal Mart and Winnie the Pooh, when she should be more concerned about her life and getting to Califa. We get to meet Eve's love interest, Caleb, a couple chapters into the story. He was sweet and nice, but that was all that I felt about him. I also didn't like the "insta-love" between the two characters. It would have been nice if the relationship could have started out slow and not rushed into.

The only thing that I absolutely loved about this book was Arden. She was a great character! I know that we haven't seen the last of her yet. I can't wait to see what will happen with her in the next book. I wish the story could have been told from her point of view.

Overall, this book just didn't do anything for me. I feel really bad about writing a bad review because I actually wanted to love this book. I am sad that I am disappointed with the story, but there isn't much I can do about that. I do plan on reading the sequels to the books; just too see what does happen to the characters in the end.

Plot: ★★★★

Characters: ★★★

Writing:★★

Ending: ★★

Cover: ★★★★★

The Vampire Diaries - The Best Impossible Ship (1)

I know that it is impossible, but seriously-- how amazing would this be? Like really think about it. AMAZING. Sorry, just had to post this video. It is like my dream. I ship Stefan + Caroline & Klaus + Caroline so much. This video is like my drug.

**I believe that I am going to be doing a feature on some of my favorite TVD ships and some more awesome videos that I find on youtube. I know that it isn't book related, but I really want to do it cause its fun for me. So yeah, expect more stuff like this.

Waiting on Wednesday (6)

Waiting on Wednesday was started by Jill over at Breaking the Spine.

Incarnate - Jodi Meadows

Release Date: January 31st, 2012

NEWSOUL
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

NOSOUL
Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

HEART
Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?

My thoughts: This one looks so good and it is coming out in less than month. Love it! It seems like something that I have never read before and the cover is gorgeous! The concept sounds really interesting. So these people get reincarnated and she isn't a reacarnation? She will only live once. Did I get that right? Haha.I am excited to read this! What about you guys?

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I'm Excited To Read in 2012 (3)

This is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

This weeks Top Ten is:

BOOKS I'M EXCITED TO READ IN 2012

1. Insurgent (Divergent, #2) - Veronica Roth

Yeah, I loved loved loved Divergent. If you want to see how much I loved it, you can read my review here. It was probably my favorite read in 2011. I know that Insurgent will no different. I love Four...

2. Everneath - Brodi Ashton

I was lucky enough to win a contest on Goodreads and get an ARC of this book. I have only read the first couple pages and WOW. I can tell this will be one of my favorite books of 2012. Plus the cover is gorgeous!

3. City of Lost Souls (TMI, #5) - Cassandra Clare

Yeah... not even going to comment on this one. I want to read this one so bad, especially how COFA ended. JACE!

4. Clockwork Princess (TID, #3) - Cassandra Clare

I want this book so bad. I feel there will be a huge heartbreak in this one. How the heck is Casandra Clare going to wrap up this love triangle? It is a mess. I feel bad for Will, Jem, and Tessa. It frustrates me so bad.

5. Dreamless (Starcrossed, #2) - Josephine Angelini

The first book was an awesome surprise. I can't believe how much I loved it. I need this one soon. It was a wonderful awesome read. I totally recommend Starcrossed if you haven't read it yet.

6. Pandemonium (Delirium, #2) - Lauren Oliver

I am excited to see what this book will consist of. Delirium was a nice refreshing read. I will read anything that Lauren Oliver writes. She has they way with storytelling that is wonderful.

7. Balthazar - Claudia Gray

Yes, I am huge fan of the Evernight series. I am sad that it is over, but excited to read about Balthazar and see things from his point of view. In Evernight, I never really liked him until the last book. I was always a die hard Lucas fan, but I learned to enjoy him in the last book. I also read that Skye is going to be in this one! Yes! I loved her in Afterlife.

8. Destined (Wings, #4) - Aprilynne Pike

I am sad that this series is coming to an end. I actually really enjoy these books. I wonder who Laurel will choose in the end. It better be Tamani, I swear to God. This has been one heck of a love triangle that annoys me so much! It better have a good ending. I don't know of anyone that likes David.

9. This Is Not a Test - Courtney Summers

I can't wait to read this! Courtney Summers is amazingly awesomeness wonderful writer. Sorry, I can't think of any other adjectives right now. I loved her three previous books, and I know that I will love this one also. It is also about ZOMBIES!

10. Matched #3 - Ally Condie

I feel like I am the only one who likes these books. I know that a lot of people hate them and think that they are boring or confusing, but I however do not feel that way. I am reading Crossed right now and I'm not finding it boring at all. I actually am speeding right through it. It was the same way with Matched. SO yes, I am excited to see what will happen in the last book. Don't judge that I like these books either.

Christmas + Birthday Haul + My very first ARC!

Hey guys! This is way over due. I had a wonderful Christmas! It was the best! One of my favorites in a long time. I also had a great birthday party. My birthday isn't till January 5th, but we also celebrate it on New Year's Eve cause we are also so busy with work and school. So here is my Haul of everything that I got this year! I just want to point out that I am not bragging at all in this post, I just wanted to share everything that I got cause these kind of posts are fun. I also want to be able to look back later on and see all the awesome stuff I got. So this post is technically for me.

Okay here are the books that I got for Christmas:

The Ghosts of Ashbury High - Jaclyn Moriarty

The Future of Us - Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler

Awake at Dawn - C.C. Hunter

Clockwork Prince - Cassandra Clare (Already read & LOVED.)

Silence - Becca Fitzpatrick

And then I went shopping with some Christmas money that I had and went to Joseph Beth bookstore and picked up these books:

Divergent - Veronica Roth (LOVED! LOVED! LOVED!)

Graceling - Kristin Cashore

Sweet Little Lies - Lauren Conrad

So that is it for all the books that I got for Christmas, but here is some other stuff that I got:

Yes! I got Wonderstruck! So happy! It smells beautifully. I am a huge Taylor Swift fan, so this was really exciting. I also got a Christmas Card from my Dad and it was a Taylor Swift card also. I also love the bag that I got with it. I am going to be using to carry my lap top in when I go to College.

I finally have all the Harry Potter DVDS! I owned all of them but the first three and of course, the very last one. I have been complaining to my mom forever about not having them all, so I guess she really was listening to me! Haha. I love Harry potter so much! I also got Adele 21 CD which is beautiful. My favorite song at the moment is Do You Remember? I also got the Taylor Swift Concert CD and DVD. I went to her  Speak Now concert back during the summer and it was amazing. So I was happy that I got to rewatch the whole concert again.

The overall haul of everything from Christmas (not including the stuff I bought later on):



Okay, lets move on to the books that I got for my Birthday:

Secrets and Shadows - Shannon Delany

Awakened - P.C. Cast & Kristen Cast

Beautiful Days - Anna Godbersen

Beautiful Chaos - Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Uneartly - Cynthia Hand

I was also super excited to recieve these awesome related things:



Overall haul of everything that I got for my Birthday:

Here is what my Birthday cake and presents look liked:

Here is what my Christmas Tree and the presents underneath:

And to end this awesome blog post, I got my very first Advance Reader's Copy in the mail! I won this contest off of Goodreads! SO THANK YOU Goodreads! No, seriously thank you thank you thank you.