Thursday, March 21, 2013

Pandemonium

By Kristen

**CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR DELIRIUM**
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO WHAT ABOUT ALEX?!?!?!?!?!?!??!???  The end (like all of these) was a stupid cliffhanger.  But the thing is it keeps you guessing the possibilities about what could happen.  But I freaked out and found a corner in my room and cried when I read the last page of Pandemonium and I was just so sad.  I mean this whole book we all thought that Alex was dead but THE ENDING OH MY GOD THE FREAKING ENDING nvjkbgbznswghb I can't even say a word about it at all and I just want to but I can't and I think I was depressed for a week after I read it and I OMG I need to calm down.  Calm calm calm.....deep breaths, I'm okay.

Lena and Alex and Julian and Lena and Alex and God this book made me cry.When Nora got the advanced reader's copy of Requiem I yelled at her to give it to me so that I could stop being depressed about the whole trilogy.  THE ENDING OF PANDEMONIUM nhjbvfsdvsdgjkdbf I want to say... I read this last year in seventh grade and finished it during finals and I wanted to scream (but if I did that I would get a zero which would have sucked so bad) and scream...So I cried about it at home instead later on....

I'm done with this rant about the ending, but READ THE TRILOGY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You MUST and I'm pretty sure they started to film it! Whoo! I'm so excited!


-Kristen

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Before I Fall

By Kristen

First I want to say that I didn't feel like doing the Top Ten Tuesday so instead, I'm writing this review of Lauren Oliver's Before I Fall.  The topic today was supposed to be Top Ten Books I HAD To Buy...But Are Still Sitting On My Shelf Unread.  I for some reason found this difficult...since I don't really go out to buy books...I just borrow them from Nora or get them from the library instead...Anyway...I'm getting off topic so...

My one question when I finished this book was, "Did she see a light?"
...
...
...
...
...

Just kidding!
My question really was "Did she go to heaven or something?" I mean, after all she said that she swore she saw a halo or something.  Honestly, I found it a bit creepy that she kept on waking up when she was supposed to be dead for a whole SEVEN DAYS.  Well, I think it was seven...I did read it two weeks ago and you can't really rely on me to remember things like that...


I really liked this book, it's everything a teen would want to do (except the dying and coming back to life part), partying, shopping, getting a chance to start over or change...I thought the chapters were waayyyy too long though.  It made me feel like I had to finish the whole chapter before I put the book down...but I would say it is one of my favorites :)

So..You know how Divergent is being turned into a movie, yeah?  Well here is a bit more of the casting news:

http://www.hypable.com/2013/03/15/divergent-movie-four-casting-theo-james/

http://www.divergentfans.com/m/blogpost?id=6414657%3ABlogPost%3A112481



I suggest you read Before I Fall and I know you will enjoy it :)



-Kristen

Saturday, March 16, 2013

Need

By Kristen

Hey everyone!

I know that this post was supposed to be yesterday...but I forgot that it was Thursday.  And then yesterday, I totally forgot when I got home...Nora and I just finished all our finals yesterday for the end of term two and next week is MCAS also.  Crazy, huh? Anyway, I just remembered this morning ...But to the point: I'm writing what  Thursday's  post was today :)

***



When I first saw the title, I was like "What kind of need...?" I really just liked the cover so I grabbed it from the library's shelf and added it to the pile of those thirteen or so other books I wanted to read.  I know people say not to judge a book by its cover...but that's exactly what I did. Eventually, I did read the description and then later on, I flipped to the first page and started to read.  The first thing I noticed was the phobia listed as the chapter's name and as I read, I figured out why Zara, the main character is nervous, she lists phobias...
Anyway, moving on from that. Basically the whole book is about PIXIES VS. WEREWOLVES and when I finished it, I decided that it was a really good book...Notice that random blank spot there^^
Well, when Zara moves to Maine, she meets two people (who are also enemies kind of) named Nick and Ian.  One's a pixie.  One's a werewolf (and aren't werewolf guys supposed to be hot?!).  She's a pixie.  ^.^ I've said too much! Ignore that I said that she's a...nevermind...
By the time I finished this book, I couldn't wait to read the second book, Captivate.  And now, I can't wait to read the third book...But I haven't been to the library since this summer...


Here are the other books in the series: (The order is: Need, Captivate, Entice, Endure)



-Kristen





Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Spring 2013: What's to Come

by Nora

New Releases: March 20-June 20!

    The Elite (The Selection, #2)


  • Light: Michael Grant (April 2). The end in the Gone series is approaching quickly. Are you prepared?
  • Taken: Erin Bowman (April 16). In Claysoot, there are only women. There are boys, but they all disappear on the night of their eighteenth birthday. For Gray Wethersbee, it seems his eighteenth birthday is approaching fast. Doesn't the idea for this book just give you the chills?
  • The Elite: Kiera Cass (April 23). I wish The Elite comes out sooner. After The Selection, I've just been wanting more. What will happen with Aspen? What about Prince Maxon? April 23 must come faster!
  • The Boyfriend App: Katie Sise (April 30). Audrey McCarthy can't wait to go to college. But, sadly, college is expensive. Audrey enters a contest for the best app designed by a high schooler. Audrey creates the Boyfriend App. All of a sudden, she is popular and catching the attention of all the hot guys in school. Does an app really have this much power? I'm really excited to see how Audrey's situation turns out!
  • Reboot: Amy Tintera (May 7). Once a person dies, they wake up as a Reboot. The longer they are dead, the less human they are when they awake. Wren Connolly is the least human of all the Reboots in The Republic of Texas. Because of this, she gets to train all the new Reboots to become soldiers. One newcomer is almost completely human. He is weak, unnecessary. When Wren receives orders to get rid of him, she cannot give in. The concept for this book is killing me. KILLING ME. I need to know what happens and I need to know what happens. 
  • Transparent: Natalie Whipple (May 21). Fiona McClean (first off, I LOVE that name!) is invisible. Fiona's dad has been taking advantage of her for her whole life. Fiona and her mom escape. They cannot take any more of his awful behavior. Being your usual YA book, he will not give up on just that.
  • Of Triton: Anna Banks (May 28). The sequel to Of Poseidon. 
  • Monument 14: Sky on Fire: Emmy Laybourne (May 28). The sequel to Monument 14.
  • Wild Awake: Hilary T. Smith (May 28). An adventure-romance. Gosh, so many books coming out on May 28! Perhaps a release party should be in order!
  • Siege and Storm: Leigh Bardugo (June 4). And the book that we've all been waiting for (and by 'we', I mean me)... SIEGE AND STORM! I can't wait for this book to come out so I can obsess over it with you guys! It's perfection and I can't even handle myself. I just...if I talk anymore, I'm going to implode. I'll fold in on myself and then cease to exist. To be sure that doesn't happen, I'll sign off, now.

-Nora

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Breathless Reads Tour

image.jpegimage.jpegimage.jpeg
by Nora
February 16, 2013; RJ Julia Booksellers, Madison, Connecticut
Authors: Beth Revis (Across the Universe), Fiona Paul (Venom), Jessica Spotswood (Born Wicked), Elizabeth Richards (Black City), and Morgan Rhodes (Falling Kingdoms)
(with surprise audience member Lauren DeStefano!)
2013 Breathless Reads Tour

I just want to start off by saying I love RJ Julia. It's so cozy and comfortable (and the cafĂ© makes an amazing cupcake ;D) and I could spend hours in there browsing the enormous YA selection.

Anyway, the five fabulous authors started with a question they've all probably answered a hundred times.

Why write YA?
  • Jessica Spotswood loved Gone with the Wind. It is one of her greatest inspirations. 
  • Elizabeth Richards decided that young adulthood is an "interesting path of life."
  • Beth Revis simply decided that adult books are boring.
  • Morgan Rhodes declared that being a young adult is a time for self-discovery. It really is. In middle and high school, we're just beginning to realize what kinds of people we are, what kinds of things we truly enjoy doing, and who we would like to be. 

What were the authors currently reading?

  • Jessica Spotswood- Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys
  • Elizabeth Richards- Cruel
  • Beth Revis- Wither by Lauren DeStefano
  • Fiona Paul- Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
  • Morgan Rhodes- Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
How do you deal with Writer's Block?

  • Jessica Spotswood uses a program called Write or Die. This program realizes if you don't write anything for a while, it eats away at your words and makes a terrible noise. I should try it. Also, she awards herself with stickers for every 1,000 words she writes. Another awesome strategy. She recognizes two types of Writer's Block:
    • If you take a wrong turn in your story.
    • If you're scared
  • Elizabeth Richards says to write out of order. The only problem with writing out of order for me is the fact that I won't be able to put the pieces together. I won't beable to link the settings, the charcaters, the ordering of the plot, etc. 
  • Beth Revis either kills off a character or blows up everything. Sounds like me.
  • Fiona Paul and Morgan Rhodes say to PLOT OUT EVERYTHING. Fiona writes two books at one time. I feel like I'd mix up the two books. My brain would melt into mush. Not the kind of mush people eat, but...yucky mush (Sorry. That didn't make any sense.). And, of course, the thing that didn't even cross my mind, Morgan Rhodes says to eat lots and lots of ice cream. Off to the grocery store!
Favorite Books?
  • Morgan Rhodes- Anna and the French Kiss (Stephanie Perkins), Vampire Academy, and any Stephen King.
  • Fiona Paul- Along for the Ride (Sarah Dessen)
  • Beth Revis- Narnia (C. S. Lewis), and Harry Potter (J.K. Rowling)
  • Elizabeth Richards- Harry Potter, The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins), and Divergent (Veronica Roth). I was falling in more in love with her as the event went on!
  • Jessica Spotswood- Gone With the Wind (Margaret Mitchell), Graceling (Kristen Cashore), and Guilt.
Writing Tips

  • Fiona Paul says to read all you can and don't get discouraged by criticism.
  • Beth Revis says not to give up.
  • Elizabeth Richards says use a separate e-mail when talking with your editor. You could accidentally send them a party invitation.
  • Jessica Spotswood tells the crowd not to be in a hurry or rush your writing.
  • Morgan Rhodes advises to trust your gut.
image.jpeg
(Left to Right) Morgan Rhodes, Fiona Paul, Nora, Beth Revis, Elizabeth Richards, and Jessica Spotswood. (Sorry for the bad quality!)
-Nora



Thursday, March 7, 2013

City of Bones

By Kristen


      I love this book.  LOVELOVELOVELOVE it.  I do realize that reading in third person isn't really my thing (mostly because when reading something in third person, I can't really experience the story as well as I would if it was in first person where you can experience how the character feels).  I read it last summer before school started and then I went to the library to check out some books (and by some I mean 13), City of Bones being one of them.  It was the first book I picked up right when I got home because it had been on my list for a long time.  This is mainly about Shadowhunters and vampires and werewolves and all that fun stuff which really makes this book one that is a MUST-READ so you better drop whatever you're doing and hit your local bookstore and get this book.  Or else.




     I'm just kidding, but if you have not read it yet, you must.  If you have read (sorry for being repetitive; these books appear in almost every post) Fallen, Beautiful Creatures, or Need, then you will absolutely LOVE this book.  I am not lying.  And the movie is coming out soon! Not really.  But there's only 5 months left....unless I miscounted...

Isabelle, Clary, Jace, Alec
By Ice~Ridden

-Kristen

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Series I'd Like to Start (But haven't. Yet)

By Kristen

Like Nora said last week, we're going to be switching off each week :)

This week's topic: Top Ten Series I'd Like To Start But Haven't Yet

Honestly, this is just going to be a list.  I looked at my Goodreads To Be Read and schoose the first ten I saw that seemed reasonable...

  1. Legend: Marie Lu.  This has been on my list since last year :) and I still haven't read it.
  2. Unearthly: Cynthia Hand
  3. Everneath: Brodi Ashton.  I really just liked the cover...
  4. Starters: Lissa Price This book has been sitting in my locker for about a year now and my friend (that isn't Nora) keeps on telling me "You better read this soon!" And I was all like "Eh, whenever I get to it" and I left it at that.
  5. Eve: Ana Carey.  My friend (the same one I'm borowing Starters from) read this last year and told me it was an amazing book and now I want to read the series!
  6. Hush Hush:
  7. Wolves of Mercy Falls: Maggie Stiefvater
  8. Halo: Alexandra Adornetto.  Read the description and that basically made me want to read it...but the problem is I don't really get to go to the library and Nora doesn't even have this book so that's out of the question.
  9. The Selection: Kiera Kass.  This is being made into a TV show! And I haven't read it yet.
  10. Annex (Beta): Rachel Cohn

I know this is short, but what else would you write about something you haven't read yet?  By the way, Requiem came out today!`1


-Kristen