Entice - Review

Entice (Need, # 3)

By: Carrie Jones

Published: January 3rd 2011 by Bloomsbury' (first published December 14th 2010)

266 pages

Source: Personal Library

( Goodreads | Amazon )

Goodreads description--Zara and Nick are soul mates, meant to be together for ever. But that's not quite how things have worked out. For starters, Nick has gone. He has been taken to the mythical place for warriors known as Valhalla. Zara and her friends might be able to get him back, it's just not going to be easy. Meanwhile a group of evil pixies is devastating Bedford, with more teens going missing every day. An all-out war seems imminent, and the good guys need all the warriors they can find. But even if Zara and her friends do discover the route to Valhalla, there's that other small problem: Zara's been pixie kissed. When she finds Nick, will he even want to go with her? Especially since she hasn't turned into just any pixie... She's Astley's queen.

Mama said, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, then don’t say anything at all.” But where’s the room for constructive criticism in that? I think it’s official that I’m in a reading slump. At least when it comes to YA—which makes me kind of sad. So fair warning: sarcasm, bitterness, frustration, possibly even small spoilers ahead.

Let’s just start with Zara. I was a fan of the first two books in this series. I was a fan of Zara and Nick. Yet in Captivate, Nick dies. Astley comes on the scene and I’m content to move on from Nick. Sad, okay. But I’ve moved on. Then we find out that surprise, surprise, there’s actually a way to save Nick and bring him back from the land of the gods. So what does that mean for Entice? It means the entire book is about a whiny Zara trying to find her way into the land of the gods and “save” Nick while simultaneously losing “good” pixies—meaning pixies aligned with Zara & Astley—a once-bad pixie, and even an unessential character that we might or might not have come to well nothing—she’s just kind of there as a throw away character, and I don’t consider this a spoiler because it was so obvious a 2 year old could have spotted her death coming from a mile away.

Zara whines and cries and just generally blusters about doing little productive and “squeeing” a lot—yeah that’s right “squee” in several different forms is used multiple times in this book. I find her to be selfish. And probably one of the most annoying aspects of this book is Zara’s “voice.” It’s hard to explain, but she thinks so ????????????? ugh...I don't know, I can't explain it. Ridiculous. And Issie is the same way, only worse. Some people babble and it’s endearing. I don’t find this to be so with Issie. How much of what she says has anything to do with anything that's going on? Not much.

Truthfully the secondary characters really seemed to disappear and not have much purpose in this book. Yet that I could overlook if Zara wasn’t so annoying herself or if we had more time with other characters we could like.

The plot was completely predictable. No twists, no turns, nothing unexpected, and altogether not a lot to get excited about. And not too much to talk about. The addition of Asgard, Odin, Thor, the rainbow bridge, even the one mention of Loki…I found all of that to be a bit cheesy. If Carrie Jones were writing for a different audience, one might call this fan service. And while I’m sure there are female, 13-35 years old, comic book fans, I’m not sure there are enough of them to call this “fan service.” Yeah, I know of these are aspects of ancient Norse mythology, but it's much more commonly known because of comics. I don't know. Plenty of people will probably disagree with me, but that's just how I feel. I wasn't a fan.

In keeping with my “if you don’t have anything nice to say, then don’t say anything at all, except constructive criticism” idea, I say all of that to say, keep out the comic book AND ancient mythology stuff unless you’ve found a way to make it better (or should I say, expounding upon its “cooler” parts), grow Zara or at the very least, please don’t make her experience much more than she’s capable of handling because I don’t really want to hear any more of her whining. Less on the meaningless ramblings and one track minds when it comes to Issie and Zara. More Astley. More character growth for Zara (I already said that, but it's worth a 2nd mention). Even 8/9 year old Arya from George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Fire and Ice reads more grown up than high-school-aged-pixie-queen-Zara. Shoot Dany’s only truly 13/14 years old, and Sansa 11/12 (both characters from A Song of Fire and Ice). I realize we’re talking about different cultures here, but still. I think the point still stands.

I do plan to come back for Endure. Since I liked Need and Captivate much more than Entice, I'm willing to hope this was a fluke. 2 Stars for Entice.

Have you read Entice? What did you think? Completely disagree? Did you love it? Did you hate it? Let me know!

Waiting on Casual Vacancy

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

This week I'm featuring a book I'm actually a little nervous about. How can anything live up to the magic that was Harry Potter? Even from the same author. But because JK Rowling was brilliant with writing HP, I'm totally willing to give this a shot, even if it doesn't sound like something I might would read under other circumstances--yet neither was Harry Potter.

The Casual Vacancy

By: JK Rowling

Expected Publication: September 27th 2012 by Little, Brown and Company

480 pages

( Goodreads | Amazon )

Goodreads description--When Barry Fairweather dies in his early forties, the town of Pagford is left in shock.

Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war.

Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils…Pagford is not what it first seems.

And the empty seat left by Barry on the parish council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity and unexpected revelations?

The Casual Vacancy is J.K. Rowling’s first novel for adults.

What are you guys waiting on? Let me know!

Top 10 Bookish Confessions

Top 10 Tuesday is a post hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and this week's topic is Top Ten Bookish Confessions.

1) I must read every page in a book before I feel complete and like I truly “finished’ it. Acknowledgements, thanks, dedication, appendices, chapters included for other books. With the exception of the copyright page because that’s just boring.

2) I must read all books in a series. My OCDness doesn’t come to the surface in every aspect of my life. But I can’t stand to have a series unfinished. I have gotten a smidgen more relaxed about this with the increase in volume of books I’m reading. I’m finding that I can’t waste my time finishing a series that’s only mediocre or less than that even when there are so many other brilliant books out there. But I struggle with this FREQUENTLY.

3) I NEVER dog ear pages.

4) I read multiple books at a time. At the moment I have 10 books going at one time: 48 Days to the Work You Love, The Power of a Praying Church, The Power of Prayer to Change Your Marriage, Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, A Feast for Crows, Destined, One Thousand Gifts, Fate (My Blood Approves, # 2) and Dante's Girl.

5) I (shouldn’t everyone feel the same way about this?) want the same format for every book I own of a particular series. If I get the first book on my kindle, I want them all on my kindle. If the first book is hardback, I want them all in hardback. The only exception is if I get the first book as paperback, I’m okay if the rest of them are hardback—just so long as they are physical copies. And if I get one book as an audiobook, I need the entire series in audiobook as well, even if I already have the entire series in print.

6) I never read ahead in a book or skip to read the end…except for that one time.

7) I like not having any expectations and not knowing much about a book before I begin. I’ve found that my expectations can sometimes sway my opinion.

8) I hate slang & accented/dialect dialogue. See my rant about that in my review of Infinity. Mostly this type of writing just makes me feel like I’m getting stupider the more I read it (I know that’s not really possible…but you get the point).

9) I definitely judge a book by its cover, and have been pleasantly surprised more times than let down.

10) I think I read really slowly, but I definitely don’t skim or speed read. I want to make sure I don’t miss anything.

11) And bonus: I like to be the first in my group to read a book. But every now and then it’s nice to get recommendations from people I trust and not have to wonder whether I’m going to like it or not.

And that ladies and gentlemen (are there any gentlemen reading this? Just curious.) is my Top 10 Bookish Confessions. What are yours? Let me know!

Speechless - Review

Speechless

By: Hannah Harrington

Expected Publication: August 28th 2012 by HarlequinTeen

288 pages

Source: Publisher via NetGalley

( Goodreads | Amazon )

Goodreads description--Everyone knows that Chelsea Knot can't keep a secret

Until now. Because the last secret she shared turned her into a social outcast—and nearly got someone killed.

Now Chelsea has taken a vow of silence—to learn to keep her mouth shut, and to stop hurting anyone else. And if she thinks keeping secrets is hard, not speaking up when she's ignored, ridiculed and even attacked is worse.

But there's strength in silence, and in the new friends who are, shockingly, coming her way—people she never noticed before; a boy she might even fall for. If only her new friends can forgive what she's done. If only she can forgive herself.

I’m actually quite torn when it comes to how I feel about Speechless. I felt this book was totally cliché while being completely original at the same time. The subject matter of Chelsea Knot, best friends to the most popular girl in school—yet she knows this friendship hangs by a thin thread and requires a huge balancing act—finds out this huge secret and drunkenly blabs it to half the high school at this party. Something terrible happens as a result of her blabbing and she’s put into a situation where she has to blab again, but this time to the cops to rat out two of her “friends”—one of which happens to be the boyfriend of her “best friend.” The secret she finds out is cliché. The terrible thing that happens as a result of her blabbing is cliché. Her friendship with the popular chick falling to pieces because of the decision she makes to talk to the police is cliché. She’s tormented, picked-on, bullied, and harassed at school as a result of all of this is….do I need to say it again? Cliché!

Speechless was the straw that broke the camel’s back and resulted in this lovely rant post I did about being politically correct, books with agendas, and me being sick of this particular cliche.

However, I have to say that the part of the story that involved her vow of silence I found completely original. I’ve personally fasted for spiritual and health reasons, but I’ve never taken a vow of silence. And I’ve honestly never known someone who has either. Hannah Harrington says in the back of the book that she remembered high school kids participating in the National Day of Silence once a year to raise awareness of bullying and harrassment in schools, and that’s where the idea for this book came to her. While I was completely frustrated with the unoriginality of all the other plot aspects aside from the vow of silence, I did still find this book to be an acceptable read. It has a character that has a flaw and seeks to better herself by working on her flaw. There are just too many people that I know that are completely satisfied with where they are and see not only no need to grow and work towards growing, but they don’t even see their own flaws. Of course, I’m sure I’m chief among those willing to overlook a flaw or two. But I honestly do try to work on myself when I see an area that I’m struggling.

Chelsea is forced into the position of seeing her flaw magnified, yet she voluntarily takes some steps to change. She grows. And I do so love a story with character growth. She learns a lot about herself, a lot about other people. But probably most importantly she learns that just because she doesn’t feel the pain that someone else feels, doesn’t mean they don’t hurt. Sometimes teenagers and even adults have a hard time getting outside of themselves—seeing that life truly does not revolve around any one person, especially not me. Had I not so recently read other stories with similar plot lines (the bullying and losing the popular friend) maybe I wouldn’t have felt so put off by the storyline behind this one. *Side note: I was a little annoyed at how she jumped back into so much of a potty mouth after not speaking for so long. After all of that, she learned that words do matter, yet those are the ones she chose to use? *shrugs*

Hannah Harrington does a good job showing us as she shows Chelsea that everyone has feelings. And everyone is struggling with something behind the scenes that just because we don’t see their struggles doesn’t mean those struggles do not exist. Chelsea learns to forgive herself mostly as she witnesses other’s who are willing to forgive her. The saying is true, “to err is human, to forgive is divine.” And the next time you consider withholding your forgiveness from someone who doesn’t deserve it (because let’s face it, none of us do), think about whether you’d want to be forgiven if you were the one who needed it. And that ladies and gentlemen is the message of Jesus Christ and the cross—none of us deserve it, yet He offers His forgiveness freely to any who will accept it. How can I not forgive my brother or sister when Christ has forgiven me?

So…despite being torn between cliché and originality, I think Speechless gets 3 Stars from me. Have you read Speechless? What did you think about it? Let me know!

In My Mailbox - 17 & Sunday Post - 8

In My Mailbox is a weekly post hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren where bloggers can discuss the books we got in the mail this week.

Crave (The Clann, #1)

By: Melissa Darnell

Published: October 25th 2011 by Harlequin Teen (first published October 18th 2011)

416 pages

Source: Own/Personal Kindle Library

( Goodreads | Amazon )

Goodreads description--Savannah Colbert has never known why she's so hated by the kids of the Clann. Nor can she deny her instinct to get close to Clann golden boy Tristan Coleman. Especially when she recovers from a strange illness and the attraction becomes nearly irresistible. It's as if he's a magnet, pulling her gaze, her thoughts, even her dreams. Her family has warned her to have nothing to do with him, or any members of the Clann. But when Tristan is suddenly everywhere she goes, Savannah fears she's destined to fail.

For years, Tristan has been forbidden to even speak to Savannah Colbert. Then Savannah disappears from school for a week and comes back…different, and suddenly he can't stay away. Boys seem intoxicated just from looking at her. His own family becomes stricter than ever. And Tristan has to fight his own urge to protect her, to be near her no matter the consequences….

This was another instance where I couldn't tell that the NetGalley book was a 2nd in a series, requested it, and then had to turn around and buy book 1 so I would have the whole stor.

Covet (The Clann, # 2)

By: Melissa Darnell

Expected Publication: September 25th 2012 by HarlequinTeen

488 pages

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you HarlequinTeen!)

( Goodreads | Amazon )

Goodreads description--Dangerous to be together. Painful to be apart. Savannah Colbert knows she broke up with Tristan Coleman for the right reasons. Most of all, to keep from killing him with her new vampire abilities. But try telling her heart. Now, lost in a sea of hostile Clann faces, Sav tries to come to terms with what she's becoming and what that means for her future. And that someone is doing their best to bully her into making a terrible mistake.

Tristan can't believe Sav won't even talk to him. If being apart is her decision, fine. Just don't expect him to honor it. But even as he prepares to fight for the girl he loves, forces beyond their control take them both in directions neither could have foreseen or prepared for.

A reckoning is coming…and not everyone will survive.

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ The Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~this meme was inspired in part by ~ In My Mailbox~ It's a chance to share News. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog.

Because I already participate in the In My Mailbox meme (above), I'm just going to use this one as way to recap my week.

THIS PAST WEEK:

Monday: I did a reivew of Temptation by Karen Ann Hopkins (4 Stars)

I also posted a video that hubby sent me. It's the song that inspired my blog title and includes my background/theme. Ironic!

Tuesday: I participated in Top 10 Tuesday where I listed the Top 10 Favorite Books I've Read During the Lifespan of My Blog.

Wednesday: I participated in Waiting on Wednesday where I featured Finale the 4th and final book in the Hush, Hush series by Becca Fitzpatrick.

Thursday: I reviewed Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire. (A high 4 Stars)

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday: I'll review Speechless by Hannah Harrington.

Tuesday: I'll participate in Top 10 Tuesday where I'll list my Top 10 Bookish Confessions (oh boy!).

Wednesday: I'll participate in Waiting on Wednesday where I'll feature a book I'm anxiously awaiting.

Thursday: I'll review Entice (Need, # 3) by Carrie Jones.

That's it for my mailbox and recaps of my past and upcoming week. What did you get in your mailbox this week? Any bookish news you want to talk about? Let me know!

Beautiful Disaster - Review

Beautiful Disaster

By: Jamie McGuire

Published: Atria Books; Original edition (August 14, 2012)

361 pages

Source: Publisher via NetGalley (THANKS SO MUCH!)

(Goodreads | Amazon )

Goodreads description--The new Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn’t drink or swear, and she has the appropriate percentage of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance between her and the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University's Walking One-Night Stand.

Travis Maddox, lean, cut, and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby needs—and wants—to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the ultimate college campus charmer. Intrigued by Abby’s resistance to his appeal, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in Travis’s apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match.

Finished Beautiful Disaster. I was hoping I could knock this one out in one day, but sadly, I didn’t have the time to dedicate to it that day so it took two. Oh well.

Beautiful Disaster is an emotional rollercoaster for sure! And I loved every second of it. Some people read 50 Shades of Grey and can’t tell you why they liked it. That’s kind of how it was reading this book for me—like watching a train wreck but not being able to stop watching. I just couldn’t put it down.

The description tells you that Travis and Abby make a bet. If Travis wins Abby has to stay at his apartment with him for 30 days. If Abby wins, Travis has to abstain from sex for 30 days. Knowing that Travis is a huge playboy, a one-and-done-don’t-even-bother-giving-me-your-phone-number-because-I’m-not-going-to-call-anyway, makes Abby’s decision to agree to the bet easy! Travis without sex for 30 days is something Abby has to see. Travis and Abby become best friends, and no one understands why. But of course feelings begin to develop, and living together complicates matters.

What I thought would take up the entire book only took about 40% of the book. So I began to wonder what in the world the remaining 60% of the book would cover. Obviously some ups and downs were to be expected. But man…there was so much more than I imagined. A rollercoaster is really the only way I can think of to describe it. There were highs, lows, loops, corkscrews, helixes, and when you get off the ride your clothes and hair are completely windblown and knotted up.

Kara, Abby’s roommate, hit the nail on the head when she said that Abby and Travis have a codependent relationship. And while the whole time I’m reading this book, I’m rooting for these characters to get their act together and work it out, I’m also thinking “this is so not healthy.” Talk about truly flawed characters. But I loved it. I felt like I was reading about real people. And while they made really stupid decisions sometimes, it was nice that most of their problems weren’t the typical problems I’ve been seeing in books recently. Sure, the setup of bad boy attempts to settle down for a girl he falls for, and the whole bet being a catalyst for building and growing their relationship isn’t anything new. But the rest of it was much more than I was expecting.

This book did have an excessive amount of potty mouth and plenty of scenes I wouldn’t recommend for younger readers. But I didn’t feel like this book had an agenda. It wasn’t trying to tell people that this is how they should behave—or these are the politically correct views to have. And to me (after my rant here) that was refreshing. I could read and enjoy the story for what it was. Flawed characters. Bad decisions. Unhealthy relationships. A fictional story. A relationship where people screw up, but not for a lack of trying. 4 Stars for Beautiful Disaster.

I will say that I felt closure at the end of Beautiful Disaster, so to say I’m nervous about Walking Disaster which is told from Travis’s perspective is an understatement. But with as much as I enjoyed this book, I’ll definitely be checking it out.

Have you read Beautiful Disaster? What did you think? Let me know!

Waiting on Finale

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

Finale (Hush, Hush, # 4)

By: Becca Fitzpatrick

Expected Publication: October 23rd 2012 by Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

448 pages

( Goodreads | Amazon )

Goodreads description--Fates unfurl in the gripping conclusion to the "New York Times" bestselling Hush, Hush saga. Nora is more certain than ever that she is in love with Patch. Fallen Angel or no, he is the one for her. Her heritage and destiny may mean that they will always be enemies, but there is no turning her back on him. And yet their biggest challenge lies ahead. Can their love survive a seemingly insurmountable divide? The lines are drawn, but it's unclear which sides have been taken. And in the end, will there be enough trust left to rebuild what has been broken?

What are you guys waiting on this week?

Top Ten Favorite Books I've Read During The Lifespan of My Blog

Top 10 Tuesday is a post hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and this week's topic is Top Ten Books You've Read During the Lifespan of Your Blog.

Pretty excited about this post. Not only do I get to mention the books I've enjoyed the most this year, but the entire lifespan of my blogging career. Um...I've made some pretty big changes in the formatting of my reviews from when I first started blogging, so some of my earlier reviews are not only not the best ones I've ever written, but they're also not very pretty. But I hope you check them out anyway. Starting from the most recently read. (These all received 5 Star ratings from me.)

1. A Storm of Swords by George R. R. Martin (A Song of Fire and Ice, # 3); Goodreads This is the kind of book I have needed. Full of twists and turns. Love the intricate plot that spans the series.

2. Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry; Goodreads One of my favorite books this year. These are the types of books that makes the young adult genre what it is.

3. Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare; Goodreads This one I needed, and it hit exactly when I needed it. This books made me cry "yes," and "no," all at the same time.

4. Push by Chalene Johnson; Goodreads The book that helps motivate me. The tips in this book really help keep me on my fitness journey. It's the PUSH I needed.

5. Boundaries by Dr. Henry Cloud & Dr. John Townsend; Goodreads Boundaries has changed the way I see the world and our interaction with each other.

6. Crossing Oceans by Gina Holmes; Goodreads Not a Nicholas Sparks book, but one that will emotionally rock your soul.

7. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins; Goodreads Does anything needed to be added to this one?

8. The Power of a Praying Woman by Stormie Omartian; Goodreads Single handedly changed my prayer life. Much needed.

9. Linger by Maggie Stiefvater; Goodreads Love Maggie Stiefvater's writing. Love Sam and Grace. The addition of Cole & Isabel...brilliant.

10. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling; Goodreads Again, does anything need to be said? One of the best series EVER! Hands down. And the ending of it rocked!

Ironic!

Husband saw this commercial on TV one night while I was asleep on the couch and said it was perfect for my blog! It's got the forest (my background) and the song that my title is from. Too ironic! Check it out.

Temptation - Review

Temptation

By: Karen Ann Hopkins

Published: June 26th 2012 by Harlequin

383 pages

Source: Publisher via NetGalley

( Goodreads | Amazon )

Goodreads description--Your heart misleads you.

That's what my friends and family say.

But I love Noah.

And he loves me.

We met and fell in love in the sleepy farming community of Meadowview, while we rode our horses together through the grassy fields and in those moments in each other's arms.

It should be

ROSE & NOAH

forever, easy.

But it won't be.

Because he's Amish.

And I'm not.

My first thought when I saw the description for this book was that this is not a new idea—Amish boy meets English girl and they fall into a forbidden love affair. As a pre-teen I read an enchanting trilogy written by Lurlene McDaniel about this same topic—well as always a little different. That series was actually my first real experience learning anything about the Amish culture. And I became fairly fascinated with the culture—not like I want to go join up or anything like that, but I can really see the appeal of the simple lifestyle they live. I even did a paper in college on rites of passage in culture and used Rumspringa as an example. So while not claiming to be an expert or anything, I do know some about the Amish culture. And I guess I took my knowledge about the culture for granted because Rose’s ignorance about their culture really frustrated me. Other than them not having electricity, growing beards, and driving buggies, the fact that Amish people don’t allow intermarriage with English people is (to me anyway) a pretty obvious and well known fact.

The forbidden romance blossoming between Noah and Rose drove this story forward. And I enjoyed reading it much more than I thought I would. However, the part that I struggled with the most was that both Noah and Rose seem to have an ulterior motive—changing the other. I understand that they find themselves in an impossible situation where there really can be no compromise. Either, Rose chooses to become Amish; Noah chooses to become English; or the two have to part ways and move on with their lives. There can be no half-Amish half-English compromise. I can completely understand the conflict in values and morals that these two are up against. But I have found that relationships where one or both parties are seeking to change the other are doomed to fail. It’s one thing to want the best for your significant other, to hope to see growth in them as a person. But it’s a completely different thing to want to change them and their entire world view just so that it aligns with yours. If you want someone who shares your views, you find someone who already does. You don’t try to change someone into what you want them to be. It’s not going to work. We can, in contrast, be inspired by our significant other to change ourselves.

I suspect there will be drastically different views on this book. Some will probably really struggle with the Amish culture, specifically where it comes to the difference in roles between male and female. Not being a huge feminist myself—and actually rather getting quite annoyed with those who are—it didn’t bother me in the least. Knowing what I do about the Amish culture, it was not surprise to me to see this played out throughout the story. And while I’m not saying women should always get their food last, after the men, I have no problem saying “you before me.” The Amish women are brought up this way and for the most part I’d assume they don’t resent it or even disagree with it. It’s part of their world. The book isn’t trying to force the Amish culture on anyone. But we don’t need to rally against them for their views either. If you don’t agree with it, just move on and find another tasty book to dig into.

Temptation ended in a place where I was happy with. After rooting for Ethan to become English in the Lurlene McDaniel trilogy I read as a pre-teen, I found it interesting that I was rooting for Rose to become Amish in this book. I won’t tell you what happens, but I was satisfied with the end. UNTIL, I read the first chapter of the next book (another time I wasn’t expecting this to be the first of a series). I’ll definitely have to check out book 2 to see what happens with these characters.

I didn’t want to put it down, especially when a certain scene involving a Semi happened and it was approaching 11:30 pm (past my bedtime) and I had to stop reading for the night. Overall I enjoyed Temptation more than I expected. 4 Stars. Check it out! If you’ve already read it, what did you think? Let me know!

In Mailbox - 16 & Sunday Post - 7

In My Mailbox is a weekly post hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren where bloggers can discuss the books we got in the mail this week.

Seers

By: Heather Frost

Published by: October 4th 2011 by Bonneville

330 pages

Source: Own/Personal Kindle Library

( Goodreads | Amazon )

Goodreads description--For Kate Bennet, surviving the car wreck that killed her parents means big changes and even bigger problems. As she begins to see auras and invisible people, Kate must learn to trust Patrick O'Donnell, a handsome Guardian, or risk her life being overrun with Demons. She soon realizes that both she and her heart are in big-time trouble.

Demons (Seers, #2)

By: Heather Frost

Expected Publication: September 11th 2012 by Cedar Fort Books

432 pages

Source: Publisher via NetGalley

( Goodreads | Amazon )

Goodreads description--Kate’s life is far from normal. She can see auras, her boyfriend is immortal, and her powers make her a target. But now that the Demon Lord is hunting her, things are about to go from dangerous to truly deadly. Packed with action, mind-blowing plot twists, and characters you can’t get enough of, this is a fast-paced, heart-pounding read from cover to cover.

League of Strays

By: LB Schulman

Expected Publication: October 1st 2012 by Amulet

288 pages

Source: Publisher via NetGalley

( Goodreads | Amazon )

Goodreads description--This suspenseful debut follows a group of teenage misfits in their delicious quest for revenge on those who have wronged them at their high school. When a mysterious note appears in Charlotte’s mailbox inviting her to join the League of Strays, she’s hopeful it will lead to making friends. What she discovers is a motley crew of loners and an alluring, manipulative ringleader named Kade. Kade convinces the group that they need one another both for friendship and to get back at the classmates and teachers who have betrayed them. But Kade has a bigger agenda. In addition to vandalizing their school and causing fights between other students, Kade’s real intention is a dangerous plot that will threaten lives and force Charlotte to choose between her loyalty to the League and her own conscience.

Dante's Girl

By: Courtney Cole

Published: June 24th 2012 by Lakehouse Press

356 pages

Source: Publisher via NetGalley

( Goodreads | Amazon )

Goodreads description--I have spent every summer since I was ten years old with my father in London. Every summer, since I was ten years old, has been uneventful and boring.

Until this year.

And this year, after a freak volcanic eruption strands me far from home, I have learned these things:

1. I can make do with one outfit for three days before I buy new clothes.

2. If I hear the phrase, “You’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto,” even one more time, I might become a homicidal maniac.

3. I am horribly and embarrassingly allergic to jellyfish.

4. I am in love with Dante Giliberti, who just happens to be the beautiful, sophisticated son of the Prime Minister of a Mediterranean paradise.

5. See number four above. Because it brings with it a whole slew of problems and I’ve learned something from every one of them.

Let’s start with the fact that Dante’s world is five light-years away from mine. He goes to black-tie functions and knows the Prime Minister of England on a first name basis. I was born and raised on a farm in Kansas and wear cut-off jeans paired with cowboy boots. See the difference?

But hearts don’t care about differences. Hearts want what they want. And mine just wants to be Dante’s girl.

My heart just might be crazy.

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ The Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~this meme was inspired in part by ~ In My Mailbox~ It's a chance to share News. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog.

Because I already participate in the In My Mailbox meme (above), I'm just going to use this one as way to recap my week.

THIS PAST WEEK:

Monday - The Kindling Review (3 Stars)

Tuesday - Top 10 Book Romances That Would Make It In The Real World

Wednesday - Waiting on Fragments

Thursday - Torn Review (4 Stars)

Friday - Argh, I Hate Politics! Politically Correct Rant

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday - Review of Temptation by Karen Ann Hopkins

Tuesday - Top 10 Tuesday - Top Ten Favorite Books You've Read During The Lifespan Of Your Blog

Wednesday - Waiting on Wednesday

Thursday - Review of Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

That's it for my mailbox and recaps of my past and upcoming week. What did you get in your mailbox this week? Any bookish news you want to talk about? Let me know!

Politically Correct, What?

It’s that time again. Yes…that’s right, it’s time for me to go on another rant. I’ve seen at least two bloggers that I follow go on separate rants about book slumps they’ve gotten into, and well at the time I was like “What? How can you be tired of these things?” They were complaining about love triangles, angst, “insta-love,” teenage whining, stupid decisions, etc. I’ve known readers/bloggers who HATE love triangles. And while I’ve had my own frustrations with these topics, want to know what I’m fed up with at the moment? Well I’m going to tell you anyway.

I feel like the literary world has turned political. Writing has turned political. And I quite frankly HATE politics. I hate having to be politically correct. I don’t read Young Adult novels so that I can get dowsed with politics. Does every book have to have an agenda? I read for the sake of reading. I don’t read FICTION because I need help dealing with bullying or my self-confidence. I read Young Adult FICTION because I like it. I read SELF-HELP books because I want to better myself or work on an area where I might be struggling—like learning how to set boundaries or self-confidence issues.

I realize that there truly is nothing new under the sun, but just about every female main character I’ve read about recently has had the same struggle. They start out popular, mostly because they’re BFF with the most popular girl in school. Yet they have an understanding of how fragile their relationship is with this girl. And inevitably they do something that upsets Miss Popularity and they become a social pariah and target for bullying and harassment. Ex: What I Didn’t Say, Confessions of an Angry Girl, Torn, and of course Speechless which was the straw that broke the camels back. Seriously, this is not a new topic and while I’m usually okay with repetitive topics, sometimes a girl reaches her limit. And that limit is reached much more quickly when it’s a major plot line in every other book. ARGH!

I also realize that I’m different from a lot of people I know. I’m completely okay by myself. I won’t say I struggle with self-confidence issues in the way that a lot of people do. Do I have insecurities and things that I struggle with, yes, of course. And maybe my frustration comes because I have a hard time understanding things I haven’t experienced. I haven’t experienced large high schools. My high school was categorized as a 1A school (the smallest category in our state). I graduated with 40-60 people in my senior class. I knew all of the upperclassmen when I was younger and most of the lowerclassmen when I was older. And while there were some cliques in my school, we still socialized across all cliques. I might not have hung out with EVERYONE outside of school on weekends, but when I was paired up with someone on a project or had to sit beside someone in class, none of us ignored anyone else because we weren’t from the same cliques. We all talked. We all socialized. We all got along—for the most part. So I have a hard time understanding cliques in the way they’re constantly portrayed in young adult books. And I especially have a hard time understanding people who have their worlds turned upside down because they’re no longer part of the “popular” clique.

I’m not trying to beat up anyone who had a different high school experience. I’m not even trying to say that some people don’t experience the exact same thing we read about over and over in young adult books. I only say all of this to say that I feel like it’s becoming a cliché and I’m pretty sick of reading about it. Conflict is what drives a story, sure. But can we get some different conflicts? Where are my strong female characters that don’t care about the popular girls? Where are the girls that are happy with who they are despite what clique they’re from? Where are the girls who don’t feel the pressure to conform to popular opinion and social hierarchy? I know they’re out there. They do exists. And they are sorely lacking in young adult literature these days (or at least the books that have landed in front of me recently).

And I even get tired of the love triangle sometimes myself. There are other politically correct ideas that are popping up all over young adult literature these days that are also a source of frustration to me and completely past the point of becoming clichéd. Bullying, harassment, low self-esteem, problems setting boundaries…these are all truly difficult topics and things that we usually need help fixing if we’re dealing with them. But please people…don’t go to YA fiction to figure out how to do that. Go find some good self-help books. Talk to someone—a parent, teacher, counselor. Find a good therapist—doesn’t mean you’re loony. Seek God. Find something to get involved in and be a part of. Get help by all means. But don’t read fictional books for advice. That’s like telling people to watch soap operas for morality lessons.

*Sigh*…okay, rant over. For now.

Torn - Review

Torn

By: Stephanie Guerra

Published: May 15th 2012 by Marshall Cavendish

263 pages

Source: Publisher via NetGalley

( Goodreads | Amazon )

Goodreads description--Stella Chavez is your classic good girl: straight As, clean-cut boyfriends, and soccer trophies . You’d never guess that Stella’s dad was a drug addict who walked out when she was a kid. Or that inside, Stella wishes for something more.

New girl Ruby Caroline seems like Stella’s polar opposite: cursing, smoking, and teetering in sky-high heels . But with Ruby, Stella gets a taste of another world—a world in which parents act like roommates, college men are way more interesting than high school boys, and there is nothing that shouldn’t be tried once.

It’s not long before Stella finds herself torn: between the best friend she’s ever had and the friends she’s known forever, between her family and her own independence, between who she was and who she wants to be.

But Ruby has a darker side, a side she doesn’t show anyone—not even Stella. As Stella watches her friend slowly unravel, she will have to search deep inside herself for the strength to be a true friend, even if it means committing the ultimate betrayal.

Torn very much reminded me of a television show from the 90s called My So Called Life minus Brian Krakow—who happened to be one of my favorite characters of the show. Specifically the storyline of Ruby and Stella's friendship from Torn and Angela and Rayanne's friendship from My So Called Life.

I was actually impressed with this story. I went into it not knowing or expecting much, and I came out of it pleasantly surprised. A lot happens in the 263 pages (more than some other books with an added 200+ pages). I was surprised that there was more depth than I expected. The characters not only had real problems, pasts that affect their presents and futures, but the psychology was really there in my opinion.

I wondered in the beginning what would draw someone like Stella to someone such as Ruby. They didn’t seem to have much in common at all. Yet, it all made sense when everything was revealed and puzzle pieces started to fall into place. And while I typically prefer books that center around a romance, this one centers around a friendship. And that was okay. I didn’t feel like it was lacking because of the absence of a growing romance that I could support.

This was a story not only about friendship but about the growth and experiences of the main character, Stella. It was a growing experience we don’t often get with characters. Watching her learn about herself and come out of the self-absorbed box that teenagers sometimes live in (not always something they do on purpose) was extremely enjoyable and I wanted to keep reading.

This was one of the better books I’ve read recently with real and flawed characters you can relate to and feel for facing some pretty heavy situations provoked by painful pasts. 4 Stars for Torn.

Have you read it? If so, what did you think? Let me know!

Waiting on Fragments

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

Fragments (Partials, # 2)

By: Dan Wells

Expected Publication: February 26th 2013 by Balzer + Bray

352 pages

( Goodreads | Amazon )

Goodreads description--Kira Walker has found the cure for RM, but the battle for the survival of humans and Partials is only just beginning. Kira has left East Meadow in a desperate search for clues as to who she is. That the Partials themselves hold the cure for RM in their blood cannot be a coincidence—it must be part of a larger plan, a plan that Kira knows she is a part of, a plan that could save both races. Her allies are Afa Demoux, an unhinged drifter and former employee of ParaGen, and Samm and Heron, the Partials who betrayed her and saved her life, the only ones who know her secret. But can she trust them?

Meanwhile, back on Long Island, what’s left of humanity is gearing up for war with the Partials, and Marcus knows his only hope is to delay them until Kira returns. But Kira’s journey will take her deep into the overgrown wasteland of postapocalyptic America, and they will both discover that their greatest enemy may be one they didn’t even know existed.

What books are you waiting on? Let me know!

Top 10 Book Romances That Would Make it in the Real World

Top 10 Tuesday is a post hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and this week's topic is Top Ten Book Romances That Would Make it in the Real World.

Ok guys, I'm looking at more of personalities matching. What would we be without our experiences? We could argue this 10 ways to Sunday about what qualifies and what doesn't. I'm not going to be that strict about it. Take these characters our of their supernatrual worlds (if applicable) and these are the ones I think would make it.

1) Katniss & Peeta from The Hunger Games – Because after everything they’ve been through together and seen and experienced…after saving each others’ lives multiple times…after hurting each other and forgiving…no one but Katniss and Peeta could understand the other to the same extent. When you find someone who understands everything you’ve been through so completely, you don’t throw that away easily.

2) Tris & Four from Divergent – Similar to Katniss and Peeta…Tris and Four have been through so much together. They’ve shared their deepest fears with each other. They’ve sacrificed themselves for each other. Once Tris got over her pointless self-sacrificing stage, they’re good to go to survive the real world.

3) Puck & Sean from The Scorpio Races – Puck and Sean come from different worlds, but they’re not so different. They both have an unlimited love for their horses. And after overcoming the odds against them in such a deadly race, surely they could survive in the real world. They’re both extremely resourceful and extremely determined to do what’s necessary to achieve their goals. This determination and dedication would ensure their survival as a couple.

4) Elizabeth Bennet & Fitzwilliam Darcy from Pride & Prejudice – Because Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy have both offended each other in the worst ways they can possibly imagine and both redeemed themselves and showed that they have the courage and the will to change. Especially if it means improving the good opinion of themselves to the other. Being willing to change for someone else…to be a better person…well…it doesn’t get much more real and true than that. You don’t often come by people willing to change at all. And in today’s culture a lot of times what we see more often is people who say “you must love me for who I am and screw you if you don’t like any particular character trait that I have because I am who I am.” True love wants what’s best for the other. True love changes when needed.

5) Fire & Brigand from Fire – Because sometimes we have a preconceived idea of who someone is, but once we allow them to prove themselves for who they really are, then who they are is so much better than we hoped. When expectations are blown out of the water, the joys of being surprised are so much better. Sometimes the slow build up makes for the best relationships.

6) Sam & Grace from Shiver – Because sometimes age is just a number. Sam and Grace are one of my favorite couples. They feel so deeply and passionately. They’re both adults in the bodies of adolescents—mature way ahead of their time and years. And in the world they live in, they’ve both worked so incredibly hard to make it work, to stay together, to get back to each other when they would lose themselves. If that won’t work in the real world, I don’t know what will.

7) Anne Eliot & Captain Wentworth from Persuasion – Because time heals all wounds. And to err is human. To forgive is divine. After almost 10 years from having their hearts broken, these two have grown to a place where they are just now finally ready to love each other as they should. True love waits.

8) Echo & Noah from Pushing the Limits – Because sometimes when you give someone a chance they’ll surprise you. They find out a secret about you, but they don’t blab it to everyone. Trust…once you know you can trust your darkest days (days you don’t even remember) with someone, you’re pretty much ready to go from there. Trust is such a hugely fragile but important component to relationships that work and stand the test of time.

9) Lucy & Ed from Graffiti Moon – Because sometimes you can see into another person’s soul in ways that aren’t traditional. Because when you can read someone through their art and see them for who they are—even when you have no idea who they are—and then fall for them as a completely separate being…well yeah, I’m pretty sure you’ve got a well rounded love for them. Reminds me of Lois and Clark. Lois loves Superman, but she also loves Clark. Does it matter that they’re the same person yet two separate beings? No. And yes.

10) Rose & Dimitri from Vampire Academy – Because when you put someone wise (Dimitri) and someone fiercely determined to overcome all odds (Rose) together, you’ve got romantic bliss in the making. Rose went above and beyond to save Dimitri. She wanted him with her, sure, but she grew into a place where she wanted what was best for him no matter what it meant in relation to her. She saved him from a fate worse than death, and she did all of it because she loved him and in return he does the same (in less dramatic more zen-like ways of course).

What couples do you think would make it in the real world? Let me know!

The Kindling - Review

The Kindling

By: Braden Bell

Expected Publishing: July 10th 2012 by CedarFort Inc

304 pages

Source: Publisher via NetGalley

Goodreads description--All thirteen-year-old Conner Dell wants to do is pass pre-algebra, play lacrosse, and possibly kiss Melanie Stephens. He didn’t mean to set anyone’s gym shorts on fire or make school lunches explode. But now that the strange powers inside him have been ignited, Conner’s normal teenage life is about to go up in flames!

This fast-paced novel is non-stop fun for kids and parents alike. With characters you can’t help but root for, a plot that keeps you guessing, and plenty of humor, it’s a guaranteed thrill ride from cover to cover!

I don’t start every review by telling you why I decided to pick up a particular book, but this time in particular it fits. The Kindling is quite out of my genre. It’s a middle grade book, and while there’s nothing wrong with middle grade, I just sometimes struggle with my YA books being a little too young and not enough adult. So that being said, this is not my favorite genre, and I’m fine with that.

Anyway. I read the description when I was checking out the NetGalley catalog and decided to request it because it sounded Harry Potter-esque. *TIME OUT* No one bite my head off or anything. I’m not at all comparing this book to Harry Potter. To be honest, it’s not even in the same league. That’d be like comparing watermelons to onions (for those who know my food preferences…a very fitting contrast). However, I did ask myself, “Self, if you read the description of Harry Potter would you have wanted to read it without knowing anything else about it?” And the answer to that would have been, “No, not really,” and in fact it did take me quite a while before I jumped onto the HP train. But everyone keep on your chill pants, I’m not done. There were plenty of other books I felt the same way about. Basing off the description alone, I figured they just weren’t for me. However, having read many now that have surprised me, I’ve learned that I can’t always judge a book by its description. (Covers are absolutely okay to judge by though—in case you were wondering.)

So anyways, more to the point. I asked myself if I would like this and I said “Maybe not, but it’s worth a shot. I have been surprised before. Maybe this will be another.” And was it? Not really. There was something about this book that kept me reading and kept the feelings of needing to close it and read something else at bay. Yet, I can’t say I was completely impressed.

The characters are juvenile (yet they’re supposed to be considering their ages). Nothing earth shattering or major plot-twisty happened. The good guys kick booty with middle-grade “magic” (except not really “magic”). The bad guys were bad yet conveniently were less bad at the necessary parts.

In short, it was just okay. If I were between the ages of 10 and 14 it might not have felt lacking to me at all. I gave it a shot, I’m glad I did. But now I’m ready to return to the world of adults and youngish adults. So The Kindling gets a very low 3 Stars.

Have you read The Kindling? If so, what did you think? Let me know!

In My Mailbox - 15 & The Sunday Post - 6

In My Mailbox is a weekly post hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren where bloggers can discuss the books we got in the mail this week.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone

By: Laini Taylor

Print Published By: September 27th 2011 by Little, Brown & Company

Audiobook Published By: Hachette Audio

417 pages (print)

Source: Sync Audiobooks (free download)

(Goodreads | Amazon )

Goodreads description--Around the world, black hand prints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grows dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages—not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers—beautiful, haunted Akiva—fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

A Tale of Two Cities

By: Charles Dickens

Audio Publication: Blackstone Audio

Source: Sync Audiobooks (free download)

( Goodreads | Amazon )

Goodreads description--'Liberty, equality, fraternity, or death; -- the last, much the easiest to bestow, O Guillotine!'

After eighteen years as a political prisoner in the Bastille, the ageing Doctor Manette is finally released and reunited with his daughter in England. There the lives of two very different men, Charles Darnay, an exiled French aristocrat, and Sydney Carton, a disreputable but brilliant English lawyer, become enmeshed through their love for Lucie Manette. From the tranquil roads of London, they are drawn against their will to the vengeful, bloodstained streets of Paris at the height of the Reign of Terror, and they soon fall under the lethal shadow of La Guillotine.

This edition uses the text as it appeared in its serial publication in 1859 to convey the full scope of Dickens's vision, and includes the original illustrations by H. K. Browne ('Phiz'). Richard Maxwell's introduction discusses the intricate interweaving of epic drama with personal tragedy.

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba @ The Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~this meme was inspired in part by ~ In My Mailbox~ It's a chance to share News. A post to recap the past week, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up for the week on our blog.

Because I already participate in the In My Mailbox meme (above), I'm just going to use this one as way to recap my week.

THIS PAST WEEK:

Monday - Incarceron Review (2.9 Stars)

Tuesday - Top 10 Post That Give a Picture of Me as a Reader and as a Person

Wednesday - Waiting on Clockwork Princess

Thursday - Confessions of an Angry Girl Review (4 Stars)

UPCOMING THIS WEEK:

Monday - Review of The Kindling by Braden Bell

Tuesday - Top 10 Tuesday - Top Ten Book Romances That You Think Would Make It In The Real World

Wednesday - Waiting on Wednesday

Thursday - Review of Torn by Stephanie Guerra

That's it for my mailbox and recaps of my past and upcoming week. What did you get in your mailbox this week? Any bookish news you want to talk about? Let me know!

Confessions of an Angry Girl - Review

Confessions of an Angry Girl (Confessions, #1)

By: Louise Rozett

Expected Publication: August 28th 2012 by Harlequin

304 pages

Source: Publisher via NetGalley

( Goodreads | Amazon )

Goodreads description—Rose Zarelli, self-proclaimed work geek and angry girl, has some CONFESSIONS to make…#1: I’m livid all the time. Why? My dad died. My mom barely talks. My brother abandoned us. I think I’m allowed to be irate, don’t you?

#2: I make people furious regularly. Want an example? I kissed Jamie Forta, a badass guy who “might” be dating a cheerleader. She is now enraged and out for blood. Mine.

#3: High school might as well be Mars. My best friend has been replaced by an alien, and I see red all the time. (Mars is read and “seeing red” means being angry—get it?)

Here are some other vocab words that describe my life: Inadequate. Insufferable. Intolerable.

(Don’t know what they mean? Look them up yourself.) (Sorry. That was rude.)

After reading the description above, I was looking for a lot more anger and sass from this book than there was. Yeah Rose had outburst and fits of temper and anger, but overall, she really seemed like a mild-mannered girl. I didn’t even get the feeling that her anger was bubbling just below the surface at all times either. I was just expecting more of all of that.

But the truth is, this was still a really good story. I read it in one day. There were definitely aspects about that story that related to my own high school experience. Rose has a lot going on. Her dad died, her mom is there but not really, her brother’s gone away to college, her best friend is turning into someone she doesn’t recognize, there’s one guy who won’t leave her alone, and the one guy she is interested in is taken.

I wasn’t really paying attention to the fact that this was the first book in a new series when I read it, so I was left with a lot of questions. I get that we can’t all help who we like, but while Rose is so worried about whether her best friend Tracey’s boyfriend Matt respects Tracey and is good enough for her, I’m not sure she’s paying enough attention to whether Jamie respects her and is good enough for her too. I don’t care about the social hierarchy. But why is he with Regina in the first place. Rose asks herself this question and even asks Jamie, but he never really gives an adequate answer. And I don’t respect people who refuse to make a choice, especially if that involves cheating in any form.

This book touched on some serious issues such as bullying/harassment, teenage sex, and self-esteem. And I think overall it did a great job showing all teens experience all of these topics. It’s not really a guide book on how to handle them though, so I wouldn’t look to this book for answers on that—which is not what it was intended to be anyway. But I did like that Rose is a strong character that doesn’t feel the need to comply with the people around her who appears to be lowering their standards from the way they treat their classmates and fellow mankind, to whether or not they choose to have sex, and even to whether or not to drink at parties. I really appreciated Rose standing in her own. I personally struggled with finding my place and feeling like I just didn’t fit in anywhere in high school, but I felt then and I still feel now that that’s not such a bad place to be. I don’t mind standing alone as long as I’m comfortable where I’m standing. Kudos to a character willing to think for herself.

That’s not to say Rose was without fault—for who among us is?

A good story. A fast read. Some hefty topics. Not as much sass as I was expecting. But 4 Stars nonetheless. Check out Confessions of an Angry Girl and let me know what you think.

Waiting on Clockwork Princess

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

I can't wait for Clockwork Princess.Clockwork Prince was GREAT, and I gave it 5 Stars (you can read my review here). And so obviously I'm stoked about reading book 3.

Clockwork Princess (The Infernal Devices, # 3)

By: Cassandra Clare

Expected Publication: March 19th 2013 by Margaret K. McElderry Books

496 pages

( Goodreads | Amazon )

Goodreads description--In Clockwork Princess, Tessa and her companions travel all over the world as they race to stop the clockwork army before it’s too late. As Jem’s health worsens alarmingly and his friends search desperately for a cure, can Tessa choose between the two boys she loves—even if it means never seeing the other one again?