Thursday, May 9, 2013

Book Review: ARCLIGHT by Josin L. McQuein

ARCLIGHT (Arclight #1)
by: Josin L. McQuein 
Genre: Young Adult, Sci-fi thriller
Goodreads Description:   No one crosses the wall of light . . . except for one girl who doesn’t remember who she is, where she came from, or how she survived. A harrowing, powerful debut thriller about finding yourself and protecting your future—no matter how short and uncertain it may be. 

The Arclight is the last defense. The Fade can’t get in. Outside the Arclight’s border of high-powered beams is the Dark. And between the Light and the Dark is the Grey, a narrow, barren no-man’s-land. That’s where the rescue team finds Marina, a lone teenage girl with no memory of the horrors she faced or the family she lost. Marina is the only person who has ever survived an encounter with the Fade. She’s the first hope humanity has had in generations, but she could also be the catalyst for their final destruction. Because the Fade will stop at nothing to get her back. Marina knows it. Tobin, who’s determined to take his revenge on the Fade, knows it. Anne-Marie, who just wishes it were all over, knows it.

When one of the Fade infiltrates the Arclight and Marina recognizes it, she will begin to unlock secrets she didn’t even know she had. Who will Marina become? Who can she never be again?

An incredible book that sucked me in from the very beginning! You will NOT be able to put this book down! 
I don't even know where to begin. This book was just so amazing! It sucked me in to a completely different and terrifying world. I could not put this book down! 

Let's start off with the setting. A compound surrounded by a parameter of lights to keep out the dark. Everywhere is white and beaming. Beyond the compound is just darkness and unknown and death. Ya I would have to say I was biting my nails at the beginning. The "red-wall" is the alarm for when the compound is under attack by the creature called the Fade, and you begin the book with this happening. The way they describe the creatures look, and the sound of their giant claws scratching, it was down right scary. And the story about how the Fade became Fade! How the nanites (little particles meant to repair cells) were created to save humans but ended up taking over! That is so crazy to think about when you look at how far technology has come already!! This book really managed to freak me out and get me thinking about tons! 

The main character, Marina, was just simply amazing! I loved her character the entire book. She started out as a scared, confused girl but not like some characters from other books. She still had a fire about her the whole time. She didn't whine or complain at all but more kept to herself about stuff. She always had a certain strength to her that made me like her. Getting to watch her grow stronger through out the books was awesome! Also, the book keeps you on your seat the entire time, wanting to know what happened to Marina. She can't remember anything that happened to her when she was in the dark, but through out the book you get to see little clips as she remembers little pieces. I don't want to spoil anything, but lets just say WHATTTTT! Was not expecting anything like that! 

Tobin is an interesting character. He starts out very stand offish towards Marina, like he is disgusted with her because his father died trying to rescue her (don't worry, not a spoiler). But then in the crazy Red-Wall scene at the beginning, he rescues her and things begin to change between them. He becomes somewhat of her protecter, but at the same time she is his. It's pretty awesome how both of them need each other at certain times, and not just the guy saving the girl. 

I couldn't help but love Tobin by the end of the book but he wasn't the only guy that stole my heart! Who you might ask? Well you just have to read to find out. Also, if you want to know the CRAZY twist ending you should read the book as well! I recommend this book to everyone! It is officially one of my favorite books and makes me want to read more sci-fi! 
My Rating For This Book:



Sunday, May 5, 2013

Book Review: The Elite by Kierra Cass


The Elite (The Selection #2) by Kiera Cass


Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian
Goodreads Description: Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned princess of Illea.

America still isn’t sure where her heart lies. When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their new and breathless romance, and can’t dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over—and time is running out for America to decide.

Just when America is sure she’s made her choice, a devastating loss makes her question everything again. And while she’s struggling to imagine her future, the violent rebels that are determined to overthrow the monarchy are growing stronger and their plans could destroy her chance at any kind of happy ending.
     WOW! Words can not even explain how much I love this series! This book was so amazing that I could just not put it down. I am hopelessly in love with Maxon! What an amazing, patient, caring guy! He is just that character you can't help but love and route for. 

     This book was awesome because you got to see a lot more of the world that the royal family lived. It wasn't only focused on the dates between Maxon and the girls. You got to know the royal family a lot more. Finally getting to see the true personalities of the king, the queen, and Maxon. Some of it shocked me! Just talk about craziness! 

     Also, the rebel attacks get intense! I was at the edge of my seat during all of those scenes. You never knew if it was the Northerners or Southerners until things really got going. 

     America did make me frustrated in this book though. She actually frustrates me throughout both books in the series. She can be very childish and selfish sometimes, but so grown up and awesome at other points. She is strong and stubborn but it gets her in quite a bit of trouble all the time. But I also love that her personality is like this because it seems more real. It helps me remember how young these girls actually are. America is a teenager and therefor it makes sense for her to be childish and selfish sometimes, but she is also old enough to know whats right and wrong at other times. 

     It was absolutely impossible to put this book down. I would be amazed if someone didn't like this book. 
My rating:


Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Book Review: Blog tour for The Space Between

Title: The Space Between

Author : Victoria H. Smith

Release date: April 2, 2013

Age Group: New Adult

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Tour organized by: AToMR Tours (click on the link to take you to the official tour schedule for other reviews, giveaways, guest posts, and author interviews.)
Links to find/buy the book!
Amazon - Click Here 
Goodreads - Click Here
Book Description:
When Drake started the night at his father’s campaign fundraiser, he never imagined he’d
end it being conned into buying drugs on the West Side. Losing high-stakes poker has its
consequences, but he’d repeatedly face them just to hear Lacey Douglas sing. Drake sees Lacey
light up the stage, and he has to have her. But his intentions for being on her side of town turn
out to be the reason he can’t.

Chicago native Lacey has dreams of the opera, but life has its obstacles. Lacey has come to know
her hardships as part of living in the real world and accepts them fully. When Lacey meets the
intense and invigorating Drake, a fire is lit inside her, unleashing those dreams again.

Two paths that should have never crossed prove to create the exact pairing the other needs. But when their worlds take time to catch up, everything they have is tested. Finding the space between the two sides that challenge them will be hard, but it’s the only place that will keep
them together.
The Space Between is a new adult contemporary romance. 
This book was so inspiring, passionate, and incredibly sexy! 
     From the moment I saw this cover I was totally intrigued by this book! Ill be honest and say that I totally judge books by their cover, and this one was so cute that I knew I had to read it! The story was also no disappointment! The two main characters, Lacey and Drake, are amazing. They are both strong, amazing people who would do anything for the people they love! 

     One of my favorite parts about this entire book was Lacey's character! It is always refreshing when I read a girl character like her because the helpless and super emotional girls get kind of tiring sometimes. It is nice to see a strong female lead! But, she is not one of those characters that are so strong they wall themselves off from everyone, she is also so caring about others. She gives up a lot of her life to stay home and take care of her mother, she goes out of her way to make Drake's sister like her and then does everything she can to watch out for her. She always seems to put other peoples needs above her own, which is inspring that she can do that. And her friend Margot, I love her too! Such a great friend, and funny! Such a positive outlook on life and is always dreaming big for Lacey! Everyone needs a friend like her! lol but maybe with a different job. 

     Drake is probably the character that surprised me the most. A rich, spoiled kid who liked to make some trouble and get into girls pants because he could. I did not think I would like him at all. But turns out that there is way more to him than I expected. I was glad I got to be so surprised by a character I thought I had figured out, but turns out I had quite wrong at the very beginning. 
    
     Another amazing thing about this book was the 2 point of views, in Lacey and Drakes POVs. I always love books that do this so that you don't miss any of the story because you are stuck with just one character the whole time! With characters this strong and interesting, it was nice to get details about both lives. 

     This book shows many hardships for the couple. It shows the difficulties of dating someone of a different race and from a different lifestyle. Even though Drake and Lacey are fine with their different lives, the people around them force them to have to hide their relationship. This was sad for me because they felt they needed to hide themselves, but I totally get it too. I understand that their were people in their lives that would not be okay with it and would have made things hard for them. I just love that they still chose to stick together through it. 

     Over all, I loved this book and I am so happy I read it! I would totally recommend it to people because it has a lot to teach people and also is just an amazing story! 
My Rating of The Space Between: 4.5






About the Author

Social Media links: Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads


     Victoria H. Smith has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. She puts it to good use writing
romance all day. She resides in the Midwest with her Macbook on her lap and a cornfield to her
right. She often draws inspiration for her stories from her own life experiences, and the twenty-
something characters she writes give her an earful about it.

     In her free time, she enjoys extreme couponing, blogging, reading, and sending off a few tweets
on Twitter when she can. She writes new adult fiction romance in the sub-genres of science
fiction, urban fantasy, and contemporary, but really, anywhere her pen takes her she goes.

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Waiting On Wednesday!

Waiting On Wednesday is a meme hosted by Breaking The Spine
The Burning Sky (The Elemental Trilogy #1)
Genre: Young Adult fantasy
To be out on September 17, 2013
Goodreads Description:             It all began with a ruined elixir and an accidental bolt of lightning…

Iolanthe Seabourne is the greatest elemental mage of her generation—or so she's being told. The one prophesied for years to be the savior of The Realm. It is her duty and destiny to face and defeat the Bane, the greatest mage tyrant the world has ever known. A suicide task for anyone let alone a sixteen-year-old girl with no training, facing a prophecy that foretells a fiery clash to the death.

Prince Titus of Elberon has sworn to protect Iolanthe at all costs but he's also a powerful mage committed to obliterating the Bane to revenge the death of his family—even if he must sacrifice both Iolanthe and himself to achieve his goal.

But Titus makes the terrifying mistake of falling in love with the girl who should have been only a means to an end. Now, with the servants of the Bane closing in, he must choose between his mission and her life.
      Now, no one can tell me that they read that description of the book and did not think "OMG I must read this!!!" This book sounds so amazing! I am so pumped for it to come out! and just looking at the cover makes me want to read it!! MAGIC, LOVE, and TOTAL KICK BUTT AWESOMENESS!! 
This book sounds 100% fantastic! Can't wait to get my hands on it! 

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Top Ten Tuesday!

This meme is hosted by The Broke And The Bookish
Topic of this tuesday: 
Top ten favorite books I read before I was a Blogger:
1. Crank by Ellen Hopkins
2. Go Ask Alice by Anonymous
3. Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
4. Ugly Series by Scott Westerfeld
5. Any Sarah Dessen book
6. Any Susane Colasanti book
7. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
8. Twilight Series by Stephanie Meyers
9. The Host by Stephanie Meyers
10. Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Waiting On Wednesday!

Waiting On Wednesday is a meme hosted by Breaking The Spine
The Chaos Of Stars by: Kiersten White
Genre: Young Adult
On sale September 10, 2013
Goodreads Description:                                                            Of course, as the human daughter of Egyptian gods, that pretty much comes with the territory. She’s also stuck with parents who barely notice her, and a house full of relatives who can’t be bothered to remember her name. After all, they are going to be around forever—and she’s a mere mortal.

Isadora’s sick of living a life where she’s only worthy of a passing glance, and when she has the chance to move to San Diego with her brother, she jumps on it. But Isadora’s quickly finding that a “normal” life comes with plenty of its own epic complications—and that there’s no such thing as a clean break when it comes to family. Much as she wants to leave her past behind, she can’t shake the ominous dreams that foretell destruction for her entire family. When it turns out there may be truth in her nightmares, Isadora has to decide whether she can abandon her divine heritage after all.

Can I just say, I LOVE THIS COVER!!! It is such a gorgeous cover! Also, who doesn't like books about awesome Egyptian gods? This book is going to be amazing!! I CANT WAIT!!!

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Top Ten Tuesday!

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and Bookish


Top Ten Characters I Would Crush On If I Were Also A Fictional Character
1. Adam from Shatter Me 
2. Kenji from Shatter Me
3. Damon from Vampire Diaries
4. Tobias/Four from Divergent
5. Ky from Matched 
6. Alex from Delirium
7. Any main guy character from Sarah Dessen books
8. Any main guy character from Susane Colasanti books
9. Peeta from Hunger Games
10. Jase Garrett from My Life Next Door
 So who are your boy crushes in the fictional world?