Juliababyjen's Reading Room: March 2013

Sunday, March 31, 2013

March Best of the Bunch

Best of the Bunch is hosted by Always Lost in Stories. Best of the Bunch is a monthly wrap-up and award ceremony hosted here on the last day of each month, where we can look back over the books we have read and give a Best of the Bunch award to our favorite book of that month.

It is also a blog hop for bloggers to showcase their pick of "Best of the Bunch". I always put up my post on the last day of the month, but remember, you can add your link anytime in the following month- please join in, I love hearing about which books you thought were the most amazing!

For more info and to grab the button and stickers visit the BOTB page here, then all you need to do is write up your post showing us your Best of the Bunch and add your linky to the list below. Don't forget to check out the other blogs to find out which books other bloggers have awarded the best.

I managed to read 26 books this month! Not too shabby!

What I read

Sweet Valley Confidential by Francine Pascal--4 stars--My Review on Juliababyjen After Dark

The Burning Time by J.G. Faherty--4 stars--My Review

Surrender by Rhiannon Paille--3 stars--My Review

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce--4 stars--My Review

Aura by Rebecca Talley--4 stars--My Review

The Truth About Letting Go by Leigh Talbert Moore--4 stars--My Review

Academy 7 by Anne Osterlund--4 stars--My Review

Illuminate by Aimee Agresti--4 stars--My Review

Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi--5 stars--My Review

Eve and Adam by Michael Grant--3.5 stars--My Review

Annabel by Lauren Oliver--4 stars

Hana by Lauren Oliver--4 stars

Alex by Lauren Oliver--3 stars

Raven by Lauren Oliver--4.5 stars

Disconnect by Imran Siddiq--3 stars--My Review

There Comes A Prophet by David Litwack--4.5 stars--My Review

Love Unscripted by Tina Reber--4 stars

Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson--5 stars--My Review

Requiem by Lauren Oliver--4.5 stars--My Review

Wait For You by J Lynn (Jennifer L Armentrout)--4 stars--My Review on Juliababyjen After Dark

Keeper of the Moon by Harley Jane Kozak--3 stars

Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick--4 stars--My Review

A Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket--3 stars

The Sweetest Dark by Shana Abe--4 stars--My Review

Aurora Sky by Nikki Jefford--3.5 stars--My Review

Speechless by Hannah Harrington--4 stars--My Review

And the winner is....

Goodreads

The day that Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London to start a new life at boarding school is also the day a series of brutal murders breaks out over the city, killings mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper spree of more than a century ago. Soon "Rippermania" takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him--the only one who can see him. And now Rory has become his next target. In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities.

And the runner-ups...

Goodreads

It's been months since Aria last saw Perry. Months since Perry was named Blood Lord of the Tides, and Aria was charged with an impossible mission. Now, finally, they are about to be reunited. But their reunion is far from perfect. The Tides don't take kindly to Aria, a former Dweller. And with the worsening Aether storms threatening the tribe's precarious existence, Aria begins to fear that leaving Perry behind might be the only way to save them both.

Threatened by false friends, hidden enemies, and powerful temptations, Aria and Perry wonder, Can their love survive through the ever night?

In this second book in her spellbinding Under the Never Sky trilogy, Veronica Rossi combines fantasy and dystopian elements to create a captivating love story as perilous as it is unforgettable.

Goodreads

They have tried to squeeze us out, to stamp us into the past.But we are still here.
And there are more of us every day.
Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has been transformed. The nascent rebellion that was under way in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight.
After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven—pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators now infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels, and as Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancée of the young mayor.
Maybe we are driven crazy by our feelings.
Maybe love is a disease, and we would be better off without it.
But we have chosen a different road.
And in the end, that is the point of escaping the cure: We are free to choose.
We are even free to choose the wrong thing.
Requiem is told from both Lena’s and Hana’s points of view. The two girls live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge.

Goodreads

"But what are we without dreams?"

A world kept peaceful for a thousand years by the powerof the ruling vicars. But a threat lurks from a violent past. Masters from the darkness have hidden their ancient magic in a place called the keep and left a trail of clues that have never been solved.

Nathaniel has grown up longing for more but unwilling to challenge the vicars. Until his friend Thomas is taken for a teaching, the mysterious coming-of-age ritual. Thomas returns but with his dreams ripped away. When Orah is taken next, Nathaniel tries to rescue her and ends up in the prisons of Temple City. There he meets the first keeper of the ancient clues. But when he seeks the keep, what he finds is not magic at all.

If he reveals the truth, the words of the book of light might come to pass:

“If there comes among you a prophet saying ‘Let us return to the darkness,’ you shall stone him, because he has sought to thrust you away from the light.”

Which book won your bananas?

Time to Finish Up My March Reviews!

I have managed to get myself more and more behind on my blog! Moving really did me in! I still have several reviews left to finish for March. I decided instead of staying behind while I slowly caught up, I would just do some quick reviews and share my thoughts on them, so I can start fresh in April!

So, here we go!

Goodreads
Gilded Wings #1
YA Paranormal (Angels)
My rating: 4 stars

Haven Terra is a brainy, shy high school outcast. But everything begins to change when she turns sixteen. Along with her best friend Dante and their quiet and brilliant classmate Lance, she is awarded a prestigious internship in the big city— Chicago—and is sent to live and work at a swanky and stylish hotel under the watchful eyes of a group of gorgeous and shockingly young-looking strangers: powerful and alluring hotel owner Aurelia Brown; her second-in-command, the dashing Lucian Grove; and their stunning but aloof staff of glamazons called The Outfit.

As Haven begins falling for Lucian, she discovers that these beautiful people are not quite what they seem. With the help of a mysterious book, she uncovers a network of secret passageways from the hotel’s jazz-age past that leads her to the heart of the evil agenda of Aurelia and company: they’re in the business of buying souls. Will they succeed in wooing Haven to join them in their recruitment efforts, or will she be able to thwart this devilish set’s plans to take the souls of her classmates on prom night at the hotel?

Illuminate is an exciting saga of a teen’s first taste of independence, her experience in the lap of luxury, and her discovery she may possess strength greater than she ever knew.

My 2 cents

This was a really great story. It took me awhile to unravel what was going on. Lots of creepy things were happening and great characters. The setting was perfect. The middle part of the book was kind of long, and I was started to get a bit bored, but the end really picked up with the suspense! I loved the romantic aspects!

Goodreads

YA Dystopian, Sci-Fi

My rating: 3.5 stars

And girl created boy…

In the beginning, there was an apple—

And then there was a car crash, a horrible injury, and a hospital. But before Evening Spiker’s head clears a strange boy named Solo is rushing her to her mother’s research facility. There, under the best care available, Eve is left alone to heal.

Just when Eve thinks she will die—not from her injuries, but from boredom—her mother gives her a special project: Create the perfect boy.

Using an amazingly detailed simulation, Eve starts building a boy from the ground up. Eve is creating Adam. And he will be just perfect... won’t he?

My 2 cents

Really good story. Great twists, although the ending was not believeable to me. Very suspenseful
and intriguing, and I loved the 2 MCs. I didn't like Eve's friend or mom at all. I was very surprised by the ending, and did not see the twists that were coming!

Goodreads

YA Paranormal (Angels)

Hush, Hush #4

My rating: 4 stars

Will love conquer all?

Nora and Patch thought their troubles were behind them. Hank is gone and they should be able to put his ugly vendetta to rest. But in Hank's absence, Nora has become the unwitting head of the Nephilim and must finish what Hank began. Which ultimately means destroying the fallen angels - destroying Patch.

Nora will never let that happen, so she and Patch make a plan: lead everyone to believe they have broken up, and work the system from the inside. Nora will convince the Nephilim that they are making a mistake in fighting the fallen angels, and Patch will find out everything he can from the opposing side. They will end this war before it can even begin.

But the best-laid plans often go awry. Nora is put through the paces in her new role and finds herself drawn to an addictive power she never anticipated.

As the battle lines are drawn, Nora and Patch must confront the differences that have always been between them and either choose to ignore them or let them destroy the love they have always fought for.

My 2 cents

This was a great final story. It was refreshing to have Nora be the one making mistakes instead of
Patch. He was perfect throughout the book. I was so sad about Scott, but I'm glad he ended up
such a hero for Nora! Dante was a different new character, and I liked him at first, but after he gave Nora that drink, I didn't trust him at all. I felt the war itself was a little rushed. The story might have been better told over the course of 2 books. The end was very good though! Loved it!

Goodreads
YA Dystopian, Fantasy
My rating: 3.5 stars

With a past too terrible to speak of, and a bleak, lonely future ahead of her, Aerin Renning is shocked to find she has earned a place at the most exclusive school in the universe. Aerin excels at Academy 7 in all but debate, where Dane Madousin?son of one of the most powerful men in the Alliance? consistently outtalks her. Fortunately Aerin consistently outwits him at sparring. They are at the top of their class until Dane jeopardizes everything and Aerin is unintentionally dragged down with him. When the pair is given a joint punishment, an unexpected friendship?and romance?begins to form. But Dane and Aerin both harbor dangerous secrets, and the two are linked in ways neither of them could ever have imagined. . . .

My 2 cents

I really liked the concept, but the story felt a little short. The romance was not that believable. The twists at the end were good. Left a lot of things open, and I don't think this is a series. I was hoping for a little more story I guess, but I liked it!

Goodreads

YA Mystery Thriller, Paranormal (Ghosts)

Shades of London #1

My rating: 5 stars

My 2 cents

This was a really good read! It felt so modern day, and I loved all the London references and the setting,
especially the historical references. The story was really creepy and gruesome at times. I liked the ghost paranormal element. I was biting my nails by the end of it, and had no idea what was going to happen. Great twists, didn't see any of them coming! (except for one). The characters were great and very well done. I started out really liking Jerome, but not so much by the end! I really liked Stephen his team! I can't wait to read the sequel!

Requiem by Lauren Oliver

Goodreads
391 pages, YA Dystopian
Delirium #3
My rating: 4.5 stars

Synopsis

They have tried to squeeze us out, to stamp us into the past.

But we are still here.

And there are more of us every day.

Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has been transformed. The nascent rebellion that was under way in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight.

After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven—pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators now infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels, and as Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancée of the young mayor.

Maybe we are driven crazy by our feelings.

Maybe love is a disease, and we would be better off without it.

But we have chosen a different road.

And in the end, that is the point of escaping the cure: We are free to choose.

We are even free to choose the wrong thing.

Requiem is told from both Lena’s and Hana’s points of view. The two girls live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge.

My 2 cents

Overall, I really loved the book. The writing was really, really good. It is really hard to do a review on this book without giving away big spoilers, so I think I am going to focus mainly on the characters. This really is a character driven series!

Lena--I felt I connected more with Lena in this story than in the previous two books. I really felt her pain, in being torn between Alex and Julian, and then her pain in thinking Alex no longer loved her!

Alex--He was the biggest bummer of the book for me. I will defend him somewhat. He is obviously insanely jealous, and who knows what he went through in the Crypts. (Well, I do, because I read the short story "Alex!") But he was a horrible jerk to Lena through most of the book, and seemed to latch onto a new girl! I was happier with him by the end, though.

Hana--This character was the hardest for me to make sense of. I can't believe Hana's actions towards the end of the book. She seems to be coming around for most of the story, then she's threatened, and BAM--becomes a meek little mouse. It really helped me to read her short story, as well!

Raven--I wasn't a big fan of hers in Pandemonium, but I started to like her by the end. Again, her short story will shed a lot of light on her as a person. And there is a huge twist with her that is not even mentioned in Requiem, only her short story. I was crying at the end of the book for Raven!

Julian--Julian is the only character who no longer really has a purpose. I suppose it helps Lena that he's there, but a lot of Lena's problems would be gone if he wasn't there in the first place...

Annabel--Annabel makes an appearance in this book, and I'm really glad the author tied up things between Lena and Annabel. I figured we would never see her again, but I'm so glad I was wrong! Another really good short story to read!

Tack--We never get any closure on Tack, so I'm going to believe that he stayed with Raven. I honestly think Raven and Tack were the best couple of the whole series! So loyal and faithful to each other!

Fred--I'm not sure I've ever felt so venomous towards a character before! I'm not going to tell you what happens to this despicable creature, but he gets his in the end!

Coral--One of the new characters, whom I decided not to like for Lena's sake. I had come around by the end though. Its hard to hate someone who has lost everything! She also was the only character who could and did fix one of Lena's biggest issues!

There are so many other characters, but these are the ones that stick out for me. Oliver is an amazing writer, and she makes these characters come to life! I'm not going to go into too much with the plot, but I was completely engaged with it.

Now for the ending. I've heard lots of negative reviews on the ending, and I know why. Oliver gives us a pretty open ending, letting us figure out exactly happens with the characters after the big battle. I think her readers really wanted everything tied up in a nice little bow. My only complaint is I would have liked a little more closure with Julian, Hana, and Tack. The rest I can imagine on my own.

I, however, really LOVED the ending! The last page was beautiful. It was pure poetry, and one of the best things I have ever read! Lena sums up the series and its purpose beautifully, and its something we should all be thinking about every day of our lives!

Saturday, March 30, 2013

Speechless by Hannah Harrington

Goodreads
272 pages, YA Contemporary
Standalone
My Rating: 4 stars

Synopsis

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.

My 2 cents

This contemporary is mainly about bullying, especially gay bullying. Its a topic that I really haven't read too much about in YA, but I think its badly needed to be written more of. The author gets kudos from me to even attempt to stab at this topic!

So, Chelsea is popular. Her best friend, Kristen, is the queen bee of the school, and Chelsea is sort of the tagalong. She loves to find out people's secrets, and also loves to gossip. Her life is pretty shallow at this point, even though its clear she's not really happy with it. While at a huge crazy party at Kristen's house, Chelsea gets herself pretty drunk. She stumbles in on a make out session between 2 boys. One of them, Noah, is good at sports and also considered pretty popular. No one knows that he's gay. Well, of course, Chelsea has to go tell all her friends at the party. This is a huge mistake, as Kristen's boyfriend, Warren, chases down Noah and beats him into a coma.

Chelsea at this point has passed out drunk, but when she gets home the next morning, she hears all about it from her parents. She feels so guilty, as she's the one who outed Noah, she confesses to her parents that she was at the party (hence an immediate grounding), and that she saw Warren go after Noah. After all this, Chelsea starts the vow of silence--and spends the next few months dealing with the fallout of ratting on the queen bee's boyfriend.

What I loved about this story is the current YA trend of "popular girl turned normal." Chelsea was obviously not happy being popular, but she doesn't realize how wrong her life was until she is now at the bottom of the heap, and gets to experience things through another point of view. She learns a lot about friendship and people's intentions. There is a little romance in the book, which was nice, but the main stuff of the novel was more coming of age for Chelsea.

My only issue is at the very end of the novel, it starts to become too "Happily Ever After." After all the crap the entire school was pulling on gays in general (it gets really nasty) I had trouble believing most of the Winter Formal scene. But that's pretty minor, and maybe the author is just trying to set an example of how teens should be reacting.

The character development was very good in this one. I got to know all of the characters very well, not just the MC. Chelsea makes friends with a whole new group of outstanding people: Sam, Asha, Dex, and Andy. They were all great three dimensional characters. This was a great contemporary exploring complex teen issues!

In My Mailbox #26

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren. Us bloggers feature any new books we've received in the past week, either bought, borrowed, or received for review.

Books mentioned in this vlog

Boundless Unraveling
The Adoration of Jenna Fox
Whispers At Moonrise
A Great and Terrible Beauty
Thirteen Reasons Why
The Wednesday Sisters
She Went All the Way
The Year of Fog
Partials
The One That I Want
Live Through This
Perfect Chemistry
The Dark Unwinding
Emblaze
Princess of the Silver Woods
The Demonologist
Love and Leftovers
Hate List
Panic
Spellcaster

People I Mentioned

David Estes
David Estes Fan Group on Goodreads
Thanks for the $10 gift card!

What did you get in your mailbox?

The Sweetest Dark by Shana Abe

Goodreads
352 pages, YA Fantasy (Dragons)
The Sweetest Dark #1
My rating: 4 stars

Synopsis

“With every fiber of my being, I yearned to be normal. To glide through my days at Iverson without incident. But I’d have to face the fact that my life was about to unfold in a very, very different way than I’d ever envisioned. Normal would become forever out of reach.”

Lora Jones has always known that she’s different. On the outside, she appears to be an ordinary sixteen-year-old girl. Yet Lora’s been keeping a heartful of secrets: She hears songs that no one else can hear, dreams vividly of smoke and flight, and lives with a mysterious voice inside her that insists she’s far more than what she seems.

England, 1915. Raised in an orphanage in a rough corner of London, Lora quickly learns to hide her unique abilities and avoid attention. Then, much to her surprise, she is selected as the new charity student at Iverson, an elite boarding school on England’s southern coast. Iverson’s eerie, gothic castle is like nothing Lora has ever seen. And the two boys she meets there will open her eyes and forever change her destiny.

Jesse is the school’s groundskeeper—a beautiful boy who recognizes Lora for who and what she truly is. Armand is a darkly handsome and arrogant aristocrat who harbors a few closely guarded secrets of his own. Both hold the answers to her past. One is the key to her future. And both will aim to win her heart. As danger descends upon Iverson, Lora must harness the powers she’s only just begun to understand, or else lose everything she dearly loves.

Filled with lush atmosphere, thrilling romance, and ancient magic, The Sweetest Dark brilliantly captures a rich historical era while unfolding an enchanting love story that defies time.

My 2 cents

This book is not at all what I expected! It completely transported me to another world, and I loved it! The writing was beautiful and poetic. The concept was completely new and original, and the characters and the setting were very vivid.

Lora is most decidedly different from her peers. Not only in station, but down to her very being. She really does think she much be crazy, until she meets Jesse. He has a secret of his own, and he sees her for what she really is--a dragon! He himself is meant to be her keeper, and he has sensed her in the world for years. His task is to help her complete her transformation from girl to dragon.

I actually did not like Jesse that much. I felt like he was really holding her back at times. Lora falls completely in love with him, and seems blind to a lot of his faults. I just didn't quite trust him. You'll have to read the book to find out whether I was right or not!

Armand is the son of the Duke who owns the school. He immediately is drawn to Lora, although she can't stand him. These two characters actually made me think of Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice. She is blind to him, and he looks down his nose at her. But he also has a secret, and these three characters are bound together because of it. I loved Armand! I thought he and Lora were more suited together. I could see right through his facade. I really wanted Lora to as well, but it seemed to take awhile!

Most of the story felt like a historical fantasy. It is set in England during World War I, so there is a lot happening. The romance is kind of a back drop, and doesn't rule the story. Its really a more coming of age--or dragon!-- story for Lora. The ending picks up with a lot of action, and wasn't at all what I expected! The book just kept surprising me and surprising me, in good ways!

Friday, March 29, 2013

Aurora Sky Blog Tour + Giveaways!

Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter by Nikki Jefford
Series: Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter #1
Publication: December 9th 2012
Genre: YA Paranormal

Synopsis:
If there is one thing eighteen-year-old Aurora Sky wants, it’s to get off the iceberg she calls home. Being kissed before she graduates wouldn’t hurt either.

Then a near-fatal car wreck changes everything. Government agents step in and save Aurora’s life in exchange for her services as a vampire hunter. In Alaska. Basically she’s a glorified chew toy. All thanks to her rare blood type, which sends a vampire into temporary paralysis right before she has to finish the job… by hand.

Now Aurora’s only friends are groupies of the undead and the only boy she can think about may very well be a vampire. And if he’s a vampire, will she be forced to kill him?

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17061189-aurora-sky

Purchase

-Amazon: http://www.amazon.ca/Aurora-Sky-Vampire-Hunter-ebook/dp/B00AEGD5XY/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1358514406&sr=1-1

--Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/aurora-sky-nikki-jefford/1113946626?ean=9781481153201&r=1%2c+1&cm_mmc=AFFILIATES-_-Linkshare-_-GwEz7vxblVU-_-10%3a1&

Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ExDDqf6nlk&feature=player_embedded

---

AUTHOR BIO

Nikki Jefford is a third generation Alaskan who loves fictional bad boys and heroines who kick butt. She is the author of the Spellbound Trilogy and upcoming Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter series. Nikki married Sebastien, the love of her life, while working as a teaching assistant in France. They now reside in the not-so-tropical San Juan Islands, 70 miles northeast of Forks, Washington.

Author Links:
Website: http://www.nikkijefford.com/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5424286.Nikki_Jefford
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authornikkijefford?ref=ts&fref=ts

Twitter: https://twitter.com/NikkiJefford

My 2 cents

My rating: 3.5 stars

I really liked the basic story concept of the story. Vampires come from people who have AB negative blood, but have also contracted horrible diseases. These diseases at as a catalyst in the blood, suspending the person into an undead status What is really creepy about this is that I have AB negative blood!

So Aurora is in a horrible car accident where she almost dies. The government saves her, and injects this "formula" into her blood, which makes her lethal to vampires. Its a very different concept, and I liked the science behind it. I had trouble with trying to understand how exactly she is NOT a vampire, though. The book makes is pretty clear that she has the same blood as the vamps, but this "formula" counteracts the vampirism. I just didn't really get it, I guess!

Parts of the story got a little graphic and gross as well. There was lots of action, which I loved, and plenty of teen romance. The romantic aspects were a little strange though. We get a big twist towards the end regarding Fane and Aurora, although I was able to figure it out ahead of time. It left things nice and open for the next book!

The characters were very real to me. I really enjoyed Aurora as a MC, and also Fane and Noel. The agents were not that well developed, and the actual program and the base gave me the heebie jeebies! Aurora's parents were just AWFUL! That poor, poor girl!

And now, for the giveaways!

I am giving away an Aurora Sky door hanger!

There is also a grand prize below!

Good luck!