Review: The Calling by Kelley Armstrong

The Calling
Kelley Armstrong
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release Date: April 10, 2012

Maya and her friends--all of whom have supernatural powers--have been kidnapped after fleeing from a forest fire they suspect was deliberately set, and after a terrifying helicopter crash they find themselves pursued by evildoers in the Vancouver Island wilderness.

I was pleasantly surprised by The Calling. I still don't like this series as much as The Darkest Powers series, but this series is getting better.

It really picks up in The Calling. Not much happened in the last book, until the end that is, and this one was a lot more action packed and fast-paced. Even though there is more action in this book, we still don't know a lot about what the characters are. There weren't many answers in this book, and even more questions. 

Even though I like Maya, she did get on my nerves at times in this book. There were things she didn't see that were obvious. But I do applaud her loyalty towards those she loves. She can kick butt at times, too. 

I must say I really enjoyed all little peaks of the characters from The Darkest Powers series in this book. We don't know anything more about them, but it's coming. I will admit that the biggest reason why I'm reading and continuing this series is that in the third book (the next one!) the character from the two series will meet. I'm so excited!

The Calling is a good edition to this series. Can this series stand on it's own? I don't know, but it's pretty close. I do know that now I'm super excited for the next book!

Also, check out my review for The Gathering, the first book in the series. 

Review: Forgiven by Jana Oliver

Forgiven
Jana Oliver
Release Date: March 27, 2012
Publisher: St Martin's Griffin

Jana Oliver's third spellbinding Demon Trappers novel - following The Demon Trapper's Daughter and Soul Thief - brings all new thrills, as Riley Blackthorne takes on demons, love... and the future of the human race.
The days are growing darker for 17-year-old demon trapper Riley Blackthorne. With her father’s reanimated body back safely, Beck barely speaking to her because of a certain hunky Fallen angel, and a freshly-made deal with Lucifer, she has enough on her hands to last a normal teenage lifetime. Though she bargained with Heaven to save his life, her ex-boyfriend Simon has told the Vatican’s Demon Hunters that she’s working with Hell. So now she’s in hiding, at the top of everyone’s most-wanted list. 
But it’s becoming clear that this is bigger than Riley, and rapidly getting out of control:  something sinister is happening in Atlanta… or someone. The demons are working together for the first time ever and refusing to die, putting civilians in harm’s way. Riley thinks she might know who’s behind it all, but who’s going to believe her? Caught between her bargain with Heaven and her promise to Lucifer, Riley fears the final war is coming – and it may be closer than anyone thinks…

I have come to really like, no love, this series. It started off decent, but not the best, and then turned into something amazing and addictive. It just gets better with every book, and Forgiven is definitely the best in the series.

Riley has grown a lot since the first book. She was pretty awesome from the beginning, but she was definitely a lot stronger in this book. She has made mistakes in the past, but she learned from them and that made her a better person, which is something I really appreciate.

And Beck. I love Beck. A lot. He is deeply scarred with a past that we still don't know a lot about. But he is still very sweet and protective of Riley. He can also kick-ass when he needs to. He, too, has made mistakes, not all that we know about. 

What I love about this series is that it's so unique. I love all the different types of demons and monsters in this book. It never fails to suck me into this world.

Oh, the ending. It about ripped my heart out. If it's any indication to the next and final book in this series, I needed the next book yesterday. 

Overall, clearly the best book in the series. It's action packed and unique and I love the characters. I can't wait to read the final book in this series. 

Read my reviews for the series:

Soul Thief  (Book 2)

Top Ten Tuesday: Books Read in Future Generations

As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. For more information or to participate visit here.

This week's theme is books published in the last ten years that I hope are still being read in 30 years.

This book was so awesome. There is so  much in it and it needs to be read by everyone.

I think this one is self explanatory

I think people will be able to enjoy Graceling and this series for a long time.

I actually just finished this and it was awesome. 

This series is a perfect portrayal of a teenage girl and coming of age. I think people in future generations will still be able to relate to it. 

 People should read this series for no other reason than to prove that not all vampire books are like Twilight. It is possible to have a kick-ass female character who is not a passive sissy moron. 

And people should read this book to prove that not every books was about vampires. There are original ideas out there!

What's on your list this lovely Tuesday?

Blog Tour: Fated by Alyson Noel Giveaway

The first book in a magnificent new series about a girl who can navigate between the worlds of the living and the dead by #1 New York Times bestselling author Alyson Noël.

Lately strange things have been happening to Daire Santos. Animals follow her, crows mock her, and glowing people appear out of nowhere. Worried that Daire is having a nervous breakdown, her mother packs her off to stay in the dusty plains of Enchantment, New Mexico with a grandmother she’s never met.

There she crosses paths with Dace, a gorgeous guy with unearthly blue eyes who she’s encountered before...but only in her dreams. And she’ll get to know her grandmother—a woman who recognizes Daire’s bizarre episodes for what they are. A call to her true destiny as a Soul Seeker, one who can navigate between the worlds of the living and the dead. Her grandmother immediately begins teaching her to harness her powers—but it’s an art that must be mastered quickly. Because Dace’s brother is an evil shape-shifter who’s out to steal her powers. Now Daire must embrace her fate as a Soul Seeker and find out if Dace is one guy she’s meant to be with...or if he’s allied with the enemy she’s destined to destroy.

Today, I am giving away one signed copy of Fated by Alyson Noel

Giveaway Details:

~US only

~Runs through June 11

~Must be 13 years or older to enter

~Must fill out the Rafflecopter to enter

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Luck to all and thanks for stopping by! :)

Review: Fated by Alyson Noel

Fated
Alyson Noel
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Release Date: May 22, 2012

The first book in a magnificent new series about a girl who can navigate between the worlds of the living and the dead by #1 New York Times bestselling author Alyson Noël.
Lately strange things have been happening to Daire Santos. Animals follow her, crows mock her, and glowing people appear out of nowhere. Worried that Daire is having a nervous breakdown, her mother packs her off to stay in the dusty plains of Enchantment, New Mexico with a grandmother she’s never met.
There she crosses paths with Dace, a gorgeous guy with unearthly blue eyes who she’s encountered before...but only in her dreams. And she’ll get to know her grandmother—a woman who recognizes Daire’s bizarre episodes for what they are. A call to her true destiny as a Soul Seeker, one who can navigate between the worlds of the living and the dead. Her grandmother immediately begins teaching her to harness her powers—but it’s an art that must be mastered quickly. Because Dace’s brother is an evil shape-shifter who’s out to steal her powers. Now Daire must embrace her fate as a Soul Seeker and find out if Dace is one guy she’s meant to be with...or if he’s allied with the enemy she’s destined to destroy.

While I had my ups and downs with Alyson Noel's Evermore series, it was overall enjoyable. I was anxious to see how her new series will do. It was an enjoyable ride, while I still had some issues.


While there were a few cliche's, Fated had an overall original idea. There were times when I about lost interest, but there was enough to keep me going. One thing I did like about this book was the culture behind it. I thought that was a very unique aspect of the book. 


And Daire. She was kind of bothersome, although she did have some redeemable qualities. But for the most part she whined a little too much and was a bit too childish, which is one of my biggest pet peeves.  

Overall Fated was an... interesting ride. There were a few bugs, but there was enough intrigue to keep me going. 

Book Haul and Week in Review (91)

This is dedicated not only to sharing all the books I've received this week but also to share this week's happenings on my blog. This is inspired by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer's The Sunday Post. Also, the title Book Haul is provided by Katie's Book Blog. 

Review:

I'm pretty excited for this one since I love Lauren Barnholdt!

Library:

I have not read Stork or Heist Society, but they've been sitting on my shelf for quite a while. I figure if I get the sequels, hopefully it will give me an incentive to read them!

This week on Book Fanatics:

Be sure to enter my giveaway for Unbreak My Heart!

Other than that, it was a pretty quiet week. I also reviewed Revived by Cat Patrick, so be sure to check that out!

What did you get this week?

Review: Revived by Cat Patrick

Revived
Cat Patrick
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Release Date: May 8, 2012

As a little girl, Daisy Appleby was killed in a school bus crash. Moments after the accident, she was brought back to life. 
A secret government agency has developed a drug called Revive that can bring people back from the dead, and Daisy Appleby, a test subject, has been Revived five times in fifteen years. Daisy takes extraordinary risks, knowing that she can beat death, but each new death also means a new name, a new city, and a new life. When she meets Matt McKean, Daisy begins to question the moral implications of Revive, and as she discovers the agency’s true goals, she realizes she’s at the center of something much larger—and more sinister—than she ever imagined.

I enjoyed Revived a lot more than I expected to. I really enjoyed Patrick's debut novel, Forgotten, but Revived was ten times better. It was very original and was able to stir up emotions in me. 
Daisy changes a lot over the course of this book. In the beginning, she is a little careless with her life because she knows she can just be Revived. But she learns a lot about the importance of life through the book, and she doesn't want to die again. I really liked Daisy. She could be selfish at times but completely selfless at others. Even though she is part of the Revive project, she still acted like a normal teenage girl, too. She was smart and I thought she was a unique character.
Revive was really unique and original. I was immediately sucked into this world and devoured it. There was so much mystery and intrigue and I wanted to know more about the drug Revive. There were plenty of times of suspense in this book, where I was on the edge of my seat waiting to know what happened. 
On top of everything, there were also some sad, heart-breaking moments in here, too. Patrick definitely knows how to make me laugh one moment and cry the next. 
Revived is a can't miss novel. It's full of everything, from suspense to romance to heartbreak to deep questioning.  

Blog Tour: Unbreak My Heart Review and Giveaway

Unbreak My Heart
Melissa C. Walker
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA
Release Date: May 22, 2012

Sophomore year broke Clementine Williams’ heart. She fell for her best friend’s boyfriend and long story short: he’s excused, but Clem is vilified and she heads into summer with zero social life. 
Enter her parents’ plan to spend the summer on their sailboat. Normally the idea of being stuck on a tiny boat with her parents and little sister would make Clem break out in hives, but floating away sounds pretty good right now. 
Then she meets James at one of their first stops along the river. He and his dad are sailing for the summer and he’s just the distraction Clem needs. Can he break down Clem’s walls and heal her broken heart?
Told in alternating chapters that chronicle the year that broke Clem’s heart and the summer that healed it, Unbreak My Heart is a wonderful dual love story that fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Susane Colasanti will flock to.

I really enjoyed Unbreak My Heart. It was a perfect story of healing and romance and is a great beach read. 


At the beginning this novel, I thought that Clem was going to be really whiny and bothersome. But she wasn't. She was hurt and I could see why. When she sets sail with her family she just wants to figure everything out. As the book went on I felt that she did and grew a lot. 


I liked Clem, but I also liked a lot of the other characters, too. Clem's friends Aaron and Henry (as seen in the flash backs) were really funny. Clem's sister was also really cute and a great addiction. And James. He was just awesome. 


Even though this is a book about healing and is a mostly solemn read, it had it's fun moments, too. There were times that I just couldn't help but smile. There were also some pretty uplifting moments, as well. 



I loved the setting of the boat. Walker did an excellent job describing this. I felt that I was there  and I would really like to experience it myself. 


I do wish that the ending was a little more concluded. I felt that it ended pretty fast (it's a really short read) and there were some loose ends that I wish were tied up. 


Overall, Unbreak My Heart is a really cute read. It's a serious story of healing, but there are some lighter moments, too. 

Giveaway details:

One lucky winner will receive a copy of Unbreak My Heart

Must be 13 years or older to enter

US only 

Must be a follower of the blog (whether it be through GFC or RSS)

Contest ends June 5

Must fill out the rafflecopter to enter

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck! :)

Top Ten Tuesday: Websites That Aren't About Books

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. For more information or to participate, visit here.

As the title of this post suggests, this week's theme is top ten websites that aren't about books. I may get redundant here, because a lot of these sites are about the same thing.

1. YouTube- Yay youtube! I mostly use this sight to look up music videos. 
2. Playlist.com- I use this, again, for music. I'll listen to this when reading and doing other activities. Here's the playlist I listen to the most:  http://www.playlist.com/g/#/playlist/20043750155 (I know it's called Mellow Mix but it's really not all mellow.)
3. ITunes- This is pretty self-explanatory
4. College websites- Yes, it's that time for me. I'm visiting a lot to find the right college and get scholarships and all that jazz. 
5. Amazon.com- I don't actually but a lot of stuff off of here, but I like browsing :)
6. Maurices.com (and sights like it)- Again, I don't really buy clothes off the internet. But I like having an idea for when I go shopping!
7. My school website- to check my grades :)
8. DeviantArt.com- On top of reading, one of my interests is art. I browse this website for inspiration and just to look!

Note: I also visit Twitter, but since I strictly use that for my book blog, I didn't think it was appropriate for this list.

So, there you have it. 

What non-bookish websites to you visit?

Book Haul and Week in Review (90)

This is dedicated not only to sharing all the books I've received this week but also to share this week's happenings on my blog. This is inspired by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer's The Sunday Post. Also, the title Book Haul is provided by Katie's Book Blog. 

For Review:

Stunning by Sara Shepard

I haven't actually read this series. But, since I've received the past three books for review the least I can do is give the first a try and see where it goes from there....

Library:

Starters by Lisa Price

The Last Echo by Kimberly Derting

When the Sea is Rising Red by Cat Hellisen*

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver*

*This is actually the second time I've gotten these. I had to return them to the library before I could read them and I got them again this week.

Happenings on Book Fanatics:

This week I reviewed:

Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf (3.5 stars)

Insurgent by Veronica Roth (4 stars)

Also, check out my Kick-Ass Heroines post. 

Plus, be sure to come back next week for a giveaway (wink, wink)

What did you get this week?

Kick-Ass Heroines

So today I am sharing some female characters in YA that have one of my favorite qualities--they're bad ass. I've recently (or not so recently) come across some characters that I love and want to share with you all. 

Now, you may notice that all of these books are non-contemporary (dystopian, high fantasy, paranormal). I didn't do that on purpose. I couldn't think of anyone who is BA that's a contemp. Not that they aren't out there. I'll have to do a post later featuring kick-ass girls in contemporary novels.

But for now, onto the list!

Yelena from Poison Study

I love these novels and I love Yelena. She's loyal, independent, and awesome. 

Tris from Divergent

Tris went through a lot in this book and still remained strong. She's incredibly brave, but I guess that's why she is in Duantless, after all.

Katsa from Graceling

Katsa's a fighter. That is her Grace. And she fights a lot more than just physically, too. During the book, she grows a lot emotionally, too. 

Fire by Kristin Cashore

I couldn't put Katsa on this list without Fire. Fire is strong, too, but she's a little stronger than Katsa is emotionally. This I really liked about her because it was easy to relate to her.

And, last but not least:

Ellie from Angelfire

Ellie is smart, sassy, and can kick some serious demon butt. She's one of my favorite characters period.

So, there you have.

Did I miss anyone? let me know!

P.S. I know I didn't put Katniss in here, but I think that goes without saying.

Review: Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Insurgent
Veronica Roth
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: May 1, 2012

One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.
Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.
New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.

I'm going to say something and I don't want you all to hate me. I didn't absolutely love Insurgent. It was really good, but now where comparable to Divergent.

I really liked Insurgent, and there will be plenty of raving later on in this review. But first I'm going to explain why I didn't love it. Insurgent lacked the addicting, can't-stop-reading, stay-up-until-the-wee-hours-of-the-morning-reading qualities that Divergent had. I have a few theories as to why I didn't like it as much as I should have. A) I wasn't in the right mood. I was in more of a guilty-pleasure, cheesy-romance kind of mood, and that wasn't this book. B) My expectations were just too high to ever be obtained. These were both factors as to why I didn't enjoy this book as much as I thought I would, neither actually having to do with the book itself.

And now onto the raving. 

Insurgent starts off where Divergent left off. I was immediately sucked into this world again and happy to be in it. There were some definite twists in this book. There were quite a few times I was blown away. I Insurgent was an action-packed ride that didn't let go until the end. 

After everything that happened, it's no surprise that Tris struggled. but after a lot, I think Tris found herself and was stronger than ever. I liked Tris because she's very complicated and real yet totally bad ass. 

I really liked Insurgent, I really did. Just not as much as I though. But after all of that, not to mention a killer ending, I can't wait to read the third book. 

Charming Covers [35]

Charming Covers is a feature here at Book Fanatics where I show off covers that have recently been revealed/ that I've recently found.

Fathomless by Jackson Pearce

September 4, 2012

Celia Reynolds is the youngest in a set of triplets and the one with the least valuable power. Anne can see the future, and Jane can see the present, but all Celia can see is the past. And the past seems so insignificant -- until Celia meets Lo.

Lo doesn't know who she is. Or who she was. Once a human, she is now almost entirely a creature of the sea -- a nymph, an ocean girl, a mermaid -- all terms too pretty for the soulless monster she knows she's becoming. Lo clings to shreds of her former self, fighting to remember her past, even as she's tempted to embrace her dark immortality.

When a handsome boy named Jude falls off a pier and into the ocean, Celia and Lo work together to rescue him from the waves. The two form a friendship, but soon they find themselves competing for Jude's affection. Lo wants more than that, though. According to the ocean girls, there's only one way for Lo to earn back her humanity. She must persuade a mortal to love her . . . and steal his soul.

Yay! I love this series and Jackson Pearce's novels! I'm really excited to continue it. 

One things that I love about the other covers in this series is that if you look closely, there's a hidden image of some sort. Like in Sisters Red there's the wolf/two sisters and in Sweetly, there's the Witche's face in the tree. As far as I can see, there aren't any in this cover. But I still like and can't wait to get my hand's on a copy!