Charming Covers [34]

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

UnWholly by Neal Shusterman
August 28, 2012

In a society where unwanted and troublesome teens are salvaged for their body parts, Connor, Risa and Lev continue to fight against the system that would 'unwind' them. Thanks to their high-profile revolt at the Happy Jack Harvest Camp, people can no longer turn a blind eye to unwinding. Ridding society of so-called troublesome teens might be convenient, but its morality has finally been brought into question and a new law passed. However, unwinding has become big business, and there are powerful political and corporate interests, not to mention the illegal 'Parts Pirates', that want to see it not only continue, but expand.
Connor, Risa and Lev each struggle to rescue as many AWOL teens as possible and offer them sanctuary. But life at the Graveyard is hard, rivalries bubble under the surface and the cracks are beginning to show.
And then there is Cam, a teen who does not exist. Made entirely out of parts from one hundred other 'unwinds', Cam is a 21st century Frankenstein, a rewound, struggling to find a true identity and meaning, and a place in society. But when a sadistic bounty hunter who takes "trophies" from all the 'unwinds' he captures starts to pursue Connor, Lev and Risa, Cam finds his own fate inextricably bound with theirs…


I'm so excited for this book; you don't even know. Unwind was one of the first dystopian novels that I read and I absolutely loved it. One of my favorites. When I heard that there was going to be a sequel, I was ecstatic. 
I don't like this cover as much as the first. The first was creepy but not in an in your face way. This does capture the feeling of the book I think, though. Especially with the Frankenstein kid. 

Review: Purity by Jackson Pearce

Purity
Jackson Pearce
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Release Date: April 24, 2012

A novel about love, loss, and sex -- but not necessarily in that order.
Before her mother died, Shelby promised three things: to listen to her father, to love as much as possible, and to live without restraint. Those Promises become harder to keep when Shelby's father joins the planning committee for the Princess Ball, an annual dance that ends with a ceremonial vow to live pure lives -- in other words, no "bad behavior," no breaking the rules, and definitely no sex.

Torn between Promises One and Three, Shelby makes a decision -- to exploit a loophole and lose her virginity before taking the vow. But somewhere between failed hookup attempts and helping her dad plan the ball, Shelby starts to understand what her mother really meant, what her father really needs, and who really has the right to her purity.

I am a big fan of Pearce's other books, especially Sisters Red, and was really excited for her contemporary debut. Although it wasn't my favorite, I enjoyed Purity. It was filled with heartache, development, and a few laughs.

One things that Purity did not lack was Jackson Pearce's way with words. The writing is so clever and so truthful. I really enjoyed this part of Purity.

Shelby has really struggled since her mom died. she has been obsessed with the promises she made her mom because she feels that it will bring her closer to her mom. A big part of this book was Shelby's healing process and her finding a balance with her promises. I didn't always agree with Shelby's decisions, but I did like and respect her. She really came into herself throughout the book.

Purity is a fast read. It was really short and I'm not going to lie, I wanted more. I got really into the world of Purity and it ended too fast. However, I did enjoy what was there. I guess if there has to be a problem with a book, wanting more isn't the worst that could happen.

Jackson Pearce's first contemporary is a good edition to her collection. Even though I didn't like it as much as her others, I am looking forward to more of her contemps.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I'd like to See Made into a Movie

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


If you couldn't tell from the title, this week is Books that I Want to See Made into a Movie. Now, I believe that there are some books that would make great movies, but not all of them. So, here is my list. (In no particular order.)

1. Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard- I would love to see the setting in this book come to life. It would be awesome!
2. Graceling by Kristin Cashore- This was an amazing book! With all the action and adventure (and romance) this would make an awesome movie. I'd love to see this world come to life. 
3. Girl at Sea by Maureen Johnson- Similar to Wanderlove, I would love to see this setting come to life. Plus, who doesn't love a treasure hunt?
4. Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson- This is one road trip I'd love to experience. 
5. Divergent by Veronica Roth- I don't think I need to explain myself with this one. 
6. Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce- I really liked this book and would like to see it be made into a movie. 
7. Bleeding Violet by Ria Deeves- This book is so weird and awesome at the same time. I'd love to see these monster be brought to life. 

Review: The Vicious Deep by Zoraida Cordova

The Vicious Deep
Zoraida Cordova
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Release Date: May 1, 2012

For Tristan Hart, everything changes with one crashing wave.
He was gone for three days. Sucked out to sea in a tidal wave and spit back ashore at Coney Island with no memory of what happened. Now his dreams are haunted by a terrifying silver mermaid with razor-sharp teeth.

His best friend Layla is convinced something is wrong. But how can he explain he can sense emotion like never before? How can he explain he’s heir to a kingdom he never knew existed? That he’s suddenly a pawn in a battle as ancient as the gods.

Something happened to him in those three days. He was claimed by the sea…and now it wants him back.

I'm going to start off by saying that I love mermaids and mermaid books. I always have. That being said, there have been some hit or miss when it comes to mermaid books that I've read in the past. As it turns out, The Vicious Deep was one of the better ones, though it wasn't everything i was looking for.


One thing that bothers me about mermaids is that it is next to impossible to find a mermaid book sans the cheese factor. But I was surprised by The Vicious Deep. While it wasn't completely without cheesiness, it didn't bother me like it normally does.


I was wary of this world at first. When it was first introduced, it was confusing. But once I learned more, about it, I started to like it more. A little more world-building wouldn't have hurt, but it was still an interesting take on the mermaid world. 


One of my favorite parts about this book was Triston. He was funny and felt real. He made mistakes but was sweet and felt real. I enjoyed getting to know him. 


The Vicious Deep was a fun ride. It wasn't exactly completely original, but I still felt that it brought something new to the table. 

Charming Covers [33]

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

The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

October 23, 2012

Two days after Mara walks into a police station in Miami at the close of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, she is committed for psychiatric treatment for what her parents believe is a mental breakdown. But what seems like a hallucination to everyone else is a chilling reality for Mara. Someone from her past has discovered her strange, disturbing secret and that someone wants her to pay. But she's about to discover that the price is more than she can bear.

Dark and thrilling, suspenseful and passionate, The Evolution of Mara Dyer will have readers breathlessly turning pages to find out what will become of Mara Dyer next.

I didn't absolutely love The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, but I still enjoyed it and can't wait for the sequel!

I don't like this cover as much as the first. I do like the blue and the how they are reaching out for each other. But I do wish we could see the whole bodies, or at least most. But it still pretty!

I'm taking the week off

It was been a long and terrible, terrible week for many, many reasons that I am not going to get into. And it looks like this next week isn't going to get much better since I have about a million things to do and am not in the right mind to do any of them. So, I'm taking the week off of blogging. Mostly because I haven't had the time to schedule my posts for the week which I normally do on the weekend.

But, I will be back next week and I'll have lots and lots to post! And hopefully I'll still be around a little bit to check out your blogs. But I'm not promising anything. We'll see.

See you next week!

Review: Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder

Magic Study
Maria V. Snyder
Publisher: LUNA Books
Release Date: September 1, 2006

You know your life is bad when you miss your days as a poison taster...

With her greatest enemy dead, and on her way to be reunited with the family she'd been stolen from long ago, Yelena should be pleased. But though she has gained her freedom, she can't help feeling isolated in Sitia. Her Ixian background has changed her in many ways—and her newfound friends and relatives don't think it's for the better....

Despite the turmoil, she's eager to start her magic training—especially as she's been given one year to harness her power or be put to death. But her plans take a radical turn when she becomes involved with a plot to reclaim Ixia's throne for a lost prince—and gets entangled in powerful rivalries with her fellow magicians.

If that wasn't bad enough, it appears her brother would love to see her dead. Luckily, Yelena has some old friends to help her with all her new enemies...

Magic Study was a great edition to a great series. It was full of action, magic, and romance. Even though it wasn't as good as Poison Study, it just reinstated how much I like these books. 

I love Yelena. She is pretty bad ass; I'm not going to lie. She has come a long way since the first book. In Magic Study, she is just getting used to her powers. Yelena is tough, but I still admire her loyalty. 

I do love the world that Snyder has built. It is very unique. One of my favorite high fantasy worlds. There are so many interesting characters and powers in it. 

Magic Study was a very good edition to the Study trilogy. I can't wait to pick up the final book.