Updates! :)

Hey Remarkable Readers,

Arial view of Sandy!

My power was knocked out by Hurricane Sandy for 7 days straight.  I also have no Wifi or cable!  I'm posting this from the library and will be doing my best to keep the blog up.  It's a challenge, but I'm doing my best!  At the moment I'm reading the Fault in Our Stars by John Green and it's fabulous.  I love it so much, so I'll post a review when I'm finished.  I also recently finished the Crucible by Arthur Miller and the Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne.  Both were assigned reading for school, but I'll be posting reviews soon!  If you were impacted by the storm how are you holding up?  Otherwise, what are you reading? :)
 

Summer-Reading Mini Reviews

Assigned Summer Reading Mini-Reviews

I read both of these books over the summer, so I don’t remember them as well as I would remember a recent read.  Therefore, I’ve decided to combine them both into two min-reviews and one post.  Enjoy! 

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

The beloved American classic about a young girl's coming-of-age at the turn of the century, Betty Smith's "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" is a poignant and moving tale filled with compassion and cruelty, laughter and heartache, crowded with life and people and incident. The story of young, sensitive, and idealistic Francie Nolan and her bittersweet formative years in the slums of Williamsburg has enchanted and inspired millions of readers for more than sixty years. By turns overwhelming, sublime, heartbreaking, and uplifting, the daily experiences of the unforgettable Nolans are raw with honesty and tenderly threaded with family connectedness -- in a work of literary art that brilliantly captures a unique time and place as well as incredibly rich moments of universal experience.

When I first picked up this book, I was a little hesitant to read it.  It seemed really long and a tiny bit dry.  I was also a bit turned off when the introduction stated that the book was about “nothing in particular.”  I thought I’d be wasting my time, but I was pleasantly surprised.  My parents actually grew up in Brooklyn and we are there very often, so it was interesting to read about places I’ve been to.  I also became really attached to each of the characters.  Even though Katie eventually became fed up with Johnny Nolan, I loved him.  He was just such a classic character and when Neely grew up to be just like him, I loved it.  Francie and Katie were also special to me.  I felt bad for Francie with everything she’d been through and the way she had to live.  I was always sympathetic for Katie, being the one in charge of the Nolan family and having to deal with all of the stress.  I even loved Aunt Sissy, even though she made many mistakes, she still ended up being one of my favorite characters.  Oh and Laurie was adorable (: .

I also loved the element of time in the story.  I got to “watch” Johnny and Katie fall in love, Francie and Neely grow up, and everything along the way.  The story followed three generations, which was pretty cool.  

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is an amazing coming of age novel, that could be described as dry at a few parts, but was definitely worth reading.  I absolutely loved it.

Final Grade: 

Farenheit 451

Guy Montag is a fireman. His job is to burn books, which are forbidden, being the source of all discord and unhappiness. Even so, Montag is unhappy; there is discord in his marriage. Are books hidden in his house? The Mechanical Hound of the Fire Department, armed with a lethal hypodermic, escorted by helicopters, is ready to track down those dissidents who defy society to preserve and read books.

The classic novel of a post-literate future, ‘Fahrenheit 451’ stands alongside Orwell’s ‘1984’ and Huxley’s ‘Brave New World’ as a prophetic account of Western civilization’s enslavement by the media, drugs and conformity.

Bradbury’s powerful and poetic prose combines with uncanny insight into the potential of technology to create a novel which over fifty years from first publication, still has the power to dazzle and shock.

As you now know, I experienced a bit of luck with A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.  This book, however, wasn’t so great.  I’m not one to bash an author’s work, I just really didn’t like it.

Farenheit 451 was confusing at times, with things not being fully explained.  I felt like I was supposed to guess what was going on.  I had trouble connecting to Mildred, but at least Guy was relatable.  I understood his feeling with being torn between two options.  I liked Clarisse McClellan for adding a little bit of interest to the story.  Otherwise, I thought the book was really slow and hard to understand.  I felt like it really could’ve been condensed a lot.  Needless to say, it is a classic, so some people do happen to enjoy it.

Final Grade:

Update

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Guest Review: Nevermore by James Patterson

Hey Remarkable Readers!

Today I have something special for you, a guest review!  The lovely Willa of Willa's Ramblings is here today to review Nevermore by James Patterson.  She is reviewing this because she was willing to do me an amazing favor since I haven't read the rest of the series and because she's just wonderful.  When you're done reading through her review, definitely head over and check out her blog!

Without further adieu, May I introduce.... Willa!

 (Maximum Ride, #8)  Goodreads

Release Date: August 6th, 2012

Source: Little, Brown and Company

One last chance…
For Max, Fang, Angel, Iggy, Nudge, and Gazzy.
Before it all ends.
Are you ready for the final chapter? Are you ready for the ultimate flight? Because THIS IS IT. One last incredible, explosive adventure with an astonishing ending that no one could have seen coming.


     Is it just me, or does it seem like these books go on and on and on and on. So when it was announced that this one was the last – like the last, the last – I realized it had to be just totally amazing.
I was right.
     This book was action-packed – with fight scenes stuck next to heart-wrenchingly emotional, to character arcs that make you blink a couple of times, to discoveries that change everything. This book has it all – and more. Max is tested, Dylan has to decide how far he willing to go for Max, Fang has to come to terms with his feelings for Max, Nudge realizes a thing or two about being normal, Gazzy and Iggy are their hilarious selves, and Angel – well Angel is her kick-butt self.
     Somehow, in 368 pages, James Patterson manages to wow the audience again – after eight books. He has the talent to build up characters, take readers for a roller coaster ride, have them land safely on the ground, and then a disaster takes place that makes you ache for the next book. And after all of that, his characters are in their precarious spot of people knowing who they are, and yet they’re supposed to battle Erasers (which scare me to death), evil scientists who raised them, and people who aren’t what they seem. Max and the flock are in for some fun.
     There was one thing I was very thankful for: James Patterson took the really weid situation that Dylan and Max were in, and made them kind of fall for each other, and then throw Fang back into the mix. Because Fang just has the talent of taking everything and making it a whole lot more dramatic. But when it came time for Max to make a decision, she made a decision that we all knew she would – but she didn’t leave behind the other guy. And I was very thankful. (Because honestly, the other guy was quite awesome.)
     Nevermore raises the standards, pushes the characters to their limits, tests the boundaries of love and shows the true extents friends and family are willing to go for each other. A addicting finale that was well worth the wait.

Waiting on Wednesday

The only thing worse than forgetting her past... is remembering it.

When Freedom Airlines flight 121 went down over the Pacific Ocean, no one ever expected to find survivors. Which is why the sixteen-year-old girl discovered floating among the wreckage—alive—is making headlines across the globe.

Even more strange is that her body is miraculously unharmed and she has no memories of boarding the plane. She has no memories of her life before the crash. She has no memories period. No one knows how she survived. No one knows why she wasn’t on the passenger manifest. And no one can explain why her DNA and fingerprints can’t be found in a single database in the world.

Crippled by a world she doesn’t know, plagued by abilities she doesn’t understand, and haunted by a looming threat she can’t remember, Seraphina struggles to piece together her forgotten past and discover who she really is. But with every clue only comes more questions. And she’s running out of time to answer them.

Her only hope is a strangely alluring boy who claims to know her from before the crash. Who claims they were in love. But can she really trust him? And will he be able to protect her from the people who have been making her forget?

From popular young adult author, Jessica Brody comes a mesmerizing and suspenseful new series, set in a world where science knows no boundaries, memories are manipulated, and true love can never be forgotten.

Although I've never read any of Jessica's Books, they always seem girly and fun, so this seems like a new thing for her.  I really cannot wait to read this, it sounds awesome!  What are you waiting on?

Where Have I Been?

Hey Remarakable Readers,
I know I've disappeared for a little bit.  This time, I had nothing to do with that.  So I apologize and I hope you'll hear me out.  I've been on vacation, but was still planning on posting and blogging.  Unfortunately, I had no idea that my hotel didn't have WiFi.  Normally, I just assume that they do!  So, the only way I could access the internet was through my phone.  Now, I don't know if any of you have ever used the Blogger app, but it's a gigantic pain.  They pretty much want you to spit out HTML and have no tools to edit.  Very annoying, BUT I was going to use it to tell you all that I was internetless so at least you'd have forewarning.   Well, I couldn't do that because I dropped my phone in water that day and now it's become a useless brick.  Anyways, I apologize and I hope I'll be able to return full time to blogging this month! :D

What I read this week:

-A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
-Farenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
-Ten by Gretchen McNeil (only just started!)

What have you all been up to?!

The Army of Ten

Hey Everyone!

Well a couple of weeks back, I did a book haul which included Ten by Gretchen McNeil, right?  And in that book haul I said that I was super excited for it, right?  Well now I'm even more excited!  "Why?" you ask.  Well keep reading!

During Gretchen McNeil's last release, Possess, she put together an awesome scavenger hunt with really cool prizes for the YA world!  Well, this time she's doing another awesome release!  She's formed The Army of Ten (which I am a part of) which is a street team and promotional network to help get the word out about Ten!  There are tons of awesome prizes to be won and ways to help out.  There is a ranking system for "Soldiers" in the army of Ten and the more work you do, the better your reward!  One of the prizes is having your name in the Acknowledgements of Gretchen's third book!  Super cool, right?  I'm hoping to get that prize!  Anyways, head on over to armyoften.blogspot.com to get started! 

Summer Movie Reviews :)

Hey Remarkable Readers,
A few of you requested that I start reviewing movies so I figured I'd do some mini reviews!  I've been to the movies almost every week this summer because my family gets free movie tickets on tuesdays :) .  I'll probably just do big combined posts during the year reviewing the movies of the season, so here's my Summer Movie Guide!

Brave
Release date: June 22nd

Starring: Kelly Macdonald, Billy Connoly, Emma Thompson

Series: No

Rating: PG

Determined to make her own path in life, Princess Merida defies a custom that brings chaos to her kingdom. Granted one wish, Merida must rely on her bravery and her archery skills to undo a beastly curse.

I've always loved Pixar films.  Brave wasn't one of my top favorites, but I did enjoy it!  It was very cute and easily relatable.  The commercials were quite misleading though.  I won't give anything away, however I definitely didn't see any of the plot line coming.  I guess it's nice to be surprised once in a while, though!  I also thought that this movie might've been a little mature to understand for the target audience.  I really liked Merida and all of the characters in the movie.  Great Flick!

Katy Perry: Part of Me

Release date: July 5th

Starring: Katy Perry

Series: No

Rating: PG

A documentary that chronicles Katy Perry's life on and off-stage.

I loved this documentary so much that I went to see it twice in theaters!  At first, my father wasn't ecstatic about going to see it because he thought it'd be more of a "kids" movie, but he ended up loving it!  Our whole family really enjoyed seeing Katy's life story.  The documentary is filmed as a concert movie, documentary, and chronicling of her Teenage Dream tour.  I would go see this again.  After seeing the film, I've become a hard core fan of Katy's.  She really is inspiring and I admire her perseverance through all of the obstacles she's had to deal with.  The movie's also great for a laugh here and there!  A must see!

The Dark Knight Rises
Release date: July 20th

Starring: Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway

Series: Yes

Rating: PG-13

Eight years on, a new terrorist leader, Bane, overwhelms Gotham's finest, and the Dark Knight resurfaces to protect a city that has branded him an enemy.

I really liked the first in The Dark Knight series, so I was really excited to see this movie.  Luckily, this series is one of the few that I actually feel live up to the hype.  Although the movie is quite long and a bit difficult to follow, I absolutely loved it!  Anne Hathaway is also one of my favorite actresses so I loved her character in the film and of course Christian Bale always does a great job!  The Dark Knight Rises is a movie you'll want to see, for sure!


The Amazing Spiderman

Release date: July 3rd

Starring: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone

Series: Yes

Rating: PG-13

Peter Parker finds a clue that might help him understand why his parents disappeared when he was young. His path puts him on a collision course with Dr. Curt Connors, his father's former partner.

     Personally, I thought that the last film in the Spiderman series Spiderman 4 was a complete let-down.  I really didn't enjoy that one, so I wasn't expecting much of this remake as I'd thought that the series had gone down hill.  I was really surprised!  Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone had great chemistry together onscreen.  Although I did find Peter Parker to be a bit too quirky in this edition, I still really enjoyed this movie.

Step Up Revolution

Release date: July 27th
Starring:  Kathryn McCormick, Ryan Guzman, Cleopatra Coleman

Series: Yes

Rating: PG-13


Emily arrives in Miami with aspirations to become a professional dancer. She sparks with Sean, the leader of a dance crew whose neighborhood is threatened by Emily's father's development plans.

I've seen all of the previous Step Up movies before this installment and quite enjoyed them, but unfortunately this one was a let down.  The only part I really liked were the flash mobs.  Otherwise, the movie just seemed very unrealistic to me.  The characters didn't have chemistry and didn't seem real.  I didn't really like this movie much.  Even the dancing wasn't as good as the other movies.

Some Other Movies I've Seen

-The Bourne Legacy

Just Okay

-Men in Black 3

Thumbs Up!

-Total Recall

Thumbs Down!

   

Book Haul {52}

Hey Remarkable Readers!

I actually received quite a lot of unexpected titles in the past two weeks, so I thought I'd share with you what I got!

B O U G H T

Farenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

F O R  R E V I E W

Random House Imprints

Scarlett Dedd by Cathy Brett

The Stone Girl by Alyssa B. Sheinmel

Intentions by Deborah Heiligman

The Blood Keeper by Tessa Gratton

Suck it Up and Die by Brian Meehl

Touched by Cyn Balog

Under My Hat by Jonathan Strahan

Kissing Shakespeare by Pamela Mingle

Diva by Jillian Larkin

Don't You Wish by Roxanne St.Claire

Poison Tree by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

Red Heart Tattoo by Lurlene McDaniel

Fury's Fire by Lisa Papademetriou

The Little Woods by McCormick Templeman

Harper Collins Imprints

Carnival of Souls by Marissa Marr

I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore (not pictured)

The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore

The Rise of Nine by Pittacus Lore

Macmillan Imprints

Whispers at Moonrise by C.C. Hunter

So, yeah I definitely got a ton of stuff this week.  I've never gotten anything from Random House before so that was definitely an awesome surprise to have two boxes arrive!  Thanks to Macmillan, Harper Collins, and Random House!  What did you get this week?

Far From You by Lisa Schroeder

Genre: Young Adult-Poetry                                             Source: Library

Series: No, Standalone Verse Novel

Challenge: Free Reads

Lost and alone...down the rabbit hole.

Years have passed since Alice lost her mother to cancer, but time hasn't quite healed the wound. Alice copes the best she can by writing her music, losing herself in her love for her boyfriend, and distancing herself from her father and his new wife.


But when a deadly snowstorm traps Alice with her stepmother and newborn half sister, she'll face issues she's been avoiding for too long. As Alice looks to the heavens for guidance, she discovers something wonderful.


Perhaps she's not so alone after all....

     I've read two of Lisa's books before (I Heart You, You Haunt MeI and The Day Before) and loved both of them!  So, I had high expectations for Far From You and luckily it didn't let me down!
     I really loved Alice's character.  She was strong, stubborn, and broken.  I thought that she was almost inspiring considering the fact that she always stood her ground.  I was really able to connect with her and I felt sorry for her because of her predicament.  I also thought that Blaze was a strong character as well and I enjoyed reading about their relationship.  Speaking of relationships, Far From You is heavily based on relationships between the characters and that's really where most of the plot line comes from.  Alice's father wasn't very supportive of her and I didn't really like him until the end.  Victoria was a bit too whiney and emotional during the first half of the book, but was definitely easier to tolerate during the snowstorm and I grew to like her.  
     The summary on the back of the library copy was different then the one shown above, so I found mine to be a bit misleading.  It made the whole story seem a bit slow, so I recommend going by the summary pictured above.  
     I really liked reading about Alice's songwriting and playing her guitar because I can relate to her.  I also liked her song lyrics.  Lisa Schroeder also did a great job with the feud between Claire and Alice.  It was very easy for anyone to relate to.  
     Lisa's writing is just as spectacular as usual in Far From You.  This book is written in poetry so it can be finished really quickly, but will still leave you with that "I-just-finished-an-amazing-book" feeling and will make you think.  I recommend reading it in the winter, but I enjoyed it in the summer just the same! 

Final Grade: 

Where have I been?

Hey Remarkable Readers,
     You may have noticed that I've been a bit "MIA" lately!  Sorry!  I should be back soon!  I've been very busy moving things from my second home back to my main residence with my family and we've been back and forth a lot.  We are also cleaning out my relatives house, so it's been pretty chaotic!  Don't fret, though.  I'm still reading just about every day and reviews will be up soon.  All of the giveaway packages are being mailed this week and I will work hard to post as much as possible.
     On the other hand, I've been cleaning out my book collection and have some books up for trade, so if you're interested in knowing what I have, leave a comment or tweet me!  Hope to see you all soon!
   

Book Tour: Jersey Angel (Giveaway)

Jersey Angel by Beth Ann Bauman

Hosted by: The Book Girl Tours

It's the summer before senior year and the alluring Angel is ready to have fun. She's not like her best friend, Inggy, who has a steady boyfriend, good grades, and college plans. Angel isn't sure what she wants to do yet, but she has confidence and experience beyond her years. Still, her summer doesn't start out as planned. Her good friend Joey doesn't want to fool around anymore, he wants to be her boyfriend, while Angel doesn't want to be tied down. As Joey pulls away, and Inggy tours colleges, Angel finds herself  spending more time with Inggy's boyfriend, Cork. With its cast of vivid and memorable characters, this tale from the Jersey shore is sure to make some waves.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Haul {52}

Hey Remarkable Readers!  I've actually recieved quite a few books for review this week that I'm pretty excited about!

F O R  R E V I E W

Captital Girls by Ella Monroe

Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan

Spark by Amy Kathleen Ryan

The Icarus Project by Laura Quimby

Through to You by Emily Hainsworth

Ten by Gretchen McNeil

The Lost Girl by Sangu Mandanna

I'm definitely most excited for Ten because I've read the book it was inspired by!  I can't wait to read it!  What did you get this week?  What are you most excited for?  Thanks to Macmillan, Harper Collins, and Abrams Books!

The Great Unexpected by Sharon Creech

Genre: Middle Grade

Series: No, Standalone

Source: ARC, from Book Expo America

Buy It: The Dolphin Bookshop (Shop Indie!




Humorous and heartfelt, this is a story of pairs— of Sybil and Nula (sisters who grew up together in Rook’s Orchard, Ireland) and Naomi and Lizzie (both orphans in present day Blackbird Tree, USA) and unraveling mysteries about family and identity. Naomi and Lizzie’s tragedies turn into a life filled with hope, as old misunderstandings and sorrows between Sybil and Nula give way to forgiveness and love. It is about unexpected gifts—the kindness of neighbors giving away their dogs to protect a little girl, of strangers fostering children, and of young people helping old and old helping young.

    As my sister was asking for help to organize her bookshelves, a blue-spined ARC caught my eye.  I read the title: The Great Unexpected by Sharon Creech. It seemed pretty interesting, as the cover was very vague. I wondered why the cover didn't give away much about the story, so I chose to pick it up and started to read it. 

        I liked the characters in this book, but some where a little irritating. My favorite character was Nula because she seemed so caring and loving to Naomi.  I didn't really connect to the main character (Naomi).  My least favorite character was Lizzie because she seemed like such an annoying friend and a chatter box.  If she was my friend, I'm pretty sure that I would go mad.

     The writing was also a bit boring.  The story was dragged out and could've been told in ten chapters when there were fifty-seven chapters instead.  The writing wasn't vivid or all that interesting.    

      I didn't really like how the story turned out because it was not easy to follow.  Sharon Creech didn't really tie up the loose ends at the end of the story.  When I finished I still had unanswered questions like Who was the "Finn" boy? I think that there should've been an after story or epilogue because I was a little lost in the book. Overall, I didn't really enjoy The Great Unexpected.  I enjoyed Sharon Creech's other book Walk Two Moons but, The Great Unexpected was a disappointment.  I thought the story was a little useless because it didn't really keep my interest or really teach a good lesson.  Overall, this book just didn't do anything for me.  

Final Grade:

Once by Anna Carey

                                                          Genre: Young Adult-Dystopian

Source: Publisher

Series: Yes, #1 in a Trilogy

Buy It: The Dolphin Bookshop (Shop Indie!

Challenge: Free Reads

When you're being hunted, who can you trust?

For the first time since she escaped from her school many months ago, Eve can sleep soundly. She's living in Califia, a haven for women, protected from the terrifying fate that awaits orphaned girls in The New America.

But her safety came at a price: She was forced to abandon Caleb, the boy she loves, wounded and alone at the city gates. When Eve gets word that Caleb is in trouble, she sets out into the wild again to rescue him, only to be captured and brought to the City of Sand, the capital of The New America.

Trapped inside the City walls, Eve uncovers a shocking secret about her past--and is forced to confront the harsh reality of her future. When she discovers Caleb is alive, Eve attempts to flee her prison so they can be together--but the consequences could be deadly. She must make a desperate choice to save the ones she loves . . . or risk losing Caleb forever.

In this breathless sequel to "Eve," Anna Carey returns to her tale of romance, adventure, and sacrifice in a world that is both wonderfully strange and chillingly familiar.

     I read Eve, the first installment in the trilogy, last year and had mixed feelings about it.  I really didn't enjoy the writing and found many things that I didn't like about it, but the story wasn't too bad.  When I started Once, I thought I'd give the series another shot, but unfortunately it just disappointed me.  I found myself struggling to even get to page 100 and I wasn't too keen on even finishing the book.  I just kept pushing on saying "maybe it will get better", but I just don't think this series is for me.

     I remember liking the romance in Eve a lot more than in Once.  I don't know why, but I just couldn't reattach myself to Caleb after Eve had been without him for so long.  I actually found both characters to be kind of annoying.  Eve just seemed so paranoid about everything.  I mean, she had reason to be paranoid, don't get me wrong.  I just think that she was annoying.  

     One thing I really liked about Once by Anna Carey were the twists.   There were a few "Aha!" Moments where you'd come to a realization about the story.  If you've read the book, I loved the one with Reginald (don't worry, I won't spoil anything!).  I also thought that the storyline definitely improved after the first big twist.  I wanted to know what happened so that really peaked my interest.

     Overall, the Eve series just isn't for me.  I'm not sure why, but it just isn't.  Maybe it's for you, though!  I went into a lot more depth in my review of the first book, Eve, so if you'd like to check that out click here.  I just don't want to rip apart the series!

Final Grade: 

TGIF {6}: Christmas In July

Hey Remarkable Readers!  I'm ready for another TGIF!  TGIF is hosted by Ginger at GReads! and every friday, she'll have a topic to post about!  Here's this week's:


Friday, July 27th - Christmas in July: If Santa were to come down your chimney in the middle of summer, which books would you want him to leave for you under the tree?

Personally, I don't think I need too many more books that I haven't read, so I think I'd want some finished copies of ARCs that I've read or books I've checked out from the library.  My shelf is full of TBR and I think it needs some "Already Read" love!  I would want:


Divergent by Veronica Roth
A nice hardcover copy of would be awesome to match my signed copy of Insurgent!


Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick
This book is total shelf candy.  It's beautiful and the illustrations are so pretty to look at.


The Cardturner by Louis Sachar
I read this a long time ago and loved it.  It wasn't really a highly rated book so it's more of a hidden gem.  It also features the rules to play bridge and I want to reread that part to learn how to play!

The Lying Game by Sara Shepard
I also read this a long time ago and loved the cover!  I think it would look awesome on my shelf :)


I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore
I love love loved this book!  I have the second book and it's all lonely haha ;)

Eve and Once by Anna Carey
I didn't really enjoy these all that much, but I do want them for my shelf.  The covers and kinda pretty.


What would you want? :)