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? :)

Waiting on Wednesday: Unravel Me by Tahereh Ma

 Unfortunately, There's no summary for this book yet because it doesn't come out till 2013.  Unravel Me is the sequel to Shatter Me which was one of my favorite books last year.  The series has also been re-covered since Shatter Me came out.  Below is the summary for Shatter Me if you want to start the series before the second book comes out!


The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color. 

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war-- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now. 

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior. 

In this electrifying debut, Tahereh Mafi presents a world as riveting asThe Hunger Games and a superhero story as thrilling as The X-Men. Full of pulse-pounding romance, intoxicating villainy, and high-stakes choices,Shatter Me is a fresh and original dystopian novel—with a paranormal twist—that will leave readers anxiously awaiting its sequel.


Which cover do you prefer?  I happen to like the original (far right) the best.  What are you waiting on?

Fracture by Megan Miranda

Genre: Young AdultSeries: No, Standalone 

Source: ARC, from The Dolphin Bookshop

Buy It: The Dolphin Bookshop (Shop Indie!

     Eleven minutes passed before Delaney Maxwell was pulled from the icy waters of a Maine lake by her best friend Decker Phillips. By then her heart had stopped beating. Her brain had stopped working. She was dead. And yet she somehow defied medical precedent to come back seemingly fine. Everyone wants Delaney to be all right, but she knows she's far from normal. Pulled by strange sensations she can't control or explain, Delaney finds herself drawn to the dying. Is her altered brain now predicting death, or causing it?Then Delaney meets Troy Varga, who recently emerged from a coma with similar abilities. At first she's reassured to find someone who understands the strangeness of her new existence, but Delaney soon discovers that Troy's motives aren't quite what she thought. Is their gift a miracle, a freak of nature-or something much more frightening?
For fans of best-sellers like Before I Fall and If I Stay, this is a fascinating and heart-rending story about love and friendship and the fine line between life and death.

    When I was trying to find a book to read and review on my sister's blog, Jessie and I were searching on her many and I mean many shelves of books. I'm not really into reading all that much, so I didn't see any that was both quick and interesting to me. My sister left me to keep searching for a minute, and when she came back, I was already on page 7 in Megan Miranda's thriller, Fracture. There were lots of twists and turns in this book, so it didn't turn out exactly how I expected it to be. In fact, it turned out to be even better.

         I loved the characters in this book and they were very realistic, so it was easy to follow along. My personal favorite is Decker, for a few reasons including: he would never give up on trying to save Delaney's life and he was truly a best friend; he seemed like he would never try to hurt anyone and he would always be there for you, and because he just seemed sweet and trustworthy. My least favorite character was Tara. She was a backstabber and a bad girlfriend, and I just couldn't take her personality. The author obviously did this to make you feel angry, so she really did a great job at that.

       I liked how the story turned out, but I did feel that Delaney was a little creepy. She kept saying that maybe Earth was hell and that she should've died; so she seemed kind of  messsed up. There was a pretty good romance, but like I said, there were twists and turns and most of them pertained to the romance. The book wasn't that much of a thriller, but it surely was a page turner.

       I would definitely recommend this book to anyone. It's great for anyone who doesn't read all the time because it held my interest throughout the entire book.  I was so into it that I found myself talking about the book to my whole family.  Overall, I really liked this book and I couldn't put it down.

     

Final Grade:

Waiting on Wednesday: Pivot Point

Reminiscent of the movie Sliding Doors, Pivot Point is about a girl who has the power to Search alternate futures. When faced with a life changing decision, she lives out six weeks of two different lives (in alternating chapters), both holding the potential for love and loss, and must ultimately choose which path she is willing to live through.

I don't know about you, but I've never read anything like this and I can't wait to!  It sounds awesome!

What are you waiting on?

Book Haul {37}

Hey Remarkable Readers,
I just thought I'd share what I got this past week!  I completely forgot to post a review yesterday, sorry!

L I B R A R Y

Revived by Cat Patrick

Onstage Offstage by Michael Buble

F O R    R E V I E W

Monsterology-Candlewick

Alienology-Candlewick

Illusionology-Candlewick

Saving June by Hannah Harrington-Harlequin

The Miseducation of Cameron Post-Library Giveaway

Secrets of a First Daughter-Library Giveaway

What did you get this week?

 

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

Genre: Middle Grade

Source: Publisher (Candlewick Press)

Series: No, Standalone 

Buy It: The Dolphin Bookshop (Shop Indie!

Challenge: Free Reads


At seven minutes past midnight, thirteen-year-old Conor wakes to find a monster outside his bedroom window. But it isn’t the monster Conor’s been expecting — he’s been expecting the one from his nightmare, the nightmare he’s had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments.

The monster in his backyard is different. It’s ancient. And wild. And it wants something from Conor. Something terrible and dangerous. It wants the truth.

From the final idea of award-winning author Siobhan Dowd — whose premature death from cancer prevented her from writing it herself — Patrick Ness has spun a haunting and darkly funny novel of mischief, loss, and monsters both real and imagined.


     A Monster Calls: Inspired by An Idea from Siobhan Dowd by Patrick Ness was unlike anything I ever read.  I finished it so quickly and really enjoyed every minute of it.  When I first saw the cover and title, the book just screams "horror" but, that's really not true.  I don't typically enjoy horror, so take it from me-this isn't your typical monster story.  It is really about a young boy named Conor, whose Mother is fighting a losing battle with breast cancer and how he copes with his situation.
     Patrick Ness was amazing at character development!  I was so attached to Conor and I felt all of his emotions.  My heart was constantly aching for him throughout the story.  Although I loved Conor, I don't think his age was acurately portrayed.  I pictured him to be about ten years old but, in reality he was thirteen.  Although it seems like a small age gap, it can make a big difference in a person's behavior. I also (obviously) felt for Conor's Mother, Father, and Grandmother.  I was attached to just about every character in the book (except Harry).  Patrick Ness' characters just suck you into the story.
     I absolutely loved all of the awesome illustrations in the book.  They were really cool but, were nice and spread out so they didn't interfere with the story or your reading experience.  I also loved the story concept and the "Four Truths."  I was pretty surprised by the fourth truth but, I can understand Conor's feelings.  I also really enjoyed the monster's character.  He was even funny at times!  
     I think it's so cool that Patrick finished writing Siobhan's idea.  A Monster Calls was no where near what I expected it to be and I was pleasantly suprised.  I absolutely adored the story and was totally engulfed in the book.  Read it!


Final Grade:

Reading Road Trip Giveaway

Hey Remarkable Readers,

This year is the first ever Reading Road Trip blog hop!  Each day in July, one or two blogs will be stops on the hop.  Each day also features a different state in the USA and will correspond with a giveaway on a blog.  The book given away must either take place in that state or be written by an author from that state.  Sounds fun, right? :)  

     I was assigned Pennsylvania, since New York had already been taken.  I'll be giving away one paperback copy of Pretty Little Liars by Sarah Shepard!  Enter below and click here to see the rest of the stops on the hop!

Alison, Aria, Emily, Hanna and Spencer were best friends, until Alison disappeared. Three years later, the remaining girls, now juniors at Rosewood Day, are leading separate, but charmed lives.  After living in Iceland, Aria returns home sophisticated and worldly. Emily is a champion swimmer, Hanna is the most popular girl in school, and Spencer's accomplishments make the average type-A valedictorian look like a slacker. But in Rosewood, appearances are deceiving, and when the girls start receiving mysterious texts signed by someone named A, the past threatens to ruin their perfect present. A claims to know all of their secrets—but who is A? How much does A really know? And what can four pretty little liars do to protect themselves from the truth?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for entering!

Trying Some Tea & Orange and Spice Tea Review

Hey Remarkable Readers,
     So I'm a pretty big tea drinker.  It's great when cuddling up with a book during the winter or staying up late during the summer.  Tea always makes me feel cozy and comfortable.  Here's the thing, though: I only drink Lipton (or any other mainstream brand) Lemon Tea.  I've never tasted any tea other than plain and boring old "Tea."  Until Now, that is.

     So, "Why are you drinking different tea now?" you ask.  Well, ever since I read Meredith from Mint Tea and A Good Book's Post about spring teas, I've wanted to give some a try.  I finally dragged myself to the tea aisle at the store when I remembered yesterday and bought a Bigelow Herb Tea Sampler.  It comes with six different types of tea, three tea bags for each flavor.  That's 18 tea bags!
     Another reason I wanted to try some teas is because of the little poll on the left of my blog.  I want to start reviewing other things every once and a while.  Maybe a Movie, or a CD, or a product.  I'll be keeping all the products literary related, though!
     Anyways, I'll be reviewing some of the Teas in the box soon!  Keep Reading for my first review :)

Bigelow Orange & Spice Herb Tea

Description: A zesty blend of orange & spice.  Orange & Spice (and everything nice) that's what our delightful tea is made of.  The old-fashioned goodness of this delicious herb tea will add something special to your day.

Ingredients: rose hips, spices, hibiscus, orange peel, roasted chicory, natural orange flavors (soy lecithin)

 Other Things You Need To Know: This tea is All Natural, Caffeine Free, and Gluten Free.  The tea bag is meant to be steeped for 3-5 minutes.

Under "Other Things You Need To Know" I mentioned that the tea bag is meant to be steeped for 3-5 minutes.  If you don't "speak tea," that means that the tea bag is only supposed to sit in the hot water for that long, no longer.  I mentioned this because I made a mistake.  I did read the package before preparing the tea but, forgot to take out the tea bag anyway.  I thought the tea was pretty good at first but, as I continued to drink it (over the course of 20 minutes), it became progressively worse.  By then I was thinking "Why in the world is this tasting worse by the minute?  It tastes horrid!".  That's when I got up to throw it out and then released my error.  Anyways, I tried this tea after a long summer day at the beach and the pool.  I was all clean (and exhausted) and ready to sit down and read, so I made the tea.  Let me just say that even though I wasn't crazy about the tea itself, it smells amazing.  I happen to think it smells like apple pie and I believe it's because of all the spices.  The tea tasted a bit light at first and then very orange-y.  It does taste very rose-y and floral which I really liked.  It makes sense because rose hips are the first and most used ingredient.  The orange was a little heavy though.  I didn't really love the tea but, I'd definitely try it out again.  I think it might be an aquired taste.

Final Grade: 3/5 Teacups ;)

Have you tried different types of tea?

June Wrap-Up and July TBR

Hey Remarkable Readers,

So I can't believe it's already July!  This month I've decided to set a fairly small TBR goal so that I wont be dissapointed in how much I read.  If I finish all of the books and have time for more, I'll be really happy.  Here's what I'm planning on reading:

Here's what I read last month:

So what do you plan on reading?