On My Wishlist #1

On my wishlist is a weekly meme now hosted by Cosy Up Books where bloggers get the chance to showcase their top books (old or new) on their wishlist. And it's not just books, it's anything book related! 

For the past two weeks I keep going to Go Hastings to buy:

"Partials" by Dan Wells. Alas, the life of a college student means I will be in debt for the next forever.

From Goodreads: Humanity is all but extinguished after a war with partials—engineered organic beings identical to humans—has decimated the world’s population. Reduced to only tens of thousands by a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island. The threat of the partials is still imminent, but, worse, no baby has been born immune to the disease in over a decade. Humanity’s time is running out. 

When sixteen-year-old Kira learns of her best friend’s pregnancy, she’s determined to find a solution. Then one rash decision forces Kira to flee her community with the unlikeliest of allies. As she tries desperately to save what is left of her race, she discovers that the survival of both humans and partials rests in her attempts to answer questions of the war’s origin that she never knew to ask. 

Combining the fast-paced action of The Hunger Games with the provocative themes of Battlestar Galactica, Partials is a pulse-pounding journey into a world where the very concept of what it means to be human is in question—one where our sense of humanity is both our greatest liability, and our only hope for survival.

ARC Review: "Shayla Witherwood: A Half-Faerie Tale" by Tamara Torero

Title: Shayla Witherwood: A Half-Farie Tale
By: Tamara Torero
Publication: May 8, 2012 by Cedar Fort Books
Format: E-Book
Genre: YA Fantasy
Cover Rating: 5/5 Stars

From Goodreads: A brief moment of disappointment washed over me as I approached Jace’s lifeless body. Here I was, about to kiss a boy on the lips for the very first time, and he was completely comatose—possibly paralyzed—and would never even know or remember the experience. This was not how I’d envisioned my first kiss—me invisible, him unconscious. 

Shayla Witherwood is not exactly normal. First of all, she’s spent her entire life being homeschooled, traveling in an RV around the country with her grandparents. And second, there’s the kind of inescapable fact that her mom was a genuine faerie. 

But now that she’s starting a real life in a regular high school, Shayla desperately needs to stay out of trouble in both worlds because even her faerie powers might not be enough to protect her from what’s coming. 

In her latest novel, Tamra Torero spins a magical tale filled with laugh-out-loud sarcasm, surprising twists, and spell-binding romance. Perfect for fairytale fans of all ages, this is one story you won’t want to miss!

My Thoughts: First of all, I would like to say a huge thank you to Cedar Fort Books for giving me an advanced reader copy of this lovely novel via Net Galley! 

Shayla is your average down to earth girl, whose grandparents have kept her on the road trip of life in their RV, "Brutus".  But after the sudden death of her grandfather, Shayla and her grandmother have decided to settle down, and for the first time in her life, Shayla will be going to public school. Starting a new school would be terrifying for any teenager, but Shayla has a secret: she's half-fairy. Something she could easily hide on the road, but now with the scrutiny of her classmates she has to learn to be extra careful- especially when it comes to her pointy fae ears. Settling down proves to be more of an adventure than any Shayla has been on before: starting with her huge crush on the hot quarterback, Jace to making friends with Daniel & Josi, and on to the anonymous stalker who has been sending Shayla creepy messages saying that they know her secret.

Shayla is an extremely adorable and likable character who  struggles with the concept of cliques in high-school, along with all her fairy problems. The pacing was great and there was never a dull moment. Underneath all the fae issues, Shayla struggles just like everyone else to stay true to who she really is in the jungle of high-school. The chemistry between all the characters was so very believable, I find myself missing them now that they're gone! The plot was amazingly done and kept me guessing who exactly was after Shayla until the very end!

Wonderfully written, with witty dialogue, Shayla Witherwood will have you laughing and smiling throughout this story. She's a refreshing change of heroine from your usual gritter YA characters, and a great role-model for younger teens. A fantastic read!

My Rating:

"Shayla Witherwood: A Half-Faerie Tale" will be available on May 08, 2012! 

You can preorder at:

Amazon

The Book Depository

While you're waiting, enjoy the trailer!

Don't forget to check out the Facebook page as well: Shayla Witherwood! 

Follow Friday #2

Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Alison Can Read and Parajunkee. They ask a question in which you answer, and then link up with them. After you post, you can go back to the other links to discover new blogs and friends!

*Feel free to follow me via any of the networks I have set up on the side, however I am two away from thirty on my FB page, so it would be awesome if I could reach at least that, I promise not to overflow your feed with uselessness!*

This week's question:

Do you read one book at a time? Or do you switch back and forth between two or more?

Alas, my ability to multi-task is nil. Also, I have this weird OCD thing about reading one book at a time. I like to keep my mind in one world instead of trying to switch back and forth. It makes life easier for me. What about you guys? Do you switch back and forth or do you stick to one at a time?

"The Iron Daughter" by Julie Kagawa (Iron Fey #2)

Title: The Iron Daughter
By: Julie Kagawa
Series: Iron Fey
Publication: July 27, 2010 by Harlequin Teen
Format/ Pages: Paperback/ 359
Genre: Fantasy/ Paranormal Romance
Cover Rating: 5/5 Stars

From Goodreads: Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey—ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her.

Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's stuck in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.

My Thoughts: W-O-W, just... WOW. This second novel in the Iron Fey series is everything I was promised it would be! It's action packed and filled with twists and turns that leave you turning the pages well past midnight. From the first page to the last, I was on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen to Meghan and her friends. 

Julie Kagawa really stepped up her game in this novel compared to the first book in the series. Meghan becomes more real as a character, and we finally get to see her grow and take herself more seriously. She's done taking crap from everyone around her. Maybe that's because the danger she faces is even more real than ever. Abandoned by Prince Ash in the Unseelie Court, Meghan is left to defend herself against all the Unseelie fae, including Ash's mother, Queen Mab, and his brother, Rowan. Worse, Ash's behavior is cold and cruel, making Meghan believe that every thing they went through in the Iron Realm was just so he could get her back to his own court.  And that's only the beginning. Summer and Winter are on the brink of war and only Meghan knows the truth: King Machina might be dead, but the Iron Fey must certainly are still alive and behind every sword the other courts slash at each other.

What I really loved about this book, besides Meghan becoming a bad-ass, is that we don't know what team Ash is rooting for. He's not the good guy by far, as we all know from the first book, but does that mean he's the bad guy? These characters are complex, making them real and the plot thick with adventure. This series is definitely worth reading and I can't wait for the next one to arrive in my mail box!

Teaser Pleasers:

-"If this faery bitch wanted a fight, bring it on. I'd do my fair share of clawing too."

-"For a brief moment, I admired his stubborn tenacity, but it wouldn't save him in the end."

-"Oh, look who's talking. If you're not an expert at screwing people over, I'll eat my head."

My Rating:

"Winter's Passage" by Julie Kagawa (Iron Fey #1.5)

Title: Winter's Passage
By: Julie Kagawa
Series: Iron Fey
Publication: May 20, 2010 by Harlequin Teen
Format: E-Book
Genre: YA Novella- Fantasy/ Paranormal Romance
Cover Rating: 5/5 Stars

From Goodreads: Meghan Chase used to be an ordinary girl...until she discovered that she is really a faery princess. After escaping from the clutches of the deadly Iron fey, Meghan must follow through on her promise to return to the equally dangerous Winter Court with her forbidden love, Prince Ash. But first, Meghan has one request: that they visit Puck--Meghan's best friend and servant of her father, King Oberon--who was gravely injured defending Meghan from the Iron Fey.

Yet Meghan and Ash's detour does not go unnoticed. They have caught the attention of an ancient, powerful hunter--a foe that even Ash may not be able to defeat....

My Thoughts: This was a fantastic, short addition to the Iron Fey series. It picks up right where The Iron King (See my review here) left off, and sheds light on the short journey Meghan and Prince Ash traveled on to the Tir Na Nog. For such a short story, it packs in a pretty good bit of action and sets up the plot for The Iron Daughter extremely well. I feel like Julie Kagawa finally found her niche in writing by this time and the style has just been amped up to greatness.

What I really loved about this novella is the fact that we finally get a good view into Ash & Meghan's relationship and their chemistry together (which is scorching!) We also get to see a glimmer of Meghan trying to work out her feelings for Puck, which I also really loved because it shows she doesn't just blow him off now that he's stuck in a tree healing. 

Meghan also seems to grow as a character in these short pages as well, which really surprised me. We get to see the beginning of the strong kick-ass character she's on her way to becoming. 

All in all, I would recommend reading this before starting book 2 simply because it's a pleasure. Is it necessary? Not really, but like I said, it does set up the next book and gives you more background on what's happened in between.


Teaser Pleaser:
-"His breath hitched, and he regarded me hungrily. 'You're playing with fire, you know that?'"

My Rating:

Dirty Little Secret #1

Dirty Little Secret is a weekly meme hosted by the lovely ladies at Under the Covers. Every Thursday they ask a question hoping to reveal other bloggers "dirty little secrets"

What book has been sitting in your TBR pile the longest and why haven't you picked it up yet? Or more importantly, will you ever read it since it's been sitting there forever?

 Hmmm... the longest book that I have in my TBR pile is Eragon. I bought it when I was sixteen, tried to read a few pages of it, and quickly put it away for something else. No matter how badly I wanted to read it, I just couldn't get into it at all. Eventually, I gave it to my boyfriend last year and he quickly devoured the whole series. Since then, he's been begging me to give it another try. 

It is now sitting on my To Be Read BookShelf (I have 4 in my room) and I think I will try and give it a go again... one day. Probably not anytime soon though. I've heard it gets better with each book, and my reading taste have grown as I've gotten older, so who knows, I may end up loving it just as much as he does! 

What about you guys? Have any of you read Eragon? What has been sitting on your shelf the longest just begging to be read?

Top Ten Books I'd Play Hooky With (Top Ten Tuesday #1)

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

Honestly, I skip my classes all the time to read a book that I just can't put down (really, why should I take health again in college when I distinctly remember taking it in high-school?). So, I'm going to do this as top ten books with yummy guys I would play hooky for (because, let's face it, fictional boys are so worth skipping class for):

1. Chris from Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews. Okay, before you get completely grossed out, hear me out: Tall, blonde, broody, intelligent guy with a dark secret past? Um... yes, please! So it was written in 1979, and yeah there's some major ick factors going on, but truly this book is amazing. This Gothic tale had me up until the wee hours of the morning in junior high trying to find out what was going to happen to the Dollanger siblings. Needless to say, I ended up missing homeroom that day. I've read this book at least once every year since then and it still remains one of my favorites.

2. Adam from If I Stay by Gale Forman. With her life hanging on the line, the only thing Mia can do is watch as everyone she knows and loves begs her to stay in the world and live... even though she may not have much to live for anymore. This is one of those novels that will have you an emotional mess by the end of it and so distraught you don't know what to do. I just skipped school because I was too depressed to do anything else but finish it. It is a simply amazing story of life and what we ask others for. Another one day read that I cried for weeks over. 

 3. Daemon from Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout. There's just something about an arrogantly hot alien that makes you beg to stay home from school/ work. Jennifer L. Armentrout is a freaking genius when it comes to writing, and you will not be disappointed when you met her main character Daemon in Obsidian. Yu-mmm-yyyy.

 4. Travis from Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire. I was never one for contemporary romance, that is, until I met Travis and my whole world turned upside down. This was another one of those books that I stayed in bed with Travis reading all day long with. The college atmosphere was perfect in the book, I actually felt like I was there! (Which, I wasn't but probably should have been at my college).

  5.Really, any one of the male characters from Vampire Academy would have me skipping class in a heart beat: Christian, ADRIAN, Dimitri... you get my point. Not to mention Rose Hathaways bad-ass skills may come in handy if you should run across a strigoi- much more important to learn than algebra.

 6. Seth from Wicked Lovely. Piercings AND he lives in a train cart? Definitely the kind of guy I would be caught skipping class with. And hey, if we get in trouble he was just protecting me from the crazy fairies that have swamped the streets!

 7. Aiden from Pure. What can I say? Jennifer L. Armentrout knows how to create my perfect fictional boyfriend. I'm sure he could teach me Greek instead of me drooling in my French class all afternoon. This second book in the Covenant Series was so WONDERFUL. I read it in 5 hours straight. I didn't bother with silly things like food, or water. Who would when Aiden is around?

 8. Will from The Ghost and the Goth. I could totally skip science to help Will get rid of Alona! So, I have a thing for guys with piercings... I can't help myself. This was a light romantic comedy that I found helped when I needed some "aww moments" and giggles. Plus, the plot was good and had me guessing up until the very end!

 9. Jace from City of Bones. This shadowhunter can come kidnap me anytime and I promise I won't cry about missing class! This book was so intriguing when I first read- the world building was just incredible. Cassandra Clare has an imagination that you can dive into and not come up for air for hours.

 10. Finally, and certainly not least, ERIC NORTHMAN from True Blood (Sookie Stackhouse #4). Really, is there anything left to say? Viking god ERIC NORTHMAN should be enough. Forget skipping school, no one would ever hear from again! And in book 4 he certainly makes things interesting! Definitely worth skipping work to read this one.

So that's all for now guys! Leave me a comment with your links so I can check out your top ten picks!

"The Iron King" by Julie Kagawa (Iron Fey #1)

Title: The Iron King
By: Julie Kagawa
Series: Iron Fey #1
Publication: February 1, 2010 by Harlequin Teen
Pages: 363
Genre: YA Fantasy/ Paranormal Romance

From Goodreads: Meghan Chase has a secret destiny; one she could never have imagined. 


Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school or at home. 

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change. 

But she could never have guessed the truth - that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face; and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart


My Thoughts: It was simply wonderful! The fairy lore was amazingly done and the world building was incredible. I absorbed every word off the page and with each new detail the Nevernever sprung up around me with its lush gardens and mythological creatures. It was fantasy at its best.

The character development was a little slow at first for me, especially concerning Meghan. I just couldn't get a feel for her in the very beginning, and was unsure if I was going to like her as a heroine. But a few pages in that quickly changed. I love the friendship she has with Robbie, and I love his jester personality.

I also really enjoyed the fact that this was a fantasy novel, not a Paranormal Romance. Although, there is romance, it is something that I think will be developed slowly over time, and not that instant love we see in so many YA novels these days.

I think this is going to be a really fantastic series, and I've done bought all of them (including the novellas) except for the last one (broke college student and all). I would definitely recommend this series!

My Rating: 

Follow Friday #1

 

Hey guys! Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by the blogs Alison Can Read and Parajunkee.

This weeks question is:

What is the longest book you've read? What are your favorite 600 + page reads?

This one is easy! Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix! Which also happens to be my favorite book in the series :]



"Pure" by Jennifer L. Armentrout (The Covenant #2)

Synopsis: Alex has finally made it through summer and is training with the rest of her classmates. Not that it matters much considering everyone, except for her closest friends, still hates her for her daimon mother's recent attack. However, Alex soon has bigger problems to worry about than her social life: a half-blood daimon has found its way onto the school grounds and is attacking students.The problem? Some people are suspecting Alex as the daimon- especially since she has enough tags to be one.
Then there's the love of her life Aiden, who of course she can never be with because of his pure-blood lineage. Training with him every other day has become extremely complicated. Not to mention the ever present Seth who seems to be growing on Alex against all of her better judgement.
Oh, and of course she has to go to a huge council meeting to discuss exactly what did happen with her mother and the attack the past summer. And not everyone on the council is a fan of Alex's. In fact, some one on there is going to stop at nothing to make sure she never Awakens and become the Apolloyn they all think she will be. Yeah, life is never simple.

My Thoughts: I am in love with this series! Jennifer L. Armentrout just keeps getting better and better with each new book she puts out! This second installment of The Covenant series is freaking fantastic. I read it in less then five hours and in one sitting (well, except for chocolate and soda breaks). It was just that good. I could not put it down for anything in the world- not even for a daimon attack. I had to know what was going to happen with Alex and what was going to happen between Alex and Aiden/ Alex and Seth. We get to see a lot more depth in Seth this time around as well, making him more than likable. And, we get a close up view of the future Alex could possibly have as a servant (hey, who are we kidding? Slave) if she doesn't do some quick thinking and prove her innocence fast. I also love that Alex and Aiden really can't be together- at least if they want to escape severe punishment (like, oh I don't know, death?) It's not just a love story, it's an over-throwing their government story for the greater good- questioning authority and laws that are archaic for their world.
Jennifer L. Armentrout is just simply amazing in her narrations and pop-culture references. She's not afraid to make her characters real and quirky, going against the grain to those sweet, geeky heroines that never seem to have any real, tangible flaws. I can't wait to find out what she has in store for us next!

My Rating: 5/5 Hot Sentinels (preferably broody, dark-haired ones named Aiden)
GoodReads Rating: 4.66 Stars

Teaser Pleasers:
-"It smells better? What does your bed smell like? Regret and bad taste?"
-"I danced around your room and molested you. So yeah, I'm a bit embarrassed by that."
- "Great. You're like herpes. The gift that keeps on giving."
- I gasped. "Holy..."
"Shit," Seth finished.
- "You'll become the center of someones world one day. And he'll be the luckiest son of a bitch on this earth."

"Pandemonium" by Lauren Oliver (Delirium #2)

"What the heart has once owned and had, it shall never lose."- Henry Ward Beecher


Synopsis: Lena has made it to The Wilds, but not how she thought she would. Alone and desperate she is saved by a group of homesteaders whose top priority is simply surviving. However the world Lena left behind is changing, there is a revolution coming. And the only thing Lena can do is prepare herself and find the right side to fight on.
Now, she must return to that same world on a mission: spying on the DFA's (Deliria Free America) poster kid, Julian Fineman. Too soon though, this mission turns out to be much more then Lena ever bargained for...

My Thoughts: At first, I was a little bored with this second installment to Delirium, however that rapidly changed. I ended up finishing it in one night. It was intense, and Lena has grown so much since we last saw her in book one. She's stronger, and more bad-ass than the fragile girl who lived on the inside of the fence. The plot twists and turns, until you're reeling and just begging for answers.
The chapters alternate from past to present, which I didn't like in the beginning, but somehow, Lauren Oliver ended up making it work and it flowed together seamlessly. We get to see how Lena became such a bad-ass, while simultaneously watching her kick butt in the next chapter. There's also a ton of new characters introduced, among the most important one Julian Fineman; who quickly grew on me. What I really love about this series is not only the story-telling, but that the characters are so layered that they become real. Not to mention the imaginative and thought provoking world Oliver has created. In a world without Love and Passion, who will ultimately win? It's a series that will leave you on the edge of your seat, craving to get your hands on the next volume.

My Rating: 5/5 Stars
GoodReads Rating: 4.31 Stars

Teaser Pleasers:
"Here's something else you might as well learn now: If you want something, if you take it for your own, you'll always be taking it from someone else. That's a rule too. And something must die so that others can live."

"Half-Blood" by Jennifer L. Armentrout (The Covenant Series #1)

Synopsis: Alex's life is anything but simple. She's been on the run for the past three years with her mother from the Covenant- a place where Alex grew up surrounded by half-bloods, like herself, and pures, like her mother. The pure-bloods descended from the relationships of the gods and their mortal lovers, giving them magical powers. However, the parents of a mortal and a pure only result in half-bloods, leaving them no magical properties at all.
Now, Alex is being shipped back to the covenant where she is given two options: become a mindless slave and work for the pures, or train with pure-blood Aiden to become a Sentinel- a guard that protects pures from Daimons- evil creatures who hunt the pures for their addictive blood.
The convenant has some strict rules, the number one being pures and half-bloods don't mix. This use to be a fairly simple rule for Alex to follow, that is, until she started training with Aiden. Now she has to hide her feelings are risk automatic enslavement. Of course, having a huge crush on Aiden isn't her only problem. She has Seth, the half-bloods of all half-bloods, the Apolloyn (a half-blood who can wield all the elements) checking her out every five seconds. And if that's not creepy enough, Alex also has a damion with big plans for her. Surviving summer has never been harder.

My Thoughts: I loved it! Jennifer's writing style is superb, as always. This series is going to be amazing. Alex is hilarious and totally relateable.  The story is refreshing as it twists it's way through a new secret world filled with people who have their own set of rules. If you were to throw in Vampire Academy meets Percy Jackson in a mixing bowl, add some of JLA's witty ideas and styles, you would get Half-Blood.

My Rating: 5/5 Stars
GoodReads Rating: 4.25

Teaser Pleasers:
-"Okay, I'm ready to move onto something else, like practicing with knives or defense against the dark arts. Cool things."
"Did you just quote Harry Potter?"
I grinned. "Maybe I did."

News and Updates

Hey guys, so I have some bad news and some awesome news. First, the bad: I'm going to be scarce for probably about a week on here. I'm having some serious wisdom teeth issues where my tooth has started to "dissolve" for some reason or another and it's exposing my nerve (which really pisses me off because I'm kind of a clean freak about my teeth) and the pain is so intense I'm not getting anything done (which includes sleep). I was scheduled to have them out on Monday, but honestly I just don't think I'm going to be able to wait that long and I'm going to see if they can't do something sooner. But when I come back I will have a review up for "Half-Blood" by Jennifer L. Armentrout, an attempt at my first IMM video (gasp!), and possibly some other reviews if I find that I am able to read during re-cooperating. We shall see.

The awesome news? Tabitha Suzuma author of "Forbidden" has agreed to do an interview with me for the blog! As soon as I get her e-mail back I will post it up for you guys.

Hope you all are having an awesome pain free week!

Quotation Monday

Quotation Monday is something I've come up with to share some of my favorite quotes from really great novels, movies, lyrics, etc.

Todays quote comes from Bernhard Schlink's novel (turned movie) The Reader:

"I'm not frightened. I'm not frightened of anything. The more I suffer, the more I love. Danger will only increase my love. It will sharpen it, forgive its vice. I will be the only angel you need. You will leave life even more beautiful than you entered it. Heaven will take you back and look at you and say: Only one thing can make a soul complete and that thing is love.” 

Why I Love It: Possibly the most romantic quote ever. I absolutely fell in love with this amazing movie and quickly went out to buy the novel asap. If you haven't seen it/ read it, go, right this second, and buy it. 

"The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer" by Michelle Hodkin

Synopsis: Mara Dyer's life has been turned completely upside down. She's the sole survivor of a tragic accident she can't remember that left her friends and boyfriend dead. Trying to regain some semblance of normal, Mara and her family move to Florida to start over. Only things are not going so well for Mara, and she's far from normal. Seeing the ghosts of her dead friends everywhere she goes is one thing, but seeing other people that she barely knows dying before they actually do is another. Not to mention her hot British classmate, Noah Shaw, is giving her his undivided attention. But even Noah seems to be hiding something, and with his reputation as a "sleep with them and leave them" kind of guy, Mara has to wonder if he has her best interests at heart.

My Thoughts: I devoured this book in a manner of hours. It's deliciously dark humor, accompanied with the downward spiral Mara is going through will have you turning the pages well after midnight. I absolutely love Mara as a narrator. Her "voice" is fantastic and her relationship with Noah is intense. This is one story that will keep you guessing and avoids cliches like the plague. It's original and Hodkin's writing style is superb. There was never a boring moment. I definitely would recommend this to anyone who is interested in a unique and thrilling tale!

My Rating: 5/5 Stars
GoodReads Rating: 4.04 Stars

Teaser Pleaser: 
-My eyes flitted up to the front of the classroom. Noah was in the process of unbuttoning his shirt. Sweet Jesus.

Tuneage Tuesday

Tuneage Tuesday" is where I will be posting some of my new favorite songs. Sometimes they'll be connected with a book or a series, and sometimes they're just stuck in my head randomly. Either way, new music is always good :]

This weeks tune is:

Little Talks by Of Monsters & Men

Where you've heard it: Unless you're from Iceland (where the band is from) or tuned into some radio station like Pandora or specifically searching for folk bands, you probably haven't.

Why I Love It: Do I really need to explain this one? They're amazing. End of story.

Quotation Monday

Quotation Monday is something I've come up with to share some of my favorite quotes from really great novels, movies, lyrics, etc.

Today's quote comes from Gayle Forman's novel If I Stay:

"If you stay, I'll do whatever you want. I'll quit the band, go with you to New York. But if you need me to go away, I'll do that, too. I was talking to Liz and she said maybe coming back to your old life would be too painful, that maybe it would be easier for you to erase us. And that would suck, but I'd do it. I can lose you like that, if I don't lose you today. I'll let you go. If you stay."

Why I love it: If you haven't read this book, stop what you're doing right now. Right this second. Now go to your library, amazon, or local bookstore and buy it. You will probably need to buy a box of tissues (or three) while you're at it. It's one of those once in a life time stories that touch you and breath life into you. It's painful, raw, and true. The reason I chose this quote is because it speaks of the volumes of love Adam has for Mia. He would do anything for her, even leave her if that's what she wants. He just wants her to live. 

Unselfish Acts of Love= Win.

"Delirium" by Lauren Oliver

Symptoms of Amor Deliria Nervosa:

Phase One:

Preoccupation; difficulty focusing

Dry mouth

Perspiration, sweaty palms,

Fits of dizziness and disorientation

Reduced mental awareness; racing thoughts; impaired reasoning skills.

Phase Two

Periods of euphoria, hysterical laughter and heightened energy

Periods of despair; lethargy

Change in appetite, rapid weight loss or weight gain

Fixation; loss of other interests

Compromised reasoning skills; distortion of reality

Disruption of sleep patterns; insomnia or constant fatigue

obsessive thoughts and actions

Paranoia; insecurity

Phase Three (Critical)

Difficulty breathing

Pain in the chest, throat, or stomach

Difficulty swallowing; refusal to eat

Complete breakdown of rational faculties; erratic behavior; violent thoughts and fantasies; hallucinations and delusions

Phase Four (Fatal)

Emotional or physical paralysis (partial or total)

death

Synopsis:  What if love was a disease that had a cure? No more heartbreak, no more pain, or loss. Unrequited love would be a thing of the past, and your loved ones would not fail you because there would be no expectations. The only catch? You have to wait until your eighteen and and it doesn't always turn out right. Sure everyone seems happy, but without love there is no desire, no passion. You just are. 

Lena Haloway has been waiting to be cured her entire life. She can't wait for the feelings of confidence it will bring and to be paired with her potential mate. That is, until she meets Alex. Now, Lena is questioning everything she has ever believed in and possibly contracting the disease herself. But she has to be careful, because in Lena's world love isn't just dangerous... it's illegal.

My Thoughts: EPIC!!! Lauren Oliver has built a world where love is outlawed and she writes it well. The characters are so in depth, the story so gripping, I'm so glad I don't have to wait to read the next one and can just go the store and buy it right now. I felt like I was actually apart of Lena's world and felt everything she was feeling (or in some cases, trying not to feel). The language was beautiful and so easy to relate to. Everyone has had a time in their life when they felt like love just wasn't worth all the pain and suffering. Well, Lauren Oliver shows you exactly what it would be like if you could get rid of it.

A mixture between 1984, The Hunger Games, and Fahrenheit 451, Delirium is the next great dystopian novel!

*Special Thanks to sweet & awesome Anna who bought me this for my Bday!*

My Rating: 5/5 Stars

GoodReads Rating: 4.05 Stars