Brad About Books: Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter

Read on June 26, 2013

GODDESS INTERRUPTED
Published: March 27, 2012
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Format: Paperback
Page Count: 296 pages
Source: Purchased
Series: Goddess, #2

This review is entirely spoiler free, even if you haven't read the first book, The Goddess Test.

Goddess Interrupted is an electrifying and shocking sequel that left me with my mouth hanging open and begging for more. Not only did Carter manage to create a sequel that was better than the first book (which was already superb), she passed it by many miles. So epic!

Though I don't study on the actual mythology, I love reading YA Greek mythology re-tellings! And the Goddess series is one of my most favorite mythology series ever. The characters are wonderful, and the plot is always fast-paced and fantastic. I can't even believe that Aimee Carter made me fall more in love with Kate and the entire ensemble in this sequel than the first! I was pulled right back into the story immediately, and I was shocked and surprised by the loads of twists and turns that Goddess Interrupted takes. Loved it!

The characters are what makes this series whole. Kate was pretty naïve in the first book, but now, she's strong and tough, and she has grown a backbone and isn't afraid to take up for herself. I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am that our protagonist transitioned from naïve to fierce all within a sequel. I'm so thrilled! And she wasn't the only great character: while we don't see a whole lot of Henry in Goddess Interrupted, what parts he's in are superb. I even like him even more than I did in The Goddess Test! And Ava, James, everybody was good! PLUS, there's a new character (no spoilers) that made the book even more awesome.

And that ending! Woah! Another great part about this series is that Carter doesn't hold back with the bad guys being absolutely wicked. Based off the ending, I can't wait to see how the series concludes in The Goddess Inheritance - the ending to this second book was so fast-paced, climatic, and thrilling, I couldn't put it down!

Overall, Goddess Interrupted is a great installment to a fantastic series. A pulsing and marvelous sequel!

M Y     R A T I N G

Brad About Books: Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick

Read on June 18, 2013

FORGIVE ME, LEONARD PEACOCK
Expected Publication Date: August 13, 2013
Publisher: Little, Brown BFYR
Format: ARC
Page Count: 288 pages
Source: RAK

Today is Leonard Peacock's birthday. It is also the day he hides a gun in his backpack. Because today is the day he will kill his former best friend, and then himself, with his grandfather's P-38 pistol.

But first he must say good-bye to the four people who matter most to him: his Humphrey Bogart-obsessed next-door neighbor, Walt; his classmate Baback, a violin virtuoso; Lauren, the Christian homeschooler he has a crush on; and Herr Silverman, who teaches the high school's class on the Holocaust. Speaking to each in turn, Leonard slowly reveals his secrets as the hours tick by and the moment of truth approaches.

In this riveting book, acclaimed author Matthew Quick unflinchingly examines the impossible choices that must be made—and the light in us all that never goes out.

Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock is a surprising and... different read. I think I set my expectations too high for this one, since I had heard nothing but amazing things about this one, but I was ultimately let down by it.

I'll start off by what I did like about Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock: the premise was so unique! I was sucked into the story immediately, and I loved getting to see what's made Leonard's life so troubled. Matthew Quick did a superb job at crafting together Leonard's life together and telling his story. Very interesting!

Now. What didn't I like about this book? Simple: the writing. Like I said earlier, I was enjoying this book in the beginning, but after awhile, I found it to grow repetitive, and I was getting disconnected to the story. While the footnotes at the bottom of the page were interesting, I wasn't always interested in it. And there were quite a lot of curse words in the book! I'm not a fan of curse words, but I'm not affected by them (they don't determine whether I like or don't like a book), but I don't think that they fit the overall aurora of the book. I was just very disappointed by this read, especially with all the hype and praise surrounding it.

But Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock was a good book - just not as good as I had hoped. While the beginning and ending were very interesting, the middle lacked substance for me. Who knows? Maybe this'll be the book for you. Unfortunately, it wasn't for me.

Overall, Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock was a let down, but not completely. However, it's one of the most original books I've read in a long time!

M Y    R A T I N G

Brad About Books: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Read on June 24, 2013

THRONE OF GLASS
Published: August 7, 2012
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Format: Hardcover
Page Count: 404 pages
Source: Purchased
Series: Throne of Glass, #1

After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin. Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom. 

Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilirating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best. 

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. 

Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.

Throne of Glass is a marvelous, riveting read that is dazzling hit in high fantasy. Sarah J. Maas is the new Tolkien! I can't even begin to express my extreme amount of love for this fantastic read!

If you know me, you know that I am sucker for high fantasy. Everything about it captivates me - the incredible world-buildings, the wonderful characters, and the plots are always epic and fast-paced. Throne of Glass is no exception to any of these. In fact, I think that this is my new favorite high fantasy book! No joke! My favorite part about a high fantasy novel is the world-building. An author can do so much for creating a world from the ground up, and Maas did a fantastic job with this epic and frightening world! I mean, assassins?! Fighting in an arena to be the King's Assassin?! YES. PLEASE. Going into Throne of Glass, I expected to be wow-ed and had my socks rocked off. And believe me when I say, I was blown away and more. Phenomenal!

Celaena was stunning! She's strong, fierce, loyal, and determined. She's everything I love in a good heroine. She kicks butt now and asks questions later - which, to be honest, is a fantastic trait to have in this brutal and tough world. I loved her right from the first sentence, and she never let me down. And she's not only the great character in Throne of Glass! I sometimes have problems with males in high fantasy. They're either too high-on-their-horse and snobby, or weak and always wanting to put the heroine in front of himself (which is a whole lot better than snobby). But Maas veers away from the norm and made our two strong heros exactly that - strong, hard-working, but with a heart that only Celaena could touch. And not only does this book live up to all the hype surrounding it, it well-earns every bit of it wholly. Just one of the numerous reasons why Throne of Glass rocked my world.

And just the entire plot of this book is so awesome and wonderful. There was never a dull moment for me - if I wasn't captivated by all the action and crazy-lightning-fast-paced scenes, I was marveling the beauty of Maas's prose and the way she described the castle of glass. If you are a high fantasy junkie (like myself), Throne of Glass is a must-read. You won't regret it!

Overall, Throne of Glass is an epic tale that shouldn't be missed. More please!

M Y    R A T I N G

Brad About Books: The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black

Read from June 29 to 30, 2013

THE COLDEST GIRL IN COLDTOWN
Expected Publication Date: September 3, 2013
Publisher: Little, Brown BFYR
Format: ARC
Page Count: 432 pages
Source: ALA

Tana lives in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. The only problem is, once you pass through Coldtown’s gates, you can never leave.

One morning, after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses. The only other survivors of this massacre are her exasperatingly endearing ex-boyfriend, infected and on the edge, and a mysterious boy burdened with a terrible secret. Shaken and determined, Tana enters a race against the clock to save the three of them the only way she knows how: by going straight to the wicked, opulent heart of Coldtown itself.

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown is a wholly original story of rage and revenge, of guilt and horror, and of love and loathing from bestselling and acclaimed author Holly Black.

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown is a unique and utterly fantastic take on vampires, with haunting and beautiful prose + a one-of-a-kind story. Easily a new favorite book of all-time!

Let's go ahead and address the elephant in the room: vampires? They've been used so many times, it's gotten quite old. But luckily, The Coldest Girl in Coldtown gives vampires a fresh and original spin - it's unlike anything I've ever read. And you know what I loved the most about these vampires? They're beautiful (their skin is described like marble in the book) and stunning to see, but they are truly monsters at their core. And Holly Black didn't hold back with the scary and terrifying scenes. I adored absolutely every single minute of this book. It's a true and shining gem.

The Coldtowns themselves are so awesome, yet freakishly eerie. Once you're in, there's no going back. And woah. I would love to see this novel on the big screen, simply for the reason to the see the Coldtown brought to life. Black's imagination is so vivid and lush (I thought the Curse Workers trilogy was great; The Coldest Girl in Coldtown blew it out of the water.), and she never held back on anything. There are loads of surprising and jaw-falls-open moments. The Coldest Girl in Coldtown will shock you, shake you, and never let you go. Plus side? You'll never want it to end.

That. Ending. I can't even compute what happened. Talk about a page-turner! While everything about this novel is awesome, the last 100 pages had me on the edge of my seat and looking behind my back - no joke. And this novel struck a chord with my paranormal side. I have never read a book like The Coldest Girl in Coldtown, but oh man, I adore this book to pieces. One of my favorite reads of the year... and of all-time!

And I'm sorry, but I have to talk about these vampires again! Vampires turn many people off immediately, since they've been done so many times. But trust me, The Coldest Girl in Coldtown is an absolute must-read - I cannot even stress that enough! Come September, run to your bookstore and pick up this magnificent new prize in YA. Eerie, chilling, and wholly captivating, The Coldest Girl in Coldtown is one of the best books I've read in a long time.

Overall, The Coldest Girl in Coldtown is mind-blowing and phenomenal in every way possible. This shattering new novel will have you in its captivating clutches and leave you begging for more!

M Y    R A T I N G

Fantastic Five {JUNE}

Welcome to my Fantastic Five post for June, in which I tell you the top five best books I read in June 2013! This was so hard, because I read 65 books in the month of June! 

Read on June 10, 2013

5. Altered (Crewel World, #2) - Gennifer Albin

*Cover not final*

THIS. BOOK. What an electric and fantastic sequel! The sophomore slump passed right over Gennifer Albin's head, because this one was just so incredible. The characters! The pacing! The plot! I can't even - wow. If you loved Crewel, Altered is going to rock your world.

Read on June 24, 2013

4. Throne of Glass (Throne, #1) - Sarah J. Maas

If you know me at all, you know that I adore high fantasy - I love those books to pieces. And Throne of Glass has easily become one of my favorite high fantasy books... ever. It's just so, so, so amazing. The world-building is brilliant and unique, the characters are stunning, and this entire novel is pure gold. Absolutely phenomenal.

Read on June 17, 2013

3. 3:59 - Gretchen McNeil

I love all of McNeil's books, and 3:59 has became my favorite of hers! You will never find a book like this one - it's fresh, original, and in every way imaginable and possible, fantastic. She balanced out the realistic and fantasy sides of 3:59 so well. I could go on for hours on end about how much I love this book! If you're looking for a book that will send chills down your spine and keep you up all night, 3:59 is the book for you!

Read from June 20 to 21, 2013

2. Elegy (Watersong, #4) - Amanda Hocking

Again, if you know me at all, you know that Amanda Hocking is one of my favorite authors of all-time. The Watersong series is my favorite of hers, and Elegy is such an explosive, dynamic, and absolutely brilliant ending! I couldn't have asked for a better ending! All loose ends were tied up, and everything started to come together and make sense. Wow. This series is such a fantastic series, and this is one of the best conclusions to a series I've ever read!

AND MY #1 BOOK OF JUNE 2013 IS...

Read from June 29 to 30, 2013

1. The Coldest Girl in Coldtown - Holly Black

I just... woah, I mean... I'm speechless. I really enjoyed Black's Curse Workers trilogy, but WOW The Coldest Girl in Coldtown absolutely blew me away! This is easily the best vampire story I've ever read. The monsters are terrifying and frightening, the setting is chilling and cold (hah! pun!) to the core, and the writing is gorgeous. Make sure that you have The Coldest Girl in Coldtown on your radar. You won't regret it!

What were some of your favorite reads for June 2013?

Brad About Books: Crash and Burn by Michael Hassan

Read on June 5, 2013

CRASH AND BURN
Published: February 19, 2013
Publisher: Balzer + Bray (Harper)
Format: Hardcover
Page Count: 532 pages
Source: Purchased

On April 21, 2008, Steven "Crash" Crashinsky saved more than a thousand people when he stopped his classmate David Burnett from taking their high school hostage armed with assault weapons and high-powered explosives. You likely already know what came after for Crash: the nationwide notoriety, the college recruitment, and, of course, the book deal. What you might not know is what came before: a story of two teens whose lives have been inextricably linked since grade school, who were destined, some say, to meet that day in the teachers' lounge of Meadows High. And what you definitely don't know are the words that Burn whispered to Crash right as the siege was ending, a secret that Crash has never revealed.

Until now.

Michael Hassan's shattering novel is a tale of first love and first hate, the story of two high school seniors and the morning that changed their lives forever. It's a portrait of the modern American teenage male, in all his brash, disillusioned, oversexed, schizophrenic, drunk, nihilistic, hopeful, ADHD-diagnosed glory. And it's a powerful meditation on how normal it is to be screwed up, and how screwed up it is to be normal.

Crash and Burn is a dark, complex, and hauntingly chilling read that either had me completely invested into the story and in love with the book or had me drifting off and not connecting to the plot. I have to say, I was disappointed by this book I had been anticipating for such a long time.

Like I said, I was so excited for Crash and Burn - it sounded so amazing and fantastic. But if I'm being honest, this book was just okay for me. Maybe I set my expectations too high? Maybe I just wasn't in the mood for dark and heavy realistic fiction? Who knows? I just know that it wasn't as good as I hoped it would be. While the beginning was very intriguing, the middle lacked plot and character development. That's probably my biggest problem with Crash and Burn: the characters seemed like awful people. I thought Steven (A.K.A. Crash) would be a nice, heroic character that would save the day. While he was heroic, he was too much of a troublemaker and awful-type of person for me to ever liked. And David (A.K.A . Burn) was just as bad as Crash. Maybe even worse. He was too dark, and I just didn't like that. 

I'll transfer over to what I did like the absolute most about Crash and Burn: the beginning, and the last 60 pages. The beginning was so intriguing and fascinating - I couldn't get enough of it! Around the 150 page-mark is when I stopped connecting to the story. But the first 150 pages were superb, and the final 60 were even better. They were high-tensed, electric, and on-the-edge-of-your-seat worthy pages, and I absolutely loved them.

I'm starting to come around to contemporary, but this is my first "heavy and dark" contemporary novel... and I have to say, I was let down by it! I guess it's just where I was looking forward to this book so much. It was good, but not as good as I hoped it would be.

Overall, Crash and Burn was a let down. Dark, richly built, and unfortunately, disappointing, Crash and Burn is one of a kind, but also not one of my favorites.

M Y    R A T I N G

Origin by Jennifer L. Armentrout Cover Reveal!

Hey guys! Today, I get to reveal the cover to Origin by Jennifer L. Armentrout, the highly-anticipated fourth installment in the Lux series! I love this series so, so, so much, and I am dying to get my hands on a copy of Origin!

Ready?

...

...

...

...

...

...

Origin goes on sale August 27, 2013, through Entangled's Teen line!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

# 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer Armentrout lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell, Loki.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen.

She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

ORIGIN official Blurb:

Daemon will do anything to get Katy back.

After the successful but disastrous raid on Mount Weather, he’s facing the impossible. Katy is gone. Taken. Everything becomes about finding her. Taking out anyone who stands in his way? Done. Burning down the whole world to save her? Gladly. Exposing his alien race to the world? With pleasure.

All Katy can do is survive.

Surrounded by enemies, the only way she can come out of this is to adapt. After all, there are sides of Daedalus that don’t seem entirely crazy, but the group’s goals are frightening and the truths they speak even more disturbing. Who are the real bad guys? Daedalus? Mankind? Or the Luxen?

Together, they can face anything.  

But the most dangerous foe has been there all along, and when the truths are exposed and the lies come crumbling down, which side will Daemon and Katy be standing on? And will they even be together?

ORIGIN Link:

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13644052-origin

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Origin-Lux-Series-Entangled-Teen/dp/1622660757/

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/origin-jennifer-armentrout/1114855732

Additional links to Jennifer’s pages:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JLArmentrout

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JenniferLArmentrout

Website: http://www.jenniferarmentrout.com/