YA Review: Siren by Tricia Rayburn

Title: Siren
Author: Tricia Rayburn
Series: Siren Trilogy
Book #: 1
Pages: 377
Reading Level: YA
Book Rating: .7
Published July 13th 2010
by EgmontUSA

Vacationing in Winter Harbor, Maine, is a tradition for Vanessa and Justine Sands, and that means spending time with the Carmichael boys. This summer, Vanessa is determined to channel some of her older sister’s boldness, get over her fear of the ocean, and maybe turn her friendship with Simon Carmichael into something much more.

But when Justine goes cliff-diving after a big family argument, and her body washes ashore the next day, Vanessa is sure that it was more than an accident. She is more certain of this, when she discovers that her sister was keeping some big secrets and Caleb Carmichael’s gone missing. Suddenly, the entire oceanfront town is abuzz when a series of grim, water-related accidents occur, with the male victims washed ashore grinning from ear to ear.

Vanessa and Simon team up to figure out if these creepy deaths have anything to do with Justine and Caleb. But will what Vanessa discovers mean the end of her summer romance, or even life as she knows it?

Taschima's POV:

Ive read many mixed reviews on this book. 3 stars seem to be the medium for this series, and I even saw a one star around Goodreads. All I got to say to this is, why?

I mean, it isn't the BEST YA book out there, but I found it enjoyable and entertaining. And oh so haunting. The book has to do with Vanessa and her sister Justine, who dies at the beginning of their summer vacation. We go through the book with Vanessa as she is trying to search for answers not only to her sister's death, but about her sister's life and choices. Along the way other strange deaths keep occurring, deaths were the people who are killed don't seem to mind being dead at all since when they are found they always have this big creepy smile on their face. As if whatever killed them was worth every second of it.

I don't know if other people's expectations were too high, and mine too low, and that's why I enjoyed it more than most. It might be. I mean I looked at that cover and it didn't really inspire much reading giddiness inside me, even if the story was about mermaids. I mean, I like the Little Mermaid, but other than that what can you really do with mermaids? Aren't they suppose to be bound to the sea? In this book they aren't. But they need large amounts of salt water to keep their strength.

I was pleasantly surprised with this novel. I liked the characters. I liked how the author handled the grief of the surviving sister, and the couple of twists I wasn't really expecting. It also left me at the end with a BUNCH of questions, which must be answered in the next couple of books. The sister kept talking to Vanessa even beyond the grave, how? What will Vanessa do with her life from now on? How will the author manage the next book in the series? Well, I'm waiting for Undercurrent for those answers.

One of the things that bothered me was that at times I was a bit lost as to what exactly was happening. But I think that the emotion of the book and the story make up for it. Maybe I'm not as picky as other people. Nah, that's a lie. If I don't like something I'll say it and to hell with it, but I did enjoy this book and I think that before you kick it to the curb (as I did at the beginning) you should at least give it a chance. It may not be for everybody, but it might just be for you. And if you have my taste in books at all, the you surely will enjoy this haunting mermaid tale.

Books In the Series:

 

Siren - Undercurrent

Blue Bloods News!!!! Cover Revealed: Lost In Time cover + Hot News!!!

Expected publication: October 4th 2011 

by Hyperion

It's beautiful. Did you notice how the characters have a little bit of color in their skin? I love this covers, it's so sexy and pretty at the same time!! Do you love it? Is it your favorite?

There's also a video with the Lost In Time cover shoot!

The guy looks just a tiny bit stiff, work with the girl model you stick!! Being hot isn't your entire job!

I also got more stuff for you, a lot of info coming out. I got this information from Melissa's Newsletter:

•Blue Bloods News * Seventh & Final Novel Announced * New Cycle To Begin•

News of the seventh and final Blue Bloods novel was just announced by my publisher, Disney-Hyperion. The seventh book will be published Fall 2012. Hyperion also bought two new novels in the next Blue Bloods "cycle".  

As I was writing the fifth book, I realized that the first cycle would be seven books, and that I wanted to mark it with a grand announcement of the finale. However, I couldn't share the news since at that time, I still hadn't even sold the books to my publisher yet.   

After the seventh novel is published, a new chapter with new characters (and some old ones!) will begin a new Blue Bloods series. I don't know how many will be in the second series yet, but will let you know when I do. 

When I conceived of Blue Bloods back in the day (of yonder) I thought I'd do three mini-trilogies, but as I began to write the books, I decided I didn't want to do a prequel trilogy like I had planned, (since most prequels kind of suck since you already know how it ends right?) and so I incorporated my prequel trilogy into the "forward" stories and well… that is a long winded explanation to say: SEVEN IS THE MAGIC NUMBER. And after seven, we will start a new story, which I've already sketched in my head and I'm already so so so excited about it.

... so, want a sneak peak of Lost in Time? You got it!

"Maybe Schuyler was crazy to think it would last, that any of it—their love, their joy together would hold, given the darkness that had been part of their union from the beginning—and later she would wish she had enjoyed it more, that she had spent less time poring through books, less time at the library alone, less time removing his arms from her waist, telling him to wait, or missing dinner so that she could go over the papers again and again, she would wish for one more night spent in a roadside café, holding hands under the table, one more night when they would sit side by side in bed, reading, as he rested a hand on her knee."

So much drama! I can't wait!!

Cover Revealed!!!!!

And I LOVE IT!!! My absolute favorite by far! It's so dark and awesome. Reminds me a little of Hallowen to tell you the truth. And the cat! Herro mister Hellsing, how do you do?

But there is one critical character missing from this cover... WHERE IS BONES!?

Maybe on the inside flap? ...

There he is!!!!!

Gosh, that's hot.

Pre-Order One Grave at a Time: A Night Huntress Novel NOW! Comes out in August ;)

Beautiful Chaos synopsis is up, uP, UP!!!

Beautiful Chaos (Caster Chronicles #3)

by Kami Garcia, Margaret Stohl

Hardcover, 528 pages

Expected publication: October 18th 2011 

by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

"Ethan Wate thought he was getting used to the strange, impossible events happening in Gatlin, his small Southern town. But now that Ethan and Lena have returned home, strange and impossible have taken on new meanings. Swarms of locusts, record-breaking heat, and devastating storms ravage Gatlin as Ethan and Lena struggle to understand the impact of Lena’s Claiming. Even Lena’s family of powerful Supernaturals is affected – and their abilities begin to dangerously misfire. As time passes, one question becomes clear: What – or who – will need to be sacrificed to save Gatlin? 

For Ethan, the chaos is a frightening but welcome distraction. He’s being haunted in his dreams again, but this time it isn’t by Lena – and whatever is haunting him is following him out of his dreams and into his everyday life. Even worse, Ethan is gradually losing pieces of himself – forgetting names, phone numbers, even memories. He doesn’t know why, and most days he’s too afraid to ask.  

Sometimes there isn’t just one answer or one choice. Sometimes there’s no going back. And this time there won’t be a happy ending."

I WANT IT. I WANT IT. I WANT IT. I WANT IT. I WANT IT. I WANT IT. I WANT IT. I WANT IT. I WANT IT. I WANT IT. I WANT IT. I WANT IT. I WANT IT. I WANT IT. I WANT IT. I WANT IT. I WANT IT. I WANT IT. I WANT IT. I WANT IT. I WANT IT...

I think that covers it pretty nicely, don't you? ;)

Pre-Order Beautiful Chaos NOW!!

PS; I recently became an Amazon Associate so if you click that little box on top and buy the book I would get a percentage out of the buy. I just wanted to let you know so you would know =] Besides, so much cheaper when you get it through amazon. Doesn't mean I just write whatever in order to get a buy, just that whenever I write about a certain book I give you the option at the bottom to buy it through amazon.

Sneak Peak at Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, anyone?

It's amazing, it's exciting, it's Harry Potter!!

When I first saw this video I screaming in joy!!! I can't believe the end is near, I still remember the first movie!! You guys remember how small they were right? I'm not imgining things now am I?! I can't wait to see this damn movie, It will be a night to remember.

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Title: Across the Universe

Author: Beth Revis

Series: Across The Universe Trilogy

Book #: 1

Pages: 416

Reading Level: Young Adult

Published Date: Jan 11, 2011.

Publisher:  Razorbill

Book Rating: .4

Cover Rating: 

A love out of time. 

A spaceship built of secrets and murder.

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone-one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

Taschima's POV:

Across the Universe wasn't what I thought it would be. I was a bit surprised by the time I finished the story, it was weird. I thought it was going to be so much more but at the end of the tale I felt a little disappointed to tell you the truth. It was a good read, and it had it's 'Wow!' and great moments, but I was expecting a little more than great; I was expecting unforgettable and got good. It still is a good read, I guess I just set my sights too high.

The book is all set in this spaceship named Godspeed. But the book begins centuries before on Earth. Amy, one of our main characters, is making the decision of either getting frozen or not while watching her parents get frozen themselves. Then we jump to centuries later and we meet Elder, a young leader to be. Through Elder we get to find out about Godspeed's social structure and different rules. For a ship who is self sustaining and everybody is the "same" there seems to be a heck of a lot of underlying issues. Later on due to outside forces Amy gets unfrozen ahead of time and all hell breaks loose. Soon enough people start dying and secrets that have been kept quiet for centuries start boiling into the surface and what once seem to be a quiet peaceful ship turns into a thing of nightmares.

This book is complicated. It raises many questions that you just don't know how to answer. I loved how it made me think! As far as the characters I like Amy, she is a bit of a rebel in this story. Elder on the other hand was a much more passive character. He was a bit brainwashed and we get to see how little by little he gets out from under the claws of the ruler. The characters balanced each other but at times I was so frustrated with Elder. I mean his inside chatter was a lot more interesting than what he actually did on the story. What I really loved about this story is how it makes you feel. I could feel the despair of Amy as if it was my own, the sadness and fury. The emotions were solid and seem to radiate from the pages. I wanted to eat up every single second of it.

As to the story line, well, I wasn't surprised as much as I wish I had been. I caught most twists pretty quickly, it wasn't very exciting because of this. The end though I didn't expect. I would have expected the author to prolongate the story line, instead she surprised me. Bravo! This makes me want to read the second book of this story so much more!

So yes it was a good read, but not out of this world (get it?). It shined on certain parts and it lacked in others. It's worth the buy. I mean you want to have this cover on your collection! Is beautiful! It's a different story, totally original in its content!

What did you think about Across the Universe? You can leave a link to your own review if you'd like in a comment =]

PS; I recently became an Amazon Associate so if you click that little box on top and buy the book I would get a percentage out of the buy. I just wanted to let you know so you would know =] Besides, so much cheaper when you get it through amazon.

The Role of Katniss has been Cast!

So according to The Wrap (click and read the entire article) the actress from Winter's Bone has been cast for the role of Katniss. Her name is Jennifer Lawrence and here is a picture of the girl in question:

The first thing that came to my mind when I read the news was "what the hell is Winter's Bone?", after that I went looking for information and found the actress. After that I Googled her images and instantly thought "too pretty". She is too pretty! She is blond! CAN SEE PULL IT OFF? Has anybody watched Winter's Bone? Is she a good actress? Can she be a rebel? Can she be brunette? I DON'T KNOW! I will have to rent the freaking movie just to see if she is good, and if not to cry for the future death of my Katniss.

So I guess for now it is a rumor, but it WAS published in a Hollywood magazine, so I don't know. Wasn't she casted as the new Mystique for the X Men movie? I thought as much.

What do you think? Yay or nay? Scream if you must, god knows I did.

Also, WHERE IS PEETA?!

Whats with these Women?

Hardcover, 320 pages

Expected publication: September 27th 2011 by HarperTeen

Skye never questioned the story of her life. Her Aunt Jo adopted her after the death of her parents when she was just a child, and together they flip through memories the way some people flip through photo albums. 

She never questioned if the stories were true. 

Expected publication: September 5th 2011 by Bloomsburry

There is a river spirit tormenting a town in Maine. Two teens named Amie and Alan, battle it when it tries to possess Alan’s cousin and Amie’s best friend.

Expected publication: August 11th 2011 by Revolution Publishing

Drastic changes in Callie's life aren't unusual, but this time it's different. Now she's fighting to save her family while she adjusts to her new, supernatural reality. Life will never be the same. . . .

Published 2011 by Simon Pulse

Now is not the time for Carmen to fall in love. Two weeks before the most important violin competition of her career, she has bigger things to worry about—like growing out of that suffocating “child prodigy” label, and not disappointing her mother. But it isn’t just the wrong time. It’s the wrong guy. Jeremy is Carmen’s most talented rival, and according to her mother, he’s only interested in one thing: winning...

They all have their head back, coincidence? I don't think so O.o Did anybody else notice? Was it just me?

They all are beautiful covers though. My favorite is Elemental Reality and After Obsession. If you clock on the pictures it will take you to their GoodReads page so you can start adding them into your list!!!

Re-Read: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J. K. Rowling

Title: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Author: J. K. Rowling

Series: Harry Potter

Book #: 1

Pages: 309

Reading Level: Middle Grade?

Book Rating: 

Harry Potter has never been the star of a Quidditch team, scoring points while riding a broom far above the ground. He knows no spells, has never helped to hatch a dragon, and has never worn a cloak of invisibility. 

All he knows is a miserable life with the Dursleys, his horrible aunt and uncle, and their abominable son, Dudley--a great big swollen spoiled bully. Harry's room is a tiny closet at the foot of the stairs, and he hasn't had a birthday party in eleven years. 

But all of that is about to change when a mysterious letter arrives by owl messenger: a letter with an invitation to an incredible place that Harry--and anyone who reads about him--will find unforgettable. 

For it's there that he finds not only friends, aerial sports, and magic in everything from classes to meals, but a great destiny that's been waiting for him...if Harry can survive the encounter.

Taschima's POV:

This is not going to be a normal review. I mean, who doesn't know about Harry Potter? It's a classic!

You know Harry Potter was the first book I ever read? My first. Only I didn't begin the series with the first book, I read the second book first. I had already watched the first movie, so my mother (who had read the first few books) recommended I skip the first book and just read the second one (she was trying to get me to read, have I ever thanked you mom?). So I read the second book (in Spanish mind you), fell in love and then read the first book.

So Ive grown up obviously, and things that went unnoticed before I notice now. Like for example, the writing. I guess I always just thought of Harry Potter as something aimed at a more mature readership because when I started reading it now I was just like "oh gosh, was the writing always like this?". It certainly has its middle grade reader touches; the way J. K. Rowling paints a picture, the way she describes, etc. Its not bad by any means, it's just funny how I noticed this now and how it blew me away. 

Oh and the first movie is by far one of the best, if not the very best, Harry Potter movie ever released! It sticks to the book so closely!! Which I love <3 Some things were changed but I think it was for the best =] No complaints here!

Harry Potter, oh how much I loves you. My favorite series ever! It's just one of those reads you cannot not read. If I ever have children you KNOW they are reading these books. Whether they like it or not. It's going to be a rite of passage of sorts.

What about you? What are your feelings toward HP? Have you re-read it like I did and found changes? Let me know!! I will be reading the second book as soon as I get it in English (I jave it in Spanish; I don't like reading in Spanish)

Giveaway of the Month: City of Fallen Angels Giveaway!!!!

In celebration of the upcoming release of City of Fallen Angels (next moth!!!) I'm giving away a copy of City of Fallen Angels!!!

All you have to do to enter this giveaway is leave a comment saying why you want the book, your email, and username. Plus you have to be a Bloody Bookaholic follower!

The extra entries go as follow:

1. Facebook about the contest! The Facebook comment must have a link to the contest's link. Leave me your Facebook page so I can see the comment!! (+2)

2. Blog about the contest. Leave a link to the post please! (+3)

3. Put a link to the contest on your sidebar. (+1)

All the information (including the extra entries) is to be left in a comment in this post.

And that's it for this giveaway.  Have fun!!!

Contest ends on April.5, the date the book comes out.

Super Cover Alert: Crossed by Ally Condie

OMG OMG OMG ITS HERE!!!!!! I love it!!! It keeps the tradition of the first cover and it says so much about the plot. I like the green of the other cover more, but this one is still so pretty. Pretty blue. The first one was all about being complacent, the second one is about rebellion!! Hit that crystal bubble Cassia! Hit it hard!!!

This is what the author has to say about the cover:

It’s beautiful. 

Perfect. 

I love the way she has shattered the bubble and is breaking free. LOVE. It’s exactly what happens in this part of Cassia’s story. 

And I love the color. (And yes, for those of you who asked, the green cover of MATCHED and the blue cover of CROSSED do represent the tablets, as well as other thematic elements in the books.) 

The model, photographer, and designer are the same talented people who worked on MATCHED and I think they’ve done an incredible job. 

Don’t you? 

Oh, I can’t wait for November 1!

-Ally Condie's Blog

I do believe they have done an incredible job Ally, I do. I can't wait for November 1st either!!

Book Information:

In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky — taken by the Society to his certain death — only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake.

Cassia’s quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander — who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia’s heart — change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever.

Is the World Really Ending?

I don't know if you guys have have heard yet, but a massive earthquake (8.9) hit Japan, there's a chance of tsunami, and there's a tsunami warning to all the west coast of USA and Canada, the tsunami is already hitting Hawaii...

Plus now there was a volcanic eruption at Indonesia. What is happening today!

First Haiti and now this. What's happening with the world? Do you really believe in the whole 2012 thing? I didn't believe in it, but now everything is getting all screwed up.

Cover Winner of February; New covers for March

I'm a little surprised this one won, and at the same not surprised. I mean it went agaisnt Darkest Mercy and Haunted, and those two are very pretty to the eye. Anyhow congrats to The Iron Witch!! There were 100 posts in all, and this is the break down:

The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney - 44 (44%)

Darkest Mercy by Melissa Marr - 38 (38%)

Haunted by Joy Preble - 06 (6%)

Rival by Sara Bennett Wealer - 6 (6%)

This Side of the Grave by Jeaniene Frost - 06 (6%)

The Trust by Tom Dolby - 0 (0%)

The trust is such a pretty cover!! Why didn't anybody vote for it? A shame really. I'm also impressed that some Jeaniene Frost fans came out of their rocks and voted for the cover (I voted for this cover too), You go guys!!

Now here are the covers for March, you vote for the best one!

ITS SO HARD THIS MONTH!!! I love the cover for Blood and Flowers, and I love the Wither and the Mermaid cover!! Eeeks! May the best cover win!

The Reason for my Absence, and the Fruits of it.

Well to be completely honest I haven't been in the mood to post lately. Ive been going through some personal stuff. I wish I could blame it all on school, but I can't. My boyfriend recently went to boot camp and that was a downer (even tho I'm so proud of him) because I won't be able to see or talk to him for 3 months. I can write letter though, so it's time to take my fancy pen for a ride and practice my letter writing skills ;)

So that is the reason I haven't been in the mood for posting. BUT, since I need to keep myself hell a busy for the next few months I decided to challenge myself.

My own personal challenge: The Read-a-Ton challenge. I am planning to read 50 books in the next 3 months. 50 books, in 3 months. It's a challenge all right. My rules:

1. You can count re-reads towards this challenge. Hello, even if you have read them already it doesn't mean you aren't taking your time when re-reading them! Like for example I just re-read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, and I plan to re-read the entire series. I am sure as hell counting it.

2. You can count books you already read at the beginning of the year, but you can't count any books after June 10 (that's when this particular challenge ends).

3. If I think of any other rules Ill let you know.

Basically, I want to keep busy. This challenge may well be impossible (add in work, college plus BEA) but I will try to accomplish it nonetheless!!!

If you plan to participate in this challenge put this badge at your blog. This one:

So this is the list for now:

01. Cum Laude by Cecily Von Ziegesar
02. The Lying Game by Sara Shepard
03. Vesper by Jeff Sampson
04. The Lost Saint by Bree Despain
05. Awakened by P.C.Cast
06. This Side of the Grave by Jeaniene Frost
07. Afterlife by Claudia Gray
08. Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
09. Across the Universe by Beth Revis
10.
11.
12.
...

Have fun, and from now on I will try to be more active.

Covers Revealed!!!!!!!!!

Beautiful Chaos (Caster Chronicles #3)

by Kami Garcia, Margaret Stohl 

Expected publication: October 18th 2011 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers  

No summary yet... Damn.

Supernaturally (Paranormalcy #2)

by Kiersten White

Hardcover, 309 pages

Expected publication: August 30th 2011 by HarperTeen 

A lot has changed in the six months since Evie escaped from the International Paranormal Containment Agency with her shape-shifter boyfriend, Lend. She finally has the blissfully normal life she’s always dreamed of, including:
1) A real live high school
2) A perfectly ordinary after-school job
3) Her very own locker (and by the way, rusted metal is every bit as awesome as she imagined)

But Evie’s not-so-normal past keeps creeping up on her...and things get pretty complicated when you factor in:
1) A centuries-old, seriously decaying vampire stalker
2) A crazy faerie ex-boyfriend who is the perpetual bearer of really bad news
3) A major battle brewing between the faerie courts where the prize in question happens to be...Evie herself.

So much for normal.

Vanish (Firelight #2)

by Sophie Jordan

Hardcover, 304 pages

Expected publication: September 6th 2011 by HarperTeen

To save the life of the boy she loves, Jacinda did the unthinkable: She betrayed the most closely-guarded secret of her kind. Now she must return to the protection of her pride knowing she might never see Will again—and worse, that because his mind has been shaded, Will’s memories of that fateful night and why she had to flee are gone.

Back home, Jacinda is greeted with hostility and must work to prove her loyalty for both her sake and her family’s. Among the few who will even talk to her are Cassian, the pride’s heir apparent who has always wanted her, and her sister, Tamra, who has been forever changed by a twist of fate. Jacinda knows that she should forget Will and move on—that if he managed to remember and keep his promise to find her, it would only endanger them both. Yet she clings to the hope that someday they will be together again. When the chance arrives to follow her heart, will she risk everything for love?

In bestselling author Sophie Jordan’s dramatic follow-up to Firelight, forbidden love burns brighter than ever.

I haven't read Firelight, should I? The cover for Vanish does look amazing. I like how these covers relate so well to the previous covers of the series. I can't wait for Beautiful Chaos and Supernaturally!!!

Which one are you most waiting for?