Okay, so I lied. I'm posting this tonight. ENJOY. Also: I would like to apologize first off to Rachel. Seems like our debut author list was EXACTLY the same books, so I kind of stole her thunder. I didn't look at her list though, I swear! So, super sorry Rachel! But this list will be different, because she has read some books that I have yet to read, but they are in my PILE (which has quickly started taking over my room). I wouldn't be surprised if mountain climber people start showing up at my house to try to CLIMB the freaking thing. It's that big. So, without further rambling from me, the list of BEST AUTHORS I KNOW AND LOVE FROM 2011! (in no particular order of course)
1. Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare
So, no surprise Cassie is on this list. Everything she writes is pure magic, and I love it. So basically this book was guaranteed to be on this list before I even read it. And then I did. This is the kind of book that will tear your heart out, jump up and down on top of it, and cause you emotional pain as only Cassie can. It will leave you waiting for Clockwork Princess, and crying while you're at it.
2. Supernaturally by Kiersten White
The sequel to Paranormalcy that I totally loved. Evie is just awesome and totally kick ass with her sparkly, pink tazer, and you can't help but love Lend. He's just adorable, and the relationship the two of them have is great. I can't wait to read Endlessly!
3. Red Glove by Holly Black
Guess what? I met her too! yeah I know you're probably tired of hearing that stuff by now. But I LOVE being able to say I met authors and own signed copies of their books. Holly is definitely one of my favorite authors, and one of the best. This book was the sequel to White Cat, the first in her Curse Worker's series. I loved it! There's just something so awesome about magic and the mob being thrown together.
4. Afterlife by Claudia Gray
*sniffle* okay so this came out in March, and it was the last book in Claudia Gray's Evernight Series. This is a very depressing thing!! *cries* *composes self* sorry. Right, I'm professional here......This was an awesome end to an awesome series. I'll miss Bianca and Lucas so much! *looks forward to Balthazaar and reading Fateful*
5. Delirium by Lauren Oliver
Okay so I actually read this BEFORE I read Before i Fall. They're BOTH amazing books. I love the whole concept of a world where love is illegal. It sounds like the government would be completely wrong and crazy, but in some weird ways the ideas behind the lack of love sort of make sense. I guess that's why Lauren Oliver is such a freaking genius. Plus, I love Alex and Lena so, SO, SO much.
6. City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare
Surprise, surprise, Cassie had 2 books out in 2011, and she's on the list TWICE. Because like I said before, everything she writes is pure gold. This book also caused my emotional pain, but in a very different way. This was another one of Cassie's famous "rip your heart out" cliffhangers. *searches around for City of Lost Souls* Does anyone know how to get the book to show up quicker? Let me know if you have any ideas....
7. Okay, I'm going to put The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson on here:
I'm reading this right now, so it's KIND of cheating just a bit, but I love this book already, and Maureen is awesome. Also: you should follow her on Twitter too. She's hysterical. You'll thank me later. *remembers a time when I didn't talk in stars* *thanks Maureen for making my life better* So go read any of her books. They're amazing.
Also: quick mentioning of Kody Keplinger here! Her book Shut Out came out this year, and it is sitting IN THE PILE. BUT, I did read The Duff this year, and I LOVED IT. No one has written a friend's with benefits relationship for YA before, and it's simply awesome. I loved Bianca so much. (I love Claudia's Bianca too, but this is a different one) All of her problems were easy to relate too, and I could completely understand her. Not to mention Wesley, who I kind of loved the entire book even though you aren't totally supposed too. And then there are some pretty steamy scenes between the two of them *fans self*
Alright, so there's my list! Make sure you check out Rachel's favorites too, because there are actually some differences on these two. *has to read all of the other books on her list* *will even re-read the ones I have already read* I'm off to attack the MOUNTAIN of books forming in my room! *dashes off*
Friday, December 30, 2011
Megan's Favorites of 2011: The Debut Authors Edition!
okay. So 2011 is almost over, and there have been some AWESOME books this year. I have to say that many of my favorite books were by debut authors! It just goes to show you how awesome they are. So this list is in no particular order, and I have no idea how long it will be, because honestly these books are all so good I just can't decide!
1. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi (who totally tweeted me the other day. Yes, I was jumping up and down and screaming like a little girl. My family was a bit worried) Oh, right. HER BOOK. I would put some big huge long description of how awesome it is, but I think you should just go read my ramble about it. It kind of sums up all of the awesomeness of this book as best as I can.
2. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
GUYS. GUYS! I MET HER! I DID, I DID!! So Michelle is really awesome and probably one of the nicest people ever! And her BOOK. OH MY GOD YOU GUYS BEST BOOK EVER!! *pauses* What? you think I say that about EVERY book? You lie! Okay, okay fine. You're right. But seriously, this book deserves that title. It also deserves the title of most swoony boy I think. Because I love Noah Shaw SO FREAKING MUCH.
3. Divergent by Veronica Roth
Another great dystopian book from this year! And yet another debut author! I loved the characters in this book. Tris was probably one of the most bad ass girls I read about this year, and FOUR so freaking hot. This is another book you need to go pick up right now!
4. Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini
I can't even begin to list the good things about this book. There are way too many! I loved the mixing of Nantucket and Greek Mythology. I've always kind of had a thing for mythology, and this was written beautifully. Such a creative idea! Plus, if you need a bigger incentive, there is an OVERLOAD of hot guys in this book. And I absolutely love Lucas's family.
5. Wither by Lauren DeStefano
ANOTHER author I met! I have this book signed too:) Lauren is another amazing person, and you should also follow her on Twitter. Especially if you love seeing random pictures of her cats doing funny things. But seriously, a dystopian world with polygamist marriages is creepy and slightly disturbing, but also AMAZING. It doesn't sound like it would be something necessarily enjoyable to read, but it is. It so is. And Rhine is another awesome main character who is completely capable of kicking some ass.
6. Die For Me by Amy Plum
Another great book, more HOT guys. Who would have thought Zombies could be super sexy? Not me! Until I read this book! Because this book is basically about a zombie love story, except these zombies are hot and don't try to eat your brains/face or anything like that. So go get this book too!
Alright! Well I'm going to stop this list here for now.......even though I feel like I'm missing a lot here.....Oh well. I can come back and add to it if I think of something. So this is my list of Debut Authors, and I'll be posting a list of Authors I Already Know and Completely Love later, so probably tomorrow. So what were your favorite debut authors of 2011? Comment below and let me know! *giggles* That rhymed!
1. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi (who totally tweeted me the other day. Yes, I was jumping up and down and screaming like a little girl. My family was a bit worried) Oh, right. HER BOOK. I would put some big huge long description of how awesome it is, but I think you should just go read my ramble about it. It kind of sums up all of the awesomeness of this book as best as I can.
2. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
3. Divergent by Veronica Roth
Another great dystopian book from this year! And yet another debut author! I loved the characters in this book. Tris was probably one of the most bad ass girls I read about this year, and FOUR so freaking hot. This is another book you need to go pick up right now!
4. Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini
I can't even begin to list the good things about this book. There are way too many! I loved the mixing of Nantucket and Greek Mythology. I've always kind of had a thing for mythology, and this was written beautifully. Such a creative idea! Plus, if you need a bigger incentive, there is an OVERLOAD of hot guys in this book. And I absolutely love Lucas's family.
5. Wither by Lauren DeStefano
ANOTHER author I met! I have this book signed too:) Lauren is another amazing person, and you should also follow her on Twitter. Especially if you love seeing random pictures of her cats doing funny things. But seriously, a dystopian world with polygamist marriages is creepy and slightly disturbing, but also AMAZING. It doesn't sound like it would be something necessarily enjoyable to read, but it is. It so is. And Rhine is another awesome main character who is completely capable of kicking some ass.
6. Die For Me by Amy Plum
Another great book, more HOT guys. Who would have thought Zombies could be super sexy? Not me! Until I read this book! Because this book is basically about a zombie love story, except these zombies are hot and don't try to eat your brains/face or anything like that. So go get this book too!
Alright! Well I'm going to stop this list here for now.......even though I feel like I'm missing a lot here.....Oh well. I can come back and add to it if I think of something. So this is my list of Debut Authors, and I'll be posting a list of Authors I Already Know and Completely Love later, so probably tomorrow. So what were your favorite debut authors of 2011? Comment below and let me know! *giggles* That rhymed!
Rachel's Favorite Books of 2011 Part 1
Yes... Part 1. I know, I know. This list was originally going to be a
top 10. But uh, then I realized that I have about 17 favorite books
that were released this year. So, yeah. I had to split it into 2
parts...
Today I give you PART 1. Aka: My favorite books of 2011 by authors I already know and love. (Part 2 is favorite debut authors)
In no particular order, here are ELEVEN of my favorite books of two thousand ELEVEN. (I didn't even do that on purpose, you guys!) And I am limiting the rambling to a short paragraph about each book. So, we'll see how this goes.
1. Delirium by Lauren Oliver
I love Lauren Oliver. So much. I had read and loved Before I Fall, so I was excited to see that she had another book coming out. And you guys, Delirium is AMAZING. The idea of love being a disease- a curable disease- is kind of genius. The world in Delirium is creepy and different and I can't even imagine living like that. Definitely one of my favorite dystopia novels ever. I love Lena as a protagonist, and I LOVE Alex. If you haven't read this book, go read it now please.
2. Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
Anna and the French Kiss was amazing, and Lola and the Boy Next Door totally lived up to my super high expectations. Lola is a quirky, fun, unique character who I really enjoy reading about. And Cricket? *swoons* I want my own Cricket! Seriously. Between Cricket and St. Clair (who, by the way, I still can't decide which one I like better), Stephanie Perkins writes THE BEST BOYS EVER. Lola and the Boy Next Door is cute and fun and amazing and perfect and I JUST LOVE IT SO MUCH YOU GUYS.
3. Red Glove by Holly Black
I had the pleasure of MEETING Holly Black and getting this book signed! *squeals* *happy dances* And here's all you need to know: Holly is awesome, and her books are awesome too. Red Glove (the sequel to White Cat, by the way) is, well, for lack of a better word, AWESOME. It's told from a boy's point of view, which I was kind of wary about in the beginning because eww boys' minds are scary places, but it turned out that I LOVE the main character, Cassel. And the magic in this book is so cool and I love all the characters and I am dangerously close to just writing a whole ramble about how much I love this book so I'm just gonna shut up and tell you to READ IT NOW if you haven't already.
4. Supernaturally by Kiersten White
Supernaturally takes place in a world where basically, every kind of paranormal creature you could think of shows up at one point or another. And it's so bleeping cool. Evie, the main character, is bubbly and fun and hysterical. And Lend isSO HOT OMG I LOVE HIM SO MUCH!
pretty cool. *shrugs indifferently* Supernatually has comedy AND romance
AND supernatural creatures AND a badass protagonist with a pink sparkly
taser. I don't know about you guys, but those are all the qualities I
look for in a good book.
5. The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson
Before I say anything about this book, I need you to do me a favor. Go to Twitter, and if you don't already, start following Maureen Johnson. Following? Good. YOU'RE WELCOME. Anywho, I love all of Maureen's books and The Name of the Star was no exception. Rory is another main character that I absolutely love, and she's funny and interesting and I think a lot of people can easily relate to her. This book has boarding school in England and fun characters and ghosts and kissing and murder. So obviously, you should read it.
6. What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen
Sarah Dessen is one of the best writers in the world and if you haven't read any of her books you should go to the doctor and find out what is wrong with you and then go find one of her books and read it immediately. (Also, I totally met her this past spring and holycrap it was so amazing). Sarah Dessen's books are ALWAYS good, and What Happened to Goodbye is definitely no exception. I love Mclean and her relationship with her father and I love Dave and I love all Mclean's friends who are hysterical and awesome. This book is easy to relate to, and it just feels very REAL. Sarah Dessen writes the best, most realistic books about teenagers ever. She is one of my writing heroes, and not to get sidetracked or anything, but Sarah Dessen is the reason I started writing my own books. So it's no surprise really, that What Happened to Goodbye is on this list.
7. Shut Out by Kody Keplinger
Love. This. Book. I love the main character and the friends and CASH and the plot and the fun and the comedy and the drama and the sexylibraryscenes and just pretty much everything about this book is a big delicious combination of wonderful. And you know what? It has a pretty strong message. The girls in this book talk about sex. (Oh my, how inappropriate! Darkness too visible!) For teenage girls, the idea of discussing sex with each other is scary and embarrassing. But it's important to know that you're not alone. There are other people going through the same things you are. Kody Keplinger handled this topic absolutely perfectly, and I think that Shut Out is an important book for girls to read. Also, it's just fun and entertaining. So, yeah, it deals with some heavier topics. But it's also pretty light and just a very good read.
8. City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare
Well, duh. Of course this is on the list. I am a HUGE fan of The Mortal Instruments. One of my favorite series ever. I bought this book and stayed up all night reading it. And then I may or may not have thrown it at the wall. Cassandra Clare and her damn cliffhangers. *sighs* *waits anxiously for City of Lost Souls to come out*
9. Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare
Oh look. Cassandra Clare got on this list TWO TIMES. Because I love her. To be honest, Clockwork Prince kind of tore me apart. But in a good way... I think. I mean, if a book can make mecurl up in a ball and sob
feel such strong emotions, then it must be good. Right? Yeah. So...
When can I read Clockwork Princess? *taps foot* *stares at clock*
10.Where She Went by Gayle Forman
I LOVED If I Stay, and I think I loved Where She Went even better. I even went so far as to force my sister and my mom to read this. (They both loved it!) I loved that this was told from Adam's point of view. *pauses* *swoons over Adam* Everything about this story was beautiful and compelling and I read this book in like, five hours because I just couldn't put it down.
11. Fateful by Claudia Gray
So earlier in the year, I had a bit of an obsession with the Titanic. We were learning about it at school, and for once I was actually, like, INTERESTED in what the teacher was saying. I know, I know. It's shocking. But it's true. So anywho, I was definitely excited about reading this. I am a reallybig fan of the Evernight Series by Claudia Gray, so when I heard that one of my favorite authors was writing a book about the freaking Titanic, I built up some pretty high expectations. And this book totally lived up to them! Seriously. Hot guy AND werewolves AND the Titanic? Ahhhhh I freaking love this book.
So if you read all of that rambling, THANK YOU. If you haven't read the above books, you should definitely fix that soon. All of these books are really great and I would recommend them to anybody.
What are YOUR favorite books of 2011?
(Btw, I will be posting Part 2 tomorrow!)
Today I give you PART 1. Aka: My favorite books of 2011 by authors I already know and love. (Part 2 is favorite debut authors)
In no particular order, here are ELEVEN of my favorite books of two thousand ELEVEN. (I didn't even do that on purpose, you guys!) And I am limiting the rambling to a short paragraph about each book. So, we'll see how this goes.
1. Delirium by Lauren Oliver
I love Lauren Oliver. So much. I had read and loved Before I Fall, so I was excited to see that she had another book coming out. And you guys, Delirium is AMAZING. The idea of love being a disease- a curable disease- is kind of genius. The world in Delirium is creepy and different and I can't even imagine living like that. Definitely one of my favorite dystopia novels ever. I love Lena as a protagonist, and I LOVE Alex. If you haven't read this book, go read it now please.
2. Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
Anna and the French Kiss was amazing, and Lola and the Boy Next Door totally lived up to my super high expectations. Lola is a quirky, fun, unique character who I really enjoy reading about. And Cricket? *swoons* I want my own Cricket! Seriously. Between Cricket and St. Clair (who, by the way, I still can't decide which one I like better), Stephanie Perkins writes THE BEST BOYS EVER. Lola and the Boy Next Door is cute and fun and amazing and perfect and I JUST LOVE IT SO MUCH YOU GUYS.
3. Red Glove by Holly Black
I had the pleasure of MEETING Holly Black and getting this book signed! *squeals* *happy dances* And here's all you need to know: Holly is awesome, and her books are awesome too. Red Glove (the sequel to White Cat, by the way) is, well, for lack of a better word, AWESOME. It's told from a boy's point of view, which I was kind of wary about in the beginning because eww boys' minds are scary places, but it turned out that I LOVE the main character, Cassel. And the magic in this book is so cool and I love all the characters and I am dangerously close to just writing a whole ramble about how much I love this book so I'm just gonna shut up and tell you to READ IT NOW if you haven't already.
4. Supernaturally by Kiersten White
Supernaturally takes place in a world where basically, every kind of paranormal creature you could think of shows up at one point or another. And it's so bleeping cool. Evie, the main character, is bubbly and fun and hysterical. And Lend is
5. The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson
Before I say anything about this book, I need you to do me a favor. Go to Twitter, and if you don't already, start following Maureen Johnson. Following? Good. YOU'RE WELCOME. Anywho, I love all of Maureen's books and The Name of the Star was no exception. Rory is another main character that I absolutely love, and she's funny and interesting and I think a lot of people can easily relate to her. This book has boarding school in England and fun characters and ghosts and kissing and murder. So obviously, you should read it.
6. What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen
Sarah Dessen is one of the best writers in the world and if you haven't read any of her books you should go to the doctor and find out what is wrong with you and then go find one of her books and read it immediately. (Also, I totally met her this past spring and holycrap it was so amazing). Sarah Dessen's books are ALWAYS good, and What Happened to Goodbye is definitely no exception. I love Mclean and her relationship with her father and I love Dave and I love all Mclean's friends who are hysterical and awesome. This book is easy to relate to, and it just feels very REAL. Sarah Dessen writes the best, most realistic books about teenagers ever. She is one of my writing heroes, and not to get sidetracked or anything, but Sarah Dessen is the reason I started writing my own books. So it's no surprise really, that What Happened to Goodbye is on this list.
7. Shut Out by Kody Keplinger
Love. This. Book. I love the main character and the friends and CASH and the plot and the fun and the comedy and the drama and the sexylibraryscenes and just pretty much everything about this book is a big delicious combination of wonderful. And you know what? It has a pretty strong message. The girls in this book talk about sex. (Oh my, how inappropriate! Darkness too visible!) For teenage girls, the idea of discussing sex with each other is scary and embarrassing. But it's important to know that you're not alone. There are other people going through the same things you are. Kody Keplinger handled this topic absolutely perfectly, and I think that Shut Out is an important book for girls to read. Also, it's just fun and entertaining. So, yeah, it deals with some heavier topics. But it's also pretty light and just a very good read.
8. City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare
Well, duh. Of course this is on the list. I am a HUGE fan of The Mortal Instruments. One of my favorite series ever. I bought this book and stayed up all night reading it. And then I may or may not have thrown it at the wall. Cassandra Clare and her damn cliffhangers. *sighs* *waits anxiously for City of Lost Souls to come out*
9. Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare
Oh look. Cassandra Clare got on this list TWO TIMES. Because I love her. To be honest, Clockwork Prince kind of tore me apart. But in a good way... I think. I mean, if a book can make me
10.Where She Went by Gayle Forman
I LOVED If I Stay, and I think I loved Where She Went even better. I even went so far as to force my sister and my mom to read this. (They both loved it!) I loved that this was told from Adam's point of view. *pauses* *swoons over Adam* Everything about this story was beautiful and compelling and I read this book in like, five hours because I just couldn't put it down.
11. Fateful by Claudia Gray
So earlier in the year, I had a bit of an obsession with the Titanic. We were learning about it at school, and for once I was actually, like, INTERESTED in what the teacher was saying. I know, I know. It's shocking. But it's true. So anywho, I was definitely excited about reading this. I am a reallybig fan of the Evernight Series by Claudia Gray, so when I heard that one of my favorite authors was writing a book about the freaking Titanic, I built up some pretty high expectations. And this book totally lived up to them! Seriously. Hot guy AND werewolves AND the Titanic? Ahhhhh I freaking love this book.
So if you read all of that rambling, THANK YOU. If you haven't read the above books, you should definitely fix that soon. All of these books are really great and I would recommend them to anybody.
What are YOUR favorite books of 2011?
(Btw, I will be posting Part 2 tomorrow!)
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Rachel Rambles About Daughter of Smoke and Bone
Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.
In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.
And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.
Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.
When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?
So I was supposed to do this ramble a few days ago. You know, when I actually finished the book. But I've been very busy lately doing PRODUCTIVE THINGS. Okay, so I've been watching about twenty hours of Youtube videos a day. Whatever.
My point is that I have been distracted by shiny things and I totally forgot to write this ramble. But I'm doing it now, so better late than never.
Okay, so THIS BOOK IS AMAZING. I have been hearing so much buzz about this book for months, and I bought it the week it came out. But it's taken me awhile to get to it as there are SO MANY BOOKS, SO LITTLE TIME.
Daughter of Smoke and Bone is very... unusual, I guess. It doesn't even come close to what I usually read, and I kind of love it. The plot and the world it takes place in can be confusing and hard to keep up with at times, but everything about this book is new and original and INTERESTING.
The main character, Karou, is one of my favorite protagonists I've read recently. She's strong and tough and badass and you guys, she has BLUE HAIR. And tattoos. She is just so awesome and I kind of want to be her.
The book changes POV from Karou to Akiva, which was actually really cool. Sometimes I don't really like multiple POVs, but they were definitely essential to this story. I really liked knowing what was going on in both Karou and Akiva's head. There were also a lot of flashbacks, where a lot of secrets were uncovered and loose ends were tied up and things began to make sense.
The story is told in a very unique way, and I absolutely love it. Daughter of Smoke and Bone is literally unlike anything I've ever read. This was one of those books that I had trouble putting down, and when I forced myself to close it and walk away, I spent all of my time thinking about it.
Awesome characters. A beautiful and scary setting. Action. Romance. And throughout the entire book, mystery. Karou spends the majority of the book struggling to solve the mystery who she truly is, and the reader struggles along with her.
I think this is one of those books that will stick with me for a long time. I am drawn to the characters and the world and the twists and turns of the story.
OH. And the ending? Woah. Just... WOAH. No matter how much I complain about cliffhangers or shocking twists or whatever, I really love books with intense endings. And Daughter of Smoke and Bone definitely had an intense ending. It's pretty awesome, and it makes me want to read the next book SO BADLY.
-Rachel
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Megan Rambles About Shatter Me
 |
| Pretty cover..........*big eyes* |
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 as The 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.
Now doesn't that sound AMAZING???!? IT WAS IT WAS IT WAS IT WAS IT WAS!!! And look at the super pretty COVER!! So I'll admit it, I would have picked this book up just from the cover. I know, I know! So bad!! BUT I AM TOO EXCITED ABOUT THIS BOOK TO CARE! From the very first LINE this book had me completely hooked. I just knew it was going to be amazing. The unique writing style is super cool too guys! There are tons of strike throughs throughout the entire book!
NOW. Please excuse the incoherent turn that this ramble is going to take, but I can't take it anymore. ADAM!!!!! There, I said it. Adam is the name of the super hot guy Juliette meets! He's sweet, and romantic, but also completely capable of KICKING YOUR BUTT. Not to mention completely hot. (SWOON. Just trust me. SFREAKINGWOON) I love him. Almost as much as I love Noah! (and that is SAYING SOMETHING) WHAT? You don't know who Noah is??? *points* go read Rachel's Ramble about the Unbecoming of Mara Dyer! And then read the book!
After reading this book, and even while I was reading it, there was a lot of THIS going through my head adamadamadamadamadamholycrapadamissohotomgilovehimsomuchadamADAMADAMADAMADAMADAM! You get the point. Basically, I love this guy. But I also love the main character. Juliette ROCKS. As much as she's been through, she still manages to be an unbelievably good person and not, you know, KILL SOMEONE every time she feels like it. I admire her for this. I believe the exact words I used while reading this book were "Juliette is the QUEEN of Badasses" and she is. She so, so is. From her lethal skin to wielding a gun, this girl is perfectly capable of kicking your butt.
Then there was Warner. A lot of people have actually liked him throughout the book, *cough Lauren DeStefano cough* even though he is KIND OF insane. I can't say I exactly LIKE him, because ADAM. However, I don't hate him as much as I would like to. I kind of feel bad for the guy in some weird, twisted kind of way. So congratulations Tahereh Mafi, you are a genius for making me feel sorry for the INSANE MANIAC who RUINS EVERYTHING. (That's twice, for those of you who might be counting)
Basically, this book ROCKED in every way possible. The writing was AMAZING. The characters were AMAZING, and there were several surprises I NEVER SAW COMING. There were so many twists and turns, great surprises, and action. I would be tearing up on one page, laughing the next, and FREAKING OUT the next because SOMETHING HAD JUST HAPPENED. And yes, I was laughing, because even in this TERRIBLE DYSTOPIAN WORLD, the characters still manage a few witty lines that I absolutely love, love, LOVE. (Seriously people, GENIUS) This is one of THE VERY BEST books of 2011, and I am not kidding. GO PICK IT UP. GO. RIGHT NOW. Jump out the window if you have to, take a train, walk, use a bike, or you know, drive like a normal person. JUST GET THIS BOOK. OH, and I am in no way responsible for any injuries you may suffer if you do decide to jump out of your window to go get this book. Besides, if you decide to take advice from me, you might be slightly crazy. *eye twitch* ANYWHO, this book was amazing, full of strong characters, and all of that literary blah blah blah. BUT, if you do go pick this book up for one reason, and if Tahereh Mafi's geniusness isn't enough to convince you, then I have the perfect reason.
ADAM.
That is the only reason you need.
NOW GO READ IT!
*Jumps around* *waves* Until next time my fine feathered friends!! *runs off* *peeks back in* seriously, if you do actually have feathers, you might want to get that checked out. Just saying. BYE!
-Megan Waz Here :)
(Hey, it's Rachel. I just want to say that I TOTALLY AGREE WITH EVERYTHING MEGAN JUST SAID BECAUSE I LOVE THIS BOOK SOMUCHSOMUCHSOMUCH! !!!!!!! *clears throat* As you were.)
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Rachel Rambles About Across The Universe
So I'm taking a break from all my Project For Awesome video-watching to ramble about the book I just finished, ACROSS THE UNIVERSE by Beth Revis.
From Goodreads:
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
Basically, this book was frexing awesome and totally not what I expected. Honestly, I kind of thought it would be all steamy-romance-making-out-swoon-and-by-the-way-there-are-aliens-too.
And okay, I was so wrong.
First of all, I have to say that I'm normally not a science fiction person. I don't hate it or anything, I just haven't read a lot of it. But this book intrigued me, so I shrugged and added it to my to-read list.
This is one of those books that, if I think about it for too long, my brain starts to hurt. I mean, they're in SPACE. In the FUTURE. And they...they were FROZEN. It's kind of a difficult concept to get past if you're someone like me, who wants to know everything that happened on Earth during all this time and who needs to understand how this stuff is PHYSICALLY POSSIBLE. And not knowing is frustrating and mind boggling and scary but also kind of amazing.
The writing itself is done in such a unique and interesting way. Each chapter switches points of view from Amy to Elder. Amy is a really likable character, and her voice is real and easy to relate to. Also, she's pretty badass. At least in my opinion. And I love badass protagonists. Elder has been living on the Gospeed for all his life, so the way he thinks and acts is a lot different from what readers are familiar with. It took me a while to like him, but as I got to know him better, I was able to understand and relate to him. And love him.
Obviously, Elder and Amy are destined to fall in love. Duh. What I really liked, though, was the fact that their relationship is not the main focus of the book. In fact, it's really not important at all in comparison to everything else that happens. It's really more of a budding romance, hinting at what will come in the next two books. It was surprisingly refreshing to read a book that doesn't center around kissing and swooning and cute boys and forbidden love.
Wait. Did I really just SAY that?! Oh man, you guys. It's like I'm a whole new person.
But anyway, I am not saying that there's not kissing or romance or anything. Because there is. But it kind of takes a backseat to the whole we're-on-a-spaceship-living-in-a-dystopian-society-and-there's-a-bunch-of-frozen-people-and-people-are-dying-and-everything-is-chaos.
My point is that this book isfreaking frexing awesome. There were moments that made me gasp and moments that made me tear up. And the entire time, my brain was working in overdrive to try to process ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WERE HAPPENING.
I can't wait to read A Million Suns.
-Rachel
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
Basically, this book was frexing awesome and totally not what I expected. Honestly, I kind of thought it would be all steamy-romance-making-out-swoon-and-by-the-way-there-are-aliens-too.
And okay, I was so wrong.
First of all, I have to say that I'm normally not a science fiction person. I don't hate it or anything, I just haven't read a lot of it. But this book intrigued me, so I shrugged and added it to my to-read list.
This is one of those books that, if I think about it for too long, my brain starts to hurt. I mean, they're in SPACE. In the FUTURE. And they...they were FROZEN. It's kind of a difficult concept to get past if you're someone like me, who wants to know everything that happened on Earth during all this time and who needs to understand how this stuff is PHYSICALLY POSSIBLE. And not knowing is frustrating and mind boggling and scary but also kind of amazing.
The writing itself is done in such a unique and interesting way. Each chapter switches points of view from Amy to Elder. Amy is a really likable character, and her voice is real and easy to relate to. Also, she's pretty badass. At least in my opinion. And I love badass protagonists. Elder has been living on the Gospeed for all his life, so the way he thinks and acts is a lot different from what readers are familiar with. It took me a while to like him, but as I got to know him better, I was able to understand and relate to him. And love him.
Obviously, Elder and Amy are destined to fall in love. Duh. What I really liked, though, was the fact that their relationship is not the main focus of the book. In fact, it's really not important at all in comparison to everything else that happens. It's really more of a budding romance, hinting at what will come in the next two books. It was surprisingly refreshing to read a book that doesn't center around kissing and swooning and cute boys and forbidden love.
Wait. Did I really just SAY that?! Oh man, you guys. It's like I'm a whole new person.
But anyway, I am not saying that there's not kissing or romance or anything. Because there is. But it kind of takes a backseat to the whole we're-on-a-spaceship-living-in-a-dystopian-society-and-there's-a-bunch-of-frozen-people-and-people-are-dying-and-everything-is-chaos.
My point is that this book is
I can't wait to read A Million Suns.
-Rachel
Monday, December 12, 2011
Rachel Rambles About Silence
Hello there. Who wants to procrastinate doing homework by rambling about hot guys? *raises hand*
Okay then. Here is SILENCE by Becca Fitzpatrick:
From Goodreads:
The noise between Patch and Nora is gone. They've overcome the secrets riddled in Patch's dark past...bridged two irreconcilable worlds...faced heart-wrenching tests of betrayal, loyalty and trust...and all for a love that will transcend the boundary between heaven and earth. Armed with nothing but their absolute faith in one another, Patch and Nora enter a desperate fight to stop a villain who holds the power to shatter everything they've worked for—and their love—forever.
In case you don't know this already, Silence is the third book in a series. An amazing series. I bought it a few months ago, on the day it came out, I believe. But with my huge TBR pile and NaNoWriMo and um, that little thing called school, I haven't had the chance to read it until now.
So I finally sat down to read it. And I finished it in like, twenty four hours. Not that that is very unusual for me or anything. But still. I literally couldn't put it down.
Now, I loved the first two books in this series (Hush, Hush and Crescendo). But I have to admit that I was wary about reading Silence. It couldn't possibly be good as Hush, Hush or Crescendo.
Um, yes it could be. YOU GUYS. This book is amazing!
When I read the front flap of the book and saw that Nora's freaking memory was gone, I started freaking out a little bit. I was all "Becca Fitzpatrick what are you doing how can Nora not remember anything this plot will never work!"
I was way off. I loved this book from the first page. It was just as good as the first two, MAYBE EVEN BETTER.
And since this is a RAMBLE, I don't have to filter my thoughts in any way or organize them or anything. So, I might as well show you what I'm thinking right at the moment.
patchpatchpatchpatchpatchpatchpatchPATCHPATCHPATCHPATCHPATCHPATCH
PATCHPATCHPATCHPATCHPATCHAPTACHPATCHpatchpatchcatpatchpatchpatch
I am not ashamed to admit it.
I LOVE PATCH. He is hot and sarcastic and sexy and mysterious and a bit violent and kind of scary and NOT PERFECT. In fact, he has a lot of flaws. Which I think is why I love him so much. Despite everything that's happened to him, despite all the things he's done, there is something about him that still makes me trust him.
Also. The kissing scenes. The kissing scenes are the best thing ever.
And I have another confession. I grew to really like Nora in this book. She used to annoy me sometimes. Or do stupid things that made me cringe. I mean, I still loved her, but there were some moments where I was like "NORA WHAT ARE YOU DOING UGGGH" and then I banged my head against the wall.
Through these books, I have seen her evolve into a very strong character. The normal high school girl from Hush, Hush is gone, and a tough, badass chick is in her place. Nora really made me love her in this book. Even though her memory was, um, gone, and she had a whole lot of scary crap going on in her life, she held her own. She's not dependent on Patch to come swooping in to save her. And I am very proud of her for that.
Oh god. I just did that thing where I talk about the characters like they're my friends. *sighs* Oh well. I'm sure that's normal.
Anywho. So, this book had it all. It had funny moments and scary moments and action packed moments. And kissing. Sexy, steamy kissing. And funny moments too. MY KIND OF BOOK.But really all I care about is the kissing. <--Lies. Slander.
But seriously. Patch? Even if the rest of the book completely sucked (which it totally does not), I would still read it for him, and HIM ALONE. Because he is amazing. He's not just hot. (Although, he is.) There is so much more to him than that. He is a really deep character with lots and lots of layers. And really, I just love him. I love him and Nora together, I love how much he loves her. He is the best.
*swoons*
And now I just have to wait for the fourth book to come out.
These sequels are KILLING ME.
But they are worth it.
So anyway. I'm not sure if the above even made sense. These rambles are fun though. Just typingtypingtyping shooting your thoughts out into the internet without a filter or anything.
Okay, okay. I'm leaving.
-Rachel
PS- Seriously. Patch. <33333
Okay then. Here is SILENCE by Becca Fitzpatrick:
The noise between Patch and Nora is gone. They've overcome the secrets riddled in Patch's dark past...bridged two irreconcilable worlds...faced heart-wrenching tests of betrayal, loyalty and trust...and all for a love that will transcend the boundary between heaven and earth. Armed with nothing but their absolute faith in one another, Patch and Nora enter a desperate fight to stop a villain who holds the power to shatter everything they've worked for—and their love—forever.
In case you don't know this already, Silence is the third book in a series. An amazing series. I bought it a few months ago, on the day it came out, I believe. But with my huge TBR pile and NaNoWriMo and um, that little thing called school, I haven't had the chance to read it until now.
So I finally sat down to read it. And I finished it in like, twenty four hours. Not that that is very unusual for me or anything. But still. I literally couldn't put it down.
Now, I loved the first two books in this series (Hush, Hush and Crescendo). But I have to admit that I was wary about reading Silence. It couldn't possibly be good as Hush, Hush or Crescendo.
Um, yes it could be. YOU GUYS. This book is amazing!
When I read the front flap of the book and saw that Nora's freaking memory was gone, I started freaking out a little bit. I was all "Becca Fitzpatrick what are you doing how can Nora not remember anything this plot will never work!"
I was way off. I loved this book from the first page. It was just as good as the first two, MAYBE EVEN BETTER.
And since this is a RAMBLE, I don't have to filter my thoughts in any way or organize them or anything. So, I might as well show you what I'm thinking right at the moment.
patchpatchpatchpatchpatchpatchpatchPATCHPATCHPATCHPATCHPATCHPATCH
PATCHPATCHPATCHPATCHPATCHAPTACHPATCHpatchpatchcatpatchpatchpatch
I am not ashamed to admit it.
I LOVE PATCH. He is hot and sarcastic and sexy and mysterious and a bit violent and kind of scary and NOT PERFECT. In fact, he has a lot of flaws. Which I think is why I love him so much. Despite everything that's happened to him, despite all the things he's done, there is something about him that still makes me trust him.
Also. The kissing scenes. The kissing scenes are the best thing ever.
And I have another confession. I grew to really like Nora in this book. She used to annoy me sometimes. Or do stupid things that made me cringe. I mean, I still loved her, but there were some moments where I was like "NORA WHAT ARE YOU DOING UGGGH" and then I banged my head against the wall.
Through these books, I have seen her evolve into a very strong character. The normal high school girl from Hush, Hush is gone, and a tough, badass chick is in her place. Nora really made me love her in this book. Even though her memory was, um, gone, and she had a whole lot of scary crap going on in her life, she held her own. She's not dependent on Patch to come swooping in to save her. And I am very proud of her for that.
Oh god. I just did that thing where I talk about the characters like they're my friends. *sighs* Oh well. I'm sure that's normal.
Anywho. So, this book had it all. It had funny moments and scary moments and action packed moments. And kissing. Sexy, steamy kissing. And funny moments too. MY KIND OF BOOK.
But seriously. Patch? Even if the rest of the book completely sucked (which it totally does not), I would still read it for him, and HIM ALONE. Because he is amazing. He's not just hot. (Although, he is.) There is so much more to him than that. He is a really deep character with lots and lots of layers. And really, I just love him. I love him and Nora together, I love how much he loves her. He is the best.
*swoons*
And now I just have to wait for the fourth book to come out.
These sequels are KILLING ME.
But they are worth it.
So anyway. I'm not sure if the above even made sense. These rambles are fun though. Just typingtypingtyping shooting your thoughts out into the internet without a filter or anything.
Okay, okay. I'm leaving.
-Rachel
PS- Seriously. Patch. <33333
Friday, December 9, 2011
That Time We Met Cassandra Clare and Michelle Hodkin... Part 2
Remember that time we were driving through the pouring rain to Long Island and it was really dark and then we got soaked and we had to run for the bookstore and shield the books with our bodies so they didn't get wet but it was all worth it in the end because we got to see Cassandra Clare and Michelle Hodkin?
Yeah. That time was awesome.
So Megan already did Part 1 of this post. She informed you of all the fun that went on at the Clockwork Prince launch party. Now, I am here to share with you OUR ADVENTURES IN LONG ISLAND.
This time, we asked my aunt to take us. She drove out from NYC to come pick us up, then drove us to Long Island, then sat with us in the bookstore for a few hours, then drove us all the way back home. In the pouring rain. So basically, WE LOVE HER. She's the best and we owe her forever for taking us.
Anyway, so after driving for like three hours in the pitch black and the pouring rain, we FINALLY arrived at Barnes and Noble. Where we had to get out of the car with our stacks of books and prevent them from getting wet. It was very difficult, but the books eventually made it safely into the store. Oh, and we did too, by the way.
So we went in, bought MORE books, and got our numbers for later on. Since we were a little bit starving because of the NEVER ENDING DRIVE to get there, we dashed to a pizza place nearby and shoved some food down our throats. Arriving back at the bookstore, we headed upstairs to the YA section to browse books until it was time for the event to start. (If any Nerdfighters out there happen to go to Barnes and Noble at Country Glen Center, Carle Place NY, check out John Green's books. I left some notes.)
Then it was time to line up. Since there were only thirty or so chairs set up, all the other fans had to sit back among the bookshelves.Which meant that we, being in the 80s, couldn't see Michelle or Cassie. (Unless we climbed up on the bookshelves, which we tried to do. But it seems the shelves weren't all that
sturdy, and we weren't really in the mood to break them/us.)
So it was a little disappointing that we couldn't see the authors during the Q&A, which meant we couldn't ask them the awesome questions we had planned. Also, it was kind of hard to hear the questions and answers because the story was so noisy. I'm talking kids screaming at the other end of the store and many animated conversations. DON'T YOU PEOPLE REALIZE THIS IS MICHELLE HODKIN AND CASSANDRA CLARE?!?!
I guess they didn't. *sighs* Some people just don't get it. But it's okay. All was well. Once the Q&A was over, we eagerly hopped up and joined the throng of people lining up to get their books signed.
So there were several minutes of inching forward, closer and closer to the authors. We chatted with fans a little bit, squealed about Clockwork Prince, and generally freaked out.
THEN. Then we reached the front of the line!
Oh. And I don't think I mentioned this, but Lauren, Megan, and I were all decked out in The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer themed-shirts. We'd spent several hours and lots of puffy paint making them one Saturday. Also, we had drawn a ton of runes from Cassie's books all over our arms. (And by "we", I mean me. Lauren and Megan declared me the OFFICIAL RUNE DRAWER. Which is funny, considering I am not artistic at all. But I did the best I could.)
So we were obviously very very very enthusiastic.
I stepped up to Michelle Hodkin first, trying not to FREAK OUT and scream and squeal and jump up and down with excitement. And, um. Wow. She was so nice and just... awesome. Seriously. She's my new favorite person in the world.
She loved our shirts, and asked to take pictures of them. And then it turned into a whole bunch of people whipping out cameras and taking pictures of our shirts. I might have been giggling like an idiot. Or maybe that was just in my head. I don't know.
So, I was trying desperately to keep my cool. Because it's not like I was meeting MY HERO or anything. Pssh. It's not like The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer is one of my favorite books ever ever ever. Pssh.
Also. Lauren and I asked her to sign boxes of animal crackers. AND SHE DID! She didn't think it was weird or anything and she was excited about it and I was excited about it and the entire world was excited about it.
So that was um, just a little bit AWESOME. And then! Then it gets better. Because, you see, Michelle BLOGGED ABOUT US. Those people are us.
*FLAILS*
So omgomgomg that was so exciting. Not to sound weird or creepy or anything, but MICHELLE WE LOVE YOU.
Anywho. Once we said goodbye to Michelle, we got to talk to Cassie. AGAIN. And she signed our books. Lots and lots of books that we bought for all our friends. Because we are AWESOME FRIENDS.
And then we pulled out our Clockwork Prince shirts we had been wearing the night before and she took a picture of us holding them and I tried not to freak out about the fact that I was talking to Cassandra Clare. Again.
Of course, I have since read Clockwork Prince. And she has broken my heart. So I am kind of having mixed feelings towards her. But really I love her.
It was sad that we had to like, leave and stuff. I would have liked to stay in Barnes and Noble all night to talk to them. Alas, that is not how these things work. So we left the store, pausing outside to HAPPY DANCE and scream a little bit. I hope nobody was watching/hearing us. Because that would be awkward.
djkskkhogklndlkgfkfblkvlakgfjklafsdhslfakklfsa;sdncwiopjopem
THE BEST DAY EVER.
And I've been rambling on about this for waaay too long. If for some reason, you are still reading this, then I apologize how big this post is. But these are my feelings, you know? And this blog is about RAMBLING. We're not really short and sweet kind of people.
Okay, I'll leave now. I think I'll go stare at MY SIGNED BOOKS.
And my signed animal crackers.
And my signed rubber duck.
I love life.
-Rachel
Yeah. That time was awesome.
So Megan already did Part 1 of this post. She informed you of all the fun that went on at the Clockwork Prince launch party. Now, I am here to share with you OUR ADVENTURES IN LONG ISLAND.
This time, we asked my aunt to take us. She drove out from NYC to come pick us up, then drove us to Long Island, then sat with us in the bookstore for a few hours, then drove us all the way back home. In the pouring rain. So basically, WE LOVE HER. She's the best and we owe her forever for taking us.
Anyway, so after driving for like three hours in the pitch black and the pouring rain, we FINALLY arrived at Barnes and Noble. Where we had to get out of the car with our stacks of books and prevent them from getting wet. It was very difficult, but the books eventually made it safely into the store. Oh, and we did too, by the way.
So we went in, bought MORE books, and got our numbers for later on. Since we were a little bit starving because of the NEVER ENDING DRIVE to get there, we dashed to a pizza place nearby and shoved some food down our throats. Arriving back at the bookstore, we headed upstairs to the YA section to browse books until it was time for the event to start. (If any Nerdfighters out there happen to go to Barnes and Noble at Country Glen Center, Carle Place NY, check out John Green's books. I left some notes.)
Then it was time to line up. Since there were only thirty or so chairs set up, all the other fans had to sit back among the bookshelves.Which meant that we, being in the 80s, couldn't see Michelle or Cassie. (Unless we climbed up on the bookshelves, which we tried to do. But it seems the shelves weren't all that
sturdy, and we weren't really in the mood to break them/us.)
 |
| Us reading CP as we waited for the event to start. |
I guess they didn't. *sighs* Some people just don't get it. But it's okay. All was well. Once the Q&A was over, we eagerly hopped up and joined the throng of people lining up to get their books signed.
So there were several minutes of inching forward, closer and closer to the authors. We chatted with fans a little bit, squealed about Clockwork Prince, and generally freaked out.
THEN. Then we reached the front of the line!
Oh. And I don't think I mentioned this, but Lauren, Megan, and I were all decked out in The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer themed-shirts. We'd spent several hours and lots of puffy paint making them one Saturday. Also, we had drawn a ton of runes from Cassie's books all over our arms. (And by "we", I mean me. Lauren and Megan declared me the OFFICIAL RUNE DRAWER. Which is funny, considering I am not artistic at all. But I did the best I could.)
 |
| This picture is directly from Michelle's blog. Omg. |
So we were obviously very very very enthusiastic.
I stepped up to Michelle Hodkin first, trying not to FREAK OUT and scream and squeal and jump up and down with excitement. And, um. Wow. She was so nice and just... awesome. Seriously. She's my new favorite person in the world.
She loved our shirts, and asked to take pictures of them. And then it turned into a whole bunch of people whipping out cameras and taking pictures of our shirts. I might have been giggling like an idiot. Or maybe that was just in my head. I don't know.
So, I was trying desperately to keep my cool. Because it's not like I was meeting MY HERO or anything. Pssh. It's not like The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer is one of my favorite books ever ever ever. Pssh.
Also. Lauren and I asked her to sign boxes of animal crackers. AND SHE DID! She didn't think it was weird or anything and she was excited about it and I was excited about it and the entire world was excited about it.
 |
| "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here." - The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, pg. 377 |
So that was um, just a little bit AWESOME. And then! Then it gets better. Because, you see, Michelle BLOGGED ABOUT US. Those people are us.
*FLAILS*
So omgomgomg that was so exciting. Not to sound weird or creepy or anything, but MICHELLE WE LOVE YOU.
Anywho. Once we said goodbye to Michelle, we got to talk to Cassie. AGAIN. And she signed our books. Lots and lots of books that we bought for all our friends. Because we are AWESOME FRIENDS.
And then we pulled out our Clockwork Prince shirts we had been wearing the night before and she took a picture of us holding them and I tried not to freak out about the fact that I was talking to Cassandra Clare. Again.
Of course, I have since read Clockwork Prince. And she has broken my heart. So I am kind of having mixed feelings towards her. But really I love her.
It was sad that we had to like, leave and stuff. I would have liked to stay in Barnes and Noble all night to talk to them. Alas, that is not how these things work. So we left the store, pausing outside to HAPPY DANCE and scream a little bit. I hope nobody was watching/hearing us. Because that would be awkward.
djkskkhogklndlkgfkfblkvlakgfjklafsdhslfakklfsa;sdncwiopjopem
THE BEST DAY EVER.
And I've been rambling on about this for waaay too long. If for some reason, you are still reading this, then I apologize how big this post is. But these are my feelings, you know? And this blog is about RAMBLING. We're not really short and sweet kind of people.
Okay, I'll leave now. I think I'll go stare at MY SIGNED BOOKS.
And my signed animal crackers.
And my signed rubber duck.
I love life.
-Rachel
That Time We Met Cassandra Clare and Michelle Hodkin... Part 1
 |
| Look familiar? It's our blog picture for a reason!! |
So when Clockwork Prince came out and the Launch Party was set for December 6th in New York, HOW COULD WE SAY NO? Luckily, my Mom is the most awesome person ever, and drove us into New York straight after school. How excited were we? VERY. Don't believe me? Here's a picture of Rachel, her sister Lauren, and me, all waiting for the signing to start. Take one guess at what we were reading.
 |
| Like the runes? And yes, those are different shirts. |
 |
| Cassie Clare and Ed Westwick |
Next came the much loved QUESTIONS part of the evening! Lucky enough for all of you who weren't there, the videos of the questions have been posted online! So I don't have to type out every single question for you, because you can watch the video and LISTEN to them instead. Rachel and I BOTH got to ask questions, which drew quite a few laughs from the crowd, and prompted Cassie to tell HYSTERICAL STORIES. One involved Cannibal Ducks, and the other a visit to Holly Black and a certain experience with an elevator and a FIRE AX. I'm going to put the video in this post below so everyone can watch it. The first question is me, and the second is Rachel! There are also a few other questions on this video! ALSO: HERE is the LINK to the website where I got the video from! You can watch the other two parts of the video there too! ENJOY.
ALSO: When we actually got the books SIGNED, we brought a little PRESENT for Cassie. Remember that story about the Cannibal Ducks in Clockwork Angel? We brought 3 Rubber Ducks, with "Never Trust A Duck" written across the front. A day before at a Nanowrimo party, I happened to STUMBLE across a little something called a Rubber Duck that LIGHTS UP. Yeah, that's right. He LIGHTS UP. *hugs him* I loved this duck a little bit too much, so I had Cassie SIGN HIM. And I GAVE her the OTHER duck with the quote written across it. Rachel and Lauren each had theirs signed too. Cassie loved our shirts, but couldn't take a picture because her phone was dead. When we told her we were going to see her the NEXT NIGHT at her LONG ISLAND signing too, she told us she'd take our picture there. And she did! But I'll leave that to our second post. So we got our books SIGNED, and on after thanking Cassie a million times, we left. On the way out, one of the other fans at the signing asked if she could take a picture of our arms. That was PRETTY cool. Not anywhere near as cool as checking Cassie's Tumblr the next day to see a picture of MY duck on it! Check out the link here: to see how AWESOME it is that she used MY DUCK (Okay OUR duck) for advice! WOOHOO!! *happy dances*
So THAT was quite a night!! But. IT. GOT. BETTER. To check out the super amazing adventures of RACHEL, LAUREN, AND I IN LONG ISLAND, STAY TUNED for PART TWO. Trust me, you don't want to miss it. Because it was EVEN MORE AWESOME than the Launch Party with Cassie!! Why? I'm not going to tell you! *resists stares* *sighs* OKAY FINE. *will give you ONE hint* It has SOMETHING to do with Michelle Hodkin!! That's all from me for now! Check out the post Rachel should be doing soon! BYE EVERYONE!! *WAVES EXCITEDLY* *Dashes off*
Megan Rambles About Clockwork Prince
Ordinarily, I would celebrate the fact that I won Nanowrimo. BUT......MY HEART IS BROKEN. Maybe that was a little strong. Maybe you are now freaked out. OH WELL. I apologize. BUT, I have just read a book that LITERALLY took my heart, threw it on the ground, SMASHED IT, and then continued to jump up and down on top of the pieces. So, THANK YOU Cassandra Clare, for torturing me in a way that only your books can. NOW, on to my attempt to make this review COHERENT.
See the description on Goodreads:
This is the second book in the Infernal Devices Series, and in case you can't tell, I am OBSESSED. *weird stare* *eye twitch* ANWAY, so I've met Cassie Clare 3 times now, and Michelle Hodkin once(a post about that to come) and they are both amazing people. All that funny banter in Cassie's books? SHE IS JUST AS FUNNY IN PERSON. Trust me. Okay, I'm getting off track. See how much talking about this book pains me? I'm RAMBLING about random things to avoid it.
The book picks up about a week after the end of Clockwork Angel, (which if you've read it, is a pretty sad ending itself). Charolette is in danger of losing the Institute to Benedict Lightwood, The Magister is still on the loose, and Will is acting stranger than ever. So this leaves Tessa some time to get to know Jem a bit better(SWOON). So I don't want to spoil anything for you guys, because that would be TERRIBLE of me. You will get to this pain yourself once you read it.
In the beginning there is a lot of funny banter, and some great one liners that will be excellent material for t-shirts one day. (hint, hint. Be expecting to see us in New York again Cassie!With some strong words) The story progressed well and all that stuff, and then there were the make out scenes! The DSBS! And a Jem scene! And some Will and Jem bromance! All great, GREAT things! Then some SERIOUS STUFF STARTS GOING DOWN. Like read the pages as fast as you possibly can without ripping them kind of stuff. Basically the entire 400 pages or so of Clockwork Prince were amazing, and probably one of Cassie's best books yet! (I mean it! I know, weird right??)
Now. Pause here. How many of you remember Cassie telling us that she cried while writing Chapter 20 of Clockwork Prince? Well, if you follow her on twitter, or tumblr, or anything like that, you probably heard it. And if you're like me and Rachel, you were TERRIFIED. Literally, I've never been so scared to read a chapter in my entire life. If you know Cassie, then you know she isn't the type to cry while writing because something HAPPY happened. ALSO: there is a reason groups have been popping up called "The Survivors of Clockwork Prince" and things like that. JUST SAYING.
So I won't spoil it or anything. Don't worry. But I'm warning you. SERIOUS HEARTBREAK. I thought that I could handle any crazy cliff hangers and EMOTIONAL TORTURE that Cassie threw our way. Example: CITY OF FREAKING FALLEN ANGELS. That ending is a killer. (If you haven't read it yet, by all means, GO AHEAD. You'll freak out, I promise) And then Cassie reaches a whole new low and throws THIS ending at us. I'm not even sure she can fix the emotional heartbreak that she has caused in Clockwork Princess. I literally had to stop reading several times because I couldn't see the book through my tears. (Rachel declared there was no reason to live anymore. Bad I know.) This next part is for Cassie Clare. If you ever do read this, please note that the ending of that book made me wish I could hate you. But I can't, because your books are too awesome and I love you too much. But if that book wasn't signed, it would have been THROWN ACROSS THE ROOM. Just like COFA. I know that probably makes you happy as you love to torture us readers.
Okay, I think that's ENOUGH rambling about this for now, because I'm going to start crying just thinking about it. So go enjoy Clockwork Prince, suffer through Chapter 20, and Chapter 21, because Cassie was cruel enough to put another chapter after it and continue the heartbreak. You will survive, I promise. Rachel and I are still breathing for now. Although the year wait for Clockwork Princess might kill us. Happy reading! Well, not happy, but you know what I mean! Bye! *wipes eyes* *runs off*
*creeps back* *dries eyes* I'm supposed to ask everyone something. Team Will or Team Jem? Or Switzerland? Cause being Switzerland is cool too. *runs off*
See the description on Goodreads:
 |
| Such a pretty cover for such an evil book huh? |
The book picks up about a week after the end of Clockwork Angel, (which if you've read it, is a pretty sad ending itself). Charolette is in danger of losing the Institute to Benedict Lightwood, The Magister is still on the loose, and Will is acting stranger than ever. So this leaves Tessa some time to get to know Jem a bit better(SWOON). So I don't want to spoil anything for you guys, because that would be TERRIBLE of me. You will get to this pain yourself once you read it.
In the beginning there is a lot of funny banter, and some great one liners that will be excellent material for t-shirts one day. (hint, hint. Be expecting to see us in New York again Cassie!
Now. Pause here. How many of you remember Cassie telling us that she cried while writing Chapter 20 of Clockwork Prince? Well, if you follow her on twitter, or tumblr, or anything like that, you probably heard it. And if you're like me and Rachel, you were TERRIFIED. Literally, I've never been so scared to read a chapter in my entire life. If you know Cassie, then you know she isn't the type to cry while writing because something HAPPY happened. ALSO: there is a reason groups have been popping up called "The Survivors of Clockwork Prince" and things like that. JUST SAYING.
So I won't spoil it or anything. Don't worry. But I'm warning you. SERIOUS HEARTBREAK. I thought that I could handle any crazy cliff hangers and EMOTIONAL TORTURE that Cassie threw our way. Example: CITY OF FREAKING FALLEN ANGELS. That ending is a killer. (If you haven't read it yet, by all means, GO AHEAD. You'll freak out, I promise) And then Cassie reaches a whole new low and throws THIS ending at us. I'm not even sure she can fix the emotional heartbreak that she has caused in Clockwork Princess. I literally had to stop reading several times because I couldn't see the book through my tears. (Rachel declared there was no reason to live anymore. Bad I know.) This next part is for Cassie Clare. If you ever do read this, please note that the ending of that book made me wish I could hate you. But I can't, because your books are too awesome and I love you too much. But if that book wasn't signed, it would have been THROWN ACROSS THE ROOM. Just like COFA. I know that probably makes you happy as you love to torture us readers.
Okay, I think that's ENOUGH rambling about this for now, because I'm going to start crying just thinking about it. So go enjoy Clockwork Prince, suffer through Chapter 20, and Chapter 21, because Cassie was cruel enough to put another chapter after it and continue the heartbreak. You will survive, I promise. Rachel and I are still breathing for now. Although the year wait for Clockwork Princess might kill us. Happy reading! Well, not happy, but you know what I mean! Bye! *wipes eyes* *runs off*
*creeps back* *dries eyes* I'm supposed to ask everyone something. Team Will or Team Jem? Or Switzerland? Cause being Switzerland is cool too. *runs off*
Rachel Rambles About Clockwork Prince
Hey. So there's this book. It's called Clockwork Prince. Maybe you've heard of it, I don't know.
If you haven't, then I'll just assume you've been living under a rock your whole life. In which case, WELCOME BACK. I know you probably have a lot of things to do to cope with the emotional damage and stuff, but before you do any of that, you should go to Goodreads to check out this amazing book.
So anyway. I finished Clockwork Prince last night.
Basically, this is my brain: akdfhslfkeuoiiiiiidahflkjiyoialcmghaoweiruoaighnclkaj
I mean, how am I even supposed to put my feelings into words??
This book. THIS BOOK.
Just in case you can't tell, I am a HUGE CRAZY SUPERFAN of Cassandra Clare. So far, I've been to three of her signings (more on that later), and she is just AMAZING.
So I thought I'd be used to her heartwrenching twists and cliffhangers by now. Apparently not.
I'm not going to bother anyone with a summary of the plot. The plot is too amazing to put into words. Just read it yourself. Trust me. READ IT. YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT.
Instead, I'm going to give you my reactions. (Remember, this is not a review. This is a RAMBLE. So don't be expecting coherent or intelligent opinions. You, my friend, get unlimited access to my THOUGHTS and FEELINGS that happened while I was reading this. But without spoilers, because I hate spoilers.)
The first chapter went something like this: HOLY CRAP YAY I LOVE THIS BOOK I'M SO GLAD I FINALLY GET TO READ IT I'VE BEEN WAITING FOREVER FOR THIS OH MY GOSH THIS IS SO EXCITING.
I was not thinking about the tales of tears and heartbreak that haunted Twitter and Tumblr from the people who'd already read Clockwork Prince. I was not remembering the fact that Cassie had told everyone that she cried while writing this book.
So, blissfully unaware of what was to come, I raced through the first half of the book. I laughed at the witty one-liners, jumped up and down with excitement, and swooned over the swoony boys. (Because, really. So. Much. Swoon.)
And then I got to the second half.
!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!
Shocked gasps. Wide eyes as I stared at the book in horror. Confused looks as I had those "Wait a minute..." moments of realization. Clenched fists as I fought the urge to throw the book at the wall in frustration. Tears. Many tears. The feeling of my heart being ripped from my chest, torn in two, broken, crushed, shattered.
And. Then. It. Freaking. Ended.
At which point I collapsed on my bed, sobbing. (Which freaked my sister the hell out, by the way. You see, she has not finished the book yet. And I don't think my reactions were very promising.)
As I lay there, on my bed, I very closely resembled Bella in New Moon when Edward leaves her and she curls up in the fetal position in the middle of the woods. Except this was worse. My sparkly vampire boyfriend leaving me? Whatever, I can handle it. I'll just go find a werewolf.
But this? THIS? I could not handle this. In fact, I still cannot handle this. As soon as I finished this book, I texted Megan: "MY LIFE IS OVER."
Seriously, today was a very difficult day for me. I walked around school with about three hours of sleep in me, with a haunted look in my eyes as I struggled to come to terms with this book.
But...
But. Even after saying ALL OF THAT, I still loved this freaking book. So much. In fact, it might even be my favorite of Cassie's thus far. MAYBE. I'll wait until I'm sure to tell you, though. It's hard to tell, because they are all JUST SO GOOD.
Because the thing is, if a book can do this to me, it must be good. It must be. Cassandra Clare is a freaking genius. I mean, she has managed to create the ULTIMATE LOVE TRIANGLE. Never before have I read a love story like this. Yes, this book has many things besides romance. Action, violence, suspense, scandal, demons, magic, corsets, British accents, death, history, London. All of those things make this book the AMAZING thing that it is.
But for me, the love triangle is the best part. Love triangles are pretty common in YA books nowadays. But it is usually pretty easy to pick a side. Readers separate into teams, where they have very strong opinions of what character is the BEST CHOICE. Not with Will and Jem though. They are completely and totally equal. Jem's flaws are Will's strengths. Whatever Will does wrong, Jem does right. They are in perfect balance. So much so that it is impossible to choose a side.
And another thing about love triangles. I went to a signing for Cassie Clare the other night (post on that coming soon), and she talked about how many love "triangles" are often just love Vs. Two guys love the girl, and the girls love them. But there is no connection between the two guys. It's a V.
In Clockwork Prince, the love Jem and Will have for each other is as strong as their love for Tessa. The relationship between them, between TWO TEENAGE GUYS, blew me away. It is a very rare thing to see such a deep, brotherly love. All I can really say is that Cassie is a GENIUS.
She's also made of evil. EXCUSE ME WHILE I GO TRY TO MEND MY BROKEN HEART. It's like she enjoys torturing her readers.
But I still love her. And her book is still amazing. So, please. Go read Clockwork Prince right now.
Just do it.
-Rachel
If you haven't, then I'll just assume you've been living under a rock your whole life. In which case, WELCOME BACK. I know you probably have a lot of things to do to cope with the emotional damage and stuff, but before you do any of that, you should go to Goodreads to check out this amazing book.
So anyway. I finished Clockwork Prince last night.
Basically, this is my brain: akdfhslfkeuoiiiiiidahflkjiyoialcmghaoweiruoaighnclkaj
I mean, how am I even supposed to put my feelings into words??
This book. THIS BOOK.
Just in case you can't tell, I am a HUGE CRAZY SUPERFAN of Cassandra Clare. So far, I've been to three of her signings (more on that later), and she is just AMAZING.
So I thought I'd be used to her heartwrenching twists and cliffhangers by now. Apparently not.
I'm not going to bother anyone with a summary of the plot. The plot is too amazing to put into words. Just read it yourself. Trust me. READ IT. YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT.
Instead, I'm going to give you my reactions. (Remember, this is not a review. This is a RAMBLE. So don't be expecting coherent or intelligent opinions. You, my friend, get unlimited access to my THOUGHTS and FEELINGS that happened while I was reading this. But without spoilers, because I hate spoilers.)
The first chapter went something like this: HOLY CRAP YAY I LOVE THIS BOOK I'M SO GLAD I FINALLY GET TO READ IT I'VE BEEN WAITING FOREVER FOR THIS OH MY GOSH THIS IS SO EXCITING.
I was not thinking about the tales of tears and heartbreak that haunted Twitter and Tumblr from the people who'd already read Clockwork Prince. I was not remembering the fact that Cassie had told everyone that she cried while writing this book.
So, blissfully unaware of what was to come, I raced through the first half of the book. I laughed at the witty one-liners, jumped up and down with excitement, and swooned over the swoony boys. (Because, really. So. Much. Swoon.)
And then I got to the second half.
!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!
Shocked gasps. Wide eyes as I stared at the book in horror. Confused looks as I had those "Wait a minute..." moments of realization. Clenched fists as I fought the urge to throw the book at the wall in frustration. Tears. Many tears. The feeling of my heart being ripped from my chest, torn in two, broken, crushed, shattered.
And. Then. It. Freaking. Ended.
At which point I collapsed on my bed, sobbing. (Which freaked my sister the hell out, by the way. You see, she has not finished the book yet. And I don't think my reactions were very promising.)
As I lay there, on my bed, I very closely resembled Bella in New Moon when Edward leaves her and she curls up in the fetal position in the middle of the woods. Except this was worse. My sparkly vampire boyfriend leaving me? Whatever, I can handle it. I'll just go find a werewolf.
But this? THIS? I could not handle this. In fact, I still cannot handle this. As soon as I finished this book, I texted Megan: "MY LIFE IS OVER."
Seriously, today was a very difficult day for me. I walked around school with about three hours of sleep in me, with a haunted look in my eyes as I struggled to come to terms with this book.
But...
But. Even after saying ALL OF THAT, I still loved this freaking book. So much. In fact, it might even be my favorite of Cassie's thus far. MAYBE. I'll wait until I'm sure to tell you, though. It's hard to tell, because they are all JUST SO GOOD.
Because the thing is, if a book can do this to me, it must be good. It must be. Cassandra Clare is a freaking genius. I mean, she has managed to create the ULTIMATE LOVE TRIANGLE. Never before have I read a love story like this. Yes, this book has many things besides romance. Action, violence, suspense, scandal, demons, magic, corsets, British accents, death, history, London. All of those things make this book the AMAZING thing that it is.
But for me, the love triangle is the best part. Love triangles are pretty common in YA books nowadays. But it is usually pretty easy to pick a side. Readers separate into teams, where they have very strong opinions of what character is the BEST CHOICE. Not with Will and Jem though. They are completely and totally equal. Jem's flaws are Will's strengths. Whatever Will does wrong, Jem does right. They are in perfect balance. So much so that it is impossible to choose a side.
And another thing about love triangles. I went to a signing for Cassie Clare the other night (post on that coming soon), and she talked about how many love "triangles" are often just love Vs. Two guys love the girl, and the girls love them. But there is no connection between the two guys. It's a V.
In Clockwork Prince, the love Jem and Will have for each other is as strong as their love for Tessa. The relationship between them, between TWO TEENAGE GUYS, blew me away. It is a very rare thing to see such a deep, brotherly love. All I can really say is that Cassie is a GENIUS.
She's also made of evil. EXCUSE ME WHILE I GO TRY TO MEND MY BROKEN HEART. It's like she enjoys torturing her readers.
But I still love her. And her book is still amazing. So, please. Go read Clockwork Prince right now.
Just do it.
-Rachel
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Rachel Rambles About The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer
Hello everybody. There's something important that recently happened to me, I don't remember what...
Oh wait. I AM A NANOWRIMO WINNER! *flails*
I hit 50,000 words on Friday and did some dancing around and cheering.
Is my book actually finished? Well, no. But still. I am very proud of those 50,000 words. And today I will keep writing until I finish this freaking book!
So what did I do to celebrate? Well, I slept. A lot. But after I slept, I read The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer. For the second time. Because it's THE BEST BOOK EVER.
Okay, so I say that about a lot of books. But this book? It deserves that title.
I started reading the Unbecoming of Mara Dyer yesterday morning, expecting to read a little bit, then catch up on various things I've been neglecting during NaNoWriMo. Well, I accidentally read the entire book. Oops.
Oh look, I'm already over it.
So anyway, as soon as I finished, I sat down to write this review. Instead of writing it, however, I just kind of stared at the screen for several minutes. How do I even begin to voice my feelings about this book? I gave up for the night and decided to sleep instead. (What can I say? I'm a lazy teenager. I love sleeping.)
But I'm awake now, and ready to give it another try.
From Goodreads:
Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.
Oh wait. I AM A NANOWRIMO WINNER! *flails*
I hit 50,000 words on Friday and did some dancing around and cheering.
Is my book actually finished? Well, no. But still. I am very proud of those 50,000 words. And today I will keep writing until I finish this freaking book!
So what did I do to celebrate? Well, I slept. A lot. But after I slept, I read The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer. For the second time. Because it's THE BEST BOOK EVER.
Okay, so I say that about a lot of books. But this book? It deserves that title.
I started reading the Unbecoming of Mara Dyer yesterday morning, expecting to read a little bit, then catch up on various things I've been neglecting during NaNoWriMo. Well, I accidentally read the entire book. Oops.
Oh look, I'm already over it.
So anyway, as soon as I finished, I sat down to write this review. Instead of writing it, however, I just kind of stared at the screen for several minutes. How do I even begin to voice my feelings about this book? I gave up for the night and decided to sleep instead. (What can I say? I'm a lazy teenager. I love sleeping.)
But I'm awake now, and ready to give it another try.
From Goodreads:Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.
It can.
She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.
There is.
She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.
She's wrong.
I remember reading the synopsis of this book months ago, and though it tells you pretty much nothing, I was immediately intrigued. And then I saw the cover. I don't judge books by their cover, of course, and covers don't really matter to me that much. But this cover? It's Just. So. Pretty. I seriously walked around carrying this book and stroking the cover. In public places, like school. I got some weird looks. But oh well. Anything for this book.
So here's where I'm supposed to give some kind of summary of the book, right? Well, I'm not going to do that. This is one of those books that you just have to read for yourself. Any tiny detail could potentially be a spoiler. So I'll just tell you my opinion.
Holy crap. I love everything about this book. This is the first book I've ever read that has made me laugh, cry, and want to crawl under the covers and hide on the same page. After reading it, I find myself remembering some of the funny lines, and I smile to myself. But at the same time, I was scared to go to bed last night. This book freaked me out so much. In a good way.
Mara Dyer is a character that I really, genuinely like. Her voice is real and easy to relate to, while still being entertaining to read. Some of her decisions aren't the best, but you can at least understand where she's coming from. Mara just feels very real to me. She has strong moments, she has weak moments, she has in between moments. There were never moments where I hated her for doing something stupid and I threw the book at the wall in frustration. (And believe me, that has happened before.) She was just a likable character.
And there's a boy, too. His name's Noah. Um, I love him. I can't even form words to describe how much I love him. He's just amazing. I think most people will love him too.
There are several supporting characters in this book that I grew to love. They are real and funny and just perfect. Whenever things are feeling a little too dark or scary, there are a few characters who can crack a joke and break the tension. They add a whole other unexpected layer to his book.
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer is packed with twists and turns that I would never have expected. It's new, it's unique, it's funny, it's creepy, it's suspenseful, it's romantic. Michelle Hodkin manages to blend all of these things together into a perfect combination.
If you like romance, read this book. If you like being scared, read this book. If you like humor, read this book. If you have any emotions whatsoever, read this book.
Oh and there's a sequel, too. I would like the sequel to come out right now, please. *waits* Or maybe I'll just steal it from Michelle Hodkin's brain. *grins evilly* Megan! I could use some help here! *prepares supplies*
Just kidding. But I will be waiting in eager anticipation for the next book.
So everyone go and buy this book. Or borrow it from the library. Or take it from a friend. Find a way to get your hands on this book! Legally. Don't steal it, please. Stealing is bad.
She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.
There is.
She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.
She's wrong.
I remember reading the synopsis of this book months ago, and though it tells you pretty much nothing, I was immediately intrigued. And then I saw the cover. I don't judge books by their cover, of course, and covers don't really matter to me that much. But this cover? It's Just. So. Pretty. I seriously walked around carrying this book and stroking the cover. In public places, like school. I got some weird looks. But oh well. Anything for this book.
So here's where I'm supposed to give some kind of summary of the book, right? Well, I'm not going to do that. This is one of those books that you just have to read for yourself. Any tiny detail could potentially be a spoiler. So I'll just tell you my opinion.
Holy crap. I love everything about this book. This is the first book I've ever read that has made me laugh, cry, and want to crawl under the covers and hide on the same page. After reading it, I find myself remembering some of the funny lines, and I smile to myself. But at the same time, I was scared to go to bed last night. This book freaked me out so much. In a good way.
Mara Dyer is a character that I really, genuinely like. Her voice is real and easy to relate to, while still being entertaining to read. Some of her decisions aren't the best, but you can at least understand where she's coming from. Mara just feels very real to me. She has strong moments, she has weak moments, she has in between moments. There were never moments where I hated her for doing something stupid and I threw the book at the wall in frustration. (And believe me, that has happened before.) She was just a likable character.
And there's a boy, too. His name's Noah. Um, I love him. I can't even form words to describe how much I love him. He's just amazing. I think most people will love him too.
There are several supporting characters in this book that I grew to love. They are real and funny and just perfect. Whenever things are feeling a little too dark or scary, there are a few characters who can crack a joke and break the tension. They add a whole other unexpected layer to his book.
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer is packed with twists and turns that I would never have expected. It's new, it's unique, it's funny, it's creepy, it's suspenseful, it's romantic. Michelle Hodkin manages to blend all of these things together into a perfect combination.
If you like romance, read this book. If you like being scared, read this book. If you like humor, read this book. If you have any emotions whatsoever, read this book.
Oh and there's a sequel, too. I would like the sequel to come out right now, please. *waits* Or maybe I'll just steal it from Michelle Hodkin's brain. *grins evilly* Megan! I could use some help here! *prepares supplies*
Just kidding. But I will be waiting in eager anticipation for the next book.
So everyone go and buy this book. Or borrow it from the library. Or take it from a friend. Find a way to get your hands on this book! Legally. Don't steal it, please. Stealing is bad.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Word counts and all things Nano
Hello world! Megan here, live and in person! (well not really, cause I'm on the internet. You get the point)
So, like Rachel said, we are currently participating in Nanowrimo, and won't actually be doing regular reviews for a bit. JUST IN CASE YOU CARE, and JUST IN CASE YOU WANT TO KNOW, I'm putting both of our word count widgets below! Now you can see howwe are surviving well we are doing! Go ahead, take a look. I promise we won't think you're stalking us. OR WILL WE? *dramatic music* *eyes you suspiciously* you SEEM alright. I'll trust you for now. *will keep an eye on you all*
Okay! I'm out for now! Peace! *HUGS* *waves* *DASHES away*
My word count widget
So, like Rachel said, we are currently participating in Nanowrimo, and won't actually be doing regular reviews for a bit. JUST IN CASE YOU CARE, and JUST IN CASE YOU WANT TO KNOW, I'm putting both of our word count widgets below! Now you can see how
Okay! I'm out for now! Peace! *HUGS* *waves* *DASHES away*
My word count widget
Rachel's word count widget (Yes she is THAT far ahead of me)
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Sorry we are not here...
If you somehow found this blog before December 2011, then we apologize for the lack of THINGS. We are participating in NaNoWriMo for the first time ever this year, so we are a wee bit busy.
But don't worry, we will be back as soon as wesurvive finish NaNoWriMo.
And we will be bringing lots of reviews and rambles and BOOK TALK with us!
Until then, we are going to go sit in the corner and cry quietly while our bookspunch us in the face repeatedly are being written.
But don't worry, we will be back as soon as we
And we will be bringing lots of reviews and rambles and BOOK TALK with us!
Until then, we are going to go sit in the corner and cry quietly while our books
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