Saturday, November 24, 2012

Printed Copy of Opal plus Lux Swag!

http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/3325727-want-to-read-opal

I entered via http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/5230419/ to win a copy of Opal! :D

Thursday, November 15, 2012

The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay



The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

Five/five stars!

This is quite possibly one of the best, most confusing, most breathtaking, heartbreaking, beautiful and most amazing books I have ever read in my entire life. I’m close to crying. I am crying. I don’t even know. My emotions are in overdrive. Pretty sure I’m having a breakdown. Yep. This book torn me to shreds, ate me up, then glued me together. It was perfect. I have no idea where I’m going to begin with this review.

Nastya Kashnikov has lost everything. She has so much pent up anger and frustration with the world, she’s given up. She’s stopped caring about everything. Now she just hates; hates on people, herself and the world. She is focused on destroying the life of the man who completely broke her. When she moves from her home town to live with her aunt and hopefully begin a new life without the whispers and the stares, she is surprised when she meets Josh Bennett. Josh Bennett. The one person who pisses her off, confuses her and gets under her skin. She is drawn to him and his “force field”. They are both drawn to each other and their mysteries. Together, with their secrets and mysterious backgrounds, they are a glass case of emotion, just waiting to crack.

The Sea of Tranquility got to me in ways a book had never gotten to me before. I used to read all the time in class on my laptop, before I realised that, shit, I actually needed to listen and learn something. I haven’t read in class for a while, but I needed to when I was reading The Sea of Tranquility. It was haunting me. It was all I could think about. Stuff you science revision, I needed to be pulled into the messed up worlds of both Nastya and Josh.

The characters were everything in this novel. They made the story. The secrets they were keeping were even kept from the reader. Nastya was an emotionally unstable, very fragile girl who was seeking – no – hunting for revenge. She was focused on how messed up her life was. She was blinded by hate and raging emotions and what she had lost. What that bastard had taken from her. Really, she was a very likable, realistic character and I loved being inside her crazy mind.

Josh Bennett. Everyone he has ever loved is dead. He just wants to be left alone in his frantic world; focused on building things. When Nastya appears in his life, he isn’t sure what to do. Tell her to piss off, or enjoy her company? He loves her and he hates her. She gets under his skin like no one else. He kind of enjoys it. I actually really loved Josh. He was an amazing character that I fell completely head over heels in love with.

The Sea of Tranquility was a slow building, exciting, suspenseful, dramatic, heartfelt read. My mind was racing all throughout the book. I loved this book so much and would recommend it to anyone (especially someone who feels like a good cry). 

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Back To You by Annie Brewer



Back To You by Annie Brewer

★ ★☆☆☆

Two/five stars


I had such high expectations for this book. I’m friends with Annie on Goodreads and her reviews and updates always make me laugh, so I really wanted to like Back To You and give it an awesome, massive review. Unfortunately, I did not like this book, but it was ok. I really hate to say it, but it was almost cringe-worthy.

Just before I start, I just want to say that I don’t want to be mean! I’m just being honest. Constructive criticism, perhaps? I’m not being mean!

Ok, so I’ll start with the grammar and the writing. The writing was cringe worthy. It was forced and awkward. The dialogue was even worse! I was cringing! The writing started out fine, then the dialogue came in between Abby and Sarah and from then on, it just went downhill in my opinion. The other thing that annoyed me was the lack of contractions. Contractions are allowed. Do you know how frustrating it is to constantly read “I will”, “I do not”, “I have not”? Please, please, please use contractions! It was so annoying. Other than that, the writing wasn’t that bad, just really annoying.

Abby was alright. She wasn’t anything special, nor was she completely horrible. She was meh. She didn’t do anything for me. She was a weird character, very moody and indecisive. Her moods were really strange, like… she could get really angry over something small, but could be completely calm over something massive. *SPOILER* Like her best friend, Brooke and her boyfriend, Brady.

Brady. One word: asshat. I just… I didn’t like him, at all, right from the beginning, until the end.


Sarah was bipolar. I don’t mean to be rude or offensive when I say that, but seriously, she was crazy. Her moods were insane. One moment she was a loving younger sister…



She was a crazy bitch.

Sarah’s moods were giving me headaches! Honestly. She was jumping from one mood to the next instantaneously, without any warning what so ever. In the end she turned out to be alright, but really truly deep down, she was nuts.

Now… the love interest, Lucas. He was certainly interesting. Didn’t approve of Abby cheating on Brady, but didn’t really make any moves to stop her coming onto him. Lucas didn’t do much for me. He didn’t make me lust after him or anything. He was definitely a “meh” character.
Last but not least in the character department was Abby and Sarah’s mum. She was… weird; a very, very laid back mum, indeed. She was strict on some things, but also very lenient on others. She clearly had a favourite child too, and that was Abby. I have a pretty awesome mum, who I’m super comfortable with and would tell absolutely everything to, but Abby’s mum’s character was a little overboard.

There wasn’t really much of a plot. Okay, maybe I lie, there was one, but it was boring and not at all exciting. There weren’t any “Oh-my-god-edge-of-my-seat” moments or really depressing moments. The whole “plot” was “bleh”. (To put it in music terms, it had an unmoving, occasionally jumping melodic contour).

Okay. One thing that super-duper really annoyed me about this book was the singing. WHAT SINGING?! Abby is in the school choir and her dream is to be in Broadway musicals, but there was hardly anything about her singing. She wasn’t completely devoted to it and it didn’t consume her time. I’m in the Conservatorium of Music and I devote half of my time practicing violin and my life doesn’t even depend on it! Abby barely did anything singing wise. She skipped choir. I don’t even skip practice. Singing is Abby’s career choice and she hardly does anything about it in the book. Violin isn’t even my career choice (mostly) and my life revolves around it! And I’m 14! Sorry about the comparisons, but this “singing career” of Abby’s really annoyed the crap out of me.

The romance was also an issue with me. I wouldn’t even call it a “romance”. It was forced and ugly. I don’t know how Lucas did it; dating an already taken girl. That’s just messy. The relationship between the two was forced and moved very quickly. I understand that they had already dated and that they’d know each other for years and been through heaps together, but a relationship is different to a friendship, especially now that they are older. There are more things to… consider.

Overall, the book was alright. It was confusing and jumpy. It was definitely clear it was Brewer’s first book. I’ve asked for an ARC of Brewer’s second book, Choices, which I’m positive, will be so much better!

Sorry Annie, I really wish I enjoyed this so much more, but it just didn’t work with me. I hope I love the rest of your books so much more!

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Girl of Nightmares (Anna #2) by Kendare Blake



Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ 

Three and a half/ five stars

*Not a proper review because I’m not really sure what to say*

Hmm, I don’t know if it was me or the book, but we just didn’t click. It took me like 21 days to finish this book, which is forever in my reading time. I really wanted to like it, but something stopped me. I was getting confused easily and I was having trouble following the plot. The writing was as beautiful as ever, though. Maybe if I just sat down and read the book in a couple of sittings, I’d like it a lot better. The rating probably would’ve been a bit lower if it wasn’t for the awesome last 50-100 pages. They were totally kickass!

Always You by Kirsty Moseley



Always You by Kirsty Moseley

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ 

Four/five stars


Always You was a quick, cute read. I read it on Wattpad, so before the book was published, which means there were some errors, but surprisingly not that many! I was impressed with this book, considering I had such high expectations for it after reading The Boy Who Sneaks In My Bedroom Window (which was incredibly awesome and cute!). Always You was an enjoyable read, that had me laughing and crying.

Riley and Clay have been best friend forever. Although they are neighbours, Riley goes to a different school, until her mother and stepfather change their minds and move her to the local public school, which is where, incidentally, Clay goes too. The two have always had a close relationship; sleepovers a couple of times a week, no secrets, etc. But after Riley comes back from a long holiday, she feels a shift in their relationship. They are still as close as ever, but why is she feeling all fluttery around Clay? And why, oh why, does she feel like she wants and needs more from their relationship?

This book was cute, if cheesy. It was occasionally dramatic and melodramatic, but it was cute. The relationship between Riley and Clay was cute, although after *spoiler* they got together, their relationship progressed rather quickly. The couple dealt with drama after drama but I was definitely happy with how the book ended! *Spoiler* HAPPILY EVER AFTER YAAAY! 

I liked Riley. She was very nice and sweet and loving. With each and every drama that head her way, she dealt with it accordingly, in a responsible and mature way, which was refreshing.

Clay was alright. He was lovely to Riley, but I had a few problems with him. The fact that he slept with a thousand girls because he never thought he would be with Riley. I hate that trend in YA romance at the moment. Guys, the girls you like aren’t going to notice you or pursue you because you are a man-whole and you are constantly with a new chick each week. Us chicks will believe we are a piece of trash that you can easily throw away. Uh, hello? Not good for our self-esteem! So, Clay if you put a little bit more effect into showing Riley you like her instead of shying away and screwing heaps of other girls, you could’ve gotten Riley earlier. And also, Clay kind of had some anger/possessive issues. He wasn’t too bad, but I was still wary of it.

The book had plenty of unexpected twists and turns! Which were all very dramatic. It was definitely a page turner!

I actually really liked this book. It was so so so cute and sweet! I cried at the end because it was so beautiful and so cute!

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Entangled by Cat Clarke



Entangled by Cat Clarke

★ ★★☆☆

Three/five stars


I didn’t understand half of this book, especially the end. Not saying I didn’t enjoy it, because I did, mostly. It was just… very difficult to follow and rather confusing. I loved the fact that it was set in England! I love anything to do with England. Entangled was a good book, just not the book for me.

Grace’s life is falling apart. She’s got alcohol and is going to finally end all of the pain and the suffering, when she meets a boy. No, not the usual type of boy, who saves her and they fall in love, just a boy. A boy who is there, but not really. A boy who listens to Grace’s ramblings.  A boy who Grace vomits on. A boy who kidnaps Grace. He is a mystery and Grace just can’t seem to figure him out. She has a thousand questions running through her mind, but no answers. Why? How? Can Grace find a way to get out of this awful mess?

I liked Entangled. I really did. I liked the idea. I enjoyed the beginning, but somewhere between the middle and the end, the book just lost me. It became predictable and weird, and it confused me. I really tried to understand it and love it, but I just couldn’t. There was hope for the book, then the end happened. I had no idea what was going on. The thought going through my head was “what just happened”. The end lost me and lost the book stars.

I didn’t really like any of the characters. They were all meh. Grace was a bit of a bitch and whined heaps. Sal was alright, not a very good best friend. Nat was meh; didn’t like him much.
This book had so much potential, but it just lost me. Really wish I enjoyed it a lot more. 

The Raven Boys (Raven Cycle #1) by Maggie Stiefvater



The Raven Boy by Maggie Stiefvater

★ ★★★☆

Four and a half/five stars

The Raven Boys follows the separate, yet interconnecting stories of Blue, Gansey, Adam, Ronan, Noah.

Blue meets the foursome that is Gansey, Adam, Ronan and Noah by chance. They wouldn’t mean anything to her unless she hadn’t had a psychic encounter involving one of the boys the earlier. Blue is very involved in the land of all things psychic and spirit thanks to her clairvoyant family. When Blue is properly introduced into the crazy and wonderful land of Gansey and friends, she is invited to embark on a spiritual “trip”. Surprisingly enough for Blue and luckily enough for the boys, Blue turns out to be a big help for them and their spiritual needs. Even luckier, Blue agrees to help them  with their spiritual “trip”.

I can’t really write a proper review for this book because really it was just wonderful. Perfect.
Stiefvater’s writing, first and third person, could make any grown man cry. It is so beautiful.

I loved all the characters in the book. They were all so different and unusual.

This book was so perfect, but I gave it 4.5 stars because there were some parts that totally confused me. But apart from that, The Raven Boys was absolutely beautiful.