Sunday, July 21, 2013

Review: Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Pushing the Limits (Pushing the Limits, #1)
Title: Pushing the Limits(Click title for Synopsis)
Source/Format: Purchased, Kindle edition
Age Range: YA
Publisher/Publication Date: July 31, 2012, Harlequin Teen



My Thoughts:

     Ok, I admit it, shame on me for once again buying into the hype surrounding a popular book. Shame on me for thinking it was going to be something, you know, entertaining and worthwhile. I have another confession to make: I really, really, REALLY wanted to like this book, and I did have high hopes for it. But Pushing the Limits was none of that for me and I just didn’t get very far. I’ve read contemporary novels this year, some of which I’ve really liked, and some, well, not so much. Pushing the Limits just didn’t do much for me other than make me shake my head at it, and wonder why I was reading it in the first place. I don’t get this whole thing were substance/alcohol use has to be in every single book, and to be honest it just didn’t sit well with me. I don’t know, maybe I’m missing something here, but I just couldn’t do it. And I'm sorry to say that I didn’t even like Noah.

Exhibit A:
From Noah's POV

"She swept up her backpack and left the office.  Her tight @#! swayed side to side as she marched down the hallway."--pg.20

     I don't know, I just had a problem with the way Noah described Echo at times.  And I did not like his drug use.

Exhibit B:
From Echo's POV

""Yep." I took the cup from her and finished it off.  I didn't particularly care for the taste, but when at a kegger..."--pg52

"The warm fuzzy feeling that helped take the edge off also slowed the thought process."--pg52
    
      So suddenly under aged drinking is ok?  Where are the parents?! So, um yeah, that’s just my opinion, but I’m not saying you shouldn't read it because I didn’t like it. By all means, take the plunge…if you want.

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Early Movie Review: Pacific Rim directed by Guillermo del Toro

Pacific Rim poster
Title: Pacific Rim
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Producer: Thomas Tull, Jon Jashni, Guillermo del Toro, Mary Parent
Screenplay: Travis Beacham, Guillermo del Toro
Story by: Travis Beacham
Rating: PG-13
Release Date: July 12, 2013
For more info on the movie visit the official site HERE

My thoughts:

        So, last night I saw an advanced screening of Pacific Rim, yeah, awesome giant robots called Jaegers that battle monsters—that also happen to be you know, GIANT—rising out of the sea. Uh-huh, what’s not to like about that? That’s the point, Pacific Rim was my kind of movie. It blended near-apocalyptic elements perfectly with technology only found in science fiction!

          Raleigh Becket, oh gosh, the guy started out as a Jaeger pilot that came off as a little too arrogant for his own good. But certain events changed him, and in the end he had to live with those decisions. Then there was Mako Mori, once I knew her history, I understood where she was coming from. There were other characters, but I won’t go into that. I don’t think I could say much about certain ones without spoiling the entire movie. Although, I will say that one of my favorite characters from the movie was Dr. Newton Geizler, the guy was spontaneous and reckless when it came to his research.

      Oh, the plot of Pacific Rim, it was fast paced despite the length of the movie, and the dialogue was kept in check. Almost from the very beginning the action started as mankind tried to take a stand against the invaders, Kaiju. The technology behind the Jaegers was pretty impressive, and the concept in itself was enough to grab my attention. It wasn’t all just mindless fighting.  There was a story to it that I liked seeing. At times, the movie left me questioning the decisions of a few characters, and the ending…no, on second thought I don’t think I’ll say anything about that.   Because I want to be as vague as possible about this, I’ll just end this review here since I could go on all day. But if you want to know how it ends, well, you’ll have to see Pacific Rim for yourself to find out, because I’m not telling you. {Actual rating 4.5}


I won tickets to an advanced screening.
 


Check out the trailer below
 

Monday, July 8, 2013

Review: Ink by Amanda Sun

Ink (Paper Gods, #1)Title:Ink (Click title for Synopsis)
Source/Format: Won, Paperback
Age Range: YA
Publisher/Publication Date: Harlequin Teen



My Thoughts:


     Oh it may have taken me some time to get this review up, but here it is.  Set against the intoxicatingly unique backdrop of Japan, Ink by Amanda Sun is easily one of my favorite books of the year.  The mythology, the plot, the characters—I liked basically everything about this book!  Sun did an incredible job of capturing the Japanese culture at its best. 

      Ink is Katie Greene’s story as she struggled to adjust to her life in Japan after the untimely death of her mother.  Some of the insecurities described throughout the book were spot-on, and very believable considering the situation.  I liked seeing Katie grow over time as she became more accustomed to her life in Japan.  Tomohiro was definitely one of the more complex characters in Ink.  On one hand he would do something so coldhearted that you wondered if he really was a bad guy, but on another hand he would do something so sweet that he made you want to like him.  Tomohiro was a character who was loyal, and thought about what was best for others before what was best for him.  Katie’s friends, Yuki and Tanaka, were also nice additions to the story.

      The plot moved along at an even pace, with major plot-points placed in key spots in the book.  It was a setup that I liked since it kept me reading until two in the morning just so I could finish it.  Another aspect about Ink that I really enjoyed was how it pointed out the everyday struggles of someone who was trying to assimilate into a foreign society—with the language barriers, as well as the traditions. Considering how much I liked Ink, I can’t wait for book two to come out. {Actual rating is 4.5}  
 

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Cover Reveal: Creators by Tiffany Truitt

Today Tiffany Truitt and Entangled Teen are revealing the final cover for The Lost Souls Trilogy, CREATORS. Along with an exclusive excerpt and a pre-order giveaway that Tiffany has set up on her blog!


                                                                On to the reveal!


Blurb:
Heartbroken but more determined than ever after a tense showdown in the woods, sixteen-year-old Tess once again returns to the safety of her community of Isolationists. Bolstered by new alliances and desperate to protect those she loves, this time she knows she can return stronger and more powerful than ever to take back what is hers.
As she trains in combat and grows more confident, Tess receives beautiful letters penned by her forbidden love, the chosen one James, from his prison in Templeton. He is now serving as a bodyguard to the creators—the team of scientists who created artificial life in the first place. And what he has discovered about the true origin of the illness that halted natural life could change everything.

Enemy will become ally and death will bring new hope in this stunning conclusion to Tiffany Truitt’s epic Lost Souls trilogy.

Exclusive Excerpt!
Somewhere, James was just as trapped as I was.
            I thought of the morning when we lay with each other, curled against one another, never beginning and never ending. How we’d stayed like that till the sun began to rise.
            James had reached down and pulled me off the ground. He wore a satisfied grin on his face. “Someone is mighty proud of himself,” I teased.
            He laughed. It bounced through the forest, calling it awake. Readying it for the day. “I’m just insanely happy.”
            I stood on the tips of my toes and kissed him gently on his scar. “I’m insanely happy too,” I whispered.
            James looked down at me, and I was lost all over again. I would never tire of looking into those mismatched eyes. They didn’t make him different. They made him him. He chuckled as he reached over and pulled a leaf from my tangled hair. “They’ll know just by looking at you that we’ve been up to no good.”
            “No good?” I purred. “I thought it was very, very good.”
            James growled and lifted me into the air. I wrapped my legs around his waist as he pressed his lips hungrily against mine. I moved my hands to his hair, curling my fingers into it, attaching myself to him. I never wanted to let go. Every part of me ached to be touched by him, and every part of me ached to touch him right back.
            “Do you know how much I love you?” he breathed into the base of my neck. His lips fluttered against my skin.
            I nodded, kissing the top of his head. “As much as I love you.”
            James slowly put my feet back on the ground. He cradled my face in his hands. “That will never change. No matter what.”
            I looked deep into his eyes. “I know.” Because I did. It was one of life’s few assurances. I would always love James.
            I pressed my lips once again to his scar. “I adore this scar,” I whispered, unable to hide the smile that seemed etched on my face all morning.
            “You’re enough to drive a man crazy,” he said The tremble of his voice caused my toes to curl. I wanted him again. And again. And again.
            My fingers traced the waist of his pants. “Tonight?” I said, knowing full well it was a promise that I probably wouldn’t be able to keep.
            James grabbed my hand and brought it to his lips. “Tonight,” he echoed.
            As the sun climb higher into the sky, I knew our moment was coming to an end. James reached down and placed his hand over my heart. “Thank you,” he said.
            “For what?” I asked, my voice choked with emotion.
            “For everything.”
            As the memory slipped away, I looked back up at the night sky. Praying and hoping that James knew how much I wanted to thank him too.
            For everything.
 
About Tiffany:
Tiffany Truitt was born in Peoria, Illinois. A self-proclaimed Navy brat, Tiffany spent most of her childhood living in Virginia, but don’t call her a Southerner. She also spent a few years living in Cuba. Since her time on the island of  one McDonalds and Banana Rats (don’t ask), she has been obsessed with traveling. Tiffany recently added China to her list of travels (hello inspiration for a new book).
Besides traveling, Tiffany has always been an avid reader. The earliest books she remembers reading belong to The Little House on the Prairie Series. First book she read in one day? Little Woman(5th grade). First author she fell in love with? Jane Austen in middle school. Tiffany spent most of her high school and college career as a literary snob. She refused to read anything considered “low brow” or outside the “classics.”
Tiffany began teaching middle school in 2006. Her students introduced her to the wide, wonderful world of Young Adult literature. Today, Tiffany embraces popular Young Adult literature and uses it in her classroom. She currently teaches the following novels: The OutsidersSpeakNight, Dystopian Literature Circles: The Hunger GamesThe GiverThe Uglies, and Matched.
Tiffany is proud to call herself an educator and Young Adult author. Her first book will be published by Entangled Publishing.

Also Tiffany has a Pre-Order Contest going on over at her blog http://tiffanytruitt.wordpress.com/ three lucky people that pre-order CREATORS will win a signed Cassandra Clare poster!

ARC Review: Blurred by Tara Fuller

Blurred (Kissed by Death, #2)Title: Blurred (Click title for Synopsis)
Source/Format: Publisher, E-ARC
Age Range: YA
Publisher/Publication Date: Entangled Teen, July 2, 2013




My Thoughts:

    Oh Cash, oh Anaya…why?  Why, Tara Fuller, why?  This book pulled at my emotions like it was a piece of string being chased by a cat.  For me, Blurred was an emotional rollercoaster that had me wanting to get to the end as fast as possible.  It was the kind of book that made me root for the character’s happiness at the end, no matter what it was.  It shouldn’t be hard to guess that I absolutely loved this book! 

    I did not read the book prior to this one and I went into the story not knowing who the characters were, what their story was, or how things got to be the way they were.  What I did get from the start, Cash was struggling with the aftermath of the fire.  He was angry; he was hurt both emotionally and physically.  Throughout the book, the lies that were surrounding him began to unravel.  I just felt so bad for Cash as the story progressed that I wished something good would happen to him.  Anaya was also tortured; she longed to get back to those she loved.  Her loyalties were tested as she struggled to do what was right versus what would benefit her.  Though their troubles differed, Cash and Anaya still struggled throughout the book with their emotions, and everything else.  Emma, well, she was hurting and I could tell she cared about Cash and wanted to help him.  Finn was supportive in the whole situation, and I liked the way that he was there for Emma.

    The plot, oh my god, why?  Why did Cash have to suffer so much?  Why?  You know the saying, right?  How life’s not fair, well, this just tops the cake with a pretty cherry on top.  The plot was so unfair to the characters that I seriously questioned if there was going to be a good ending.  And then the end snuck up on me way too quickly, and then it was over.  Despite everything, I felt like the ending was just right for this book and wrapped everything up nicely.  I just have one more question.  So, um, yeah, is there another book and when’s it coming out?

 
This E-ARC was provided by the publisher, Entangled Teen, in exchange for an honest review, thank you!

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