Thursday 31 January 2013

The Hunt/The Prey by Andrew Fukuda

 OHMYGODS FINALLY YAY.

So today, The Prey by Andrew Fukuda came out. It's the second book in the Hunt series, i'm not sure how many books there are going to be in total, maybe only two.
Anyway, today I woke up at 7am and the FIRST thing that I did was open my kindle, go into the Kindle Book Store and purchase my beloved book by the brilliant Andrew Fukuda for £5.99! Pricey compared to most Kindle books, and whilst I have yet to read it, I am 100% certain that it will be worth every single penny!
Anyway, here is the cover for The Prey! :)
The Prey (The Hunt, #2)

DOESN'T THE COVER LOOK REALLY GOOD. That might just be because my favourite colour is blue though.
Anyway, I figured I might as well post a small review of the Hunt, which is actually one of my favourite books EVER.

The Hunt  (The Hunt, #1)

Don’t Sweat. Don’t Laugh. Don’t draw attention to yourself. And most of all, whatever you do, do not fall in love with one of them.
Gene is different from everyone else around him.  He can’t run with lightning speed, sunlight doesn’t hurt him and he doesn’t have an unquenchable lust for blood.  Gene is a human, and he knows the rules.  Keep the truth a secret.  It’s the only way to stay alive in a world of night—a world where humans are considered a delicacy and hunted for their blood.

When he’s chosen for a once in a lifetime opportunity to hunt the last remaining humans, Gene’s carefully constructed life begins to crumble around him.  He’s thrust into the path of a girl who makes him feel things he never thought possible—and into a ruthless pack of hunters whose suspicions about his true nature are growing. Now that Gene has finally found something worth fighting for, his need to survive is stronger than ever.
But is it worth the cost of his humanity?
My Review
Right, so from one of my previous statements, saying that The Hunt was one of my favourite books ever, you can already tell that this will be a positive review, whilst it may be pretty short.
The Hunt follows the life of Gene, a human thrown amongst the vampires. Actually the official term for the vampires isn't vampires. It's a craaazy topsy-turvy world where vampires are called "people" and humans are called "hepers". Gene lives alone in his book, under the impression that all of his family were murdered brutally and drained by "people". He follows all the rules, and honestly if I was thrust into this world i'm not entirely sure I would survive very long. He has to shave EVERY SINGLE LITTLE BIT of body hair he has, even in his private areas. Seriously girls, (and guys) how uncomfortable would that be?! They go to school at night, and obviously being a heper he can't see in the darkness, but if he squints, the jig is UP. He also can't sweat. Not even a little bit. If he sweats, they can smell it. I seriously could not handle that. I have a really low heat tolerance and I overheat WAY too easily.  None of the "people" have to drink water either, so Gene has to find a way to drink water in private if he wants to survive. I don't think I could manage a day without a cup of tea, let alone 17 bloody years!
And as if the rules weren't bad enough, he can't fall in love. There is nobody that he can be with, because if he gets too close, they'll eat him (and NOT in the fun way!). He is the last human/heper, surrounded by bloodsucking beings, who get their kicks from drinking human blood and shoving their elbows in armpits which is uber strange. So weird. So fricken weird.
SO THERE'S A TWIST. Partway through the book, just when everybody thinks allllll the hepers are gone (except for Gene who obviously knows he's human) the Dictator, I can't remember if he's called the Dictator or not, but he's called something like that. THE RULER. I THINK HE'S CALLED THE RULER. Anyway, carrying on, the Ruler announces that there will be a Heper Hunt, and all citizens will receive a lottery ticket, and some people will be chosen to be the Heper Hunters.
I'll give you one guess as to what happens?
Yep. Gene is a Heper Hunt. A Heper hunting Hepers. CLASSIC.
ANYWAY I CAN'T really reveal anything else further on in the book without telling you the storyline, the wonderful, original, captivating, mind-boggling story line.
BUT I will tell you that there is love, drama, and suspense all wrapped up into one big finale.
To conclude my short yet sweet review (I hope you think it's sweet), this book is a must-have for all readers of any genre.

Love, me.


Wednesday 30 January 2013

Review: Matched by Ally Condie

Matched (Matched, #1)

Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate... until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.
My Review

Read this book. Now.
Okay so you ignored my first piece of advice, as I can see by the fact that you're still reading my review. But seriously, you need to read this book.
When I first bought this book, I bought a paperback version TWO YEARS AGO. I thought it looked good and I was really excited to read it, however when the book made it's way to the top of my "Read it!" pile, I pushed it to one side thinking I didn't feel like reading it right now, I would read it later. So days and weeks and months and years passed by and eventually I lost the book, but I wasn't really fussed. "It wasn't my sort of book, anyway" was the excuse I put into my head and I accepted it for 2 years.
Up until a few days ago, I didn't think i'd ever read Matched, however after reading the Lux and Covenant series, I realised that no paranormal-romance book was going to cut it, the Jennifer Armentrout series were just TOO good. So I cracked open my dystopian to-read list, and discovered that my friend had put Matched onto my Kindle. I decided I might as well give it a go, so started to read.
I'm addicted.
In ONE DAY I read both Matched AND Crossed.
The way Matched is written makes you feel exactly what Cassia, the lead character feels. At the beginning of the book, I actually fell in love with Xander, the best friend. You discover that Cassia has been "Matched" with Xander, and he seems perfect. He actually seems like the best person, gorgeous and funny and kind and sympathetic and I just wanted him to be mine and be mine forever. Then a sharp twist of events turns the tables, and suddenly you find yourself attracted to Ky, the secretive, broody-type, practically the total opposite to Xander! I felt as though I was betraying Xander, and that is pretty much exactly the way Cassia felt. Torn and troubled over who she SHOULD be with, and who she really WANTS to be with.
Of course, the heartbreaking confusion is obviously not enough pain for Cassia, and as the story unfolds, you discover hidden depths to the characters, and the ending? Oh God, the ending.
I cried. It felt as though my heart was being torn apart, ripped into shreds and I didn't know what I would do. But then I started Crossed and things got better.
I've yet to read "Reached" which I think is the final book, but if it's anything like the first and second book, I'll be so happy. This book has DEFINITELY replaced Pandemonium in my Top 3 Dystopian Fiction.
So yet again I emphasise my original point:
READ THIS BOOK NOW.

Monday 28 January 2013

The Undesirable Release Day Blitz!



Today is the release day of the new book The Undesirable by S. Celi!

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Title: The Undesirable
Author: Sara Celi
Publisher: Lowe Interactive Media
Pages: 225
Book Description: This book is Mature YA/ New Adult. It is recommended for readers 14 and over.
What if everything you knew turned out to be a lie?
Charlotte Walker knows how to live under the rule of The Party. She has managed for 18 years. She helps out her drunken mother and keeps life going at a familiar, steady pace. She doesn’t ask questions, even though she has many of them in her heart.
Fostino Sanchez knows how to live under the rule of The Party, too. For 19 years, he’s worked to be the perfect Party member. He knows what must be done to keep Maxwell Cooper in power, and how find the The Undesirables that threaten to take away everything that matters.
As the months go by, what matters most to Fostino is Charlotte Walker.
While their love blooms, danger comes to Charlotte and Fostino’s small hometown of Harrison Corners, OH. Threats they never knew existed could take away all that they care about. And just when these two teens think they know what will come next, Charlotte learns the truth about a secret she has long suspected.
What Charlotte finds out changes everything.
EVERYTHING.
THE UNDESIRABLE is Charlotte Walker’s story, from her point of view. It is a thrilling, suspenseful tale of love, curiosity, adversity, and maturity against the backdrop of a futuristic war.
Should Charlotte trust Fostino with what she knows? Can she trust anyone? Will she find it in herself to rise up against terrible odds? 
What if the ultimate Undesirable is her?


Excerpt
CHAPTER ONE
Fostino’s frown mixes with his tightened jaw. “Are you serious about this, Charlotte? Really serious? I just — I can’t believe you’re breaking up with me.” His eyebrows pull tighter than any seam I have ever sewn.“God. I’m so stupid.”  His mouth sets in a hard line. My heartbeat jumps to my ears. I bite down hard on the inside of my bottom lip.
Oh, God. Did I make the right choice? Will he understand? Will he always hate me?
My breath quickens as the air constricts all around the two of us. I almost taste the awkwardness in the air. I pray my pain doesn’t show on my face.
How do people manage to stay friends after something like this?
I can’t. No, I won’t. Not this time.
I stand in this apartment and know that I failed to make this breakup painless.My words cover this small dusty room. All the muscles in my back tighten and twist from the stress. We will never be just friends — ever.
He gets up from the couch and pulls on his worn, muddy combat boots. He seems wounded, broken, and defeated. He radiates pain. He picks up my keys to the apartment from the coffee table. Awkward. My mind flickers to the beginning. I remember the moment in the town square when The Party transformed our lives. I want to go back and change everything since then.
“I wanted to take care of you and shield you from—” He stops and gestures to the windows and the crumbling world outside this room. His soulful brown eyes glint with anger. “Everything.” Now he exhales. “I guess I’m not surprised. Not after all that happened.”His shoulders slump.
Sweat beads on the back of my neck. I swallow some of my uneasiness. My plan just might work. I taste the hollow victory in the back of my throat.
Good.
“I—I’m sorry.” I have nothing else to say, no words to make this better. In minutes, I’ll leave the apartment and flee my life because I have no other choice.
“I’ll never understand you. Or this.” Fostino shakes his head of dark waves. He fixates on the bare wall behind me.
His words hurt, but Fostino can’t know how much he affects me. I push away the urge to reach out and hold him tighter than I ever hugged anyone. Instead, I shudder a little in my shapeless black dress — the one the government issued me last month. I hate this. I am not a cold person. I don’t hurt people on purpose.
“Fostino, I—“
In a few steps, I reach his side. My shaky hand reaches out and the keys link our hands together.  I smell him through all the dust in this studio apartment with the Murphy bed in the corner. I inhale just remember how he smells. I’m so afraid I will forget it. Each second ticks by worse than the last. This conversation is hard, so very hard. I bite down on the inside of my cheek to stop myself from saying something I can’t back up. If only I could tell him the truth, share my terrible secret, and find a way out of my bleak future.
If only.
“Did you ever mean anything you said? I mean, even for one second. Did you ever even like me?” He balls his hand into a fist once I raise my arm to stop him. He keeps talking anyway. “I told you I loved you right here in this room, even though you didn’t say it back. I meant it.”
My stomach twists and heart pounds while I keep up the lies. “Well — I did like you.” I emphasize my next words as my toes curl in my sandals. “I thought I loved you once. I wanted to say it, but—”
“But, I’ll always love you. I will.”
He mutters something else I can’t understand, and his words undo me. I give in and kiss him. His lips are a gentle push against mine, and the kiss is so good it hurts. His lips taste like a nectar I want to savor forever. But I can’t. This moment must stay cold and Fostino needs to know this is goodbye for good. Before the kiss intensifies, I pull away and remember my task. The black Humvee full of people waits around the corner. We all must leave soon. They gave me fifteen minutes to make sure this break-up is a clean one. Time is up.
Now.
His eyes lock mine. “Why won’t you tell me what’s really going on?”
Oh no. He can’t know the truth.
Hurt him.
They told me I must end it.Loving me will destroy him. It will destroy everything.
My teeth bite my lip hard on the inside as I search for the words. “It’s — well — we just…we aren’t right for each other. I don’t want you to come after me. We need to end this. This relationship—”
“Whatever. It’s fine. You shouldn’t make stuff up.”Fostino sounds very weary and haggard with each sentence.
I take my keys and slide them into the black wool satchel on my left shoulder. Then I take the deception a step further. “I won’t ever love you, Fostino Ahmed.” The words taste like rusted metal. “I just won’t.”
My hands open the door with purpose. A few steps will take me through an ancient hallway that links this apartment with sixteen others. I push myself through the doorframe and pull the door shut behind me. Then I take the first steps of what I know will be a lifetime of solitary strides. With each step, I sever this connection.
Once outside, I round the corner and slide into the alleyway as the armored vehicle hums a signal. The Humvee’s fat tires set off its flat black paint, tinted windows, silver chrome handles, and a large armored grill on the front and the back. This car is a fortress, made for combat and intimidation. All the cars the government owns mirror this one. I slip inside and sink into black leather.
Soon, we will all leave Harrison Corners, Ohio. This small band of rebels will take me some place. And I don’t care where. I just want to disappear, and need to more than ever. After I close the Humvee door, Thompson speaks first.
“Did he believe you?” Thompson throws the vehicle into gear and drives it down the alley. He gets irritated when I don’t answer right away and runs a thick hand through his long dreadlocks. “Well?”



 S. Celi
About Sara Celi:
New Orleans born Sara Celi has lived all over the United States. She calls the Greater Cincinnati area and the Queen City home.
She's currently a TV reporter and anchor in Oklahoma City, and has spent more than a decade working in journalism. She graduated cum laude from Western Kentucky University in 2004.
Celi is also a contributing author to Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Power of Positive.
The Undesirable is her debut novel.
In her spare time, she likes to read, shop, write, travel, run long distances, volunteer with the Junior League, and fundraise for Cooperative for Education, a non-profit providing educational opportunities for Guatemalan kids.



Author’s Links
Add The Undesirable to your Goodreads list
Sara Celi Twitter: @saragceli
The Undesirable Twitter: @undesirablebook


Friday 25 January 2013

Half-Blood Review

Half-Blood (Covenant, #1)

The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi-pure-bloods-have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals-well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options: become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures. Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1:Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden. Unfortunately, she's crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn't her biggest problem--staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is. If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of suck.

My Review

This book blew my mind.
This work of absolute genius, written by the most amazing author ever, Jennifer Armentrout, made my heart beat at 100mph, and then stop completely within the turn of a page.
Half-Blood is the first book in the 5-book Covenant series, with 2 Novellas. Within 3 days, I read both novellas and the 3 books that have been released so far. I could physically not remove myself from the book, I was unable to put it down once I'd started, I couldn't sleep until I knew what was happening or until I was satisfied that something absolutely crazy wasn't going to erupt within the story.
I've read many reviews about this book, and a lot say that it is "identical" to the Vampire Academy series, however I completely disagree. I have read both the Covenant and the first few books in the Vampire Academy series, and whilst I did enjoy the VA books to an extent, I have to admit it did not fill me with a sense of excitement or joy. The general storyline is sliiiightly similar with regards to the Pure, Half-Blood, Hematoi, Deimon element, however the characters are totally different, and I felt it was easier to relate (although our lives were totally different) to the characters created by Miss Armentrout in Half-Blood. Even the secondary characters grabbed your attention, such as Deacon, Lea, Caleb, Seth (who does become a huuuuge part of all the future books!), Leon, and Kain. They each have their own back-story, and I honestly felt sympathy and hatred towards certain characters, and not once did I feel that one of these people were useless towards the story line, they all added something vitally important, like a secret ingredient in that perfect home-baking recipe!
The lead character, Alex, is sarcastic and edgy and brings out a whole new side of me! She makes me want to be better, to improve, to work harder, and she fills me with a similar feeling that Buffy Summers from Buffy The Vampire Slayer did, in the way that I wanted to learn to fight and be able to protect myself and others around me. Alex was portrayed as both vulnerable and strong simultaneously, and Jennifer's use of Greek Mythology and the twist that happens within the story brings a whole new side to the traditional paranormal-romance/forbidden love books that I read. The forbidden love relationship between the gorgeous, sexy, unbelievable attractive Pure-Blood Aiden and feisty Alex is at moments so intense and overwhelming that you can't help praying that the relationship works out, and you root for them, even though you may want Aiden all to yourself (I know I do!).
Overall, I would recommend this book to anybody; friends, families, book-lovers, and strangers I meet on the street! What a fantastic start, to a FANTASTIC series!



Wednesday 23 January 2013

Be Part Of THE LIST

Calling all bloggers!
Entangled needs you! *points at you*

Be part of The List.

Here's what you need to know:

One of my awesome publicists at Entangled is compiling a list of bloggers.

Here are the requirements:

Do you have a blog?

Do you love to review books?

Do you want access to books before they release?

If your answers to these questions is a resounding "YES" then you're the right blogger for the job.

We want you! Now's a great time to join The List.

If you want to be a part of The List, here's what you have to do:

1. Add Til Death to your Goodreads TBR pile: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16129271-til-death

and

2. Leave the following in the comments section:

a. Your Name

b. Your Blog URL

c. Your Goodreads Name

d. Your Email Address


Priority will be given to those who help spread the word by creating a post on this call for bloggers on their blog. *smiles*

Oh man, I want to be on the list!


Tuesday 22 January 2013

Review of Night School: Legacy

Legacy (Night School, #2)





In the last year, Allie's survived three arrests, two breakups and one family breakdown. The only bright point has been her new life at Cimmeria Academy. It's the one place she's felt she belongs. And the fact that it's brought the dreamy Carter West into her life hasn't hurt...But far from being a safe haven, the cloistered walls of Cimmeria are proving more dangerous than Allie could've imagined. The students, and faculty, are under threat and Allie's family - from her mysterious grandma to her runaway brother - are at the centre of the storm. Allie is going to have to choose between protecting her family and trusting her friends. But secrets have a way of ripping even the strongest relationships apart...

My Review

After reading the first Night School book by C.J.Daugherty, I was filled with eagerness to read the next book in the series, and when it finally arrived on my doorstep on the 7th of December, I could not wait to devour the book.
I finished Night School: Legacy within a matter of hours. The thrilling, fast-paced story captivated my mind and would not unleash me until I had turned the very last page. The story, following the life of sparky Allie Sheridan within the beautiful walls of Cimmeria academy, yet again fulfilled my needs of adventure and romance, combined with my love of private and boarding school novels.
Whilst Allie fell in and out of love, I continued to fall in love with C. J’s characters, especially Sylvain. I personally felt a sense of betrayal along with Allie at certain points in the story, and I shall say no more!
Once I had finished the book, I felt sad and sort of lost, as if I didn’t know what to do now that it was over. Thankfully, the ending indicates that there will be another book released, and I shall wait impatiently for the third instalment of this gripping series! I would recommend this book to friends and families, whether they were teenagers, or adults. It fills all areas of need for a reader, and keeps you wanting more, long after the very last word.

 

Monday 21 January 2013

Brand New for Book Lover

So I'm absolutely 100% brand new at this blogging deal.
After reading over 11 books in the past week, I decided my obsession with books was annoying my family so much that I thought I might try sharing my love with other people similar to me.
My other reason for starting this blog has to do with a series of books I just finished reading. The series was by one of the most GENIUS authors I have had the complete pleasure of discovering. Her name is Jennifer Armentrout, and the series was The Luxen Series, consisting so far of 3 books: Obsidian, Onyx and Opal.
The main female character is called Katy, and she has a book blog called "Katy's Krazy Obsession" where she reviews books that she's read; books that sound like I WOULD LOVE.
Anyway, I shall post a review of one of the books I have read tomorrow, once I've got to grips with this entire blogging thing.
Just a question, how do you get sent ARC for review, or free books for review? Does that actually happen? I hope so! I have spent over £100 on books in the past 2 weeks! Oh Lordy, that's too much ahah.
Anyway, I would love to meet other people similar to me who enjoy books and reading!
Ciao For Now,
Jess. x