Definitely Satisfied My Hunger!

Review: The Hunger Games Series
Author: Suzanne Collins
Genre: Young Adult, Adventure
Page Count: Hunger Games 384 Pages, Catching Fire 400 Pages, Mockingjay 400 Pages
Rating: 5/5

Book One’s Description:

The Hunger Games takes place in an unidentified future time period after the destruction of North America, in a nation known as Panem. Panem consists of a wealthy Capitol and twelve surrounding, poorer districts. As punishment for a previous rebellion against the Capitol, every year one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 from each district are selected at random and forced to participate in the Hunger Games, a televised event where the participants, or "tributes", must fight to the death in a dangerous outdoor arena until only one remains.

My Review:

There was a lot of hype surrounding this series and I had people everywhere telling me to read them. Of course me being a baby when it comes to cliffhanger endings, I paced sat waiting patiently to read them back-to-back.

Result: Favorite series of the year! I think I would have loved reading them as they came out as well, but it was great getting lost in the story and not having to wait to find out how it all ended!

The dystopian society was totally believable and set a perfect backdrop for Katniss’ story. I won’t give too much away but here are the things I loved most about this series:

1) Katniss; she's strong, self-sacrificing, and smart. She's a confident and bad-ass female lead that had me wishing I had that kind of strength.

2) Panem; the world that was created for these characters to live (and die) in was brimming with details, bringing it to life for the reader. Suzanne didn’t skimp out on anything. Every aspect of the world; from the districts, to the Capitol, and especially the arenas was laid out so beautifully (even the grimy parts) that I was submerged into the atmosphere of the story and couldn’t stop thinking about it even once I put the last book down.

3) The portrayal of the people from the Capitol; they weren’t all bloodthirsty monsters. The “bad guys” didn’t always know that what they were doing was wrong. Suzanne portrayed a very (in my opinion) realistic view of how far from humanity people can go when blinded by the propaganda and fear-conditioning of a controlling government or leadership.

You'll like this series if you liked:

Uglies Series by Scott Westerfeld, Nineteen Eighty Four by George Orwell, or The Seven Kingdoms Trilogy by Kristin Cashore.

My Rating: 5/5

Sunday Top 5: Sexiest Heroes

Today, I'm participating for the first time in the meme on Larissa´s Bookish Life:

Rules:

1 - Write a post listing your TOP 5 choices within the theme I chose (or was chosen on a poll) for the week.

2 - Mention this (Larissa's) Blog on the post and link back to it.

3 - Feel free to use the Feature's image

4 - After you've finished your post, add your link (of the post, not your blog's main page) to the Mr.Linky at the end of that week's post.

This week’s theme is Top 10 Sexiest Book Heroes!

Here are my top 10:

1) Edward (Twilight by Stephenie Meyer)

2) Damon (Vampire Diaries by L.J. Smith)

3) Jace (Shifters Series by Rachel Vincent)

4) Ash (Iron Fey Series by Julie Kagawa)

5) Eric (Southern Vampire Mysteries by Charlaine Harris)

6) Quinn (Riley Jensen Guardian Series by Keri Arthur)

7) Po (Graceling by Kristin Cashore)

8) Jace (Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare)

9) Seth (Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr)

10) The Brothers (Black Dagger Brotherhood by J.R Ward) - I know that's cheating but I couldn't choose.

What are your favs? Join in on the fun!

Graceling = Amazing!

Title: Graceling,
Author: Kristin Cashore
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Adventure, Fantasy
Page Count: 480
Rating: 5/5

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight—she’s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug. When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change:
She never expects to become Po’s friend. She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace—or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away.... A secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.
With elegant, evocative prose and a cast of unforgettable characters, debut author Kristin Cashore creates a mesmerizing world, a death-defying adventure, and a heart-racing romance that will consume you, hold you captive, and leave you wanting more.

My Review:

I loved almost everything about this book. It was an epic journey with a colourful cast of characters that kept me glued to the very end.

I forgot how much I loved journey books until I was reading Graceling and got totally caught up in Katsa's adventure. The world Kristin created through crossing the different landscapes and kingdoms was captivating. The character's were wonderful, I cheered for the heroes and hated the villains.

The only thing that I wasn't thrilled about was the ending, because I'm a HEA type of girl (preferably with everything all wrapped up with a bow on top), but it totally fit with the characters and the story so I'll embrace it as it is.

Favorite character by far was Po. For the obvious - hot boy with sword, but also because he wasn't threatened by other people being stronger than him. He was sure of who he was, and that complimented his strengths but didn't take away from the strengths of others. My favorite Po quote, “It humbles me. But it doesn't humiliate me.”

The sequel “Fire” is already out and features a new set of characters in the same world and the 3rd book, “Bitterblue” is due to be release September 2011.

You'll like this series if you liked:

An older Narnia or Lord of the Rings, Lament by Maggie Stiefvater, and Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins 

My Rating: 5/5

Well I may be slow but I didn't see that coming...

Review: The Demon's Lexicon / The Demon's Covenant
Author: Sarah Rees Brennan
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
Page Count: Book 1 – 336, Book 2 - 448
Rating: 4.5/5

Book 1 Description:

Nick and his brother, Alan, have spent their lives on the run from magic. Their father was murdered, and their mother was driven mad by magicians and the demons who give them power. The magicians are hunting the Ryves family for a charm that Nick's mother stole -- a charm that keeps her alive -- and they want it badly enough to kill again.
Danger draws even closer when a brother and sister come to the Ryves family for help. The boy wears a demon's mark, a sign of death that almost nothing can erase...and when Alan also gets marked by a demon, Nick is desperate to save him. The only way to do that is to kill one of the magicians they have been hiding from for so long. Ensnared in a deadly game of cat and mouse, Nick starts to suspect that his brother is telling him lie after lie about their past. As the magicians' Circle closes in on their family, Nick uncovers the secret that could destroy them all.
This is the Demon's Lexicon. Turn the page.

My Review:

I just finished the first two books in this trilogy; The Demon’s Lexicon and The Demon’s Covenant. The third book comes out summer 2011 and as of yet does not have a title.

In this world there are mainly three types of people; people with no magic, people who are happy with what magic they have, and magicians that strive to get more and more power by sacrificing people to demons. Creepy and compelling, you’re pulled into the world of the powerless fighting against the powerful.

This series is fast paced and original. Some have said they saw the twists coming but I was totally thrown and loved it, I love being taken by surprise. Just when I thought I knew what was going to happen it veered in a totally different direction.

Nick is the narrator in the first book and he’s not very likable at all, but I kind of liked that as well, it was different. He’s mean and cutthroat, every bit the tough guy, but that’s what I’d expect of someone’s who’s been fighting for his life since he was a toddler. It also allowed you to really see the contrast with the other main characters, emphasizing their innocence and softness.

I didn’t love the first book but then the second was awesome and actually made me like the first one better. The second book switches to a different narrator and it made a huge difference to the story. I can’t wait for the last book to find out how this story ends, it’s bound to surprise me I’m sure.

You'll like this series if you liked:

The Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare, Darkest Powers Series by Kelley Armstrong, or Soul Screamers Series by Rachel Vincent.

My Rating: 4.5/5

My Love of Linger, by Maggie Stiefvater

Title: Linger
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
Page Count: 368
Rating: 5/5
The sequel to Shiver and the second book in the Wolves of Mercy Falls series.

The Longing.
Once Grace and Sam have found each other, they know that they must fight to stay together.
For Sam, this means a reckoning with his werewolf past. For Grace, it means facing a future that is less and less certain.
The Loss.
Into their world comes a new wolf named Cole, whose past is full of hurt and danger. He is
wrestling with his own demons embracing the life of a wolf, while denying the ties of being human.
The Linger.
For Grace, Sam, and Cole, life is a constant struggle between two forces --
wolf and human -- with love baring its two sides as well. It is harrowing and
euphoric, freeing and entrapping, enticing and alarming. As their world falls apart,
love is what lingers. But will it be enough?

My Review:

First off; Shiver is one of my all time favorite books, so I went into Linger with HIGH expectations. I actually only read the first 2 chapters over the span of a week (definitely not normal for me) because I was too afraid that I wouldn’t like where the story went after Shiver. I’m not going to give away anything for those who haven’t read it yet, so all I’ll say is that I am glad that I read it.

Grace and Sam continue their journey after the winter that almost claimed Sam for good. Now they have to deal with the loss of Beck and Jack, and the gain of the new wolves that have been left behind.

This is how we are introduced to Cole. Cole is one of the new wolves, and in Linger we get to read from his and Isabel’s perspectives as well. It adds a whole new flavor to the book. They brought sarcasm, sass and a whole other element to the story that filled in the corners perfectly.

Cole is determined to stay wolf, while Sam convinces himself that he’s really going to stay human, and Isabel is struggling with Jacks death while Grace is fighting to live.

I laughed, I cried and I let out a big frustrated sigh at the last page knowing I had to wait too long for the last book (Forever) to hit the shelves.

If you liked;

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater, The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare, The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer, Need by Carrie Jones, or The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (or so I’m told I’m staring that series next week) this book/series should be on your TBR shelf.

My Rating: 5/5

Along For The Ride

Title: Along For The Ride,
Author: Sarah Dessen
Genre: Young Adult
Page Count: 400
Rating: 4/5

Auden is an 18 year old girl who has lived her life striving for excellence in the shadow of her intelligent and successful mother. She is spending the summer with her father and his new wife and baby in the hopes of finally experiencing life before she goes to college. Being self-sufficient her whole life may have taught her many things but surviving the real world wasn’t one of them.

My Review:

I love Sarah Dessen’s writing; she tells great young love stories that are true and real. This one wasn’t my favorite of her books but I still quite enjoyed it. She brought in a lot of previous characters from other books, which was a nice treat. And she once again captured love and heartbreak and new beginnings.

I liked Auden a lot, she was a strong character and I loved her progression throughout the book. The parents drove me crazy, and I frequently wanted Auden to just flip out and scream at them, but of course that would not have been her personality at all.

One of my favorite things about this book was the idea that “smart” or “successful” didn’t mean dull and boring. There were characters that were girly or sporty but they weren’t stereotypical at all.

If you liked;

Keeping the Moon (The Truth About Forever, or any other of her books) by Sarah Dessen, The Last Summer of You and Me by Ann Brashares, My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult, or The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks you might want to check this one out.

My Rating: 4/5

The Iron Daughter

Review: The Iron Daughter,
Author: Julie Kagawa
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
Page Count: 304
Rating: 5/5

*Received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

*spoilers* if you haven’t read The Iron King you might want to skip this review. Just know that it was awesome and you should go out and get The Iron King right now!

Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere.
Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen.
As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron Fey, iron-bound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen.
But no one believes her.
Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off.
She's alone in Faery with only her wits for help.
Trusting anyone would be foolish.
Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly.
But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.

My Review:

This is the second novel in The Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa. There is also a Novella that falls between The Iron King and The Iron Daughter called Winter’s Passage. I have thoroughly enjoyed all three books and would highly recommend them.

In Iron Daughter; Meghan is stuck in Unseelie territory, without hope of escape. Ash has distanced himself from her, and there is a war brewing. Meghan must face her fears and fight for not only her life, but for all of Faery. New and old alliances are formed in Meghan’s fight against the Iron Fey.

The book was full of adventure and humor, and the love story had me glued to the very end. The characters are awesome, just as in the first book. I love Grim! And the world of faery is so beautifully terrible; you hate to see Meghan leave, but dread her being stuck there as well. I’m a sucker for good endings and I was happy with this one. Of course there were a few foreshadowing moments that promise that Meghan’s journey is far from over. I want to see more of Ash’s doppelganger and the rest of the Iron fey.

I am solidly team Ash, but I can 100% understand team Puck, this was a hard one for me to choose sides on. I can’t wait for The Iron Queen!

If you liked; 

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr, Need by Carrie Jones, or A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray this series is right up your alley.