Musing Mondays (22)

Musing Mondays is a weekly Meme by Mizb @ Should Be Reading

This weeks musing asks...Tell us what book/s you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those books.

I got three new books in the mail this past week! After featuring Splintered by A.G Howard and Mila 2.0 by Debra Driza in Wishlist Wednesdays over the past couple of weeks, I decided just to get it over with and buy them both. And since I was buying books, I decided to also get Across the Universe by Beth Revis, because I thought it was about time that I read that book as well. 

What about you? What books/s have you recently bought?

Book Review: The Crystal Cave (The Arthurian Saga #1) by Mary Stewart

The Crystal Cave (The Arthurian Saga #1) by Mary Stewart 
Release Date: 6th May 2003

Publisher: Harper Collins 
Format: eBook
Pages: 494
Rating: 4.0/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2013 OTS, 2013 ODY, 2013 EBC and 2013 BSR

Summary from Amazon:

"Born the bastard son of a Welsh princess, Myridden Emrys -- or as he would later be known, Merlin -- leads a perilous childhood, haunted by portents and visions. But destiny has great plans for this no-man's-son, taking him from prophesying before the High King Vortigern to the crowning of Uther Pendragon . . . and the conception of Arthur -- king for once and always."

Review:
For a start, I feel like the name of this series is misleading. For a series named 'The Arthurian Saga', the elusive Arthur himself isn't even born until the end of this novel. Since this story follows Merlin, from his young childhood up until his role beside Uther Pendragon and the birth of Arthur, I feel like this series should be called 'Merlin's Chronicles' or something like that. But, maybe in the second novel, we'll have more of an emphasis on Arthur himself.

That aside, I really enjoyed this book. It took a while to get into at first - Merlin's childhood wasn't all that interesting, and I didn't feel like much was happening. When it all changed for me, I think, was after Merlin's first experience in the crystal cave and that vivid vision he had. There was action, things were happening, it was getting interesting. And then I feel that the book basically continued on the same heightened wavelength right until the end. Every little plot point was interesting, and it all tied in really well with all my preconceived ideas about the characters - I think we've all heard of Merlin before, and I found that I particularly liked the way Merlin was portrayed in this novel.

Overall, a solid read. Maybe there was a bit too much emphasis on Merlin's early childhood for me, but I do understand why it was there - we saw some interesting tidbits about Merlin's family and his powers, things that we needed to know. In the end, I felt like the story was wrapped up pretty well, and I'm not dying to get onto the next novel, but I'm sure I will at some point or another.  

Wishlist Wednesday (5)

Wishlist Wednesday is a weekly Meme hosted at Pen to Paper

This week I'm wishing for...

Pivot Point by Kasie West

Summary from Amazon:
"Knowing the outcome doesn't always make a choice easier. . . .

Addison Coleman's life is one big "What if?" As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It's the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie's parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with—her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the "Norms," or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it's not.

In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school—but she never wanted to be a quarterback's girlfriend. When Addie's father is asked to consult on a murder in the Compound, she's unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she's willing to live through . . . and who she can't live without." 

Why I'm Wishing for It:
This sounds right up my alley. The premise itself is so interesting, and I've not doubt that this book will be amazing if it can pull it off. And it looks like its got almost everything to really get me interested in a book. Set in a dystopian future - check. A bit of the supernatural - check. Love interests - check. Mystery and murder - check. And, I've yet to read a negative review. Fingers crossed that I can get my hands on this beauty soon!

What about you? What are you wishing for this week?

Musing Mondays (21)

Musing Mondays is a weekly Meme by Mizb @ Should Be Reading

This weeks musing asks...Tell us what book/s you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those books.

Just a couple of days ago I received a book I had pre-ordered in the post - The Mystery of Mercy Close by Marian Keyes. I've loved Marian Keyes for years now, and with this latest addition, I now own 10 of her novels. And, this will be the first Marian Keyes novel that I'll review on this blog, which I find exciting since I love these books so much! 

What about you? What books/s have you recently bought?

Book Review: Insurgent (Divergent #2) by Veronica Roth

Insurgent (Divergent #2) by Veronica Roth
Release Date: 1st May 2012

Publisher: Harper Collins
Format: Paperback 
Pages: 525
Rating: 5.0/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2013 OTS, 2013 ODY and 2013 BSR

Summary from Amazon:

"Fighting for survival in a shattered world...the truth is her only hope. The thrillingly dark sequel to New York Times bestseller, DIVERGENT. I have done bad things. I can't take them back, and they are part of who I am. Tris has survived a brutal attack on her former home and family. But she has paid a terrible price. Wracked by grief and guilt, she becomes ever more reckless as she struggles to accept her new future. Yet if Tris wants to uncover the truth about her world, she must be stronger than ever...because more shocking choices and sacrifices lie ahead."

Review:
*Pre-Warning: There are some spoilers in this review for the prequel Divergent. They're pretty small and I've kept them to a minimum, but I felt the need to warn you, just in case*

This was just as good as its predecessor. I pretty much loved everything about this book. We see a different side of Tris, who is struggling after having killed her friend, and her best friends boyfriend, Will; Tris and Four/Tobias have some issues in their relationship; and, something I particularly liked reading about, you learn a bit more about what it means to be Divergent. Tris, who has aptitude for Dauntless, Abnegation and Erudite, has the innate ability to be selfless, fearless, and knowledgeable. The combination of these traits make her, in my opinion, one of the only people who is able to take effective action in this series. She can go into battle and fight fearlessly, but can also think logically and therefore is able to spot problems and solve them, and she's selfless enough to sacrifice herself on more than one occasion. For me, I got to understand a bit more what divergence meant in this world, and why some might be threatened by it.

I also think the plot was particularly good. The story picks up quite literally where we left it in Divergent, so you haven't missed any of the action. We've seen the Abnegation and Dauntless factions in Divergent, and little tidbits from other factions, but we get to see more of Amity, Candor and Erudite, up close and personal. Instead of merely hearing about what life is like in these factions, you get to actually see it as our protagonist spends periods of time at each faction compound at some point in the book. I particularly enjoyed seeing how different factions lived, from how the people acted to something as trivial as the clothing they wore. I liked expanding my knowledge of the factions by having all 5 factions showcased at some point in time in this novel, probably because I'm stockpiling information on all the factions for when it comes time to read the final book in the trilogy, Allegiant, when it's released later this year. 

And I particularly enjoyed the twists in this book - who would have guessed that Tris would get betrayed by someone close to her, and helped by someone she hated. And then, that ending. My word, it is going to be hard to wait for Allegiant's release in October (6 months seems soooo long) and I need to know what happens next!!! Seriously, get your hands on this series if you haven't yet, because it's a must read. 

Movie News: Kate Winslet has a role in Divergent

So, I managed to miss something big that was annouced a month ago - Kate Winslet's role in Divergent. I don't know about you, but for Divergent fans, Winslet's role has been a big ol' mystery. Since it was announced that Winslet was joining the cast, her character has been kept on the downlow, but we all theorised that she would either play Jeanine or Tris' mother Natalie. Well, half of you were right...

SHE'S JEANINE!!! I am sooo excited for this, because I can just see Winslet doing an amazing job in this role. Granted, Kate Winslet would do an amazing job in any role - but I think she is going to smash it as Jeanine.



For those of you now wondering who will play Tris' mother Natalie, that role has gone to Ashley Judd. I personally haven't seen much that Judd has been in, but I know she's a good actor, and I can already see her as Natalie Prior.


So, what do you think of this casting? Excited like I am?

Divergent 3 has a title!

We've all been waiting for this. Veronica Roth has finally revealed what the final book in the Divergent series will be called...

I'm going to be honest, I wasn't expecting Allegiant. I was fully expecting it to be called Convergent, because I thought that fit in well with the other titles, Divergent and Insurgent, but Allegiant it shall be! The book cover is being unveiled in a months time, and Allegiant will be released, as you can see above, on the 22nd October. 

Who's excited for Allegiant (I know I am!). What do you think of the title? What do you think the cover will look like? So super excited for this!

Wishlist Wednesday (4)

Wishlist Wednesday is a weekly Meme hosted at Pen to Paper

This week I'm wishing for...
 

Mila 2.0 by Debra Driza

Summary from Amazon:
"Mila was living with her mother in a small Minnesota town when she discovered she was also living a lie. 

She was never meant to learn the truth about her identity. She was never supposed to remember the past.

Now she has no choice but to run--from the dangerous operatives who want her terminated because she knows too much, and from a mysterious group that wants to capture her alive and unlock her advanced technology. 

Evading her enemies won't help Mila escape the cruel reality of what she is and cope with everything she has had to leave behind. However, what she's becoming is beyond anyone's imagination, including her own, and that just might save her life." 

Why I'm Wishing for It:
This is another one of those books that I have yet to hear a bad thing about. And the blurb sounds so interesting - right up my alley. And that cover! I need to get this - asap!

What about you? What are you wishing for this week?

Musing Mondays (20)

Musing Mondays is a weekly Meme by Mizb @ Should Be Reading

This weeks musing asks...Tell us what book/s you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those books.

Just a couple of days ago I bought Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi, the sequel to Shatter Me {review}. I read Shatter Me last year and I absolutely loved it, so it was only a matter of time before I got my hands on the sequel!

What about you? What books/s have you recently bought?

Movie News: Catching Fire Teaser Trailer

The Catching Fire Trailer premiered at the MTV movie award today and it. is. brilliant. Catching Fire was my favourite of the three novels, and the first film was brilliant, so here's hoping the second will be even better!

Book Review: The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks

The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks
Release Date: 16th September 2003

Publisher: Baker and Taylor
Format: eBook
Pages: 288
Rating: 3.5/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2013 OTS, 2013 ODY and 2013 EBC 

Summary from Amazon:
"The Zombie Survival Guide is your key to survival against the hordes of undead who may be stalking you right now. Fully illustrated and exhaustively comprehensive, this book covers everything you need to know, including how to understand zombie physiology and behavior, the most effective defense tactics and weaponry, ways to outfit your home for a long siege, and how to survive and adapt in any territory or terrain.

Top 10 Lessons for Surviving a Zombie Attack 

1. Organize before they rise! 
2. They feel no fear, why should you?
3. Use your head: cut off theirs.
4. Blades don’t need reloading.
5. Ideal protection = tight clothes, short hair.
6. Get up the staircase, then destroy it. 
7. Get out of the car, get onto the bike.
8. Keep moving, keep low, keep quiet, keep alert!
9. No place is safe, only safer. 
10. The zombie may be gone, but the threat lives on. 

Don’t be carefree and foolish with your most precious asset—life. This book is your key to survival against the hordes of undead who may be stalking you right now without your even knowing it. The Zombie Survival Guide offers complete protection through trusted, proven tips for safeguarding yourself and your loved ones against the living dead. It is a book that can save your life."

Review:
This was interesting to read. It messed with my head a little bit, because it's set out like a non-fiction book, under the guise of being completely factual, that aims to help you prepare for the impending zombie apocalypse. In fact, many parts of this book are actually completely factual - descriptions of weapons, transport, and dwellings are all factual, but their descriptions are just zombified - ideal weapons for fighting zombies, ideal transport for getting away from zombies, and ideal buildings to shack up in during a zombie attack.

At first, it was a little hard for me to get into this book. Because it is written in the style of a non-fiction guide, its kinda boring at the beginning. When we started getting into detailed descriptions of different weapons and how they can be used, and then the same thing for transport, and dwellings, and areas that you might want to live or hunt in; it was just a tad boring. If you take out the minimal zombie reference, its just a description of loads of different weapons, and transport, and dwellings, etc - not the most enthalling stuff to read about.

But, I got more interested towards the end with the 'documented zombie attacks'. It was interesting, and funny, to read about all these different times in history where zombies could plausibly be added to the picture. I have to say, a lot of research must have gone into this book, and for that I have to give it props. Overall, it took a while for me to get into it, but I did enjoy it. 

Wishlist Wednesday (3)

Wishlist Wednesday is a weekly Meme hosted at Pen to Paper

This week I'm wishing for...
 

Splintered by A.G. Howard 

Summary from Amazon:
"This stunning debut captures the grotesque madness of a mystical under-land, as well as a girl’s pangs of first love and independence. Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers—precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.

When her mother’s mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying reality. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There, Alyssa must pass a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice’s tears, waking the slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice’s mistakes and save her family. She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own."

Why I'm Wishing for It:

I have yet to hear a bad word about this book. I've seen heaps of reviews for this and not one negative thing has been said. Plus, this is a retelling of the classic Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, and at the moment I am obsessed with books that take classic stories and add a twist to them, and this twist just sounds so damn interesting! Hopefully I can get my hands on this soon. 

What about you? What are you wishing for this week?

Book Review: The Host (The Host #1) by Stephenie Meyer

The Host (The Host #1) by Stephenie Meyer
Release Date: 6th May 2006

Publisher: Little Brown Books 
Format: eBook
Pages: 619
Rating: 5.0/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2013 OTS, 2013 ODY, 2013 EBC and 2013 BSR

Summary from Amazon:
"Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. 

Our world has been invaded by an unseen enemy that takes over the minds of human hosts while leaving their bodies intact. But Wanderer, the invading "soul" who occupies Melanie's body, finds its former tenant refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.

As Melanie fills Wanderer's thoughts with visions of Jared, a human who lives in hiding, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she's never met. Soon Wanderer and Melanie-reluctant allies-set off to search for the man they both love.

Featuring one of the most unusual love triangles in literature, THE HOST is a riveting and unforgettable novel about the persistence of love and the essence of what it means to be human."

Review:
Today I'm going to keep this review short and sweet. Put simply, I really, really enjoyed this book - waaaaay more than I expected I would (I think we can put that down to the stigma surrounding Stephenie Meyer these days). I loved almost everything about this book - the premise especially drew me it. Aliens invade earth to use humans as host bodies - what doesn't sound interesting about that?

Before starting this book, the only characters I really knew about were Melanie and Jared. I didn't know, or expect, that the story would be told from Wanda's point of view - but I really enjoyed it. It was interesting to read about how Wanda saw our world, how her opinions changed over time. Same thing with Melanie - it was interesting to have her as the complete opposite of Wanda in the beginning, and then see how she changes as the story progresses. 

One thing I feel like I need to stress is that THERE IS NO LOVE TRIANGLE. Don't be fooled by the blurbs claim, there is no love triangle, so don't decide not to read this book soley based on this reason. Also, I've heard that the movie isn't that great either. So if you were thinking of reading the book but then changed your mind after seeing the movie, reconsider - the book is always better than the movie!

Wishlist Wednesday (2)

Wishlist Wednesday is a weekly Meme hosted at Pen to Paper

This week I'm wishing for...
 

The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Summary from Amazon:
There is none!

Why I'm Wishing for It:

I am obsessed with the Mara Dyer series. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer {review} was fan-freaking-tastic, totally not what I was expecting. And then, Hodkin upped the anti with The Evolution of Mara Dyer {review}. Now I'm eagerly awaiting the release of the third and final instalment later this year. I don't even have a blurb and the waiting is killing me!

What about you? What are you wishing for this week?

Musing Mondays (19)

Musing Mondays is a weekly Meme by Mizb @ Should Be Reading

This weeks musing asks...Do you have a bookish rant? Share it with us!
 

Last Friday I put up my review for Uglies, and it got me to thinking about annoying characters. And I don't just mean those characters you love to hate, but the one's that you just find irritating, bothersome and sometimes just infuriating. So today, for my bookish rant, I thought I'd rant about some characters that have seriously annoyed me of late. 




Lets start with Shay from Uglies, since she is the inspiration for this rant. Surely I'm not the only person who found her annoying. At first, I thought she was alright - a good friend for Tally to have. But that quickly wore off. The tantrum she threw about Tally and David was so petty and juvenile, that anything she did after just bugged me. 





Next, Sir Thomas from Newes from the Dead. This guy has stuck with me for a while, just because I found him so irritating. Being the closest thing to a bad guy in this novel, I get that we're not supposed to like him, but I think Hooper might have taken it a tad to far this time. Sir Thomas was sooo annoying I had to skip through any dialogue he had, I just couldn't read it. 




Delaney from Fracture. I don't think Delaney actually did anything in this book. I don't remember her taking any action, besides thinking that hooking up with her crazy stalker was a good idea, which, if you've read this book, you know was a very, very bad idea. 






Lastly, everyone in The Carrier of the Mark. Literally every single character in this novel annoyed me in some way or another. Only now looking back on the book do I realise how much they all annoyed me. Especially our leads Megan and Adam, who suffer from an extreme case of insta-love. Maybe these characters suffered with a complicated back story that required lots of info dumps and a convoluted plot, either way, I didn't like them.

Right I think that's enough ranting for one day. What about you? Are there any characters that really bother/annoy/irritate you?