Thursday, September 30, 2010

Book Blogger Hop!

Welcome to the Hop this week! It's hosted by Crazy-For-Books!

Book Blogger Hop

If you found me through the blog hop, be sure to let me know! Leave your links too so I can stop you your blog as well. :D

This Week's Question:

How do you spread the word about your blog?
(e.g. Social Networking sites, Book Blog Directories, comments on other blogs...)
When I first started blogging, I tried everything I knew of to make others aware of my blog. I created a Twitter account (follow me here!). I'm also part of the Young Adult Book Blog Directory. I have to say that the biggest way to help me gain followers and meet other awesome bloggers was from the Blog Hop! I was amazed by how fast I started accumulating followers when I starting joining this! It's such a great way to spread the word about new blogs and to meet other bloggers. Now that I know a lot of bloggers, I don't join every week, but I do occasionally because I still love to discover new things!

Now, some news!
Very soon (later today or tomorrow) I will be announcing an event that will be hosted right here at Book Infinity! It's going to be very exciting, so be sure to come back and check that out soon. (HINT: There will be FREE STUFF! So be sure to come back and check it out!)
Happy Hopping!

Book Blogger Hop!

Welcome to the Hop this week! It's hosted by Crazy-For-Books!

Book Blogger Hop

If you found me through the blog hop, be sure to let me know! Leave your links too so I can stop you your blog as well. :D

This Week's Question:

How do you spread the word about your blog?
(e.g. Social Networking sites, Book Blog Directories, comments on other blogs...)
When I first started blogging, I tried everything I knew of to make others aware of my blog. I created a Twitter account (follow me here!). I'm also part of the Young Adult Book Blog Directory. I have to say that the biggest way to help me gain followers and meet other awesome bloggers was from the Blog Hop! I was amazed by how fast I started accumulating followers when I starting joining this! It's such a great way to spread the word about new blogs and to meet other bloggers. Now that I know a lot of bloggers, I don't join every week, but I do occasionally because I still love to discover new things!

Now, some news!
Very soon (later today or tomorrow) I will be announcing an event that will be hosted right here at Book Infinity! It's going to be very exciting, so be sure to come back and check that out soon. (HINT: There will be FREE STUFF! So be sure to come back and check it out!)
Happy Hopping!

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Waiting On Wednesday: The Marbury Lens by Andrew Smith


Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine.

This is what I'm "waiting on" this week:

The Marbury Lens by Andrew Smith

Sixteen-year-old Jack gets drunk and is in the wrong place at the wrong time. He is kidnapped. He escapes, narrowly. The only person he tells is his best friend, Conner. When they arrive in London as planned for summer break, a stranger hands Jack a pair of glasses. Through the lenses, he sees another world called Marbury.
There is war in Marbury. It is a desolate and murderous place where Jack is responsible for the survival of two younger boys. Conner is there, too. But he’s trying to kill them.
Meanwhile, Jack is falling in love with an English girl, and afraid he’s losing his mind.
Conner tells Jack it’s going to be okay.
But it’s not.


Release Date: Nov. 9 2010

This one looks interesting! I'm excited to read it. The summary is a bit mysterious, but sounds like it has a lot of potential for a unique story.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Book Review: What I Learned From Being a Cheerleader by Adrianne Ambrose

Title: What I Learned From Being a Cheerleader
Author: Adrianne Ambrose
Series: none
Publisher: Bell Bridge Books
Release Date: July 1 2010
My Source: Recieved from publisher

My Rating: 3.5/5

Eleven-year-old Elaine Rewitzer is funny, smart and happy being a geek, but when she wins a spot on the Cross Creek Middle School Buccaneers cheerleading squad, she gets totally into her new life. Her mega-brain best friend Bethany warns that Elaine will just become "part of the herd," and her best geek-guy-pal, Tim, (who‛s struggling with nose polyps) feels forgotten. Will Elaine survive the roller coaster of pre-teen cheerleader fame? Will she win the heart of the cutest boy on the basketball team? Will she confess her "uncool" love for comic books? Will she lose Bethany and Tim‛s friendship for-evah? AND WHEN WILL SHE GET HER POM POMS???

*note: This book is Middle Grade level.

It's been awhile since I picked up a Middle Grade book, but I decided to give this one a try because I remember how a few short years ago I used to love books like this. What I Learned From Being a Cheerleader is no exception. It's a cute and funny story that I think would've definitely entertained me when I was younger. I really liked Elaine- she was a great main character who I could relate to if I was her age.

The book is told in diary-style format, and Elaine likes to give random information, such as telling us where she's writing it, or what exact time it is. I found these details made the book seem very real. She was very dramatic, as any 11-year-old girl is, and I found my diary from sixth grade would've looked a lot like hers.

If you're interested in serious, thought-provoking literature, you'd probably have the sense to skip this book. But I would definitely recommend it to any younger readers just looking for a quick story. It didn't take me very long to get through and I'm glad I read it!

Buy from Amazon:

Monday, September 27, 2010

Forever by Maggie Stiefvater Cover Reveal!

Maggie Stiefvater revealed the cover of Forever, the third and final book in The Wolves of Mercy Falls Series (the sequel to Shiver and Linger!)


Isn't it fantastic? I'm guessing all the words will be in dark red, which will be exciting!

I'll admit, I have yet to read Linger, even though I really liked Shiver. I'm not rushing to read it since I know that I'll just want to read the next one afterwards! I own Linger, so I'll make sure to read it before Forever comes out!

You can pre-order a signed copy of Forever here (http://www.fountainbookstore.com/autograph-maggie).

At Maggie's blog, she's holding a contest to win some awesome Shiver/Linger merchandise, so go over there and check that out too!

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Week In Review

No In My Mailbox this week, because I haven't gotten anything! It's a bit sad, actually. But it's been another busy week.

Week In Review:

Reviews Posted:
Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Currently Reading:
The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
What I Learned From Being A Cheerleader by Adrianne Ambrose

Reviews Coming Soon:
The Iron King by Julie Kagawa (almost finished with it!)

Upcoming Reads For This Week:
Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken


Saturday, September 25, 2010

Some Wicked Sweet Contests Going On...

There's a lot of new long awaited books being released right now, and there's also a lot of exciting contests happening where you can win some great books! These are just a few I'm entering that have some awesome prizes, so I'm spreading the word!

Literary Cravings: Torment and Ascendent ARC giveaway ends 10/6

Down the Rabbit Hole: 100+ Followers Giveaway ends 10/8

Awakened Giveaway from Ednah Walters ends 9/30

Shut Up! I'm Reading!: A Contest of Epic Proportions! ends 10/17

Carol's Prints: Speak and The Mockingbirds ends 9/26

Lost For Words Birthday Giveaway ends 10/8

And at Princess Bookie, there's not only one contest going on, but a Contest Craze! Check it out here. Ends 10/10.

So go enter these awesome contests and happy reading!

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Book Review: Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Title: Paranormalcy
Author: Kiersten White
Series: Paranormalcy #1
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: August 31 2010
My Source: Borrowed from a friend

My Rating: 4.5/5



Goodreads Summary:

Weird as it is working for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, Evie's always thought of herself as normal. Sure, her best friend is a mermaid, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can see through paranormals' glamours, but still. Normal.

Only now paranormals are dying, and Evie's dreams are filled with haunting voices and mysterious prophecies. She soon realizes that there may be a link between her abilities and the sudden rash of deaths. Not only that, but she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.

So much for normal.


My Review:

There's so many amazing things I could say about this book, that I don't even know where to begin! If this review doesn't make this book sound interesting to you, read it anyway, because there's a whole lot of great stuff I don't even have room to mention!

The world of Paranormalcy is much like our own, except all paranormal creatures exist, they just hide themselves under "glamours". I've seen this before, but that didn't stop this book from having it's own unique twist. Evie is the only one who can see through glamours. So the IPCA- International Paranormal Containment Agency- puts her to work. The agency was such an interesting idea! It was basically a government agency that regulated paranormals, and "neutralized" them so they couldn't attack. Hilarious, but at the same time, it was a bit corrupt, as we see later, and played a key and interesting part in the plot.
Evie is a really entertaining character. Unlike other girl heroines in books I've read recently, she's girly, but she's also not afraid to kick butt. Her taser is pink with sparkles. That pretty much sums up her personality. She's such a real girl too, and she is so much fun to read about. It never gets boring. I liked Evie a lot and I could really relate to her too.

The romance isn't the whole focus of the book, but I really loved it. It wasn't one of those situations where an ordinary girl meets a "to die for" guy and they fall madly and passionately in love. Those are okay and they have their place, but this book wasn't like that. On the other hand, it wasn't like a lot of other books I've been reading recently, where the guy and girl are best friends for a long time and they eventually realize they're really in love. (Once again, that's great, but it's nice to see something different.) In Paranormalcy, Evie meets a teenage guy, and eventually they fell in love, but the romance between them was so cute and naive. It was exactly what I'd love to have in a romance if I were Evie. Neither of them had been in love before, and it's like they were growing up together, learning what it meant to love somebody together. It was so adorable and innocent and I really loved it. Not to mention he was a super cool guy character too. The relationship was great and it made me squeal a few time, no lie. :)

The actual conflict seemed like a background to the fantastic characters. Evie finds out there's a fairy prophecy about her, and a lot of paranormal creatures are dying and no one knows why. I actually thought the plot was the only drawback to this book, because even though I liked it, I thought it was a bit confusing and more time could've been spent explaining it. We still had no clue what was going on through most of the book. That's why it felt like it was only in the background. I hate to say it, but the conflict wasn't exactly were epic either. No huge ordeals or anything. I'm not saying that this book would've been better if there had been. It wouldn't have. This book was meant to be a light, fun story even though it had some dark creatures. It was great the way it was. I think that the plot was why it only got a 4.5 rating from me. I considered giving this book a 5 rating, but that's rare, and I believe a book should be a bit more "epic" and have more plot twists to become one of my true favorites.

I still loved Paranormalcy, though! If the previous explanation is in any way confusing (as I know it might be), just ignore it.

I also wanted to point out how clean this book was. No cussing, or adult content, yet still an amazing book. It's nice to find books like this. Sometimes they're hard to come by sometimes even in the young adult market.

Paranormalcy is a one-of-a-kind book, full of magic and intrigue, with a brilliant heroine and perfectly adorable romance. I can't wait for the next book to come out. Paranormalcy has a great cover too. What a fantastic debut!

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Waiting On Wednesday: Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen

It's been a little while since I've done one of these, but there's a paticular book I'm excited about that I wanted to share. Waiting On Wednesday is hosted by Breaking The Spine.

Title: Bright Young Things
Author: Anna Godbersen
Release Date: Oct. 26 2010

Goodreads Summary:
Letty Larkspur and Cordelia Grey escaped their small Midwestern town for New York's glittering metropolis. All Letty wants is to see her name in lights, but she quickly discovers Manhattan is filled with pretty girls who will do anything to be a star...

Cordelia is searching for the father she's never known, a man as infamous for his wild parties as he is for his shadowy schemes. Overnight, she enters a world more thrilling and glamorous than she ever could have imagined—and more dangerous. It's a life anyone would kill for...and someone will.

The only person Cordelia can trust is Astrid Donal, a flapper who seems to have it all: money, looks, and the love of Cordelia's brother, Charlie. But Astrid's perfect veneer hides a score of family secrets.

Across the vast lawns of Long Island, in the illicit speakeasies of Manhattan, and on the blindingly lit stages of Broadway, the three girls' fortunes will rise and fall—together and apart. From the New York Times bestselling author of The Luxe comes an epic new series set in the dizzying last summer of the Jazz Age.


I really enjoyed The Luxe series and I'm excited for this new series! I love the time period- the 20s. And there's not a whole lot of books being written about that time, so it's really awesome. I'm waiting for this book to come out!

Monday, September 20, 2010

Book Review: Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Title: Clockwork Angel
Author: Cassandra Clare
Series: The Infernal Devices #1
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Release Date: August 31 2010
My Source: Bought
My Rating: 5/5


Goodreads Summary:
When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.
Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own.
Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by—and torn between—two best friends: Jem, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length...everyone, that is, but Tessa.
As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world...and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

This was the start of another fantastic series by Cassandra Clare. It's the prequel to The Mortal Instruments series, which I really loved. The best part about this book was that no matter where I was, I could pick up this book and instantly get lost in it. It was nearly impossible to put down, and I felt so attatched to the characters as I was reading it. There was not a moment I felt was slow or boring. It just kept going. I love Clare's fantasy world of Shadow Hunters and Downworlders (you'll have to read the book to get all of the details). The fantasy is so rich and detailed and I really enjoy reading about it in TMI, and again in this new series. It's so facinating I just couldn't stop reading!

People are going to and already have been comparing Clockwork Angel to TMI series. I'll admit, once I finish the book and think about it again, I realize there are a lot of similaries, but it didn't bother me at all while I was reading it. A lot of the characters easily match up to having similar personality descriptions to those of Clare's previous series, but they were in a different setting, so I think it was different enough. I actually found I liked Tessa a lot more than Clary, she's a bit tougher, and there were things about Clary I disliked, though I can't give them away unless you've read that series first.
Will and Jem were both amazing guy characters. They were very, very different, but still good friends. Tessa's relationship with each of them was different, but I enjoyed hearing about both of them. I don't even know which one I would rather Tessa be with. I can't wait to find out more about them later in the series!

I would recommend you read the City of Bones series before reading Clockwork Angel, but it's not required. You could read The Infernal Devices without any prior knowledge of TMI and it might be a completely different experience than I had, but it would still be just as good. I was surprised that it took me two weeks to get through this book because it was so good, just it was long and I read a couple other short books in between. Looking back it amazes me why I ever put this book down even for a second! I loved it, and I will continue to read anything Cassandra Clare writes because she's an amazing writer!

Sunday, September 19, 2010

In My Mailbox (8)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi, The Story Siren.

Here's what I got this week:
























From the Library:

The Line by Teri Hall
Guardian of the Gate by Michelle Zink (see my review of Prophecy of the Sisters here)

So, not too much for me, but I haven't had a ton of time to read either. School... :( I'm trying to keep up with school work and regularly posting, but I hardly spend any time on the computer for fun, so I don't get to come up with much to post! Anyway, I should stop complaining about my lack of free time, it seems like it's all I ever talk about. :)

Week In Review:

Reviews I Posted:

Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers
Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

Currently Reading:
Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Reviews Coming Soon:

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare


Happy Reading! :D

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Book Review: Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

Title: Sisters Red
Author: Jackson Pearce
Series: Sisters Red #1
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Release Date: June 7 2010
My Source: Library
My Rating: 4.5/5

Goodreads Summary:
Scarlett March lives to hunt the Fenris-- the werewolves that took her eye when she was defending her sister Rosie from a brutal attack. Armed with a razor-sharp hatchet and blood-red cloak, Scarlett is an expert at luring and slaying the wolves. She's determined to protect other young girls from a grisly death, and her raging heart will not rest until every single wolf is dead.
Rosie March once felt her bond with her sister was unbreakable. Owing Scarlett her life, Rosie hunts fiercely alongside her. Now Rosie dreams of a life beyond the wolves and finds herself drawn to Silas, a young woodsman who is deadly with an ax-- but loving him means betraying her sister and has the potential to destroy all they've worked for.

This book is an awesome story about two sisters- Scarlett and Rosie- who are very close and live their lives to hunt werewolves that plague the world, called the Fenris. Unlike other werewolf stories I've read recently, the Fenris souless and completely vicious. Once you turn into one, there is no redemption. The mythology was also unique, because not everyone could turn into one, and a lot of the book is spent figuring out what makes a person turn into a Fenris.

Scarlett, one of the two main characters in the book, lost her eye fighting a Fenris who was after her grandmother when she was younger, and ever since then has dedicated her life to fighting the Fenris. It's what she does, and she's an independent, strong character. Rosie, the other sister, fights the Fenris with Scarlett, but at the same time, desires a life outside of simply being a hunter. Even so, she's still a crazy good hunter with a mind of her own. The third character is Silas, Scarlett's long time childhood friend and hunting partner. There is a lot of romance between Silas and Rosie, which is cute and well done. He's the best friend/perfect guy, who isn't the focus of the book, but it there on the side for Rosie's part of the book.

I thought Scarlett was a great character, and I found myself admiring her in so many ways. She was willing to give up just about everything for a cause she believed in was right. She also really cared for Rosie, but struggled with allowing her to become her own person at the same time. Scarlett was my favorite character and I really enjoyed reading about her, I identified with her sometimes, also being an older sister. I felt really bad for her throughout the book, but not in an annoying, pitiful way. She certainly didn't spend time feeling sorry for herself. Her passion was the hunt, I admired how she stuck with it and truly believed in it, even though it made her personality seem sharper, and I can see why some people reading this might not like Scarlett as much or identify with her at all. I think it would've been nice to see her get a little bit of romance in her life, because nobody truly wants to be alone. By the end of this book I started to feel like Scarlett was really one of my best friends.

It took me a little while to really get into this book and start enjoying it. I thought the beginning was slow, and nothing really happened for almost 100 pages, except a couple of decent (but a bit boring) fight scenes. After the beginning, once the plot started going, I loved it. There was a great plot twist, which I sort of saw coming, but it was still really great. The action scenes are well dispersed and very well written. Once I got to know Scarlett and Rosie, the action was way more intense. I loved it, and it kept me rading. I read this book in one day.

I'd heard a lot of mixed reviews about this one, so I went into it unsure of what to expect. Maybe that's why it blew me away. I wasn't expecting much and I ended up loving it. This book had two awesome sisters, some serious conflict and antagonists, and great action. I loved it and would love to hear more about Scarlett and Rosie. I might even say they're some of my favorite girl main characters ever. I would recommend this book to anyone.

*content warning: some strong language

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Top Ten Tuesdays: Ten Books I'm Dying to Read

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.

These are all books I can't wait until the release date or I wish I had more money to buy! Or they're sitting on my TBR shelf, waiting...anyway, here are my

TOP TEN BOOKS I’M DYING TO READ

1. The Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare.
I'm almost done with Clockwork Angel and I don't know what I'm going to do without the next one! I have to wait awhile though, unfortunately...

2. Emma by Jane Austen
I started it awhile ago, but never got back to it. Why? I don't know, but I really want to read it! I love Jane Austen!

3. Halo by Alexandra Adornetto
I really want to get this one soon!

4. Matched by Ally Condie
So excited for Matched!

5. If I Stay by Gayle Forman
Once again, I've heard great things about it and there's a sequel coming out soon, so I really need to read this one!

6. Hunger by Michael Grant
Gone was great, and I can't wait to read the sequel! But the huge book looks so intimidating I keep picking up smaller books first...

7. Sweetly by Jackson Pearce
I saw this one on Goodreads and I can't wait! I loved Sisters Red, and I am super excited about the sequel!

8. Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
It seems like everyone's read this one, and I recently checked it out from the library, so I need to read it soon!

9. The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak
I've heard so many great things about this one. Once again, it's a pretty large book and it's a bit intimidating!

10. The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan
I can't wait for this one to come out! The third in a great series. I love Carrie Ryan's writing.


Those are just a few books I can't wait to pick up! My to-read list is seemingly endless, but I these are just a few I'm paticularly excited about, mostly because I've heard so many great things about them. :D

Monday, September 13, 2010

Book Review: Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers

Title: Personal Demons
Author: Lisa Desrochers
Series: Personal Demons #1
Publisher: Tor Teen
Release Date: Sept. 14 2010
My Source: Goodreads giveaway
My Rating: 4/5

Frannie Cavanaugh is a good Catholic girl with a bit of a wicked streak. She's spent years keeping everyone at a distance—even her closest friends—and it seems her senior year will be more of the same...until Luc Cain enrolls in her class. No one knows where he came from, but Frannie can't seem to stay away from him. What she doesn't know is that Luc works in Acquisitions—for Hell—and she possesses a unique skill set that has the King of Hell tingling with anticipation. All Luc has to do is get her to sin, and he’s as tempting as they come. Frannie doesn’t stand a chance.

Unfortunately for Luc, Heaven has other plans, and the angel, Gabe, is going to do whatever it takes to make sure that Luc doesn’t get what he came for. And it isn't long before they find themselves fighting for more than just her soul.

But if Luc fails, there will be Hell to pay…for all of them.


I've read a few books based on the angel/demon theme, but this was unlike any of them! This book was insanely addicting, and had great characters that I really enjoyed to read about. This books is told from the alternating perspectives of Frannie and Luc. Luc, which is short for Lucifer, is a demon who is coming to take Frannie's soul. If you can imagine, that made it really strange to have half the book be in his perspective. I loved this book because I didn't know what I wanted- The romance between Frannie and Luc was great and as a reader I want them to be together, but at the same time, I don't want it because I don't know if he really likes her, and hello, he's evil! They definitely should not be together! It was such an interesting conflict that was way deeper than just your typical "bad boy". Luc was such a complex character. He was the thing that made it so I couldn't put this book down.


Gabe is the angel sent from heaven to protect Frannie from Luc. There was a love triangle of sorts between the three of them, but I felt like since we never heard from Gabe's perspective, he didn't love Frannie, he was just doing his job by protecting her. And I thought Frannie never did love him, she was just enchanted by his angelic-ness.

I'll admit, the whole Heaven and Hell aspect of the plot was pretty generic- lots of puns, and nothing was really unpredictable. But it ended really well. As a reader, I felt sympathy for Luc, but it didn't make me want to be a Devil worshipper or anything of the sort! Satan was still a really bad guy in this book. And Hell was still a horrible place. I don't want to give anything away about the ending, but I loved what happened to Luc!

This was a very unique and entertaining read (and a bit scary!) thatI would recommend to older readers. It did have some adult-ish themes (Luc is a demon, after all), and I definitely wouldn't recommend it to younger readers.

Saturday, September 11, 2010

In My Mailbox (7)

It's starting to feel like fall already (at least where I am!), which makes me want to curl up on the couch with a blanket and hot chocolate and read all day! Fall is one of my favorite times of year.
Anyway, I've had a few slow weeks, but I had a good week this week! I was going to make a video, but unfortunately I can't seem to find the time! Pictures will have to do.
I also hope to be posting more often. I'm sorry I've only been posting 2-3 times a week, I'm just so busy!

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren.


From the Library:

Impossible by Nancy Werlin
Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson
Paper Towns by John Green
Two Girls of Gettysburg by Lisa Klein
All Unquiet Things by Anna Jarzab (not shown)


For Review:

What I Learned From Being a Cheerleader by Adrianne Ambrose
Haint Misbehavin' by Maureen Hardegree
What I Learned From Being a Cheerleader stickers (not shown)
The Study Train: Reunion of the Untouchables (Ebook)

(Thanks Andrianne Ambrose, Bell Bridge Books and Kurt Frenier)

Here's the cover for All Unquiet Things, which I didn't get in the picture above.


And this is the cover for The Study Train: Reunion of the Untouchables


Week In Review:

Reviews I Posted:

Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink

Currently Reading:

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

Reviews Coming Soon:

Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers (Review will be posted Monday!)

Happy Reading Everyone!

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Book Review: Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink

Title: Prophecy of the Sisters
Author: Michelle Zink
Series: Prophecy of the Sisters #1
Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers
Release Date: August 1 2009
My Source: Library
My Rating: 4/5

Goodreads Description:

Sixteen-year-old Lia Milthorpe and her twin sister Alice have just become orphans, and, as Lia discovers, they have also become enemies. The twins are part of an ancient prophecy that has turned generations of sisters against each other. To escape from a dark fate and to remain in the arms of her beloved boyfriend James, Lia must end the prophecy before her sister does. Only then will she understand the mysterious circumstances of her parents' deaths, the true meaning of the strange mark branded on her wrist, and the lengths to which her sister will go to defeat her. Debut novelist Michelle Zink takes readers on an unforgettable journey where one sister's fateful decision could have an impact of Biblical proportions. Prophecy of the Sisters is the first of three books.

Prophecy of the Sisters is a story about good against evil, where the good and the bad are represented by two different sisters. The main character is one of the sisters, Lia. Before reading this book, I expected it to be told from the point of view of both sisters, which would've been cool and added a different angle to the story, but it wasn't. In the beginning I assumed Lia was on the good side of the prophecy, but throughout the book it becomes apparent that even though this is a tale that filmly divides good against evil, Lia and Alice aren't distinctly on either the good or the bad side.

The myth/fantasy aspect of this book is neat. The "Prophecy" is that throughout generations there have been a set of twins, one the Guardian and one the Gate, the Guardian (usually) the good one who keeps bad souls from getting released, and the Gate the one who releases them. Lia and Alice find that they are the Guardian and the Gate (I'm not saying which is which). Lia realizes she has the power to stop the prophecy forever and end the war with the souls, if only she can decipher it's meaning. From the best I could tell, it was set in the 1800's, though I missed the location, but I think it was in America. I wish the time and place was better established. It was hard for me to understand at first, and it could have been clearer. In general though, I thought it had a great plot.

The characters were good, though not great. As I already said, I liked Lia and Alice, though I really wished we could've heard more about Alice. This book really only focused on Lia. There wasn't much romance, which was okay with me but might disappoint some people. Lia's boyfriend James seemed like a flat character, and there was nothing that really made me care about him or whether Lia ended up with him. More depth and involvement of his character would've been nice.

The writing is really good, flows nicely and Lia has a distinct voice. The twists weren't jaw dropping, but they were entertaining and suspenseful. It actually took me a while to get into this book though, I spent about two weeks reading the first half, then picked up the rest and got so into it I finished it in one day. There wasn't a lot of interesting or funny dialouge or outlandish characters, which usually holds the interest of a book for me, so that was probably why it was a little hard to get into, but I still really enjoyed it.

I can't wait to read the sequel- it's set up so well. You can tell it's definitely only the first book in the trilogy. A lot of questions are unanswered, but not all. Most of this book was spent setting up the mythology, and now in the next book I expect to see a lot more action.

Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who likes good mythology, late 19th century, and tales of good and evil! It's a good book, and though I've read better books with similar themes, I still really liked this one.

Monday, September 6, 2010

The Newest Mortal Instrument Books!

I think most everyone knows that City of Fallen Angels, the fourth book in the Mortal Instruments series, is coming out in April 2011. Well, I just found out that there's going to be two more books following Fallen Angels.


These are not the real covers of course, just placeholders until the real ones are released.

City of Lost Souls is coming out in May 2012.

City of Heavenly Fire is coming out September 2013

I loved Clare's Mortal Instruments series, but I thought City of Glass also really wrapped up the series very nicely. I think The Clockwork Angel series is a great idea- a prequel with new characters that's just as exciting. (I'm in the middle of reading it right now, and I can tell you, it's good!) I'm very excited to read City of Fallen Angels, but I hope by Book 6 I might be sick of Clary, Jace, and Simon.
I love Clare's writing, so I trust she knows what she's doing with these next 3 books! I think they'll be great, and I'm very excited.

As for the plot of the next three books, here's what Clare says.
“The antagonist in the upcoming cycle has been mentioned but so far no one has guessed it which has been really fun for me,” Clare teases. She also said that new characters will be introduced including a female and a male that will shake up some relationships as we know them.

And here's a publication schedule, in case you want to keep track:
August 31, 2010: The Clockwork Angel
April 5, 2011: City of Fallen Angels
September 2011: The Clockwork Prince
May 2012: City of Lost Souls
December 2012: The Clockwork Princess
September 2013: City of Heavenly Fire

The short Goodreads summaries for books 5 and 6 are as follows:
In Book 5: City of Lost Souls, the Shadowhunters struggle to piece together their shattered world after a betrayal by one of their own leaves them reeling.
In Book 6: City of Heavenly Fire, Jace, Clary and their friends are drawn inexorably into a war that pits Heaven against Hell, angels against demons—a war that threatens to destroy our world entirely if the Shadowhunters can't end it first."

I am super excited about the release of these new books! How am I ever going to wait that long???
What do you think about the extension of the series with a release of 3 new books?

Sources:
http://cassandraclare.livejournal.com/
http://theeagerreaders.blogspot.com/2010/08/city-of-lost-souls-and-city-of-heavenly.html
http://www.examiner.com/the-mortal-instrument-in-national/cassandra-clare-announces-two-more-tmi-books-after-city-of-fallen-angels

Sunday, September 5, 2010

In My Mailbox (6)

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren.

The idea behind IMM was not only to put new books on your radar but to also encourage blogger interaction. IMM explores the weekly contents of my mailbox & books bought. And sometimes other fun goodies.
Anyone can participate in IMM and you are not limited to only sharing books that arrive via your mailbox. You can also share books that you've bought or books that you've gotten at the library.

Like last week, I got only 1 book, but it was a good one!
Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

I preordered this a while ago but it came in the mail this week! I was pretty excited. I'm still reading Prophecy of the Sisters, but I put it aside because I just had to read Clockwork Angel. (I feel a little guilty about that...) If you haven't read anything by Cassandra Clare yet, you should because so far it's an amazing book! (And I love the City of Bones books).

Week In Review:

Reviews I posted:

Currently Reading:
Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink

I apologize for my semi-absence the past couple of days...getting into the back to school routine hasn't been easy for me! I hope by next week I'll be posting regularly again and having more time to read! I miss all the free time I had in the summer!
Oh, and I was thinking about doing a vlog next week if I have time! If you have any tips before I do my first one, I'd like to know!

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Waiting On Wednesday:

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
My pick this week is The Iron Thorn by Caitlyn Kitteredge.
The release date for this book is February 22 2011.

Goodreads description:

In the city of Lovecraft, the Proctors rule and a great Engine turns below the streets, grinding any resistance to their order to dust. The necrovirus is blamed for Lovecraft's epidemic of madness, for the strange and eldritch creatures that roam the streets after dark, and for everything that the city leaders deem Heretical—born of the belief in magic and witchcraft. And for Aoife Grayson, her time is growing shorter by the day.

Aoife Grayson's family is unique, in the worst way—every one of them, including her mother and her elder brother Conrad, has gone mad on their 16th birthday. And now, a ward of the state, and one of the only female students at the School of Engines, she is trying to pretend that her fate can be different.

I'm excited for this book because it seems like a fantasy/possibly dystopian (?), which I love. It sounds like an interesting story and I'm excited to read it!

What is your pick for this week?