Status Update!

Hi guys! *waves* I am still alive but just barely. As you may have noticed (or not..) I have been mostly absent from the blog for...some time. 

FORGIVE ME

I'm taking 2 full year courses this summer and while one would be fine, two is a lot of work! I think I read like one book the first month. IT WAS SAD.

There are two lessons a week for each class as well as weekly homework and assignments. The next two weeks are absolute chaos and I'm stressing and running around like a chicken with its head cut off. And I get frustrated. A lot. Not pretty. Whip my laptop kind of frustrated.

Good news is the classes end August 1, so 3 more weeks of hell and then I am done. Done done. I will have graduated university. Ack!! I'm terrified but sort of excited because I'm hoping to attend another school for a publishing certificate next year. Fun! And I can finally get back to reading and blogging. 3. More. Weeks.

So that's my little update and now I must get back to my essay. Happy reading everyone!

Review: Don't You Wish by Roxanne St. Clair

Series?: None
Pages: 368 (hardcover)
Release Date: July 10, 2012 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Source: Netgalley for review

When plain and unpopular Annie Nutter gets zapped by one of her dad's whacked-out inventions, she lands in a parallel universe where her life becomes picture-perfect. Now she's Ayla Monroe, daughter of the same mother but a different father—and she's the gorgeous, rich queen bee of her high school.

In this universe, Ayla lives in glitzy Miami instead of dreary Pittsburgh and has beaucoup bucks, courtesy of her billionaire—if usually absent—father. Her friends hit the clubs, party backstage at concerts, and take risks that are exhilirating . . . and illegal. Here she's got a date to lose her V-card with the hottest guy she's ever seen.

But on the inside, Ayla is still Annie.

So when she's offered the chance to leave the dream life and head home to Pittsburgh, will she take it?

The choice isn't as simple as you think...Goodreads

Review
Don't You Wish is a cute interpretation of an invisible girl's re-emergence into the popular crowd. The aspect that you don't see coming is how this girl gets to be popular: an invention of her dad's sends her to a parallel universe where her mother married a rich past boyfriend, and thus Ayla Monroe is born. This sci-fi addition was definitely a high point for me in what would otherwise be a contemporary novel. Unexpected but great!

One thing I really liked about Annie/Ayla was that she stuck to her morals the whole book. Even when she wakes up to a housekeeper making her breakfast, her 'friends' criticizing her clothes or wondering why she's being so nice to the uncool kids, she doesn't let her new popularity get to her head. If anything, her life as one of the 'invisibles' keeps her from treating anyone rudely or unfairly. She has a few moments of weakness when peer pressure gets the best of her, but for the most part she tries to treat everyone with respect, not caring what it could do to her social rank. As she soon learns, the popular crowd may have that shiny exterior that everyone sees, but they still suffer from the same insecurities as everyone else, they're just much better at hiding them or masking them with meanness. Seeing Ayla use her popularity for good was one of those inspirational moments that would translate really well into a movie.

Things get even more interesting when Ayla meets Charlie, a formerly homeless student now on a full scholarship. He is despised by most of the popular student body for not belonging in their school and she is drawn to how down to earth he is. He, on the other hand, is at first wary at being seen with the most popular girl on school, but as he gets to know the real Ayla, he comes to admire her. She goes as far as to reveal that she is really Annie Nutter, and the life she's living is not her own. Luckily Charlie is a science genius and he is totally enraptured by the idea of multiple universes. It's a little coincidental but I loved how enthusiastic Charlie was, and the science that was brought up, that I really didn't mind. Annie learns that Charlie's been through a lot the past few years, and his treatment at school is totally unwarranted. He and his family welcome her with open arms and Annie is overjoyed at the strength that they have given their circumstance.

The main crux of the end of the book comes, of course, when Annie must decide which life she's going to stick with. Being popular isn't all it's cut out to be, but she's working to turn the social tides at school. But her rich family is falling apart and leaving would also mean losing Charlie, the boy she's come to care deeply about. I won't spoil it of course, because it's one of those endings that you just have to experience for yourself in all its entirety, emotions and all.

Bottom Line
Don't You Wish is a literal interpretation of 'the grass is always greener on the other side', and it comes with characters and emotions that anyone can relate with. From Annie's life as Ayla and all the perks and losses that come with it, to her taking a good look at the life she left behind, geeky friends, dysfunctional family and all. It's a fun novel but manages to easily meld that with more serious issues and complicated science all wrapped up in a pretty bow. Definitely give this one a read!

Rating

Review: Flirting in Italian by Lauren Henderson

Series?: First of a trilogy
Pages: 329 (eARC)
Release Date: June 12, 2012 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Source: Netgalley for review, thank you!

Four girls. One magical, and possibly dangerous Italian summer. Family mysteries, ancient castles, long hot nights of dancing under the stars . . . and, of course, plenty of gorgeous Italian boys! ...Goodreads

Review
Violet is shocked when she sees a museum painting of a girl that could be her twin. It's centuries old, and originated in Italy. This sparks her curiosity and has her questioning her origins; why she looks nothing like her tall, pale, supermodel Norwegian mother or Scottish father. Violet's positive her mother would've told her if she were adopted, so to uncover any answers for herself, she enrols in a summer course in Italy and finds herself immersed in the culture, a mystery, and boys of course!

Flirting in Italian can definitely be classified as a fun read. It takes place in the summer, in a foreign country, there's mystery and intrigue and plenty of cute boys and catty girls. The first thing I loved was the setting. I've only dreamed of going to Italy but I felt that Henderson captured its beauty perfectly. From the winding cobblestone roads, the olive groves and lemon trees, the warm breezes and late nights, I could see the countryside in my mind and I loved it. Along with the atmosphere, I really liked the mystery element of the plot. Violet's trying to find out more about this painting and her search leads her to the Castello di Vesperi in Tuscany, a castle that houses the royal family. She encounters some weird stuff when she visits the castle, but more on that in a minute.

I also came to like the characters as well. In the course with Violet are Kelly, another British girl, awkward but sweet, and the American girls, Paige, stereotypical tall blonde, and Kendra, the poised and proper rich girl. They don't have the best meeting initially, but the quartet eventually begin bonding and getting to know each other. Though there is a thread of competition that runs through them, they're a united front when it comes to dealing with the snobby daughter of their host, Elisa. And Violet was an awesome protagonist. Henderson herself is English so she captured the snark, slang and general hilarity that always seems to be present with the Brits. They are fun!
Then there's the boys. The one we're interested in is Luca, the local principe, prince. He's tall, dark, devastatingly handsome and arrogant as hell. Well dressed, poised and unafraid to go after what he wants, Violet is both and infuriated and enraptured by him. They were a confusing duo, and while they were certainly amusing, I felt their actions were firstly accounted for by lust and maybe a little bit of curiosity and excitement. I do look forward to them (hopefully) getting to know each other better.

My one main gripe about Flirting in Italian was the mystery and ending. First, the mystery, or lack thereof. I initially thought this was a standalone book, so as I was reading about Violet and the girls learning how to arrange flowers, or more likely, going out with the boys to party, I was wondering how Violet was going to learn more about this mysterious painting because she wasn't doing anything! I was definitely hoping for more proactive investigating on her part. Then the book just ends and I'm left with a giant question mark and title for book two: Following in Love in Italian, which I seriously hope is a typo because it just sounds awkward and doesn't really make sense.

Bottom Line
If you're a fan of fun, summer reads with some mystery thrown in, Flirting in Italian is a good book to read. The atmosphere of Italy was fantastic and the characters were entertaining. Though the abrupt ending wasn't what I expected or was hoping for, I'm curious to see how the rest of Violet's summer turns out and what she learns about the di Vesperi family and how she may be connected to them.

Rating

Review: Wings of the Wicked by Courtney Allison Moulton

Series?: Angelfire #2
Pages: 516 (hardcover)
Release Date: January 31, 2012 by HarperCollins
Source: Own

Life as the Preliator is harder than Ellie ever imagined.

Balancing real life with the responsibility of being Heaven’s warrior is a challenge for Ellie. Her relationship with Will has become all business, though they both long for each other. And now that the secret of who she really is has come out, so have Hell’s strongest reapers. Grown bold and more vicious, the demonic threaten her in the light of day and stalk her in the night.

She’s been warned.

Cadan, a demonic reaper, comes to her with information about Bastian’s new plan to destroy Ellie’s soul and use an ancient relic to wake all the souls of the damned and unleash them upon humanity. As she fights to stay ahead of Bastian’s schemes , the revelations about those closest to her awaken a dark power within Ellie that threatens to destroy everything—including herself.

She’ll be betrayed.

Treachery comes even from those whom she loves, and Ellie is broken by the deaths of those who stood beside her in this Heavenly war. Still, she must find a way to save the world, herself, and her love for Will. If she fails, there will be hell to pay...Goodreads

Review
I loved Angelfire. Loved it! Moulton sure as hell can write action and romance scenes. It was the best of both worlds. Then I finally pick up Wings of the Wicked and holy crap I love it even more!! No second book syndrome here people!

Ellie is settling into her role as Preliator and kicking major reaper ass in the process. Her relationship with Will has cooled somewhat, on the outside at least, due to archangel Michael's warning to Will to protect Ellie and nothing else. Watching these two dance around their feelings for each other, pushing their desires down was such a major tease. Courtney has such a way with words and the passion and heat between these two jumps off the page enough for me to need to fan myself every so often. There's just so much wanting and I loved it.

I also loved getting more Cadan in book 2! He is such a deliciously complex character, and his feelings toward Ellie are so new to him that he comes across as a different person. We get to see such a different side to him and what he thinks about the war that's happening. I also really like the contrast that appears between he and Will. Cadan is demonic yet visually looks like an angel (check out a drawing of him!) And Will is angelic but is much darker and badass in appearance (proof!). Cadan comes across as thoughtful and well spoken, and Will is much more headstrong and impatient. As secrets are revealed, the differences between these two become even more pronounced.

There are quite a few shockers in Wings of the Wicked, even one I totally predicted! There is death. A lot of death. Absolutely shocking deaths, deaths that were deserved, and deaths that were absolutely heart wrenching. The characters go through crazy intense life changing circumstances, and I was honestly floored by some of the reveals. All the loss paired with a fight for Ellie's soul and the world at large make for lots of stress reactions which in turn makes for some of the best scenes between Ellie and Will. God, they are one of my favourite couples ever!

Bottom Line
Oh my gosh I love this series! If anything, Courtney amped it up with Wings of the Wicked. There's more action, more death, more emotions and complications galore. It's a non-stop ride from start to finish. And she even makes room for prom! It's not your typical prom though, which leads to the cliffhanger. of. death. Yeah. Bring on book three!!

Rating

Waiting on Wednesday: Dark Star

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
(You can totally use my button if you'd like, just please link back!) 

Dark Star by Bethany Frenette
Release Date: October 23, 2012 by Hyperion

Audrey Whitticomb has nothing to fear. Her mother is the superhero Morning Star, the most deadly crime-fighter in the Twin Cities, so it’s hard for Audrey not to feel safe. That is, until she’s lured into the sweet night air by something human and not human—something with talons and teeth, and a wide, scarlet smile.
Now Audrey knows the truth: her mom doesn’t fight crime at night. She fights Harrowers—livid, merciless beings who were trapped Beneath eons ago. Yet some have managed to escape. And they want Audrey dead, just because of who she is: one of the Kin.
To survive, Audrey will need to sharpen the powers she has always had. When she gets close to someone, dark corners of the person’s memories become her own, and she sometimes even glimpses the future. If Audrey could only get close to Patrick Tigue, a powerful Harrower masquerading as human, she could use her Knowing to discover the Harrowers’ next move. But Leon, her mother’s bossy, infuriatingly attractive sidekick, has other ideas. Lately, he won’t let Audrey out of his sight.
When an unthinkable betrayal puts Minneapolis in terrible danger, Audrey discovers a wild, untamed power within herself. It may be the key to saving her herself, her family, and her city. Or it may be the force that destroys everything—and everyone—she loves.

A book about superheroes! How cool! Seems like a coming of age novel with Audrey really growing into her powers. And there's an infuriatingly attractive sidekick! *squee* Sounds super fun.

What books are you waiting on?? Leave your links and I'll check them out :D

Review: A Million Suns by Beth Revis

Series?: Across the Universe #2
Pages: 386 (hardcover)
Release Date: January 10, 2012 by Razorbill
Source: Own

Godspeed was fueled by lies. Now it is ruled by chaos.
It's been three months since Amy was unplugged. The life she always knew is over. And everywhere she looks, she sees the walls of the spaceship Godspeed. But there may just be hope: Elder has assumed leadership of the ship. He's finally free to enact his vision - no more Phydus, no more lies.

But when Elder discovers shocking news about the ship, he and Amy race to discover the truth behind life on Godspeed. They must work together to unlock a puzzle that was set in motion hundreds of years earlier, unable to fight the romance that's growing between them and the chaos that threatens to tear them apart.

In book two of the Across the Universe trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Beth Revis mesmerizes us again with a brilliantly crafted mystery filled with action, suspense, romance, and deep philosophical questions. And this time it all builds to one mind-bending conclusion: They have to get off this ship...Goodreads

Review
I adored Across the Universe. I loved the setting and atmosphere Beth had created on the spaceship. There was plenty revealed in the first book but I was pretty much blown away by what secrets were uncovered in A Million Suns.

Elder's first decision as the new leader of the ship is to remove Phydus from the drinking system, the drug that keeps all the passengers calm and more compliant. This has overarching and disturbing consequences as  people begin pushing back against the authorities that are now present on the ship. There's violence and rioting and basically all that happens when a society is on the edge of falling apart. It was horribly realistic but to be expected. The passengers have been controlled for generations and for them to suddenly be aware and have free will is overwhelming to them and they react on instinct and with anger. Even though Elder was doing what he thought was right and fair to the passengers, his decision comes back to bite him many times.

Amy's still a bit of a recluse on the sip, though more passengers have come to accept her or at least leave her alone. She spends most of her time racing across the ship finding clues to a secret so big it could tear the ship apart before it reaches its final destination. I still commend her character for being so strong in such a different world. She's still not happy about her situation, or being without her parents, but she's accepted it and is working to make it better, standing beside Elder when he needs a friendly face, support and encouragement. Their relationship is still a little rocky but I was happy to see that Amy has the same reservations as I did; mainly that she didn't want to have feelings for Elder just because they were the only two people of the same age on the ship. She doesn't want to be expected to like him. The fact that it's clear they have feelings for each other regardless is what's most important though.

Finally, what I enjoyed most about this sequel were the plot twists! Amy discovers some pretty shocking stuff from a series of hidden clues. Hidden compartments in the ship's 'basement', a window that reveals more than the ship thought they could ever see, and oh yeah, space suits. It was thrilling to say the least! Beth weaved some pretty intense scenes and I had my mouth drop more than a couple times. And it all works so well, so logically. Everything just fit and flowed; thumbs up for keeping me guessing the entire time Beth! About two thirds through the book is when the ship-changing secret is found out, and wow, it is a doozy. Crazy! The book ends with the passengers and crew deciding on what course of action to take next, and like my Goodreads update reads: "What on Earth is to come!?"

Bottom Line
It's safe to say that A Million Suns pretty much had me gasping and exclaiming "oh my god!" more than a couple times. Along with learning more about Elder, Amy and the now Phydus-free passengers and how far they're willing to go to get control of the ship, the secrets and reveals are what kept me glued to the (pretty) pages. So, so awesome. I am dying for the last book and have absolutely no idea what's going to happen!

Rating

You know when you spot a book's title while reading? This has got to be one of my faves:

“Emotion courses through my veins, choking me. I feel so insignificant, a tiny speck surrounded by a million stars.
A million suns.” p. 218.

Friday Hops!

Feature & Follow is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee and Allison Can Read.

Have you had a character that disappointed you? One that you fell in love with and then "broke up" with later on in either the series or a stand-alone book? Tell us about him or her.

Ooh that's a hard question! I don't think I've ever 'broken up' with a character, only because my first impressions of a character--if I love them or dislike them--usually don't change much. I'll either keep loving them, keep hating them, or come to like them a little. This is such a non-answer, I can't really think of any characters I've grown to hate though! Maybe that'll change as I read more series? How about you guys?

TGIF is a weekly meme hosted by  Ginger @ GReads

Reading blues: We all get them from time to time. What helps you overcome those reading slumps when nothing seems to grab your attention?

I don't think I've ever gone through a full-on reading slump, but when there's times when I just don't feel like reading, I don't. I put down my books, go out with friends, play some Sims, catch up on TV and sooner than later I'll be eyeing the discarded book and jump right back in!