Between The Lines By Jodi Picoult & Samantha Van Leer Review

Source: Bought

Author: Jodi Picoult & Samantha Van Leer

Publisher:   Emily Bestler Books/Simon Pulse/Atria

Genre: Fantasy, Romance, YA

Format: Hardcover

Subformat: Young Adult

Release Date: June 26, 2012

Description: 


Delilah is a bit of a loner who prefers spending her time in the school library with her head in a book—one book in particular. Between the Lines may be a fairy tale, but it feels real. Prince Oliver is brave, adventurous, and loving. He really speaks to Delilah.

And then one day Oliver actually speaks to her. Turns out, Oliver is more than a one-dimensional storybook prince. He’s a restless teen who feels trapped by his literary existence and hates that his entire life is predetermined. He’s sure there’s more for him out there in the real world, and Delilah might just be his key to freedom.

Delilah and Oliver work together to attempt to get Oliver out of his book, a challenging task that forces them to examine their perceptions of fate, the world, and their places in it. And as their attraction to each other grows along the way, a romance blossoms that is anything but a fairy tale


Chaos' Review


  The model in the cover is bang on with the description of the female protagonist, Delilah. It's simple, and pretty. I like it. 

As the story begins, your introduced to this awesome fairy-tale, as soon as I read the first line, I was hooked. The story is based on a love story between a loner girl in the real, and a Prince in a storybook. But the Prince is able to speak to Delilah because, she is seemingly the only one that cared enough to be able to hear him. IT WAS SO CUTE! 

The Prince's name is Oliver, he's always dreamed of getting out of his book because he's sick of doing the same thing over and over again.The cool part, was how the authors, placed the idea that the story book characters are actors on a page whenever the book is opened. However, once the book is closed, everyone does whatever they want, no need to continue running the show because there's no audience whatsoever. I absolutely adored that idea. It made wonder, what if the books I read are filled with these actors that prowl around doing whatever they feel like when its closed? I'm always paranoid now, like WHY WON'T THEY TALK TO ME!?!?!

Anyways, the book is filled with pictures and silhouettes that tie in with the story PERFECTLY! It was a total fairy-tale.  And just so beautifully laid out that once I have kids in the mere future, I'd probably read this story to them at night. It's just so AWWWW!!!!!! 

The story goes through the POV's of Delilah & Oliver, plus it tells the story of Oliver's book. I LOVED LOVED LOVED IT!  I haven't ever read anything like this before, and I love it, honestly, if you want to chillax and read something cute, this would definite be the book for you. PLUS! I'd say that its better to buy the book, because the pictures are very well done and drawn. Pure artistry. Just gorgeous, and it brought our my inner girly self, because as the story progresses, its basically about how Delilah tries to get Oliver out of the book and into the real! But in the end, I'd say in a different point of view, it wasn't an exact happy ending. It's hard to explain. Just go read it. LOL

Immortal City By Scott Speer Review

Source: Bought

Author: Scott Speer

Publisher: Razorbill

Genre: Romance, Fantasy, Action-Adventure, Mystery, Paranormal

Format: Hardcover 

Subformat: Young Adult

Release Date:   5^th April 2012 

Description: 


Jackson Godspeed is the hottest young Angel in a city filled with them. He's days away from becoming a full Guardian, and people around the world are already competing for the chance to be watched over by him. Everyone's obsessed with the Angels and the lucky people they protect--everyone except for Madison Montgomery. 



Maddy's the one girl in Angel City who doesn't breathlessly follow the Angels on TV and gossip blogs. When she meets Jackson, she doesn't recognize him. But Jackson is instantly captivated by her, and against all odds the two fall in love. 
Maddy is swiftly caught up in Jackson's scene, a world of glamour, paparazzi - and murder. A serial killer is on the loose, leaving dead Angels' wings for the police to find on the Walk of Fame. Even the Guardians are powerless to protect themselves in the face of this threat … and this time it's up to Maddy to save Jackson.
Chaos' Review
I honestly love this cover. It's so beautiful and bright. I could stare at it all day, no joke. It ties in perfectly with the description in the story and seems glamorous, which it should be.   On to the story! Immortal City is written in 3rd POV, and for once, I was able to -actually- enjoy it, and usually I can't even stand a story thats written in that format. Honestly, I can't even finish a story if its in that format. However, for once, I enjoyed it so much it was so different and incorporated so many things, including twitter, into the story! It was total fame & fortune, but imagine this, instead of Hollywood stars walking the red carpet, its a bunch of angels. I thought that concept was totally awesome, which kept me reading. 
The protagonist, Maddy, is a normal girl, doesn't have much money and is a typical waitress, shes independent, and isn't a crazy big fan of the Angels, all she cares about is getting into a good college. Meaning, that she isn't stupid, but more sensible and understanding. 
Then there's the sweetheart, Jackson Godspeed, he's like Alex Pettyfer, but Angel form. Well, that's how I picture him. He's a big shot, but kind of like Maddy, he doesn't care about the fame, but the fact that he's going to save people, that's what he cares about. Which is so ADORABLE! I adore him to bits. 
The story is mainly an entrance into the world. Your getting introduced to everyone and everything in that parallel world. This story wasn't AMAZING but it was such an interesting read and so different from the usual vampire love stories that I loved it. PLUS there was a major twist in the end that I definitely never saw coming. 
Therefore, I eagerly anticipate the sequel which is called Natural Born Angel. 


Cover to Natural Born Angel

Maddy explores her Angel heritage—and struggles to get her wings—as the Angels and the humans head for a showdown.
Life turned upside down for Maddy Montgomery when she found out she was half-Angel and was catapulted into the scene of flashbulbs, paparazzi, and fervent adulation that comes with 
being in the celebrity Angel world.

And now Maddy must face the most difficult choice of her life. She’s been offered the chance to become a Guardian. This means dangerous and high-stakes training, with no guarantee that she can succeed. But more than that, it would mean leaving her mortal life behind—forever— and allying with the Angels at a time when their relationship with humans is heading for war...

Book Review: Legend by Marie Lu

Source: Borrowed

Author: Marie Lu

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile

Genre: Thriller, YA, Fantasy, Dystopia, Action-Adventure

Format: Hardcover

Subformat: Young Adult

Release Date: November 29, 2011

Description: 


What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic’s wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic’s highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country’s most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.


From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths—until the day June’s brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family’s survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias’s death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

Full of nonstop action, suspense, and romance, this novel is sure to move readers as much as it thrills

Calamity's Review:

  As usual, the cover! I'm just gonna put this out there by letting ya'll know that I'm not a fan of this cover. I guess there's supposed to be some sort of symbolism in it, but I'm sorry, I just don't see it. I guess this where the saying "don't judge a book by its cover" comes into play. Because this book was totally interesting. It was very fast paced and I finished it in a day- this says a lot because I am probably the slowest reader, turned blogger, you will ever meet. Seriously. I isolated myself from the world around me, and just read.

  Legend is written in two different POV's; Day and June. Day is this badbutt villian who OBVIOUSLY has a good side to him-how else is he supposed to find true love? and June is the pretty, smart, rebellious girl... quite immpressive. She has all the characteristics that make her irresistable. And yet.. she was boring. Have you ever read a book where the traits of a charactrer are laid out but you don't really see them actually PUT INTO the character? well, this was the only problem with Legend. The characters were just plain boring. Even though I knew that Day was this awesome villian. I just didn't FEEL it.

  Besides that, the main storyline was a little flat. I love the part of a book where the mystery is being solved and Legend didn't really give me much of that. I'm waiting for the sequel because I assume thats where we'll find out whats actually going on. Legend was quite the cliffhanger and I have a lot of unanswered questions.
I rate this book a 3, only because I'm soo anxious for some answers

ReVamped By Ada Adams Review

Source: Author

Author: Ada Adams

Publisher: Self-Published

Genre: Romance, Action, Mystery

Format: Floppy Cover

Subformat: Young Adult

Description: 


A simple mission turned deadly.

Nineteen-year-old vampire Dawn has led a sheltered life within the confines of her father’s presidential headquarters. Upon being sent on a mission to revamp four goofy misfits into guardians of a peaceful little town of Angel Creek, Dawn believes that all her dreams have finally come true. What starts off as a simple task, turns into something unexpected, changing Dawn’s life forever and leading the action-loving, thrill-seeking vampire teen on a path of mystery, danger and intrigue.

When a human girl is kidnapped by a group of rogue vamps, Dawn discovers that there is more going on in Angel Creek than meets the eye. And it all connects to Ethan, the cute newcomer who seems too perfect to be true, Sebastian, the mysterious vampire with a turbulent past, and even Dawn herself. Dawn must not only succeed in revamping the troubled recruits, but must also prevent the vampire race from being overtaken by a malevolent villain who has a strange and obsessive fascination with her. As threat escalates, romance blooms, and ghosts from her past begin to surface, Dawn is sure of only one thing: her life will never be the same

Chaos' Review: 

The cover is simply gorgeous! Though I must say, on covers lately, there's always a face on it, personally, I'm finding it a little over done now and want to see some more mysterious and creative ones. 

On to the story! 19 year old Dawn is a kick-butt protagonist who is uber intelligent and may have issues in dealing with the boys department since she has forever been kept under the wing of her Father, the President of the Vampiric citizens around the world. During the coarse of the story, Dawn receives the chance to leave home and venture out to Angel Creek, set on revamping some vampire misfits into hero's. 

While reading, I got a little bored due to some things being a little too wordy at times and the text being a little descriptive. I ended up catching myself skimming throughout the coarse of the story. As a teenager myself, I have to admit that I don't have much patience when things get largely based towards the descriptive writing on surroundings and such. 

 Since Dawn is 19, she's practically a mature adult, and it shows in her personality, so while reading, I didn't find myself to be very amused because she was so mature and experienced in certain ways, therefore, her thoughts didn't really appeal to me and I couldn't find a way to relate to her on any level. 

 The characters around her, such as the 4 misfits, I thought would add in a load more comedy, but I didn't really see much and sort of wished for a little more, so it could seemingly balance out the anxiety levels within the story.

  The main story base I thought was really creative, and was clearly really interesting when certain mysteries began to unravel and twists were unexpectedly added. I enjoyed that coarse. 

  

But mainly, I didn't really enjoy it as much as I thought I would have, and I think this book would appeal better towards an older age group, because being a teenager myself, I got a quite bored. 

Ada Adams is a great author in sorts and I greatly admire her at writing this book, nor do I mean anything harsh against her. Its simply an opinion and its obvious that this book just wasn't my style nor taste.