Go vote Team Alex!

I'm not taking sides here, but I want you all to vote for Alex in the YA Sisterhood Heroines Tourney match today! (Oh wait, I guess I AM taking sides.)

You wanna know why you should vote for Alex instead of Katniss Freakin' Everdeen? Well, because the jaw-dropping Jennifer L. Armentrout has--can you believe it--even more incentives to offer than last time, and they are eye-bulgingly amazing.

See:  

250 votes: a teaser from Pure
500 votes: a teaser from Onyx
750 votes: a teaser from Pure and Onyx
1,000 votes: a POV from Daemon (Obsidian)

And that's not all.
*
**
***
  
1250 votes: a teaser from Seth's POV in Pure
1500 votes: a teaser from Shadows.
WINNING votes: a teaser from Pure, Shadows, Onyx, and Cursed, AND a POV from Aiden in Pure!

AND!!!

For every 1000 votes (up to 6000), Jennifer will be giving away an ARC of Pure! (So that's SIX chances to win an ARC of Pure!)

Yeah. I know. I went berserk, too.

LET'S DO THIS THING, YOU GUYS!

Vote #AlexLegion HERE!! NOW!!!

Oh, and if that's not enough incentives for you... the fan-freakin'-tastic Momo from Books Over Boys, AKA the advocate for Alex, is having a giveaway over at her blog.

Sooo...

Top 10 Books I'm Looking Forward To In 2012

It's the last day of Top 10 Week! I hope you all had a great week. I have divided my Top 10 into two lists:

A) Top 10 Sequels I'm Looking Forward to in 2012

B) Top 10 Debuts I'm Looking Forward to in 2012

Also, because I am running late on life, please excuse my lack of formatting and any mistakes you might see. Thanks!


Here is List A, in no particular order:

Top 10 Settings in 2011

Today's topic was characters, and I chose settings. Though some people might say that a setting isn't a real, animate thing, it can't be a character (and you're right), here is the definition for character (from dictionary.com):

Character: Noun. One of the attributes or features that make up and distinguish the individual.

A setting is an attribute that distinguish the characters in a story, and it usually plays a major role as well. Without the claustrophobic environment of Godspeed, would Across the Universe be as horrifying as it is? Without the Shifted world of Shade, Aura's story would have been exponentially different. So, here it is, my top 10 settings of 2011 (in no particular order):

Makeover!

Hey everyone! As you've probably noticed, I redesigned my blog! :D So, what do you all think? Let me know in the comments. :)

I used the amazing Irene Alexeeva's Faerie Lake kit to redesign my blog. :) You guys should totally check out her stuff. They are crazy off-cabbage (AKA awesome)!*

Top 10 Book Boyfriends in 2011

After much hair-pulling and no actual cursing, here are my top 10 book boyfriends of 2011 (in no particular order):

Waiting on Wednesday {20}

This week, I'm waiting for...

The Treachery of Beautiful Things
By: Ruth Frances Long

The trees swallowed her brother whole. And Jenny was there to see it. Years later, when she returns to the woods where Tom was taken to say good-bye at last, she finds herself lured into a world where stunning beauty masks the most treacherous of evils, and strange and dangerous creatures await—creatures who seem to consider her the threat. Among them is Jack, mercurial and magnetic, with allegiances that shift as much as his moods. Determined to find her brother, with or without Jack’s help, Jenny struggles to navigate a faerie world where nothing is what it seems, no one is who they say, and she’s faced with a choice between salvation or sacrifice—and not just her own. 

-Summary from Goodreads 
Release Date: August 16th, 2012   
Publisher: Penguin

That cover. Oh. My. Goodness. That cover is a winner right there. And the synopsis sounds totally fantastic. This looks like an absolutely brilliant novel! (Also, isn't the title just totally bad-um, rump?)

What are YOU waiting for this week? 

Top 10 Book Covers of 2011

My Top 10 Book Covers of 2011 (in no particular order):

Top 10 Books I've Read in 2011

Top 10 Books I've Read in 2011(in no particular order):

Merry Christmas (if you celebrate)!

It's been an amazing year, you guys. I started my blog this year, and I met so many amazing people on this roller-coaster ride of a journey! (Special shout-outs to Brooke, Amy & Jen, Jeri, Jazmin, Ida, and everyone else!)

And it certainly hasn't been an easy year--but with this brilliant community, I survived through it all, and I can't thank you guys enough for that. You all really are amazing, and that's why I blog, you know? I'm so thankful for each and everyone one of you. :)

Here's a quick little video I made (my voice doesn't really sound like that, nor do I presumably resemble a panda):

Merry Christmas from Juli!
by: JustJuliHelms


Love you all! 
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Any Fled

Feyland: The Dark Realm
By: Anthea Sharp
Source: Author
Release Date: 12/16/2011
Reported by: Julianna Helms

WHEN A GAME…

Feyland is the most immersive computer game ever designed, and Jennet Carter is the first to play the prototype. But she doesn’t suspect the virtual world is close enough to touch — or that she’ll be battling for her life against the Dark Queen of the faeries.

TURNS REAL…

Tam Linn is the perfect hero — in-game. Too bad the rest of his life is seriously flawed. The last thing he needs is rich-girl Jennet prying into his secrets, insisting he’s the only one who can help her.

WINNING IS EVERYTHING…

Together, Jennet and Tam enter the Dark Realm of Feyland, only to discover that the entire human world is in danger. Pushed to the limit of their abilities, they must defeat the Dark Queen… before it’s too late.  

-Summary from Goodreads

Barnes&Noble||Amazon||The Book Depository

With a fresh twist on the faery lore, Feyland: The Dark Realm will slowly find its way into your mind... and your heart. 


Anthea Sharp proves that self-publishing does not equate poor quality. The prose of Feyland is wonderfully simplistic and to-the-point, the novel is entirely polished, and absolutely enjoyable. I loved the characters--Tam, Jennet, Marny, heck, even The Bug. Jennet and Tam felt a bit generic at first, but after a while, they sprang to life in a sudden yet subtle way that I hadn't realized until the stakes tumbled over themselves in a dangerous hurry. And that's another thing I loved--the stakes don't drop, and Jennet and Tam know it. They're not trying to ignore it or deny it. They're straightforward and fight against it.

The only thing that kept me from full-on loving this novel was its predictability. Again, I have to clarify that I can guess plot twists really, really easily, so this could very well apply to only me. But I thought that there were a few directions Anthea could have taken a few plot points that didn't happen, and I was a bit disappointed by that. I also wish the secondary characters were a bit more developed--they had personalities, but were quite predictable as well.


Overall, though, I truly enjoyed this book. It's a fun novel that will fight for your attention--and succeed. I read it in one sitting. The plot will push you forward on this crazy rollercoaster of a ride, the romance is adorable and realistic, and the characters will make you want to laugh and cry at the same time--in an infinitely good way.

Forget that this is a faery book. It's more than that. It's the story of a girl, a boy, and their brilliant strength.












P.S. Any Fled is an anagram of Feyland. That's right--this book has ANAGRAMS!

Waiting on Wednesday {19}

This week, I'm waiting for...

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight
By: Jennifer E. Smith

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. She's stuck at JFK, late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's in seat 18B. Hadley's in 18A.

Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it. 

-Summary from Goodreads 
Release date: January 2nd, 2012 
Published by: Poppy/Little Brown/Hachette 
Pre-order: Barnes&Noble||Amazon||The Book Depository

The plot and title totally bursts with uniqueness and, even better, reminds me of John Green! If you know me at all, you know I LOVE John Green. Okay, is it just me, or are like, ten thousand AWESOME books releasing in January? The love all my blogging friends have been throwing at this book is simply overwhelming. I can't wait!!


What are YOU waiting for this week?

Book Review: Nightingale by David Farland

Nightingale
By: David Farland
Source: Publicist
Release Date: October 31st, 2011
Reported by: Julianna Helms

“We all become lost children at one time or another. When no one else can find us, we must find ourselves.”
– Olivia

Bron Jones was abandoned as a newborn. Thrown into foster care, he is rejected by one family after another, until he meets Olivia, a gifted and devoted high-school teacher who recognizes him for what he really is—what her people call a “nightingale.” 

But Bron isn’t ready to learn the truth. There are secrets that have been hidden from mankind for hundreds of thousands of years, secrets that should remain hidden. Some things are too dangerous to know. 

Bron’s secret may be the most dangerous of all.

In his remarkable young adult fantasy debut, David Farland shows why critics have called his work “compelling,” “engrossing,” “powerful,” “profound,” and “ultimately life-changing.”

“The world of fantasy has a new king!”
–John Jerrold 

-Summary from Goodreads
Barnes&Noble||Amazon

Nightingale will change your perspective on the reading world. Buried inside the pages of this enhanced novel is the story of a boy, a legend, a destiny, and plenty of secrets that will keep you addicted. 


I enjoyed Nightingale. It's a story with tons of history that adds up to one big, shattering finale--and it's a story of a boy who has to find himself, a person lost years ago when his mother first abandoned him. 


The characters were very eccentric, and though I can't say I loved everyone who I was supposed to love, their peculiar personalities did make them a very interesting read. I really liked Bron--he was such a strong character once he found his footing--and David Farland does a fantastic job of grounding in reality and fantasy simultaneously without overwhelming the reader.


The only thing I wish this engrossing story had was this: trimming. Many times, there were paragraphs of description that just never held my interest, and I often skipped over them. There were also info-dumps that I didn't necessarily need. Though the author notes enhanced the book and my knowledge, after a while, I wasn't very compelled to read all of those, either--I'm an action type of gal, what can I say?


Overall, though, I think readers of intense fantasy with a sinister history will really enjoy this novel. And, oh, do get the enhanced version. It'll blow your mind away.




 







P.S. I have a guest post with the author, David Farland, coming up. And a giveaway of Nightingale, too, so stay tuned!

SHIVER, Linger, Forver, I love you Maggie Stiefvater!

Shiver
By: Maggie Stiefvater
Reported by: Julianna Helms

For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf--her wolf--is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again.

Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human--or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

-Summary from Amazon
Barnes&Noble||Amazon||The Book Depository

“'How long?'
His smile was amazingly sweet. 'The longest.'
'Forever?'
Sam's lips smiled, but above his grin, his yellow eyes turned sad, as if he knew it was a lie. 'Longer.'"

-Shiver 

Once upon a time, there was a little girl, not as innocent as most other girls, but innocent still.
Then the girl grew up, and one day, she fell in love with a book called The Scorpio Races. She vowed to read Shiver, because that was by the same author, and the girl knew it will whisk her away on journeys an universe away.
She read Shiver, and it ripped her heart right out of her chest.


I read somewhere that the best romances are when you can't imagine the boy with anyone other than the girl. This is it. Sam and Grace... God, they made me bawl. Maggie's brilliant, beautiful prose poured heart and emotion straight out of the characters into me, deep into my heart, and all I felt while reading this book was just... this amazing sense of absoluteness, rightness, because I dare say that Sam and Grace are the best couple ever created in the literature world--I can't remember another couple that made me feel like this (except for Forbidden, but that's another story for another time). And it's this bittersweet fairytale that tore me in half.

I bawled, I laughed, I smiled, I shivered. I bawled again. I think this book is my favorite book ever now, though The Scorpio Races is still a close second.

My point is this: Read this book. It doesn't matter if you hate paranormal and whatnot, because GODDAMNDARNIT I am in love with everything about this book.


You know your heart? You know how fragile it is, a single drop of glass frozen, about to splash and shatter? Shiver is blood, pumping through you, into you, clogging your thoughts, just leaving your heart vulnerable. It's blood rushing into you and killing you and making you love at the same time. It's blood that keeps you alive and raw, desperate and flawed.

It will change you. Because this blood? It will fortify your being, your heart, your soul, and you'll know that no matter what, you have a definite goal, and that is to search for love like Sam and Grace's. Maybe just by reading about them, or finding a couple like them, or maybe being part of a relationship similar yourself. But the most important truth this book will teach you? It's that true love never dies. Love fades, love grows, love transforms into lust, love breaks, but true love never dies.


Don't ever forget that.

Shattered Souls

Shattered Souls
By: Mary Lindsey
Reported by: Julianna Helms

A thrilling debut story of death, love, destiny and danger

Lenzi hears voices and has visions - gravestones, floods, a boy with steel gray eyes. Her boyfriend, Zak, can't help, and everything keeps getting louder and more intense. Then Lenzi meets Alden, the boy from her dreams, who reveals that she's a reincarnated Speaker - someone who can talk to and help lost souls - and that he has been her Protector for centuries.

Now Lenzi must choose between her life with Zak and the life she is destined to lead with Alden. But time is running out: a malevolent spirit is out to destroy Lenzi, and he will kill her if she doesn't make a decision soon.  

-Summary from Goodreads  
Barnes&Noble||Amazon||The Book Depository

A touching story of love and discovery, Shattered Souls is a wonderfully simplistic novel bordering on escape and ambition.


I've been drooling over in love with the cover for months now, but I was so worried that this may be just a veneer to a story I won't be interested in--I've definitely been tricked before, and it's not a fun thing.


But this story certainly lived up to its cover, and it's far better than your average paranormal read. Mary Lindsey backs her tale of unusual ghosts with realistic characters and a startling plot. And what's funny is that, when I showed the cover to my brother, he said it looked like the rose petals were assembling to form Lenzi, but I thought it was Lenzi falling apart into rose petals. I love the way you can look at the cover either way, just like you can with the book--you can choose to see with the love, or see with the fight. It's simple and beautiful that way. Another funny musing I had was that the main character's name was Lenzi (such a pretty name!), and the author's last name is Lindsey. :)

Despite my enjoyment for this book, I did wish that it contained a few things...


1) Romantic Involvement: There is a bit of insta-love, and while I totally understood it, what with the centuries-long history between Lenzi and Alden and all, it still felt too rushed. I kept feeling like Lenzi only loved Alden because of his looks. At the end, though, there was one scene that convinced me of their genuine, true love, and it certainly calmed down an unsettled part of my thoughts. 

2) Trimming: The first 3/4 of the book was gripping and engrossing, but somewhere near the end, a couple of things fell apart for me. Things became predictable. Characters made irrational, hasty decisions that felt out of their personalities. Plot points became a bit sporadic, and I just wasn't feeling it. But! The book overall was so interesting that it didn't affect me to the point of no-return.

I loved the sweet relationship between Lenzi and Alden, and I actually really liked Zak. I understood where he was coming from with his actions; despite his angry personality, he really was broken, and I just couldn't hate him because of that.


Overall, this is definitely a book to check out. While it wasn't as earth-shattering as I'd hoped, it's certainly worth a receipt at the bookstore.

The Last Little Brilliant Adventure

The Last Little Blue Envelope
By: Maureen Johnson
Reported by: Julianna Helms

Ginny Blackstone thought that the biggest adventure of her life was behind her. She spent last summer traveling around Europe, following the tasks her aunt Peg laid out in a series of letters before she died. When someone stole Ginny's backpack—and the last little blue envelope inside—she resigned herself to never knowing how it was supposed to end.

Months later, a mysterious boy contacts Ginny from London, saying he's found her bag. Finally, Ginny can finish what she started. But instead of ending her journey, the last letter starts a new adventure—one filled with old friends, new loves, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Ginny finds she must hold on to her wits . . . and her heart. This time, there are no instructions. 

-Summary from Goodreads
Barnes & Noble||Amazon||The Book Depository

A wonderful journey full of startling discoveries, heartbreaking truths, and a gorgeously interwoven fairytale-ish ending, The Last Little Blue Envelope does not disappoint fans of 13 Little Blue Envelopes.

My favorite thing about Maureen Johnson is her realistic, wonderful sense of humor. Ginny is a likable character who I've come to love through her mistakes and encounters, journeys and findings. With a cast of characters full of both old and new loves, Ginny's last adventure made me smile and laugh, shout with outrage, and smile all over again. 

I had a few confusions with this book, mostly circulating around the plot. There were twists and extraordinary experiences, but there was also times when someone seemed out of character. Their actions felt abnormal, and there wasn't really anything important enough to keep me hooked to the story. This is a very character-driven book. Without Ginny, I don't know if I would have kept reading. Some plot holes could've been easily avoided, and there was a few times when I couldn't help shake my head at the thoughtless behaviors. I would have liked more character development on some of the secondary characters, but truly, it's the ambition and ferocity in Ginny--not the story itself--that kept me turning the pages and devouring this book.


Maureen Johnson sets a high bar of expectations each time, and she has yet to let me down. With simplistic and thoughtful prose, she delivers another novel that won't leave an impression of wow, but will certainly leave an impression of jubilation.

Winner, Winner, On the Newspaper!

WINNER WINNER!

That's right! Remember my Heroines Tourney Contest? Well, we have a WINNER!! :D WOOT!

And the winner of a (her choice) photo-editing for TWO pictures is...

AMANDA @ Letters Inside Out!

Yay! I have e-mailed Amanda, and if she doesn't respond within 72 hours, a new winner will be selected.

Also: Some of you may be wondering about my #AuraFTW contest. Well... Aura... lost... :( But!!! I'm so proud of Team Aura! We were only about 40 votes behind Kaylee of Soul Screamers. It was a "well-fought and extremely close" match, as said by the YA Sisterhood. It's alright. Why?

Because TEAM KILT BOWS TO  NO ONE! And we're bringing Zachary Moore to victory next summer. Just. you. watch.

That's it for the short update! Sorry for being MIA lately--schoolwork, work, too much work... pick your reason. But, I'm back regularly for Winter Break.

Happy Holidays!

JOIN AURA'S ARMY!!!

Once upon a time, there was a YA Crush Tournament.
Once upon a time, there was a book called SHADE.

Before the Happily Ever After... it's time for you to vote in the YA Heroines Tournament for Aura!!! (Voting lasts for 24-hours, from 12/13/11 to 12/14/11, so hurry!)

I HAVE PRIZES! INCENTIVES, ALL!!! COME ON! LET'S GET THIS ARMY STARTED!

1) An early Merry Christmas... Hey, hey, do you still need to buy a Christmas gift? Have you run out of money? Or are you just feeling a bit voracious and want to just, oh, I don't know, WIN something?

IF YOU VOTE FOR AURA, YOU MIGHT WIN....

THAT'S RIGHT! A $15 BARNES & NOBLE GIFT CARD! I mean, since you're on my blog, I'm pretty sure you like reading. And there's plenty of uses for such a card, no?

So. If Aura wins (and only if Aura wins! Sorry. My money supply is dangerously low), one U.S. only (sorry) winner will receive a $15 Barnes & Noble Gift Card! YAY!!!

2) Muuuusic! Okay, so, I kinda sorta write music and play a bunch of instruments, and I wrote my own version to Forever by Logan Keeley. I'm not going to post the link, 'cause I'm doing something special with it right now, and don't wanna ruin the surprise, ya know? (Shh! Don't tell Jeri! I mean, she knows, but she doesn't know about the surprise, soooo... HEY! I saw you! No, no, don't you dare go tell on me! *holds out plate of cookies* PLEEEEASE?)

Ah. The point: I'll write music to something in SHADE! I know you probably care about my music as much as I care about cabbages, but hey, don't you wanna at least see me fail so you can laugh at me? 'cause I'm giving you permission to do that. Yeah. Okay, not the best thing ever, but it's something, isn't it? So, as long as you vote for Aura, you can make a suggestion to a scene or whatever in SHADE, SHIFT, or SHINE (if you're lucky enough to have read it already and don't mind, ya know, telling me some of the stuff. ;) ) I should compose about! (I say suggestion because I can't guarantee any inspiration.)

*EDITED TO ADD*
AND NOW WE HAVE 3!!!! 

3) A FULL SHADE SERIES GIVEAWAY! Jazmin is made of awesome, you guys. She's so awesome that she offered-guess what?!?! A FULL SHADE SERIES GIVEAWAY!!! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?!?! Y'all should go and thank Jazmin for being so awesome! (Note: This is another win-win situation. For you to win, Aura has to win, too, so GO VOTE FOR AURA!!!)

That's... it. I know it's not a lot, but it's only Round 1, and I've got to save some tricks prizes up my sleeve! So, go vote for Aura, leave a comment with your e-mail address on this blog, follow moi blog if you want (+3 entries if you do, but obviously you don't have to), tweet and tell everyone to vote for Aura (+1 for each link. You don't have to link to this post; just telling everyone to vote for Aura would suffice!), and WIN LOTS OF AWESOME STUFF!

Oh, and of course, run over to Brooke's blog and tell her she did an amazing job advocating Aura, will ya? Tell her Juli sent you. :)

GO JOIN AURA'S ARMY!

Waiting on Wednesday {18}

This week, I'm waiting on...

The Fine Art of Truth or Dare
By: Melissa Jensen 

Pretty in Pink meets Anna and the French Kiss in this charming romantic comedy

Ella is nearly invisible at the Willing School, and that's just fine by her. She's got her friends - the fabulous Frankie and their sweet cohort Sadie. She's got her art - and her idol, the unappreciated 19th-century painter Edward Willing. Still, it's hard being a nobody and having a crush on the biggest somebody in the school: Alex Bainbridge. Especially when he is your French tutor, and lessons have started becoming, well, certainly more interesting than French ever has been before. But can the invisible girl actually end up with a happily ever after with the golden boy, when no one even knows they're dating? And is Ella going to dare to be that girl?

Release Date: February 16th, 2012 
Publisher: Speak/Penguin 
-Summary from Goodreads

DID YOU SEE THAT? ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS COMPARISON?!?!?! 

 I. Heart. Stephanie. Perkins. 

This book is a MUST-READ. And that cover? LOVE. I also read an excerpt online, and WOW did it live up to my expectations. Come on, February, hurry up already!!

What are YOU waiting for this week?

The Book that Will Become Legend

Legend
By: Marie Lu
Reported by: Julianna Helms

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. 

-Summary from Goodreads 

A nonstop, action-packed, quick-paced thriller, Legend charges as a single-book army that will claim victory over your heart in a matter of minutes.


Inevitably, Legend, being another Dystopian, has been compared to The Hunger Games. And truly, it deserves that comparison. For Legend is full of action, tantalizing romance, and beautifully simple prose. If nothing else, what sets this book apart from other Dystopians is its simpleness. It's not unpredictable, but it grips your attention. It doesn't overwhelm you with info-dumps and paragraphs of description--somehow Marie incorporates a world that shimmers to life in the most subtle ways. Its characters are flawed, raw, emotional, true, and though what they have experienced should have destroyed their ferocity, such traumatic happenings only make them stronger.


Legend blew my mind. I read an excerpt online and was hooked, but I didn't expect the wonderful emotional plot line running throughout the novel. Because when you have action, often the emotional parts and flawed attributes are ignored. But what truly creates tension isn't just action: it's thoughts within action. And even though this book is quite predictable, it makes you think, and I really, really appreciated that.


This is a must-read that can't be missed. When you have a book with depth, action, and romance... you can't go wrong.

An Abundance of Nerdfighteria

An Abundance of Katherines 
By: John Green

When it comes to relationships, Colin Singleton’s type is girls named Katherine. And when it comes to girls named Katherine, Colin is always getting dumped. Nineteen times, to be exact.

On a road trip miles from home, this anagram-happy, washed-up child prodigy has ten thousand dollars in his pocket, a bloodthirsty feral hog on his trail, and an overweight, Judge Judy-loving best friend riding shotgun but no Katherines. Colin is on a mission to prove The Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability, which he hopes will predict the future of any relationship, avenge Dumpees everywhere, and finally win him the girl.

Love, friendship, and a dead Austro-Hungarian archduke add up to surprising and heart-changing conclusions in this ingeniously layered comic novel about reinventing oneself by Printz medalist John Green, acclaimed author of Looking for Alaska.

-Summary from Goodreads

I have a confession to make: this book slayed me. I am Colin, you guys. It killed my heart to read about a character who I can relate to so, so much.

No, I'm not a prodigy.

I'm just... well, known as really, really smart. I don't think I am--just that other people say so.

Why am I telling you this? Because this book will mean so much more to me than it will mean to someone else. It was tongue-in-cheek funny, dorkily beautiful, thrillingly emphatic.

It was me.

I'm not going to go on and on about how I am Colin or that I think I'm a friction* prodigy (which I'm not) and whatnot. I just want you all to know that I may be a bit biased. But a good kind of biased. In fact, I plunged into this book terrified, because I didn't know if it could possibly live up to the achingly heart-breaking Looking for Alaska. But I loved it even more than Alaska, if you can believe it. The nerdiness of this book made me so, so happy. The characters were fantastically developed; so real, I think I talk to them in my head now. And the plot, while not unpredictable, was intricately complex and heartwarming.

This is a book about math for those who hate math. A book about prodigies for those who envy prodigies. A book about life for those who despise life.

A book for you, my dear reader, to read, especially if you resent reading.

*I say friction instead of freakin', in case you were wondering what it means.
P.S. DFTBA!

Waiting on Wednesday {17}

This week, I'm waiting on...

Taken by Storm
By: Jennifer Lynn Barnes

*No summary available yet*

I'm a big, big fan of Jennifer Lynn Barnes. Actually, I met her at the RT BookLovers Convention back in April this year (BEST. CONVENTION. EVER. I mean, that's where I met Jeri Smith-Ready, so it's kind of a given that it'd be so awesome. And OMG they even had a PICTURE of me on their website) (NOOOO do NOT go look it up please please please. I mean, it was actually a somewhat decent picture of me--GIANT kudos to the photographer--but still!!! *inserts terrified face*) (Oh wait, I just basically made you guys promise to look for it, huh? This is going to end badly...*flees to Antarctica*)

Anyway. I digress. So the reason why I brought up the RT Convention was that Jen was just so smart and awesome when I met her that I just had to go and pick up a copy of Raised by Wolves (#1 of the series). Needless to say, I loved it. Which is good, because Jen and I talked about monkeys and monkey islands and stuff. Fascinating, really (no, seriously, it's superbly interesting!!)

SO! (enough of this digressing.) The point of this is that I know werewolf books are so superfluous these days, but I'm urging you to give this series a try. Jen actually studies pack psychology and all that cool stuff, so the way she handles the werewolf myth is astonishingly awesome. And for those of you who've read the first two books... YOU KNOW YOU CAN'T WAIT FOR Taken by Storm!!

Ah. Enough of my ranting. What are YOU waiting on this week?

Vampires: The non-sparkly, kick-rump kind

Vampire Academy
By: Richelle Mead

Vladimir’s Academy isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger. . . . 

Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever... 

-Summary from Goodreads

Vampire Academy: Hogwarts meets the non-sparkly Twilight, and a kick-rump, flagrantly likable heroine makes this book one you can't miss, especially if you're, say, suffering from o-dear-paranormals-there-are-too-many-of-you-for-my-poor-heart-to-handle syndrome.

Truth is, that was my exact diagnosis about two weeks ago. But so many of my blogging friends liked this book that finally, being the weakling I am, I succumbed to their tremendous pressure.


And I am so glad. (is it just me, or does that totally make me sound like a Feeder?)


This book was a fantastic ride of twists, friendship, secrets, and love. What I especially enjoyed was that while this book takes place at a Vampire Academy (ha! See what I did there?), the central story does not revolve around vampirism. Instead, this is a story about Rose. And Rose, just like all the other characters in the story (whether secondary or not) were incredibly developed and (most of the time) likable. But... Man, Dimitri. I think I'm supposed to be head-over-heels in love with him right now, but while I can certainly call him hot, I still haven't been exactly proved why he is such an amazing specimen...I guess that means I'll have to go snag the sequels right now, yeah?


Overall, Vampire Academy is a quick, fun, slightly dark, and entirely satisfying paranormal read for someone who doesn't like paranormal. If that's you... succumb to the allure of the Vampire Academy!