Marry, Kiss, Cliff Tag - YA Books

Today I am going to do the Marry, Kiss, Cliff tag. I first saw this tag on the Bookables youtube (find her here: http://www.youtube.com/user/Bookables) and it looked like so much fun that I had to do it for myself. The basic premise of this tag is to pick three guys and say whether you will marry, kiss or cliff them.

So, there are various different ways of doing this tag but my spin on it was to just write a list of male characters from random books on my shelves, pop all their names in a teacup (yes, a teacup) and then pulled three names out at time deciding whether to marry, kiss or cliff them.

So here we go,
Round One: Simon (The Mortal Instruments Series), Harry Potter (....you know) and Gansey (The Raven Boys)

Ahhh...now this was a tough one because I am not a huge fan of any of these boys. I am going to have to:
Marry: Simon, but only after he becomes a vampire because before that he is just pathetic
Kiss: Gansey, because he is hot but so annoying (kiss and run....)
Cliff: Harry, sorry Harry but you are so self righteous and a pain in the butt.


Round Two: Jace (The Mortal Instruments Series), Day (The Legend Series) and Gale (The Hunger Games)

Now this one was easy. I will:
Marry: Jace, because he is cool, cheeky, fun, badass and a nice guy underneath it all, what more could you want.
Kiss: Day, because, like Jace, he is pretty badass but a nice guy, a little too nice for me hence why Jace wins first place ;)
Cliff: Gale, and I don't even feel sorry...


 

Round Three: Aspen (The Selection), Four (The Divergent Series) and Christian (The Vampire Academy Series)



This was another tough choice for me as I like all of these characters.
Marry: Aspen, he is tough and strong and has a lot of ambition, I like that.
Kiss: Christian, his bad boy status and broodiness just makes him hot
Cliff: It kills me to say this but it has to be Four....sorry Four



Round Four: Alex (Delirium), Ben (Slated) and Edward (The Twilight Series)


Too easy.
Marry: Alex, someone who would risk his life for mine - marriage material.
Kiss: Ben, because he is six foot and hot.
Cliff: Edward, so much hate for him.





Round Five: Draco Malfoy (Harry Potter Series), Gabriel (Wither), and Peeta (The Hunger Games)


Now this is a weird group...
Marry: Gabriel, because he is lovely but not as pathetic as Peeta.
Kiss: Draco....yes, he is a bad boy and is played by Tom Felton in the movie enough said.
Cliff: Peeta, most painful and pathetic male character, EVER.




Round Six: Liam (The Darkest Minds), Raphael (The Coldest Girl in Coldtown) and Dimitri (The Vampire Academy)

The hardest decision here was between Raphael and Liam. While Liam is lovely there is something weirdly attractive about Raphael. But, I will have to:
Marry: Liam, because he can move things with his mind; he would be handy to have around.
Kiss: Raphael, weirdly attracted to Raphael, even when he was crazy...
Cliff: Dimitri, far too uptight for my liking and follows the rules way too much.


Round Seven: Ron Weasley (Harry Potter), Maxon (The Selection) and Will (The Infernal Devices Series)



Another no-brainer.
Marry: Will, marry me now, perfect male character.
Kiss: Maxon, cause he is hot.
Cliff: Ron, sorry but he would make a great friend if I didn't have to cliff him.



This tag was a lot of fun. Round three was by far the hardest choice I had to make, can't believe I cliffed Four, so sad. I also learnt that I have terrible taste in men, why do bad boys have to be so darn attractive? Who would you marry, kiss or cliff?

A Review of Slated by Teri Terry

Today I am here with a review of Slated by Teri Terry - spoiler free.

Title: Slated
Author: Teri Terry
Publisher: Orchard Books
Published: 2012
Pages: 439


Book blurb:

"Kyla's memory has been erased, her personality wiped blank, her memories lost forever.

She's been slated.

The Government claims she was a terrorist, and that they are giving her a second chance - as long as she plays by their rules. But echoes of the past whisper in Kyla's mind. Someone is lying to her, and nothing is as it seems. Who can she trust in her search for the truth?"



Review:

This is a dystopian novel set in 2054. The novel takes place mainly in the countryside outside of London. Kyla, the protagonist of the story has been slated; her memories and personality have all been wiped clean. Those who have been slated are believed to be criminals and terrorists, and all are under the age of sixteen. Lorders rule with an iron fist while the terrorists aim to gain control with violence. As the story progresses, Kyla begins to slowly understand that things are not what they seem and that she happens to be different to other slaters.

I found the characters in the story extremely interesting. At the beginning of the novel the characters appeared to be simple and two dimensional - those that were kind to Kyla and those who were not. However, as the novel progress the characters became far more complex and I realised, along with Kyla, that everyone was not who they first appeared to be. 

My one problem with this book, and it is a small problem, was the insta-love between Ben and Kyla. In 439 pages only an extremely small amount of time passes, around a month. From the moment he sees her Ben appears to be drawn towards Kyla and of course Kyla too begins to fall for Ben. Although this instant chemistry is highly unlikely (call me cynical) it did not over power the story as many young adult romances do. The focus of the story was not totally on the romance between the main characters but more so Kyla's discoveries. Kyla does not become a "Bella" (think New Moon and Bella pinning over Edward - pathetic). Her relationship with Ben does not cloud her judgement and have her running wholly into danger (well, not all the time anyway). 

Kyla is likable because she is realistic; she does not jump into danger head first to become the hero which I find to be far more realistic. She is also not completely pathetic; she is able to protect herself in the face of danger, and others, including men. Finally, a female character who is not, either, a damsel-in-distress or the perfect warrior woman who runs head first into danger because of a man (and yes I am talking about Caelena from The Throne of Glass). 

The ending of the novel was fantastic and came as a complete shock to me. I will most definitely be picking up Fractured, the second book in the series. 

Rating: 5 stars

Book Haul - December 2013

Here are some of the books I have bought so far in December....

All of these books were bought in Chapters in Dublin, except for Graceling which was gifted to me by sister.

During my trip to Dublin I had to make a pit stop (or two) in Chapters bookstore. I had read reviews online about the store and just had to see it for myself. As someone who lives in a town with one teeny bookstore I was in heaven when I walked through the doors. The downstairs comprises of new books (lots and lots of new books), while upstairs contains a fairly large volume of secondhand books. My first stop was the secondhand books. I went straight to the young adult section where I managed to find a copy of Slated by Teri Terry in perfect condition for only 3.99:

This book tells the story of Kyla whose memory and personality has been wiped. Children under sixteen years of age who have been violent or involved in terrorist activities are sent to the hospital where their memories are wiped clean in order to give them a second chance to be a better citizen. However, everything is not what it seems and echoes of Kyla's past haunt her. 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12743472-slated

The YA second hand section was not very large and this was the only book on my TBR that I found, and so, I retreated downstairs. Even though I bought the rest of the books in the "general", new book section I got all these books, except for The Final Empire, for discounted prices due to a sale that was on at the time. The best bargain I found in the YA section was this hardcover copy of The Diviners by Libba Bray for 4.99:

This book has been all over booktube and so I just had to pick it up. I am not too sure what the story details however I do know it is set in the 1920s in New York during the time of the speakeasies and so I just had to have it. You can find a description of the book and several reviews here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7728889-the-diviners?from_search=true

The next book I picked up was Forsaken by Jana Oliver (The first book in The Demon Trappers series). When I saw this for only 3.99 I had to get it of course. This was another book that was on my TBR list, mainly because the Goodreads book description reminded me of The Mortal Instruments series. 

This book is about Demons and of course "demon trappers". One such demon trapper being the protagonist 17 year old Riley. By the sounds of it (correct me if I am wrong) women are not usually allowed become demon trappers, however, due to the increasing numbers of demons in Riley's city she is welcomed into the guild. Find more info about this book here:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8534899-forsaken?from_search=true

One of my favourite purchases of this book haul was The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson:

Regan from Peruse Project (find her videos here http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy6Qlkv2hif7KPtmMmNUGUw) raved about this book and mentioned it recently in one of her book hauls. It is the first book in the Mistborn series. This book basically follows the story of what happens when evil triumphs good. The immortal Lord Ruler has oppressively ruled over the land for the past thousand years...and so the story begins. Find a far better overview of this book here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/68428.Mistborn?from_search=true

Can I first just say how ugly this cover is? Never judge a book by the cover they say but with a name like "Dark Lover" and a review from "Vampire Genre" saying "these vampires are hot"....it was very difficult for me to buy this book. However, it was in my TBR and happened to be 4.99 so here it is:

All I know about this book is that it is about vampires and that it has a really high rating on Goodreads (4.24) hence why I bought it! Find a detailed synopsis here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42899.Dark_Lover?from_search=true

This next book is either loved or hated in the booktube community. The premise of the book sounded interesting and so for 4.99 I said why not pick it up:

In this world, at the age of sixteen everyone has an operation that turns you from an "ugly" into a "pretty" and from there on out the only job you have is to look pretty. Sounds good right? Well not for everyone. The protagonist's friend Shay isn't sure she wants to be pretty. Shay would rather live life on the outside and remain an "ugly". The protagonist learns about the harsh realities of the "pretty" world when Shay runs away, and the authorities tell her: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn pretty at all. Read the reviews here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24770.Uglies?from_search=true

This is another book I picked up after watching one of Regan's hauls:

I know very little about this book except that it is set in Russia (awesome) and involves magic (again, awesome). Find a far more detailed synopsis here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10194157-shadow-and-bone?from_search=true

Please excuse the following photo, for some reason this photo just would not upload correctly. This book was in my Goodreads TBR-but not right away list. However, I picked it up anyway as it was only 3.99 - How could I say no?

I know next to nothing about this book so here is Goodreads description: "While the other girls in the walled city-state of Baalboden learn to sew and dance, Rachel Adams learns to track and hunt. While they bend like reeds to the will of their male Protectors, she uses hers for sparring practice. When Rachel's father fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the city's brutal Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector: her father's apprentice, Logan—the boy she declared her love to and who turned her down two years before. Left with nothing but fierce belief in her father's survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself. As Rachel and Logan battle their way through the Wasteland, stalked by a monster that can't be killed and an army of assassins out for blood, they discover romance, heartbreak, and a truth that will incite a war decades in the making. (qtd. by Goodreads.com)"

This last book I received as a gift for my birthday from my little sister (again, this was on my TBR):

In this world there are Gracelings who have special skills. The protagonist Katsa, is a Graceling whose special skill is her ability to kill with her bare hands....and that's about all I know about this one. As always here is the link to the book's Goodreads profile:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3236307-graceling?from_search=true

They are all my books that I have gotten so far this month. I just recently placed an order with the Book Depository (find them here http://www.bookdepository.com/). I don't expect to receive these until after Christmas so I should have another haul up around then.

Nollaig shona duit (Happy Christmas)

November Wrap-Up 2013

Hey guys. This is going to be a really quick overview of the books I read this month. I will be reviewing a few of the books in further detail. This month was a good reading month for me. I read a total of ten books. 

The first book I read was Divergent by Veronica Roth. 

Pros: Quick and easy read with plenty of drama. 

Cons: Irritating female protagonist, run of the mill young adult romance. 

Overall Rating: 3.5 Stars

Recommend: Yes.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13335037-divergent?from_search=true

The next book I read was the Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead.

Pros: The female protagonist's humor, Christian

Cons: The love stories between the main characters, and some very irritating characters, namely Dimitri and  Lissa

Overall Rating: 3.5

Recommend: Yes. Mainly because I heard the second book is better, and the film will be released soon.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/345627.Vampire_Academy?from_search=true




Next book: Insurgent by Veronica Roth, the sequel to Divergent.

Pros: Again a quick read, mildly interesting, more world building

Cons: The "heroine" spends the entirety of the novel worrying about a boy and their relationship....

Overall: 3.5 stars

Recommend: Honestly, no. Especially when I know how terrible the third book in the series is.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11735983-insurgent?ac=1

The Book Thief by Marcus Zusack

Pros: The relationships between the characters, the story, EVERYTHING
Cons: Honestly, I loved this book so much I can not pick one.
Overall Rating: 5 stars
Recommend: 100 times YES!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19063.The_Book_Thief?ac=1




Prodigy by Marie Lu

Pros: The male protagonist, such an entertaining story
Cons: The Female protagonist
Overall Rating: 5 stars.
Recommend: Yes. This is the second book in the legend triology and each book is just as entertaining as the next.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13414446-prodigy?from_search=true




Wither by Lauren Destefano

Pros: Interesting dystopian story, female protaganist
Cons: The relationship between Rhine and Linden
Overall Rating: 4 stars
Recommend: Yes. I didn't rush out to buy the two other books in the trilogy but all in all it was an interesting read.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8525590-wither?from_search=true




The Selection by Kiera Cass

Pros: Aspen
Cons: Pathetic female protagonist, relationship between female protagonist and Prince Maxon, fluffy, girly, ridiculous
Overall Rating: 2 stars.
Recommend: No. Unless you enjoy girly books with little story and annoying, bratty girls who get what they want.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10507293-the-selection?from_search=true



A Little Too Far by Lisa Desrochers

Pros: None.
Cons: The characters, the lack of story, everything.
Overall Rating: 2 stars.
Recommend: No.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17786125-a-little-too-far?from_search=true





The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

Pros: Everything. This was one of my favourite reads this month. I invested a great deal in the characters, vying for them from the off. The romance wasn't overbearing and the story was fast paced and interesting throughout the whole book.
Cons: None.
Overall Rating: 5 stars.
Recommend: Yes. I will be picking up the second book in the trilogy, Never Fade.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10576365-the-darkest-minds?from_search=true

My favourite book of the month was: The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black

Pros: My favourite aspect to this book was the female character Tana. She was extremely badass without being unrealistically so. The romance in the story again was not over powering and there were many different characters and relationships including gay, bisexual, lesbian and transgender which is thoroughly refreshing in a book.

Cons: That it is a stand-alone book.

Overall Rating: 5 stars.

Recommend: Yes.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12813630-the-coldest-girl-in-coldtown?from_search=true