Waiting on Wednesday (3) - Mystic City by Theo Lawrence

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine where you post a book that you can't wait to be released.

Mystic City by Theo Lawrence
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Expected Publication Date: October 9. 2012
352 pages
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Synopsis
Aria Rose, youngest scion of one of Mystic City's two ruling rival families, finds herself betrothed to Thomas Foster, the son of her parents' sworn enemies. The union of the two will end the generations-long political feud—and unite all those living in the Aeries, the privileged upper reaches of the city, against the banished mystics who dwell below in the Depths. But Aria doesn't remember falling in love with Thomas; in fact, she wakes one day with huge gaps in her memory. And she can't conceive why her parents would have agreed to unite with the Fosters in the first place. Only when Aria meets Hunter, a gorgeous rebel mystic from the Depths, does she start to have glimmers of recollection—and to understand that he holds the key to unlocking her past. The choices she makes can save or doom the city—including herself. -Goodreads

Why I'm Waiting I am in love with this cover! Plus, the premise just sounds awesome. It's fantasy with romance and suspense. Plus, there's the unwanted betrothal and the forbidden love with a rebel mystic. A gorgeous rebel mystic. That's some definite incentive to read this book. And she has to recover her memories. Don't we all love books with amnesiac girls trying to find out what happened? And I'm not talking about waking up the morning after a wild night and not remembering what happened. Anywho, I cannot wait till I get my hands on this book. 

What's your WoW? 

Happy reading,

Courtney

Top Ten Romances You Think Would Last Outside The Book (3)

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Every week, book bloggers post a top ten list following a bookish prompt. This week's Top Ten Tuesday is:

Top Ten Romances You Think Would Last Outside the Book

1. Ron and Hermione (Harry Potter) - These two were just meant to be from the beginning. They are adorable together, and I can't imagine one without the other. 

2. Raffe and Penryn (Angelfall) - I think their banter and sarcasm with each other keeps the relationship going. They just fit together so well. 

3. Jace and Clary (The Mortal Instruments) - simply because they can't bear to be apart from each other. It's like they're two magnets pulled to each other. 

4. Howl and Sophie (Howl's Moving Castle) - These two are absolutely adorable together. Nothing's going to tear them apart. 

5. Jane and Mr. Rochester (Jane Eyre) - He kind of needs her now he's blind. Or he'll be stumbling around, calling Jane! Of course they'll stick together! Jane heard his voice calling to her from miles away. That's the kind of relationship that lasts. 

6. Katsa and Po (Graceling) - These two always gravitate towards each other when they're in the same place. I can't imagine these two lovesick puppies not wanting each other's company.  

7. Finnikin and Evanjalin (Finnikin of the Rock) -awwwww, these two are so gagworthy together. They will not split ever. 

8. Fennel and Peree (The Scourge) - the romance in this book was outstanding, and Peree and Fenn will stick together. Peree's too love stricken to ever let Fenn go. 

9. Sam and Rose (The Lord of the Rings) - these two have like a million children. They're going to last in their little hobbit hole. 

10. Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy (Pride and Prejudice) - the classic romance of all time. Almost everyone thinks of these two when a book romance is mentioned. 

What's your top ten? I would have put Daisy and Gatsby but that would have been hysterically wrong. 

Happy reading, 

Courtney

Long Lankin by Lindsey Barraclough Book Review

Long Lankin by Lindsey Barraclough
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Release Date: July 10, 2012
455 pages
Rating: 4 stars
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

"Said my lord to my lady, as he mounted his horse,
Beware of Long Lankin that lives in the moss.
Said my lord to my lady, as he rode away
Beware of Long Lankin, that lives in the hay.
Let the doors be all bolted and the windows all pinned,
Except one little window,
where Long Lankin crept in..."

Synopsis
With their mother away and their father off on business, sisters Cora and Mimi are sent from London to the isolated village of Byers Guerdon to stay with their Auntie Ida at Guerdon Hall. But they receive a less than warm welcome, as Auntie Ida is adamant about them leaving right away. Auntie Ida is eccentric and strict, and the girls are eager to get back to London. But the girls don't know what happened last time there was two little girls at Guerdon Hall. 

As they become closer to two boys from the village, Roger and Peter, they try to find answers to their questions. Why are children forbidden to go down to the old church, All Hallows? What is their Aunt Ida so afraid of that she has to lock all the windows and doors at all times? They end up awakening an evil that has been haunting the village for ages, and Cora will have to protect Mimi from being the next victim. 

My Thoughts
Long Lankin was super creepy, but it wasn't Stephen King scary so I was able to sleep at night. I am always up for a suspenseful read with some chills, and this book had a nice blend of creepiness and mystery. While it started off slow, and it never really reached a neck breaking speed, it kept my interest with its storytelling and things that go bump in the night. I couldn't wait for Cora and Roger to uncover more secrets, and as their revelations grew in number, so did my fears. As in, they found out something and I thought oh crap. 

Roger and his brothers were adorable. Their crazy antics were hysterical. I loved learning more history about the village and all of the villagers. There were so many eccentricities and secrets just waiting to be revealed. I'm not talking about juicy gossip or drama. I'm talking about blood-chilling, traumatic memories of the past. I would not want to live in Byers Guerdon. Not my home sweet home. 

Cora grew on me eventually, but I really didn't feel any connection to her in the beginning. Or to Mimi. She was just too whiny. I know she's four years old, but it was annoying. Though you can't help feeling sorry for Mimi because if she's not being pushed around or yelled at by her sister, she's being scared to death. Poor little girl. And for the most part, I wasn't too fond of Auntie Ida. I would never condone physically punishing a child, even if it's a different time period. And if Auntie Ida was so keen on getting the girls out of Byers Guerdon, she should have taken them far away in the beginning. But then there wouldn't have been a story to tell. 

I found the constant switch between POVs interesting but, in all honesty, erratic. It was so distracting when the POV shifted almost every other page. I wasn't a fan until the end when it worked a little more and  everything came together. Since the setting was England in 1958, the vernacular was unapologetically British. As in, grizzling and blimin' and cor. While I didn't understand some of it, I could make a guess as to the meaning and it didn't interfere with my enjoyment. In fact, it made the book more authentic. 

My favorite part about Long Lankin was Guerdon Hall. It's like every hall in every Gothic novel you read before. I fell in love. The sweeping cobwebs, the creaking floorboards, and twisting passages. Its fallen beauty and disrepair. It had so much history to it, and I savored every description of its interior. I'm that lame. 

If  you like a haunting read, with some thrills and mystery, written at a leisurely pace, Long Lankin is your kind of book. It definitely is worth adding to your TBR pile. 

**Here's the creepy book trailer with some lady singing**

Happy reading,

Courtney 

Recommend A...Book With A Blue Cover (2)

Recommend A is a weekly meme hosted by Chick Loves Lit where you recommend a book following a specific prompt. This week's is Recommend A...Book with A Blue Cover. 

Tamsin by Peter S. Beagle

Arriving in the English countryside to live with her mother and new stepfather, Jenny has no interest in her surroundings, until she meets Tamsin. Since her death over 300 years ago, Tamsin has haunted the lonely estate without rest, trapped by a hidden trauma she can't remember, and a powerful evil even the spirits of night cannot name. To help her, Jenny must delve deeper into the dark world than any human has in hundreds of years, and face danger that will change her life forever. . . 

From the writer of The Last Unicorn, Tamsin is a fantastic read for people of all ages. I loved how the English countryside took on an otherworldly feel with the Wild Hunt and the Black Dog. Folktales came to life in this wonderful story. I read this years ago, and I still remember it well because I enjoyed it so much. 

What's your Recommend A...?

Happy reading,

Courtney

Review: This Is Not A Test by Courtney Summers

Title: This is Not a Test
Author: Courtney Summers
Published: June 19, 2012
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Genre: Young Adult Post-Apocalyptic
Pages: 323
Source: Purchased
Rating: 5 stars
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

"I woke up and the last piece of my heart disappeared. I opened my eyes and I felt it go.”
― Courtney Summers, This is Not a Test

Synopsis
It’s the end of the world. Six students have taken cover in Cortege High but shelter is little comfort when the dead outside won’t stop pounding on the doors. One bite is all it takes to kill a person and bring them back as a monstrous version of their former self.

To Sloane Price, that doesn’t sound so bad. Six months ago, her world collapsed and since then, she’s failed to find a reason to keep going. Now seems like the perfect time to give up. As Sloane eagerly waits for the barricades to fall, she’s forced to witness the apocalypse through the eyes of five people who actually want to live.

But as the days crawl by, the motivations for survival change in startling ways and soon the group’s fate is determined less and less by what’s happening outside and more and more by the unpredictable and violent bids for life—and death—inside. When everything is gone, what do you hold on to? (Goodreads)

My Thoughts
First off, I love the author's name. The first name: Courtney. What an awesome name, huh? ;) Secondly, she has the same last name as Buffy Summers from my favorite show. I know, I'm ridiculous.

This is Not a Test was so fantastic I read almost all of it in one sitting. And I stayed up insanely late. It was gripping and creepy. It leaves a haunting feeling afterwards and gave me shivers. This is Not a Test had such a wild premise. In every other zombie novel, everyone fights to survive,desperate to keep living. Sloane isn't even hanging on anymore. She doesn't want to live. For her, life before the zombie attack was worse. This was a unique twist, and it really made the story unique.

Possess by Gretchen McNeil Book Review

Possess by Gretchen McNeil
Publisher: HarperCollins, Inc.
Release Date: August 23, 2011
384 pages
Rating: 3 stars
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

“She felt like a baton getting passed along in a relay race, completely devoid of any control over her destiny.” 
― Gretchen McNeil, Possess

Synopsis
Rule #1: Do not show fear.
Rule #2: Do not show pity.
Rule #3: Do not engage.
Rule #4: Do not let your guard down.
Rule #5: They lie.

Fifteen-year-old Bridget Liu just wants to be left alone: by her mom, by the cute son of a local police sergeant, and by the eerie voices she can suddenly and inexplicably hear. Unfortunately for Bridget, it turns out the voices are demons – and Bridget has the rare ability to banish them back to whatever hell they came from.

Terrified to tell people about her new power, Bridget confides in a local priest who enlists her help in increasingly dangerous cases of demonic possession. But just as she is starting to come to terms with her new power, Bridget receives a startling message from one of the demons. Now Bridget must unlock the secret to the demons' plan before someone close to her winds up dead – or worse, the human vessel of a demon king. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts
Possess had some seriously creepy parts. I actually had to stop reading late at night because I was afraid I wouldn't be able to sleep without the light on. But the majority of the book wasn't too scary. Just a few parts. Which was fine by me. The plot was entertaining enough. One scene took place in a doll shop which made me think of my close friend who is terrified of dolls. Bridget was also scared of dolls. And spiders. I agree. I hate spiders. Her phobias were amusing, and I like how they fit into the plot. 

I have to admit that I didn't really like the protagonist in Possess. Bridget was just too much of the stereotypical hormonal teenager. That should be expected since she's fifteen. But she was whiny, prickly, and sarcastic. She was so defensive and confrontational even when people wanted to help. I honestly couldn't stand her for most of the book. Plus, she was immature. Most of the characters were immature. Their conversation annoyed me. I understand they're in high school, but I hate the use of teenage slang. Everybody said dude. I never said dude when I was in high school. Bridget was constantly saying whatever and her responses annoyed me. She also said fail a lot. At least, I think it was fail. It showed up as flail a few times in the Kindle edition, but there were several typos and spacing problems in this edition. That didn't affect my enjoyment though. 

Something that bugged me about Possess was the romantic interest. Matt was sooooo overprotective. His concern for Bridget was cute, but his constant need to protect her, watch over her, and ask how she was doing every minute of the day was a little creepy. Is he her father figure? Her bodyguard? He asked her how are you? a million times. And I can't help but judge him after he dated that b***h Alexa. How could any guy date her and still be likable? Is he brain damaged? Plus, Bridget was so harsh and rude to him, but he still kept trying. Why? I would've given up and said the heck with you a long time ago if someone was that rude to me. Many people, especially the targeted teen audience, will love Matt with his irresistible hotness and his baseball skills and his unwavering need to protect Bridget. But for me, he was just too good to be true and a little needy.  

I did love the storyline and the details behind Bridget's power. The Watcher and Nephilim myth popped up again just like in a recent book I read, Angelfall. Possess offered some suspense, and it was cool to see the mystery unraveling. Though Bridget was a little slow on the uptake. I found Peter Kim amusing and terrifying. It shows that Asians in puppy love can turn psychopathic fast. 

I heard there may be a sequel in the works. Which makes sense because there are some loose ends. Nothing too big or significant though. I'd recommend Possess for anyone who wants an enjoyable read with some chills. But, and I hate to say this, it had its downfalls and I didn't really feel connected to the characters at all. Meaning, I probably won't pick up the sequel. 

Happy reading,

Courtney

Feature and Follow #3 and TGIF #2

Feature & Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. If you'd like to know more, click the button above. 

This Friday's question is: 

What would you do over if you were to start your blog again from scratch? 

Hmmm...I'm thinking. I would have put a little more thought into my earlier reviews. I edited them a little recently. They weren't offering enough information about the book, or at least not as clearly as I wanted. I want my followers to have well-written reviews, and I realized how important that is to book bloggers. Obviously. So I had to hit myself in the forehead for not thinking. :) Reviews need substance, and I put more effort into writing my reviews now.

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TGIF is a weekly meme hosted by GReads! where a bookish question is posed to followers. 

This week's question is: 

Unexpected books: Which books did you have reservations about reading, but ended up loving once you did? 

The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley 

It is 2008 and Carrie McClelland can't hit the right note for her next novel, but an unplanned detour in Scotland, and a stop at the castle that inspired Count Dracula, sets her on a different path; a path that took her back in time exactly 300 years, to that same castle, and to a rebellion doomed to failure. Alternating between the contemporary setting and the past, The Winter Sea takes us at every turn into little known worlds; historical footnotes writ large, a history of Scotland and the Jacobite rebellion of 1708 and the possibility of genetic memory. Historical fiction at its best and Susanna Kearsley at hers, The Winter Sea evokes the writing of Thomas Raddall, Daphne Du Maurier, and Mary Stewart. 

-Goodreads

This book was a random pick, and I was worried it would be cliched or the story would just fall flat. I was wrong. I loved it! I want to travel to Scotland so badly, so the setting appealed to me, and the descriptions were breathtaking. Plus, a wonderful story and romance. Loved it! 

I can't wait to read everybody's answers! 

Happy reading,

Courtney 

Wither by Lauren DeStefano Book Review

Wither by Lauren DeStefano
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Published: March 22, 2011
Series: The Chemical Garden #1
Rating: 5 stars
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

“Fate, I think, is a thief.” 
― Lauren DeStefano, Wither

Synopsis
By age sixteen, Rhine Ellery has four years left to live. She can thank modern science for this genetic time bomb. A botched effort to create a perfect race has left all males with a lifespan of 25 years, and females with a lifespan of 20 years. Geneticists are seeking a miracle antidote to restore the human race, desperate orphans crowd the population, crime and poverty have skyrocketed, and young girls are being kidnapped and sold as polygamous brides to bear more children. 

When Rhine is kidnapped and sold as a bride, she vows to do all she can to escape. Her husband, Linden, is hopelessly in love with her, and Rhine can’t bring herself to hate him as much as she’d like to. He opens her to a magical world of wealth and illusion she never thought existed, and it almost makes it possible to ignore the clock ticking away her short life. 

But Rhine quickly learns that not everything in her new husband’s strange world is what it seems. Her father-in-law, an eccentric doctor bent on finding the antidote, is hoarding corpses in the basement. Her fellow sister wives are to be trusted one day and feared the next, and Rhine is desperate to communicate to her twin brother that she is safe and alive. Will Rhine be able to escape--before her time runs out?

Together with one of Linden's servants, Gabriel, Rhine attempts to escape just before her seventeenth birthday. But in a world that continues to spiral into anarchy, is there any hope for freedom? (Goodreads)

My Thoughts
I was pleasantly surprised by Wither. I loved every single page! It was so haunting and beautifully written. And this book covered a surprising amount of time. I was a little tentative when I saw mixed reviews, but maybe that's because of the sensitive topics of polygamy and younger brides. I would call this a Mormon dystopia. But I think these uncomfortable elements made the story even darker and more potent, and this dystopian world more realistic. The vulnerability and sad, short lives of the women really added to the world building and made the reader sympathize more with the characters. 

The characters in Wither were fantastic and well-developed! Loved them so much! Every one of them offered something to the story, but I think the sister wives and their love for each other really made the story. They leaned on each other, they supported each other, and they each became more of a sister wife than they were a wife to Linden. I grew to adore each of the women, even Cecily. It really hurt me to watch such a young girl grow up way before she needed to. 

While I really wanted to despise Linden, I felt sorry for him. He was an idiot and completely clueless, but he loved his wives, no matter how weird it is that he had three of them. He was just so pathetic. I couldn't help pitying him. Although I did feel nauseous about his relationship with Cecily. It was like Lolita all over again. I mean at least he's 21? I think 21. But she's 13. That messed with my head. 

I loved the mansion with its sitting room and library, with its endless gardens that still imprisoned the wives, and all of the holograms in the pool and the mini golf course with the giant gumdrops. It had so many eccentricities. I loved the domestics, and every little detail, like the chamomile baths and the mugs of Earl Grey tea and the June Bean candies. I especially loved the stories about all the other fallen continents. My only complaint was that David was kind of a flat character. I don't think his romance with Rhine was developed enough. I liked him, but I wasn't crazy about him. I needed more scenes between them, but I understand that's difficult when Rhine is being constantly watched and her freedom is restricted. 

I loved Wither so much! I'll be reading its sequel Fever soon!

Happy reading,

Courtney 

The Scourge by A.G. Henley Book Review

Title: The Scourge
Author: A.G. Henley
Published: January 31, 2012
Publisher: A.G. Henley
Series: Brillant Darkness #1
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal, Dystopian
Pages: 320
Source: Purchased
Rating: 3.5 stars
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Synopsis
Seventeen-year-old Groundling, Fennel, is Sightless. She's never been able to see her lush forest home, but she knows its secrets. She knows how the shadows shift when she passes under a canopy of trees. She knows how to hide in the cool, damp caves when the Scourge comes. She knows how devious and arrogant the Groundlings' tree-dwelling neighbors, the Lofties, can be.

And she's always known this day would come—the day she faces the Scourge alone.

The Sightless, like Fenn, are mysteriously protected from the Scourge, the gruesome creatures roaming the forests, reeking of festering flesh and consuming anything—and anyone—living. A Sightless Groundling must brave the Scourge and bring fresh water to the people of the forest. Today, that task becomes Fenn's.

Fenn will have a Lofty Keeper, Peree, as her companion. Everyone knows the Lofties wouldn’t hesitate to shoot an arrow through the back of an unsuspecting Groundling like Fenn, but Peree seems different. A boy with warm, rough hands who smells like summer, he is surprisingly kind and thoughtful. Although Fenn knows his people are treacherous, she finds herself wanting to trust him.

As their forest community teeters on the brink of war, Fenn and Peree must learn to work together to survive the Scourge and ensure their people’s survival. But when Fenn uncovers a secret that shatters her truths, she’s forced to decide who and what to protect—her people, her growing love for Peree, or the elusive dream of lasting peace in the forest. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts
There's some books that I'm indecisive about in regards to rating. The Scourge was one of them. I mean, the book was a great read. Very enjoyable. It had so many unique elements. The civilization of Fennel's world lives a simpler life after sickness and war. There is something amazing about a whole world that lives as if in the past. The Groundlings and Lofties rely on primitive skills and handmade weapons to hunt. They dance with their intended and offer bonding bracelets instead of expensive diamond rings. Their ancestors lived in an advanced time, I'm assuming those ancestors are us, but The Scourge shows how all of these advancements and accomplishments have been reversed. While there is suffering and hardship, the simplicity is almost comforting and beautiful. It's not a fast-paced read full of action, but it is written beautifully. My favorite part about The Scourge was the storytelling. It was beautiful and creative. All of the animal fables really brought something to the story, and they were so wonderfully imaginative.

There are many deep messages that run throughout The Scourge. It's less about the Scourge themselves and more about the people. How they struggle with mistrust. How prejudice divides them when they need each other most. How blind hatred can be. The plot really speaks to any struggle between races or any war that has ever occurred. But despite all this animosity, we have our star-crossed lovers. The romance is phenomenal. I love the trust that develops between Peree and Fenn. They also banter with each other, which is amusing and sweet. I adore Peree. I was a little frustrated with Fenn and how she pushed away Peree occasionally, but I can understand her fear in giving so much of herself to one person.

I did not like the love triangle. Or should I say awkward triangle. I hate when one guy is so besotted with the protagonist, but he's clueless that she prefers the other guy. I think Fenn led Bear on a little as well, and her indecision hurt both men. I was never into the whole two guys fighting over one girl, and the girl having trouble deciding, and I'd much rather focus on other plot developments. I'd rather not have teams forming over which guy the main character should choose in a book. Despite Fenn's indecision, I did love her bravery, especially since she's Sightless. Her Sightlessness made her a stronger individual, and I loved how her other senses had strengthened in result.

While I enjoyed most of The Scourge, I found the explanation behind the creatures, and how they came to be, unsatisfactory. It didn't appeal to me. It worked, but I just felt some other explanation would have been better. And some of the plot developments just ended up confusing me, instead of offering a clear backstory. The ending was a little abrupt, but I was happy with its closure until I realized a sequel is planned. I was really hoping to escape another series, but I will most likely read the sequel.

I would recommend The Scourge to anyone who wants an original zombie read, some wonderful storytelling, and a touching romance. If you can overlook a weak explanation and commit to the whole series, I'm sure it will be an enjoyable read.

Happy reading,

Courtney

Waiting on Wednesday (2) - Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine where you post a book that you just can't wait to be released.

Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Expected Publication Date: September 11, 2012
370 pages, The Lynburn Legacy Series
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Synopsis
Kami Glass loves someone she’s never met . . . a boy she’s talked to in her head ever since she was born. She wasn’t silent about her imaginary friend during her childhood, and is thus a bit of an outsider in her sleepy English town of Sorry-in-the-Vale. Still, Kami hasn’t suffered too much from not fitting in. She has a best friend, runs the school newspaper, and is only occasionally caught talking to herself. Her life is in order, just the way she likes it, despite the voice in her head.

But all that changes when the Lynburns return.

The Lynburn family has owned the spectacular and sinister manor that overlooks Sorry-in-the-Vale for centuries. The mysterious twin sisters who abandoned their ancestral home a generation ago are back, along with their teenage sons, Jared and Ash, one of whom is eerily familiar to Kami. Kami is not one to shy away from the unknown—in fact, she’s determined to find answers for all the questions Sorry-in-the-Vale is suddenly posing. Who is responsible for the bloody deeds in the depths of the woods? What is her own mother hiding? And now that her imaginary friend has become a real boy, does she still love him? Does she hate him? Can she trust him? (Goodreads) 

Why I'm Waiting Everything about this book appeals to me. The cover. The name of the town: Sorry-in-the Vale (love it). The premise. The reviews so far have been awesome. And all those questions at the end of the Goodreads synopsis. I want them answered! This sounds like a magical and suspenseful read. Can't wait!

Happy reading,

Courtney