Review: Eona by Alison Goodman

Title: Eona
Author: Alison Goodman
Published: March 29, 2012
Publisher: Firebird
Series: Eon #2
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Pages: 637
Source: Purchased
Rating: 5 stars
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*Warning: This book review contains spoilers for Eon*

“Men were always quick to believe in the madness of women.”
― Alison Goodman, Eona

Synopsis
Eon has been revealed as Eona, the first female Dragoneye in hundreds of years. Along with fellow rebels Ryko and Lady Dela, she is on the run from High Lord Sethon's army. The renegades are on a quest for the black folio, stolen by the drug-riddled Dillon; they must also find Kygo, the young Pearl Emperor, who needs Eona's power and the black folio if he is to wrest back his throne from the selfstyled "Emperor" Sethon. Through it all, Eona must come to terms with her new Dragoneye identity and power - and learn to bear the anguish of the ten dragons whose Dragoneyes were murdered. As they focus their power through her, she becomes a dangerous conduit for their plans. . . .(Goodreads)

My Thoughts
I have absolutely no regrets in having read this duology. After enjoying Eon immensely, I was a bit nervous that Eona wouldn't live up to its predecessor. There was no need to worry. Eona was just as impressive, and I enjoyed every single page. I was tempted to just read this book straight through, never putting it down, while I forgot all of my responsibilities. If only...le sigh.

Waiting on Wednesday (13) - The Nightmare Affair by Mindee Arnett

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine. Every Wednesday, bloggers post the books that they just can't wait to be released!

The Nightmare Affair by Mindee Arnett
Hits Shelves on March 5, 2013
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Synopsis
Sixteen-year-old Dusty Everhart breaks into houses late at night, but not because she’s a criminal. No, she’s a Nightmare.

Literally.

Being the only Nightmare at Arkwell Academy, a boarding school for magickind, and living in the shadow of her mother’s infamy, is hard enough. But when Dusty sneaks into Eli Booker’s house, things get a whole lot more complicated. He’s hot, which means sitting on his chest and invading his dreams couldn’t get much more embarrassing. But it does. Eli is dreaming of a murder.

Then Eli's dream comes true.

Now Dusty has to follow the clues—both within Eli’s dreams and out of them—to stop the killer before more people turn up dead. And before the killer learns what she’s up to and marks her as the next target. (Goodreads)

Why I'm Waiting
I've seen The Nightmare Affair on quite a few Waiting on Wednesdays lately, and it caught my eye. How could it not with that beautiful cover? What can I say? I'm a sucker for anything purple. Plus, the title, the premise, just everything about it sounds so wonderfully witty and unique. I'm definitely going to check this one out. Hopefully it lives up to my expectations.

What is everyone waiting on this week?

Book Blog Tour: Colonization Review and Giveaway

Title: Colonization
Author: Aubrie Dionne
Published: November 7, 2012
Publisher: Inkspell Publishing
Series: Paradise Reclaimed #1
Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction
Pages: 229
Source: Publisher (for book blog tour)
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble |
Inkspell Publishing

“Forbidden love on a paradise planet that’s anything but paradise...Dionne’s Colonization will keep you guessing.”
 – Cherie Reich, author of Defying Gravity

Synopsis
Finding a new home has never been so dangerous.

Andromeda has spent all seventeen years of her life aboard a deep space transport vessel destined for a paradise planet. Her safe cocoon is about to break open as Paradise 21 looms only one month away, and she must take the aptitude tests to determine her role on the new world and her computer assigned lifemate. As a great-granddaughter of the Commander of the ship, she wants to live up to her family name. But, her forbidden love for her childhood friend, Sirius, distracts her and she fails the tests. The results place her in a menial role in the new colony and pair her with Corvus, “the oaf”.
,br> But when Andromeda steps foot on Paradise 21, her predestined future is the least of her worries. Alien ghosts from a failed colonization warn her of a deadly threat to her colony. And when Sirius's ship crashes on the far ridge in an attempt to investigate, she journeys to rescue him with Corvus.

Andromeda now must convince the authorities of the imminent danger to protect her new home. What she didn't expect was a battle of her own feelings for Sirius and Corvus.

Can she save the colony and discover her true love? (Goodreads)

My Thoughts
Paradise 21 was an action-packed read, and I flew through the pages with ease. I'll admit I haven't read a lot of science fiction, and I was unsure about whether or not I would enjoy this book but I was pleasantly surprised. The creepy factor and the suspense were right down my alley. And the premise was wild. A ship that's been flying for six generations towards its destination? A ship that is controlled by one man's mind? There were some crazy details.

Review: The Long Walk by Richard Bachman

Title: The Long Walk 
Author: Richard Bachman (Stephen King)
Published: 1979
Genre: Adult Thriller, Dystopian
Pages: 370
Source: Borrowed
Rating: 5 stars
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“They walked through the rainy dark like gaunt ghosts, and Garraty didn't like to look at them. They were the walking dead.”
― Stephen King, The Long Walk

Synopsis
On the first day of May, one hundred teenage boys meet for an event known throughout the country as "The Long Walk," a deadly contest of endurance and determination, where each step could literally be their last. If you break the rules, you get three warnings. If you exceed your limit, what happens is absolutely terrifying. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts
The Long Walk was written under Stephen King's pen name Richard Bachman, and this is actually my first Bachman read. From what I've heard, the Bachman books tend to be darker and more violent (and we thought King's books couldn't get any darker). My friend, the one who lent me this book, has been very persuasive lately in convincing me to read Stephen King books I have put off reading for too long.

The Long Walk exceeded my expectations just like any other King book. It was phenomenal. It's basically a bleaker, more horrific version of The Hunger Games. So if you thought The Hunger Games was shocking, you ain't seen nothing yet.

Top Ten Books On My Bucket List (10)

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week's is a Top Ten Tuesday freebie, meaning we can pick whatever topic we want. I chose "Top Ten Books on My Bucket List." I hope my top ten list isn't too depressing, especially since I'm only 22 and should have plenty of time to read all of these books.

Top Ten Books On My Bucket List

1. Under the Dome by Stephen King- Actually, I'd like to say every book written by Stephen King. But this one is my most formidable opponent. This book is not just a mere book. No, it can only be called a tome. It could be used as a weapon if you chucked it at an intruder, or a pillar. I just weighed it (yes, I weighed it). I'm surprised it's only 3.6 lbs. I will conquer the dome! 

2. A Song of Fire and Ice series by George R. R. Martin - Okay, this is cheating since it's a series and not one book. I love the show A Game of Thrones, and I intend to read all of these books. I'm thinking I'll wait till they're all out though. A shout out to my girl Daenerys! That was my failed attempt at being gangster or something. 

3. Every play ever written by William Shakespeare - I've read about twelve of Shakespeare's plays, but I have every intention of reading all of them. Why? Because I can. I know, I sound like I'm five. But I might as well find use for this gargantuan book of Shakespeare that I still have from college. 

4. This Side of Paradise & Tender Is The Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald - I won't bore you blabbering on about my love affair with Fitzgerald's writing, but he has me hooked. I read The Great Gatsby and The Beautiful and the Damned, and I fell in love with those books. Why? I have absolutely no clue. I hate every single one of his characters, except Nick, but I love Fitzgerald's work. So I must read these other two. 

5. The Iliad & The Odyssey by Homer - I'm a lovesick puppy when it comes to Greek mythology. I've already read parts of both of these, but I need to finish them eventually. 

6. House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski - I'm so excited to read this book, but it's going to be a challenge. I will need breaks and naps. House of Leaves is an odd assortment of just anything, and it sounds terrifying. Right up my alley. 

7. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier - I keep asking myself, "Courtney, why have you yet to read this?" There is no good excuse. None at all. 

8. Moby Dick by Herman Melville - First of all, it was my college advisor's favorite book, and he was one of my favorite teachers. Secondly, I'm a big believer in classic literature, and I'm ashamed to admit I have yet to read Moby Dick. 

9. The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon - And I even have this book! For shame. How could I not love "an epic story of murder, madness, and doomed love"?

10. A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf - Because I think every woman, no everyone, should read this. I've read parts for a class, and I loved her writing style. It's an extraordinary essay from what I've seen.

Honorable Mentions:

11. The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe

12. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey

What's your top ten this week?

Recommend A...Book That Lived Up To Your Expecations (4)

Recommend A... is a weekly meme hosted by Chick Loves Lit. This week's is Recommend A...book that lived up to your expectations.

Blood Red Road by Moira Young

Sypnosis
Saba has spent her whole life in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland ravaged by constant sandstorms. The Wrecker civilization has long been destroyed, leaving only landfills for Saba and her family to scavenge from. That's fine by her, as long as her beloved twin brother Lugh is around. But when a monster sandstorm arrives, along with four cloaked horsemen, Saba's world is shattered. Lugh is captured, and Saba embarks on an epic quest to get him back.

Suddenly thrown into the lawless, ugly reality of the world outside of desolate Silverlake, Saba is lost without Lugh to guide her. So perhaps the most surprising thing of all is what Saba learns about herself: she's a fierce fighter, an unbeatable survivor, and a cunning opponent. And she has the power to take down a corrupt society from the inside. Teamed up with a handsome daredevil named Jack and a gang of girl revolutionaries called the Free Hawks, Saba stages a showdown that will change the course of her own civilization.

Blood Red Road has a searing pace, a poetically minimal writing style, violent action, and an epic love story. Moira Young is one of the most promising and startling new voices in teen fiction. (Goodreads)

This book far exceeded my expectations. Everything about it was fantastic. Blood Red Road was a legit dystopia with cage fighting and slaves and giant man-eating worms. You need to check this book out! It has adventure, bands of warrior women, and even a little romance. Not to mention the heroine is a force to be reckoned with. Plus, the unique writing style makes the book all the more authentic. Rebel Heart just arrived, and I cannot wait to read it!

What book would you recommend this week?

Review: The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Immortal Rules 
Author: Julie Kagawa
Published: April 24, 2012
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Series: Blood of Eden #1
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal, Dystopian
Pages: 485
Source: Library
Rating: 4 stars
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“Sometime in your life, Alison Sekemoto, you will kill a human being. Accidentally or as a conscious, deliberate act. It is unavoidable. The question is not if it will happen, but when.”
― Julie Kagawa, The Immortal Rules

Synopsis
In a future world, vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity. Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of "them." The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked--and given the ultimate choice. Die...or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend--a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what--and who--is worth dying for. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts
Let me just preface this review by apologizing for neglecting my blog. First, there was Hurricane Sandy. Although Sandy had some great background noises for reading horror, with the howling of the wind and the torrential downpour of rain. Secondly, I have been suffering from migraine after migraine. So, reading has been slow going. My week of horror-filled books was kind of a failure, but hopefully next Halloween, I'll do much better and spread it throughout the entire month of October (less pressure).

Waiting on Wednesday (12) - Strands of Bronze and Gold by Jane Nickerson

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine, and it's where you post a book you are eagerly awaiting.

Strands of Bronze and Gold by Jane Nickerson

Hits Shelves on March 12, 2013

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Synopsis
The Bluebeard fairy tale retold. . . .

When seventeen-year-old Sophia Petheram’s beloved father dies, she receives an unexpected letter. An invitation—on fine ivory paper, in bold black handwriting—from the mysterious Monsieur Bernard de Cressac, her godfather. With no money and fewer options, Sophie accepts, leaving her humble childhood home for the astonishingly lavish Wyndriven Abbey, in the heart of Mississippi.

Sophie has always longed for a comfortable life, and she finds herself both attracted to and shocked by the charm and easy manners of her overgenerous guardian. But as she begins to piece together the mystery of his past, it’s as if, thread by thread, a silken net is tightening around her. And as she gathers stories and catches whispers of his former wives—all with hair as red as her own—in the forgotten corners of the abbey, Sophie knows she’s trapped in the passion and danger of de Cressac’s intoxicating world.

Glowing strands of romance, mystery, and suspense are woven into this breathtaking debut—a thrilling retelling of the “Bluebeard” fairy tale. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts

Besides that stunning cover, my main reason for wanting to read this book is that it's a Bluebeard retelling. For those of you unfamiliar with the Bluebeard folktale, Bluebeard is a violent nobleman who has a habit of killing his wives. He is greatly feared and avoided because of his blue beard, and, at first, he has trouble convincing another woman to marry him, but he finally succeeds. Before going away on a trip, he gives his new wife the keys to every room in his chateau, but he expressly forbids her to enter one particular room. The wife is overcome with curiosity, and she unlocks the room, only to find the dead bodies of all of her husband's former wives.

So, on that horrific note, this book should make for a fascinating tale! I can't wait to see how this turns out.

What are you waiting for this week?

Review: The Dark Half by Stephen King

Title: The Dark Half 
Author: Stephen King
Published: November 1, 1989
Publisher: Viking Adult
Genre: Adult Horror
Pages: 431
Source: Borrowed
Rating: 5 stars
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“But writers INVITE ghosts, maybe; along with actors and
artists, they are the only totally accepted mediums of our society. They make worlds that never
were, populate them with people who never existed, and then invite us to join them in their
fantasies. And we do it, don't we? Yes. We PAY to do it.”
― Stephen King, The Dark Half

Synopsis
In 1985, 39-year-old Stephen King announced in public that his pseudonymous alter ego, Richard Bachman, was dead. (Never mind that he revived him years later to write The Regulators.)

At the beginning of The Dark Half (1989), 39-year-old writer Thad Beaumont announces in public that his own pseudonym, George Stark, is dead.

Now, King didn't want to jettison the Bachman novel, titled Machine Dreams, that he was working on. So he incorporated it in The Dark Half as the crime oeuvre of George Stark, whose recurring hero/alter ego is an evil character named Alexis Machine.

Thad Beaumont's pseudonym is not so docile as Stephen King's, though, and George Stark bursts forth into reality. At that point, two stories kick into gear: a mystery-detective story about the crime spree of George Stark (or is it Alexis Machine?) and a horror story about Beaumont's struggle to catch up with his doppelganger and kill him dead. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts
Let me first preface this review by saying I worship Stephen King (pardon me if that sounds sacrilegious). I want to marry his mind. I'm usually a very open-minded individual who tries to respect others' opinions, but all of that goes out the window when it comes to King. I will defend his books until I'm in my grave, and I don't care if I'm being dramatic. It's the truth. My family loves Stephen King. My mom read me his books when I was in the womb. I was not allowed to read his works till I was older, but since then, I have enjoyed every single one of them that I have read thus far. And I will read every last one. Now that I've sang my praises for him, I guess I'll continue with an actual book review.

Review: Eon by Alison Goodman

Title: Eon 
Author: Alison Goodman
Published: December 26, 2008
Publisher: Puffin Canada
Series: Eon #1
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Pages: 531
Source: Purchased
Rating: 5 stars
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“I found power in accepting the truth of who I am. It may not be a truth that others can accept, but I cannot live any other way. How would it be to live a lie every minute of your life.”
― Alison Goodman, Eon: Dragoneye Reborn

Synopsis
Eon has been studying the ancient art of Dragon Magic for four years, hoping he’ll become apprentice to one of the twelve energy dragons of good fortune. But he also has a dark secret. He is actually Eona, a sixteen-year-old girl who has been living a dangerous lie for the chance to become a Dragoneye, the human link to an energy dragon’s power. It is forbidden for females to practice the Dragon Magic and, if discovered, Eon faces a terrible death. But after a brilliant sword ceremony, Eon is catapulted into the treacherous world of the Imperial court, where his desperate lie comes to light. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts
Eon was nothing short of fantastic. I'm ashamed to admit that it took me almost an entire week to finish this book because I really should have been reading through it at a rip roaring pace. This week was more hectic than I imagined, so I had to put down this book against my will time and time again.

Just when I was wishing for a jaw dropping fantasy, Eon appeared like magic. This was an epic read I want to see turned into a movie. The attention to detail was amazing. The vivid descriptions of the Asian-inspired architecture and culture wowed me time and time again. The world Goodman built lacked nothing. History, religion, tradition, and culture were all skillfully interwoven. I loved the apartments decorated with painted screens, the beautiful robes the lords wore, and the rituals everyone painstakingly observed. The palace itself was amazing to read about with all its splendor. Every little gesture and symbol had significance, and I was crazy about it. Plus, the rich history made for some wonderful storytelling.