The Tension of Opposites

The Tension of Opposites by Kristina McBride

Pages: 277
What happens when your best friend is kidnapped . . . and then comes home?
Two years ago Noelle disappeared. Two long years of no leads, no word, no body. For two years, Tessa, her best friend, has put her life on hold, avoiding dating and close friendships because they mean nothing if she can't share them with Noelle.
And then, one day, the telephone rings. Noelle is alive. Life can return to the way it was before the kidnapping happened. But everything has changed.
A haunting psychological thriller ripped straight from the headlines, The Tension of Opposites explores the emotional aftermath a kidnapping can have on the victim, and on those she left behind.

Just by reading the summary I could tell this book was going to be good. Although, at first glance I thought action, violence, and the satisfaction of escaping from the man who kidnapped Noelle. But I was totally wrong. This is what happens after the kidnapping, not during.

The characters in this book were phenomenal. Tessa has to be one of the best friends I've ever heard of. She put her life on hold for Noelle, and then once she was home, Tessa helped Noelle in every way that she could. And Noelle was an amazing character because I felt that you could really tell how much this awful man had affected her. She was a brat at times, but she was also vulnerable, sad, and angry.

I really enjoyed the point of view of this book. You would expect a kidnapping book to be based on the child who was kidnapped. I felt that McBride did an excellent job by choosing to write from Tessa's point of view. Also, the way that McBride wrote was captivating. Her sentences flowed into one another and I found it was easy to sit and read 50 pages pretty quickly.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I would recommend it to just about anybody. It will grip your heart at times and sometimes you will want to just close the book to push away the awful things that are involved during Noelle's kidnapping. But, it's a quick read and overall amazing. There really wasn't anything about this book that I didn't like.

Overall Rating: 4 Stars

Intoxication

Intoxication by Tim Kizer




E-Book
How do you force a confession out of a coworker trying to poison you? Do you kill those who dismiss your fears and believe you are paranoid? What do you do if you start questioning your own suspicions--and sanity--as you take the law into your hands?

In this disturbing tale of derangement, a young psychopathic woman is slipping into madness as she fights an enemy that may exist only in her imagination. She has to resort to desperate measures when she realizes that a gun, security cameras in her apartment, and constant vigilance will not be enough to survive.  (Taken from Goodreads)


There are three books in Intoxication by Tim Kizer: Intoxication, The Hitchhiker, and the Bike. I only read Intoxication. It was a pretty creepy book and I didn't enjoy it very much.


Leslie is overly paranoid and it was scary to read about how she thinks. It was also scary that she owned a hand gun! This novella was short and to the point. I felt like there wasn't very much of a build up to anything, the novella started out with the action. But, there was only action in the very beginning, and the end. The middle was boring to me.


The sentences seemed choppy and they didn't seem to flow. I couldn't connect with any of the characters because there were no personality traits besides paranoia. This was not a good book for me and I can't recommend it to anyone else.


Overall Rating: 1 Star

Fever Cover

Lindsay Writes is an amazing blog! I saw on her blog a cover reveal of Fever, and when I went to Lauren DeStefano's blog, I found out it's really happening! Fever (the second book in The Chemical Garden Trilogy) will be released in February of 2012.
Now, let's see the cover!

Isn't this gorgeous? What do you think of the cover?

In My Mailbox (11)

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren. This week, I got a couple books in my mailbox.

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Bought:
Katie Weldon Series Book One: Peculiar Treasures by Robin Jones Gunn
Up For Review:
Rock 'n' Roll is Undead by Rose Pressey
No Shirt, No Shoes, No Spells by Rose Pressey


What did you get in your mailbox this week?

Follow Friday 13

Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee's View! This week's question is:

Q. Name 3 authors that you would love to sit down and spend an hour or a meal with just talking about either their books or get advice on writing from?

My first choice would have to be Suzanne Collins. I know this is probably going to be a very typical choice, and maybe I should think outside the box or something, but I can't help it. I love her first series of books, The Underland Chronicles, and The Hunger Games Trilogy. They are both amazing!

My second choice is Robin Jones Gunn. She is the author of The Christy Miler Collection, The Sierra Jenson Collection (which is on my TBR list) and the Katie Weldon series (I just got the first book!). And that is only her young adult books. She is an awesome Christian writer and so far I've loved every book that she has written.

My third choice is Stephanie Perkins. She is the author of Anna and the French Kiss which was sooo good! I stayed up until like 2 am because I just had to finish it! I'd really love to get some info from her.

What three authors would you pick?

Leave a blog adress and I'll be sure to follow you back!

Have a great Friday (:

Dream Crystal

The Dream Crystal by Mark O'Bannon

E-book
All of the world's dreams are about to die. The Shadow People have come. Always near, they linger in the darkness, ready to devour dreams, hopes, aspirations and desires. . . 
Aisling, having lost her dream of becoming a fashion designer, learns that she's a Faerie changeling. Disquieted by the fact that her faerie parents are kidnappers, she has decided to rescue the human child she was exchanged for, but her "sister" is no longer among the faeries, having been taken by the Shadow People. Ith, the Lord of Shadows, is trying to control the dreams of mankind, which are under the protection of the faeries, so they're at war. 
Aisling, who doesn't believe in dreams any longer, is falling in love with a handsome, mysterious stranger - one of the Shadow People.

This book opens up in the human world, but quickly transitions over into The Land of Dreams. I have to say, I really love The Land of Dreams: flying, making clothes you can just dream up, and just all the faeries! Unfortunately, that was one of the only things that I really enjoyed about this book.

The characters were okay. There were quite a few of them though. It was easy to remember Aisling, Eileen, Morrigan, and Genevive along with a few others, but there were so many smaller characters, I just couldn't keep track of them all!

The writing style of this book was very different than anything I've ever read before. It was very long a descriptive, which can be good. But in this instance, there were too many descriptions at times. I once counted five paragraphs about how certain characters were dressed. That is just too much fashion description for me.

The book did seem to get a quicker pace towards the ending, but I couldn't stay with it. Though a good book, it just wasn't one for me. I couldn't finish it, which I haven't done in a long time. The writing just didn't draw me in as much as I thought it would.

Overall I didn't like this book, although I have read reviews were people have loved it and highly recommend it. I guess you will have to read it yourself and decide whether or not you like it.

Overall Rating: 1.5 Stars

Teaser Tuesday (7)

I'm posting my Teaser Tuesday for this week a little bit early! Because tomorrow I have to leave Marco Islan (sad, I know!) and I will be traveling all the way back home!

Teaser Tuesday is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. This week’s Teaser Tuesday is from the book Falling Under:

 “I’m serious Theia, you will never be safe with me.”

“If you are about to tell me you are a vampire that glitters in the sunlight, I will—“

Page 59 of Falling Under by Gwen Hayes

This line just made me laugh and laugh! 

You can read my review of Falling Under --> Here!

Gimme a Call

Gimme A Call by Sarah Mlynowski

Pages: 301

One phone call changes everything. . . .

Devi’s life is a mess. She wasted three years going out with Bryan—blowing off her friends and barely studying. Now that Bryan has broken up with her, she has nothing left. Not ever her cell phone. After he drops it in a fountain, it will only call one number. Her number. At age fourteen, three years ago.

Devi can’t believe her luck. She can tell her younger self all the right things to do . . . because she’s already done the wrong ones! If freshman Devi takes senior Devi’s advice, they can hold on to their friends, get into  a good—no incredible—college, and most importantly, spar themselves the heartbreak of Bryan.

Except younger Devi isn’t so sure. She likes Bryan. A lot. But who better to listen to than your future self . . . right?

From the words of Lauren Myracle, “I <3 this book like crazy!” Gimme a Call was a charming, hilarious book. I literally read this in one sitting! It is a pretty fast read, and I was drawn in by the unbelievable plot, the hilarious (but sometimes bossy characters), and Sarah Mlynowski’s writing.

The main character, or characters: Senior Devi (Ivy), and Freshman Devi (Frosh). For being the same person, they certainly have different personalities! Three years can change a person. But, so can finding out that you can completely change your future. Ivy was smart by suggesting what to do, but at most times she could be very, very bossy. Which annoyed me a little. But, Frosh could be very, very annoying to Ivy at times too! I loved the conflict between the two characters. It really brought the book to life.

The ending to this book really surprised me though. I was constantly guessing about what would happen in the end, I probably thought up twenty different scenarios! But none of the ideas I thought of actually happened. I was pleasantly surprised with the ending and I think you will be too.

Overall I doubt someone could finish the last page without smiling. I highly recommend reading this book, but especially to young teens going into high school, or even in high school! After reading Gimme a Call, I am definitely going to check out some of Sarah Mlynowski’s other books. I just heart this book like crazy!

Overall Rating: 4 Stars

Musing Monday (8)

Musing Monday is hosted by Should Be Reading. This week's Musing asks . . .
What is the last book you struggled to read through to the end, even though you weren’t really enjoying it? What made you keep reading?
My Answer: Well, it's a book that I am reading right now. It's called The Dream Crystal. I can't say that I'm not enjoying it, because I am a teeny bit... It's just not enough to keep me hooked! When I'm trying to figure out what to read, I never think 'Let's read The Dream Crystal!' But, I'm going to get through it eventually!


What is the last book you struggled to read through to the end?

Starcrossed

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

Pages: 496

How do you defy destiny?

Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.

As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart.

Starcrossed. Oh. My. Gosh. I am speechless! Let’s just say that this is the best book I’ve read all summer! You need to pick this one up! This is exactly the book I needed to read to get back into my reading habit.

Right away I was captured by this book. From the very first paragraph—in which Helen tries to convince her dad to buy her a car. It is so captivating. I was drawn into this book by the characters, the writing style, and the humor. Though this book could be serious at times, it was made up of a lot of comedy that had me laughing out loud.

Helen and Lucas are two of the best star-crossed lovers I’ve ever read about. Although, through all the times that they are together, my favorite time would be when they first met. I was more than a little confused when I first read about the first time they met. But, as the book went on, I understood what happened, and it made me laugh more than once. I just loved the mixed emotions that travel through this book.

Angelini has a wonderful writing style that just captured me, as I've said many times about this book. This is her debut book, but you wouldn't know it just from reading it. It really was spectacular.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I laughed, almost cried, became seriously mad, and was overjoyed all throughout the book. The characters, though not human, still seemed very real. I loved every second of this book and I highly recommend it to everyone and anyone!

Overall Rating: 5 Stars 

Falling Under

 Before I write my review, I want to apologize for my slow down on the blogging! This week especially, because right now I'm in Marco Island, Florida!!! Woot! Although, in my hotel it costs money for wi-fi, so I haven't been on in a few days... but I found a little laptop station. It's like an old telephone booth, but I can plug my netbook right in and, well, here I am! Also, I'm not positive on the number of pages of this book, so I'm going to guess.

Falling Under by Gwen Hayes

Pages: 325 ~give or take~

Theia Alderson has always led a sheltered life in the small California town of Serendipity Falls. But when a devastatingly handsome boy appears in the halls of her school, Theia knows she’s seen Haden before- not around town, but in her dreams.As the Haden of both the night and the day beckons her closer one moment and pushes her away the next, the only thing Theia knows for sure is that the incredible pull she feels towards him is stronger than her fear. And when she discovers what Haden truly is, Theia’s not sure if she wants to resist him, even if the cost is her soul.

Summary from Goodreads.com

This book has always looked interesting to me, so one day I finally decided to pick it up, and I’m pretty glad I did! The first few chapters were a little confusing at times, but the more I got into the book, the more I loved it. I sat down and read it in one sitting.

The characters were great. Theia is very cautious and under the radar. It’s mostly due to her father, but I like that. A lot of characters are more flashy. I do love Theia’s change in character. “What would my mother do?” She asked at one point. Also, “I don’t want to be careful anymore.” Getting away from her dad’s strong hold and strict rules—amazing!

Haden was so confusing though! At one moment, he says Theia is the prettiest girl he’s ever known, then he ditches her and kisses Brittany’s hand! Haden was very back and forth with his feelings. He also refers to Theia as “lamb.” It’s interesting.

There was a joke about Twilight in the book that made me laugh and laugh. What’s funny is that there is the joke, but except for the fact that Haden is a demon, Falling Under and Twilight are very similar—in more ways than one.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. It is probably one of the best paranormal books I’ve read… which isn’t very many, but after reading this book I’m going to start having more of an open mind about them.

Overall Rating: 4 Stars

Follow Friday (12)

Follow My Book Blog Friday is hosted by Parajunkee's View. This week's Follow Friday question is:

Q. Let's step away from besties...What is the worst book that you've ever read and actually finished?

Well, it might not be the worst book I've ever read, but I really didn't like it:

I Am the Messenger by Marcus Zusak. Once I got into it, I started to like the book, but then BAM! The ending came and it just killed the book. I honestly despise that book!

What is the worst book that you've ever read? Leave a comment and blog adress and I'll be sure to follow you back! Have a great Friday (:

The Liar Society

The Liar Society by Lisa & Laura Roecker

Pages: 358

Since when do the dead send emails?

Kate Lowry's best friend Grace died a year ago. So when she gets an email from her, Kate's  more than a little confused.

To: KateLowrype(at)mberlybrown.edu

From: GraceLee(at)pemberlybrown.edu

Subject: (no subject)

Kate,
I'm here . . . sort of.
Find Cameron. He knows.
I shouldn't be writing.
Don't tell. They'll hurt you.

Now Kate has no choice but to prove once and for all that Grace's death was more than just a tragic accidnet. She teams up with a couple of knights-in-(no-so)-shining armor--the dangerously hot bad boy, Liam, and her love-struck neighbor, Seth. But at their elite private school, there are secrets so big people will do anything to protect them--even if it means getting rid of anyone trying to solve a murder...

This book sounded really interestin when I picked it up, so I was pretty excited to read it. I have to say, this is a book you should read pretty quickly and not over the course of a week like I did. It can be hard to remember the characters and to remember what happened last fall, and what is happening in the present. You have to be attentive when you read this book.

The clues in this book were so ... open? They were vague. That's the word. There were twists to the book, which is expected, but there weren't that many clues. It took so long for Kate to figure out what the main clue was because everything was so vague.

Kate is an amazing character. First of all, I love the pink hair. It makes me think that maybe I should do that with me hair! (Kidding.) Katie has guts. Though she isn't fearless, she is really strong. She pushes forward with the hope of finding Grace and figuring out what happened to her best friend, and that perseverence is a great character quality.

Liam was a great character too, along with Seth. Liam seemed gorgeous and just.. awesome. And Seth. He is so sweet and nerdy. I'm glad Kate finally realized how lucky she is to have Seth as a best friend.

The only part of the book I didn't like was the ending. I felt like everything was building, and I was waiting for this stunning ending and for justice to be served, but that didn't happen. Things were wrapped up, but somethings were left hanging. They never told how headmaster Sinclare fit into Grace's death, and some other things weren't finished. I really hope there is going to be a sequel because I'm sure anyone who reads this book will be asking the same questions I'm thinking.

Overall Rating: 3.5 Stars

June Challenge Results

It is now July, so the 30 Books in the 30 Days of June hosted by The Cait Files, is over. ):
I just thought that I would post my results!
So, the grand total is ... *drum roll* ... 19. It's not thirty, but if you subract the seven days I was at camp, you have 23 days. And that means I was four books away from my goal. I think that that is pretty good! I don't know if I've ever read 19 books in a month before. I've never triend to read one every single day! This was a great challenge and I'm really glad that I participated. Next year, if The Cait Files hosts this challenge again, I will be participating and so should you!

The Lake

The Lake by Banana Yoshimoto

Pages: 188
While THE LAKE shows off many of the features that have made Banana Yoshimoto famous--a cast of vivid and quirky characters, simple yet nuanced prose, a tight plot with an upbeat pave--it's also one of the most darkly mysterious books she's written yet.
It tells the take of a young woman who moves to Tokyo after the death of her mother, hoping to get over her grief and start a career as a graphic artist. Her artwork frustrates her, though, and she finds herself spending too much time staring out her window . . . until gradually she notices a young man across the street who spends a lot of time staring out his window, too.
They embark on a strangely hesitant romance--hesitant, she comes to realize, because of something unspeakable has happened to him. But what? She begins to piece together a series of clues that lead to two old friends of his who live a monastic life beside a beautiful lake . . .
With its echos of the infamous, real-life Aum Shinrikyo cult (the group that released poison gas in the Tokyo subway system), THE LAKE unfolds as one fo the most powerful novels Banana Yoshimoto  has ever written. And as the two young lovers overcome their troubled past to discover hope in the beautiful solitude of the lake, it's also one of her most moving.

That's a summary for ya! I was very excited to start reading this book. I won it in a contest, the first book I've ever won, too, so that was exciting. I've just heard lots of praise for this book. I thought it was long on promises and short on delivery.

At first I was very grabbed by Yoshimoto's writing. At the first paragraph I was drawn into the book. But as I read on, it became difficult to hold my attention on the book. Yoshimoto's writing style is unique. She jumps around and can't seem to stay on one subject for more than a few paragraphs it seems like! I do love the art metaphors and similes that Yoshimoto threw into the book to describe how Chihiro (the main character) felt about her artwork. The examples were truly magnificent.

The characters were different than any I've ever read about before. When Chihiro lost her mother, it was like she lost two parents because she and her father became so distant. And her relationship with her mom . . . I feel like she has very conflicting feelings for her mother. At one moment she misses her immensly, and then she is so mad at her mom! I couldn't really tell how she felt about the whole situation.

I couldn't seem to really connect with any of the characters. Nakijima is so strange. He studies constantly and is super smart, but so deeply wounded in a way I couldn't understand. He is almost weak, and he is very anti-social. But if you really want strange, Mino and Chii are the characters for you. Chii is bed-ridden and talks through Mino somehow. It was confusing at times, very different then anything I've ever read before.

Throughout the book, there wasn't any action. It was mostly just conversations between the characters, or even more, thoughts and feelings, and summaries of experiences. The few times when conflicts actually arose in the story, they were quickly and easily overcome. There was no depth.

Overall I have very mixed feelings about the book. The ending really made up for a lot in the book, but I was still weighed down with everything else. I just couldn't connect with this story as well as I hoped I could have.

Overall Rating: 3 Stars