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Hey guys!
Wow, I can not believe it has been so long since I've posted--6 months! And I didn't even warn anyone I'd be gone. Things have been so hectic lately I just needed a break. Blogging had turned into somewhat of a chore and the pressure to read quickly and always have up new reviews was putting way to much pressure on me. I mean, I joined the bloggersphere because I love books! And I want to find out about new books and I want to share with people how I liked (or did not like) the books that I read.
Bottom line: It's supposed to be fun.
So, I took a break.
But the good news? I'm back! And I'm so excited because I just read some really awesome books and I have officially decorated for fall! So hopefully I'll be getting those reviews up soon and slowly I'll be back more regularly:)

-Katie
Happy Fall!

Misfits and Heroes: West from Africa

Misfits and Heroes: West from Africa by Kathleen Rollins

Naaba begins it when he releases Asha from her bonds and they head off to the river, together, two misfits with a dark past and an uncertain future. But many others will become part of it before the journey is through: strangers and friends joining forces as they face their enemies, without and within, and the perils of the journey that will test them all, so that their actions, even their failures, will shape their new identity in a very different world, as friends, as lovers and as individuals.


Ramblings: When I started this book, I honestly thought, "This doesn't seem like something I am really going to enjoy.. and it's really long!" But I soon found that it IS something I am really going to enjoy and that the length disappeared as I was wrapped up in the story.


Characters: My heart soared with each of these characters. They face so many struggles--inside and out--and I just really connected with all of them. Characters were inventively brought into and out of the story and I could never be sure if someone would turn up again. I was definitely kept on my toes!


Plot: Set in 12,000 BC, this book has a very interesting plot! I loved being sucked into this world. It was such a believable world, I'm sure that Rollins had her work cut out for her when she was researching this era! And, this era was eerily similar to ours and I never thought it would be. I figured they were all cave men with no feelings to put it blatantly! Rollins did a wonderful job opening my mind up to this era.


Overall: I'm so excited that I picked this book up, and so upset that it took me so long to! Thank you Ms Rollins for letting me review your book! :)


Overall Rating: 4 Stars

Fever

Fever by Lauren DeStefano

Pages: 341
Rhine and Gabriel have escaped the mansion, but danger is never far behind. 
Running away brings Rhine and Gabriel right into a trap, in the form of a twisted carnival whose ringmistress keeps watch over a menagerie of girls. Just as Rhine uncovers what plans await her, her fortune turns again. With Gabriel at her side, Rhine travels through an environment as grim as the one she left a year ago - surroundings that mirror her own feelings of fear and hopelessness. 
The two are determined to get to Manhattan, to relative safety with Rhine’s twin brother, Rowan. But the road there is long and perilous - and in a world where young women only live to age twenty and young men die at twenty-five, time is precious. Worse still, they can’t seem to elude Rhine’s father-in-law, Vaughn, who is determined to bring Rhine back to the mansion...by any means necessary. 
In the sequel to Lauren DeStefano’s harrowing Wither, Rhine must decide if freedom is worth the price - now that she has more to lose than ever.


Ramblings: I loved Wither (Book 1 in the Chemical Garden Trilogy) but I found it somewhat slow-paced. This book had the same feel to it and I'm not sure why. It had more action and adventure in that than Wither did, but something about it kept me from tearing through it. 


Characters: I love the characters in this novel! Gabriel and Rhine's romance flourishes while the villains become even more sinister! The characters are what saved the book for me, especially Maddie. She was my favorite character in this book I think despite her lacking words. I really hope to see more of her in the next book! Who I don't want to see more of? Vaughn. Yet, at the same time I know the next book is going to be an epic battle involving him. It's probably going to be my favorite in the whole series.

Plot: Alas, the plot dragged a little and I don't understand why I wasn't interested in it, there was so much going on! I loved the constant obstacles that never seemed to cease even at the end. And speaking of the end?? Oh my goodness! Okay, I finished this book right after I finished Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver (within about two hours of each other!) and I almost flipped my lid. They ended in almost the exact same way. I can't say anymore for those of you who haven't finished the book.. but yeah. Insanity!


Overall: I don't really know where I stand with this book, but I do know that I am really interested in what's going to happen next! I hope the great finale doesn't disappoint! 

Overall Rating: 3 Stars

Letters in Cardboard Boxes Giveaway!

The Fabulous Miss Slovin has been generous enough to offer up two Ebook copies of her book, Letters in Cardboard  Boxes! 


Here is a synopsis about the book:

Experience what advanced reviews are proclaiming, "An absolute must read...this is a novel you will want to keep with you for the rest of your life" and "A poignant and moving story...a true work of art." 

Letters In Cardboard Boxes tells the story of an eccentric grandmother and her granddaughter alongside a series of fantastical letters they once exchanged. Their letters once traversed the East River to help Parker escape the loneliness of a childhood without her globe-trekking parents and communicate during her turbulent teenage years. Now, nearly a decade later, Parker begins to rediscover the evidence of this letter writing tradition, as well as the family’s untold stories and, unexpectedly, letters from her grandmother’s own youth that paint a very different portrait of the woman who raised her. 
Letters carries us through the universally-shared experience of loss and the process of coping with life’s unexpected twists and turns. Through unusual and bold characters, the story moves through some of its heavier themes with honesty and humor. 


And, if you would like to read my review, go ahead!
Good Luck, and "May the odds be ever in your favor!" (Sorry I couldn't resist!)

Pandemonium

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Pages: 375
I'M PUSHING ASIDE
  the memory of my
            NIGHTMARE,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana
              and my old school,
PUSH,
  PUSH,
      PUSH,
      like Raven taught
          me to do.
The old LIFE is dead.
             But the old Lena 
          is dead too.
I BURIED her,
           I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of 
              SMOKE and FLAME.
Lauren Oliver delivers an electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller, DELIRIUM. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite.

Ramblings: I waited so long for this book to come out! Delirium was one of my favorite books from last year and I was so excited to continue the series! I don't feel like that gives a good explanation of the book though, and I really went into this novel with no idea what to expect. Here is an excerpt from the back of the book:
  "SO WHAT was your name before?"
I say, and she freezes, her back to me.
"Before you came to the WILDS, I mean."
For a moment she stands there.
                        Then she turns around.
           "You might as well get used to it now,"
                  She says with quiet
INTENSITY.
                     "Everything you were,
         The life you had,
the people you knew . . . DUST."
She shakes her head
       and says, a little more firmly,
"There is no before. There is only NOW,
   and what comes
                    NEXT."

Really cool right? So from this I got a little bit more, I know that it's in the Wilds and there is someone name Raven involved.

Characters: So, yes, there is a character named Raven. She is this really awesome, strong and fierce leader of this group of Invalids that take Lena in. She shows Lena what to do and makes her stronger. I really admired Raven, even in the end, because of her toughness and will to survive. Besides this tough exterior shell she has surrounding her, throughout the story it slowly breaks down until one scene, it shatters. It was amazing to see this other side of her, and my heart broke right along with hers.
As for Lena, she is super weak at the beginning of the book! It was weird to see her so vulnerable, and I kind of liked it. She grew stronger though and got back to herself, and then tougher.
There is one other character, Julian, who I surprisingly liked, but I can't say any more about without spoilers!

Plot: Alright.. I'm not sure yet as to how I'm going to try and explain this plot. It's really about Lena struggling to survive, but then Invalids are looking for a cure, and Scavengers get involved, and there's the whole team who is pro cure. I hope I kept them straight while reading the book! At times it got difficult.
What I didn't like about this book though, was the way it was written. It starts off with the first chapter saying "now" and the second chapter "then", and it alternates throughout the book. It's an interesting way to write the story, but only if it's done right and I don't feel like it was this time. It would have been fine for maybe half the book, but I expected the "then" section to meet up with the beginning of the "now" section at least half way through the book, but it didn't. I felt like I was reading two books at once and it made reading the story a little less enjoyable. Does that make sense?

Overall: I love the series, the characters, and all of the amazing plot twists! I'm going to continue reading the series, especially after the way that this book ended! I wanted to scream and I couldn't sit still! I had to get up and move around. The only thing I didn't like was the way the book was written. Hopefully the third book will be written better.

Overall Rating: 4 stars 

Letters in Cardboard Boxes

Letters in Cardboard Boxes by Abby Slovin

Ebook

Experience what advanced reviews are proclaiming, "An absolute must read...this is a novel you will want to keep with you for the rest of your life" and "A poignant and moving story...a true work of art." 

Letters In Cardboard Boxes tells the story of an eccentric grandmother and her granddaughter alongside a series of fantastical letters they once exchanged. Their letters once traversed the East River to help Parker escape the loneliness of a childhood without her globe-trekking parents and communicate during her turbulent teenage years. Now, nearly a decade later, Parker begins to rediscover the evidence of this letter writing tradition, as well as the family’s untold stories and, unexpectedly, letters from her grandmother’s own youth that paint a very different portrait of the woman who raised her. 
Letters carries us through the universally-shared experience of loss and the process of coping with life’s unexpected twists and turns. Through unusual and bold characters, the story moves through some of its heavier themes with honesty and humor. 


Ramblings: I loved this book from the very first chapter! This is one of the best ways to start out a story that I've ever read. At first I was really sad, but then I was laughing! It was just such a spectacular twist at the very beginning! I haven't read a good first chapter like this in a while.


Characters: Parker is a great main characters. She is quiet and somewhat shy, and she really doesn't like change. At points in the story I became frustrated with her though, just because of her lack of decision making skills, but I was so happy to watch her evolve and grow stronger and more confident. Parker's grandmother also played a big role in the story--the emotional role. As her grandmother slipped further away my heart just melted for her! She tugged on my heart strings numerous times and I really loved her character.


Plot: This was certainly an interesting book! Slovin's writing style just flowed and I found that I couldn't put it down! The story is one that could just make you cry and cry, but Slovin does a terrific job of balancing the good and the bad, creating a lighter emotional book. I don't really know how to word this right, I hope you are understanding!


Overall: This is such a spectacular read, I don't know of anyone who wouldn't enjoy this. It has so many beautiful qualities to it, and for such an emotional plot, she keeps the book very uplifting! A fantastic read, don't pass this one up. I don't know why I waited so long to read it!


Overall Rating: 4 Stars