Cover Crazy (37): The Miseducation of Cameron Post

Cover Crazy is a weekly meme that was created by Tawni over at The Book Worms to show which cover(s) you are absolutely going crazy over!

Today, I'm absolutely in love with the cover for The Miseducation of Cameron Post by emily m. danforth!

When Cameron Post’s parents die suddenly in a car crash, her shocking first thought is relief. Relief she’ll never have to tell them that, hours earlier, she had been kissing a girl.

But that relief soon turns to heartbreak, as Cam is forced to move in with her conservative aunt Ruth. She knows that from this point on, her life will forever be different. Survival in Miles City, Montana, means blending in and not making waves, and Cam becomes an expert at this—especially at avoiding any questions about her sexuality.

Then Coley Taylor moves to town. Beautiful pickup-driving Coley is a perfect cowgirl with the perfect boyfriend to match. To Cam’s surprise, she and Coley become best friends—while Cam secretly dreams of something more. Just as that starts to seem like a real possibility, her secret is exposed. Ultrareligious Aunt Ruth takes drastic action to “fix” her niece, bringing Cam face-to-face with the cost of denying her true self—even if she’s not quite sure who that is.

The Miseducation of Cameron Post is a stunning and unforgettable literary debut about discovering who you are and finding the courage to live life according to your own rules.

The cover is definitely cool.  It may seem boring because, what's so fascinating about a girl on top of a roll of hay in the middle of a field?  Well, it really attracts attention (or at least my attention) because it is a girl on a roll of hay, in the middle of nowhere.  It also has a sort of relaxing and fun vibe, and makes Cam seem like a really awesome and free-spirited character.  I also love the pastel colored font.  It kind of reminds me of those marshmallows.  The font is also really simple and doesn't overdo or taking away attention from the girl in the middle of the cover.  Overall, I really like this cover and can't wait until the book comes out!  It sounds a really awesome read!

Which cover are you going crazy over today?

Cleo :)

*Description and cover from goodreads.com

Review: Bloodrose

Title: Bloodrose
Author: Andrea Cremer
Date Released: January 3rd, 2012
Pages: 406
Rating: 4 out of 5

Description:
The Ultimate Sacrifice.

Calla has always welcomed war. But now that the final battle is upon her, there’s more at stake than fighting. There’s saving Ren, even if it incurs Shay’s wrath. There’s keeping Ansel safe, even if he’s been branded a traitor. There’s proving herself as the pack’s alpha, facing unnamable horrors, and ridding the world of the Keepers’ magic once and for all. And then there’s deciding what to do when the war ends. If Calla makes it out alive, that is.

In the final installment of the Nightshade trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Andrea Cremer creates a novel with twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat until its final pages. A dynamic end to this breathtaking trilogy.

Review:
To sum up Bloodrose in a couple of words, it was definitely a quest.  It was a quest to find all of the elements for the Elemental Cross, a quest to defeat the Keepers, and of course, a quest to find who Calla's true love is.

Bloodrose starts off right where Wolfsbane leaves off and gets straight to the point.  Ren is back now, fighting on the same side as the Searchers, although his fight with Shay hasn't end.  After Ren comes back, Calla, Shay and the rest of the Searcher team go on their first adventure to find the second part of the Elemental Cross.  From there, Calla continues her adventure to look for the rest of the elements of the Elemental Cross, rid the world of the Keepers, and make the hard decision of who she would rather choose: Shay or Ren.  She also has to face the many other problems that face her, such as the safety of her brother, establishing her position as the pack's leading alpha, without an alpha mate, and the threat of the Keepers.

There were three parts in the book, each one titled with the elements of Air, Water, and Fire.  It made sense that Cremer decided to name each part one of the elements because in each part, Calla and her team are planning and carrying out their quest to find the sword of that certain element.  The setting of the location of each sword was absolutely cool, too, and totally matched the element of the sword.  For example, for the fire sword, they had to go through a volcano.  A volcano!  It was pretty insane and intense for them to get through that volcano. 

The love triangle betwen Calla, Shay, and Ren was definitely emphasized even more in Bloodrose, and was probably the main focal point.  Or at least something that really absorbed you into the book.  It was crucial to the book, because it was the final book, and the whole triangle had to be resolved.  You could see Calla was totally leaning towards Shay more than Ren, although I had a little bit of hope for Ren.  It seemed like a really obvious answer because there's always that character in the love triangle that you KNOW is going to be the one. 

I still loved Calla and how she continued to be the alpha of her pack.  Usually, there's supposed to be a female and a male alpha, but Calla defies the norm, and proves her strength and courage.  She breaks through the female stereotypes, and I love her for that.  Ren might always be my favorite because there's just something about Shay that always seemed a little off.  Shay's a cool male character, but he always seemed just a little pompous, like he was the best because he was the Scion and he had Calla and he was a Guardian.  He was a little possessive over Calla, too.  Like, Ren could keep his cool a little more than Shay could, and I respected Ren for that.

The ending was really something.  It wasn't something that I was expecting, and kind of made me want to cry, partly because Calla's story was coming to an end.  It was definitely a shocker, and if you've read the previous two books, we all know how Andrea Cremer always knows how to make a spectacular ending :) It really rounded out the series so that it really couldn't go on anymore, but was a little upsetting at the same time.

Overall, Calla's story in Bloodrose was a pretty fantastic ending to the Nightshade series.  The ending of the book was really nice, but sort of bittersweet.    I wish that there could have been more, although I think there's a prequel coming out soon called Rift, and it seems to focus more on the Searchers this time rather than the Guardians.  I'd definitely recommend this series to anyone who likes love triangles (although most people don't) and exploring the creative worlds that authors create, such as the one of Keepers, Searchers, and Guardians. 

Cover Review:
I always kind of wondered what the cover would look like if they had kept with the original cover art...  I'm not the biggest fan of the cover, but it's pretty cool with Calla looking behind her at the wolf.  I love how this one's red though because the title is Bloodrose.

Cleo :)

*Description and cover from goodreads.com
**Review copy purchased.

Waiting on Wednesday (34): Of Poseidon

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme, which is brought to you by Jill at Breaking the Spine! This meme is where you can post about what book(s) you're really look forward to.

This week, I absolutely can't wait for... 

Of Poseidon by Anna Banks

Emma and her friend Chloe are spending vacation in Florida. When Emma (literally) runs into a hot guy named Galen on the beach, little does she know he’s a prince of the Syrena. Galen and Emma both feel something strange – is it attraction? – and Galen suspects that Emma might well be the girl he’s heard of – a human who can communicate with fish.

What follows is a deadly scene with a shark in which Galen witnesses Emma’s gifts. He must know more about her, and follows her back to New Jersey, and high school, to find out for sure if she’s the key to saving his kingdom. Soon, Emma can’t deny her feelings for him, but can’t explain them, either – and both she and Galen must learn more about where she comes from and what her powers are before they can trust one another and their feelings.

First of all, I LOVE THE COVER!  Completely cool and LOVE the font for the title.  And, of course, Of Poseidon sounds really amazing!  I love romance and learning about original and interesting stories.  I'm definitely looking forward to this one :)  Look for it in bookstores on May 22nd!

What are you waiting for today?

Cleo :)

*Description and cover from goodreads.com

Cover Crazy (36): Endure

Cover Crazy is a weekly meme that was created by Tawni over at The Book Worms to show which cover(s) you are absolutely going crazy over!

Today, I'm going crazy over the cover for Endure by Carrie Jones!

It’s all-out war (and no-holds-barred romance) in the climactic conclusion to Carrie Jones’s bestselling series.

Zara is at the center of an impending apocalypse. True, she’s successfully rescued Nick from Valhalla, but it simply isn’t enough. Evil pixies are ravaging Bedford, and they need much more than one great warrior; they need an army. Zara isn’t sure what her role is anymore. She’s not just fighting for her friends; she’s also a pixie queen. And to align her team of pixies with the humans she loves will be one of her greatest battles yet. Especially since she can’t even reconcile her growing feelings for her pixie king . . .

Unexpected turns, surprising revelations, and one utterly satisfying romantic finale make Endure a thrilling end to this series of bestsellers.

I seriously love all of the covers in the Need series, but I think that this one might have just beat all of them by a smidge.  The gold details right above the face are absolutely gorgeous, and the gold eye really pops out.  I also reallylike the gold details on the black background that they chose because it gives it this sort of regal feeling, even though this series isn't exactly about kings and queens (just a little bit), but pixies and were-animals.  But the gold is significant because it's what the pixies leave behind, a trail of gold dust.

Which cover are you going crazy over today?  Tell me in the comments!

Cleo :)

*Description and cover from goodreads.com

Review: Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have)

Title: Ten Things We Did (And Probably Shouldn't Have)
Author: Sarah Mlynowski
Date Released: June 7th, 2011
Pages: 368
Rating: 4 out of 5


Description:

2 girls + 3 guys + 1 house – parents = 10 things April and her friends did that they (definitely, maybe, probably) shouldn't have.

If given the opportunity, what sixteen-year-old wouldn't jump at the chance to move in with a friend and live parent-free? Although maybe "opportunity" isn't the right word, since April had to tell her dad a tiny little untruth to make it happen (see #1: "Lied to Our Parents"). But she and her housemate Vi are totally responsible and able to take care of themselves. How they ended up "Skipping School" (#3), "Throwing a Crazy Party" (#8), "Buying a Hot Tub" (#4), and, um, "Harboring a Fugitive" (#7) at all is kind of a mystery to them.

In this hilarious and bittersweet tale, Sarah Mlynowski mines the heart and mind of a girl on her own for the first time. To get through the year, April will have to juggle a love triangle, learn to do her own laundry, and accept that her carefully constructed world just might be falling apart . . . one thing-she-shouldn't-have-done at a time.

Review:
This was incredibly funny and a fun read!  I'm not really into books where there's a lot of... you know... sex involved.  But this book was a laugh-out-loud book and I've got to say that I quite liked its funniness.

In Ten Things We Did, April is stuck living with her dad ever since her parents split.  And ever since her parents nasty split, April has been struggling to grasp an understanding of love.  All of a sudden, her dad announces that they're moving to Ohio, and being a teenager, she naturally objects since she has a boyfriend, Noah, and her best friends Marissa and Vi.  So, what's the point of moving?  She ends up moving in with Vi, even though her mom's going on tour for a Mary Poppin's musical, which her dad doesn't know about, thus resulting in lie #1.  From there, they start their hilarious, and sometimes heartbreaking adventure.

There are exactly ten chapters, one for each thing that April and her friends did... And probably shouldn't have.  I loved the format of how it was done. 

As for the characters, they were all okay.  They're not characters that I personally liked, although I loved how they were all different.  April was cool, but she was a bit irresponsible at times, even though she tried to prove that she was responsible enough to live by herself.  Her boyfriend, Noah, was a bit of a jerk throughout the whole novel, and I really didn't get why April stayed with him because he was just so... distant sometimes.  I loved her friend Marissa, though, because she just seemed really grounded and down-to-earth.  Vi on the other hand was a very interesting friend.  She was kind of like the more mature one, but also sort of a bad influence on April at the same time.  Dean really added humor to the book, and Hudson was the more mysterious and elusive one, but waaay cooler than Noah.  Argh... Noah...

As for the things that they did and probably shouldn't have, they were pretty funny.  And pretty terrible.  But definitely more funny than terrible :)  Knowing that there are only ten things they did and only having vague chapter titles to go on, it really draws you in since you REALLY want to know what they did.  Like, "Harboring a Fugitive"?  Doesn't that make you want to read it even more?  Each chapter brings a sort of mystery to the reader because you sort of imagine something absolutely horrible happening, but they're teenagers, so it really shouldn't be that bad, right?

Ten Things We Did is not a majorly serious read.  It's definitely more of a fun, light read.  It does deal with some heavy issues like loosing your virginity and STDs, so, it's definitely geared towards older teens, like around 16 and up.  But, overall, I really enjoyed it.  If you're really into contemporary/comedy, then I'd recommend this one to you :) 

ALSO!  If you want to get it now, and if you have an ereader, it's only $0.99!!  Get it soon because I don't know how long that price is going to last for!

Cover Review:
I kind of like this cover.  It's really cute and simple.  Nothing fancy going on.  I also really like the simple font, too.  That may seem random, but it really fits the cover because it doesn't over do it or overshadow the actual cover part.

Cleo :)

*Description and cover from goodreads.com
**Review copy purchased for Kindle.

Review: Legend

Title: Legend
Author: Marie Lu
Date Released: November 29th, 2011
Pages: 305
Rating: 5 out of 5

Description:
What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias' death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

Full of nonstop action, suspense, and romance, this novel is sure to move readers as much as it thrills.

Review:
Legend was just absolutely full of intensity.  Fast-paced and full of adrenaline, it was told between the alternating view-points of Day, a Robin Hood kind of criminal, and June, a prodigy working for the Republic.

Their story is told in the future when California and several other states in the West have formed the Republic and are at war with the Colonies, the other half of what used to be the United States.  Living in the city of Los Angeles, Day has been wrapped up in a horrible murder of Metias, June's older brother, while trying to steal some cures for his sick little brother, and June has been sent on the case to arrest him and avenge her dead brother.  June assumes the identity of a person that would live in Day's district, and eventually befriends him and his friend, Tess.  From there, things become very thrilling and revelations are made.

Legend was a very dystopian-ish book.  So, if you're looking for a great dystopian novel, all arrows are pointing this way (to the book... just imagine an Asian girl pointing with lots of excitement to a copy of Legend!). 

The premise was really cool: two nations that were once a single country now fighting against each other, and one of them, the Republic is just filled with either desperately poor people, or insanely rich ones.  Did I mention that every kid has to take a test at the age of 10 called the Trial?  It's pretty scary.  If you score a perfect score, you get into the top college and get a pretty top job.  If you score average, you get an okay job, and if you fail, you basically die.  Basically, Marie Lu created this incredibly cool (but slightly insane) world.

The characters were just as amazing as well.  Day was incredibly cool and reminded me of like a dystopian Robin Hood because he was actually doing bad things to help others, not just himself.  He wasn't selfish, he was strong and courageous and had to live with his mother and littler brother knowing he was dead.  June was an amazing heroine.  She was super smart and definitely defied the rich girl stereotype.  The relationship that builds between the two is just full of surprises as the story progresses.

The plot was very thrilling.  It completely sucked me in and the book was completely unputdownable.  Marie Lu definitely knows how to create one heck of a roller coaster ride! 

Overall, I absolutely loved Legend.  I loved the thrill you get while reading it, not just from the action, but from the romance that grows between Day and June as well.  You want to know what will happen to them and their budding relationship because they're actually enemies.  The world that Marie Lu built was really cool and the storyline was just simply intense.  I would recommend this to anyone who's been searching for a read after The Hunger Games or even Divergent.  You'll definitely fall in love with it.

Cover Review:
I think that this cover really fits the book.  It's not a cover that I would typically like and it's a bit simple, but it has this dystopian feel to it and the Republic flag logo is really cool touch. 

Cleo :)

*Description and cover from goodreads.com
**Review copy purchased.

Cover Crazy (35): Dreamless

Cover Crazy is a weekly meme that was created by Tawni over at The Book Worms to show which cover(s) you are absolutely going crazy over!

Today, I'm going crazy over the cover for Dreamless by Josephine Angelini!

As the only Scion that can enter Hades at will, Helen descends to the Underworld in search of a way to overcome the Furies and end the cycle of revenge that has cursed the Scions. But she’s running out of time. Each descent weakens her both in mind and spirit. A mysterious stranger might be her only salvation, but the price may be her love for Lucas Delos.

As an unforgettable love triangle emerges, Josephine Angelini’s compelling saga becomes ever more intricate and spellbinding. The eagerly awaited sequel to the internationally bestselling Starcrossed, Dreamless delivers with a huge emotional impact that will leave readers satisfied—and longing for more.

Here's why:

• The sunset! The dress!  The colors match really well together actually and I think that's why the cover looks so appealing.
• The way the dress flows in the wind really makes it seem really realistic and gives you a sense of calmness (even though I'm pretty sure that this book will be anything but calm).  It also makes it seem like a really Grecian dress, since the book has Greek mythology entertwined within it.
• The font for the title is really simple, almost bordering the boring Times New Roman type of font, BUT!  They add little touches to it that make it sort of Grecian, so it works because it fits the book.  It also doesn't over power the flowy dress, either, so it really works :)

Which cover are you going crazy over today?

Cleo :)

*Description and cover from goodreads.com

Review: The Probability of Miracles

Title: The Probability of Miracles
Author: Wendy Wunder
Date Released: December 8th, 2011
Pages: 336
Rating: 5 out of 5

Description:
Dry, sarcastic, sixteen-year-old Cam Cooper has spent the last seven years in and out hospitals. The last thing she wants to do in the short life she has left is move 1,500 miles away to Promise, Maine - a place known for the miraculous events that occur there. But it's undeniable that strange things happen in Promise: everlasting sunsets; purple dandelions; flamingoes in the frigid Atlantic; an elusive boy named Asher; and finally, a mysterious envelope containing a list of things for Cam to do before she dies. As Cam checks each item off the list, she finally learns to believe - in love, in herself, and even in miracles.

A debut novel from an immensely talented new writer, The Probability of Miracles crackles with wit, romance and humor and will leave readers laughing and crying with each turn of the page.

Review:
Absolutely freaking loved this book!  The Probability of Miracles was a bittersweet novel; bitter because it follows a girl who has cancer, but sweet at the same time because Cam finally opens herself up a little bit at a time, and the town of Promise is absolutely magical.  Purple dandelions?  Seriously?  I want some!

The Probability of Miracles follows Campbell Cooper, a 16 year-old with cancer who has basically lost all hope long before her doctor tells her that there's nothing left that they can do for her.  All she can do now is hope for a miracle.  So, her ambitious mother tries looking for that miracle to save Cam, and then she stumbles upon the small, hidden town of Promise, where purple dandelions bloom, pink flamingoes live, and Cam meets her first love of her life, Asher.  Cam also has a sort of Bucket List, which she calls the Flamingo List and hopes to accomplish everything, from having an awkward moment with her best friend's boyfriend to getting fired from a summer job, before she dies.  

This novel was such a funny and lighthearted-ish read.  There was just something so real about the characters.  I fell in love with Cam, even though she could be cold and sarcastic, it gave her a distinctive personality in the book.  Her mom, Alicia, and her little sister, Perry, were just so optimistic about everything and were kind of like... the light in Cam's life, even though they annoyed the heck out of Cam.

The setting was just absolutely magical.  I kind of imagined it in a Dr. Seuse kind of way, kind of like the setting for The Lorax, but Promsie, Maine was much more better than that because it seemed a bit more realistic. 

The Probability of Miracles was an uplifting story in a way.  All of the miracles that Cam and her family go through really change Cam herself and seeing that development gives you hope about miracles and what they can do.

Overall, I absolutely loved The Probability of Miracles!  I loved everything from the characters, to the plot and the setting.  The novel was written extremely well, too.  I'll definitely be looking forward to any future novels by Wendy Wunder because her debut was absolutely spectacular!

Cover Review:
I really love this color!  The solid bright pink background really makes it pop and highlights the picture in the center, as well as the title.  I also love it when there are cut outs on the cover and a picture revealed.  Really cool cover!  I love it!

Just a side note: I bought this book before I recieved an ARC from the publishers, Razorbill.  But, the problem is that I don't know if I won it or if they actually sent it to me.  So, just in case, I just wanted to thank them anyways.  Thank you for sending it!

Cleo :)

*Description and cover from goodreads.com
**Review copy from bought and received/won (it's unclear as to how I received it) from Razorbill. 

Born Wicked Book Trailer!

I don't normally write posts about book trailers because sometimes they can be a little cheesy and most of the ones that I watch I don't really ending up liking as much.  But when I saw the trailer for Born Wicked on Facebook today and decided to take a look at it, I really, really liked it and it made me really want to read the book more than ever!

Here's a description for Born Wicked:

Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they're witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship—or an early grave.

Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word . . . especially after she finds her mother's diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family's destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.

If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren't safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood—not even from each other.

Be sure to look for it in bookstores in February 7th!

Cleo :)Now I'm  really excited to read it because it seems to have this really interesting premise and a forbidden romance type thing going on as well!  Also, look at that gorgeous cover!

Cover Crazy (34): Touching the Surface

Cover Crazy is a weekly meme that was created by Tawni over at The Book Worms to show which cover(s) you are absolutely going crazy over!

I'm going crazy over the cover for Touching the Surface by Kimberly Sabatini!

Life altering mistakes are meant to alter lives…

When Elliot dies for the third time, she knows this is her last shot. There are no fourth-timers in this afterlife, so one more chance is all she has to get things right. But before she can move on to her next life, Elliot will be forced to face her past and delve into the painful memories she’d rather keep buried. Memories of people she’s hurt, people she’s betrayed…and people she’s killed.

As she pieces together the mistakes of her past, Elliot must earn the forgiveness of her best friend and reveal the truth about herself to the two boys she loves…even if it means losing them both forever.

Here's why:

• The cover has this really mysterious, creepy & rather melancholy feel to it because of the dark forest in the background and how it's sort of hazy, almost like there's a slight fog or mist.
• I think it's totally cool how it's like an action shot since the birds are all blurred because they're flying and the girl is shaking her head.
• Even though usually it's the font that catches my eye, the title font for the cover is actually quite plain, but it doesn't distract you from everything else that's going on on the cover.

I literally just discovered this book and found out that it's a 2012 Debut Author book, so it could be an option for the challenge!  It has a really gorgeous cover and an interesting story, almost like Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver, so I think that I'll be on the lookout for it this year!

Which cover are you going crazy over today?

Cleo :)

*Description and cover from goodreads.com

I. Need. This.

Every book bloggers dream... A bookcase staircase.

Who agrees with me?

Review: The Demon Trapper's Daughter

Title: The Demon Trapper's Daughter
Author: Jana Oliver
Date Released: February 1st, 2011
Pages: 340
Rating: 3 out of 5

Description:
Demon Trapper Riley Blackthorne just needs a chance to prove herself—and that’s exactly what Lucifer is counting on…

It’s the year 2018, and with human society seriously disrupted by the economic upheavals of the previous decade, Lucifer has increased the number of demons in all major cities. Atlanta is no exception. Fortunately, humans are protected by Demon Trappers, who work to keep homes and streets safe from the things that go bump in the night. Seventeen-year-old Riley, only daughter of legendary Demon Trapper Paul Blackthorne, has always dreamed of following in her father’s footsteps. When she’s not keeping up with her homework or trying to manage her growing attraction to fellow Trapper apprentice, Simon, Riley’s out saving citizens from Grade One Hellspawn. Business as usual, really, for a demon-trapping teen. When a Grade Five Geo-Fiend crashes Riley’s routine assignment at a library, jeopardizing her life and her chosen livelihood, she realizes that she’s caught in the middle of a battle between Heaven and Hell.

Review:
The Demon Trapper;s Daughter was definitely very intriguing.  Main character Riley Blackthorne lives in Atlanta in the year of 2018 where demons roam the streets and demon trappers, like Riley's dad, catch them.  


Riley is training to be a demon trapper just like her father, even though many of the demon trappers in Atlanta's Trappers' Guild disapprove of a girl apprentice.  Life gets even more complicated when her father is suddenly killed while out trapping demons with Beck, a demon trapper who used to be Riley's father's apprentice, and Riley's childhood crush.  She no longer has any parents to protect her (her mother died several years before) and now she has to face the daunting task of protecting her father's grave from necromancers.  Not only does Riley have to protect her father, but she also has to protect herself from the demon's who want her, and deal with a growing attraction to Simon, another apprentice.

The Demon Trapper's Daughter was very intriguing and different from other novels that I've read.  I don't think that I've ever read a novel that revolved around demons, so it was definitely interesting reading about the different types of demons that Jana Oliver describes in the story.  Keep in mind that the story doesn't completely revolve around demons... It revolves around the life of Riley and her journey to following in her father's footsteps.  There's some romance and school drama that she gets caught up with, too, showing that she can be a somewhat normal person. 

Riley was definitely one tough girl.  She tries to prove herself and that she can do just fine and dandy on her own.  Even when she's almost killed by a demon.  But that doesn't stop her.  She was strong and brave, proving these characteristics when she was assigned to Harper, the mean drunken Demon Trapper, who treats her like a pile of manure.  On the other hand, Beck was a bit of a softy.  He seemed really tough on the outside, but when you got to read about his side of the story, he really cares for Riley even though he puts up this wall.

The story was a bit slow at times and I actually stopped reading it for a while because it just got a bit boring.  It mostly seemed to concentrate on Riley protecting her father's grave, when I really wanted to see some demon trapping action going on.  The end was definitely a thrill, though.  Everything just seemed to be building up to that final moment of the book were all of the action and excitement happens. 

The Demon Trapper's Daughter was a very intriguing story about demons.  While the story moved along slow at times, it had a very cool premise and concept on demons.  The insight into the life of a female Demon Trapper apprentice was really cool, too.  Riley was a really cool character and I loved how she was the t-shirt and jeans type of girl :)  The Demon Trapper's Daughter sort of leaves you on a cliffhanger, and with the want to find out what will happen next in Soul Thief.  I'm pretty sure that Soul Thief will be one heck of a rollercoaster ride because of the ending.

Cover Review:
I really like this cover, and I definitely find it better than the UK one.  I think that they totally catch Riley's personality on the cover, and the Demon Trapper inside of her with the sphere in her hand.  The red really pops out on the cover against the black and white.  One thing about the cover that I don't really like is how it doesn't really seem that futurisitic because of the font.  Overall, it's a really cool and eye-catching cover!

Cleo :)

*Description and cover from goodreads.com
**Review copy purchased for the Kindle.

2011 End of Year Book Survey!

I participated in this survey last year, and was looking forward to doing it again this year!  This was created by Jamie at The Perpetual Page-Turner!

1. Best Book You Read In 2011?
Hardest. Question. Ever!  I'm going to list a few that I absolutely fell in love with this year, because choosing one is way too hard. 

• Delirium by Lauren Oliver
• Anna and the French Kiss & Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
• Divergent by Veronica Roth
• The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
• Legend by Marie Lu
• The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder

These were definitely my favorites this year!

2. Most Disappointing Book/Book You Wish You Loved More Than You Did?
I'm going to have to go with Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma.  I was really excited for it because it sounded really interesting, but when I started reading it, I just really couldn't get into it.

3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2011?
Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles!  I always read really good reviews on this book, but it really didn't seem like my type of book, but boy was I wrong!  My friend let me borrow her copies after I heard her talking about it with another friend and I was immediately sucked in.

4. Book you recommended to people most in 2011?
I think it might be Anna and the French Kiss.  I made all of my friends who love reading read this book, and they really liked it, too.

5. Best series you discovered in 2011?
The Fairiewalker series by Jenna Black has been really good so far, and I love reading about fairies, so it's been a win-win... Ugh! I need Sirensong!

6. Favorite new authors you discovered in 2011?
Stephanie Perkins for sure!!  I've only read one book by John Green, (An Abundance of Katherines), but it was a really good book, and I really want to read more by him.

7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you?
This year, I got more into contemporary, and went on a bit of a contemporary rampage, reading a couple Sarah Dessen novels, Stephanie Perkin's books, all of the Perfect Chemistry books... Those types of books.  The best book would have to be... I really hate to be repetitive, but the best book in contemporary would be Anna and the French Kiss :)

8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2011?
Most of the dystopians I've read this year!  Divergent and Legend are two that come to by mind instantly.

9. Book you most anticipated in 2011?
We'll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han and The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa... Both of them were excellent conclusions to their series :)

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2011?

11. Most memorable character in 2011? 

Male character? ETIENNE ST. CLAIR!  You have to agree with me on this one... 
Female character would have to be... Tris from Divergent!

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2011?
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater.

13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2011?
This year, it's kind of hard to say.  I didn't read any books that provoked any tears, so, I'm going to leave this one blank for now...

Okay, wait.  Maybe I change my mind.  The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder was definitely one that kept me thinking about miracles, and it sort of centered on life since the main character, Campbell, is basically dying from cancer and doesn't believe in miracles at all.

14. Book you can't believe you waited UNTIL 2011 to finally read?
A lot of the books I read were ones that came out this year, but I guess I'll have to go with Perfect Chemistry?  That was definitely the best one out of all of the other ones in the series.

15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2011? 
"You know, life fractures us all into little pieces.  It harms us, but it's how we glue those fractures back together that make us stronger."
--Entice by Carrie Jones

"Stop yelling.  If everyone's yelling, no one can be heard."
"Life's all about the revolution, isn't it?  The one inside, I mean.  You can't change history.  You can't change the world.  All you can ever do is change yourself."
--Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

"Realizing you're completely unique... even in a crowd."
--Five Flavors of Dumb by Antony John

16. Book That You Read In 2011 That Would Be Most Likely To Reread In 2012? 
If I owned Anna, then that would be at the top of my list.  But I do own Lola, so that could take Anna's place.

17. Book That Had A Scene In It That Had You Reeling And Dying To Talk To Somebody About It? (a WTF moment, an epic revelation, a steamy kiss, etc. etc.) Be careful of spoilers!
The revelation in Legend for sure... Although, I guess it could be a bit predictable.  OMG! The whole thing if Ten Things We Did (And Probably Shouldn't Have) by Sarah Mlynowski, too!  The whole entire time I was like, "WHOA! WHAT?! HAHAHAHA THIS IS FUNNY!" But I had to do it secretly because then my family would've stared at me funny (I read it while on vacation with them).  At least I had my friend there, but she didn't really seem interested -_-  The ending of Delirium was definitely a shocker, and when Baylee read it, we were both just like chatting away about the possibilities... I guess we'll see what happens in Pandemonium!

I hope you guys have a Happy New Year and an awesome 2012!!!

Cleo :)

Goodbye 2011!

Hope you guys have a Happy New Year!

Also...

Cleo :)