Review: Pandemonium

Title: Pandemonium
Author: Lauren Oliver
Date Released: February 28th, 2012
Pages: 375
Rating: 5 out of 5

Description:
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.

Review:
After I finished this, I was like, "Whoa, this was a pretty mind blowing book." Because it just simply was. Lauren Oliver still manages to deliver an excellent sequel to the first in the trilogy, Delirium, defeating the stereotypical "sophomore slump."

In Pandemonium, you see Lena in a completely different way. She's been introduced to the deliria by Alex, and now that she's off into "real" world, she's a much stronger person who has fallen into another forbidden romance, but forbidden in a different way this time.

There are a brand new set of characters this time and all of them are uniquely amazing. Raven was realistic and like the mother of the group. Julian was pretty awesome. The way that he's described makes him seem so sheltered and innocent in a way that I for some reason like. I guess it's because then his character won't over power Lena's character, and he's sort of like how Lena was in Delirium-- learning about the deliria and how it just feels so good to love others.

Pandemonium is full of intensity because of the struggle to survive in such a harsh environment outside of the protective barrier, and the risk of being caught as a revolutionary. Every moment was full of adrenaline and made me want to jump and down like a little child getting a lollipop. Ahhh! It makes me giddy just thinking about it!!

Another reason why I absolutely loved Pandemonium was because of Lauren Oliver's writing. It just all flows beautifully and draws you in so much to the point that you can't get back out.  Also, everything that Lauren Oliver writes about seems sooo beautiful when they honestly aren't.  

Ohmygoodness... This one leaves on an even BIGGER cliffhanger than the one before!  The ending is such a crazy whirlwind of... insanity!!  I think that was the mind blowing part that really got me.  

Overall, Pandemonium was an AMAZING sequel to Delirium.  It's a new start for Lena with a new environment and new people... But she still connects to her former life through her thoughts of Alex. Intensity comes in a new form this time-- through the cruel environment rather than the oppression of society. If you haven't read Delirium yet, then DEFINITELY go out and get it. Go. Get. It. And you might as well buy Pandemonium while you're at it, too  :)

Cover Review:
I really like the cover for Pandemonium, but I just never really understood the tropical flowers and fruits concept because it isn't really like they're in the tropics, they only go as far as New York. Don't get me wrong, I still love the cover and the tropical flowers, I just simply don't really think that they fit in with the book. I also sort of secretly wish that they kept with the original cover design of Delirium. I absolutely loved the design of that cover.

Cleo :)
(the girl who's mind was blown)

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

A Little Hunger Games Inspired Post

Yesterday, I saw The Hunger Games.  To sum it up in one word, it was AMAZING.  It almost feels surreal that I watched the movie because I've been anticipating it this WHOLE entire week, and when you're really excited for something, it tends to feel unreal when you get to experience it.  

So, in honor of the release of the movie I decided to do a little post with some cool Hunger Game themed pictures!  Most of them might be of Peeta... But that's because I am sort of in love with Peeta (and Josh Hutcherson)... I really can't help it ;)

 

 

This is currently my laptop wallpaper :D
Credit

 

I want this pin so badly! 

 

 
 

If you haven't had the chance to see The Hunger Games yet, definitely try and see it soon! It won't disappoint! Some parts of it actually made me want to cry (like the scene where Rue dies), and I'm not really a cryer, so that's definitely saying something.

If you already saw the movie, what did you think of it?

Cleo :)

*All pictures (except for Peeta Wallpaper) are from weheartit.com

Review: Chopsticks

Title: Chopsticks
Author: Jessica Anthony & Rodrigo Corral
Date Released: February 2nd, 2012
Pages: 272
Rating: 4 out of 5

Description:
Glory is a piano prodigy.

After her mother died, she retreated into her music. Her father raised her with the goal of playing sold out shows at Carnegie Hall and across the globe. Brilliant and lonely, Glory is drawn to Frank, who moves in next door. She loses herself in his paintings and drawings, mix CD’s and late-night IM conversations. Soon, Frank becomes both her connection to the world--and her escape from reality.

Before long, Glory is unable to play anything but the song “Chopsticks”; F and G notes moving closer together, and farther apart.

Now, Glory has disappeared. But nothing is what it seems. And we must decide what is real, what is imagined, and what has been madness all along.

Review:
Chopsticks is definitely one of the coolest books that I've read so far this year! It's sort of like a picture book for young adults, using pictures and selected sentences to portray the story. In a way, you could also describe it as a scrapbook because of various items depicted, such as news articles and drawings, to portray Glory's story.  I loved studying each page to grasp the meaning and connect it to the story.

Chopsticks is a different novel, and one that's sort of hard to explain without giving anything away. As you can tell by the description, it's a pretty mind boggling book. "Frank becomes both her connection to the world-- and her escape from reality"? That definitely caught me off guard and by the time I finished the book, I think I finally understood what it meant.

The story doesn't really have any background to it. I guess you sort of have to assume a couple things, like the background of Glory's dad and why he's so intent on her selling all of her shows. It's all about Glory and Frank... Especially Glory. That's the primary focus of the story-- watching Glory as her life sort of spirals downward.

The ending is a little complex. I had to read it several times so I could figure out what was happening, but I eventually came to a conclusion [at the last minute... I had to return it to the library :( ]. The ending is pretty ambiguous, so you really have to go back ten or twenty pages to piece everything together, but you eventually get it.

The pictures were absolutely beautiful. You could feel the emotions through each photograph and capture the meaning of each picture.  It was definitely like each picture "was worth a thousand words." The photos had that sort of "vintage-y" feel. I don't know the exact term, but it's like they were edited using Instagram; even though they were definitely not ;) Each page was especially important in telling the story, and the photos were absolutely beautiful, really adding more to the story than words could describe.

Overall, I really liked Chopsticks. It had this cool concept with a amazing story line that will keep you guessing in the end. Having it told in pictures leaves the ending out in the open and full of many different possibilities. It's definitely one of the most unique books that I've read and I'd recommend it if you're looking for a book with a twist!

Cover Review:
I love this cover. It's sweet and soft and it makes me smile :) It has this light, airy feeling because of the light blue background and Frank's yellow shirt. I also love the title font... It's loud and bold, but doesn't quite distract from Glory and Frank.  I really love this cover and I think it explains almost everything about the book.

Cleo :)

*Descriptions and cover from goodreads.com
**Review copy borrowed from local library.

Waiting on Wednesday (38): The Raven Boys

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...

 

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

September 18th, 2012

Filled with mystery, romance, and the supernatural, The Raven Boys introduces readers to Richard “Dick” Campbell Gansey, III and Blue Sargent. Gansey has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on the hunt to find Glendower, a vanished Welsh king. Legend has it that the first person to find him will be granted a wish—either by seeing him open his eyes, or by cutting out his heart. 

Blue Sargent, the daughter of the town psychic in Henrietta, Virginia, has been told for as long as she can remember that if she ever kisses her true love, he will die. But she is too practical to believe in things like true love. Her policy is to stay away from the rich boys at the prestigious Aglionby Academy. The boys there—known as Raven Boys—can only mean trouble. When Gansey and his Raven Boy friends come into her life, Blue realizes how true this is. She never thought her fortune would be a problem. But she was wrong. 

I loved Maggie Stiefvater's Wolves of Mercy Falls series and LOVED The Scorpio Races. So, I definitely CANNOT wait to read The Raven Boys! Maggie manages to write the most coolest stories and about the coolest mythological creatures. Like water horses? Umm... That was pretty amazing.

What are you waiting for today?

Cleo :)

*Description and cover from goodreads.com

Cover Release: Burn for Burn!

I recently spotted the cover for Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian's collaboration, Burn for Burn!

 

Burn for Burn

September 18th, 2012

The start of a brand-new young adult trilogy about three very different girls who overcome their differences and band together to seek revenge on those who have wronged them, uncovering a supernatural secret about what brought them together and why in the process. Each book will rotate back and forth between the perspectives of all three characters. 

I love it! I think the story is supposed to be kind of like a bit of contemporary mixed with a bit of supernatural involved, too? I would have guessed that it was completely about the supernatural judging by the description from Goodreads, but the cover makes it seem more like a contemporary sort of novel. I really love the design overall. It's a great cover!

Jenny Han's Summer series was absolutely FANTASTIC! So, I'm definitely excited to read this one!

Cleo :)

*Description and cover from goodreads.com

Review: Soul Thief

Title: Soul Thief
Author: Jana Oliver
Date Released: August 30th, 2011
Pages: 339
Rating: 4 out of 5

Description:
Riley Blackthorne is beginning to learn that there are worse things than death by demon. And love is just one of them…

Seventeen-year-old Riley has about had it up to here. After the devastating battle at the Tabernacle, trappers are dead and injured, her boyfriend Simon is gravely injured, and now her beloved late father’s been illegally poached from his grave by a very powerful necromancer. As if that’s not enough, there's Ori, one sizzling hot freelance demon hunter who’s made himself Riley’s unofficial body guard, and Beck, a super over-protective “friend” who acts more like a grouchy granddad. With all the hassles, Riley’s almost ready to leave Atlanta altogether.

But as Atlanta’s demon count increases, the Vatican finally sends its own Demon Hunters to take care of the city’s “little” problem, and pandemonium breaks loose. Only Riley knows that she might be the center of Hell’s attention: an extremely powerful Grade 5 demon is stalking her, and her luck can't last forever…

Review:
Soul Thief was definitely another roller coaster ride. The first one, The Demon Trapper's Daughter, didn't exactly amaze me, but I really liked Soul Thief a lot more. I felt like a lot more happened in Soul Thief than in The Demon Trapper's Daughter, and the story really drew me in.

The previous book left off on a sort of cliffhanger with a lot of questions that needed answering. In Soul Thief, Riley embarks on a journey of sorts to find answers to her questions.  It added another mystery to the series, really keeping you glued to the book so you could find out the answers.  While some of the questions still remain a mystery, you learn a lot more about Riley, Beck, and even grumpy old Harper.

I still loved Riley because of her strength and bravery.  She still definitely defies the norms of her society, which would be to go to school and stay out of all of the demon trapping, but being in the demon business gives her an edge and the bravery to deal with demons and get wrapped up in all this demons vs. angels business.  Simon really changed a lot, and I LOVED him in The Demon Trapper's Daughter and rooted for him to be with Riley.  However, in Soul Thief, he becomes the complete opposite of sweet and caring.  Beck also sort of changed in a way, too, and now I'm kind of rooting for him to be with Riley because he truly does care about her, even though the age difference is pretty big.

There was a new character that was added, Ori.  He's sort of the mysterious character in the novel, and I guess his place in the story is sort of like part of the love... square.  Yeah, I think that's what you'd call it since Beck likes Riley who's sort of boyfriend is Simon, but the thing is that she also likes Ori, who really likes Riley, too.  It's a really complicated love square, but by the end it's pretty much sorted out.

Soul Thief brought in a lot of magic, making the story different from most demons vs. angels type novels.  The necromancers were also a lot more involved, so the story has become a lot more diverse, bringing in angels, demons, necromancers, witches, and magic.  It's definitely made the book really interesting with tying in all of these different paranormal figures, especially with the whole demons vs. angels concept.  It's been a little confusing because I don't quite understand who's on what side, which could just be me, but other than that I loved everything that was happening.

Soul Thief also has its little moments of intensity.  There were scenes where there would be a lot of spellbinding action, but then the action would die down for a bit, and then pick up.  The ending was definitely  really intriguing as well.  It's a surprising ending that catches you off guard.  It's a little confusing, but it keeps you wanting more.

Overall, I really liked Soul Thief and I thought it was better than The Demon Trapper's Daughter, actually, in terms of how captivating it was.  I'm definitely looking forward to see how it all plays out in the next one, Forgiven!

Cover Review:
I can't say that I'm the biggest fan of the cover, but I still kind of like it because of the contrast between the solid blue and then the black and white.  I like how they've kept with the same cover concept.  The gravestone's really add a cool touch as well, and I love the vibe that it gives off which is kind of an old and dark vibe.

Cleo :)

*Description and cover from goodreads.com
**Review copy borrowed from the local library.

Waiting on Wednesday (37): Timepiece

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...

Timepiece by Myra McEntire

A threat from the past could destroy the future. And the clock is ticking... 

Kaleb Ballard's relentless flirting is interrupted when Jack Landers, the man who tried to murder his father, timeslips in and attacks before disappearing just as quickly. But Kaleb has never before been able to see time travelers, unlike many of his friends associated with the mysterious Hourglass organization. Are Kaleb's powers expanding, or is something very wrong?  

Then the Hourglass is issued an ultimatum. Either they find Jack and the research he's stolen on the time gene, or time will be altered with devastating results.  

Now Kaleb, Emerson, Michael, and the other Hourglass recruits have no choice but to use their unusual powers to find Jack. But where do they even start? And when? And even if they succeed, it may not be enough...  

The follow-up to Hourglass, Timepiece blends the paranormal, science fiction, mystery, and suspense genres into a nonstop thrill ride where every second counts.

I really liked Hourglass and the whole story was really, really cool. So, I'm totally looking forward to Timepiece! And look at that cover... Isn't it beautiful? I love the whole defying gravity theme that all the covers in the series have so far.

What are you waiting for today?

Cleo :)

*Description and cover from goodreads.com

Cover Releases: Light & Romeo Redeemed

Yay!! I just spotted the cover for Light by Michael Grant and Romeo Redeemed by Stacey Jay on my Goodreads!

Even though I still haven't read the third one, Lies, I'm still pretty excited for the release of Light because hopefully by then I'll be caught up with the rest of the books!

I really like the cover, although it's a little confusing because the title is Light, but the cover still seems sort of dark in a way. Either way, I really like it and how they've kept with the same cover concept for all of the books in the series. Light still doesn't come out for another year, but I'm definitely excited for its release!

I just recently read Juliet Immortal, which was really good BTW, so definitely check that out. Naturally, I was excited when I heard that there was a sequel to Juliet Immortal because it just didn't seem complete when I reached the ending.

I think that this cover is cool and I like how they try to tie in some sort of masculinity into the cover with all the blue because obviously the font isn't very masculine, and the two characters are clearly enjoying their time in the water which would probably appeal more to girls. The story is all about Romeo this time, so I just thought that it would be a smidge different. But I really do love the cover and I can't wait until it comes out in October!

What are your thoughts on the covers?

Cleo :)

*Cover from goodreads.com

Review: Under the Never Sky

Title: Under the Never Sky
Author: Veronica Rossi
Date Released: January 3rd, 2012
Pages: 374
Rating: 4 out of 5

Description:
Since she'd been on the outside, she'd survived an Aether storm, she'd had a knife held to her throat, and she'd seen men murdered. This was worse.

Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland - known as The Death Shop - are slim. If the cannibals don't get her, the violent, electrified energy storms will. She's been taught that the very air she breathes can kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He's wild - a savage - and her only hope of staying alive.

A hunter for his tribe in a merciless landscape, Perry views Aria as sheltered and fragile - everything he would expect from a Dweller. But he needs Aria's help too; she alone holds the key to his redemption. Opposites in nearly every way, Aria and Perry must accept each other to survive. Their unlikely alliance forges a bond that will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.

Review:
This has got to be one of the coolest books ever! I love dystopian novels because all of them are never really the same, and Under the Never Sky is definitely no exception.

In Under the Never Sky had some pretty cool world building going on. In this dystopian/post-apocalyptic society, living outside in The Death Shop, or even being exiled, means being at risk of losing your life to cannibals or the violent Aether storms that ravage Earth. For Aria, who's lived in her protective Pod, this fact terrifies her, but she has to face her fears after being exiled for something that she didn't commit. The whole world that Rossi creates is unpredictable and full of excitement, really keeping me glued to the book.

Aria and Perry were both really cool characters and I loved them both. Perry seems really tough on the outside, but in the inside he cares about his family, his tribe, and everything else that's really important to him. In other words, he has a soft side that makes him... lovable. Aria has that inner strength that I admire and that most dystopian female characters have. She's also pretty brave to be able to trust a "Savage" and take on the tumultuous environment that the world has become.

The relationship that develops between Aria and Perry is really sweet. It's kind of like one of those really unlikely relationships, but they somehow make it work out. Also, Perry's so nice and kind that you really can't help but just root for him and Aria to be together!

The overall storyline of Under the Never Sky was really captivating. Alternating between Aria and Perry's point of view, everything that happened was just really exciting to read about. Some parts were a little bit slow at times, but the plot would quickly pick up throwing Aria and Perry into intense situations. For me, the beginning also started off at this sort of fast pace that threw me off a bit, and I sort of felt like everything there was to know about Aria's world was being thrown at me a little to fast. But, it all played out well after a couple chapters.

Under the Never Sky was definitely an awesome debut. Sometimes it could be a little slow, or a little too fast, but other than that, the world building and the characters were great! It left on a cliffhanger, so I'm definitely looking forward to the next one, Through the Ever Night!  If you're in need of a dystopian/post-apocalyptic read, then look no further.  I'm sure that you'll like it :)

Cover Review:
I totally love this cover! I love the swirly designs in the background, and how Aria is sort of like rising out of the swirly designs. I also really like the dark bottom half in contrast with the light upper half. Overall, it's a REALLY cool cover!

Cleo :)

*Description and cover from goodreads.com
**Review copy won from a giveaway.

Waiting on Wednesday (36): Time Between Us

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... 

 

Time Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone

Anna and Bennett were never supposed to meet: she lives in 1995 Chicago and he lives in 2012 San Francisco. But Bennett’s unique ability to travel through time and space brings him into Anna’s life, and with him, a new world of adventure and possibility.  

As their relationship deepens, they face the reality that time might knock Bennett back where he belongs, even as a devastating crisis throws everything they believe into question. Against a ticking clock, Anna and Bennett are forced to ask themselves how far they can push the bounds of fate—and what consequences they can bear in order to stay together.  

Fresh, exciting, and deeply romantic, TIME BETWEEN US is a stunning and spellbinding debut from an extraordinary new talent in YA fiction. 

I'm really excited for this one! It kind of reminds me of The Time Traveler's Wife, but like a young adult version. Look for it on shelves on October 9th!

Cleo :)

*Description and cover from goodreads.com

Cover Release: Beautiful Redemption!

Basically, it's the same story as the one for how I found the cover for Reached... I went onto my Goodreads account and looked at My Books, when I realized there was a snazzy new cover for Beautiful Redemption, the final book  in the Caster Chronicles by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl!

Isn't it such a cool cover?  I really like that green against the black and white photo.  The stairs add a really cool touch to the cover as well.  Beautiful Redemption  hits shelves on October 23rd!  Gaah!  I'm so excited :D

What are your thoughts on the cover?

Cleo :)

Review: The Way We Fall

Title: The Way We Fall
Author: Megan Crewe
Release Date: January 24th, 2012
Pages: 309
Rating: 3 out of 5

Description:
It starts with an itch you just can't shake. Then comes a fever and a tickle in your throat. A few days later, you'll be blabbing your secrets and chatting with strangers like they’re old friends. Three more, and the paranoid hallucinations kick in.

And then you're dead.

When a deadly virus begins to sweep through sixteen-year-old Kaelyn’s community, the government quarantines her island—no one can leave, and no one can come back. Those still healthy must fight for dwindling supplies, or lose all chance of survival.

As everything familiar comes crashing down, Kaelyn joins forces with a former rival and discovers a new love in the midst of heartbreak. When the virus starts to rob her of friends and family, she clings to the belief that there must be a way to save the people she holds dearest. Because how will she go on if there isn't?

Megan Crewe crafts a powerful and gripping exploration of self-preservation, first love, and hope. Poignant and dizzying, this heart-wrenching story of one girl’s bravery and unbeatable spirit will leave readers fervently awaiting the next book in this standout new series.

Review:
Full of intensity with a dark, depressing atmosphere, The Way We Fall was definitely a very captivating novel in terms of concept. It was kind of like a book version of the movie, Contagion, except the virus breaks out on a smaller scale, only within an island off the coast of Canada.

The Way We Fall is written sort of like a letter, from main character Kaelyn to her former best friend, Leo. Although I thought it seemed more like a journal than a letter since she never plans to send the letter off. It's also a lot more personal, so you would kind of forget that Kaelyn was writing to Leo until she becomes nostalgic about the good times they had together, or had a flashback to their last fight.

I really liked the concept because jogging back through my memory, I haven't really read anything like it, although it did remind me a lot of the movie Contagion. Reading about the symptoms and all of the technical things was just really cool to me because I'm really into all of the science-y stuff.

The beginning was pretty slow, and action was pretty minimal. The ending didn't really feel complete or leave me fully satisfied because it felt like a really quick wrap up. I also didn't feel the urgency in the ending like I do with most books with a sequel. It was more of a hopeful ending than a dramatic cliffhanger.

Even though I felt like there wasn't a whole lot of action, the whole novel overall was pretty intense because of the situation that Kaelyn was in. It started off with the symptoms of the virus and deaths of a couple people and eventually quickly progressed to consume almost the whole entire island. People were dying, turning violent, suffering, going crazy... These characteristics of how the islanders reacted all contributed to the dark and depressing atmosphere that Kaelyn wrote about in her account of the outbreak.

Even though I was completely in love with the concept and the plot, I wasn't so in love with the main character, Kaelyn. I felt like she had a flat personality, sort of devoid of emotion and a little monotone. It was her personality to be sort of boring and quiet, but I just felt distant from her.

The Way We Fall was definitely an interesting read. I loved the idea and the intensity of the novel, but I wasn't exactly a big fan of Kaelyn or the little bits of action. I think that I might pick up the sequel to The Way We Fall because it has piqued my interest and the ending left some questions that need to be answered. I'd also really like to see the direction in which the novel is headed.

Cover Review:
I really like this cover because it's kind of mysterious and gives off this dark vibe, but also has a solid yellow background to really make the photo stand out. The cover kind of reminded me of one of the promotional posters for the I Am Number Four movie, but I really like it and its simplicity.

Cleo :)

*Description and cover from goodreads.com
**Review copy one in a Goodreads First Reads giveaway.

Cover Crazy (38): Through to You

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 Through to You by Emily Hainsworth!

A romantic sci-fi thriller about love and second chances. 

Camden Pike has been grief-stricken since his girlfriend, Viv, died. Viv was the last good thing in his life: helping him rebuild his identity after a career-ending football injury, picking up the pieces when his home life shattered, and healing his pain long after the pain meds wore off. And now, he’d give anything for one more glimpse of her. But when Cam makes a visit to the site of Viv’s deadly car accident, he sees some kind of apparition. And it isn’t Viv.

The apparition’s name is Nina, and she’s not a ghost. She’s a girl from a parallel world, and in this world, Viv is still alive. Cam can’t believe his wildest dreams have come true. All he can focus on is getting his girlfriend back, no matter the cost. But things are different in this other world: Viv and Cam have both made very different choices, things between them have changed in unexpected ways, and Viv isn’t the same girl he remembers. Nina is keeping some dangerous secrets, too, and the window between the worlds is shrinking every day. As Cam comes to terms with who this Viv has become, and the part Nina played in his parallel story, he’s forced to choose—stay with Viv or let her go—before the window closes between them once and for all.

I love this cover because of the color contrast between the light green and the dark blue/black. It sends this creepy, dark vibe, especially with the font fading into the background. The cover is also seems FULL of mystery.  It makes me wonder, why is there a girl kind of sinking into the water?  I also love the reflection of the girl since, to me, it seems to represent the  whole parallel world aspect of the book.  Overall, I'm in love with the cover.  It's definitely different from the usual covers that I like, but it really catches my eye.

Which cover are you absolutely in love with?

Cleo :)

*Description and cover from goodreads.com

Review: Love and Leftovers

Title: Love and Leftovers
Author: Sarah Tregay
Date Released: December 27th, 2011
Pages: 451
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Description:
My wish
is to fall
cranium over Converse
in dizzy, daydream-worthy
love.

When her parents split, Marcie is dragged from Idaho to a family summerhouse in New Hampshire. She leaves behind her friends, a group of freaks and geeks called the Leftovers, including her emo-rocker boyfriend, and her father.

By the time Labor Day rolls around, Marcie suspects this "vacation" has become permanent. She starts at a new school where a cute boy brings her breakfast and a new romance heats up. But understanding love, especially when you've watched your parents' affections end, is elusive. What does it feel like, really? Can you even know it until you've lost it?

Love and Leftovers is a beautifully written story of one girl’s journey navigating family, friends, and love, and a compelling and sexy read that teens will gobble up whole.

Review:

Love and Leftovers was a bittersweet novel. Written in verse, it chronicles main character Marcie and her life after her mom packs up things in Idaho and go to "vacation" at their summerhouse in New Hampshire. Along the way, Marcie learns to try and pick up her life, starting with a new school, and eventually falling in love all over again. But, it's not easy for Marcie, because in Idaho she left her emo rocker boyfriend, Linus, behind as well as her father.

I have actually not read many verse novels. I think that most of them have been ones like Love That Dog by Sharon Creech, so, that was like 6 or 7 years ago. Love and Leftovers was a really quick novel because it was written in verse, but it was completely unique. I love how sometimes the verses were structured according to mood and how everything flows. I will admit though that sometimes when there was dialogue, the verses would be structured into two columns and I would get lost as to how to read them, but that could just be me.

The story was kind of like the typical contemporary story where the main character is caught between two fighting parents and is trying to patch up everything in her life that has been broken. What makes this one unique is the reason why the parents broke up. It was just something that I didn't see coming and I thought was very interesting.

I loved Marcie and I felt like I got to know her so much through her journal. Through her descriptions and vivid emotions of everything that she went through, I felt like I could connect with her and feel what she felt.

I just have one little complaint about this book. Where did J.D. go? He just sort of managed to disappear after a while and that kind of disappointed me. It was sort of like nothing had ever happened between Marcie and him after a while.

Overall, I really loved Love and Leftovers. It was the perfect contemporary, blending in the tragic themes of parents separating and finding love. I would recommend this to anyone who is in need of a short contemporary story.

Cover Review:
This cover is incredibly cute. I love the whole Converses concept, since Marcie's wish was to "fall cranium over Converse in dizzy daydream-worthy love." The font is just perfect for the title because it doesn't take away from the shoes. The background is really cool because if you look closely enough, you can see paper with writing on it, and it probably represents Marcie's love for writing poetry.

Cleo :)

*Description and cover from goodreads.com
*Review copy won from a Goodreads giveaway.

Cover Release: Reached

I went onto my Goodreads today, and was looking at My Books when I noticed that the cover for the third and final book of the Matched Trilogy was released!!

Oh my goodness! It's gorgeous. All of the covers in the trilogy have been absolutely gorgeous, and I love how they all have the same concept. Reached comes out on November 13th, which happens to be my birthday! It would make my day if I got this on my birthday :D Better go pre-order it!

What do you guys think of the cover?

Cleo :)

*Cover from goodreads.com

Follow Friday!

Today's Question:

What book would you love to see made into a movie or television show and do you have actors/actresses in mind to play the main characters?

One series that I'm pretty sure would make an AWESOME movie or TV show is the Gone series by Michael Grant.  Ohmygoodness... It would be totally epic, full of intensity and some violence.  It would definitely make a really cool movie or TV show.  I also think that Anna and the French Kiss would make an adorable movie, along with The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight.  Basically all of those contemporary YA novels full of romance with awesome male love interests would make cute movies or TV shows.  

If you're new to Booklopedia, then feel free to look around!  And if you want to follow Booklopedia (no pressure!) I also just added a Networked Blogs following widget that's below the GFC, so feel free to follow through that, too :)

This week, I wrote up two reviews for Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters by Meredith Zeitlin and Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler & Maira Kalman, so feel free to check those out, too!

I hope you guys have a fantabulous weekend!

Cleo :)

Review: Why We Broke Up

Title: Why We Broke Up
Author: Daniel Handler & Maira Kalman
Released Date: December 27th, 2011
Pages: 368
Rating: 4 out of 5

Description:
I'm telling you why we broke up, Ed. I'm writing it in this letter, the whole truth of why it happened.

Min Green and Ed Slaterton are breaking up, so Min is writing Ed a letter and giving him a box. Inside the box is why they broke up. Two bottle caps, a movie ticket, a folded note, a box of matches, a protractor, books, a toy truck, a pair of ugly earrings, a comb from a motel room, and every other item collected over the course of a giddy, intimate, heartbreaking relationship. Item after item is illustrated and accounted for, and then the box, like a girlfriend, will be dumped.

Review:
Why We Broke Up was a very fun and interesting read.  It's sort of written as a really long letter, from Min to Ed, with pictures of the items that explain why they broke up, kind of separating the letter into chapters. 

This novel was written in an "artistic" way.  I don't really know how to phrase it because "artistic" might not be the best way to describe it, but it was definitely different.  An example is that sometimes there would be a run on sentence, usually describing a sequence of events and how Min felt at the time of each event.  They actually became a little confusing after a while because I kind of started to get a little lost as to what was happening.  Although, the writing does embody Min in a way because of her personality and her artsy side.

I really liked Min and Ed as a couple, because they seemed like a REALLY unlikely couple.  Ed is the popular jock, while Min has her little group of friends and enjoys watching old films.  Min was a sort of cool character who liked to do the oddest things with Ed, whether it be stealing sugar or planning a party for an actress who Min thinks lives in their city.

Overall, Why We Broke Up was a really cool book with awesome illustrations to illustrate the items in the box.  It's like a picture book for young adults :D  Sometimes, the writing could be a bit confusing, but the overall premise was pretty cool.  It's pretty obvious after a while as to why they broke up, but reading why each item was significant was really fun.

Oh!  There's this really awesome website for Why We Broke Up.  It's called The Why We Broke Up Project and it's where you can post about your breakups and why you broke up with him/her.  It's really interesting and you should check it out here :)

Cover Review:
I like this cover.  I don't love it, but I like how the words sort of spill out of the coffee cup.  The red background also really pops out to the viewer.

Cleo :)

*Description and cover from goodreads.com
**Review copy borrowed from the library.