Waiting on Wednesday (48): Fire with Fire

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly feature, 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...

Fire with Fire by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

September 3rd, 2013

When sweet revenge turns sour… Book two of a trilogy from New York Times bestselling author Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian. 

Lillia, Kat, and Mary had the perfect plan. Work together in secret to take down the people who wronged them. But things didn’t exactly go the way they’d hoped at the Homecoming Dance. 

Not even close. 

For now, it looks like they got away with it. All they have to do is move on and pick up the pieces, forget there ever was a pact. But it’s not easy, not when Reeve is still a total jerk and Rennie’s meaner than she ever was before. 

And then there’s sweet little Mary…she knows there’s something seriously wrong with her. If she can’t control her anger, she’s sure that someone will get hurt even worse than Reeve was. Mary understands now that it’s not just that Reeve bullied her—it’s that he made her love him.

Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, burn for a burn. A broken heart for a broken heart. The girls are up to the task. They’ll make Reeve fall in love with Lillia and then they will crush him. It’s the only way he’ll learn. 

It seems once a fire is lit, the only thing you can do is let it burn...

While this series is different from the romantic fluffiness of the Summer series by Jenny Han, whose books I'm more familiar with, I definitely really liked Burn for Burn and couldn't wait to find out what happens next, especially since in the ending where something really surprising happens to Mary and I want to know what's happening to her!  

Which book are you waiting for today?

Cleo :)

*Description and cover from goodreads.com

Book Truth (6)

When you think of paradise, what do you imagine?  A library filled with books? 

Or a beach filled with palm trees and books? 

(haha what else would there be?)

Cleo :)

Cover Crush (12): Tumble & Fall

Cover Crush is a feature here at Booklopedia that features covers that I currently have a crush on. I know that there are multiple features out in the blogging world that feature covers, but I thought that it would be nice for Booklopedia to feature something, especially something that I absolutely love about books, even though they always say, "You should never judge a book by its cover."

Today, I have a major crush on the cover for Tumble & Fall by Alexandra Coutts!

A novel about the end of days full of surprising beginnings

The world is living in the shadow of oncoming disaster. An asteroid is set to strike the earth in just one week’s time; catastrophe is unavoidable. The question isn’t how to save the world—the question is, what to do with the time that's left? Against this stark backdrop, three island teens wrestle with intertwining stories of love, friendship and family—all with the ultimate stakes at hand.

Alexandra Coutts's TUMBLE & FALL is a powerful story of courage, love, and hope at the end of the world.

Not only does the story sound super interesting, but the cover is gorgeous as well.  While the cover doesn't seem to totally relate to the story, I still love it.  I like the bokeh effect (which are what the dots are called, I believe) which kind of shows the asteroid portion of the story, even though they don't look like chunks of rock, but it gets the idea across.  I also think it's cool how the two people's faces are inside the "&" because it emphasizes that, especially the face of the girl who stares directly at you.  I definitely love the exaggeration of the "&" as well as the font used for the title and author's name which are clean cut and keep the emphasis on what's going on.  Overall, this cover has me sold in wanting to read the book, even though they always say you should never judge a book by its cover. 

What do you think of the cover?

Cleo :)

*Description and cover from goodreads.com

Book Truth (5)

Waiting on Wednesday (47): Invisibility

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly feature, 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...

Invisibility by Andrea Cremer & David Levithan

May 7th, 2013

Stephen has been invisible for practically his whole life — because of a curse his grandfather, a powerful cursecaster, bestowed on Stephen’s mother before Stephen was born. So when Elizabeth moves to Stephen’s NYC apartment building from Minnesota, no one is more surprised than he is that she can see him. A budding romance ensues, and when Stephen confides in Elizabeth about his predicament, the two of them decide to dive headfirst into the secret world of cursecasters and spellseekers to figure out a way to break the curse. But things don’t go as planned, especially when Stephen’s grandfather arrives in town, taking his anger out on everyone he sees. In the end, Elizabeth and Stephen must decide how big of a sacrifice they’re willing to make for Stephen to become visible — because the answer could mean the difference between life and death. At least for Elizabeth.

I really liked David Levithan's Every Day and I loved Andrea Cremer's Nightshade series, so of course Invisibility is on my list of books I want to read.  It also sounds super interesting, with the whole concept of being invisible but only having one person that can see you.  It kind of reminds me of Every Day, but it still has its only original thing going on.  I love that cover, too, which of course is another reason why I should read it :)

What are you waiting for today?

Cleo :)

*Description and cover from goodreads.com

Review: Romeo Redeemed

Title: Romeo Redeemed
Author: Stacey Jay
Date Released: October 9th, 2012
Pages: 394
Rating: 3 out of 5

Description:
Seductive companion to the popular Juliet Immortal, in which former lovers—Romeo and Juliet—meet, not as true lovers, but truly as enemies.

Cursed to live out eternity in his rotted corpse, Romeo, known for his ruthless, cutthroat ways, is given the chance to redeem himself by traveling back in time to save the life of Ariel Dragland. Unbeknownst to her, Ariel is important to both the evil Mercenaries and the love-promoting Ambassadors and holds the fate of the world in her hands. Romeo must win her heart and make her believe in love, turning her away from her darker potential before his work is discovered by the Mercenaries. While his seduction begins as yet another lie, it soon becomes his only truth. Romeo vows to protect Ariel from harm, and do whatever it takes to win her heart and soul. But when Ariel is led to believe his love is a deception, she becomes vulnerable to Mercenary manipulation, and her own inner darkness may ultimately rip them apart.

Review:
I never reviewed Juliet Immortal, the predecessor to Romeo Redeemed, but I remember really liking it and gave it a 4 out of 5 stars on Goodreads.  However, I wasn't exactly feeling Romeo Redeemed.  I like the whole twist on the tale of Romeo and Juliet and how Stacey Jay weaved magic and supernatural elements into the story, but the characters faltered a bit in this story and it was just too much of wanting one another and confusion that I didn't enjoy it as much.

This time, the point of view is from Romeo.  He was given a so-called second chance by the Ambassadors to make Ariel, who Juliet formerly inhabited in Juliet Immortal, fall in love with him in three days, and in return he would join the Ambassadors and leave his decaying Mercenary body behind.  Eventually, the two fall in love (as is evident on the cover), but forces try driving the two apart to create a different outcome.

I really liked Ariel in Juliet Immortal, but I guess that's because it was actually Juliet who was just merely using Ariel's body.  Ariel is a rather strange person, and I guess I can wonder why her classmates call her a "freak".  When she gets angry, she becomes murderous, which was the exact opposite of what she seemed like the other half of the time, which was sweet and loving, although a bit mistrusting, especially of Dylan/Romeo.  I did like Romeo's improvement as a character.  He became a lot more kind and was very sweet caring of Ariel which definitely made me fall for him, despite his tumultuous past.

The overall story line did seem to drag on for a bit.  Mostly it was just made up of, "I need her", "I love him", skipping school a lot to be with each other, and just a lot of mushy stuff like that.  You do see the development of the relationship, but it was just too much and actually started to get a little bit boring!  And I'm a sucker for romance so that was saying something.  The book then finally throws something else to the reader, which actually confused me for the remainder of the book.  The magical elements definitely come in at this point, which left me confused and not understanding why there was a sudden switch in personality in Ariel and finding it rather odd.  I will say that the ending was pretty cute.  It was a bit confusing, but it was definitely a twist to the story that ended off on a sweet note :)

Romeo Redeemed seemed like such an intriguing follow up because it wasn't necessarily continuing the events of Juliet Immortal, until you reach the ending, but could almost have been a stand alone since it was told in a completely different point of view and had a completely different story.  However, the story didn't really capture my attention once I realized it was just solely about Ariel and Romeo for a majority of the book, and Ariel didn't really win me over either.  I still did like the romance, to a certain extent, and Romeo was pretty cool throughout the story.  The ending was probably one of the cutest endings I've ever read and it definitely left me satisfied, although I had one huge question, but that would spoil everything ;)  If you're into romance and magic, then you should definitely try out Juliet Immortal and Romeo Redeemed!

Cover Review:
This cover is definitely says a lot about the book.  There is a lot of kissing and stuff like that, but it never happens on the beach.  Although, it does give a romantic setting  and they are situated in California close the ocean.  My parents would probably definitely question what I was reading if they saw this cover.  But, I do like the blue, which kind of emphasizes that this is about Romeo since blue is just stereotypically associated with guys, and the typography adds to the romance that's going on on the cover.

Cleo :)

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

Review: Hallowed

Title: Hallowed
Author: Cynthia Hand
Date Released: January 17th, 2012
Pages: 403
Rating: 4 out of 5

Description:
For months Clara Gardner trained to face the fire from her visions, but she wasn't prepared for the choice she had to make that day. And in the aftermath, she discovered that nothing about being part angel is as straightforward as she thought.

Now, torn between her love for Tucker and her complicated feelings about the roles she and Christian seem destined to play in a world that is both dangerous and beautiful, Clara struggles with a shocking revelation: Someone she loves will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.

In this compelling sequel to Unearthly, Cynthia Hand captures the joy of first love, the anguish of loss, and the confusion of becoming who you are.

Review:
I didn't really know what to expect in Hallowed since Unearthly ended off with two cliffhangers, one of which could have gone in any direction.  So, I just went into the book going with the flow, partly since it had been over a year since I had read the first book in the series, so I didn't really remember much anyways.  Anyhow, it was a great follow up and kept me hooked until the very end.  There were so many surprises that intrigued me into reading more and more until I pretty much devoured the whole book.

Essentially, Hallowed follows Clara and continues into her senior year of high school.  On top of having to keep up her grades and apply for college, she's trying to figure out what her new vision could possibly mean, and when she finally does, it's heartbreaking.  Meanwhile, she's learning more and more about herself as an angel along with Angela, Christian, and her brother, Jeffrey.

I can't say that I liked Clara as much in Hallowed as I did like her in Unearthly.  For some reason she just seemed different, like she was more self-absorbed or just a little bit shallow.  I can't quite put my finger on it, but she just wasn't as likable.  I think it was her indecisiveness between Tucker and Christian.  She just seemed different when I started getting into Hallowed.  I did really like Angela though, and her quirkiness and inquisitiveness pertaining to her visions and just learning more about angels in general.  Tucker and Christian were both great, although Tucker was rather overprotective of Clara this time and that was a bit annoying.  Christian was just pretty much like the perfect angel that he is throughout the whole book ;)

The overall story kept me super captivated.  I loved how it was a mixture of intensity, surprises, and relaxing moments where I just got to learn more about Clara as an angel and see her build her relationships with others.  If you have read Unearthly and haven't read Hallowed yet, then I suggest you do because there is one... No, two things in the book that are bound to shock you.  They both definitely caught me by surprise.

Hallowed was a great followup to Unearthly, although it was a rather depressing sequel with a twist that just completely breaks your heart.  This book definitely leaves you wanting more and wanting to find out what happens in Boundless because there were so many loose ends.  Thank goodness Boundless is already out!  If you haven't read Unearthly yet, then I suggest you do!!  Especially if you're into reading about angels.  It won't disappoint :)

Cover Review:
I absolutely love this cover.  I love the overall blue color scheme that the designer decided to go with, as well as the faint traces of the background that you can see of the lake and the mountains which really creates the setting for the book.  Of course, I'm a big fan of the intricate detailing of the title with the addition of the feather which completes the cover.  Overall, I think that this is a pretty gorgeous cover that fits the the story.

Cleo :)

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

Book Truth (4)

What do you love about books?

Cleo :)

Review: Requiem

Title: Requiem
Author: Lauren Oliver
Date Released: March 5th, 2013
Pages: 391
Rating: 4 out of 5

Description:
They have tried to squeeze us out, to stamp us into the past.
But we are still here.
And there are more of us every day.

Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has been transformed. The nascent rebellion that was under way in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight.

After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven—pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators now infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels, and as Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancée of the young mayor.

Maybe we are driven crazy by our feelings.Maybe love is a disease, and we would be better off without it.
But we have chosen a different road.
And in the end, that is the point of escaping the cure: We are free to choose.
We are even free to choose the wrong thing.

Requiem is told from both Lena’s and Hana’s points of view. The two girls live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge.

Review:
I don't even know what to say!  It's sad having to finish a series that was so good and so captivating throughout all three books.  Requiem definitely carried on the amazing-ness of Delirium and Pandemonium and I'm so sad that there won't be anymore books about Lena's world :(

Requiem pretty much follows Pandemonium, especially after that killer cliffhanger that left me wanting more.  This time, the chapters alternate between Lena and Hana, with Lena in the dangerous Wilds as an Invalid and Hana, who has been cured, in Portland where the Resistance keeps growing.  The whole story kept me intrigued and wanting to know what could possibly happen next to Lena and her group and Hana and Portland.

When you put the Delirium Lena side by side with the Requiem Lena, you see how much she has developed into a completely different person.  She has become stronger, more aware, and even a bit cold at times, but I guess living in the Wild just transforms a person.  I didn't read the novella Hana, but from reading Requiem, I think I kind of got the gist of what probably happened.  Hana changed to since we last saw her in Delirium, but she's different from the other ones that have been cured.  Obviously I'm not a big fan of any cured person, but Hana changes throughout the course of the novel and becomes a little more open and aware of what's going on and how the system actually is kind of corrupt in a way, and I liked her more for that.

The ending was a bit open ended, when considering the actual rebellion that the whole entire series was building up to, and I could see why people were upset with the ending.  But overall, I think that Lauren Oliver did give her fans one thing that they wanted to know, which was who Lena would end up with, because that was what was pretty much killing me throughout the book.

This might be a bit of a spoiler if you haven't read the first two books yet, but I just had to address this.  So, the love triangle (I know) was a bit crazy in this book.  I wanted to know so badly who she would end up with, but it was kind of painful actually reading about it because you could see that she favored one more than the other and it just sort of broke my heart because the other one was still kind of vulnerable, but I was rooting for who she *vaguely* ended up with anyways :)

Overall, Requiem was a great follow up to Delirium and Pandemonium.  While it did leave some things open ended, you could only hope for the best, if you're an optimist like me anyways.  It's not going to have The Hunger Games ending where you know Lena's future, but I liked it nevertheless, although my sister disagrees with me.  I love Lauren Oliver's writing so I can't wait to see what she has next.  I'll probably have to start reading her middle grade stories until her next novel comes out and the TV show will have to suffice :)

Cover Review:
I'm still stuck on the fact that they changed the whole cover concept with Delirium and I always wonder what the covers for Pandemonium  and Requiem would have looked like.  Nevertheless, I do like this cover.  It doesn't quite fit the story because it just seems too peaceful for such a action-filled book, but I do like the flowers though and the overall dark color scheme.  It's a very eye-catching cover.

Cleo :)

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

Cover Crush (11): Siege and Storm

Cover Crush is a feature here at Booklopedia that features covers that I currently have a crush on. I know that there are multiple features out in the blogging world that feature covers, but I thought that it would be nice for Booklopedia to feature something, especially something that I absolutely love about covers, even though they always say, "You should never judge a book by its cover."

Today, I'm in love with the cover for Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo!

Darkness never dies. 

Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land, all while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. But she can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long. 

The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her–or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.

I absolutely love the design for the cover of Siege and Storm. The intricate detailing of the castle, the waves, and the sky are really cool, as is the detailing of the title with the dragon coming off of the S. I think it's also pretty cool how the center is all lit up with the red of the castle and the light gray clouds in comparison to the darker edges of the cover.  We also don't see many completely graphic designed covers so it's also really cool how the designers went this route.  I don't think that anything else could have captured the story any better.

What do you think of the cover?

Cleo :)

*Description and cover from goodreads.com