Insurgent By Veronica Roth

Summary:
One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.
Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful.
Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so

Rating: ***** (5 Stars)
Review: After having not been immersed in the Divergent world since I read the first book 6 months prior, I had qualms about diving headfirst into Insurgent without refreshing myself with the basic events that happened prior to the start of this novel. However, having neither the time nor the care for rereading a book with this enticing, new, fresh book lying in front of me, I decided to be a Dauntless and take the risk (small risk, but hey, it's the thought that counts).

I didn't read Insurgent for its romance. It's obviously a perk, of course, but the romance between Tobias and Tris isn't the main focus of the novel, not at all. The conspiracies, the conspiracies within the conspiracies, and the struggle between choosing what feels right and what logically is right is oftentimes employed here that makes you want to read further and further to see who's really the good guy. And then somewhere along the way, you realize that the good guy may not be the nicest guy. I think Roth aptly puts this to justice when she writes: "And while he has done cruel, evil things, our society is not divided into “good” and “bad.” Cruelty does not make a person dishonest, the same way bravery does not make a person kind." The multilayers to every action and every character makes you stop and think of the macro events, which is what I believe books should truly be about.
I think the pacing, though not entirely perfect is pretty good. The conflict is established, the people approach it and the results pan out. The middle part; the conflict is exceptionally well written because you actually do end up feeling a bit tense and even worried for Tris when she's placed in a situation where her life is jeopardized. Over all this was a good book and the ending leaves you with a major cliffhanger to which you immediately want to start the third and final book in the series. However let me know that I will be doing a separate review for the third book, it won't be pretty. Fair warning! And don't even get me started on how different the second movie was from the book! Feel free to sound off in the comments below if you agree!

Curssed By Jennifer Armentrout

Summary: Dying sucks
...and high school senior Ember McWilliams knows firsthand.

After a fatal car accident, her gifted little sister brought her back. Now anything Ember touches dies. And that, well, really blows.

Ember operates on a no-touch policy with all living things--including boys. When Hayden Cromwell shows up, quoting Oscar Wilde and claiming her curse is a gift, she thinks he's a crazed cutie. But when he tells her he can help control it, she's more than interested. There's just one catch: Ember has to trust Hayden's adopted father, a man she's sure has sinister reasons for collecting children whose abilities even weird her out. However, she's willing to do anything to hold her sister's hand again. And hell, she'd also like to be able to kiss Hayden. Who wouldn't?

But when Ember learns the accident that turned her into a freak may not have been an accident at all, she's not sure who to trust. Someone wanted her dead, and the closer she gets to the truth, the closer she is to losing not only her heart, but her life.

For real this time.

Rating: ***** (5 Stars)
Review: Ok so I finished up this book while I was on vacation in Mexico & it was the perfect book to read lounging in a hammock or cabana on the beach. I really like Jennifer Armentrout's style of writing - she really pinpoints how YA really talk without it being annoying. I've read 3 out of 5 books in her Lux series which is fantastic btw! How rare is it to find a fantasy/paranormal standalone that's this good? Jennifer is a real genius. The story is intense, the characters are well written, and nothing feels pressured.  It has you guessing what's going to happen and it has so many twists and turns it will leave you dizzy. From the very first page I could not put this book down. It's heart-stopping and exciting and every page leaves you breathless and needing more. So many times during this book I thought I knew who was good and who was bad just to have everything change again. It was the perfect balance of suspense and romance between Hayden and Ember. I felt throughout the book that Ember was so strong, to have gone through everything she did and the fact that at her young age she tried so hard to take care of her little sister. I really loved this book and highly recommend it.

See I told you it was a good beach book 😉

The Fault In Our Stars By John Green

Summary: Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.

Rating: ***** (5 Stars)
Review: So here I lay, after reading this book with swollen eyes, a runny nose, a wet puffy face and a whole lot of heart ache and a head ache too. For the past year I've seen this book everywhere. It was the first book cover I would see walking into Barnes & Noble, I often saw people reading it in Starbucks when I would stop in to get my green tea frap, & it was Goodreads Choice Winner for 2012. Let me just say the entire book is wonderful.  I loved John Green's wit. I gave his characters a little leeway on the maturity scale, but still I didn't believe they could be this articulate. But I loved Green's writing so much, I didn't mind. Without the wit and endearing characters, this would be nothing but a book about cancer. Green's characters feel real and quirky and I fell for them and felt for them. I cried for them. In unexpected ways, like Hazel's parents waiting for the loss they know is coming and Hazel trying not to be a grenade in their lives. And the complications of facing your own mortality and therefore being wise beyond your years but still having to live like a teenager with all its restrictions. Then there's watching your friends die off and dealing with the shallowness of people who weren't there through the tough times. I made the mistake of thinking I could read this book at work, I actually had to make myself stop reading because I had tears coming down my face at my desk! So if you don't want others to think you are having some kind of breakdown save it for the comfort of your own home where you can ugly cry all you want!

The Fault In Our Stars is an insightful and moving novel that will not just leave you with a inspiring story to remember, but also with a more optimistic understanding of life. I think the movie to this book comes out in June & after seeing Divergent this past weekend I'm really looking forward to seeing it. Shailene Woodley knocked Divergent out of the park for me & the trailer for The Fault In Our Stars also looked impressive. I'll be sure to bring along a box of Kleenex to go with my popcorn.

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

Summary: Sookie Stackhouse is a small-time cocktail waitress in small-town Louisiana. She's quiet, keeps to herself, and doesn't get out much. Not because she's not pretty. She is. It's just that, well, Sookie has this sort of "disability." She can read minds. And that doesn't make her too dateable. And then along comes Bill. He's tall, dark, handsome--and Sookie can't hear a word he's thinking. He's exactly the type of guy she's been waiting for all her life....
But Bill has a disability of his own: He's a vampire with a bad reputation. He hangs with a seriously creepy crowd, all suspected of--big surprise--murder. And when one of Sookie's coworkers is killed, she fears she's next....

Rating: ***** (5 Stars)
Review: So I read this book back in 2009 right after I had started the Twilight series & I'm pretty sure the only reason I picked it up was because it was about vampires and I was coming down off my Twi high (haha Twi high..!) But the fact that it's about vampires is where the comparison to Twilight ends. After the first couple of chapters I fell in love with it instantly. Can I also just say that the art work on the covers in this series are awesome?! The southern gothic writing is absolutely phenomenal!! I have pushed this book series on all of my friends & they have loved not only the book but the series on HBO as well.  I enjoyed the aspect of two "unusual" people getting together and falling in love, which was strange especially for a vampire who supposedly has no emotions. I wouldn't even characterize this series as a guilty pleasure. It's well-written, with a lot of humor, & a sense of place. And I appreciate that it is aimed towards grown-ups. These vampires & other beings are not in high school; they are complex adults with real (& rated-R) lives to boot. Although my husband has not read the series he does watch the show & really enjoys it. He often asks me how the book compares & then we have a discussion on the differences. I have read 12 out of the 13 books in this series & the only reason I haven't read the last one is because I'm in denial that it's the final book & ending. So if you can commit to a long series then this is for you!

Hate List By Jennifer Brown

Summary: Five months ago, Valerie Leftman's boyfriend, Nick, opened fire on their school cafeteria. Shot trying to stop him, Valerie inadvertently saved the life of a classmate, but was implicated in the shootings because of the list she helped create. A list of people and things she and Nick hated. The list he used to pick his targets.
Now, after a summer of seclusion, Val is forced to confront her guilt as she returns to school to complete her senior year. Haunted by the memory of the boyfriend she still loves and navigating rocky relationships with her family, former friends and the girl whose life she saved, Val must come to grips with the tragedy that took place and her role in it, in order to make amends and move on with her life

Rating: **** (4 Stars)
Review: I'm not gonna lie, this book made me tear up towards the end. A tear did not actually come out of my eyes but they did well up. It was really touching & I found myself going through an array of emotions for this was a conflicting read. The author expressed the point of view from a teenager so well in a situation like this. This novel is a powerful fictional account of a school shooting and the inner turmoil that witnesses and victims suffer through. The characters are complex; the way their thoughts and feelings are revealed throughout the book is riveting. Hate List not only tackles the issues on bullying and campus killings, but it also tells about what it feels to grow up, battling loneliness and the need to belong, the feeling of envy, and the journey to self-discovery and self-acceptance. The only part of this story I didn't care for was the father, it made me angry at the way he expressed himself. I found myself itching to get through this story & having hopes & wishes for these characters. It makes you wonder how you’d cope under similar circumstances.

Wordless Wednesday

Wednesday's are my day off work aka read all day & lounge around in yoga pants day! But today I actually did go out to do a little Valentine's Day shopping for my boys & my husbands birthday is coming up as well. I'm currently reading Hate List by Jennifer Brown - it's really good so far & as soon as I'm done with it I'll review it!
Oh by the way I totally want this sign for my door - it would basically never come off!

My First Giveaway

 

Why hello there, love to read like me?! Well then this giveaway is right up your alley! Pictured below is a paperback version of The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks, one of my favorite books!
All you have to do to win is follow my blog (< located on the left side of my page) & comment on this post letting me know that you did so! Easy peasy right?! In a week I will announce the winner! Good luck!

Summary: When U.S. Marine Logan Thibault finds a photograph of a smiling young woman half-buried in the dirt during his third tour of duty in Iraq, his first instinct is to toss it aside. Instead, he brings it back to the base for someone to claim, but when no one does, he finds himself always carrying the photo in his pocket. Soon Thibault experiences a sudden streak of luck—winning poker games and even surviving deadly combat that kills two of his closest buddies. Only his best friend, Victor, seems to have an explanation for his good fortune: the photograph—his lucky charm.
Back home in Colorado, Thibault can’t seem to get the photo—and the woman in it—out of his mind. Believing that she somehow holds the key to his destiny, he sets out on a journey across the country to find her, never expecting the strong but vulnerable woman he encounters in Hampton, North Carolina—Elizabeth, a divorced mother with a young son—to be the girl he’s been waiting his whole life to meet. Caught off guard by the attraction he feels, Thibault keeps the story of the photo, and his luck, a secret. As he and Elizabeth embark upon a passionate and all-consuming love affair, the secret he is keeping will soon threaten to tear them apart—destroying not only their love, but also their lives.
Filled with tender romance and terrific suspense, The Lucky One is Nicholas Sparks at his best—an unforgettable story about the surprising paths our lives often take and the power of fate to guide us to true and everlasting love.

Obsidian by Jennifer Armentrout

Summary: Starting over sucks.
When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I'd pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring.... until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up. And then he opened his mouth. Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something...unexpected happens. The hot alien living next door marks me.You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon's touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I'm getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades.
If I don't kill him first, that is.

Rating: ***** (5 Stars)
Review: So I just happened to stumble upon this book while browsing the good ole Barnes & Noble site. It was a recommendation to I Am Number 4 which by the way I read & liked. After reading the reviews on my iBooks app I decided I would give this one a try. The dialog in this book has got to be some of the best written. It's so current & hip that it's refreshing. It's not annoyingly so but the quirky spunky sayings & insults are hilarious. The first book Obsidian in this series focuses on a girl named Katy (andplusalso how cool is it that a lead characters name is mine?!) She's strong, independent, & determined. And it's sorta kinda way freaking awesome that she's a blogger & has a huge love for books, so I can relate! I really enjoyed the banter between Daemon & Katy, it made the romance part of it that much more interesting because you just itching for the two to just admit they like each other. The storyline is exciting, fun, & dangerous. The only thing about these books that I'm not a fan of are the covers, it's kind of lame and in all honestly probably detours people away from reading them. I'm all about a good book cover, & if it were up to me I would have went with something simple. But anyhow don't judge a book by it's cover & read this!

Gone Girl By Gillian Flynn

Summary: On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne's fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick's clever and beautiful wife disappears from their rented McMansion on the Mississippi River. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn't doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife's head, but passages from Amy's diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media--as well as Amy's fiercely doting parents--the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he's definitely bitter--but is he really a killer? As the cops close in, every couple in town is soon wondering how well they know the one that they love. With his twin sister, Margo, at his side, Nick stands by his innocence. Trouble is, if Nick didn't do it, where is that beautiful wife? And what was in that silvery gift box hidden in the back of her bedroom closet?

Rating: **** (4 Stars)
Review: This book is huge right?! It seemed like everyone everywhere was or is reading this book. So after hearing from a few friends that I must read this book I started it at the end of summer 2012. A year later I finally finished it... That's how long it took me to get into this book. I would pick it up & read a couple of pages, sigh and put it down. I won't give up on a book no matter how awful it is, I will eventually finish it even if it takes a full year to do so. The beginning was torture for me to get through. If you can make it past the first half of the book you'll eventually be rewarded with the start of a good read. I can honestly say I never saw that plot twist coming. It's one of those moments where you sit there and think "oh my god you've got to be kidding me!" & "how in the world? why in the hell...?" I couldn't believe what direction Flynn was taking but it was a captivating one. It's shocking and crafty. So if you have patience to get through the first half of this book you'll like this book. I'm of course looking forward to the movie coming out October 3, 2014 with Ben Afflect starring at Nick Dunne & Roasmund Pike as Amy Dunne (fantastic casting) also you can't go wrong with Niel Patrick Harris & Tyler Perry either.

The Touch Series by Laurie Stolarz

 

Summary: Some secrets shouldn't be kept...
Up until three months ago, everything in sixteen-year-old Camelia's life had been fairly ordinary: decent grades; an okay relationship with her parents; and a pretty cool part-time job at the art studio downtown. But when Ben, the mysterious new guy, starts junior year at her high school, Camelia's life becomes anything but ordinary. Rumored to be somehow responsible for his ex-girlfriend's accidental death, Ben is immediately ostracized by everyone on campus. Except for Camelia. She's reluctant to believe the rumors, even when her friends try to convince her otherwise. She's inexplicably drawn to Ben and to his touch. But soon, Camelia is receiving eerie phone calls and strange packages with threatening notes. Ben insists she is in danger, and that he can help-but can he be trusted? She knows he's hiding something... but he's not the only one with a secret.

Rating: ***** (5 Stars)
Review: I'm going to start out by saying if you liked Twilight then you would like this series. It has a very similar plot & turn of events but at the same time the style in the writing is completely different. This book has everything: great writing, stunning character development, unprecedented suspense, and gripping emotion.What I enjoyed most about this book is the originality of the story and the concept. I love the idea of psychometry; it was something I hadn't read about before. Every time I thought I was close to solving this mystery Stolaz threw a curveball that I didn't see coming. I actually read the first book in this series years ago and have waited for the final book to be released. So when I got the 5th for Christmas I dove right in.

I do have to say that the 5th & final book in the series was just so-so. I didn't really feel the closure I thought I would. It started off with a huge reveal but then just fizzled out afterwards. There was a lot of detail lacking, something I'm not used to feeling from reading Stolaz's books. I'm sad to see it end but it was time. (Side note: can we just discuss how much I love the covers of these books?!)

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Summary: In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.


Rating: ***** (5 Stars)
Review: Ok, so if you're like me and late getting on the bandwagon you probably thought this was just another Hunger Games. My husband told me about this book a year ago & to be honest I had no interest. I had read the first book in the Hunger Games series and while I didn't hate it, I didn't love it either. But enough about that book - I knew Divergent was another dystopian series & I didn't think I'd be into it. Boy was I wrong! I seriously read this book in less than a week. I couldn't put it down and when I was forced to (by having to eat, work, or shower) all I did was look forward to the next time I could pick it up again. Having lived in a suburb of Chicago myself for years it was really cool to know the locations described in the book and be able to picture exactly what was going on. I loved the deeper meaning throughout this story: how these human virtues are singled out and defined. It shows the good and bad of each, as well as the consequential aftermath. We are shown the impact and power of these values combined. I haven't picked up the second book in the series but have it on my to do list!

Nerdy Teenager At Heart

The title of this entry pretty much sums it up. I admit it, I mainly read books from the Young Adult section. I love fiction, I like that a book can make you use your imagination to create a whole other world filled with different places & people. A book that pushes beyond reality & makes you believe in something so different from anything you've ever known. Don't get me wrong I like non-fiction as well. Reading about history or someones life from their point of view is fantastic. Anything to expand the mind & enrich knowledge is amazing. I'm a huge sap for a good love story. Weather it's a movie or a book I've always loved a romantic story. On the total opposite scale of romance I also love a good mystery/thriller. Mix that all together for a suspenseful romance & that's my perfect book. I've found myself getting sucked into the world of the supernatural/paranormal. For some reason the classic girl falls for the mysterious boy who might kill her never gets old to me. One of my favorite series right now are the Touch Series by Laurie Stolarz. The first book in the series is Deadly Little Secret. It's got such an unexpected twist along with all the mystery that just keeps throwing you through loops. I've read 3 out of the 4 books & can't wait to read the next that I'm hoping I get for Christmas! What was the last book you read that you couldn't put down?

Speaking of Christmas I can't believe it's 11 days away! How insane is that? Is everyone ready? I usually am done with everything by now but with my husband working out of town & me doing all the shopping & wrapping & decorating I'm a bit behind on the wrapping part of it all along with a couple of last minute things I'll need to pick up. My sister & I are taking our kids to see Santa this weekend. Holden did really well last year so I'm not expecting the dreaded Christmas picture. My niece & nephew on the other hand I'm not too sure about... I'll have to post pics of that event for sure!

My First Blog!

Hello Dolls! I have been sitting here for the past twenty minutes staring at the blinking cursor asking myself what to write about? Normally it isn't hard for me to write in my journal at all but I am new to blogging & have no idea where to start. I guess there's no time like the present so I'll start there. I have been with my husband Eddy for 9 years now, married 5 1/2. We have a gorgeous little boy Holden Edward who is 5 & I'm sure you'll be hearing tons about. And of course what little family wouldn't be complete without a dog? We have a little six pound shihtzu/pomeranian mix named Tootsie.Well now that you know a little bit about my family life I'll start writing about where I am at today. Currently I am sitting on my couch with Holden watching Cars 2 for the third time today. He's lucky I actually enjoy this movie otherwise I would probably be pulling out my hair like I do when we have to watch something I don't care for. I have been a stay at home mom for the past 4 months due to health reasons & to my surprise I love it. I'll admit I've been going a little crazy as of late so I'm thinking about getting a part time job or going back to school. Don't get me wrong I adore staying home with Holden but I feel like I need to do something & be apart of society now that I've been able to get my health under control. I've been thinking since I love to read that I'd apply for a position at the library. That's a nice calm environment.
Ok enough about my current situation, I've been trying to think of what I mainly want this blog to be for & I can't settle on any one thing. I have a huge passion for the arts & media. I love to write reviews on books, movies, fashion, makeup, & the media. I will also be writing on family life & being a young mom. I'd love for this blog to be like a night out at dinner with good people! All giving their input & advice! I'm going to post a book review tomorrow or well later today so look for that! If I haven't bored you yet & you're still reading, thanks for stopping by! If you decide to follow I'd like to know about you so leave me a comment telling me a bit about yourself!

Katie