Review: Starters

Starters (Starters, #1) by Lissa Price
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Format: eGalley
Source: For review by publisher
Release Date: March 13th, 2012
Amazon |  Goodreads
★★★★☆

Callie lost her parents when the Spore Wars wiped out everyone between the ages of twenty and sixty. She and her little brother, Tyler, go on the run, living as squatters with their friend Michael and fighting off renegades who would kill them for a cookie. Callie's only hope is Prime Destinations, a disturbing place in Beverly Hills run by a mysterious figure known as the Old Man.

He hires teens to rent their bodies to Enders—seniors who want to be young again. Callie, desperate for the money that will keep her, Tyler, and Michael alive, agrees to be a donor. But the neurochip they place in Callie's head malfunctions and she wakes up in the life of her renter, living in her mansion, driving her cars, and going out with a senator's grandson. It feels almost like a fairy tale, until Callie discovers that her renter intends to do more than party—and that Prime Destinations' plans are more evil than Callie could ever have imagined.

Starters was fantastic! It was a refreshingly original dystopian read . Filled with twists, it kept me on my toes from page one.

Imagine having someone "rent" your body: You wake up having no clue where you have been or what you have done. Lissa made this chilling concept easy to imagine. You are dropped into a world where trust is thrown out the window. No one is what they seem. Creepy right? Well, It gets creepier.

The situation Callie, Michael, and Tyler are placed in after their parents' deaths is bad enough. But when you toss The Old Man and Prime Destinations into the picture it becomes one heck of a scary beast. After agreeing to be a renter, Callie's neurochip malfunctions and she is thrown into a conspiracy she never could have imagined. Yet, even when lives were hanging in the balance, Callie remained a relatable and true character.

Callie's voice pulled me into the story easily and brought a certain realness to it. From the beginning it was clear that she was not afraid to make the necessary sacrifices for Tyler and Michael. Not only was she a selfless character, but she was quick to think and act even in the most desperate of times. Poor Callie never had a break in this book.

Lissa did an amazing job with the pacing! Just when I was starting to feel comfortable with the world, she would throw another twist at me. I was constantly on my toes! I did, however, find Starters lacking  in the detail department. It would have been nice to see the world fleshed out a bit more. Perhaps that's something I can look forward to in book two!

Starters is a smart, thrilling, and action-packed dystopian read. The ending will leave you desperate for the next book!

If you liked Unwind by Neal Shusterman then you will like Starters by Lissa Price.

Review: The Fault in Our Stars

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Narrator: Kate Rudd 
Format: Audiobook
Length: 7 hrs and 14 mins
Source: Purchased from Audible
Amazon | Audible | Goodreads
★★★★★

Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 12, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now.

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

The Fault in Our Stars is absolutely brilliant. It is perfect… Though it may be early to make this claim, it could possibly be my favorite book of the year! It’s always difficult for me to write reviews on books that I love this much. I feel that I can never quite do them justice. I will let a quote from The Fault in Our Stars describe it for me:

“Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book.” – The Fault in Our Stars, by John Green

That’s exactly how I feel...  All of us have had our lives touched in some shape or form by cancer. Whether it be watching an actor fight it or a family member, it’s not a foreign thing to us. This book is not just about Hazel and Augustus, it’s about humanity. Anyone who reads this will be able to find some truth in Green’s words. Yes, I have never read any of his previous books… *GASP* I know, crazy right? But this experience has made me contemplate why have let such a gem of a writer go unread for so long… Green’s writing is beautiful, poetic, and completely genius!

Green wrote about a dark subject and yet maintained some glimmer of hope throughout. While this story did make me cry, it did not devastate me. In fact, it was extremely inspirational. The characters were easy to love, understand, and relate to. I couldn’t get enough of the playful banter between Hazel and Augustus! Even living on borrowed time, their relationship progressed naturally and developed into a beautiful, deep love.

I cannot forget to mention the phenomenal narrator of this audiobook, Kate Rudd. It would have been easy for the narrator to take the emotion too far and overdue it. But not Kate! She portrayed the perfect amount of emotion in every single situation. The narration was so real and believable, that it only added to the beauty of Green’s words! She is genuinely talented.

The Fault in Our Stars left me with what can only be described as "that wow feeling." As readers, you all know what I’m talking about: When you sit silently for awhile after finishing a book because you are so in awe of what you had just experienced. You don’t just read or listen to this book, you experience it in the deepest sense… It will make you want to live your life differently! It will change you. And it has certainly set the bar high for the rest of the upcoming YA books this year. The Fault in Our Stars receives my highest recommendation for any reader, regardless of genre!

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Review: Thin Air

Thin Air (Thin Air, #1) by Lynn Seresin
Publisher: Self Published 
Format: Kindle Ebook 
Pages: 452
Source: Author 
Amazon | Goodreads
★★★☆☆ (3.5 stars) 

Alice Ayre is no ordinary teenager. She took her first name from a statue in Central Park, pulled her last name out of the air (literally), and she’s actually almost a thousand years old. In fact, the only “ordinary” thing about Alice is that she’s in love.

Alice was a sylphid—a winged air spirit—when she spotted Daniel Field camping in the Adirondacks and lost her heart to the handsome NYU student. Intangible to the human senses, her only hope of winning his heart resides in becoming mortal, even though transmutation is forbidden by Paralda, ruler of the air. Risking punishment, however, seems a small price to pay for a chance at true happiness.

This is one of those indie books that makes me wonder why it hasn’t already been picked up by a publisher. I feel that with further editing and a few other changes, This Air could be a young adult hit!

The elemental world was fleshed out  so well in Thin Air! I was hooked on the beautiful descriptions from the start. Seresin has a poetic writing style that I absolutely fell in love with. This style really showed through when she was writing about emotion and love. For example, I think she did a wonderful job expressing Aeris’ desperate longing for Daniel. Seresin managed to make Aeris’ love for Daniel believable, even if initially seemed out of place.

As far as the plot goes, I found it to be quite predictable. Being predictable however, did not take away from my enjoyment of the story and of the writing. I found that the story’s strongest points were the beginning and the end. In the beginning, I just loved reading about the naiveté and innocence that Aeris possessed once she became human. Seresin did a great job making Aeris’ transformation to a human realistic.  It was reminiscent of the 1984 mermaid film, Splash, starring Tom Hanks. Unfortunately, Thin Air did hit some dry spells in the middle for me. During that time, some circumstances and events seemed forced to push the story along. Overall I found the story to be enjoyable, but predictable.

I found the romance between Alice (Aeris’ human name) and Daniel to be cute and sultry (if that makes sense). They had some great chemistry from the start. Despite my love for Daniel, I secretly hoped for a love triangle between Alice, Daniel, and Terra. I would like to see Terra make an appearance in the second book! *crosses fingers*

It’s not often that you see books about elementals. This would be my first, but I don’t think it will be my last. I’m definitely looking forward to reading the second installment in the Thin Air Saga! Thin Air had a strong ending and left me wanting to find out what happens next!

---

This review is featured as part of the Thin Air Book Tour

 

Goodreads | Lulu | Barnes and Noble | Amazon | Facebook

As a grand prize, Lynn's giving away a signed paperback copy of Thin Air, and a gorgeous pair of earrings to one lucky, randomly chosen entrant! Here's how you can enter for this amazing prize: Visit the blogs listed on the main tour site and collect all of the letters. The letters are only featured on some of the blogs, not all of them. Once you have collected the letters, they should form two words that you can enter in THIS FORM to win!

Next Tour Stop (10/5): Everything To Do With Books (Giveaway)

Review: Eden

Eden by Keary Taylor
Publisher: Self-Published
Format: Kindle eBook
Pages: 408
Source: Author
Buy It!? Paperback | Kindle
★★★★☆

Eve knew the stories of the Fall, of a time before she wandered into the colony of Eden, unable to recall anything but her name. She's seen the aftermath of the technology that infused human DNA with cybernetic matter, able to grow new organs and limbs, how it evolved out of control. The machine took over and the soul vanished. A world quickly losing its humanity isn't just a story to her though. At eighteen, this world is Eve's reality.

In their Fallen world, love feels like a selfish luxury, but not understanding what it is makes it difficult to choose between West, who makes her feel alive but keeps too many secrets, and Avian, who has always been there for her, but is seven years her senior.

The technology wants to spread and it won't stop until there is no new flesh to assimilate. With only two percent of the human population left, mankind is on the brink of extinction. While fighting to keep Eden alive, Eve will discover that being human is about what you will do for those you love, not what your insides may be made of. And even if it gets you killed, love is always what separates them from the Fallen.

First thing’s first: Take a look at this amazing cover! I’m happy to say that Eden is one of a few books I know of with a great story and a beautiful, informative cover.Taylor created a post-apocalyptic world where people are few and far between. What was meant to help people turned into an infection: A mechanical one that spread via touch. Think: zombie/terminator combo. Eden has a great mixture of love, technology, and post-apocalyptic elements.

The storyline of Eden is extremely intriguing, making it hard to put down. It completely gripped me from the start. I loved uncovering bits and pieces of Eve’s past. The mystery of it all had me hooked the entire time. Unfortunately, I cannot go too in depth describing the storyline without giving away spoilers. If you all have followed my reviews before, then you know I am a sucker for action! There was more than enough action in Eden to keep me satisfied. I did, however, find that the action scenes became predictable and repetitive as the story progressed. That's probably me being picky though!

There is a terrible love triangle here. I say “terrible” because it really pulled me along. It was torturous. I, like Eve, was constantly swaying back and forth trying to decide which one I liked better. Taylor made this very difficult as she created two really great male leads. While both relationships were real and developed (no “insta-love” here), I didn’t like the never-ending debate in her head. When I say "never-ending" I mean it; She must have had a debate with herself on every other page. To be honest, it took away from the story at parts. But, I can say that at the conclusion I was satisfied with her choice.

The ending was great: a real nail-biter. Taylor concluded things very well. I do think that it was left open for a possible sequel! Read Eden. Especially if you have a Kindle! It’s only 99 cents.

Review: The Iron Knight

The Iron Knight (Iron Fey, #4) by Julie Kagawa
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release Date: October 25, 2011
Format: Kindle eBook
Pages: 386
Source: NetGalley
Pre-order It!? Paperback
★★★★★

Ash, former prince of the Winter Court, gave up everything. His title, his home, even his vow of loyalty. All for a girl… and all for nothing.
Unless he can earn a soul.

To cold, emotionless faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing any gentler feelings the Winter prince might have had. Or so he thought.

Then Meghan Chase—a half human, half fey slip of a girl— smashed through his barricades, binding him to her irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer fey can survive.

With the (unwelcome) company of his archrival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its end— a quest to find a way to honor his solemn vow to stand by Meghan’s side.

To survive in the Iron realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. At least, no one has ever passed to tell the tale.

And then Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that turns reality upside down, challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Wow… just… wow. A perfect end to an amazing journey and an EPIC love story; one against all odds. Julie Kagawa you have outdone yourself once again. Each book in this series is better than the one proceeding it (Note: I was pretty blown away with the first). The Iron Fey series forever holds a place on my favorites shelf, this one being the best of them all.

The Iron Knight begins with Ash continuing his journey to find a way to keep his vow to Meghan. His drive and commitment to this task was inspiring. In this book you get a deep look into Ash’s past. In the other books, Ash was so cold and closed off that it was hard to learn anything about him! I loved reading from Ash’s point-of-view, and I’m so happy to had the opportunity to learn more about one of my favorite characters. Speaking of characters, I love them all. Julie has written some of the most memorable characters I have ever read.

My return to the Nevernever was as pleasing as the last. Kagawa’s settings are so descriptive and imaginative, without being overbearing. I particularly loved the Gauntlet and Testing Grounds. I’ve never read anything like them. They weren’t just action packed, they were incredibly critical to the plot! I love how Kagawa used them as a channel to learn more about Ash’s past.

Kagawa really surprised me with the twist about 1/4 of the way in. It challenged Ash… and turned his world upside down. Honestly, I wasn’t sure how/if he would overcome it. Though it was painful, I loved getting a deeper look into the mind and emotions of the Winter Prince.

The Iron Knight was such a quick read for me… Before I knew it, it was all over. It' so sad to see this series end. Boy, did it have a spectacular ending. And yes, if you must ask, there were tears. This is definitely one of my favorites. If you have not read the rest of the series, get on them now so you can get to this one right away! You won’t be disappointed one bit.

“Coming in 2012, there will be a SECOND IRON FEY TRILOGY. This is for all the Iron Fey fans out there, whom I'm forever grateful for. This series, set several years after the events of the first, will star an older Ethan Chase, Meghan's brother. Yep, Ethan is getting his own adventure, so be sure to be on the lookout for that.” – Julie Kagawa

The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa will be released October 25th 2011.

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Just A Thought: Digital Copies

Source: Fast Company

So I was thinking today...

Why don't publisher's give away digital copies of books with the hardcover versions?

What brought this thought upon me: I was thinking about purchasing Where She Went from Amazon.com and then realized that the hardcover edition was cheaper than the e-book! This just doesn't make sense to me... E-books are definitely cheaper to produce, so why are we being charged more in some cases?

Why I Think This Would Benefit Everyone

• I love my kindle... But I do miss being able to show off my book collection.
• Some DVDs already come like this. Ex: You buy a blu-ray that comes with a digital copy as well.
• You have a backup in the case your hard copy gets destroyed.
• I LOVE BOOK COVERS!
• Keeps the tradition of paper books alive while at the same time making digital content more known and accessible to the general public. Maybe even assisting e-reader sales?
• "About 10.8 million e-readers have been sold in the United States so far..." - American Observer. This is just the US alone!

Inside the book there could be a one-time redeemable code for a digital copy. I am by no means a business woman, and they probably have their reasons for not doing this, but as a customer, this is something I would love to see.

What do you guys think? Would you use and support digital copies being given away with hardcover edition books?

-Sarah

Kindle Tips: Calibre E-book Management

My problem: Ebook conversion. I love my kindle but, as many of you know, it can be very limiting on file types and such.

I recently found a solution to this problem: Calibre. This application provides ebook conversion with a whole slew of other uses.

Calibre is a free and open source e-book library management application developed by users of e-books for users of e-books. It has a cornucopia of features divided into the following main categories:

• Library Management
• E-book conversion
• Syncing to e-book reader devices
• Downloading news from the web and converting it into e-book form
• Comprehensive e-book viewer
• Content server for online access to your book collection

How Do I Use Calibre?

• E-book Conversion
• E-book Backup
• To get those .pdf galleys on my kindle quick and simple (if they are not available for download to my kindle)
• To remove DRM on my PURCHASED books. For how to do this check out this article: Ebook Formats, DRM and You — A Guide for the Perplexed Please note that I in no way condone piracy of books, nor do I use this application for such.
• To sync my Kindle with books downloaded directly to my computer.
• To manage any other documents I may have on my Kindle.
• To simplify the @free.kindle.com document process.

Final Thoughts

This application is a godsend. I cannot say enough good things about it... It has a really great, easy-to-use interface! Another great feature is that it is customizable with plugins. Not to mention: IT'S FREE! Head over to Calibre to download this application and see how great it is yourself.