Book Blogger Hop (35) & Follow Friday (27)

It's Friday so it means it's time for the Book Blogger Hop and Follow Friday!

First off, the Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted by Jennifer of Crazy-for-Books. It is a way for all the book bloggers out there to get together and find out about each other's blogs. I've found a lot of great blogs and bloggers through this hop and it's always fun to take part in each week.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:

SINCE TODAY IS APRIL'S FOOL'S DAY IN THE USA, WHAT IS THE BEST PRANK THAT YOU HAVE EVER PLAYED ON SOMEONE OR THAT SOMEONE HAS PLAYED ON YOU?

I don't actually get into April Fool's all that much and I'm not that much of a prankster myself. I honestly don't remember ever playing a prank on someone or having one played on me. There was a time I was pretty gullible but for some reasons my friends were nice and didn't take advantage of that (for which I thank them today). So I guess this is a pretty boring answer.

The Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee's View each week. It works a lot like the Book Blogger Hop except that it's only on Fridays. I haven't been taking part in this hop as long but I've found a lot of great new blogs through this one too.

That's it for this week!

Enjoy your weekends!

White Cat by Holly Black

Title: White Cat (Curse Workers #1) 

Author: Holly Black

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Release Date: May 4, 2010

Source: Purchased

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo

Cassel comes from a family of curse workers--people who have the power to change your emotions, your memories, your luck, by the slightest touch of their hands. Since curse work is illegal, they’re all criminals. But not Cassel. He hasn’t got the magic touch, so he’s an outside--the straight kid in a crooked family--as long as you ignore one small detail: He killed his best friend, Lila. Now he is sleepwalking, propelled into the night by terrifying dreams about a white cat. He also notices that his brothers are keeping secrets from him. As Cassel begins to suspect he’s part of a huge con game, he must unravel his past and his memories. To find out the truth, Cassel will have to outcon the conmen.

Until I read White Cat, I hadn’t read anything by Holly Black (I know, don’t judge). Now I’ve come to realize that I’ve been missing out. White Cat was absolutely amazing and I’m so happy that I decided to pick it up. I wasn’t sure what to expect but I definitely enjoyed this book, more than I thought I would.

Cassel Sharpe is a non-worker in a family full of curse workers. His whole life he’s been trying to fit in, something made even more difficult for someone who believes they murdered their best friend. When he starts sleepwalking and dreaming about a mysterious white cat, Cassel starts being suspicious, wondering if what he knows of his path is actually the truth. When everyone around him seems to be keeping secrets, Cassel will have to find a way to get to the bottom of things. But for someone coming from a family of expert conmen, it may prove to be easier said than done.

Holly Black is a phenomenal writer and I absolutely loved the voice she gave her characters, especially Cassel. There aren’t that many YA books, that I know of, that are told from a boy’s point of view and I love it when I get the chance to read one. Cassel was just a great character not matter how you look at him. Sure sometimes his behavior and judgement class were somewhat questionable, but that what made him more interesting. There was a lot more to him than met the eye to say the least. I won’t even try to go into the Sharpe-Singer family dynamics. I’m sure they all mean well but they often have a weird way of showing it. Cassel’s friends, Sam and Daneca, amused me. They were ready to follow Cassel no matter how crazy the plan. There was a wide variety of characters and that’s what really made the story that much more interesting.

The idea of curse workers is one that is different from most of what is out there. In most books with some sort of magical or supernatural characters, they live in or outside of society without the general public knowing about them. In this case, curse workers are part of society, granted they aren’t the most upstanding members of it, and the general public knows about them. The curse workers are only one aspect of the criminal activity going on here. This is all set against a back drop of mob activity. Let’s just say that with this book, nothing is ever really as it seems. All together, this book was different from most of what I’ve read and I absolutely loved it.

White Cat was a fantastic read, one you definitely should pick up if you haven’t already done so. Holly Black is an absolutely fantastic writer and creates a story that will have you always wanting to know what happens next. You should go read this book, trust me you won’t regret it.

The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Iron Queen (The Iron Fey #3)

Author: Julie Kagawa

Publisher: HarlequinTEEN

Release Date: January 25, 2011

Source: Purchased

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo

My name is Meghan Chase.

I thought it was over. That my time with the fey, the impossible choices I had to make, the sacrifices of those I loved, was behind me. But a storm is approaching, an army of Iron fey that will drag me back, kicking and screaming. Drag me away from the banished prince who’s sworn to stand by my side. Drag me into the core of the conflict so powerful, I’m not sure anyone can survive it.

This time, there will be no turning back.

****SPOILER ALERT!!! DO NOT READ THIS REVIEW IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THIS BOOK OR THE PREVIOUS BOOKS IN THE SERIES!!!****

The Iron Fey series is simply amazing and The Iron Queen wasn’t anything less. If I though the first two books were fantastic, I don’t even know how to describe this one. I am completely in love with the world and the characters that Julie Kagawa created and I just can’t seem to get enough.

Meghan is back in Louisiana, after having been banished from the Nevernever by Oberon. This time, though, Ash is with her having also been banished from the Faerie Realm by Mab. Thinking she will finally have some time to relax. Meghan decides to go home. But the Iron King is still after her, and threatening to take over the entire Nevernever. Now, Meghan has to find a way to stop the false Iron King before he destroys Ash’s world, and maybe even Ash in the process. But will Meghan have the strength to do what needs to be done. But more importantly, will she be able to do it all before the Nevernever is destroyed forever.

I was so happy to be able to get back into the world that Julie Kagawa created. There are just so many layers to it, every time I think I have it all figured out, there is something new that appears. There’s always something new to learn about it, and personally I eat it all up. I also absolutely love all the action. There just isn’t ever one dull moment, or if there mysteriously is on it definitely doesn’t last very long. But all of this would be nothing without Julie Kagawa’s amazing storytelling. The way the story is written just draws you in right from the get go and only releases you after the very last word. And the story is full of twists and turns that just make you want to know exactly what’s going to happen next.

Meghan is a majorly awesome heroine. She never backs down and just takes whatever comes her way. Some of the decisions she has to make I’m not sure that I would be able to make them myself. But Meghan just does whatever she has to, no matter how much pain it will cause her. As for the two boys, I may not be so sure who I want Meghan to be with anymore. Don’t get me wrong, Ash is still pretty much amazing but sometimes his behavior just bugs me. As for Puck, I just love him and find myself leaning more and more towards him. I guess I’ll just have to wait and see what happens next.

The Iron Queen was even better than The Iron King and The Iron Daughter if that is even at all possible. It’s an unpredictable, fast paced, action packed story that will just leave you begging for more. Now I can’t wait to read Ash’s story in The Iron Knight.

Book Blogger Hop (34) & Follow Friday (26)

It's Friday so it means it's time for the Book Blogger Hop and Follow Friday!

First off, the Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted by Jennifer of Crazy-for-Books. It is a way for all the book bloggers out there to get together and find out about each other's blogs. I've found a lot of great blogs and bloggers through this hop and it's always fun to take part in each week.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:

IF YOU COULD PHYSICALLY PUT YOURSELF INTO A BOOK OR SERIES...WHICH ONE WOULD IT BE AND WHY?

If I was able to be part of a book or series I think I would go with the Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead. What attracts me to that series isn't even the vampire aspect of it but all of the characters in the books. I would love a chance to be friends with Rose and Lissa and just to be involve in all of their crazy schemes and plans.

The Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee's View each week. It works a lot like the Book Blogger Hop except that it's only on Fridays. I haven't been taking part in this hop as long but I've found a lot of great new blogs through this one too.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:

INSPIRED BY THE INANE TWITTER TREND OF #100FACTSABOUTME, GIVE US FIVE BOOK RELATED SILLY FACTS ABOUT YOU.

1. Technically speaking I can read books in three languages. I'm originally French and still read a number of books in that language, I did Spanish all through high school though a book in Spanish would take me a lot longer to read (though I have done it) and obviously I read in English.

2. Except on a few very rare occasions, I cannot walk into a bookstore and walk back out empty handed.

3. Obviously I've always loved to read, but I was one of those people who practically knew how to read before starting kindergarten.

4. Currently, I am running out of space to put my books since my room isn't exactly very big so they are piled all over the place.

5. I am known for going on book related rants (or gushing sessions) to my friends even when they have no clue what I'm talking about.

That's it for this week!

Enjoy your weekends!

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Title: Wither (The Chemical Garden #1)

Author: Lauren DeStefano

Publisher: Simon & Schuster BFYR

Release Date: March 22, 2011

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo

In the not-too-distant future, because of genetic engineering, every human is a ticking time bomb—males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. To keep the population from dying out, girls are kidnapped and sold into polygamous marriages.

When sixteen-year-old Rhine is taken, she enters a world of wealth and privilege that both entices and terrifies her. She has everything she ever wanted—except freedom. With the help of Gabriel, a servant Rhine is growing dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to escape before it is too late.

Wither is one of those books that has been getting a lot of hype for quite some time now. I tend to be a little wary of hype, I’m always afraid the book won’t be able to live up to it. Wither most definitely did not disappoint and lived up to all the hype. I can honestly say that it was one of the best books that I’ve read so far this year.

Rhine knows that it happens all the time, she just didn’t think that it would happen to her. But then she finds herself in the back of a car on her way to be married to a man she’s never met, a man who will also be marrying the two other girls in the car with her. Now a prisoner in her husband’s home, Rhine wants nothing more than to escape and go back to her twin brother in Manhattan. But that may not be as easy as she thought. Now that she knows her sister-wives Cecily and Jenna and has gotten close to Gabriel, a servant, Rhine isn’t sure about anything anymore. Even Linden, her husband, is not as bad as she would have thought. Will Rhine be able to escape before she becomes too attached, before it’s too late?

There’s just something about dystopian novels that draws you in, and that was the case with Wither. The world created by Lauren DeStefano was amazing and captivated me from start to finish. I believed every single aspect of it, to the point that I sometimes thought that I was right there with Rhine. From the scary darkness of the basement to all the different gardens and groves, I could see it all and it felt like I was right there. The concept of the story was also very interesting. I’ve read books where marriages are arranged but never any where girls were sold off to be brides. Just that was enough to keep me interested.

I absolutely loved getting to know Rhine and seeing things from her perspective. She had a great voice and I really enjoyed seeing her work her way through everything. What I loved most was seeing her relationship with Gabriel develop and Rhine trying to figure it all out. As for the other two girls, Cecily always had me either smiling or exasperated. Because of her young age, that behavior was normal but sometimes I just forgot that she was that young. It took me longer to warm up to Jenna but once I did, I started to really like her. The one character I really didn’t like was Housemaster Vaughn, he completely creeped me out.

Wither was a stunning story and by far one of the best I have read so far this year. If I didn’t know better, I wouldn’t be able to tell that this is Lauren DeStefano’s first book. I can’t wait to read what comes next from her.