YA Story Scavenger Hunt! 20/12

December 21, 2011


I'm today's hunt stop for the 2011 YA Story Scavenger Hunt!

Follow the hunt every day during the month of December! Answer the daily trivia questions from MG and YA books published during 2011 to be entered into the YA book giveaway.

Today's question is from Destined by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast.
Question #40: Fill in the blank: “‘I’d rather not hide.’ ‘I’d rather not have you dead.’ ‘I’d rather ____.’”


Remember to fill out your answer in the form at Most Important Letter here!

Top Ten Tuesday (4)

December 6, 2011



I am participating in Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish! Each week, there is a specific topic for a top ten list.

This weeks topic is:
Top ten childhood faves


Took me a while to think of these. I noticed a bit of a pattern here... there are a fair few action books. Interesting.
These aren't really in any order, either. Apart from the first two. The rest are pretty much the order I thought of them.


1. Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling

No explanation needed..


2. The Song of the Lioness Quartet by Tamora Pierce

I started reading this one say with two friends, during our library lesson. I ended up reading the whole series. Loved it. I want to re-read these!


3. A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket

I loved these. I read up to the eleventh book, which was the only one I bought.


4. Deltora's Quest series by Emily Rodda

Incredible! And we had the illustrator of the book covers come and speak to our school. He did a demonstration of his airbrush works and they are amazing!


5. Rowan of Rin series by Emily Rodda

I don't remember too much about this series, but I do remember wanting to write after reading the first book. This would be my earliest inspiration to start writing fiction.


6. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

Such a sad story. I really enjoyed the movie, as well.


7. Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

I was in LOVE with this book. I have read the second and own the third, but I am not very motivated to continue. The first one, though was incredible.


I think I will have to leave it at 7. I can't think of any more..

Tell me about your childhood faves!


How about you? What books make you really emotional?

November Wrap Up | 2011

December 5, 2011

A little quiet this month, unfortunately.. But holidays are coming soon, so things should pick up a little this month.



Books purchased:

- Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
- The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbowsky
- But I Love Him by Amanda Grace
- Blood Red Road by Moira Young
- This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen




Books read:

- Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
- Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
- Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

YA Story Scavenger Hunt! 4/12


I'm today's hunt stop for the 2011 YA Story Scavenger Hunt!

Follow the hunt every day during the month of December! Answer the daily trivia questions from MG and YA books published during 2011 to be entered into the YA book giveaway.

Today's question is from The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson.
Question #9: List two countries where Ginny went to.


Remember to fill out your answer in the form at Most Important Letter here!

Top Ten Tuesday (3)

November 30, 2011



I am participating in Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish! Each week, there is a specific topic for a top ten list.

This weeks topic is:
Top Ten Books On My TBR List For Winter


I have SO many books. This was hard to narrow down..


1. Blood Red Road by Moira Young

I am so excited to read this! It sounds absolutely amazing.


2. The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Another one that I am really really looking forward to getting into.


3. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbowsky

I am intrigued by this book. And I want to read it before the movie comes out next year!


4. This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen

This book has been on my to-buy pile for AGES! I only bought it recently, though.


5. The Scorch Trials by James Dashner

The sequel to The Maze Runner, which I loved. I want to read this one ASAP and get into the third instalment!


6. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

I feel so behind and left out! I haven't read any of the Mortal Instruments series :O Plus, the movie is also coming out next year!


7. Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

I started reading the first page because I was bored one day.. so I feel very inclined to continue. Plus, I am really drawn by the synopsis.


8. Catch 22 by Joseph Heller

I will be studying this for school next year, so this will be an important book that I need to read.


9. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

I also started reading the first page of this before closing the book and reading Beauty Queens. The pictures are so eerie and I am curious to read the book.


10. Delirium by Lauren Oliver

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

November 28, 2011

Video review of The Maze Runner. Further book details and a quick review overview is located below the video, if you just want an idea of what I thought about the book.





The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Released: October 6, 2009
Series: Maze Runner Trilogy [Book One]
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Pages: 379
Source: Purchased
Buy it: Book Depository (free shipping) | Amazon


When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.

Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they’ve closed tight. And every 30 days a new boy has been delivered in the lift.

Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers.

Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind.


Review Overview:
So much mystery, and extremely creepy. Loved the male protagonist. Incredible and developed characters. The mental imagery it creates is so vivid. Absolutely loved it.

My Big Sib!

November 10, 2011

I recently signed up for this program called Big Sib/Little Sib. It was created by various book bloggers, where novice book bloggers are paired with veteran book bloggers. To find out more or register as a veteran or novice, check out any of the four blogs below (all founders of the program):

Hafsah @ Icey Books
Ivy @ Ivy Reads
Katie @ Katies Book Blog
Kelsey @ The Book Scout


And now, it is time to introduce my Big Sib! Roshini from Bookish Delights:

October Wrap Up | 2011

November 8, 2011

So, um... I kinda forgot to post about the books I purchased in October. Oops.

Here it is now though, along with a wrap up of what I actually read during the month as well - they mainly focus on Halloween-ish related themes.



Books purchased:


- The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
- Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
- Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
- Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
- City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
- City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare
- City of Glass by Cassandra Clare
- The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
- Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
- Delirium by Lauren Oliver
- The Scorch Trials by James Dashner
- Tigers Curse by Colleen Houck
- Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
- Frankenstein by Mary Shelley




Books read:

- Marked by P.C. and Kristen Cast
- Far From the War by Jeffrey David Payne
- Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead
- The Maze Runner by James Dashner
- Magyk by Angie Sage
- Crandall's Castle by Beth Ren Wright
- The Lady Grace Mysteries by Patricia Finney
- The Spook's Apprentice by Joseph Delaney
- The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
- Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
- Mystery Stories chosen by Helen Cresswell
- Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
- Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
- Suspence by Jason Letts

NaNoWriMo: Day #5

November 6, 2011



Word count: 6,330/50,000
Days left: 25
Hours slept: 20.5
Chocolate bars consumed: 6 (I have been a good girl. Although, there is a huge block of chocolate sitting on my desk, calling my name.)

I have fallen a little behind these last two days, but I have actually been pretty busy with my social life. Why must it come alive in this month?

Anyway, I have been writing away today and I am making up for the lost words. Hopefully I can get on track soon!

On my NaNoWriMo profile, I have included an excerpt from my story which I will share with you here.

I am not going to explain the story or give a synopsis, because it is incredibly hard to explain in such a way that will make you understand. But basically, this girl has been unconscious for 15 years. No, she was not in a coma.

This is from a scene after she has been awakened, and she is locked up in a jail.

“I’d eat this before it gets cold if I were you,” the man concealed by the door called out, his voice travelling through the still open gap at the bottom of the door.
“Eat?” I asked, staring at the tray. I stood up from the bed, the springs creaking as they retracted, and approached the tray. I lifted the lid to find the tray segregated into four.
There was something brown, mushy and lumpy in texture, a few orange cylinders and miniature trees, a cream mound of something squishy, and a clear tub of what looked like water.
Trails of steam rose from the tray. As I breathed in the steam, it left an impression in my nose. I don’t know how to describe it, but it was pretty good.
The man sighed. “You haven’t eaten yet, have you?”
“I don’t think so.” I replied quietly, poking the creamy mound.
He cursed to himself. “You stick it in your mouth, chew then swallow.”
“Do I have to?”
“If you don’t want to get hungry and die, yes.”
“How do I chew and swallow?”
The tip of a finger poked through the hole and pointed at two long silver things resting on the side of the tray.
“Let’s take this one step at a time. Pick up the one with the four points at the end.” I did as he said. “Now use it to stab one of those orange things. Good. Now put it in your mouth. No, not the whole thing, just the orange thing, you can’t eat the fork.”


I am sorry for any spelling errors, grammar, blah blah blah. It is NaNo, people, come on. I am writing at the speed of light so I may slip up. I have tried to tidy this excerpt though, so hopefully it is void of errors.

If you hadn't gathered, she is learning how to eat. She is discovering the sense of smell and taste as well, seeing as in her 15 years of dreaming, she hasn't had the need to eat or drink in her mind. It was always done for her, and now she is learning how to survive.

Because of her lack of knowledge on how to survive, it is pretty difficult sometimes to express what she feels and what is happening. She is overloaded with these feelings and sensations and doesn't know what they are or what they mean. Staying consistent is probably one of the hardest tasks as of yet.

Another issue is running out of steam and momentum. I have about 5 scene jumps, because things have started slowing down or I am having trouble thinking up how to connect two scenes. Prompts have been really helpful in these situations. I have been exploring the forums at the NaNo site, and I actually used a prompt which was the start to the scene I wrote above. The scene is about 1,300 words in length so far, and I just wrote that all out in about half an hour to an hour. Oh, how I love thee, prompts!

If you have an excerpt or would like to share your experiences so far, let me know! And don't forget to add me as a writing buddy, my name is 'catrionaaa'. If you have some awesome prompts as well, I would love to hear some!

Top Ten Tuesday (2)

November 2, 2011



I am participating in Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish! Each week, there is a specific topic for a top ten list.

This weeks topic is:
Top ten books, I had VERY strong emotions about (cry, laugh, hurl across the room, etc.)


I think I am going to have to make this a top five, because I am struggling with books that I had strong emotions for. There are many that I love, but not so many that can bring out strong emotions in me. I used to never cry or laugh whilst reading a book, but recently, there have been a select few which have caused such reactions from me:

1. Naughts & Crosses by Malorie Blackman

This one came to my mind first. And for an appropriate reason - I cries my eyes out at the ending of this book. Utterly heartbreaking, and I was just so upset!
Initially, I was in a bit of a shock. I couldn't really believe what had happened. I was a bit numb. I ended up re-reading the last few pages over, and over, and over again. After the second re-read I was in tears. Then I just kept going over it, because I was still shocked and wishing that what had happened didn't.


2. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

I cried my little heart out for this one, as well. Another heart wrenching ending to an amazing book. Although this book, as well as Naughts & Crosses made me cry so much, and the endings were so depressing, I loved them. The book is incredible, and the ending brought out such a strong emotional reaction, enforcing my love for it all the more.


3. Divergent by Veronica Roth

My emotions within this book were slightly different. I did cry towards the end, but I wasn't as upset - I didn't have a strong connection to particular characters which caused the upset. I was more emotionally attached to Tris. In my review, I mention how I felt so in tune with Tris' emotions - I felt what she felt as I read the book, whether it be butterflies in my stomach, upset or distraught etc. I also had plenty of laughs whilst reading witty comments by some of the supporting characters.


4. The Hunger Games by Suzanna Collins

I get so completely drawn into the story and the world, that when I finished each book, I was stunned and I didn't know what to do. I had such strong emotional connections with everyone involved and I felt like I was there with Katniss in the arena, experiencing everything alongside her. This was a little different to Divergent where I felt as if I were the protagonist. I was inside Katniss's head, but at the same time I felt like I was accompanying her.


5. Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

As the end of an amazing series, I was a bit emotional when the end came around. I loved Rose's adventures and I will certainly miss her stories.
I also got fairly emotional, by this I mean extremely giddy, when the romantic scenes popped up. I found myself blushing, with butterflies in my stomach.


How about you? What books make you really emotional?

NaNoWriMo: Day #1



Word count: 1,950/50,000
Days left: 29
Hours slept: 7.5
Chocolate bars consumed: 6 (Come on, it was Halloween yesterday! We had a lot left over..)

NaNoWriMo has officially begun! So for my first update, I am just going to give you some kinda.. vague... details about what my story is about. Well is about a girl. And there's a guy involved... That's always fun. It is dystopian. There are some sci-fi elements, but it is very scarce.

As for hours slept, that began from 12:00 am on the 1st November. And hopefully I don't end up completely exhausting myself, but it will be very interesting!

I am off to a reasonable start. I have discovered that I need to do a bit of research as well so I have been doing a little snooping on the interwebs for relevant information.

If you are doing NaNo, tell me how you are progressing so far! I will be back later with more updates and hopefully a video.

NaNoWriMo 2011

November 1, 2011


Click the badge to check out the official NaNoWriMo website!


Yes, this year I will be participating in the madness that is NaNoWriMo, aka. National Novel Writing Month. For those of you who are unfamiliar with NaNoWriMo, it is where crazy people like me, who love to write, attempt to write a 50,000 word novel throughout the month of November.

I attempted NaNoWriMo last year and got off to a pretty good start, but seeing as I had 2 weeks of exams in the middle of November, I fell off the wagon and abandoned my story. So, I am trying again this year! And thankfully I have no exams during the month.. I just have a couple of important assignments due but hey, NO WORRIES!

As writing 50,000 words in 30 days will most definitely take up a lot of my time, alongside school and work, my posts will be reduced to NaNo updates and rambles (I will try to post some good tips and hints I come across for those of you who are also joining in), and I will have a few memes and reviews posted, hopefully. This is just a heads up.

I will be back tomorrow with a Day #1 update.

Also, if you are participating, please leave me a comment or send a tweet my way. I would love to chat with other NaNo'ers! Or if you want to become buddies, add me: /catrionaaa

I shall be back to normal next month. Maybe. If I am not completely insane by then..

New YA Releases: 1 November, 2011

October 31, 2011

Here are some upcoming releases this week.


Paperback:


+ Seizure by Kathy Reichs
+ Reckoning by Lili St. Crow


Hardcover:


+ Crossed by Ally Condie
+ Tigers Voyage by Colleen Houck
+ Last Breath by Rachel Caine
+ Dark Eden by Patrick Carman
+ The Outcasts by John Flanagan

Book Blogger Hop (6)

October 28, 2011

Book Blogger Hop
Hosted by Crazy for Books

“What is your favorite Halloween costume?
Even if you don’t celebrate, what kinds of costumes do you like?”

I don't really have a favourite costume, but I love the weird and funny ones!

I have only actually gone trick-or-treating once, and I went as a mermaid. I will not share any photos though. Firstly, because I don't have any on my computer. And secondly, the few there were are pretty embarrassing...

If I did go this year, I would like to wear this costume I bought for a dress-up themed formal I went to earlier on in the year, which was a mental patient. The shirt looks like a straight jacket! It is pretty awesome.



However, I let a friend borrow it so if anything pops up I will probably have to go with my baby costume, which looks similar to this:



I went to a dress-up party earlier in the year with this. We were separated into groups (our group was 'Big Baby') and we went on a scavenger hunt at our mall and around the suburbs. Was hilarious!

What about you? What costumes do you like?

Interview with Jason Letts

October 26, 2011

Jason Letts is the author of The Inevitable Trilogy, The Powerless series and the Spencer Nye Trilogy. He was kind enough to send me an eBook copy of the first book in his Spencer Nye Trilogy, Suspense which I have just reviewed. Jason Letts was also more than willing to answer a few questions about his writing, and Suspense!


What inspired you to become a writer?

I started writing when I was living in Japan, and it was a great way to relieve stress or tension that I was having being in a different culture and with the language barrier and all. I've always been a heavy reader, and then I just started putting together the ideas for a story, and then one word after another I started ending up with books. Now I'm lucky enough to be writing full time.


Do you usually work with an outline, or just write your stories without much more than an idea?

I'm actually a compulsive planner, and for Suspense especially the planning was absolutely crucial. That's not to say a lot of the story isn't discovered along the way, but it's good to have a lot of it down to know what I have to get out in each scene. Crossing fingers and hoping something great will come out probably wouldn't work for me.


Suspense is a very unique story and there is so many interesting elements of the world you have created, like Connect, defying gravity and all of the amazing technologies, let alone the plotline! I did not expect that ending. How did you come up with Spencer's story? What inspired the world and everything in it?

There were a couple of deep interests that came together to form this story. A girl getting a taste of fame. A perfectly secure world where people had complete freedom (to contrast so many books where there are absurdly oppressive regimes begging to be overthrown). A meaningful friendship between two female characters instead of just love interests. And I've also really wanted to up the action and push the envelope a little bit in terms of what YA is. The book was a lot of fun for me to write!


When writing Suspense, did you have any characters write themselves into the story or attempt to take over?

I have had this happen before where I needed a character who hadn't been planned at all. For Suspense, I pretty much had the cast down, but I've been surprised at how big a role Taka has had to play in the whole trilogy. That was completely unexpected, but it should work out great. There's a lot more going on with her than just what we see in Suspense.


What was the hardest scene you had to write?

I hate to give anything away, but there's some body switching that happens in the book, where characters end up switching genders, and it was tough making that work the way I wanted it too. There's a lot in the book that I feel emotionally invested in, but that doesn't stop me from writing.


Is anything you write about based or influenced by your personal experiences? Or are they purely imagination?

I'm sure there are, bits of character here or there, or experiences that I've had with various things. Some jokes I've come up with in real life conversations end up in books too. I came up with them, so why can't I use them, right?


Can you tell us a bit about your upcoming book, Expense (Spencer Nye Trilogy #2)?

Expense is actually set to release in just a few days, and I'm excited to see how readers respond to it because there's plenty that's different while so much is the same. The challenges are different and more difficult, requiring some deep thinking to resolve, and there are revelations that cast events in Suspense in a whole new light. There's a lot more going on than just meets the eye, and I'm hoping that draws in readers and makes this a trilogy that they can really get invested in.


Thank you so much for taking the time to answer these questions!

I'd like to take a moment to send a big Thank You to Catriona for all of her time and effort. I wish you the best of luck with the Little Book Owl blog and all your future reads. Thank you!

-- Jason

Suspense by Jason Letts

I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review.


Suspense by Jason Letts
Released: September 3, 2011
Series: Spencer Nye Trilogy [Book One]
Format: eBook edition
Source: Author
Buy it: Amazon


Spencer Nye can’t control the rage bubbling under her skin over the world around her. The trouble is, by the year 2102, the world has solved most of its great problems. Without hunger, war, greed, or even money, people obsess over the glamour of the Culture Industry and its mega-celebrity Idols, who vie for followers over the social networks of Connect.

But Spencer discovers there is plenty to fix within the Idols’ competition for more popularity. She becomes a diehard and promises to do anything to help her Idol, a dreamy movie star named Cleary Mintz, bring his vision of hope and purpose to the world. When she stumbles onto a threat against his life, she’ll have to fight harder than she ever thought possible or lose the man who means more to her than any other.


Suspense was an entertaining, and very unique story. There is so much action, and this picks up almost immediately and the fast-pace helped in making this book a quick and easy read. The world in which the story is set, is digitally advanced, full of intriguing technologies and devices including "Connect", which is pretty much the ultimate social networking/internet database, the ability to defy gravity and walk on walls and molecular synthesisers which can produce anything and everything.

I loved the loyalty evident between the trio, Spencer, Patch and Jetta. Spencer has her flaws, and doesn't always make the right choices, but her friends still stand by her through everything. I would have really liked to get to know these three characters a little better -not so much with Spencer, as she narrated the story and you learn more about her than the other characters.

I found Suspense a fairly deep story. The messages brought up by the mass of technology reflect modern society issues and threats. Firstly, there is no need for money. The lack of money results in equality in socioeconomic status amongst everyone, as the molecular synthesisers are able to produce anything someone could want or need, for free. There is also the reflection upon how technology is an integral part of human life, and I think this is a realistic commodity for the future of humanity. We become so incredibly dependant that we are unable to fend for ourselves.

Lee, the antagonist, has motives which derive from the comparison and choice between what life is today, and the today ideas I described above. He tried to strip the humans of their dependency on technology, and awaken them to some unknown truth. So basically, the choice is between equality and sufficient resources for life, and our current state of living where we have more freedom, being able to rely on ones self and each other, and being able to set goals for ourselves and challenge our abilities. Alongside these positives, are the negatives to each society - becoming weak and solely dependent on technologies which can be taken away in a moment, or on the other hand - inequality and having to work for ones survival.

The ending of this book leaves you wanting more, as it finishes with a huge twist that explains the source of the technologies available in this world. Look out for Expense which will be released in a few days!





I also had the honour of interviewing the author, Jason Letts. Click HERE to take a look!

New YA Releases: 25 October, 2011

October 24, 2011

Here are some upcoming releases this week.

Paperback:

+ Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa
+ Trance by Kelly Meding

Hardcover:

+ Destined by P.C & Kristen Cast
+ Mastiff by Tamora Pearce
+ Between the Sea and Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore
+ Phantom by L.J. Smith

Book Blogger Hop (5)

October 21, 2011

Book Blogger Hop
Hosted by Crazy for Books

“What is your favorite type of candy?”

I looooooooooove Hershey's Cookies n' Cream! So much. Om nom nom

Far From the War by Jeffrey David Payne

October 20, 2011

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.


Far From the War by Jeffrey David Payne
Released: September 17, 2011
Series: Far From the War Series [Book One]
Publisher: Roche Harbor Books
Pages: 366
Source: Publisher
Buy it: Book Depository (free shipping) | Amazon

Economic ruin and Partisian rancor have pushed America to the brink of a new civil war. Esther is caught in the middle, serving as a page in the United States House of Representatives when rogue politicians and military leaders stage a modern day coup d'etat. When the coup turns violent, she abandons Washington, D.C. for home. She must learn to survive on her own as transportation and financial networks fail, as the war disrupts food and water supplies. The result is a cautionary tale about political extremism and the true cost of war.

I will admit that I have never read a book based around politics and war. I was surprisingly pleased with it, though, and thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

The beginning was just a little slow for me. I am completely clueless and politics and all that, even more so considering it is American politics, so I was confused with all of the technical and political parts explored towards the beginning.

Esther was an interesting character to follow. I loved her wit and humour. Whenever Esther engaged in conversation with others, she managed to pitch in and provide some funny one-liners. I also really admired her boldness, bravery and determination. When it came to the war aspects, Esther's mind was set on survival. She was determined to get home and did whatever it took to get there. Not once did she consider giving up.

On the other hand, when the love interest was introduced, Esther took the initiative to make a move herself. I loved seeing the roles reversed with their relationship, and it was done in such a way that the male was not deemed as any less of a "man", so to speak. She was bold and did not hesitate to take chances. I loved the relationship between the two characters. Although I felt it was a little rushed, I understand that the story occurred over a long period of time, and it skipped forward a few months every so often.

The people Esther met and befriended on her journey home added so much depth to the story, and unfortunately more tragedy and pain for Esther. She grew so close with a select few, and the war ripped them away from her. This was bitter sweet - Payne crafted lovable and humorous characters, and just as you grew attached to them (alongside Esther), a sudden turn of events would take them away.

The action in this book was quite graphic and gruesome. This was shocking and confronting, but I did not have any issues with it, in all honesty I liked how Jeffrey Payne did not attempt to hide the harsh nature of war. It assisted with the realism and visual impact of the novel, but for those of you who may have an issue with this, be wary of the fact that it gets a little bloody. I would not recommend this book for younger readers, because of this factor. It is set during a civil war, and the conflicts Esther faces are described in a little bit of detail.

I loved how the book ended. It wrapped up quite nicely, yet still leaves you wanting to know what happens next, and how things turn out with the love interest. The second book, The Mail Still Runs is released next year, and I am really looking forward to continuing on with the story!


Top Ten Tuesday (1)

October 18, 2011



I am participating in Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish! Each week, there is a specific topic for a top ten list.

This weeks topic is:
Top ten books, whose titles or covers made me buy it


1. Across the Universe by Beth Revis

I could rave about this cover for hours on end. I just love it so much! The colour scheme and the galactic background looks incredible - I'm a sucker for stars. This cover is just beautiful, and I picked up this book, the hardcover version, because of it's cover. Although the synopsis intrigued me, it was definitely the cover which made this a must-buy.







2. Divergent by Veronica Roth

Again, I was hooked by the synopsis, but the cover made it irresistible. I adore the cover. The fiery symbol looks absolutely incredible. One of my favourite covers of all time.










3. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

I must admit, I have a few on this list which I bought in addition to the amount of hype and praise they received. I guess that makes me feel less guilty for judging the books by their cover. Anyway, I love this. The dark colours make is so mysterious and the title looks gorgeous.








4. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Random Riggs

This cover is really creepy. And I love it! The girl is just floating above the ground, and the combination of the image with the name really intrigued me.









5. Nightshade by Andrea Dremer

Beautiful. I love the purple hues, and the girls face is so enchanting. The hardcover is also sparkly, which I think is incredibly awesome. I remember buying this off of Goodreads, simply because of it's cover - I didn't read anything about it.









6. Wither by Lauren DeStefano

In addition to the fact that this is dystopian, the cover of this got me hooked. It is really beautiful, and I love the subtleties that add to the overall image. The gold lines around specific items on the cover look really cool, and I love the fact that they are recurring patterns even within the book (chapter titles).








7. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

I really can't decide between the UK and US versions of the cover. I love them both, but I bought the UK cover because I actually hadn't seen the US version at that point. I love silhouette's, particularly with trees, and I just love how it frames the cover. The title design aswell is really cool and kind of creepy - the dripping blood. I think it's a nice touch.







8. The Forest of Hands & Teeth by Carrie Ryan

This was a combination of the title and the cover. The title sounds quite gruesome and disturbing. When I heard it, I was a little unsure as to what it means, but I was interested all the same. The cover is also gorgeous. It adds to the creep factor.









9. Supernatural #7: One Year Gone by Rebecce Dessertine

Okay, if you know me even a little, then this would be a no-brainer. I LOVE Supernatural. Dean and Sam are probably the two sexiest men alive, so the cover for this drew me in. As well as the fact that it is based off my favourite TV show.










10. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon

It was the title for this one. I remember my maths teacher mentioning it one day in class, and the title sort of stuff. I was really curious as to what it was about.. a dog? at night? huh?








So what about you? What covers/titles made you buy a book?

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