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May 30, 2012

Review: ReVamped by Ada Adams - Farah

Title: ReVamped
Author: Ada Adams
Publication date: February 20th, 2012
Genre(s): Young Adult (Paranormal/Vampires)
Challenges: A-Z Challenge
Source: Author
Format: Paperback
Pages: 300
A simple mission turned deadly.

Nineteen-year-old vampire Dawn has led a sheltered life within the confines of her father’s presidential headquarters. Upon being sent on a mission to revamp four goofy misfits into guardians of a peaceful little town of Angel Creek, Dawn believes that all her dreams have finally come true. What starts off as a simple task, turns into something unexpected, changing Dawn’s life forever and leading the action-loving, thrill-seeking vampire teen on a path of mystery, danger and intrigue.

When a human girl is kidnapped by a group of rogue vamps, Dawn discovers that there is more going on in Angel Creek than meets the eye. And it all connects to Ethan, the cute newcomer who seems too perfect to be true, Sebastian, the mysterious vampire with a turbulent past, and even Dawn herself. Dawn must not only succeed in revamping the troubled recruits, but must also prevent the vampire race from being overtaken by a malevolent villain who has a strange and obsessive fascination with her. As threat escalates, romance blooms, and ghosts from her past begin to surface, Dawn is sure of only one thing: her life will never be the same.
Can I just say wow? I never expected ReVamped to be such a mind-blowing book! It has been ages since I read a book with such a fresh idea as ReVamped. Yes, it's about vampires, but I enjoyed every single page of it. The story is about, Dawn, the main protagonist, who is the daughter of the Vampire president. Yes, in this book, vampires are known throughout the world. Some even work in hollywood and join competitions like "Vamp Idol". It gives off such a new refreshing angle about vampires. I'm starting to love reading about them again after I read ReVamped and The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa.
Dawn has been training all her life in her father's headquarters. She grew up to be one of the most highly trained vampires. Her wish was to go on a mission, and finally, it came true. Her father sends her to "Angel Creek"on a mission to train some vampires who will have the responsibility of protecting the people of Angel Creek. Turns out the task is harder than Dawn ever imagined. She meets Ethan there, a human who became mesmerized by her beauty. Not only that, she also meets another guy! *yay* Someone tells her about this vampire in Angel Creek, and Dawn just had to know more about him. Sebastian, is a very talented vampire, and I loved his character very much. Both of the male protagonists were not your typical "bad boy" characters that you see in so many books nowadays. Even though the romance can be considered as "not much", it was very cute and simple.
What I most enjoyed about "ReVamped" is that I never knew what to expect from this book. Every chapter shocked me more & more. I especially loved the cosy friendship between the vampires. Every time I opened the book, I felt like I was on an adventure with Dawn and the trainee vampires. I recommend this book for all readers out there, and if you feel sick of vampire books, you have to give this one a shot! I thank Ada Adams for writing such a lovely story. 
4.5 musical notes

May 28, 2012

Review: While He Was Away by Karen Schreck - Juhina


While He Was Away
Title: While He Was Away
Author: Karen Schreck
Publisher: Sourcebook Fires
Publication Date: May 1st, 2012
Genre(s): Young Adult (Contemporary)
Source: NetGalley
Format: Digital ARC
Pages: 249
"This is just something I have to do, okay?" I hear David say. "The right thing."

He cradles my face in his hands. He kisses me hard. Then he lets go of me. His eyes dart from me to whatever's next.


All she wants is for him to stay. She's been doing pretty well, pretending he doesn't have to go. But one day, after one last night to remember, she wakes up and there's no denying it anymore. He's gone.

When Penna Weaver's boyfriend goes off to Iraq, she's left facing life without him. As summer sets in, Penna tries to distract herself with work and her art, but the not knowing is slowly driving her crazy. Especially when David stops writing.

She knows in her heart he will come home. But will he be the same boy she fell in love with?
I had hopes that While He Was Away would be an eye opening, emotional experience for me, but unfortunately, it was not that. I understood it was about a girl's boyfriend being drafted and going off to Iraq, and the struggles she will be facing once he was gone. However, throughout the whole book I did not feel any emotional connection towards Penna. I felt like there were too many things going on in the book. Unnecessary things that do not have any relation to the main plot of the book but were added to just increase the page count. Penna needing so much to look for her long lost grandmother all of a sudden raised a lot of question marks for me. Her weird relationship with her mother and blaming her for everything just ticked me off. I felt like she was the most ungrateful child ever! Even though her mother sacrificed SO MUCH for her, she still treated her like dirt and that totally rubbed me the wrong way. 
Then we've got her relationship with David's fallen out best friend Ravi. After David left to Iraq, Penna had only a handful of encounters with him but somehow the idea of more kept on wedging in to the plot. I was just so confused on WHY would Penna even need to assure herself multiple times that he is just David's friend. Even though all they ever did was exchange a few awkward conversations. Yes, the plot could have gone in that direction, but with barely anything happening and for her to feel that way was just absurd. 
To be honest, what really made me so disconnected with all the characters was a scene that happened with David and Penna. They went on a website to play this game where the target was an arabic guy, and the point of the game was to shoot red paintballs so they will splatter all over him (as if he is bleeding). While Penna was hesitant, David told her "Think of 9/11, he totally deserves this". Now THAT was so unbelievably offensive towards me and such an unbelievable generalization that I was stunned for a minute or two. I am muslim and arabic and like the rest of the world, I was horrified by what happened on 9/11. I really hate how as soon as people hear arabs and muslims nowadays they associate it with the act of terrorism. Which is why it hurt a little to read about that incident and I just lost all connection with these characters, which was why I just couldn't get into the story. I do know the author wanted to portray the reality of how many people think, I respect her for that, but I lost all connection or care for these characters after that.
All in All, While He Was Away held promise, however the main plot was not strong enough and the addition of many secondary plots somehow ruined the overall experience of the book. I hoped for more emotional, soul searching type of book, but that was not what I got. However, as always, if the book seems interesting, pick it up! you might enjoy it way more than I did. 
1.5 to 2 musical notes


May 26, 2012

Maji's Weekly Book Haul (2) - 2 Weeks Edition


Welcome to Maji's Weekly Book Haul! Every week we are going to do a post where we show what books we got for review, bought, borrowed, or won! Enjoy!


and
Pushing the LimitsBooks bought/gifted/for review
The Vampire Academy series (all 6 books) by Richelle Meads
Social Suicide by Gemma Halliday
Under The Never sky by Veronica Rossi
Insurgent by Veronica Roth
Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock
Volumes 1 and 2 of Sweep by Cate Tiernan
Dark Eyes by William Richter
Pushing The Limits by Katie Mcgarry


Happy Reading!
What did you get in your mailbox?

Review: Purity by Jackson Pearce - Juhina

Purity
Title: Purity
Author: Jackson Pearce

Publication date: February 16th, 2012
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Genre(s): Young Adult (Contemporary)
Challenges: Contemporary, SARC
Source: Own
Format: Ebook
Pages: 218
Before her mother died, Shelby promised three things: to listen to her father, to love as much as possible, and to live without restraint. Those Promises become harder to keep when Shelby's father joins the planning committee for the Princess Ball, an annual dance that ends with a ceremonial vow to live pure lives -- in other words, no "bad behavior," no breaking the rules, and definitely no sex. Torn between Promises One and Three, Shelby makes a decision -- to exploit a loophole and lose her virginity before taking the vow. But somewhere between failed hookup attempts and helping her dad plan the ball, Shelby starts to understand what her mother really meant, what her father really needs, and who really has the right to her purity.
When I first picked up Purity, I didn’t even read the synopsis, so you can say it is another book I picked up for its cover. However when I did read the synopsis, I was a bit put off. A girl is trying to lose her virginity because of a promise she made to her deceased mother many years back? The whole plot felt absurd, HOWEVER it was delivered with tons of humor. Which is why, while the topic of Purity made me a bit uncomfortable, overall it was enjoyable because the author went for the light, funny dialogue, which is always a plus for me.  
Shelby, the main protagonist made a promise to her mom that she would 1. Listen to everything her father says, 2. Love as much as possible, and 3. Live without restraint. Many years later, you see that Shelby has taken those three promises as her bible. She lives her life following these three rules, especially the first one, and the last. The problem arises when she has to go to a dance where she has to make vows to stay pure, and this is where Shelby has to find a loophole to obey her father (go to the dance) while at the same time NOT make those vows because that is not ‘living without restraint’. 
Throughout the book, with the help of her two bestfriends, Jonas and Ruby, she makes a list of all the eligible guys, and tries her luck with each of them. However in the end she goes through a big revelation of who her true love is. Now, I saw that coming miles away, actually ever since the character she ‘loves’, at the end of the book, was introduced. Also, it happened in the last couple of pages of the book so the ending felt too rushed for my liking and a bit too clichéd. I wished that the too much unnecessary details and side characters of the story had less pages dedicated to them and more pages dedicated to her figuring out WHAT she was looking for all this time. However, All in all, purity was an enjoyable read, while a bit too generic, is a cute contemporary to anyone looking for something light to read. 
3 musical notes  

May 23, 2012

Review: Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver - Juhina

Pandemonium (Delirium, #2)
Title: Pandemonium (Delirium #2)
Author: Lauren Oliver
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: September 29th, 2011
Genre(s): Young Adult (Dystopian)
Challenges: Dystopian
Source: Author
Format: Paperback
Pages: 372
I'm pushing aside the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school,
push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.


Lauren Oliver delivers an electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Delirium. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite.

*do not read if you have not read Delirium. This review is spoiler free for Pandemonium only.* 
Pandemonium was a highly anticipated 2012 sequel for me ever since Delirium left be heartbroken and at the worst cliffhanger I have ever read so far. I am glad to say that Pandemonium did not disappoint, while the direction of the book took a totally different unimaginable turn from what I expected, I couldn't read the book fast enough to find out how Lauren is going to resolve this and what will be the famous cliffhanger that I've heard broke readers' hearts again. 
Pandemonium starts with a couple of days after the ending of delirium and for a while I was definitely confused with the two changing POVs. the then and now. I was so frustrated and confused that I wanted to skip a hundred pages or so to find out when was then and when was now! but I'm glad to say that Lauren didn't leave us hanging for too long and I found out a couple of chapters in what was going on. Pandemonium held its own ground to Delirium. It reminded me a bit of Shatter Me, especially the brewing romance between Lena and a newly introduced character and while that left me torn between their happiness and the fact that it is a bit too soon after Alex. However I was definitely shipping them and I loved how the romance did not overtake the book like Delirium. I especially loved all the plotting and fighting, that didn't get boring at all. Now, coming to the cliffhanger and some of the revelations, I have to say, I predicted every single one of them. The cliffhanger was totally obvious and I knew the only ending people would react so much towards was the one I had in mind. Other small revelations include Lena's mother, and the resistance. 
All in all Pandemonium, while slow at the beginning, was an addicting novel that I couldn't put down, and wished wouldn't break my heart, but still broke it in the end. Whoever have read Delirium, PLEASE go pick this up right now!! 
4.5 musical notes!


May 22, 2012

Review: Of Poseidon by Anna Banks - Juhina

Of Poseidon

Title: Of Poseidon (Of Poseidon #1)
Author: Anna Banks

Publication date: May 22, 2012
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Genre(s): Young Adult (Paranormal)
Challenges: Debut
Source: Own
Format: Digital Arc
Pages: 380
Galen is the prince of the Syrena, sent to land to find a girl he’s heard can communicate with fish. Emma is on vacation at the beach. When she runs into Galen—literally, ouch!—both teens sense a connection. But it will take several encounters, including a deadly one with a shark, for Galen to be convinced of Emma’s gifts. Now, if he can only convince Emma that she holds the key to his kingdom . . . 
Told from both Emma and Galen’s points of view, here is a fish-out-of-water story that sparkles with intrigue, humor, and waves of romance.
Of Poseidon was another one of my most anticipated novels of 2012, and again, it was another disappointed. The cover and the synopsis totally got me excited for Of Poseidon, and the fact that it was my first mermaid novel added to that excitement. Now, I thought I would change things up with the review and basically list in pointer form what I didn’t like about it: 
1. Insta Love: Should I say more? If there were rallies and opposition groups for insta-love I would be one of the first people to sign up. No matter what genre the book I’m reading is, whether paranormal, dystopian, or fantasy, and no matter how out of the world the plot is, I STILL want a realistic love story. Insta-love is the most unrealistic love plot in the history of love plots. Best friends fall in love? Yes, girl gets the bad boy and reforms him? Yes, smitten at first sight? Yes, desperate, world shaking love at first sight? NO. I really hated how the two leads, Emma and Galen somehow became head over heels in love with barely any verbal communication happening! I’m sorry, I can’t get over that. 
2. Adding many clichéd secondary characters: so, one supposedly important character in the novel gets KILLED in the second chapter. Not only was the character portrayed as important to the protagonist, the character was MEAN and just straight out rude to the protagonist. So I really felt no sympathy and no connection to the small grieving period Emma went through. Another two characters fell in the line of “Girl hates guy, guy chases after her, the minute the guy turns his attention to another girl, the girl realizes she LOVES HIM” REALLY? I feel like this wasn’t played well, all secondary plots were too shallow for me to invest or care enough on what happens, and the girl was a diva and the guy was just desperate, which is why I just didn’t care.  
3. Forced plot: A couple of days ago I wrote a review about how the close proximity between the protagonist and her love interest was not forced, and I really don’t like how some novels force the characters together. Well, this happened in Of Poseidon. Emma’s mother thinks Emma is dating Galen so they go along with it, oh and to make it more believable they have to make out whenever they are in public! Why can’t authors think of original non-clichéd plots to allow their characters to spend time together? And no, accidently sleeping at his house more than once is NOT one of them! 
Now, there is one thing I liked about this novel, and it is the ending, the last 30 pages were definitely fast paced and the ending was SO unexpected and I have to give props to the great cliffhanger. However, that really is the only thing I liked about this book, and reading it was a very slow process that took around a week, and that is way too many days for a measly 300 page novel. 
 1 musical note

May 19, 2012

Review: The Lost Code by Kevin Emerson - Farah



Title: The Lost Code
Author: Kevin Emerson
Publication date: May 22nd, 2012
Publisher: HarperCollins
Genre(s): Young Adult (Fantasy/Sci-Fi)
Challenges: A-Z, Debut author
Source: Publisher
Format: ARC
Pages: 435
WHAT IS OLDEST WILL BE NEW, WHAT IS LOST SHALL BE FOUND.

The ozone is ravaged, ocean levels have risen, and the sun is a daily enemy. But global climate change is not something new in the Earth’s history.

No one will know this better than less-than-ordinary Owen Parker, who is about to discover that he is the descendant of a highly advanced ancient race—a race that took their technology too far and almost destroyed the Earth in the process.

Now it is Owen’s turn to make right in his world what went wrong thousands of years ago. If Owen can unlock the lost code in his very genes, he may rediscover the forgotten knowledge of his ancestry…and that less-than-ordinary can evolve into extraordinary.
The Lost Code was another anticipated book of 2012 for me. The cover is really cool, though I don't like it when they show the character's faces because I want my imagination to decide how they look. The synopsis was a bit weird, but it did sound very interesting. I expected this book to be full of fun, adrenaline, and excitement. I'm sorry to say that it wasn't as great as I expected it to be, but it was good overall.
The main protagonist is a boy, which wasn't clear for me until a while. Owen's world is destroyed from the ozone layer, and the ocean levels have risen, and their main enemy is the bright sun. I'm not sure where they "live" if they can't be out in the open, but i'm guessing it's someplace protected or underground even. Owen goes to a camp, which wasn't clarified if it was just a summer camp for kids or what type of camp exactly. In this camp, the children/teenagers are put in groups. I don't want to write any spoilers here, but one day, Owen discovers something magical that he has. The thing is, I never expected that to happen. I didn't understand the conflict between the good and bad characters either. I was confused at so many parts, and I really felt like many things weren't very clear. I had no problems at all with the writing, but I enjoyed the first half of the story much more than the last half.
Even though I might not have enjoyed it as much as I wanted to; I do know that many people did. The idea is very weird, but in a good way. I'm not sure if I might pick up the second book, but if I had extra time on my hands, I will give it another chance, just to find out what happens next!
3 musical notes

May 18, 2012

Blog tour: The Shapeshifter's Secret - Interview with Heather Ostler

Hello fellow readers! Today the blog tour of The Shapeshifter's Secret stops at Maji Bookshelf! We have an interview with the author, Heather Ostler where she talks about her book and gives you a little peak on what to expect in The Shapeshifter's Secret. Hope you enjoy the interview as much as I had!


The Official Biography: Heather Ostler grew up near the mountains with a rambunctiously entertaining family. She majored in English at Utah Valley University, and soon began composing stories about masquerades, water nymphs, and shapeshifters. She and her husband, Kellen, reside in Highland, Utah with two remarkably pleasant pugs.

The Fun Biography:
I like fortune cookies, lucky pennies, shooting stars, and implausible coincidences. I’m always cold and have at least 5 different flavors of hot cocoa on hand at all times. I’m a sucker for happy endings and like to eat dessert first. I think Muppets Christmas Carol is one of the best movies ever, along with The Parent Trap. English accents, cloudy days, and family inside jokes make me smile. I am a writer, and I love finding inspiration in art, music, nature, seasons, and relationships.
lizabeth Norris briefly taught high school English and history before trading the San Diego beaches and sunshine for Manhattan's snowpocalyptic winters. She harbors dangerous addictions to guacamole, red velvet cupcakes, sushi, and Argo Tea, fortunately not all together. Unraveling is her first novel. 

Follow Heather on
 Website
Blog | Twitter | Goodreads 
Find her book on Goodreads | Amazon | B&N 

To start off, describe The Shapeshifter's Secre in three words! Werecats. Adventure. Mysteries. 
What is the one thing that inspired you to write The Shapeshifter's Secret? When I was 13 years old I told my dad that I wanted to become a writer. He was really supportive and told me to go for it. He passed away not too long after that, but I never forgot his encouraging words. That experience really gave me the motivation to finish The Shapeshifter’s Secret. 
If you were a shapeshifter, what animal would you choose? That’s tough. I think both lions and white tigers have this sort of elegance and power about them, but I would definitely love the speed of a cheetah. 
Where do you do most of your writing? what about reading? (if you want to attach any pictures and ill put them in the post, it would be fun!) It really changes every hour, and the places are kind of strange. My favorite spots for both reading and writing are the stairs, the living room floor, or outside. 


What are your upcoming plans? will you write a sequel to The Shapeshifter's Secret? or a totally different book? any sneak peaks?  I’m working on the sequel right now, but I also have a lot of other ideas that I would love to explore in my writing. 
Here is the trailer for The Shapershifter's Secret!

May 17, 2012

Review: The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson - Farah


Title: The Name of the Star
Author: Maureen Johnson
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile 
Publication Date: September 29th, 2011
Genre(s): Young Adult (Fantasy/Paranormal)
Challenges: A-Z title
Source: Burrowed
Format: Audiobook
Pages: 372
The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it's the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.

Soon “Rippermania” takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn't notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities.
The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson was a very.... weird read. I honestly thought it was going to be a mystery contemporary book, but I never expected it to have a paranormal twist. The main thing that annoyed me was how unrealistic the events were. I just couldn't understand how this was going to end or even get solved. Not only did I feel like the book was unbelievable, every chapter felt very similar as well. The pace was very slow, and not many exciting events occurred either. 
Rory, the main protagonist, goes to a boarding school. I love books with a boarding school setting, so I had high hopes for this one. When Rory moves to London to attend her school, there is a murderer there whom they call "The Ripper".  Apparently it's all over London, and the killings are horrid. The thing that totally annoyed me is that why couldn't Maureen Johnson just keep it a normal murder mystery that can at least seem realistic? Then the story just gets more confusing when Rory actually sees ghosts, and it turns into a paranormal story. I don't want to have any spoilers in this review, but I will say, I did not like the fact that it had a paranormal twist in it.
Overall the writing was good. I would get lost in some parts, but happens very often. The ending was okay, but I don't think i'll ever pick up the sequel to this book. I might not have enjoyed it, but do give it a try! 
2 musical notes