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September 30, 2013

Review: Endless by Jessica Shirvington

Endless (Embrace, #4)
Title: Endless (The Violet Eden Chapters, #4)
Author: Jessica Shirvington
Publisher:
 Raincoast
Publication date: October 1, 2013
Genre(s): Young Adult (Paranormal/Angels)
Source: Publisher 
Format: ARC
Pages: 480
LOVE WILL KILL US ALL
Violet Eden thought she was getting things under control. Then all hell breaks loose-literally. In the war between angels and exiles, she's about to face the biggest baddie of all time. Except she's not nearly ready.
The dark exile Phoenix is still messing with her head-not to mention her heart. And her undeniable attraction to Lincoln has gotten downright dangerous. When Hell unleashes its worst, Violet must embrace every facet of her angel self to save the people she cares about and the world as she knows it. But death is not the worst thing she will face...
This series… I have no words for this series. Every single time I read the newest book, I am amazed at how it is EVEN BETTER than the previous one, and I can say with confidence that Endless is better than all the previous three books! Rating wise, this series has increased from a 3.5 for Embrace, a 4 for Entice, a 4.5 for Emblaze and now a 5 for Endless.. are we looking at an "All Time Favorite" for Empower? YES PLEASE! The Violet Eden Chapters series is the only angel series that I love and wouldn't mind rereading again. This series is full of action, heart wrenching scenes, laugh out loud moments, and a ton of character development and fantastic secondary characters and a plot that has never dragged, even 4 books in. 
When I received Endless in the mail, I was so excited I honestly couldn't wait. I knew I was going to love it since I now completely trust Jessica Shirvington and I'm glad I wasn't disappointed one bit. This is a series spoiler free review. I was so happy when I finally got back into the world of Violet, Lincoln, Grigori, fallen angels, and the exiled angel we all love to hate. Of course with that we have our solidified secondary characters that I have grown surprisingly attached to, especially Zach, Griffin, Steph, and even Dapper and Onyx. We do get more parental page time than before. I know I have complained about the lack of parents in both Embrace and Entice but I'm happy to see the development occur. Of course in Endless, the stakes are even higher, with the entrance of an old powerful and evil antagonist, and Violet and her crew's need to ally with some of their own old enemies and figure out who is truly on their side. 
I just thought the plot of Endless was so full of thrilling scene after scene. Everytime I wanted to put the book down, when I reach the end of the chapter, something happens and I can't help but read another chapter to find out more. The cycle sometimes went on until I find myself still reading two hours later. So many things happen and the momentum never slowed down. I personally liked it that way and appreciated how I was able to witness how every little piece of the plot is starting to come together, especially since Empower, the next book, is the last one of the series. Sometimes long series suffer from abrupt endings, but with what I've read from the synopsis of Empower, Shirvington seriously knows what she's doing. My favorite couple, Violet and Lincoln, went through a rough patch in this book (like they haven't in every other one right?) and I'm anticipating how she's going to tie up that plot line. Their romance is one of my favorites. I can't wait for Empower to conclude this fantastic world Jessica Shirvington has created. However, I am sad that it is the last book. Definitely pick this series up, and my recommendation to always read Embrace AND Entice then judge the series. I wasn't that fond of Embrace but when I picked up Entice I was HOOKED. 



        Reviews by Juhina for the first three books in the series:

September 27, 2013

Review & Guest Post: How to Love by Katie Cotugno

How to Love.
Title: How To Love
Author: Katie Cotugno
Publisher: Harper Collins Canada
Publication date: October 1, 2013
Genre(s): Young Adult (Contemporary)
Source: Publisher 
Format: ARC
Pages: 389
Before: Reena Montero has loved Sawyer LeGrande for as long as she can remember: as natural as breathing, as endless as time. But he’s never seemed to notice that Reena even exists…until one day, impossibly, he does. Reena and Sawyer fall in messy, complicated love. But then Sawyer disappears from their humid Florida town without a word, leaving a devastated—and pregnant—Reena behind.

After: Almost three years have passed, and there’s a new love in Reena’s life: her daughter, Hannah. Reena’s gotten used to being without Sawyer, and she’s finally getting the hang of this strange, unexpected life. But just as swiftly and suddenly as he disappeared, Sawyer turns up again. Reena doesn’t want anything to do with him, though she’d be lying if she said Sawyer’s being back wasn’t stirring something in her. After everything that’s happened, can Reena really let herself love Sawyer LeGrande again?
I really really don't know where to begin with this review or how to express how I felt about this book. If you already scrolled down, you would have noticed that my rating for How to Love is an "All time favorite" and if you are a frequent visitor on our blog, you'd also know that we rarely ever bring that rating out. To give you an example, the last time I gave this rating was to The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay all the way back in June (almost 4 months ago). I had a hard time writing a review of that book, and I'm facing the same problem now. I want to do this book justice through this review and the only way to do that is to tell you what I wrote above. Clearly, How to Love isn't just amazing, but it is BEAUTIFUL, EMOTIONAL, REAL, and BREATHTAKING. Definitely a solid reason of why contemporary fiction is my favorite genre. 
How to Love doesn't only center around romantic love, but also family love, the love between a mother and daughter, as well as broken love between the people who are the closest to you. All these forms of love show up and are implicated in the plot line. What is unique about How to Love is that it is told in two different time periods, one is when Reena was 16, and another is during her late 18. The POV flip between the past and present is done in such a way that the present and past work parallel together to enhance the plot, the drama, as well as your own emotions. 16 year old Reena never experienced first love while 18 year old Reena already has a daughter, a broken heart, and a disconnected family life. 16 and 18 year old Reena feel like they're on the opposite end of the life spectrum. You can't help but need to find out how this happened. Yes we know the end result, the actual reason, but Cotugno writes in such a way that makes you want to know every detail that happened in that 2 year span. 
Also, even though both POVs are connected, they also work alone and have their somewhat distinct plot line. I loved that even though I know Sawyer ended up with 16 year old Reena and then left her, I still loved their progressive relationship. It was just so beautiful and Sawyer was funny, protective, caring, and beautiful. Reena was such a naive girl but I couldn't blame her for that because she is only 16. On some level she knew of the impeding outcome but she loved Sawyer too much to let go and that is her decision. However, 18 year old Reena is not only 2 years older, but definitely a hardened version of her younger self. Since she had her heart broken, she isn't willing to risk it. Her relationship with her daughter just brought tears to my eyes. As well as the emotional implication of Sawyer coming back. I am speaking of these characters as if they are real… they at least felt real while I was reading their story and that doesn't happen all that much in books these days. The plot isn't something unique, but the way it was handled, the way the characters came to life, and how their problems felt so real, and their feelings so raw had my heart breaking for them.  
How to Love is not a fluffy contemporary, that is for sure. It is a story about broken love, second chances, and new beginnings. Ever since I finished reading How to Love, I've been itching to read it again. This shows you how much I love it. I can't wait for more work by Katie Cotugno, if they are anything close to how well written How to Love was, I'll be adding more of her books to my "All Time Favorites" list. 
it has finally made another appearance! 
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Below is a question I was curious about and have wanted to ask Katie Cotugno about and I got to do that through Harper Collins Canada. If you've read this book or want to read it, then this might be something you would want to know!

What was the inspiration behind the book? Especially the decision to include a baby in the story? Two of my favorite books talk about single moms and the relationship with their kid (The Rescue by Nicholas Sparks and Shout Down the Moon by Lisa Tucker). I always love the relationship between mother and daughter/son. 

I first got the idea for this book way back in high school, and in my head it started as just a boy and a girl in a supermarket: what eventually became the very first scene between Sawyer and Reena in How to Love. I knew she was mad at him--like really, really mad--but it wasn't until way later that I figured out why.

And the why, of course (among many, many other reasons) is their daughter Hannah. 

How to Love isn't at all autobiographical--there are tons of differences between Reena and me, the most obvious of which is that I never got pregnant in high school--but there are definitely things about her story and Sawyer's that are kind of filched from my own life. I went to Catholic school for thirteen years, and that culture was definitely a big part of how I grew up. I used to go to South Florida every summer to visit my family. And I met my own fiance when I was sixteen, so I've always kind of gravitated to stories about first loves. 

For me, though, one of the most interesting--and challenging--parts of writing this book was imagining Reena's experience of becoming a mother so young. I think she feels deeply conflicted at times--getting pregnant definitely derailed her life in a ton of huge, devastating ways, but at the same time she loves her daughter desperately. There's nothing glamorous about her life, but there is something sort of strangely beautiful about the mess. Digging deep into those conflicting emotions was so incredibly rewarding for me as a writer, and Reena's relationship with Hannah is one of my very favorites in the book.

- Reena's relationship with Hnnah is also one of my favorite things about How to Love! Thanks so much Katie for answering my question! 

September 25, 2013

Review: This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales

Title: This Song Will Save Your Life
Author: Leila Sales 
Publisher:
 Raincoast
Publication date: September 17, 2013
Genre(s): Young Adult (Contemporary)
Source: Publisher 
Format: ARC
Pages: 288
Making friends has never been Elise Dembowski’s strong suit. All throughout her life, she’s been the butt of every joke and the outsider in every conversation. When a final attempt at popularity fails, Elise nearly gives up. Then she stumbles upon a warehouse party where she meets Vicky, a girl in a band who accepts her; Char, a cute, yet mysterious disc jockey; Pippa, a carefree spirit from England; and most importantly, a love for DJing.

Told in a refreshingly genuine and laugh-out-loud funny voice, THIS SONG WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE is an exuberant novel about identity, friendship, and the power of music to bring people together.
Being a fan of realistic fiction, I was excited to dive into this book. I have read a couple of great reviews before starting it, and I'm glad to say I was not disappointed! This Song Will Save Your Life talks about 16 year old Elise Dembowski, who has been a loner throughout her life. One summer, she was determined to learn "how" to become popular. Elise bought new clothes, learnt all the music, read all the fashion magazines, and so on. Too bad for her, things don't go as well as she expected when school started. What I liked about Elise is that she tried, and when it didn't work, she stopped. I did not want this book to be all about how she fits in, and gladly, it wasn't it. It was much more than that.
Being in high school myself, I know how intimidating it can be. There are so many different people, and it takes time to actually find the people you click with. I understood Elise, and I was able to relate with her and understand her struggles. Elise is a brave character, and that's what I really liked about her. She had her music, and that's what kept her going. One night, she stumbles across a warehouse party, and that's when her world starts changing. It's great to see how you can change your life by doing what you love. Elise's passion and love for music was so strong, it was understandable that she only needed it to be happy. There were a lot of emotional parts in this book, but it just makes it much more realistic. I wasn't much a fan of the romance, but it wasn't much of a problem for me.
Overall, This Song Will Save Your Life is a book about the teenage struggles, friendship, and doing what you love. I think it's a fantastic and inspiring book that all teenagers should get a chance to read. The characters were great, and there was no 'boring' part in the book. I will definitely be checking Leila Sales' other book, because I loved this one!

September 23, 2013

Review: The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater

The Dream Thieves (The Raven Cycle, #2)
Title: The Dream Thieves (The Raven Cycle, #2)
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher:
 Scholastic Press
Publication date: September 17, 2013
Genre(s): Young Adult (Supernatural/Fantasy)
Source: Publisher (Scholastic Canada)
Format: ARC
Pages: 448
Now that the ley lines around Cabeswater have been woken, nothing for Ronan, Gansey, Blue, and Adam will be the same. Ronan, for one, is falling more and more deeply into his dreams, and his dreams are intruding more and more into waking life. Meanwhile, some very sinister people are looking for some of the same pieces of the Cabeswater puzzle that Gansey is after...
The Dream Thieves is the much awaited sequel to The Raven Boys, one of my favorite debut novels of 2012, as well as one of my all time favorite books. While The Dream Thieves did not reach the level of love I have for The Raven Boys, it was still a pretty darn good book. The Dream Thieves blew my mind so many times that I tried to stop being surprised and shocked every time but I failed. I know many readers doubt Stiefvater's story telling because of the overly romantic The Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy, however The Raven Cycle series barely has romance and that allowed the author, and the readers, to really hone in on the amazingness of this plot. 
Unfortunately for me, The Dream Thieves focuses mostly on Ronan, one of Gansey's friends, if not the closest one. I personally had nothing against Ronan but through my one year wait all I could think about is that I'll finally get back into Gansey's head because of his fascinating way of thinking, as well as his budding... ok fine.. barely there, romance with Blue. After my initial disappointment, I can't lie, I was disappointed, I was quickly immersed in Ronan's story. Initially everything was confusing because I didn't remember everything from The Raven Boys but Ronan's story in itself is screwed up in the best way so I went along with it. In all honesty, the word beautiful disaster describes this whole series perfectly. Ronan had a fantastic inner voice; I did wonder, when I was reading The Raven Boys, about him and I'm glad that I did end up finding out so much about his history, secrets, and his "abilities", for lack of a better word. I still love the relationship between him and Gansey, as well as how tense it is with Adam. I just never understood how Gansey could be so forgiving of Adam (if you've read The Raven Boys, you'll understand what I mean), and was glad that not everything was swiped under the carpet, the way Gansey does it to try and keep the peace between them. 
To not get confused, this book isn't only told from Ronan's POV; It is the type of book with many alternative POVs. We see chapters dedicated to Gansey (yeay!), Blue, some new characters we meet, as well as Adam. Blue and Gansey… I ship those two so unbelievably hard… I know most of you are wondering about this relationship and all I am saying is that it does progress.. but in the slowest possible way. I do enjoy a bit of romance in my non contemporary books, but not when it is the prevailing plot. I like that Stiefvater did a 180 degree flip with this series because you can definitely see the difference from The Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy. All I can say is that the concept, the writing, and the progression of plot for The Dream Thieves was as brilliant as it was in The Raven Boys. Heck, I probably didn't understand everything that went on in The Dream Thieves but I loved every single minute of it. Readers who are looking for stories that keep you on the edge, as well as always feeling like you're two steps behind, i.e: never a dull moment, should definitely pick up this series and read both The Raven Boys and The Dream Thieves. 
        Other books by Maggie stiefvater:
        Shiver (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #1)
        Linger (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #2)

September 21, 2013

Blog Tour: Not Your Ordinary Wolf Girl by Emily Pohl-Weary




Title: Not Your Ordinary Wolf Girl
Author: Emily Pohl-Weary
Publisher: Razorbill Canada
Publication Date: September 24th, 2013
Source: Publisher
Format: ARC
Pages: 304
Eighteen-year-old rock star Sam Lee isn’t like other girls. She’s the super-talented bass player and songwriter for an all-girl indie band and an incurable loner. Then one night after a concert in Central Park, she’s attacked by a “wild dog.” Suddenly, this long-time vegetarian is craving meat—the bloodier, the better. Sam finds herself with an unbelievable secret and no one she trusts to share it. So begin the endless lies to cover up the hairy truth ... When a new girl gang appears in the city—with claws and paws—Sam suspects there’s a connection to her own inner beast. Trapped in a tug-of-war between her animal and human selves, forced to choose between the guy who sparks her carnal appetite and the one who makes her feel like a normal teenage girl, Sam has to unravel the mysteries of the werewolf world before her bandmates, the media, and her mother catch up to her.


Award-winning author Emily Pohl-Weary has published five books, a series of comics, and a literary magazine. Not Your Ordinary Wolf Girl, her teen werewolf novel, is forthcoming this fall (2013) from Skyscape (U.S.) and Penguin (Canada). She’s currently writing a new collection of poetry and a screenplay, Life on the Edge, which received support from Astral Media’s Greenberg Fund. 


This book is about werewolves. I know a lot of people have a problem with them, but I absolutely love watching and reading anything that have werewolves in it! I love animals, and humans who transform into animals are automatically awesome for me! The main protagonist, Sam, is in a rock band. Sam is the guitarist, and is also the shy one in her band of three girls. One day, going back home from work, an "animal" attacked her. You might think this would be such a typical werewolf story, but trust me, it's not!! Emily Pohl-Weary turned it into such an addicting and amazing read! When she goes home after the bite, she notices that she is super hungry! It was funny to see the symptoms kicking in. Sam was literally eating like a crazy animal, she would always feel hot and sweat, and I had such a great laugh reading about all this.
For me, characters are probably the most important thing in a book. Sam was a fantastic one! She is half asian (holllaaaa), lives by herself in Brooklyn, and has such a unique personality. For me, I will always remember the funny stuff she did, and the awkward situations that she encountered. I just loved how the author turned this into a light read, and allowed the readers to look at such a plot from a different perspective. I also loved the writing. I never really got bored. Not Your Ordinary Girl was fairly short, but I wouldn't have wanted the author to add anything unnecessary to the story either. Oh, did you guys see that cover? My copy has a different one, and I wasn't that into it but I absolutely ADORE this! It's so unique and artsy!
Overall, Not Your Ordinary Wolf Girl was a fantastic werewolf read! I loved the plot to bits! The characters were great, and I don't think I would have wanted anything in the story to change. You guys might ask me why I wouldn't have given it a higher rating, and that's because it wasn't a book that touched my heart or actually made me FEEL anything tremendous. It was loads of fun, and I would totally recommend this book to all you paranormal fans out there!