"Waiting On" Wednesday: Breathe

 

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

  

Breathe

by Sarah Crossan

Release Date: October 2nd 2012

Publisher: GreenWillow

From Goodreads;

Inhale. Exhale. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe . . .

The world is dead.
The survivors live under the protection of Breathe, the corporation that found a way to manufacture oxygen-rich air.

ALINA
has been stealing for a long time. She’s a little jittery, but not terrified. All she knows is that she’s never been caught before. If she’s careful, it’ll be easy. If she’s careful.

QUINN
should be worried about Alina and a bit afraid for himself, too, but even though this is dangerous, it’s also the most interesting thing to happen to him in ages. It isn’t every day that the girl of your dreams asks you to rescue her.

BEA
wants to tell him that none of this is fair; they’d planned a trip together, the two of them, and she’d hoped he’d discover her out here, not another girl.

And as they walk into the Outlands with two days’ worth of oxygen in their tanks, everything they believe will be shattered. Will they be able to make it back? Will they want to?

Comments;

This book makes me think of a cross between The Maze Runner by James Dashner and The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. It has an interesting world, that's for sure. Whether it will be a great book, I can't tell. But the cover is interesting! :D

Thoughts?

Teaser Tuesday

 

 

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

It's Tuesday again! Here's my teaser: (I usually don't do just two sentences. Whatever it takes to finish the blurb.)

""Because of those three", Lan said angrily. "The fire, the injured, the going on -- all because of those three. The fact that the price must be paid is proof that it is worth paying. The Dark One wants those boys of yours, and anything he wants this badly, he must be kept from. Or would you rather led the Fade have them?"" - page 257 of "From the Two Rivers: The Eye of the World Part One" by Robert Jordan

Review: The Forest of Hands and Teeth

 

Title: The Forest of Hands and Teeth (The Forest of Hands and Teeth, #1)

Author: Carrie Ryan

Publisher: Delacorte Books

Release Date:  February 9th 2010

Format: Paperback (Bought)

In Mary's world there are simple truths. The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth. But, slowly, Mary’s truths are failing her. She’s learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power, and about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, she must choose between her village and her future—between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death?

This was one of those books that drew me in by the cover. I read the description and it sounded good, but the story just didn't live up to it. I was looking forward to a good post-apocalypse story that describes that new world -- with some romance thrown in.

Instead, it was all about the main character whining for the whole book about how much she loves this one guy that she just can't have. It was really, /really/ annoying. Even when she has a perfectly good guy that loves her. Oh, and the post-apocalypse thing was really just a background. I wanted to know SO MUCH more about about the Sisterhood and the Guardians. I wanted to see a story that delved into the secrets of their world and revealed the ugly truth. However, the story just follows the selfish whims of the main character - Mary - and the quest for freedom...which is a severe let down in the end. And not because of where she ends up...because of the characters.

So, I gave this three stars because I liked the idea of the book most of all. Otherwise, I would have given it two. I wouldn't really recommend this book, because its mostly a waste of time and/or money. Sorry, but true.

I gave it THREE out of FIVE sporks!

 

Review: Mockingjay

 

Title: Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, #3)

Author: Suzanne Collins

Publisher: Scholastic

Release Date:  August 24th 2010

Format: Hardback (Bought)

Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived, even though her home has been destroyed. Gale has escaped. Katniss's family is safe. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol. District 13 really does exist. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding.

It is by design that Katniss was rescued from the arena in the cruel and haunting Quarter Quell, and it is by design that she has long been part of the revolution without knowing it. District 13 has come out of the shadows and is plotting to overthrow the Capitol. Everyone, it seems, has had a hand in the carefully laid plains - except Katniss.

The success of the rebellion hinges on Katniss's willingness to be a pawn, to accept responsibility for countless lives, and to change the course of the future of Panem. To do this, she must put aside her feelings of anger and distrust. She must become the rebels' Mockingjay - no matter what the personal cost.

I loved The Hunger Games and I even loved Catching Fire. But I don't love this book. For one, I don't feel the ending was right. I think Katniss deserved to have more of a peaceful end after the Capitol and President Snow was overturned. I wanted to see some more elaboration about her little pieces of happiness.

But...when you start Mockingjay, there is no turning back. I couldn't put it down, even though I wanted to. It was incredibly slow at the beginning, and I was so frustrated with Katniss. She wouldn't rise and do anything for such a long time! Then should would and more problems would arise. I just generally don't like the story. Especially with what happens to Peeta and then how Gale turns out. I was unhappy.

The deaths are countless and some really good characters die. I won't say who, though. I also think that the plot could have been something better. I think Collins could have taken the plot in another direction, something that resulted in a more peaceful -- not necessarily happy -- end for Katniss. I gave the four stars because Collins still can weave a great story and creates such brilliant imagery. Her characters are gripping and I couldn't shut it because I wanted to know what happened to them. (I almost cried at Prim's part.)


Also, to state it again, I HATE love triangles. Especially this one. I became so conflicted, that I just wanted one of them to die so she'd be forced to be happy with the other. No lie.

And I don't know if I'm making sense on the ending part, but I'm not quite sure how to describe. Yes, I know all endings aren't happy. There was just something about it that didn't settle right with me...I just can't put my finger on it.


However, if you've started this series, you have to read this. There's no other way around it. Just be prepared to be totally broken to pieces.

I gave it FOUR out of FIVE Sporks!

 

Review: Reckless

 

Title: Reckless (Reckless #1)

Author: Cornelia Funke

Publisher:  Little Brown Books

Release Date:  September 5th 2011

Ever since Jacob Reckless was a child, he has been escaping to a hidden world through a portal in his father's abandoned study. Over the years, he has made a name for himself as a finder of enchanted items and buried secrets. He's also made many enemies and allies—most important, Fox, a beautiful shape-shifting vixen whom Jacob cares for more than he lets on.

But life in this other world is about to change. Tragedy strikes when Jacob's younger brother, Will, follows him through the portal. Brutally attacked, Will is infected with a curse that is quickly transforming him into a Goyl—a ruthless killing machine, with skin made of stone.

Jacob is prepared to fight to save his brother, but in a land built on trickery and lies, Jacob will need all the wit, courage, and reckless spirit he can summon to reverse the dark spell—before it's too late.

I picked this book up at my high school's book fair because I was instantly drawn to the cover. It's pretty amazing, especially in person because one of the guy's eye is really shiny and stuff. When I read the back of it, I thought it sounded super interesting.

Upon reading the book, I've found that it's probably geared more toward middle-grade readers because of the very simple writing. The story itself wasn't anything spectacular; it was more about solving a problem which was only there to show the Mirrorworld to the reader. I was hoping to read about how Jacob's father went missing -- in the Mirrorworld -- and what happened to him. Funke touches on that lightly, but only for a few pages.

The characters were alright. None of them were very deep or interesting. I never became attached to any single one. The plot seemed to have a climax, but it wasn't very much of an impact.

I gave it three Sporks, because the world was interesting but it wasn't a book that amazed me. There wasn't much to the story, at least for me. I wouldn't advise people against it, but only recommend for light reading.

I gave this THREE out of FIVE Sporks!

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Ironskin

 

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

  

Ironskin

by Tina Connolly

Release Date: October 2012

Publisher: Tor Books

From Goodreads;

Jane Eliot wears an iron mask.

It's the only way to contain the fey curse that scars her cheek. The Great War is five years gone, but its scattered victims remain -- the ironskin.

Now Jane returns to the war-torn country to help a fey-cursed child. Helping the unruly Dorie suppress her curse is hard enough -- she certainly didn't expect to fall for the girl's father, the enigmatic artist Mr. Rochart. But her blossoming crush is stifled by her own scars, and by his parade of women. Ugly women, who enter his closed studio -- and come out as beautiful as the fey.

Jane knows he cannot love her, just as she knows that she must wear iron for the rest of her life. But what if neither of these things are true? Step by step Jane must unlock the secrets of her new life -- and discover just how far she will go to become whole again.

Comments;

I love anything fey related so this was an instant attention-grabber for me. The description sounds genuinely intriguing. I also really like the cover from the swirly smoke to her shoes. Something about the mask is off to me, but not hideously so that it ruins the face. Normally, I wouldn't like the font colour for the title but I don't mind it in this case because it really makes it pop out here. This seems like a book I'd pick up in B&N and buy. :]

What do you think?