Book Review: Fracture by Megan Miranda

Title: Fracture
Author: Megan Miranda 
Publisher: Bloomsbury Australia
Release Date: January 17th, 2012
Format: Paperback 
Source: Publisher for review (Thank you!)

Eleven minutes passed before Delaney Maxwell was pulled from the icy waters of a Maine lake by her best friend Decker Phillips. By then her heart had stopped beating. Her brain had stopped working. She was dead. And yet she somehow defied medical precedent to come back seemingly fine

—despite the scans that showed significant brain damage. Everyone wants Delaney to be all right, but she knows she's far from normal. Pulled by strange sensations she can't control or explain, Delaney finds herself drawn to the dying. Is her altered brain now predicting death, or causing it?

Then Delaney meets Troy Varga, who recently emerged from a coma with similar abilities. At first she's reassured to find someone who understands the strangeness of her new existence, but Delaney soon discovers that Troy's motives aren't quite what she thought. Is their gift a miracle, a freak of nature-or something much more frightening?

For fans of best-sellers like Before I Fall and If I Stay, this is a fascinating and heart-rending story about love and friendship and the fine line between life and death.

Thought-provoking and emotional, you'll be swept away with Megan Miranda's raw and gripping debut. Definitely an author to look out for in the future!

I was really cautious upon starting Fracture, since I knew there would be a love triangle, and being the sort of person who absolutely despises unnecessary love triangles, I even put off reading it for a while. But after acutally reading it first-hand, I realised it was far from what I expected. And in a good way too. The "love triangle" in Fracture, is far from the usual angsty, nonsensical extravaganza that causes a perfectly well-written book to become an utter disappointment to me. Fracture was different, however. Everything that usually would've annoyed me - say, misunderstandings between two people, that leads to this whole pointless drama-completely flew out the window when I read this, and even I can't believe how much I enjoyed it.

Oh, Decker! How I wish he existed in real life. I usually don't like two best friends falling for each other (I just think a guy and girl should be able to remain friends without having any romantic feelings develop between the two) , but that thought disappeared gradually as I read on. Decker's exactly the kind of considerate and  protective guy any girl would want by her side.

'"And I lost it. I slept at the hospital.Actually, I didn't sleep at all. I couldn't eat. I just waited. And I made all kinds of bargains with God. Anyone but you.Anyone at all." His voice dropped to a whisper. "Everyone but you." '

 That quote instantly shattered my heart. Delaney is truly lucky to have Decker by her side.

As for Troy...I'm still confused about how I feel about him. From the very first time I met him, it was quite obvious there was something...not right. As I read on, it became increasingly obvious that Troy was messed up, both mentally and emotionally . Yet his actions weren't entirely uncalled for. I mean, we all know it's wrong  to end someone's life, but what if that person would die in a matter of days, or hours and they're actually suffering during their last few hours alive? Would you watch them suffer, feeding them pills to prolong their life, but really only prolonging their suffering? Or would you send them off, to stop their suffering? At times I definitely sympathised with Troy, and as much as I thought him as messed up, even delusional at times, there's no doubt his intentions were good, although his actions may be unforgivable.

Now my mind's whirling with unanswerable questions, and I have no idea whether it's a good or bad thing. What would I do if I only had one day to live? What makes a person human? Do miracles exist? And of course, how can someone, trapped for 11 minutes under in a frozen lake actually survive, especially since she had already died? Not exactly questions I can answer right away, but these are definitely questions that will haunt me for a long time after finishing Fracture.

If you love a good thought-provoking novel, that leaves you in a huge mess wondering what you would do had you been in that situation, then Fracture is the perfect book for you! Beautifully written, suspenseful and truly enlightening, Fracture completely blew me away. Highly recommended for everyone!

Young Adult Giveaway Hop!

Young Adult Giveaway Hop

hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer 

and Co-hosted by Down The Rabbit Hole

Here's another giveaway for you guys <3 

The last giveaway I did was in celebration of SUMMER here in Australia, so this one can be to 'celebrate' the end of my freedom :S (Since school unfortunately starts next week for me!) 

Sooo...you can win a pre-order of one of the following books :

Fever by Lauren DeStefano 

Arcadia Awakens by Kai Meyer

Partials by Dan Wells

The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jess Rothenberg 

The Fine Art of Truth or Dare by Melissa Jensen

Someone Else's Life by Katie Dale

or if you have something better in mind, you can choose any book under AUD$10 from the Book Depository!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: Fated by Sarah Alderson

Welcome to the third stop on the Australia blog tour for FATED by Sarah Alderson! I hope you've been keeping up to date with the tour, because there's something new and original to share with you on each stop!

Check out the schedule if you haven't already seen it:

24th January: Words on Paper - First Chapter Hosting
25th January: Novels on the Run - If you could control your Fate themed interview
26th January: Shiirleyy's Bookshelf - Video review
27th January: Tales of the Inner Book Fanatic – Fated Top Trumps and Fated Cast Battle Off
28th January: She Known as Jess - Grazia-esque magazine interview with the Fated cast
29th January: Read Me, Bookmark Me, Love Me Giveaway - 5 copies of Lila and Fated with posters!
30st January: Book Probe Reviews - Host video message to Aussie fans from Sarah
31st January: Sarah Alderson live facebook chat on Read Me Love Me Share Me
1st Feb: Eleusinian Mysteries - Evie and Lucas Q&A
2nd Feb: The Rest is Still Unwritten - Wise words interview from Sarah.

Sooo...as you can see, for my stop, I'm doing a VIDEO REVIEW of Fated <3  Okay, this is MY FIRST TIME recording MYSELF talking to my iPad and it felt..*strange*.

Ahh...well hope you enjoy it! (You''ll have to put up with a whole load of 'ums' and 'you knows' hehe, I get nervous talking to a camera!)

Fated:

Goodreads | Amazon | The Book Depository

Find Sarah Alderson:

Twitter | Website

You can read my review of FATED:

HERE. 

Book Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Title: Cinder
Author: Marissa Meyer 
Publisher: Penguin Australia/Feiwel & Friends 
Release Date: January 3rd, 2012
Format: Paperback
Source: Bought 

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

EEEEEEE!! A fabulous futuristic re-telling of Cinderella! I remember staying up until 4 in the morning, because I so needed to finish reading it! Seriously, this is no doubt the perfect book to start off the year!

There are likable characters, ones you’ll dearly miss upon the completion of the book as well as those you hate so much you literally want to jump inside the story and strangle them to death. I remember in the original fairytale, both the stepsisters were horribly cruel, but in Cinder, I loved how instead of two malicious sisters, one of them, Peony, was incredibly loving and sympathetic, always helping out Cinder whenever possible. Peony is definitely one of my favourite characters in the book! And there's Iko (I love that name :D ), Cinder's android buddy, who was so cute and funny. Gosh, I loved her as well! As for the stepmother, her selfish and viciously cruel actions will have you screaming your head off and itching to give her a piece of your mind. Slap her, strangle her, murder her- ANYTHING is better than having her thoughtlessly ordering Cinder around, not caring about anyone but herself. There’s also the Lunar Queen, who has got to be the most self-centred devil in the world. Yet as much as I hated her, she was a fantastic antagonist, all the same.

Of course, Cinderella meets the perfect prince! PRINCE KAI. *swoon* I seriously fell for his irresistible charms <3 Kai will soon be crowned the new Emperor, after his father’s untimely death from the deadly plague, and with this coronation and title, comes tremendously important responsibilities that seem like a lot for a mere teenager to cope with. Yet, he is determined to become an Emperor that does his country proud, and will do anything to ensure the country’s freedom from the evil clutches of the Lunar Queen. I seriously LOVED the interactions between Cinder and Kai! I mean, it's not everyday a mere cyborg and Prince talk like they're equals, right? And yet, Kai never treated Cinder like anything but his equal! Cinder and Kai’s relationship developed slowly, and readers will be rooting for them until the very end. I'm such a sucker for forbidden romance; every one of them breaks my heart!

As much as I loved *almost* everything about Cinder, there were a few slight issues. I like unpredictable books, with twists and turns here and there, that take me completely by surprise. I love it when I can’t guess the ending. However, several chapters in, I already knew what would happen in the end, and touché! I was right!But the predictable plot was only a minor downfall, and didn’t affect my enjoyment of the book too much. Another was the lack of Chinese culture incorporated in the story; I remember reading another re-telling of Cinderella, set in Japan, and you could immediately tell it was set there, because of the Japanese culture and customs. If it weren't for the honorific, I don't think I would've been able to tell whether the setting was China or some other part of the world.

Cinder is an imaginative and unique retelling of one of my all-time favourite fairytales, Cinderella. With an intriguing plot, despite its predictability, endearing characters, Cinder is a brilliant re-telling that will leave you desperate for the next book! With that cliffhanger, I, for one, am definitely eager to read the next instalment!

Waiting on Wednesday #17

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

Title: Auracle 

Author: Gina Rosati 

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

Expected Release Date: August 7th 2012

On the surface, there’s nothing remarkable about Anna Rogan: She gets average grades, she’s not especially fashionable, she spends most of her time just hanging out with her best friend Rei. But Anna does have a remarkable secret: she has the ability to do astral projection. She uses her out-of-body experiences to explore the universe, until one day when there’s an accident at school and her classmate Taylor gets into her body. Now Taylor’s using her new identity to accuse an innocent boy of murder and she shows no signs of leaving Anna’s body. The only person who knows Anna’s secret is Rei, and as her feelings for Rei grow she must face a future where they can never touch...unless they can find a way to get Taylor out of Anna’s body, stop the murder trial, and discover the true nature of Anna’s power.

Right, so usually I don't like books where the main girl falls for her best friend :S (Don't ask me why; I just tend to avoid those books) BUT the whole 'getting into someone else's body' part has convinced me to read it! PLUS there's murder involved! I have this obsession with reading about murder trials :/ (Blame Jodi Picoult!) 

What are you waiting on this week?

In My Mailbox #19

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren, which allows bloggers to share what books they've borrowed, received in the mail or bought in the past week.

Won:

Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert + DVD 

For Review:

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

NOAH<33 HERE I COMEE:D

Fracture by Megan Miranda 

Deception by Lee Nichols

Betrayal by Lee Nichols 

Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Why We Broke Up by  Daniel Handler, Maira Kalman

Daniel Handler is LEMONY SNICKET?!?!?! SERIOUSLY? I only just found out on Goodreads/Wikipedia! Wow, then this is definitely a MUST-READ :D

Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters by Meredith Zeitlin 

A Huge thanks to Bloomsbury Australia, Simon & Schuster Australia, Hardie Grant Egmont andPenguin US for the above awesomeness <3


What did you get in your mailbox? :D

Blog Tour: Destiny's Fire by Trisha Wolfe -Review

Title: Destiny's Fire 
Author: Trisha Wolfe 
Publisher: Omnific Publishing 
Release Date: January 10th 2012
Format: eARC
Source: Blog Tour/Publisher for review (Thank you!)

Sixteen-year-old Dez Harkly is one of the last of her kind—a part of a nearly extinct race of Kythan descended from ancient guardians who protected the pharaohs of Egypt. As Shythe, they must keep their shape-shifting ability and electric power hidden from the humans of their steam-powered world.

It’s the year 2040 and the Shythe Council has lowered their barrier, allowing the Narcolym—the dominant race of Kythan whose Flame ushered in the steam era—to enter their haven. As the Narcolym airships get closer, Dez secretly trains for an attack that her best friend Jace believes is coming despite the Treaty Act. Not only is Dez wary of war, and her growing affection for Jace, but she fears the change her fast-approaching birthday will bring.

When her power rockets out of control, Dez knows she’ll never attend the Shythe Academy with her friends, and worse, her mother’s planning to run. But a Narco named Reese could change her fate . . . if she can trust him. After Dez discovers why the Narcos have really come to Haven Falls, her guarded world crumbles. She’s forced to choose between the race who’s raised her and the enemy she’s feared her whole life.

DESTINY’S FIRE is an emotional journey of Dez’s struggle to overcome her fear and embrace her power—her destiny.

So after reading one of the most anticipated reads of 2012, Destiny’s Fire and harbouring mixed feelings about it, I’ve decided to change the format of this review to my very rarely used Likes/Dislikes form.

Likes

Unique and Imaginative world

Wow. Seriously Wow. No more vampires, werewolves, mermaids and paranormal creatures of the sort. Instead, we have Kythans, who are shape-shifter descendants of guardians who watched over European Pharaohs. There are two races, the Narcolym and Shythe, the latter being on the brink of extinction due to centuries of long-standing war. However, the two races want peace now, and must learn to live together in Haven Falls. The Narcolym/Shythe relationship reminded me a bit of the Moroi/Strigoi relationship from Vampire Academy since both are on the verge of killing off the other. I was immediately drawn to the world Wolfe has created, and it was interesting learning about the different abilities of the two races.

Endearing side characters

I definitely liked the supporting characters more than the main one. We have Jace, Lana, and Nick, who are triplets, and long-life friends of Dez, our heroine. Lana was such an endearing best friend; I loved how she took care of Dez and she was so sweet and supportive the whole time! I really liked Jace as well, despite his stubbornness which annoyed me at times. But he was also caring, and everything he did was for the benefit of his family and friends. Which reminds me, I hated what Dez did to Jace! How could she treat such a sweet  and considerate guy so horribly?!?!?1

Heart-pounding Action

I loved the last 30 pages of action! But I have to admit, it was mainly the thrilling action that made up for the well…parts that I didn’t quite like.

Dislikes

An Unnecessary Love Triangle

Yes. Unnecessary. I’m sick of the whole best friend/MC/Prince charming love triangle, and truthfully, most of the time they don't work well. (Or maybe it's just me). The thing is, if the love triangle were to be removed, it would have no effect on the major storyline, but the book would be reduced by almost 50 pages. Why can’t the heroine’s best friend REMAIN her BEST FRIEND instead of being put in as a potential love interest? It feels like a girl can’t have a male best friend without the guy developing more-than-a-friend feelings for her.

A very indecisive and slightly irritating heroine

I’ll admit, I admired her determination to succeed, her strength and perseverance during the worst times, but the fact that she ‘toyed’ with her best friend really irritated me. She was leading on her best friend while having feelings for someone else; I wish she could’ve made up her mind about who she wanted to be with, instead of two-timing and hurting both parties. Apparently she was lying because she ‘doesn’t want to hurt his feelings’. *facepalm* I was honestly really annoyed being inside for head for half the book because of her selfishness and indecision.

Truthfully, Destiny’s Fire didn’t live up to my expectations, but I was certainly impressed with the mythology and action. I’m definitely in the minority here, so I’m sure a lot of you would enjoy this more than me. 

Visit Trisha Wolfe on Facebook Here. If you're interested in following what comes next for Jace, Reese and Dez, make sure to 'Like' the page! There will be updates on BOOK 2, so be sure to check it out :D

Grand Prize 

• Egyptian/steampunk necklace 
•  print copy of DF
• DF bookmark
• signed bookplate.
  
  Wow, that's an awesome prize pack!
  To win this, make sure you enter on the last stop on the tour at A Tale of Many Reviews.

Check out the entire schedule!

Around the Blogosphere events + calling all TEAM ASH FANS!

(I think it's a bit late posting this event, but better late than never, right?) 

Two of the most awesome Aussie bloggers, Lisa from Read Me Bookmark Me Love Me and Brodie from Eleusinian Mysteries are holding a month-long Valentines event in February! 

Yes. It's a VALENTINE'S event! Which means SWOON-WORTHY guys are involved!!!! 

There will be giveaways, hottest exclusive content, Scavenger Hunts, Boyfriend quizzes (Okay, I'm seriously excited already!!!!), BOYFRIEND BATTLES and a whole load of other fun activities!!

Oh, and how can I forget? There will also be LOVE TRIANGLE DEBATES happening, where you'll be able to fight for your guy! 

So, go and sign-up to defend your guy!! (You don't want him losing, do you?!?!?!)

You can see the updated post: HERE OR HERE. 

(Seriously, how cool is that button?!)

And also, a personal request to all Ash (from The Iron Fey Series) fans out there; I'll be writing a post defending Ash in the Love Triangle Debate, so if you're TEAM ASH, please tell me why you LOVE him! :D You don't want PUCK to win, do you!? OF COURSE NOT!

DYSTOPIAN DOMINATION!

Wow, I'm already excited just from the name of this event!

The amazing  Kai from Amaterasu Reads and Precious from Fragments of Life are back with their Dystopian Domination event!

I don't know about you, but Dystopia is currently my favourite genre (yes, it overtook Paranormal Romace),so I for one, am extremely excited for this! 

There will be fantastic giveaways, posts, reviews, and all sorts of fun stuff! You'd be insane to miss out!

You can view the full schedule here:

http://shusky20.blogspot.com.au/2012/01/dystopian-domination-2-schedule-button.html

Also, check out:

Character interview/Giveaway of Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

http://shusky20.blogspot.com.au/2012/01/character-interview-with-ana-giveaway.html

Interview/Giveaway of Cold Fury by TM Goelgein!

http://amaterasureads.blogspot.com.au/2012/01/interview-w-tm-goeglein-cold-fury.html

Okayy...that's all from me!

Adiós :D

Book Review: Fated by Sarah Alderson

Title: Fated
Author: Sarah Alderson
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Australia
Release Date: January 5th 2012(UK)/February 1st 2012 (AUS)
Format: Paperback
Source: Publisher for review (Thank you!)

What happens when you discover you aren't who you thought you were? And that the person you love is the person who will betray you? If your fate is already determined, can you fight it?

When Evie Tremain discovers that she’s the last in a long line of Demon slayers and that she’s being hunted by an elite band of assassins –Shapeshifters, Vampires and Mixen demons amongst them – she knows she can’t run. They’ll find her wherever she goes. Instead she must learn to stand and fight.

But when the half-human, half-Shadow Warrior Lucas Gray - is sent to spy on Evie and then ordered to kill her before she can fulfil a dangerous prophecy, their fates become inextricably linked. The war that has raged for one thousand years between humans and demons is about to reach a devastating and inevitable conclusion. Either one or both of them will die before this war ends.

If your life becomes bound to another’s, what will it take to sever it?

Sarah Alderson strikes again! With a new heart-pounding adventure, Alderson has amazed me yet again with her brilliant story-telling and fantastic writing. Fated is definitely a book all paranormal lovers out there should look out for!

You know, I’m incredibly impressed with the paranormal creatures Alderson has created in Fated. There’s an organisation called the Brotherhood, comprising of different types of demon assassins, or Unhumans; there are vampires, shapeshifters , MIXENS (who have acid on their skin *shudders*), Scorpio Demons and Shadow Warriors. Then of course, there are the "good guys".Those who kill demons, are called Hunters; and there’s been a century-long war between the Unhumans and Hunters. Lucas is half-human and half-Shadow Warrior, and Evie, is the last full-blooded descendent of the Hunters. I won’t spoil the plot for you, but I’m sure you all have an inkling of what’s about to happen…

Evie is one hell of an insanely awesome, kick-ass protagonist! She’s level-headed, determined and the girl does not back down without a fight. Seriously, she’s plain amazing. Plus, she says the most hilarious things; check out her snarky Twilight comment:

“Are you trying to tell me that was Edward Cullen outside? Because you know, I thought he was supposed to be hotter than that. And a whole lot more romantic.” 

Tell me you don’t like her after that. I dare you.

And wow, Alderson knows how to write sexy, badass , drool-worthy guys – LUCAS.  (And just to be clear, I am NOT sharing him with ANYONE. Trust me, you do not want to mess with me; I fight dirty :D Just sayin’) Why, Why, WHY is he so perfect? The guy is willing to sacrifice himself ( and I mean literally die) for the girl he loves. *sigh* So, my question: Why don’t guys like Lucas exist in real life?

With a fantastic storyline, incredible characters, and might I add, very imaginative creatures, Sarah Alderson has delivered yet another spectacular novel for her readers to enjoy. Impeccably written, in addition to a sizzling hot romance, Fated is sure to impress!  I’ve had my share of spontaneous outbursts of laughter and near the end, an out-of-the-blue ‘YES! FINALLY!’. Anyway, guys, YOU HAVE TO READ THIS. You won’t regret it!

In My Mailbox #18

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren, which allows bloggers to share what books they've borrowed, received in the mail or bought in the past week.

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare (Thank you Walker Books)

(HASDHASIDHSAODHSAO IT'S CLOCKWORK PRINCE!!!!! I've been holding it off for a while :S I need to find a time when I know I won't be interrupted so I can finish the entire book in one go :D)

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand (Thank you HarperCollins)

(Umm...I'm obviously the only person in the world who isn't a fan of this series/trilogy :S Everyone's giving this 4-5 starts (the latter being the majority) but I'm 50 pages in, and already bored.. )

Fated by Sarah Alderson (Thank you Simon & Schuster)

(THIS IS PURE AWESOMENESS <33 LOVED IT!!!!! Guys, YOU HAVE TO READ IT!) 

Cinder by Marissa Meyer 

(Heard fantastic things about this! Will be reading it soon , (if not tomorrow)!)

The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff  

(Okay, so I went on a major book shopping spree at Dymocks, and I snagged this for only $2!!!!I loved Yovanoff's Smoulder, so I'm looking forward to reading this one!)

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver 

(Lauren Oliver made a fan out of me after I read Delirium. I'm definitely interested in reading Oliver's debut!)

Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes 

(This was another bargain :D I haven't read a werewolf book in ages, so I'm excited for this <3)

Vampire Academy: The Ultimate Guide by Michelle Rowan, Richelle Mead

(Now, I need to rest of the VA series to complete my collection :D [meaning, I have no collection at the moment :S] )

What did you receive in your mailbox? :D

Book Review: The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe

Title: The Way We Fall 
Author: Megan Crewe 
Publisher: Murdoch Books Australia/Disney-Hyperion 
Release Date: January 24th 2012/December 2011 (Aus)
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher for review (Thank you!)

It starts with an itch you just can't shake. Then comes a fever and a tickle in your throat. A few days later, you'll be blabbing your secrets and chatting with strangers like they’re old friends. Three more, and the paranoid hallucinations kick in.


And then you're dead.

When a deadly virus begins to sweep through sixteen-year-old Kaelyn’s community, the government quarantines her island—no one can leave, and no one can come back.

Those still healthy must fight for dwindling supplies, or lose all chance of survival. As everything familiar comes crashing down, Kaelyn joins forces with a former rival and discovers a new love in the midst of heartbreak. When the virus starts to rob her of friends and family, she clings to the belief that there must be a way to save the people she holds dearest.

Because how will she go on if there isn't?

Megan Crewe crafts a powerful and gripping exploration of self-preservation, first love, and hope. Poignant and dizzying, this heart-wrenching story of one girl’s bravery and unbeatable spirit will leave readers fervently awaiting the next book in this standout new series.

The Way We Fall follows Kaelyn’s life once a deadly virus starts spreading through her island. No one knows anything about this virus, and there is no cure. Everyday, more and more people are getting infected by this unknown virus, and even more people are dying. The government has quarantined the island, preventing anyone from neither arriving nor leaving. It’s pretty much a death sentence for everyone on the island.

Megan has delivered a heartbreaking story of love, loss and one’s need for survival. I was constantly asking myself, ‘ What if this happened to everyone around me? How do I endure watching everyone around me, everyone I love change from a perfectly normal person one day, to an insane person the next, and then, just.. die?’Needless to say, I really did not want to answer those questions. Yet that’s exactly what 16 year old Kaelyn is experiencing. She has to watch her family,friends, neighbours, , people she’s known her whole life just suddenly disappear in the blink of an eye. I really enjoyed Kaelyn’s voice- she’s level-headed and brave, and always thinking of others before herself. Her feelings of fear, hopelessness, and desperation were contagious; every feeling she felt, I felt it too. This is definitely a raw, gripping and realistic read.

is written in the form of a series of diary entries/ letters to Kaelyn’s best friend, L eo who left the island two years earlier after a dispute between the two. While I found this style interesting and refreshing, I have to admit, it didn’t work too well at times. It was only the beginning and ending of each entry and the occasional second-person narration that indicated it was written in a diary/letter form, but the rest of book felt more like a first-narration prose. The writing seemed too formal and there was too much re-telling for a letter addressed to one’s best friend. But I was able to overlook this, once Kaelyn’s story drew me in.

I also wished that Leo had played a more prominent role in this book; he’s mentioned throughout, yet he never made an appearance. There was also an unexpected romance but unfortunately, I wasn’t entirely moved by it. Other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed The Way We Fall!

I’ve been debating whether to give this 4 or 5 star, so I’ll settle on 4.5 stars. I feel like my rating contradicts my review but my since my rating system’s an indication of my overall enjoyment of the book, and this was definitely one of those‘unputdownable’ books for me, despite its flaws, I think I'll just settle on 4.5 stars :)

Watch the trailer below!

Cover Reveal: City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

City of Lost Souls 

by Cassandra Clare

May 8th 2012

Goodreads 

Blurb from Goodreads:

In Book 5: City of Lost Souls, the Shadowhunters struggle to piece together their shattered world after a betrayal by one of their own leaves them reeling.

I'm in two minds about this; on one hand, I DO find this incredibly gorgeous, but on the other, this cover feels...a little different compared to the other 4 books. It might be the fact that on the previous four books, the model's forehead has been cut off? Hmm...

BUT Jace DOES look hot here <3 

I wasn't a fan of CoFA (unfortunately), but let's hope this one will be much better!

You can read the PROLOGUE of CoLS HERE.

What do you think of the cover?

Waiting on Wednesday #16

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

Title: Insignia 

Author: S.J Kincaid

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books 

Expected Release Date: June 10th 2012

IT'S WORLD WAR III.
THE ENEMY IS WINNING.
WHAT IF THE GOVERNMENT'S SECRET WEAPON IS YOU?

More than anything, Tom Raines wants to be important, though his shadowy life is anything but that. For years, Tom’s drifted from casino to casino with his unlucky gambler of a dad, gaming for their survival. Keeping a roof over their heads depends on a careful combination of skill, luck, con artistry, and staying invisible.

Then one day, Tom stops being invisible. Someone’s been watching his virtual-reality prowess, and he’s offered the incredible—a place at the Pentagonal Spire, an elite military academy. There, Tom’s instincts for combat will be put to the test, and if he passes, he’ll become a member of the Intrasolar Forces, helping to lead his country to victory in World War Three. Finally, he’ll be someone important: a superhuman war machine with the tech skills that every virtual-reality warrior dreams of. Life at the Spire holds everything that Tom’s always wanted—friends, the possibility of a girlfriend, and a life where his every action matters—but what will it cost him?

Gripping and provocative, S. J. Kincaid’s futuristic thrill ride of a debut crackles with memorable characters, tremendous wit, and a vision of the future that asks startling, timely questions about the melding of humanity and technology.

WORLD WAR THREE. Like, WOW! This definitely sounds like an edge-of-your-seat thriller with lots of heart-pounding action! Sounds awesome, no? :D

What are you waiting on this week?

Book Review: Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Title: Under The Never Sky
Author: Veronica Rossi
Publisher: Murdoch Books Australia
Release Date: January 3rd, 2012/December 2011 (Aus)
Format: Paperback
Source: Publisher for review (Thank you!)

Aria is a teenager in the enclosed city of Reverie. Like all Dwellers, she spends her time with friends in virtual environments, called Realms, accessed through an eyepiece called a Smarteye. Aria enjoys the Realms and the easy life in Reverie. When she is forced out of the pod for a crime she did not commit, she believes her death is imminent. The outside world is known as The Death Shop, with danger in every direction.

As an Outsider, Perry has always known hunger, vicious predators, and violent energy storms from the swirling electrified atmosphere called the Aether. A bit of an outcast even among his hunting tribe, Perry withstands these daily tests with his exceptional abilities, as he is gifted with powerful senses that enable him to scent danger, food and even human emotions.

They come together reluctantly, for Aria must depend on Perry, whom she considers abarbarian, to help her get back to Reverie, while Perry needs Aria to help unravel the mystery of his beloved nephew’s abduction by the Dwellers. Together they embark on a journey challenged as much by their prejudices as by encounters with cannibals and wolves. But to their surprise, Aria and Perry forge an unlikely love - one that will forever change the fate of all who live UNDER THE NEVER SKY

The first book in a captivating trilogy, Veronica Rossi’s enthralling debut sweeps you into an unforgettable adventure

Wow. That was exactly what I thought immediately after I finished reading Under the Never Sky. I had high expectations when I dived into this, but I never expected myself to love it so much! Under the Never Sky is a story where romance takes a backseat to the plot and the survival of the characters. (Thank goodness, since so many YA books right now focuses heavily on romance and the actual plot is forgotten!) It's a story with courageous and responsible characters who know their priorities and who will sacrifice their lives for those they love. So basically, Under the Never Sky is a must read for 2012!

Let's start with the fantastic and unique world-building. Aria lives in Reverie, an enclosed city, where she is protected from the raging energy storms (Aether storms). She is able to access different virtual Realms through her eyepiece, called a Smarteye. The Smarteye allows her to be anyone, anywhere and at anytime. The world Aria lives in is one that is so unique and completely different from anything else I've read before. However, as much as the world fascinated me, I have to admit that I was confused with a lot of the terms used; for example, the book never directly explained what Aethers were, but I guess as I read on, it became easier to understand what they were.

So, what happens? Aria is exiled from her home after she is accused of a crime she did not commit and is left to die on the Outside. Perry, an Outsider is in search of his nephew who was recently kidnapped by Dwellers. A chance encounter results in an unlikely alliance between the two as each needs the other in order to find their family member - Perry to find his nephew and Aria to find her mother. They embark on a dangerous journey and must overcome all the obstacles in order to reach their destination and achieve their goals all under the never sky. I loved how throughout the book, the story never wavered from the plotline and the characters never forgot their priorities and what they set out to do in the first place.

Perry. I can't write this review without gushing over how amazingly kindhearted, loyal and even a little mysterious he is! He was always taking care of everyone around him, even Aria, when he barely knew her and hated her for what her kind did to his nephew. He was also willing to sacrifice his life for the person he loves most, knowing that by rescuing him, it would probably mean a death sentence for him. Oh, and the guy also has a sense of humour as well! What's not to love?

There's also Aria, our protagonist, whose character develops immensely throughout the book. I remember she was this frightened little girl, out by herself in a completely foreign environment, knowing she only had days left to live. But once this spark of hope ignited in her that she'll eventually find her mother, she started doing everything she could to survive and help Perry as well. During her time in the wild, she really changed to a strong, and independent woman who knew how to fight and even use knives to kill her enemy! And one thing I loved about her - she never gave up hope!

Oh, and how I loved the sweet romance! Thank goodness it wasn't insta-love, but in fact, quite the opposite. Aria and Perry's relationship develop as time passes, going from two strangers who ignored each other, to allies, and then, finally do they realise the feelings they have for one another is love. It's been a while since I've read such a satisfying romance that has the effect of even making my own heart start beating faster.

And, oh my goodness. THAT ENDING. It was so, incredibly heartbreaking. That cruel revelation at the end was also unexpected and unpredictable (at least, I never saw it coming!).Yet that ending, while heartbreaking also seemed so PERFECT. Now, I have to *try* to live through one whole year, all the while waiting impatiently for any news on the second book! Which basically equates to : I NEED THE SEQUEL NOW!!!

You know what? UTNS has made it to my favorite books read in 2011. Wait, scratch that. It's one of my all-time favourite books!