(2/2) In Which I Shall Read All the Books.

(Part 1 is here.) So. I haven't been very good with the saving up I mentioned in my previous post because I'm meeting Gayle Forman next Saturday and I need all of her books so I've been buying like crazy omg. But I have them all now, so I can formally commence with the plan! Once I stop spending on food instead lol.

I won What's Left of Me from a giveaway and I remember being pretty ecstatic about it, but then it went to sit in a pile and never left. The mixed reviews I've seen certainly haven't helped, either. Fury, on the other hand, was an impulse buy during one of the old days when I couldn't leave the bookstore without buying anything. Such a pretty cover, right? I think I've had Torment for more than a year now. I really enjoyed Fallen when I re-read it, and I'm pretty sure I'll enjoy it even more when I read it again. Or maybe not. Twenty Boy Summer: another impulse buy. But I've been in the mood for contemp lately so I think I'll get to that soon. I got Sweep back when I knew how to be a cheapskate and bought nothing but omnibus editions. This shall be my first Cate Tiernan book, I swear.

The Iron Queen and The Iron Knight I have because I got the uber gorgeous box set; The Iron Legends was from my sister; The Lost Prince I won from a giveaway; and The Iron Traitor I got from NetGalley. I should read these soon before I forget what happened in the first two books. I ain't got no time for a re-read. (And I could barely stand Book One!Meghan.)

Witches of East End was another rare cheap find for me. Along with Frozen, I got it signed by Melissa de la Cruz, which should be motivation enough to read them, right? Well, my procrastination knows no bounds. Fire with Fire isn't something I'll get to sometime soon because I have to re-read the first book. Not that I'm complaining. Icons is also signed, but I don't think I've seen even one positive review for it? Eeek. And lastly, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. I got this signed by Ransom but it's in paperback and there's a sequel and he's coming back so I'm gonna buy it again but in hardcover. Yeah, I don't see my piggy bank fattening up any time soon.

And that's it! I read more than 140 books last year but getting to these books somehow seem daunting. Silly, I know. I shall be back with a report by the end of the year! ;D

(1/2) In Which I Shall Read All The Books.

I have recently (as in this morning lol) noticed that I have a lot of unread books in my stacks here at home. A lot. More than I thought I had. Some of them have been gathering dust since 2012! It's kind of sacrilegious, I know, and since I want to save up for a bookshelf anyway, I figured, why not read them this year? So here I am, resolving to finally pull them out of their stagnant misery! I have no specific order in mind in which to read them, but I will get to them before 2015 hits.

Grave Mercy was an impulse buy of mine, if I remember correctly. I've heard nothing but good things about it and when I spotted it at the bookstore, all shiny in its hardcover glory, I just had to have it. Seeing as the last book - it's a trilogy, right? - is going to be released this year, I think I'll marathon all three - same goes with Shadow and Bone. I actually started reading it last year but I didn't finish it because it was so freaking good and I knew I'd go into depression if I reach the end and I don't have the next two books in my hands. Jellicoe Road I picked up just a few days ago but, for some weird reason, I couldn't get into it. I think it's something I have to read in one sitting and with my full concentration. I read Throne of Glass early last year and by the time Crown of Midnight was released, I needed a re-read; unfortunately, I didn't have the time. I think I'll read them both in one go along with the novella collection. I got a copy of The 5th Wave because of all the hype but I think I was daunted when I realized how long it is? That rarely happens to me. Anyway, I'll read it once the sequel is out too.

Ah, series endings. I've never been fond of them, so it makes sense that I scrambled to buy Requiem (I even have two copies) when it came out but still haven't gotten around to reading it, right? 'Course it does. Stolen, on the other hand, is a product of my procrastination. I know I'm going to love it so why hurry? But, I know, I'm missing out. Storm and Spark I purchased when I got the third book in the series from NetGalley. That galley has long since expired, and I plan to read all three once I have a finished copy of that one. I'm usually no good with book sales, so A Discovery of Witches is a rarity since I got it at half-price. I hope the same happens for the sequel lol.

I borrowed Pure from my friend months ago (or has it been a year? >_<) but when I learned it's going to have a sequel, I held off reading it. Now, my friend already has a copy of that sequel and I still haven't returned this one lol. I won a signed ARC of Venom just a little after it was released, but I plan to give that away and buy finished copies of the entire trilogy because I bet they're even more gorgeous in hardcover. I think I got Unearthly because I was mourning the end of the Hush, Hush saga (I still am :c) but decided not to read it since the third book wasn't out it paperback yet. But now it is! I'm really excited because I love reading books about angels. Life of Pi is a book I've owned since December 2012 because I wanted to read it before seeing the movie. Well, that's still the plan, only it's a bit delayed. And, like A Discovery of Witches above, I got Why We Broke Up in hardcover for half the price! I even screamed when I spotted it, I think.

This is only the first half of my deadly TBR pile, yet already I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. But oh well, it shall be done! What about you guys? Do you have any books you've long had but still haven't read yet? Share them with me in the comments!

Book Review: Vortex - Julie Cross

Title: Vortex (Tempest #2)

Author: Julie Cross

Release Date: January 15th 2013

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Age Group: Young Adult

Source: Finished copy borrowed from Dianne of Oops! I Read A Book Again

Goodreads | Amazon | The Book Depository

Jackson Meyer has thrown himself into his role as an agent for Tempest, the shadowy division of the CIA that handles all time-travel-related threats. Despite his heartbreak at losing the love of his life, Jackson has proved himself to be an excellent agent. However, after an accidental run in with Holly—the girl he altered history to save—Jackson is once again reminded of what he's lost. And when Eyewall, an opposing division of the CIA, emerges, Jackson and his fellow agents not only find themselves under attack, but Jackson begins to discover that the world around him has changed and someone knows about his erased relationship with Holly, putting both their lives at risk all over again.

(Spoilers if you haven't read Tempest yet.)

First of all, a friendly advice: Don't read this sequel without re-reading the first book; I assure you, you'll be at least a tad bit confused earlier than you should. It was easy for me to dive right back into Jackson's story because I picked up Vortex right after I finished re-reading Tempest, and if you take my advice, I'm sure the same will be true for you.

The story opens right after the events of Tempest. Jackson has moved his 'home base' to a few months earlier, preventing his meeting with Holly in an attempt to save her life from all the mess that he would inevitably bring. I pitied him, but honestly, I was more excited with the prospect of more action as he joined Tempest, the CIA division that was responsible for his existence. I thought we'd get more answers as he ventured into the devil's lair but instead, I just felt suspicious of everyone besides Jackson because they were all so damn secretive. 

At first, Jackson was the pariah in his group of trainees, and he didn't want to change that because he'd decided not to get attached to anyone, knowing how detrimental that could be. But in a job that involved teamwork, pressure, and danger, forming relationships was unavoidable, and I loved the dynamics between Jackson and the other agents-in-training, particularly Kendrick and Stewart. A guy with two girls as friends—strictly friends, no more, no less—isn't usual in fiction, and I enjoyed watching them get past each other's defenses and work together.

For the first half of the book, I felt pretty smug because I was keeping up with all the time travel shenanigans like Worlds A, B, and C; full-jumps, half-jumps, and Thomas-jumps; and all the years that Jackson visited. I even tweeted the author, saying I ain't one of those people who found the book confusing, and so I basically jinxed myself because right around then, the crazy went to a level that my poor brain couldn't handle. All the small details started slipping past me without my fully grasping them and if I hadn't read this in less than a day, I imagine I'd be totally lost.

While dealing with my confusion, a surprise came in the form of me not shipping Jackson/Holly as hard as I had after finishing the first book again. I just wanted Jackson to move on and focus on himself—God knows he already had enough issues to fill a magazine stand. Seeing Holly living a normal, happy life without him stung for me, too, and unfair as it was since she was absolutely clueless, I disliked her. But that bitterness didn't last long because Jackson's love dilemma was at the bottom of a very long list of problems, preceded by people he'd thought he knew but didn't, time travel being more complex than he'd presumed, and oh, new enemies. The poor guy seriously deserved some cake. 

If the first book had you bored at some point, you need not worry about the same happening here because Vortex is nothing if not unputdownable, unpredictable, and unforgiving. Someone just please remind me to take down notes or something when I read this again before Timestorm.

MY FAVORITE PART was Jackson's 'revenge' on Stewart :))

RATING:

{Blog Tour} Book Review + Giveaway: 15 Minutes - Jill Cooper

Title: 15 Minutes (Rewind Series #1)

Author: Jill Cooper

Release Date: June 15th 2013

Publisher: Self-published

Age Group: Young Adult

Source: ecopy for blog tour
Reading Challenge: YA + MG Time Travel Reading Challenge

Goodreads | Amazon 

I have 15 minutes to save my mother’s life…

15 minutes is all the Rewind Agency gives you in the past, but for Lara Crane it’s enough time to race through the city, find her mother, and stop her from being killed in a mugging that happened over ten years ago.

But that’s not how it happened. The story she’s been told all her life is a lie and when Lara takes a bullet meant for her mother, her future changes forever.

The love of her life acts like a stranger. Her simple life is replaced with a giant house, glamorous clothes and a new boyfriend.

Except someone knows her secret. And he will try to stop her at every turn as she races against the clock to unravel a dangerous conspiracy.

15 Minutes is an edgy high octane YA thriller that can be described as Back to the Future meets Inception where the people Lara trusts change in an instant. She is in a timeline she doesn't understand, and is about to make one fatal mistake as she faces an enemy so familiar, he’s family.

15 Minutes combined two time travel tropes: the "oh I have special DNA" trope, and the "some modern Einstein created a time machine" trope—that mix made this book different from the other time travel stories I've read.

What brought this book down a notch for me was Lara, our heroine. She irritated me by acting like a spoiled brat when she realized that she had changed the future drastically with her alteration of the past, expecting others to understand her outbursts and inconsistencies. I also rolled my eyes when she couldn't keep her raging hormones in check even while she was dying from brain hemorrhage. 

"Lar? You okay?" He strokes my hair back. Is he finally going to kiss me? Maybe he realizes we're meant to be together. "Your eyes are going bloodshot. Lara? Can you hear me?"

Uh, yep.

Maybe it was just from my lack of sleep, but I didn't fully grasp the science behind time travel here in 15 Minutes. There were too many Lara's running around and too many pasts, presents, and futures interlacing with one another, and it just befuddled me. I also didn't like the mere "I'm special" reasoning as to why Lara could change the past. (I take it there were others like her, but we don't encounter them in this first book.)

Like I mentioned before in a review for another time travel book, I like this sci-fi sub-genre because I'm curious of the what-ifs, and the answer to that question here in 15 Minutes is one of the harshest I've read. The synopsis promised a high-octane thriller, and it totally delivered. Just when I thought I had this story all figured out, it proved me wrong, and it was made even more unpredictable by the most sci-fi love triangle I've ever encountered in fiction.

"It makes me uncomfortable. You know all these things some other version of me told you, and you're looking at me like you expect something of me. Like what? Should I fall back in love with you? Because you told me that's how things are supposed to be?"

The ending was a cliffhanger, but not the type that made me want to throw my phone against a wall. Give me the sequel now, please!

MY FAVORITE PART was when Lara used her ability to save Molly. Talk about getting back at the enemy more than once! :))

RATING:

 

About the author:

Jill loves to blend horror, comedy, the supernatural, and love, through her novels. A fan of genre blending, her work strives to cross boundaries, but most of all strives to entertain. She loves soft cuddly cats, warm blankets, and paranormal romances. Jill resides in Massachusetts, is constantly renovating her home that she shares with her husband, young daughter, and two skittish cats.

Website | Twitter

Giveaway!

Book Review: All Our Yesterdays - Cristin Terrill

Title: All Our Yesterdays (Cassandra Chronicles #1)

Author: Cristin Terrill

Release Date: September 3rd 2013

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Age Group: Young Adult

Source: ARC borrowed from Dianne of Oops! I Read A Book Again
Reading Challenge: YA + MG Time Travel Reading Challenge

Goodreads | Amazon | The Book Depository

"You have to kill him." Imprisoned in the heart of a secret military base, Em has nothing except the voice of the boy in the cell next door and the list of instructions she finds taped inside the drain.

Only Em can complete the final instruction. She’s tried everything to prevent the creation of a time machine that will tear the world apart. She holds the proof: a list she has never seen before, written in her own hand. Each failed attempt in the past has led her to the same terrible present—imprisoned and tortured by a sadistic man called the doctor while war rages outside.

Marina has loved her best friend James since the day he moved next door when they were children. A gorgeous, introverted science prodigy from one of America’s most famous families, James finally seems to be seeing Marina in a new way, too. But on one disastrous night, James’s life crumbles apart, and with it, Marina’s hopes for their future. Now someone is trying to kill him. Marina will protect James, no matter what. Even if it means opening her eyes to a truth so terrible that she may not survive it. At least not as the girl she once was.

All Our Yesterdays is a wrenching, brilliantly plotted story of fierce love, unthinkable sacrifice, and the infinite implications of our every choice.

Holy cow. I won't be surprised if All Our Yesterdays ends up being one of my top five reads this year. It has everything I want in a book, and I was hooked right from the start. Considering the main characters' situations, the story should have been predictable, but it couldn't be farther from that. It actually made me gasp loud enough for my brother to hear from his room and think I was having a panic attack or something.

Cristin Terrill's take on time travel is different from everything I've read before, more scientific than fantastical, making this book more sci-fi and more plausible than the others. In here, the time travelers can change the past and greatly affect the future, upping the stakes in this exhilarating ride of a book.

The characters felt very real, and even if they were "related" to each other, they all had this individuality to them and it was just impossible to mix them up. They also showed how easy it is for people to change in a short period of time. Surprisingly enough, my favorite out of the bunch is the antagonist, the "doctor". His mind was messed-up, but the extra insight (God it sure is hard to avoid spoiling this book) on him portrayed his complexity, and by the end, I pitied him more than I despised him.

And apparently, Cristin Terrill knows how to write a damn good romance—a love triangle, even—with it adding punch to the action instead of getting in the way. And All Our Yesterdays is nothing if not action-packed; putting this book down was nearly impossible because something happened in every chapter.

A story of friendship, ambition, and betrayal, All Our Yesterdays is the book I'd give to a sci-fi-wary reader. The pace is crazy and the plot full of twists, leading to a shocking end. I can't imagine how the sequel will play out since this first book was wrapped up really well, if a little vague, but I'm already anxiously waiting for it!

MY FAVORITE PART is Marina leaving James in the restaurant. It really shows how a single decision can determine the future, even of another person.

RATING:

Wow, I haven't given this for quite a while!

2013 YA + MG Time Travel Reading Challenge

The 2013 YA + MG Time Travel Reading Challenge is the only reading challenge I signed up for this year—well, aside from the Goodreads reading challenge, but really, who hasn't signed up for that? Anyway, I read Tempest by Julie Cross last December and fell in love with it, so I figured, why not try other time travel books?

After exhausting this awesome list, here are the books I plan to read for this challenge (I may not be able to read all of these, but I'm set on reading at least 7 books... which makes me a Time Slipper! XD)

Vortex by Julie Cross (of course!)

Time Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone 

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

Hourglass by Myra McEntire

The Locket by Stacey Jay

So Close to You by Rachel Carter

Timeless by Alexandra Monir

The Named by Marianne Curley

Through to You by Emily Hainsworth

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century by Rachel Harris

I won't be able to start until February, though, because January's already proving to be hectic >_<