{Review} Frozen by Melissa de la Cruz and Michael Johnston

Series: Heart of Dread #1

Publication date: September 17, 2013

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile

ISBN-13: 9780061953415

Synopsis       

The world has given us the cold shoulder, nothing grows in the wild anymore unless garbage suddenly found a way to multiply itself, yes you can find it in the ocean, in the waste fields but it doesn’t stop there, it got so bad it is said there is a continent made of garbage.

If the world going subzero wasn’t enough our government hunts those who are different, those that can do things others can. You see, if your eyes aren’t gray or brown not even running for the hills will save you.

Me? I am one of the lucky ones, I escaped the government once but my chances to elude them are growing thinner by the day and the voice that helped me escape is getting restless, I have to move, I have to find the Blue the only place that is rumored fruit still grows and nature runs wild and alive. They only problem is, can I find the right people to trust? Or will I end up being sold as a slave, abandoned half way or worst handed back to the government.

Review

There were two points that made my experience with Frozen hard to read and why it ended up being a DNF. First of all I would like to say that I liked the characters and if it wasn’t for those two things that didn’t let me experience the story as I wanted, I might have liked it.

First point that made this story hard to read, the characters age, you want me to believe that a person that wasn’t even eighteen served the army, was discharges, and fought a war? It makes it kind of hard, it felt like they were forcing this book to be Young Adult when it could have been a New Adult or Adult book and it would have still been an interesting read. If you are going to pull off something like that I think it needs a good justification, yet this book didn’t provide me with a satisfactory one.

Point number two was the one that really really killed it for me, you see books in one way or another depict human nature and if we know one thing about humans is that we will keep trying to survive but we will try to find new ways we will not get rooted, especially in times when our lives are at risk.

This book said humanity stopped trying and started keeping the technology it had barely alive by just fixing it, I am sorry but if you can fix it you have a starting point to know how things work and the possibility of making it better.

The main characters where likeable and I wanted to know their secrets, the story by itself was interesting, most of the world Melissa de la Cruz and Michael Johnston present us is the right type of messed up that makes you want to know how the characters will survive, but almost ever chapter I was reminded of the age and the lack of motivation in humanity that it won and made me put this book down.

I hope that if you read this book your experience is better than mine.

Rating:

DNF

{Trailer Sunday} Sever by Lauren DeStephano

Series: The Chemical Garden #3

Publication date: February 12th 2013

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

ISBN-13: 9781442409095

With the clock ticking until the virus takes its toll, Rhine is desperate for answers. After enduring Vaughn’s worst, Rhine finds an unlikely ally in his brother, an eccentric inventor named Reed. She takes refuge in his dilapidated house, though the people she left behind refuse to stay in the past. While Gabriel haunts Rhine’s memories, Cecily is determined to be at Rhine’s side, even if Linden’s feelings are still caught between them.

Meanwhile, Rowan’s growing involvement in an underground resistance compels Rhine to reach him before he does something that cannot be undone. But what she discovers along the way has alarming implications for her future—and about the past her parents never had the chance to explain.

In this breathtaking conclusion to Lauren DeStefano’s Chemical Garden trilogy, everything Rhine knows to be true will be irrevocably shattered.

{Audio Book Review} Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Publication Date: January 3rd 2012

Publisher: Harper Collins

ISBN-13:  9780062072030

Synopsis

Aria’s world was simple, easy, the biggest of her worries was the regret of how she behaved the day her mother left the pod to continue her investigation out of Reverie. Now after a horrible incident is rumored to have happened on the pod her mother was doing her research in Aria will do everything in her power to get to her, and to do so she must first survive the outside world filled with savages, cannibals, world and worst of all Aether storms that have the power to burn and destroy everything in their path.

Review

It has been a while since I finished a book and felt the unstoppable desire to write a review, and I guess I’ll be waiting a little longer as this is an audio book.

Because of the good combinations between Veronica Rossi’s story and Bernadette Dunne Flanger’s narration I find myself craving to read the physical book, to see how the taste of the story changes from Miss Bernadette’s words bringing this world to live to my imagination standing alone in Aria’s and Perry’s world.

Bernadetter Dunne Flanger made this audio book totally enjoyable, it was amazing to me how she made the story feel like it was just alive and how you could hear her voice transformed into a subtle laughter, sadness or whatever feeling needed to conveyed as she embodied Aria, Perry and Roar.

I really don't remember feeling like she cut the flow of the story or that she messed up at expressing what the story or its characters needed to show us. All I can say is that as the story grew to its climax I was unable to leave, even if I had had something important to do I was trapped in this story that wouldn't let me go and I wouldn't have gotten away from it either.

I am sad to see that Bernadette is not the narrator for the second book, I hope Michael Goldstrom does a fair job keeping the story alive the way that she did. When I ask myself what could I change about this audio book, its is just a piece of the story, part of the edition where the audio engineer didn't clear the "th", essing and strong sounds at the end of Dunne's words.

If you were thinking about trying an audio book or where looking for one to listen to, let me tell you this is a great pick, the swoon moments, the tension, the stress, surprise, relief and romance is well worked and played by both Veronica Rossy and Bernadetter Dunne Flanger.

Rating:

{Trailer Sunday} Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Series: Under the Never Sky #1

Publication Date: February 7, 2012

Publisher: Atom

ISBN-13: 9781907411052

WORLDS KEPT THEM APART

DESTINY BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER

Aria has lived her whole life in the protected dome of Reverie. Her entire world confined to its spaces, she's never thought to dream of what lies beyond its doors. So when her mother goes missing, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland long enough to find her are slim.

Then Aria meets an outsider named Perry. He's searching for someone too. He's also wild - a savage - but might be her best hope at staying alive.

If they can survive, they are each other's best hope for finding answers.

{Blog Tour Review} Dualed by Elsie Chapman

Series: Dualed #1

Publication Date: February 26, 2013

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers

ISBN-13: 9780307931542

Synopsis

The future twist and turns in unexpected ways, this is my present, your future. After war broke down in what was known as the United States our leaders decided it was best for us to to live this way.

Here we have a rite of passage, we are born in pairs, from the moment we are born there is us and our Alt, a genetic copy of ourselves living with another family a clone of ourselves living another life. Sometime around thirteen to our twentieth birthday we will be called by the elders to fight our Alt, winning means belter schooling, food our change to stay alive.

I am West Grayer, now an orphan with only my brother and his friend Chord. We are slowly waiting for our turn to fight, to be the one, be worthy.  This is my story.

Review

The concept for Dualed was really dark and that was exactly what draw me to this book. It was also the thing that stroke a chord and freaked me out, there was a point where I got so into what West’s had lost that I had to stop reading until I was able to shake the feeling of loss off of me, I can get mad at books or know that something tragic is coming and take a pause, but until now not one book had freaked me out the way this did.

After that magical moment there was a step back, West became a difficult character to like. I understand that there was a tragic event that changed her character change was too far out there and she ends up making what in my opinion is a really stupid decision, it adds a sense of danger to the story but it’s not something that the West I got to know at the beginning of the story would of done.

I loved the narration of this story, if there is something I completely loved was the narration of the story, the concept of the story and the way that even though we are not living it is a thing that I feel Elsie Chapman mastered, and don’t get me started on Chord I completely and utterly adore this guy he was my favorite character in this story.

The main problem with this story is that after the trauma that West suffers which is a hard blow it seems that West just feels like stalling in some parts of the story while others that I didn’t find completely relevant kept moving forward.

 I think maybe what Elsie was trying to do was to outline the elements needed to paint the full picture in which West Grayer lives and why her story is worth telling. But there where elements that could have been developed even farther that would have given this story the extra kick it needed to leave a lasting impression and a place in my heart, I hope that Elsie’s editor helps her develop the things this story lacked so that Divided comes like a roaring storm when it hits its publishing date.

Rating

Giveaway

Wait guys, there is still more, Randombuzzers is having a giveaway if you wish to enter it is fairly simple, just tweet the blog tour schedule (http://www.randombuzzers.com/blog/view/the-buzz/follow-the-ambuzzador-dualed-blog-tour/2013/03/14/) and don’t forget to use the hashtag #Dualed. Randombuzzers will be picking up two winners. Remember to follow them at @Rondombuzzers.

If you didn't like Twilight, then read The Scarlet Dagger by Krystle Jones

So this is the second eidtion of If you didn’t like the Twilight movies, I hope this really helps those of you that maybe because of this movie or maybe another reason got turned off from vampires, to the Twilight fans I mean no disrespect and if at some point what I wrote became offensive let me know in a respectful way, I’ve re-read this post and saw nothing that might offend you guys. Now then shall we take a lookf at reason number two?

I like my girl with spunk and a fight to give

Ok so Bella lost a lot of points in book two went she went into not only depression but also into self-destruction mode to be able to hear Edwards voice. If you want a heroine that is in some way related to vampires that can kick some butt, stay strong no matter what life throws at her and at the end of the day have a little romance on the side then I think ladies and gents I have the thing for you.

Series: The Red Sector Chronicles #1

Publication Date: October 23, 2011

ASIN: B005z26DWM

I think you will like the The Red Sector Chronicles where in The Scarlet Dagger we meet Sloane who is trying to make sense of what the world has become and the people they have lost. Sloane still believes her brother is alive even after the night vampires started slaughtering people where he disappeared.

Now Sloane will leave the safety of the city to explore the Red Sector in hopes of finding her lost twin brother, what she finds will not only defy her wildest dreams but also shake everything she thought she knew about her world.

In this book you will find action, romance a strong heroine, nice and evil vampires and a would that could turn dystopian right before your eyes.

Now the heroines in last edition of "If you didn't like Twilight" also fit this mold so if you want to take a look just click on the pretty little link right here.

{Books Into Movies} March 2013

The Host

Author: Stephanie Meyer

In theaters: March 29^th

Book Blurb:

Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. Earth has been invaded by a species that takes over the minds of human hosts while leaving their bodies intact, and most of humanity has succumbed.

Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, knew about the challenges of living inside a human: the overwhelming emotions, the too vivid memories. But there was one difficulty Wanderer didn't expect: the former tenant of her body refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.

Melanie fills Wanderer's thoughts with visions of the man Melanie loves Jared, a human who still lives in hiding. Unable to separate herself from her body's desires, Wanderer yearns for a man she's never met. As outside forces make Wanderer and Melanie unwilling allies, they set off to search for the man they both love.

Featuring what may be the first love triangle involving only two bodies, The Host is a riveting and unforgettable novel that will bring a vast new readership to one of the most compelling writers of our time.

Want to know more about The Host the movie? Then check out 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1517260/

Now that you know that The Host is coming out you might be interested in knowing that Robyn from Fairytales and Folklore are doing a read along two weeks before and after the movie comes out, we are looking for a Goodreads group so it will be easier for everyone to talk and discuss the book during the read along and also so we can talk about the book and the movie as much as we want.

Please let us know if you guys are interested.

{Cover Wars} Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Hello guys and welcome to another edition of cover wars where this week we will be shacking thing up a little, you see we always compare books that have had a cover make over but this week we will look at the same but only that it will be compared by an international edition. This week's contender is Marissa Meyer's very own Cinder! Let’s take a look at the book blurb shall we?

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.

Now that we are all on the same page shall we take a look at our international contenders? In the right corner we have the cover that started it all; with a red shinny slipper we have the original Cinder cover!!

On the left corner with the charisma of the beautiful cyborg girl sitting alone in the dark with just one glass slipper at foot, it’s been used in the Spanish edition and what I am led to believe is the Polish edition of Cinder!!

Now guys I must confess it’s the original edition of Cinder that made me read the book, but the international edition we see hear stole my heart.

The original cover is an allusive temptress with a clue of the book, a beautiful cover for a really good retelling of Cinderella. The red slipper calls out to you and there is no doubt about which story we are talking about, even before you read the book you have an idea of what it’s going to be about.

On the other hand the second cover is as  little bit more direct but it also gives the feel that Cinder will get up at any moment and head out to do what she must, I may not be able to see her face but I can imagine what she is thinking, what she must do. But I’m also conscious that if you haven’t read the book it is hard to imagine her that way. If I had no idea what this book was about I would find myself drawn to the beautiful dress and the curious about how this person lost her slipper I would find myself wondering how this cover and the way this book starts collide.

What about you guys? How do you think each cover translates? 

{Trailer Sunday}Struck by Jennifer Bosworth

Series: Struck #1
Publication Date: May 8, 2012
Publisher:  Farrar, Straus and Giroux BYR (MacMillan)
ISBN-13: 9780374372835

Mia Price is a lightning addict. She’s survived countless strikes, but her craving to connect to the energy in storms endangers her life and the lives of those around her.

 Los Angeles, where lightning rarely strikes, is one of the few places Mia feels safe from her addiction. But when an earthquake devastates the city, her haven is transformed into a minefield of chaos and danger. The beaches become massive tent cities. Downtown is a crumbling wasteland, where a traveling party moves to a different empty building each night, the revelers drawn to the destruction by a force they cannot deny. Two warring cults rise to power, and both see Mia as the key to their opposing doomsday prophecies. They believe she has a connection to the freak electrical storm that caused the quake, and to the far more devastating storm that is yet to come.

Mia wants to trust the enigmatic and alluring Jeremy when he promises to protect her, but she fears he isn’t who he claims to be. In the end, the passion and power that brought them together could be their downfall. When the final disaster strikes, Mia must risk unleashing the full horror of her strength to save the people she loves, or lose everything.

{Arc Review} Scarlet by Marissa Meyers

Series: The Lunar Chronicles #2

Publication Date: February 5, 2013

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends (MacMillan)

ISBN-13: 97803126429669

Synopsis

Cinderella has left the ball

Her metal foot lies on the floor

Besides it a prince with a broken heart

and an evil queen ready to get what she wants

On the other side of the world

A red hooded girl has her own problems of her own

Her grandmother's gone missing

For secrets they say she's been keeping

Can red riding hood trust the Wolf?

Or will she be eaten before she figures things out?

The faith of the Earth is being played here

The main pieces are assembling

Sides are being chosen,

But can all the alliances be made

Before Earth finds herself doomed?

Review

I know that that wasn’t a typical review, it just came out that way and I liked it and I hope you enjoyed it too.

Scarlet is a great follow up to Cinder. “Scarlet” is more about Cinder and Scarlet finding themselves in two different situations that will end up colliding into one story. Cinder is running away after the big bomb that Dr. Erland while Scarlet is trying to find her grandmother even when the police gave up she will do whatever she can to find the woman that raised her.

In this book we see the world of the Lunar Chronicles expand to what seems to be only a glimpse of what is to come, we see Cinder back away from the connection she has with the characters around her and at times also with the reader, we see that she needs time to understand everything that has happened to her, will happen and who she wants to be.

On Cinder most of the things where up to a certain point predictable, with these two stories matching up most of the predictability is taken out of the equation and you are left to enjoy the ride while you let the author drive you into this wonderful story.

If I could ask for something I would have asked to feel more connected to the characters in this book, the characters are interesting but there just seemed to be interesting people I was reading not people that I could feel their pains, their sorrows and happiness.

Still Marissa Meyers tells the story makes you feel like spending time with a friend you can relax, the way she describes the events that are happening makes you get lost in a world you can actually close your eyes and see and left face it Marissa Meyer can surely make villains that will have your teeth grinding every time you read them.

By the way guys, am I the only one that thinks that this series would make an excellent Manga and Anime adaptation?

I hope this review hasn’t spoiled Scarlet for you in any way and that you decide to read and enjoy this book as I did.

Rating:

If you liked Ever After: A Cinderella Story, then read Cinder by Marissa Meyer

There is just this weird appeal to retellings, maybe it is the comfort of knowing what is going to happen, the possibility of re-exploring a world we think we know, the pleasure of spending more time with characters we like or the idea of seeing the story we loved through someone else's eyes.

A good retelling goes beyond a guilty pleasure, especially if we get to enjoy strong heroines, breaking the cycle of the "damsel in distress" they might need help but they will not wait for their beloved prince to come to the rescue and if need be they will get their hands dirty.

That is the thing that I love about both "Ever After" and "Cinder" our heroines are strong, they might find themselves in situations slightly or completely different then the Grimm brothers stories or the Disney version but they will fight but they will also try to make smart decisions based on the information they know and even if who they are doesn't fit the society's mold they will not change how they are just to please others.

Title: Ever After: A Cinderella Story

Director: Andy Tennants

Stars: Drew Barrymore, Anjelica Huston, Dougray Scott, and Patrick Godfrey.

Release Date: July 29, 1998

Before her father died both Daniel and him where happy, they missed Daniel's mother but they had one another.

One day Daniel's father Auguste decides that the best thing he can do for his daughter is to give her a mother to give his dearest tomboy in the right direction.

Sadly after Auguste's death Daniel is demoted into a servant working all day and falling asleep by the chimney while she tries to read the books her father left behind, even if that means waking up covered in cinders.

A faithful encounter with prince Henry start a series of events turn Daniel's life upside down and into a future she would have never dared to imagine.

Title: Cinder

Series: The Lunar Chronicles #1

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends (Macmillan)

Release Date: January 3, 2012

In New Beijing leaves a girl named Cinder, a girl who turns out to be the city’s best mechanic. Even if she is the best she is nothing more than a second class citizen a fact her stepmother never lets her forget, she will never let her forget that she isn’t 100% a girl nor the fact that she owns her.

Cinder’s world starts to shift the day that Prince Kai asks her to fix her robot and her dearest stepsister gets sick with the plague that has reached pandemic levels and no cure is known.

One thing leads to another and Cinder ends up in the middle of an intergalactic struggle between Earth and the lunar Queen Levana, Cinder will have to have faith and do what she can to save those that never spared her a second glance.

If you would like to participate in a segment of "If you liked this, then read that" please let me know in Contact Me section.

Glitch by Heather Anastasiu

Series: Glitch #1

Publication Date: August 7th, 2012

Publisher: St. Martins Press
ISBN-13: 9781250002990

Synopsis
The greediness of human kind finally took it's toll and forced the survivors to take extreme measures if they wanted to live in peace, in their desperation they gave up a very important part of themselves, they're feelings. 
Now to keep the order and peace they have achieved they must take care of every threat, even if it's one of their own, a glitcher. Glitchers seem to be a common threat now. Glitchers are people that have somehow rejected the chip that disables emotions.
Zoe has started to glitch and has been debating with the idea to keep experiencing the wonderful experience she gets during those times even if it means living with the constant fear of being caught or to turn herself in and do what everyone has told her is best for the community even if it means she gets deactivated.