April 30, 2012

Spring Fling Giveaway Hop - International

Spring Fling Giveaway Hop
May 1st - 7th

Win a book of your choice up to $10 USD from Book Depository.

Details
  • There will be one winner.
  • You must be a follower via GFC.
  • International as long as Book Depository delivers to your country, check here.
  • Winner will be announced May 8th.
Winner: Emilie

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted by Book Journey.

Each week we spotlight the books we are reading, planning on reading or just finished reading.

Click on the image to look description in Goodreads.

Finished reading
I loved them both!


I´m currently reading


What I´m going to read next?



What are you reading on Monday?

April 29, 2012

The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda



Title: The Hunt
Author: Andrew Fukuda
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Release date: May 8, 2012.
Rating: 4/5

Buy it at Amazon | B&N |Book Depository

Andrew Fukuda Website
Read first chapters here

Don’t Sweat. Don’t Laugh. Don’t draw attention to yourself. And most of all, whatever you do, do not fall in love with one of them.

Gene is different from everyone else around him. He can’t run with lightning speed, sunlight doesn’t hurt him and he doesn’t have an unquenchable lust for blood. Gene is a human, and he knows the rules. Keep the truth a secret. It’s the only way to stay alive in a world of night—a world where humans are considered a delicacy and hunted for their blood.
When he’s chosen for a once in a lifetime opportunity to hunt the last remaining humans, Gene’s carefully constructed life begins to crumble around him. He’s thrust into the path of a girl who makes him feel things he never thought possible—and into a ruthless pack of hunters whose suspicions about his true nature are growing. Now that Gene has finally found something worth fighting for, his need to survive is stronger than ever—but is it worth the cost of his humanity?

The Hunt is a novel that immediately got me hooked, is a thrilling and terrifying story that had me biting my nails, it´s different of the other dystopian novels that I have read and I really like it.

In this dystopian world the “people” that live in it, have super speed, they´re super strong, the sunlight can be deadly and they lust for blood especially the blood of hepers aka humans. These vampireish creatures are really weird, they hiss a lot, don´t show any emotion, crack their bones, drool, they make my skin crawl. They´re really creepy.

Gene is a heper that live among them and he may be the last one of his kind, because apparently the hepers are an extinct species. The book is told from Gene POV, he´s seventeen years old and he pretends to be something that he is not; he needs to blend in, in a society where he is the main course, where he can be eaten if his true nature is discovered, so he must keep his true self a secret. To keep his identity hidden, he must meticulously groom and scrub down daily to remove body odor, file his nails, shave his body hair and all the things that can give him away as a heper. Gene is very intelligent and a survivor and he know what to do to survive.

At some point in the book there is an announcement that there are hepers alive and they ´re going to organize a hunt, the hunters going to be selected by lottery and Gene is the lucky one that wins one spot in the hunt. Now he must join the hunt and keep secret his true identity, because otherwise he might end dead.

The ending got me hooked; now I really want to know what happens next.

The Hunt is a must read if you love dystopian novels with a supernatural twist.

UK Book trailer

April 28, 2012

In My Mailbox (13)

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by The Story Siren, which showcases the books we've purchased, won, borrowed and received in the mail.


These are the books in my mailbox from the past 2 weeks.


FOR REVIEW:

Hemlock (Hemlock #1) by Katheleen Peacock (Goodreads)
The Glimpse by Claire Merle (Goodreads)
Glitch(Glitch #1) by Heather Anantasiu (Goodreads)
Timepiece (Hourglass #2) by Myra McEntire (Goodreads)
One Moment by Kristina McBride (Goodreads)
Intangible by J. Meyers (Goodreads)

Thank you very much to HarperTeen, EgmontUSA, Faber & Faber, St. Martin's Press, Netgalley and Edelweiss for the eGalleys and J. Meyers for the ebook.

From Latin Books Tours
Tempest (Tempest #1) by Julie Cross (Goodreads)

Thank you very much to Latin Books Tour.

BOUGHT:
La Invención de Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick (Goodreads)
Donde los Arboles Cantan by Laura Gallego Garcia (Goodreads)

KINDLE:
 (freebie)
Elemental (Elemental #0.5) by Brigid Kemmerer (Goodreads)



What´s in your mailbox?
Leave me your IMM link in the comments.

April 27, 2012

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa


Title: The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden #1)
Author: Julie Kagawa
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release date: April 24, 2012

Rating: 5/5

But it at: Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Read first chapter here.

In a future world, Vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity. Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die… or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for.
The Immortal Rules combines two genres I love, the paranormal and dystopian. This book is amazing; it let me happy and sad at the same time.

Allison Sekemoto is a girl who has lived her entire life in a city of vampires, where registered humans "donate" blood regularly and in exchange receive food. Allison is unregistered, so she steals and scavenger food, she does anything she needs to do to survive. Allie hates vampires and everything having to do with them. One night she is attacked by rabids creatures that used to be human and because of a virus they mutated and are now monsters that feed on humans. Because this attack Allie is on the verge of death and a vampire comes to the rescue and gives her the choice to die or become one of them. She chooses to become what she hates most, a vampire.

Later she has to flee the city and wander in a world she does not know. There she meets a group of humans who are in search of Eden, a city that may be a myth and Allie decides to join them, which is not easy because she must pretend to be human and try not be discovered.

The story is wonderful; I had a while without reading a vampire book that I liked so much.

The Immortal Rules takes place 60 years after a lethal virus called Red Lung has killed almost all the human population. At some point the virus mutate and humans were turned into rabids. And the non-infected humans live in vampire cities, where they must "donate" blood in exchange of food and protection.

In the characters we´ve  Allison a 17 year-old girl that had been living among others  unregistered, where everyone look out for themselves, and therefore she´s suspicious and she´s against any kind of authority, but has good heart and is very brave. Allie's love interest is Zeke a 17 year-old boy (I adore him), with very good heart and kind, brave and completely selfless. He was taught that vampires are demons, which does not bode well for Allie. Among the characters we have secondary characters such as Kanin, the sire of Allie, a mysterious vampire, he taught her how to fight with a katana, and also everything she needs to know to survive as a vampire.

The Immortal Rules is a book that it fast-paced (considering it's a book of 504 pages), has no downtime, this very well written and addictive. It has action, mystery and some romance.

I love it! I highly recommend it.

Quotes:

Naive, I thought at once. Naive, brave, selfless, incredible - and much too kind to survive this world. It´ll break you in the end, if you keep going like this. Good things never last.
They will never trust us. They will never accept us. We hide in their midst and walk among them, but we are forever separate. Damned. Alone. You don’t understand now, but you will. There will come a time when the road before you splits, and you must decide your path. Will you choose to become a demon with a human face, or will you fight your demon until the end of time, knowing you will forever struggle alone?

Book trailer

UK Book trailer

April 26, 2012

Book Cover Battle #3

This section or meme is call Book Cover Battle, the first time I saw it was at Books Passion for Life as UK vs US  and  Bookaholics book club as UK vs The World but because I don´t live in the UK,I can´t name it that way, so for now is Book Cover Battle .

My third battle is of the cover of

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

US                                               UK                                                Spain
Click on the image to go to Goodreads

I like the 3 cover but my favorites are the US and UK, I like the combination of black-white-red.

I like all the little details of the US cover, from afar it appears to be a doll but looking closely, what it seems to be a face is a clock striking midnight and what is seems to be the dress is the circus tent. I also like the UK cover, I like the combination of black-white-red and silhouettes with victorian fashion.

What do you think? Which is your favorite?

April 25, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday (21)



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

The book I´m waiting this week is

Title: Enshadowed (Nevermore #2)
Author: Kelly Creagh
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Release date: August 28, 2012
Add to Goodreads

The second book in a modern gothic romance trilogy channeling the dark brilliance of Edgar Allan Poe.

While Varen remains a prisoner in a perilous dream world where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life, Isobel travels to Baltimore to confront the dark figure known throughout the world as the Poe Toaster. This man, the same man who once appeared to Isobel in her dreams and abandoned her in Varen’s nightmare world, holds the key to saving Varen.But when Isobel discovers a way to return to this dream world, she finds herself swept up in a realm that not only holds remnants of Edgar Allan Poe’s presence, but has also now taken on the characteristics of Varen’s innermost self. It is a dark world of fear, terror, and anger.Varen is changed. And now Isobel must face a new adversary—one who also happens to be her greatest love.  
Which book are you waiting this week?

April 22, 2012

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer


Title:  Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl #1)
Author: Eoin Colfer
Publisher: Disney- Hyperion
Release date: August 4, 2009 (first published January 1st 2001)
Age range: 10 years & up

Rating:  3.5 / 5

But it at: Amazon | B&N | BookDepository


Twelve-year-old Artemis Fowl is a millionaire, a genius, and, above all, a criminal mastermind. But even Artemis doesn't know what he's taken on when he kidnaps a fairy, Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon Unit. These aren't fairies of bedtime stories; these fairies are armed and dangerous.

Artemis thinks he has them right where he wants them...but then they stop playing by the rules.
Artemis Fowl is a twelve-year-old criminal genius that wants to restore his family´s fortune. And how does he intend to achieve that? Well he plans to kidnaps a fairy.

This book is told from a third-person point of view and because of this I had problems connecting with Artemis, at first I didn´t get him, because if he´s so intelligent why get in trouble with magical creatures.

At first I didn´t like Artemis maybe because the narrator didn´t like him, but I liked him by the end of the book. Butler is Artemis´s bodyguard, he´s very loyal, obedient and trust completely in him. Butler is my favorite character of this book.

Among the non-human we´ve captain Holly a leprechaun, that is in the wrong place in the wrong time and is kidnapped by Butler and Artemis. Also among the non-human is Commander Root, he´s Holly´s boss and has very bad temper.

Artemis Fowl, is a good read, I didn´t love it but I like it and definitively reading the next book in the series. In this book you can read about of folklore and Irish mythology mixed with modern technology.

Quotes:
“Artemis was the closest thing Butler had to a friend, and Butler was the closest Artemis had to a father, albeit one who obeyed orders.”
"Butler scrambled to his feet. Fairy bodies were scattered around him in various stages of shock and unconsciousness. Scared definitely. Dead, probably not. Mission accomplished."


UK Book Trailer

April 20, 2012

Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris


Tittle: Unraveling
Author: Elizabeth Norris
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Release date: April 24, 2012

Rating: 5/5

Read first chapters here.

But it at: Amazon | B&N | BookDepository


Two days before the start of her junior year, seventeen-year-old Janelle Tenner is hit by a pickup truck and killed—as in blinding light, scenes of her life flashing before her, and then nothing. Except the next thing she knows, she's opening her eyes to find Ben Michaels, a loner from her high school whom Janelle has never talked to, leaning over her. And even though it isn't possible, she knows—with every fiber of her being—that Ben has somehow brought her back to life.

But her revival, and Ben's possible role in it, is only the first of the puzzles that Janelle must solve. While snooping in her FBI agent father's files for clues about her accident, she uncovers a clock that seems to be counting down to something—but to what? And when someone close to Janelle is killed, she can no longer deny what's right in front of her: Everything that's happened—the accident, the murder, the countdown clock, Ben's sudden appearance in her life—points to the end of life as she knows it. And as the clock ticks down, she realizes that if she wants to put a stop to the end of the world, she's going to need to uncover Ben's secrets—and keep from falling in love with him in the process.

From debut author Elizabeth Norris comes this shattering novel of one girl's fight to save herself, her world, and the boy she never saw coming.
The story takes place in San Diego California and follows the main character Janelle Tenner a seventeen-year old girl that has a sort of normal life, she is dating a popular guy, she has a great best friend, she takes care of her younger brother, she is the average high school student, until she gets hit by a truck and killed. And moments later is brought back to life or at least she think so by Ben Michaels a guy from school to whom she has never talked to. She is almost certain that Ben had brought her back to life.

Janelle´s father is a FBI agent and she goes through his case files because she is sure that he is investigating her accident and she wants to learn more about it. And sorting through his files she discovers several of them with mysterious deaths and with numbers that appear to be a countdown written on them. A date counting down to what?

Unraveling starts with a bang and didn´t let up. I was hooked from the start and it didn´t let me go until I finished the book. Is a fast-paced, page-turner with a lot of turns and twists in the story, when I thought that I had it figured it out, the story went in a different direction.
The main character Janelle is strong, intelligent, independent and self-assured. There isn´t love-triangle so the love interest is Ben and is not instant love from her part, she gradually falls in love with Ben and he is swoon-worthy. And we also have, Janelle´s best-friend Alex, he´s someone that always had "play" detective along with Janelle and help her with her investigations. He´s a great friend and she can always can count with him.

Unraveling is a thrilling and intelligent, mysterious, intriguing sci-fi thriller with action, suspense and with lots of twists and turns.

And the ending! Oh, I didn´t see it coming, I got all teary eyed and heartbroken. I can´t wait to read the sequel.

I´m thrilled that I got to read Unraveling, this book is amazing! I highly recommend it.

Book trailer

April 19, 2012

Book Cover Battle #2

This section or meme is call Book Cover Battle, the first time I saw it was at Books Passion for Life as UK vs US  and  Bookaholics book club as UK vs The World but because I don´t live in the UK,I can´t name it that way, so for now is Book Cover Battle .

My second battle is of the cover of Under the Never Sky.

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

 
US                                               UK                                                Spain
Click on the image to go to Goodreads

I´m not big fan of the UK cover is kind of strange, it seems a little cartoonish, until today that I really pay attention to the cover I thought that the guy had long hair but no, is the hair of the girl.
I like the bluish words in the US cover "Never Sky",they seem to have stars or snow in them and the Spanish cover also has it.
The Spanish cover I like it more than the UK cover, but my favorite is the US cover.

I haven´t read the book. Yet.

What do you think? Which is your favorite?

April 18, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday (20)



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

The book I´m waiting this week is


Title: Hemlock (Hemlock #1)
Author: Kathleen Peacock
Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books
Release date: May 8, 2012
Add to Goodreads


Mackenzie and Amy were best friends. Until Amy was brutally murdered.

Since then, Mac’s life has been turned upside down. She is being haunted by Amy in her dreams, and an extremist group called the Trackers has come to Mac’s hometown of Hemlock to hunt down Amy’s killer: A white werewolf.

Lupine syndrome—also known as the werewolf virus—is on the rise across the country. Many of the infected try to hide their symptoms, but bloodlust is not easy to control.

Wanting desperately to put an end to her nightmares, Mac decides to investigate Amy’s murder herself. She discovers secrets lurking in the shadows of Hemlock, secrets about Amy’s boyfriend, Jason, her good pal Kyle, and especially her late best friend. Mac is thrown into a maelstrom of violence and betrayal that puts her life at risk.

Kathleen Peacock’s thrilling novel is the first in the Hemlock trilogy, a spellbinding urban fantasy series filled with provocative questions about prejudice, trust, lies, and love.

Which book are you waiting this week? 

April 16, 2012

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted by Book Journey.

Each week we spotlight the books we are reading, planning on reading or just finished reading.

Click on the image to look description in Goodreads.

Finished reading


I´m currently reading

What I´m going to read next?

What are you reading on Monday?

April 15, 2012

Winner: Hoppy Easter Eggstravaganza Giveaway Hop



Congratulations!

Winner must respond within 48 hours of notification via email otherwise another winner will be selected.

Thanks to everyone for participate.

April 14, 2012

In My Mailbox (12)


In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by The Story Siren, which showcases the books we've purchased, won, borrowed and received in the mail.


These are the books in my mailbox from the past 2 weeks.

FOR REVIEW:
Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris (Goodreads)
The immortal Rules (Bood of Eden #1) by Julie Kagawa (Goodreads)
Until I Die (Revenants #2) by Amy Plum (Goodreads)
Dark Kiss (Nightwatchers #1) by Michelle Rowen (Goodreads)
Dreamless (Starcrossed #2) by Josephine Angelini (Goodreads)
Ashen Winter (Ashfall #2) by Mike Mullin (Goodreads)

Thank you very much to Harlequin Teen, HarperTeen, Tanglewood Press, Netgalley and Edelweiss for the eGalleys.

What´s in your mailbox?
Leave me your IMM link in the comments.

 

April 12, 2012

Book Cover Battle

This new section or meme is call Book Cover Battle (I´m not sure about the name yet), the first time I saw it was at Books Passion for Life as UK vs US  and  Bookaholics book club as UK vs The World but because I don´t live in the UK,I can´t name it that way, so for now is Book Cover Battle .

My first battle is of the cover of Cinder.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

US, UK                        vs                            Spain
Click on the image to go to Goodreads

I love both covers but my favorite is the Spanish. I love that the letter C in the spanish cover is a crescent moon and I love the dress and the shoes.

What do you think? Which is your favorite?

April 11, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday (19)



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

The book I´m waiting this week is

Title: Shadow and Bone (The Grisha Trilogy #1)
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Publisher: Henry Holt / Macmillan
Release date: June 5, 2012
Add it to Goodreads 

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling. Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha…and the secrets of her heart.

Book trailer


Which book are you waiting this week? 

April 9, 2012

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted by Book Journey.

Each week we spotlight the books we are reading, planning on reading or just finished reading.

Click on the image to look description in Goodreads.

Finished reading
I like them both.


I´m currently reading
Finally!

What I´m going to read next?

What are you reading on Monday?

April 6, 2012

The Weepers: The Other Life by Susanne Winnacker


Title: The Weepers : The Other Life (The Other Life #1)
Author: Susanne Winnacker
Publisher:  Marshall Cavendish
Release date: May 15, 2012
Rating: 4.5/5

Read first pages here


3 years, 1 month, 1 week and 6 days since I’d seen daylight. One-fifth of my life.

Sherry and her family have lived sealed in a bunker in the garden since things went wrong up above. Her grandfather has been in the freezer for the last three months, her parents are at each other’s throats and two minutes ago they ran out of food.

Sherry and her father leave the safety of the bunker and find a devastated and empty LA, smashed to pieces by bombs and haunted by ‘Weepers’ - rabid humans infected with a weaponized rabies virus.

While searching for food in a supermarket, Sherry’s father disappears and Sherry is saved by Joshua, a boy-hunter. He takes her to Safe-haven, a tumble-down vineyard in the hills outside LA, where a handful of other survivors are picking up the pieces of their ‘other lives’. As she falls in love for the first time, Sherry must save her father, stay alive and keep Joshua safe when his desire for vengeance threatens them all.
Sherry had been living in a bunker with her family for 3 years, but now they have run out of food and she and her father must leave the safety of the bunker and search for food or they will die of hunger. Their radio isn´t working so they don´t know what is happening outside, 3 years ago there was an outbreak of a virus called "rabies" that attacked the population, so the non-infected people were forced to take shelter in bunkers and not leave until the outbreak has been controlled. The government was supposed to notify them once the "rabies" was contained, but it´s been 3 months since the last transmission.

So Sherry and her dad leave the bunker to look for food and while searching for food in a wal-mart they´re attacked and they end up getting separated. Sherry is rescued by Joshua and he takes her outside of the city to a safe house, but Sherry feels guilty for having left her father and with the help of Joshua, they will seek him and try to rescue him from "the weepers".

The book is told from Sherry point of view, she´s a 15 year-old girl that has been counting the days, months and years since she entered the bunker, in fact she counts everything, how long had been since she last saw the sun, ate an apple, saw her best friend, this could be tiring for the reader, but it works in the story. I liked the character of Joshua.

Ohh and the weepers, they used to be human, but lost their humanity because of the virus. When I started reading the book I thought they were regular zombies, but apparently they´re smart, predators (I haven´t read many books with zombies in it) and really creepy.

The Weepers : The Other Life is a post-apocalyptic novel with some conspiracy theory. And the end of the story has a twist that got me hooked for the next book The Life Beyond.

Yes, I loved this book!

Thanks to Marshall Cavendish and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Quotes:
"Aren´t you afraid? She told me that you´ve been injured before. The could kill you."
"Sometimes, when I hunt them at night and feel them lurking in the shadows, waiting to attack, I´m afraid." He shrugged. "But then I think of everything they´ve done and about the people I might save, and anger wins over fear. They are killers. Sleep, eat, kill - it´s all they do"
"Those times are over. No one cares about manners anymore. They´re too busy surviving."


UK Book trailer

April 5, 2012

Hoppy Easter Eggstravaganza Giveaway Hop - International

Hoppy Easter Eggstravaganza Giveaway Hop
April 6th to 12th

 International as long as Book Depository delivers to your country, check here.
Winner will be announced April 14th.


April 4, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday (18)



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

The book I´m waiting this week is.

Title: Revived
Author: Cat Patrick
Release date: May 8, 2012
Publisher:  Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Add it to Goodreads

As a little girl, Daisy Appleby was killed in a school bus crash. Moments after the accident, she was brought back to life.

A secret government agency has developed a drug called Revive that can bring people back from the dead, and Daisy Appleby, a test subject, has been Revived five times in fifteen years. Daisy takes extraordinary risks, knowing that she can beat death, but each new death also means a new name, a new city, and a new life. When she meets Matt McKean, Daisy begins to question the moral implications of Revive, and as she discovers the agency’s true goals, she realizes she’s at the center of something much larger — and more sinister — than she ever imagined.
Which book are you waiting this week?