Follow Friday (#6) House of Night by P. C. Cast

For those of you who don't know what Follow Friday is, it is a weekly meme hosted by Alison at Alison Can Read and Rachel from Parajunkie. This week's topic:

Q. It's that pesky magic book fairy again! She has another wish: What imaginary book world would you like to make a reality?

Of course the first place I have to say is the Harry Potter universe. Who doesn't want to go to Hogwarts? Broomsticks and wands, cauldrons and potions, cats and owls. It was made for me.

But since Hogwarts is an obvious answer, I'll mention another story world that is absolutely fascinating:  the world of the House of Night series by P. C. and Kristin Cast. These vampires (spelled vampyres) in the book are teenagers when they are Marked with sapphire crescent-shaped tattoos on their foreheads, dubbing them as "fledglings." The change to an adult vampyre takes a few years, if a fledgling's body doesn't reject the change, which results in horrible death. As an adult vampyre, the crescent mark is filled and more intricate, sapphire tattoos sprout, masking the eyes and forehead.




The vampyres in this world are different than most--instead of being bitten or exchanging blood these vampyres are about genetics; "junk DNA" is triggered by adolescent hormones. Once they are Marked they are sent to the House of Night boarding schools--these books are set in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Also unlike in other books, these vampyres don't burn up in the sun, but since it can be very painful to them, their classes take place at night. "Vampyre Sociology 101," fencing, and equestrian classes are only a few of the classes offered at the House of Night. It's an exotic, refreshing twist from reading about normal high school. Not to mention there are many swoon worthy vampyres. (Loren Blake, for example. Yowza!)




House of Night badges by year

The House of Night website can be found here.
Also on the website, there is a place to download your picture and mark yourself. Here is a shortcut.
The author, P. C. Cast's, blog.

What story world would you love to live in? Have you read the House of Night? What do you think of it?

Follow Friday (#5) "Breaking Dawn"

For those of you who don't know what Follow Friday is, it is a weekly blog hop created by Rachel @ Parajunkee and Alison @ Alison Can Read. This week's question:

Q. If you could change the ending of any book (or series), which book would you choose? Why and to what?

Just a warning, I'm going to be very predictable here.

There are very few books that I don't like the ending. Come to think of it, there is only one in my mind at the moment. Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer. Now don't get me wrong, I did like the book, but there were certain aspects that disappointed me. I forewarn, if you haven't read the book do not read past this paragraph. There are going to be a lot of spoilers, and I don't want to ruin the book for anyone.

This is your last warning. THERE WILL BE SPOILERS. Thank you :)

First off, I have to say some of my favorite aspects of the book are the wedding and the honeymoon. I even liked Bella's pregnancy. I thought it was interesting how she had to have blood and was so attached to the child even though everyone was concerned it was going to kill her. I knew she wasn't going to die. Edward and Jacob would never let that happen. Most of my dislikes occur after Bella opens her eyes as a vampire.

First and foremost, I wanted Bella to act like a newborn. I wanted her to let her thirst control her for a while. I wanted to see how Stephenie described newborns through their red eyes. I understood why Bella was different, how she prepared herself for the thirst, but it still disappointed me. Maybe she could have been uncontrollable for a day?

I also read The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer and finally saw what it was like to be a newborn vampire, but it was still too controlled for my taste.

Another thing I wasn't too fond of was the fight scene. There was no fight scene. With the Volturi after them, the Cullens calling every vampire they know to fight, and Bella learning to control her special ability I expected a grand fight.

It ended as a confrontation. Not even a heated confrontation. But on the bright side, no one died.

I can't wait for the movie. I hope it's not disappointing!

 Are you a fan of Breaking Dawn's ending? Are there any book endings you dislike?

Follow Friday (#3)

First off, I would like to say thank you for all the follows from last week and I'm sorry I haven't gotten the chance to follow back or comment on your comments. I've had a hectic week and will get to it, I promise :) Thank you guys so much for the follows and comments! They are very much appreciated <3

For those of you who don't know what Follow Friday is, it is a weekly blog hop created by Rachel @ Parajunkee and Alison @ Alison Can Read. This week's question:

Q. If you could write yourself a part in a book, what book would it be and what role would you play in that book?

Oh, wow! Great question.

There are so many choices. Harry Potter--I would want a role like Hermione, smart and great with magic. Divergent--Tris, because she is ruthless and brave. Twilight--Bella, because, let's face it, who doesn't want their Edward? The Mortal Instruments--Clary, because I'm head-over-heels for Jace. The Infernal Devices--Tessa or Camille--I love Will and Jem, but Magnus Bane is the most amazing character EVER!

But all those books aside, there is a character that always ceases to amaze me:  Damon Salvatore from The Vampire Diaries--I've only read The Awakening and The Struggle from the series. I'm a huge fan of the TV show, and as always poor Damon has trouble with love. I would love to create a role for myself in the book--or TV show--in which I would be a love interest of Damon's, of course ;) Also, I always picture saving him to start the romance. *Swoon!*

Maybe I should start a fanfiction. Hmm...

The problem with being a love interest of Damon Salvatore? In the end, I would die.


 

Also, I would like to be a villain in a book. Not a killing villain like Lord Voldemort, but an antagonist, nonetheless. A villain is everything I'm not--at least I hope I'm not, anyway--so  I believe it would be fun, a challenge. Also, it's make-believe so no one would really be harmed in the process. I could be some backstabbing person in Gossip Girl or something along those lines. I've never read Gossip Girl yet or watched the TV shows, but it sounds amusing :)

What about you? What character would you like to be in a book?

"My Touch is Power"--Shatter Me

Want to win an ARC of "Shatter Me" by Tahereh Mafi as much as I do? Then here are two good chances at

• Courtney Allison Moulton and
• Tahereh Mafi

I've entered a few of these contests for this book and dying to read it! I know I have posted this a billion times, but I still can't get over how much I love the book trailer." Rarely ever do book trailers stick with me, but this one has since May or so, whenever it came out.

For those of you who don't know what the book is about, here is the blurb from Goodreads.com

Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days. The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old-girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

In this electrifying debut, Tahereh Mafi presents a world as riveting as The Hunger Games and a superhero story as thrilling as The X-Men. Full of pulse-pounding romance, intoxicating villainy, and high-stakes choices, Shatter Me is a fresh and original dystopian novel—with a paranormal twist—that will leave readers anxiously awaiting its sequel.

Good luck to everyone that enters, but I hope I'm a winner, too! *Crosses fingers!!*

Follow Friday (#1)

It's not Friday, but I just discovered this follow friday with an amazing question this week.

Q. Talk about the book that most changed or influenced your life (was it a book that turned you from an average to avid reader, did it help you deal with a particularly difficult situation, does it bring you comfort every time you read it?).

I have two subjects:

1.) I want to introduce the books that sparked my reading interest. First was "The Boxcar Children" by Gertrude Chandler Warner. There are 127 books in the series--sadly I haven't nearly read them all. The story is about four orphans, Henry, Violet, Jesse, and Benny Alden, and their many adventures. Their very first adventure is after the death of their parents, they escape from their home before their grandfather can find them. Though they have never met him, they believe he is a horrible man. Eventually they find their way to an old red boxcar in which they end up living in, thus "The Boxcar Children". Here is a spoiler, but they don't live in the boxcar forever, of course. They find their grandfather who is a very caring man and is happy to take in the children. "Surprise Island," "The Pizza Mystery," "The Haunted Cabin Mystery," and "The Midnight Mystery" are only a few of  the titles in the series. I highly recommend it for your children.

Other books that influenced me when I was a child was Goosebumps by R. L. Stein, a series of children's horror fiction novels. There are 62 books in the original Goosebumps with many spin-off series such as "Goosebumps Series 2000," "Goosebumps Gold," "Give Yourself Goosebumps," and "Goosebumps Horrorland". The first book is "Welcome to Dead House."

2) I was in fourth grade, ten years old, when I first discovered I loved to write. The books and author that influenced me and keeps me going is, of course, the classic, majestic Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling.

The first Harry Potter book I ever read was "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban". Since I had already saw the first two movies, I thought I would skip ahead in books. Something that year in fourth grade clicked. Our teacher announced a short story contest and my insides lurched. I entered the contest with a story about a mermaid and dolphin who were best friends. I didn't win and I don't know what happened to that story, but I've been writing ever since. I realized I wanted to write stories like Ms. Rowling; I wanted to be able to weave a plot, develop characters, and create beautiful settings. I  respect and admire Jo and her imagination. And I always will.

Some of my favorite books to read in the spring and summer are Harry Potter. It's almost a tradition. (Another random fact,  I re-read Twilight in the fall to early winter.) I love all the Harry Potter books, but my favorite would probably be "The Goblet of Fire."

What books got you reading or writing? I would sure love to know.

Gotta Love Those Covers

A few days ago the cover of the second book in the Chemical Garden trilogy, Fever, by Lauren Destefano was released. Instantly, I fell in love.

I haven't gotten the chance to read Wither yet--and I am very sad about it--but when I first saw its cover, it blew me away as well. They are absolutely gorgeous! I love the high-fashion photos and the bright colors but dreary girls. I just had to share them with you. So while I was on the topic of book covers, I thought I would post some of my other favorites. I wasn't able to think of very many at the moment, but the ones I remembered, I believe, are stunning. Also I haven't read "Halo", "Entwined", and "Nevermore" listed below, but I certainly intend to.

 

 

What are some of your favorite book covers? Have you read any of these books--if so what did you think?

Awesome July

Hi everyone! I can't hold it in any longer. I have to say that July was a pretty awesome month. I won four books--Divergent being one--Divergent tattoos, and an amazing blog award--thanks again Francesca Zappia! :D

In May, I submitted an entry to Novel Novice, a dedicated YA book website that has monthly writing contests, and their book of the month at the time was Divergent. Most of the time the writing contest is for short stories, but in May it was an essay and the question was "What's your faction?" Yesterday I discovered that I was one of the five winners, and I just wanted to share my entry with you all. I hope you guys like it!

"To hear my name at the Choosing Ceremony would send my heart into a frenzy. I’ve never been good with crowds, and having hundreds of people hungrily watch me make the biggest decision of my life wouldn’t help my anxiety. And to top it off, they hand me a knife.

Well, at least it’s meant for me to cut myself…

When I ask others, “Which faction do you think I belong in?” I always get the same answer. Abnegation. It’s a complement and I want to help others, but I am too selfish to be eternally selfless.

I will be involved.

As for Candor, I respect honesty, but the truth can hurt others too much for me to bear.

I will be kind.

And let’s face it; I don’t have a brave bone in my body. Though I dream for the excitement of a Dauntless life, I dream of a life in a faction more.

I will be self-sufficient.

As I stand at the faction bowls, the tip of the blade making a scarlet mark across my palm, I am at a crossroads. Erudite or Amity?

I’ve always pictured my bookish-self trying to expand my knowledge, but I question my potential. Intelligence is innate, not learned, and I fear I would fail Erudite’s initiation. Though there is a conflict between Erudite and Abnegation, but I will not let it influence my decision.

I will forgive.

Then there is Amity, a society who cherishes many of the same aspects as I do: forgiveness, kindness, trust. I could have a helpful career as a counselor; I can flaunt the beautiful colors red and yellow.

I will trust, even if only in myself.

So I plunge my hand over a bowl and let my blood drip onto soil.

I am Amity, I am peace."

 If I were really in the choosing ceremony, I would probably panic between erudite and amity, and maybe even dauntless.

Just for fun, what faction might you choose?

Shatter Me

A few months ago I posted how much the trailer to "Shatter Me" by Tahereh Mafi intrigued me, and how much I wanted to read it, which can be found in this post here. Well, now I have a chance to win an ARC over at A Fool's Golden Paradise, and you do, too, if you would like to enter. I'm so excited! I know I've already made this clear, but I'M DYING TO READ THIS BOOK! Wish me luck! And I, too, wish you luck if you are going to enter.

Happy Release Day to "Hourglass" by Myra McEntire!!

(Description from the back of the book)

One hour to rewrite the past . . .

For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn't there; swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She's tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.

So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson's willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.

Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he's around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

Full of atmosphere, mystery, and romance, Hourglass merges the very best of the paranormal and science-fiction genres in a seductive, remarkable young adult debut.

If you don't already know, today is the day that the book Hourglass by Myra McEntire was released. (Congratulations, Myra, my fellow Tennessean). Today other author's and reader blogs and websites have been in a frenzy about how amazing the book is. I wish I could state my opinion, but I can't to that yet. I don't happen to have it yet, but it's certainly on my "To Read List".

....I need a library card.

For reviews, here are some great websites to check out what other readers had to say:

Reading Writing Rachel--Rachel Hawkins

Mundie Moms

Novel Novice--Steph's Review

Novel Novice--Sara's Review