Cover Lover {96}

Of course we all know you should never judge a book by it's cover, but do we ever really listen?
Cover Lover showcases eye-catching, intriguing, and beautiful covers.

This week's Cover Lover goes to What We Lost by Sara Zarr

Publish Date: April 2, 2013 (paperback rebranding)

I really love this cover. I like that you can only see the girl's back, and maybe this is strange, but I like that she's wearing pants. Girls don't get to wear pants on a lot of covers. I like the mix of photography and graphics. They have a nice hand-drawn look about them.

Cover Lover {95}

Of course we all know you should never judge a book by it's cover, but do we ever really listen?
Cover Lover showcases eye-catching, intriguing, and beautiful covers.

This week's Cover Lover goes to Two and Twenty Dark Tales edited by Georgia McBride and Michelle Zink

Publish Date: October 16, 2012

I really like that all the authors' names are worked into the cover. It doesn't look messy and actually adds something essential to the cover, in my opinion. The floating paper birds are fun and unique as well.

Cover Lover {94}

Of course we all know you should never judge a book by it's cover, but do we ever really listen?
Cover Lover showcases eye-catching, intriguing, and beautiful covers.

This week's Cover Lover goes to 'Til the World Ends by Julie Kagawa, Ann Aguirre, and Karen Duvall

Publish Date: January 29, 2013

I have a thing for cutouts when they're done well and this one is definitely done well. All that color coming through from behind goes well with the black background. The thing branching off from the "E" really adds to the overall look, but I'm still not quite sure what it is. Is it, like, arteries? Does anyone know?

Cover Lover {93}

Of course we all know you should never judge a book by it's cover, but do we ever really listen?
Cover Lover showcases eye-catching, intriguing, and beautiful covers.

This week's Cover Lover goes to Tides by Betsy Cornwell

Publish Date: June 4, 2013

First of all, the color is pretty and calming. It gives the cover the magical feel you get from being underwater. Second, I totally love the seal. It's adorable. And the title is lovely. The font is simple, but the little designs on the "T" and "S" make it look like something special.

Cover Lover {92}

Of course we all know you should never judge a book by it's cover, but do we ever really listen?
Cover Lover showcases eye-catching, intriguing, and beautiful covers.

This week's Cover Lover goes to This is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith

Publish Date: April 2, 2013

This cover is completely adorable. How can someone look at this cover with it's happy "Happy", cute hand-holding couple, and fun sunshine/sunset and not smile?

Cover Lover {91}

Of course we all know you should never judge a book by it's cover, but do we ever really listen?
Cover Lover showcases eye-catching, intriguing, and beautiful covers.

This week's Cover Lover goes to These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

Publish Date: December 10, 2013

This cover is pretty amazing. I mean, yeah, it's a girl in a pretty dress, but just look at that dress! It's huge and flowy and awesome. The background is gorgeous and goes well with the color of the dress and her bright hair. And, of course, I'm always a fan of awesomely giant titles.

Cover Lover {90}

Of course we all know you should never judge a book by it's cover, but do we ever really listen?
Cover Lover showcases eye-catching, intriguing, and beautiful covers.

This week's Cover Lover goes to The Great Unexpected by Sharon Creech

Publish Date: September 4, 2012

This cover feels magical. I kind of want to pet the grass because it just looks so darn fuzzy. The colors pop and everything about the cover just makes me feel warm and happy inside.

Cover Lover {89}

Of course we all know you should never judge a book by it's cover, but do we ever really listen?
Cover Lover showcases eye-catching, intriguing, and beautiful covers.

This week's Cover Lover goes to The End Games by T. Michael Martin

Publish Date: May 7, 2013

I really love me a good creepy cover and this is the best I've seen in a long time. I mean, with those creepy tree people and red sky it chills my spine a bit, but also really makes me want to read it. I love way the trees are used for the title as well. And I'm not sure if it's the colors or the graphics, but it really just pops off the screen (or shelf.)

Cover Lover {88}

Of course we all know you should never judge a book by it's cover, but do we ever really listen?
Cover Lover showcases eye-catching, intriguing, and beautiful covers.

This week's Cover Lover goes to The Beautiful and the Cursed by Page Morgan

Publish Date: May 14, 2013

If you take away the girl (or give her a different expression) looking as if she's going to faint, this cover is stunning. I mean, it's still lovely, I just think that would've made it even better. I love how all the colors look a little washed out too.

Cover Lover {87}

Of course we all know you should never judge a book by it's cover, but do we ever really listen?
Cover Lover showcases eye-catching, intriguing, and beautiful covers.

This week's Cover Lover goes to Tandem by Anna Jarzab

Publish Date: October 8, 2013

I was a little weirded out at first by the girl's face in the bird, but after looking at it a few more times I really started to like it. I love the whole cutout look with the pretty space stuff peeking through. I kind of dig that the girl is staring straight out instead of off to the side or whatever too.

Cover Lover {86}

Of course we all know you should never judge a book by it's cover, but do we ever really listen?
Cover Lover showcases eye-catching, intriguing, and beautiful covers.

This week's Cover Lover goes to Taking Back Forever by Karen Amanda Hooper

Publish Date: May 2013

This cover is crazy awesome. I have no idea what these books are about, so I don't know if the cover fits the story, but I love it anyway. First of all, I'm digging the moody punk vibe going on with the black petals, feathers, clothes, and pretty hardcore boots. Then there's the purple heart in the cage which is kind of pretty and as well as slightly creepy. The eyes on the bottom kind of freak me out, though.

Cover Lover {85}

Of course we all know you should never judge a book by it's cover, but do we ever really listen?
Cover Lover showcases eye-catching, intriguing, and beautiful covers.

This week's Cover Lover goes to Taken by Erin Bowman

Publish Date: April 16, 2013

Man, this cover is gorgeous. There's just so much awesome going on. The colors are lovely and blend together well. I love the strange, mysterious tree and it's reflection. It, along with the buildings(?) on the side are mysterious and make me want to pick up the book to find out what's going on. I wish the guy was the only one on the cover, though. I imagine the girl is important to the story, but I'd rather it wasn't always a couple on covers.

Cover Lover {84}

Of course we all know you should never judge a book by it's cover, but do we ever really listen?
Cover Lover showcases eye-catching, intriguing, and beautiful covers.

This week's Cover Lover goes to The Symptoms of My Insanity by Mindy Raf

Publish Date: April 18, 2013

It's not your typical YA cover, and that's what I like about it. The colors and objects are all fascinating. I imagine (I haven't read it) that most, if not all, all of objects have a something to do with the story. I think this might actually be the old cover, but the new isn't as good, in my opinion.

Cover Lover {83}

Of course we all know you should never judge a book by it's cover, but do we ever really listen?
Cover Lover showcases eye-catching, intriguing, and beautiful covers.

This week's Cover Lover goes to Summer and Bird by Katherine Catmull

Publish Date: October 2, 2012

I love the simplicity of this cover. Sure, there's quite a bit going on, but it still manages to look simple. It's straightforward as well: birds in the title, birds on the cover. 

Cover Lover {82}

Of course we all know you should never judge a book by it's cover, but do we ever really listen?
Cover Lover showcases eye-catching, intriguing, and beautiful covers.

This week's Cover Lover goes to Stupid Perfect World by Scott Westerfeld

Publish Date: December 4, 2012

Basically, I just like this cover because it's pretty. It's a heart made out of what seems to be multi-colored exploding water which I just find neat. That's all.

Cover Lover {81}

Of course we all know you should never judge a book by it's cover, but do we ever really listen?
Cover Lover showcases eye-catching, intriguing, and beautiful covers.

This week's Cover Lover goes to Spellcaster by Claudia Gray

Publish Date: March 5, 2013

I adore the dark the dark background with a mix of lighter colors. The curls on the top and bottom add something instead of cluttering up the cover. I like that you pretty much just see the pouf of her dress, it's all pretty and flowy. I could do without the look on her face, though. I like the flame in her hand and that it adds just a touch of magic without being kitschy. And for some unexplained reason, I really like the border.

Cover Lover {80}

Of course we all know you should never judge a book by it's cover, but do we ever really listen?
Cover Lover showcases eye-catching, intriguing, and beautiful covers.

This week's Cover Lover goes to Shadowlands by Kate Brian

Publish Date: January 8, 2013

I'm not a fan of the girl because everything about her just looks awkward (though I wouldn't mind having her dress.) The rest, however, is pretty sweet. I like the cloudy background along with the crows (ravens?), it all gives off a little bit of the creepy vibe which goes with the story. 

Cover Lover {79}

Of course we all know you should never judge a book by it's cover, but do we ever really listen?
Cover Lover showcases eye-catching, intriguing, and beautiful covers.

This week's Cover Lover goes to September Girls by Bennett Madison

Publish Date: May 21, 2013

Kissing covers are always hit or miss, and this one's a hit for me. I like that you can't see their faces; it dials the awkward down quite a bit. And there's just something about underwater covers that I find seriously awesome. I like the pretty floaty bits above the title and the way the color blends into from light blue to darker blue to a nice glowing amber.

Know Me Better #11

While doing the Book Blogger Love-A-Thon I came across I Am a Reader Not a Writer's Know Me Better feature through someone's blog and thought "perfect!" So, here we are with me sharing more little tidbits about myself (I know, you all find me fascinating.) I'm just going to start with the first post she did and work my way up from there. Sound good?

Favorite restaurant?
It really depends on what kind of food I'm feeling, but one of my favorites is the all-vegetarian Chinese restaurant here in Seattle.

What is your view on self publishing?
I can't fault a person for being ambitious, but, and I'm not trying to be mean here, I won't read it. I'm sure there are a lot of good books out there, but you have to wade through a lot more bad to find them. Plus, I already have an ever-growing TBR that's most likely longer than my lifespan.

How do you feel about banned books? Do you have a favorite?
I feel that we should trust our youth to know what they want to read, so I'm against the whole banning books thing. I haven't actually read that many banned books, actually, so I don't have a favorite.

Are you for or against books being made into movies?
Nope. Sure, they aren't all masterpieces, but it's still fun to see a book I've read come to life.

Top 3 things on your bucket list?
I know I'm strange, but I don't really have a bucket list. There are a few places I want to visit and see, but I don't want jump out of a plane or anything.

Cover Lover {78}

Of course we all know you should never judge a book by it's cover, but do we ever really listen?
Cover Lover showcases eye-catching, intriguing, and beautiful covers.

This week's Cover Lover goes to Resist by Sarah Crossan

Publish Date: October 8, 2013

Even though my favorite color is purple, I wasn't really a fan of the first book's cover. It was just a little too blah and typical dystopian for me. The sequel is totally doing it for me, though. I love the colors and the way the greenery is worked in. It's really subtle on the cracked ground and just completely taking over the dome. I must say that the guy with his arm in the air is a little weird, though.

Know Me Better #10

While doing the Book Blogger Love-A-Thon I came across I Am a Reader Not a Writer's Know Me Better feature through someone's blog and thought "perfect!" So, here we are with me sharing more little tidbits about myself (I know, you all find me fascinating.) I'm just going to start with the first post she did and work my way up from there. Sound good?

Do you like the spotlight or lurking in the shadows?
I don't lurk, but I certainly don't like the spotlight.

How many books are in your TRB pile?
Hah. You make me laugh.
Officially, there are 837 books on my Goodreads TBR at the moment.

What is next on your to read list?
Eleanor & Park. By the time this posts, though, it'll be something different.

What one item would you eat for the rest of your life?
Gravy.

What is the last thing you bought?
A subscription to Bon Appetit

Cover Lover {77}

Of course we all know you should never judge a book by it's cover, but do we ever really listen?
Cover Lover showcases eye-catching, intriguing, and beautiful covers.

This week's Cover Lover goes to Pivot Point by Kasie West

Publish Date: February 12, 2013

When I first saw this cover I wasn't really fan. I think it's the fact that the girl is the main focal point. Over time, though, I did grow on me. I like how there's two of her and the one looks like a reflection which fits the story really well. Also, say what you want about me, but I'm a fan of the sparklies.

Know Me Better #9

While doing the Book Blogger Love-A-Thon I came across I Am a Reader Not a Writer's Know Me Better feature through someone's blog and thought "perfect!" So, here we are with me sharing more little tidbits about myself (I know, you all find me fascinating.) I'm just going to start with the first post she did and work my way up from there. Sound good?

Pet Peeves?

Tourists. It's the the people themselves, it's the sheer number of them and their infuriating way of clogging up the sidewalks while walking at the pace of a turtle.

Give us a glimpse into a typical day in your day starting when you wake up till you lie down again.

I only work two days a week, so most days I don't really have anything to do. I wake up at 9, turn my alarm off, get back in bed, and sleep for another hour or so. Then I get up, go to the living room, get on my computer and proceed to waste about 2 hours. 

Eventually I need to take Pugsy out before she leaks on the floor. At this point I'm starting to get a little disappointed in myself for not having done anything so I resolve to do something after "just a few minutes" more on the internet. Hah.

Then Jacob comes home around 3 in the afternoon and we talk and watch tv.

More internet.

Somewhere in there we eat food.

Then he goes to bed and I spend another few hours reading/internetting/watching tv.

Finally, I get in bed at 2, if I haven't already, read until 3/I fall asleep.

Yes, it's all really rather sad.

Pizza or Pasta?

Depends n the day. Today I'd go with pasta.

Finish the sentence- one book I wish I had written is….

None. I prefer to be the reader.

Favorite sport?

I hate sports.

Cover Lover {76}

Of course we all know you should never judge a book by it's cover, but do we ever really listen?
Cover Lover showcases eye-catching, intriguing, and beautiful covers.

This week's Cover Lover goes to Paper Valentine by Brenna Yobanoff

Publish Date: January 8, 2013

The girl cut-out is amazing. I love all the little detail worked into it. The title and the background are okay, but the cut-out is really what makes me love this cover.

Know Me Better #8

While doing the Book Bloger Love-A-Thon I came across I Am a Reader Not a Writer's Know Me Better feature through someone's blog and thought "perfect!" So, here we are with me sharing more little tidbits about myself (I know, you all find me fascinating.) I'm just going to start with the first post she did and work my way up from there. Sound good?

If someone wrote a book about your life, what would the title be?

I honestly have no idea.

If you could have a signed copy of any novel what would it be and why?

Probably a signed copy of the first Percy Jackson book because it's one of my all-time favorite series'.

Horror or Romance?

Horror.

If you could choose only one time period and place to live, when and where would you live and why?

Either now or the future because I like the technology that exists now.

Do you prefer a bunch of small gifts or one big expensive one?

Oooh, tough question. I'd love to get a Macbook, but generally I prefer a bunch of smaller gifts.

Cover Lover {75}

Of course we all know you should never judge a book by its cover, but do we ever really listen to that?
Cover Lover showcases eye catching, intriguing, and beautiful covers. 

This week's Cover Lover goes to Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis

Publish Date: September 10, 2013

Okay, for starters, the girl (it is a girl, right?) looks pretty awesome on top of the house there, like she's ready to take on anything. And I love that the cover is half black and white and half color. It makes for a very interesting effect. I think it's interesting how the title is kind of worked into the landscape, the way it almost drops behind the hills and hides behind the house. Plus, I think "drink" reflected in the pond is genius.

Know Me Better #7

While doing the Book Bloger Love-A-Thon I came across I Am a Reader Not a Writer's Know Me Better feature through someone's blog and thought "perfect!" So, here we are with me sharing more little tidbits about myself (I know, you all find me fascinating.) I'm just going to start with the first post she did and work my way up from there. Sound good?

What is something people would be surprised to know about you?

I like girly clothes: dresses, skirts, high heels, lacy stuff, and the like. You'd never guess it from looking at me, though since I only ever wear jeans and tshirts :P

Beach or Pool?

Pool. I enjoy my toes in the sand as much as the next person, but I have an irrational fear of water I can't see to the bottom of, especially the ocean. Scary things live in there.

If you had 24 hours alone how would you spend it?

Reading, eating, and video games, most likely.

Coke or Pepsi?

I try to drink more natural sodas, but if these were put in front of me, I'd choose Coke.

If a movie was made about your life, who would you want to play the lead role and why?

Chloe Grace Moretz because she's blond and one of my favorite actresses :P

Cover Lover {74}

Of course we all know you should never judge a book by its cover, but do we ever really listen to that?
Cover Lover showcases eye catching, intriguing, and beautiful covers. 

This week's Cover Lover goes to Jinx by Sage Blackwood

Publish Date: January 8, 2013

Oh, how I love middle grade covers. Jinx totally has it going on. we've got a tunnel of vines/trees, a mysterious castle-like building in the distance, and fantastic colors. The blues, greens, and golds blend beautifully. I see this cover and I'm immediately curious about the story. Why is the boy side-eyeing the castle? What is the castle doing off in the distance? Does it stand for good things? Bad things? Are the vines going to eat the boy?!

I'm calling it a day

You've no doubt noticed things have been pretty sparse and sporadic around here lately and I figure I you an explanation.

I really haven't wanted to blog lately. I really had to force myself to write the posts that have been going up lately. It's not just blogging, though. I've been feeling a little lost in general. I don't like my job, but I'm having trouble finding the energy to go out and try to get another. I don't even really know what I want anymore. I really wanted to work in a bookstore, but it's starting to look like that wouldn't be a very good career move as more and more of them go out of business. I'd love to work in a library, but going back to school kind of terrifies me. I was a complete stress-ball, nervous wreck the two years I went to community college. And that was just the normal classes everyone always takes.

I'm getting a bit off topic, though.

I'm still reading and I'm even writing reviews for most of them, but I'm just posting them to Goodreads right now. The funny thing is, I still like my blog and have a lot of ideas, I just have absolutely no will to write any posts.

So, as of now, the only things you're going to see are Cover Lovers and a few Know Me Betters since I scheduled them in advance. Cover Lovers are actually scheduled through October, so...

I might come back and I might not. I wouldn't call it a break because I have no scheduled time to come back or test it out again. I've just decided that I'm done blogging unless at some point in the future I want to start up again and make a commitment to keep it up.

I'd like to thank all of my followers, especially those of you who comment. I couldn't count how many times your comments made my day or encouraged me when I needed it.
I'll still be on Twitter and posting to Goodreads if any of you are interested, though.

Know Me Better #6

While doing the Book Bloger Love-A-Thon I came across I Am a Reader Not a Writer's Know Me Better feature through someone's blog and thought "perfect!" So, here we are with me sharing more little tidbits about myself (I know, you all find me fascinating.) I'm just going to start with the first post she did and work my way up from there. Sound good?

If you were stranded on a desert island what 3 things would you want with you?

Sunblock, matches, and a pot.

What is one book everyone should read?

Everyone has different tastes so there isn't one certain book I'd suggest to everyone.

If you could have any superpower what would you choose?

Invisibility and talking to animals (The Wild Thornberrys anyone?)

Harry Potter or Twilight?

Harry Potter.

Gum or Breath Mints?

Gum, even if it makes my teeth hurt (a side effect of having way too many cavities.)

When We Wake by Karen Healey {Review}

Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers

Publish Date: March 5, 2013

Source: ALA for honest review

Goodreads

Pages: 304

Series: When We Wake #1

Rating: Hit

My name is Tegan Oglietti, and on the last day of my first lifetime, I was so, so happy.
Sixteen-year-old Tegan is just like every other girl living in 2027--she's happiest when playing the guitar, she's falling in love for the first time, and she's joining her friends to protest the wrongs of the world: environmental collapse, social discrimination, and political injustice.
But on what should have been the best day of Tegan's life, she dies--and wakes up a hundred years in the future, locked in a government facility with no idea what happened.
Tegan is the first government guinea pig to be cryonically frozen and successfully revived, which makes her an instant celebrity--even though all she wants to do is try to rebuild some semblance of a normal life. But the future isn't all she hoped it would be, and when appalling secrets come to light, Tegan must make a choice: Does she keep her head down and survive, or fight for a better future?

I underestimated When We Wake. I'm not sure why, but sometimes I just don't expect much from a book. Sometimes it works out that I get what I expected, but then there are those times I'm pleasantly surprised which happened to be the case this time.

I really liked the way the story was told. At first I thought it was simply in first person present, but eventually it comes out that Tegan is actually doing a live webcast about everything that's happened to her. I liked when she'd break from strictly story-telling to give insight on the situation that she's since learned. I'm curious to see how this will go in book 2, though considering her cast ended at the end of When We Wake.

Tegan's kind of an angry character, understandably. This doesn't make it hard to relate to her, though. While I was reading the first few chapters I kept thinking “no, I don't want to know about her past life, because I already know she loses everybody and everything,” but it's kind of important to get a feel for her life before in order to sympathize. I liked that instead of despairing she used her anger and hurt to stand up for herself and fight, despite the many people wanting to use her.

Bethari is a fantastic character. She stands by Tegan and backs her up no matter what. She's sensible, fun, and an awesome computer hacker. I love the first scene in which her and Tegan are introduced. It's all awkward and weird for the first few minutes, but then they discover mutual interests and become more comfortable which each other. I don't know about you, but that describes pretty much all of my friend experiences.

I really liked that because Tegan wasn't up-to-date on the times I got to learn about all the future stuff right along with her; it felt more natural. I don't hate being dropped into a story and figuring things out for myself, but it can hinder my enjoyment some. Healey doesn't go overboard on the future slang either. I do think it's important for a book set in the future to have some of it's own words because language is a thing that evolves, but too much of it can weigh a book down. I think Healey added in just enough for it to feel real, but not pull me out of the story. Plus, kooshy is a really funny word.

The Nutshell: When We Wake is a well-rounded story with a little bit of action, mystery, and a main focus on Tegan's integration into future society. The characters are all pretty fleshed out and it's easy to sympathize with Tegan and her situation. If you want a book with good characters, an engaging story, and well-developed futuristic world then When We Wake is your book.

Cover Lover {73}

Of course we all know you should never judge a book by its cover, but do we ever really listen to that?
Cover Lover showcases eye catching, intriguing, and beautiful covers. 

This week's Cover Lover goes to Invisibility by Andrea Cremer and David Levithan

Publish Date: 

For one, I'm digging the invisible boy. For two, this is a cover that really stands out. It's bright and attention-grabbing. The blue and yellow make for a good contrast and the title is pretty hard to miss. My only complaint is that because of the yellow tint the girl's leg looks terribly fake-tanned :P                                                                                              

The Whizz Pop Chocolate Shop by Kate Saunders {Review}

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Publish Date: March 12, 2013

Source: ALA for honest review

Goodreads

Pages: 304

Series: No

Rating: Near Miss

Welcome to the most magical house in London.
The family of eleven-year-old twins Oz and Lily have inherited it, together with the mysterious shop downstairs. Long ago, the shop's famous chocolate-makers, who also happen to be Oz and Lily's great uncles, were clever sorcerers. Now evil villains are hunting for the secret of their greatest recipe. The terrifying powers of this magic chocolate have the ability to destroy the world.
Soon, Oz and Lily are swept into a thrilling battle, helped by an invisible cat, a talking rat, and the ghost of an elephant. It's up to them to stop the villains and keep the magical chocolate recipe out of harm's way. Their family and the world depends on it.

The Whizz Pop Chocolate Shop is cute and whimsical, but also has a bit of a dark side.

It seems to me there's not a lot of murder in middle grade. If there is, then I'm totally missing it or forgetting it so it surprised me. And not exactly in the best way. I mean, sure, things end up pretty well, but I just kept thinking about how this character killed in cold blood. It was a little unsettling.

I enjoyed the characters, but it felt like I didn't really get past the surface with most of them. So, while I enjoyed them, I feel like I didn't really get to know them and couldn't care about what happened to them all too much. Plus, I know she's eleven, but Lily's constant need to cry started to get to me.

I liked the story overall, but I'd been hoping for more magic chocolate. Most of the use of magic chocolate happened in the past, so it's just stories about magic chocolate instead of first-hand experience. The stories are imaginative and entertaining, yes, I just hoped it would have a bigger part in the present.

The adventures Oz and Lily get to go on are pretty great. There's everything from scuba-diving to cave dwelling to helicopter rides. Not to mention the romp around town with a giant cat.

The Nutshell: Despite the fact that my review makes it seem I didn't like The Whizz Pop Chocolate Shop it was a cute, quick read. I didn't get as attached to the characters as I'd like, but the talking animals, and awesome adventures made it worth the read.

Know Me Better #5

While doing the Book Bloger Love-A-Thon I came across I Am a Reader Not a Writer's Know Me Better feature through someone's blog and thought "perfect!" So, here we are with me sharing more little tidbits about myself (I know, you all find me fascinating.) I'm just going to start with the first post she did and work my way up from there. Sound good?

What’s your favorite season/weather?

Winter is officially my favorite season, but I enjoy the sun as long as it stays 80 and under.

PC or Mac?

I'd rather have a Mac, but I've only ever been able to afford PCs :P

Favorite music?

It varies. Sometimes I listen to pop, sometimes classical, sometimes indie.

Facebook or Twitter?

Twitter. 

What TV show/movie/book do you watch/read that you’d be embarrassed to admit?

I'm not really embarrassed by my entertainment choices. The closest I come to that is 90210 because it kind of is a terrible show :P

Level 2 by Lenore Appelhans {Review}

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publish Date: January 15, 2013
Source: Library
Goodreads
Pages: 281
Series: The Memory Chronicles #1
Rating: Near Miss

Since her untimely death the day before her eighteenth birthday, Felicia Ward has been trapped in Level 2, a stark white afterlife located between our world and the next. Along with her fellow drones, Felicia passes the endless hours reliving memories of her time on Earth and mourning what she’s lost—family, friends, and Neil, the boy she loved.
Then a girl in a neighboring chamber is found dead, and nobody but Felicia recalls that she existed in the first place. When Julian—a dangerously charming guy Felicia knew in life—comes to offer Felicia a way out, Felicia learns the truth: If she joins the rebellion to overthrow the Morati, the angel guardians of Level 2, she can be with Neil again.
Suspended between Heaven and Earth, Felicia finds herself at the center of an age-old struggle between good and evil. As memories from her life come back to haunt her, and as the Morati hunt her down, Felicia will discover it’s not just her own redemption at stake… but the salvation of all mankind.

You know how sometimes you really want to like a book or just kind of expect that you will because everyone likes it and it's full of things you enjoy? That was me and Level 2. Now, don't get me wrong, I didn't hate it, but I also didn't love it.

First of all, I didn't especially care for any of the characters. I was kind of rooting for Felicia, but not in a way that made me feel like I was connected to her and her story. When the climax comes and she needs to make a decision I just kind of felt like “Eh, I'm good with whatever you choose.”

I had this inexplicable hate for Neil almost from the moment he was introduced. Maybe it's because Felicia talks him up too much or that he's strangely moody. I really don't know, I just didn't like him until very near the end of the book. I gained some respect for him when he said '“But you don't have to naked for that,”' though, because it was true (yeah, I know you're wondering what that's all about, but you'll either have to read it or have someone else spoil it for you :P)

Then there's Julian who just felt kind of. . .slimy to me. Yet, I didn't really hate him. I find this amusing because when Felicia introduces him into the story, she makes it clear she doesn't like him. He's definitely not the best guy ever, but maybe I was just feeling like rooting for the underdog this time around.

I found the setting incredibly unique and interesting. I mean, a stop-off between Earth and What Comes After isn't a new thought, but Appelhans spruces it up and gives it a whole new feel. I especially like that there's unrest in Level 2 and it's not just some place people go to settle unfinished things on Earth or what have you. I'm still not completely sure if there was some bigger reason Level 2 was modeled after beehives and why they were in the story so much (I can be a pretty surfacey reader,) but it doesn't unnaturally shoved into the story.

I enjoyed the back-and-forth between memories and Level 2 Felicia for a while, but at somewhere in the middle it just started bogging me down and I only cared about Level 2 Felicia. When things really started to build towards the climax and answers were coming from Felicia's memories I was able to get back into it again.

The last 50ish pages started getting a little strange for me. I think it started about the time Felicia is “watching” her memory instead of living it. The story-telling does make sense and I see where Appelhans was going with it, but it just pulled me out of the story. Then things start happening really fast and Felicia's not really in her body and then BAM the climax happens and it's basically over.

I do have to say I like how it ended and I'm curious to see how future installments will go.

Also, I couldn't picture the Morati as anything but glowing Weeping Angels.

The Nutshell: While I can appreciate Level 2's fresh writing and ideas, it wasn't my favorite read. I didn't hit it off with the characters, I got a little bored in the middle, and the ending felt weird. However, I found the world intriguing and liked the way Appelhans wrapped everything up. If like a good afterlife story with scifi-vibes then Level 2 is still worth a look.

Cover Lover {72}

Of course we all know you should never judge a book by its cover, but do we ever really listen to that?
Cover Lover showcases eye catching, intriguing, and beautiful covers. 

This week's Cover Lover goes to The Chaos of Stars by Kiersten White

Publish Date: September 10, 2013

I don't even know where to begin with this cover. It's absolutely stunning. The dark blue background with lighter spots interspersed looks amazingly star-like. And once again, I love that the title is the focus. The font is gorgeous and works perfectly with the gold designs to create the perfect contrast to the background.

Mila 2.0 by Debra Driza {Review}

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Publish Date: March 12, 2013

Source: Publisher for honest review

Goodreads

Pages: 480

Series: Mila 2.0 #1

Rating: Near Miss

Mila was never meant to learn the truth about her identity. She was a girl living with her mother in a small Minnesota town. She was supposed to forget her past -- that she was built in a secret computer science lab and programmed to do things real people will never do.
Now she has no choice but to run--from the dangerous operatives who want her terminated because she knows too much and from a mysterious group that wants to capture her alive and unlock her advanced technology. However, what Mila's becoming is beyond anyone's imagination, including her own, and it just might ave her life.

I haven't heard anything bad about Mila 2.0, so I was a little disappointed when I found myself trudging along through the first half. However, it did pick up in the second half and I ended up enjoying the book overall.

Let's get my dislikes out of the way first.

Since Mila doesn't know she's an android in the beginning the story is just following her daily life which I found to be pretty dull. That's not to mention that all her friends are kind of witchy and annoying.

And then there's Hunter. I imagine he's going to be pretty important as the story goes on, but his and Mila's relationship just felt super weird to me. First off, he's only in about ¼ of the book and yet Mila thinks about him all the time. And am I the only one who thinks it's a little weird that Hunter invites himself over to Mila's house late at night? I mean, I know he was intending to check on her, but they hadn't even spoken all too much before the crash. I honestly spent the whole book waiting for him to pop up and *surprise* betray Mila or be working for the bad guy or something because it felt like his character would make more sense then.

Okay, I know this sounds a little terrible, but I got really sick of Mila's whining. Yes, I know she just discovered she's an android and all that, but I can only handle so much. She does end up growing and accepting herself, so I appreciate that. I don't necessarily wish she accepted it faster, just that I didn't have to hear so much about it. I will give you that it'd be disturbing to stab someone with a hair dryer cord.

Okay, now onto the positive stuff.

I spent most of the second half with my stomach in knots (in a good way) wondering what was coming next. There was just enough action to keep my heart rate up while keeping my heart in the story with twists and emotional developments.

The second half is where we start to move away from “I just found out I'm an android and nothing else matters” to “maybe this isn't so bad, and it can help save the people I care about.” This felt engaging and had me more invested in the story than the first half did; there's a face to the bad guy now, but still plenty of mysteries with more of them popping up right and left.

When the story begins Mila feels pretty blah to me. She's depressed, doesn't have all too much personality, and doesn't really think about anything other than her dead father and the new guy at school. As the story progresses, especially after getting to the compound, she starts to have more complicated emotions and turns out to be a pretty caring person which helped me connect with her.

Holland's a pretty crappy guy. Which makes him a good villain. At this point there's honestly nothing at all to like about him. He doesn't have a sad backstory or any traits that humanize him in any way. He makes it all that much easier to care about Mila and her situation.

The Nutshell: Mila 2.0 wasn't a total hit for me since I was pretty bored during the first half, but the second half managed to pull me in enough to become invested in the story. The entire first half of the book is setup which gets a little old, however, when you get to the point where the setup turns into story it's hard not to get interested in all the action, mystery, and emotion. I'm definitely looking forward to the sequel.

My Next Five {4}

This should have gone up weeks ago as I'm not on the fourth book in my five, but things happen and I get lazy. Sorry about that :P

Books mentioned:
1. Genie Wishes by Elisabeth Dahl
2. Mila 2.0 by Debra Driza
3. Emptyx by Suzanne Weyn (but I replaced Empty with Level 2 by Lenore Appelhans because it was due back sooner.)
4. The Whizz Pop Chocolate Shop by Kate Saunders
5. When We Wake by Karen Healey

March update: Sun!

This month as described by My Little Pony:

For once, it's actually becoming spring in western Washington. In March. I'm a winter girl, but I love me some 70 degree sun.

Some Happenigs:

- Met Erika

Erika of Rescue Reads and her family were visiting Seattle, so I got to hang out with her for a couple hours. Yay for meeting bloggers IRL!

- I eat oatmeal now
Here's the deal: I've always hated oatmeal. Occasionally I'd get a craving for it so I'd make some, eat two bites, then give it to someone else because it turned out, yes, I did still hate oatmeal. This month, though, we had a crap-ton of it around the house, so I decided "it's healthy, so what the hey." And I didn't hate it! (Yes, this counts as an event in my month.)

Still working on this one.

-Acquired 2 new bookshelves
When we moved in I had one rinky dink bookshelf. It filled up quickly. Then I got a bigger one and somehow managed to fill #1 up with so much crap there wasn't any room for books anymore so bookshelf #2 filled quickly. I even stacked extra books all the way to the ceiling from the top of #2. So, as you ca see, new bookshelves were necessary. Sadly, I now have no more room for bookshelves.

- Dark Days stop

There isn't enough room to
take proper pictures.

Sadly, I didn't get any pictures (there were a lot of people,) but I had a really good time. Claudia Gray, Debra Driza, Dan Wells, Kiersten White, and Lauren Oliver were all in attendance, and I'm not going to lie, they were all kind of hilarious.

- Decided to start taking care of my skin.
Which basically means that I spent about $100 on products in one day.

- Had an interview, didn't get it
And in disappointing news, I had an interview with Seattle's biggest indie and didn't get it. Still, I'm happy to have gotten an interview at such a great place.

Some current favorites:
Music: I was on a Youtube kick this month, so we have:

Show(s): The anime of the month was Aquarion. Basically, it's about a futuristic world ruled by winged creatures and the teens who use mecha to defeat them and take back the Earth. It's not the best thing ever, but I did get really invested in the characters and their relationships.
90210. Sort of. Kind of. I decided to watch the 2 1/2 seasons I've missed, but I found myself really frustrated with the stupidity of the characters. Yet, I couldn't stop watching partly because it's hard to stop and partly because I feel obligated to finish since it ends this year.

Movie: The Legend of the Guardians

Book(s): Also Known As by Robin Benway, The Fellowship for Alien Detection by Kevin Emerson, and The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Know Me Better #4

While doing the Book Bloger Love-A-Thon I came across I Am a Reader Not a Writer's Know Me Better feature through someone's blog and thought "perfect!" So, here we are with me sharing more little tidbits about myself (I know, you all find me fascinating.) I'm just going to start with the first post she did and work my way up from there. Sound good?

If you could meet one person who has died who would you choose?

I guess I don't really have one. I suck at meeting people. I'm all awkward and I get super anxious.

Chocolate or Vanilla?

It depends, I suppose. But if we're going chocolate then it has to be dark and if it's vanilla then I'd prefer vanilla bean.

What do you do in your free time? 

Read, binge watch tv shows and anime, and. . . I don't even know. The internet eats all my time.

What movie are you looking forward to this year?

Now You See It (I believe that's the title). Jesse Eisenberg and magic all in one movie? Yes, I am so there. Also, the second Percy Jackson movie. I'm aware the first one kind of sucked, but I can't say no to Percy Jackson and Logan Lerman.

Spontaneity or Planning Ahead?

I cannot stress this enough: Planning ahead.

Genie Wishes by Elisabeth Dahl {Review}

Publisher: Amulet Books

Publish Date: April 2, 2013
Source: ALA for honest review
Pages: 288
Series: No

Rating: Miss

This sweet, funny novel follows fifth-grader Genie Kunkle through a tumultuous year. From the first day of school, Genie knows there will be good, bad, and in-between. The good? She’s in homeroom with her best friend, Sarah. The bad? Sarah’s friend from camp, Blair, is a new student at their school, and is itching to take Genie’s place as Sarah’s BFF. The in-between? Genie is excited to be elected to write her class’s blog, where she’s tasked with tracking the wishes and dreams of her class. But expressing her opinion in public can be scary—especially when her opinion might make the rest of her class upset.
I may have liked Genie Wishes when I was Genie's age, but I just couldn't get into it. That being said, I didn't particularly dislike it, I just couldn't connect with the characters or their problems.

First of all, I found the writing style to be a little distant. It felt more like a documentation of events from a neutral third-party than a young girl's personal journey and growth through her fifth grade year. When I read I story I want to feel like I'm right there with the characters, like their hurt and happiness is mine as well, and I just didn't feel that for Genie despite the fact that I've been through the difficult friend change process myself many times.

There were a lot of characters. So many, in fact, that I had some trouble keeping them all apart. Now, a large cast of characters can work if you flesh them out well enough, but I barely got a feel for Genie let alone the rest of her class.

I think I'm probably getting old because I can't remember any of these puberty things happening when I was ten. Do guys really go around snapping girls' bras? This never happened in my class, at any point in time, but do have any of you experienced it? Also, is it really that completely obvious when a girl starts wearing a bra? Maybe I just didn't notice these things, but I'd like to think all the boys in my class didn't immediately notice I was now a proud member of the Bra Wearing Club on the first day. Feel free to correct me down in the comments, though, guys :]

One thing I did appreciate about Genie Wishes was the way it eased into things. Nothing happened all at once. Instead of some big fight with her best friend, Genie just started drifting apart from her. I slowly noticed some change in Genie as she went through the year.

On the other side of that coin, though, is the lack of a clear plot structure. Everything just kind of blended together for me. I couldn't identify a beginning, a middle, and an end. Things were randomly introduced to the story and then never really end up having a purpose or resolution, such as the stray dog, Lulu, and Genie's dad starting to date.

The Nutshell: I recommend Genie Wishes for younger readers who are looking for a story about a girl going through a normal year of school dealing with similar things they might be dealing with. Personally, I couldn't connect with the story or get into the writing style, but that doesn't mean someone else might not enjoy it!