In My Mailbox (50)

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren. Now that school has stopped taking so much time and golf season is over I can start to blog again! I missed it so much and now I'm super happy that I finally have the time to dedicate myself to it. =) These are the books that I've bought while I was gone.

Bought:
Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa
Vixen by Jillian Larkin
Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson
Chime by Franny Billingsley
Clarity by Kim Harrington
Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

What did you get this week?

Chain Reaction by Simone Elkeles

Title: Chain Reaction
Author: Simone Elkeles
Published: August 16 2011
Pages: 308
Rating: 5/5
Synopsis: Luis Fuentes has always been sheltered from the gang violence that nearly destroyed his brothers’ lives. But that didn’t stop him from taking risks—whether he’s scaling a mountain in the Rockies or dreaming of a future as an astronaut, Luis can’t stop looking for the next thrill.

Nikki Cruz lives her life by three rules—boys lie to get their way, don’t trust a boy who says “I love you,” and never date a boy from the south side of Fairfield. Her parents may be from Mexico, but as a doctor’s daughter, she has more in common with her north-side neighbors than the Latino Blood at her school. Then she meets Luis at Alex’s wedding, and suddenly, she’s tempted to break all her rules.

Getting Nikki to take a chance on a southsider is Luis’s biggest challenge, until he finds himself targeted by Chuy Soto, the new head of the Latino Blood. When Chuy reveals a disturbing secret about Luis’s family, the youngest Fuentes finds himself questioning everything he’s ever believed to be true. Will his feelings for Nikki be enough to stop Luis from entering a dark and violent world and permanently living on the edge?

Review: Now that I've read all 3 of the books of the Fuentes I can say that I absolutely love the Fuentes brothers!

Luis is the good brother who knows what he wants how to get it. His story starts at the wedding of his older brother, Alex. There he meets Nikki and doesn't see her again until he has to go back to the place where he grew up. Being the good brother, makes Luis understand that he needs to stay away from gangs and get good grades but the more he explores and meets people the, more he gets closer to the dark side of the Fuentes brothers

Despite having Luis as the good brother who doesn't get in trouble he still manages to have the appeal that his 2 older brothers did. Luis had grown in the south side of Fairfield but he had never been exposed to the gang. After returning everything seems like it has changed but it doesn't mean that everything has stopped. After Luis finds some things out he feels like he's been betrayed and does some very bad decisions.

Nikki was different from Brittany and Kiara. After going through some hard stuff with a boy who just played with her, she is hesitant to trust any boy she meets. I loved how she refused to like any guy but at the same time you could see that she was scared that it would happen. She might have been a hard person to get to but knowing what she went through makes the reader more understanding of her.

I loved seeing Alex and Carlos back in this book. You get to see how their lives are going after their story was finished. They are both now good boys who don't want to go back to the way they were but when they see that Luis is in some trouble they are willing to help him. And also, I loved seeing the chemistry teacher back in this one!

I'm sad to see the stories of the Fuentes brothers end but I know I enjoyed reading all 3 books. Simone's books have something that makes me not want to stop reading them because I always want to know what happens next. I would definitely recommend this book and the first 2 to anyone!

In My Mailbox (49)

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren! These books were actually from last week but since I wasn't home I couldn't do an IMM.

From RAK:
The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong
I've read the first 2 and really enjoyed them so I'm excited to read it!
Betrayals by Lili St. Crow
I recently read the first one and it really left me wondering what was next.

Thanks to Anna from Anna's Book Blog and Crystal from Elegantly Bound Books!

So did you get any good books this week? =)

Waiting on Wednesday (14)

Title: Glow

Author: Amy Kathleen Ryan

Release: September 27th 2011

Goodreads Summary: What if you were bound for a new world, about to pledge your life to someone you'd been promised to since birth, and one unexpected violent attack made survival—not love—the issue?

Out in the murky nebula lurks an unseen enemy: the New Horizon. On its way to populate a distant planet in the wake of Earth's collapse, the ship's crew has been unable to conceive a generation to continue its mission. They need young girls desperately, or their zealous leader's efforts will fail. Onboard their sister ship, the Empyrean, the unsuspecting families don't know an attack is being mounted that could claim the most important among them...

Fifteen-year-old Waverly is part of the first generation to be successfully conceived in deep space; she was born on the Empyrean, and the large farming vessel is all she knows. Her concerns are those of any teenager—until Kieran Alden proposes to her. The handsome captain-to-be has everything Waverly could ever want in a husband, and with the pressure to start having children, everyone is sure he's the best choice. Except for Waverly, who wants more from life than marriage—and is secretly intrigued by the shy, darkly brilliant Seth.

But when the Empyrean faces sudden attack by their assumed allies, they quickly find out that the enemies aren't all from the outside.

Glow is the most riveting series debut since The Hunger Games, and promises to thrill and challenge readers of all ages.

The fact that Waverly is being proposed at age fifteen and has all this pressure from others so that younger people start having children makes me want to know more about how things are run there. Also, I can't imagine living in a vessel and not having any other place to go.

Past Midnight by Mara Purnhagen

Title: Past Midnight

Author: Mara Purnhagen

Released: September 2010

Pages: 216
Rating: 4/5
Synopsis: Let me set the record straight. My name is Charlotte Silver and I'm not one of those paranormal-obsessed freaks you see on TV…no, those would be my parents, who have their own ghost-hunting reality show. And while I'm usually roped into the behind-the-scenes work, it turns out that I haven't gone unnoticed. Something happened on my parents' research trip in Charleston—and now I'm being stalked by some truly frightening other beings. Trying to fit into a new school and keeping my parents' creepy occupation a secret from my friends—and potential boyfriends—is hard enough without having angry spirits whispering in my ear. All I ever wanted was to be normal, but with ghosts of my past and present colliding, now I just want to make it out of high school alive….

Review: At the beginning Charlotte is just a girl who wishes her family, at least her parents,were a bit more normal. The story starts off with Charlotte and her older sister in Charleston while their parents are their doing some work. After convincing her parents to settle down for her last year in high school, Charlotte's parents, and herself, figure out that things are more weird than they've ever encountered.

All ever Charlotte wanted was to be able to settle down. She got it, except not as normal as she would have liked. She tried to keep her life as normal as she could despite the things that were happening in her life. I liked how at times she just wanted to give up and leave things the way they were but she always went on with things. Also, I liked how she tried to help others even if she thought it wouldn't be much help.

One aspect of the book that I really liked was that Charlotte's parents were present. They were trying to figure things out along with Charlotte so she kind be finish with all that was happening. Her parents were trying to protect her and respected her decisions but also tried to guide her.

It was an interesting story but I did think it went a little too fast at the end. But overall I would recommend this book to those looking for a book that isn't too heavy but still deals with some delicate things. Now I can't wait to read the next book and find out what other ghost and spirits Charlotte finds herself with.

I recieved this book for an honest review.

Waiting on Wednesday (13)

Waiting on Wednesday WOW is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine and spotlights upcoming releases that you can't wait for!

 

Title: The Girl of Fire and Thorns

Author: Rae Carson

Release: September 20th 2011

Goodreads Summary: Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.

Elisa is the chosen one.

But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can’t see how she ever will.

Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.

And he’s not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people’s savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.

Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young.

Most of the chosen do.

This seems to be one of those books that I know I will enjoy. I love all kinds of books but these are the ones I'm always looking out for. =)

Waiting on Wednesday (12)

Waiting on Wednesday WOW is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine and spotlights upcoming releases that you can't wait for!

Title: Juliet Immortal

Author: Stacey Jay

Release: September 13th 2011

Goodreads Summary: "These violent delights have violent ends

And in their triumph die, like fire and powder,

Which as they kiss consume."

—Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

The most tragic love story in history . . .

Juliet Capulet didn't take her own life. She was murdered by the person she trusted most, her new husband, Romeo Montague, a sacrifice made to ensure his own immortality. But what Romeo didn't anticipate was that Juliet would be granted eternity, as well, and would become an agent for the Ambassadors of Light. For 700 years, she's fought Romeo for the souls of true lovers, struggling to preserve romantic love and the lives of the innocent. Until the day she meets someone she's forbidden to love, and Romeo, oh Romeo, will do everything in his power to destroy that love.

I read Romeo and Juliet this year and I liked it but I think this is much more interesting sounding. And it will be a good change to see Romeo as the bad guy. Definitely one I really want to read! =)