The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Hardcover, 452 pages

Published September 27th 2011 by Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

ISBN: 1442421762 (ISBN13: 9781442421769)

Series Number 1

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Reaction: Holy cheesecake

Summary:  

Mara Dyer doesn’t think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can’t remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn’t believe that after everything she’s been through, she can fall in love.

She’s wrong.

 After Mara survives the traumatizing accident at the old asylum, it makes sense that she has issues. She lost her best friend, her boyfriend, and her boyfriend’s sister, and as if that weren’t enough to cope with, her family moves to a new state in order to give her a fresh start. But that fresh start is quickly filled with hallucinations—or are they premonitions?—and then corpses, and the boundary between reality and nightmare is wavering. At school, there’s Noah, a devastatingly handsome charmer who seems determined to help Mara piece together what’s real, what’s imagined—and what’s very, very dangerous.

     This fast-paced psychological—or is it paranormal?—thriller will leave you breathless for its sequel, The Evolution of Mara Dyer.

 

Miss Mara Dyer, I like you. I have a feeling we are going to be amazing friends who will conquer the world and rid the universe of gremlins. Pesky little suckers, they got into my book pile yesterday, yah know?

Mara's 'friends' are dead. Why? She just thinks she got lucky-the only one of the four who survived that trip into the old, abandoned psych ward. But she's not. She's so much more than she thinks. She suffers from PTSD. Normal, right?

“No, it isn't irrelevant. You want me as much as I want you. And all I want is you.” 

 They more to the glorious humidity of Florida. There she meets a man who abuses a dog. She calls animal rescue. Moments after leaving him-he's dead. She's made friends with the school crazy (who by the way, is the only sane person in that school) has the most popular girl after her head and the popular guy chasing her like a love sick puppy.

Mara thinks she's fallen too far to get back out of the hole she's fallen into.
She's not.
She thinks she's doesn't have the ability to fall in love after all she's been through.
She can.

The only way anyone will ever find out what happen the night of the psych ward. Everything comes with a price and sometimes, it's better to just...not know.

“You're the girl who called me an asshole the first time we spoke. The girl who tried to pay for lunch even after you learned I have more money than God. You're the girl who risked her ass to save a dying dog, who makes my chest ache whether you're wearing green silk or ripped jeans. You're the girl that I--" Noah stopped, then took a step closer to me. "You are my girl.” 

Okay world, I might just absolutely love this book. It's got all these twists and turns. It has Noah, a hot guy who just want to be with you- to make you happy and figure out what you're hiding and help you mend. It has Jamie. That's enough said. He is freaking amazing. I love him.

And the END. OMG dude. Was not expecting that. The ending will leave everyone peeing their pants and in shock.

 -Jackie   

Hardcover, 326 pages

Published May 22nd 2012 by Feiwel & Friends (first published May 1st 2012)

ISBN:  1250003326 (ISBN13: 9781250003324)

Summary:

Galen is the prince of the Syrena, sent to land to find a girl he's heard can communicate with fish. Emma is on vacation at the beach. When she runs into Galen — literally, ouch! — both teens sense a connection. But it will take several encounters, including a deadly one with a shark, for Galen to be convinced of Emma's gifts. Now, if he can only convince Emma that she holds the key to his kingdom . . .

Told from both Emma and Galen's points of view, here is a fish-out-of-water story that sparkles with intrigue, humor, and waves of romance.

My Splurge:

*in a sing- songy voice* I loooooooove this book. (Happy dance) It has*whispers* mermaids! And lemme just tell yah I ADORE Galen....even if I wanna slap him through most of the book. I spent pretty much the entire book with a stupid silly grin on my face.....really it was pathetic.
AND THE ENDING!!!

Woah dude--was not expecting that-->applause< but it makes sense(: Nice and btw I NEEED the next book. Like right now. Por favor. ASAP. PLEASE I'LL GET DOWN ON MY KNEES AND BEG!!! I WILL BEG FOR CRYING OUT LOUD. This is what you have done to me...

PUHLEEZE!

   

 

Hardcover, 375 pages

Published February 28th 2012 by HarperCollins Children's Books (first published January 1st 2012)

ISBN:  006197806X (ISBN13: 9780061978067)

Summary:

Lena joins the resistance effort against the oppressive government and fights for freedom.
After escaping from Portland, Lena makes it to the Wilds and becomes part of an Invalid community. Weak and grieving for Alex, Lena fights to survive. And then she fights her oppressors.
As the viewpoint shifts between Lena's time in the Wilds and the present day, which is set in Brooklyn, Lena transforms into a warrior for the resistance. In New York City, the grass-roots movement for a Deliria-Free America (the DFA) is gathering strength, and its leader, Thomas Fineman, recruits more supporters by the day. His son Julian--as-yet uncured--heads up the DFA's youth organization. Lena is tasked with blending into the DFA's rallies; she seems to be a supporter yet she is really a spy.

My Splurge:

I-I-I...I umm. Oh. Uh. The ending. Julian....umm...ALEX...The ending..uh. I like Tack. and Hunter. And. yeah....

   

Say Yes to the

Book

-Jackie

Dearly, Beloved by Lia Habel (Book 2)

Hardcover, 496 pages

Published September 25th 2012 by Del Rey

ISBN: 0345523342 (ISBN13: 9780345523341)

 

Rating: 3.5 Stars

 

Summary

 

 Can the living coexist with the living dead?

That’s the question that has New Victorian society fiercely divided ever since the mysterious plague known as “The Laz” hit the city of New London and turned thousands into walking corpses. But while some of these zombies are mindless monsters, hungry for human flesh, others can still think, speak, reason, and control their ravenous new appetites.

Just ask Nora Dearly, the young lady of means who was nearly kidnapped by a band of sinister zombies but valiantly rescued by a dashing young man . . . of the dead variety.

Nora and her savior, the young zombie soldier Bram Griswold, fell hopelessly in love. But others feel only fear and loathing for the reanimated dead. Now, as tensions grow between pro- and anti-zombie factions, battle lines are being drawn in the streets. And though Bram is no longer in the New Victorian army, he and his ex-commando zombie comrades are determined to help keep the peace. That means taking a dangerous stand between The Changed, a radical group of sentient zombies fighting for survival, and The Murder, a masked squad of urban guerrillas hellbent on destroying the living dead. But zombies aren’t the only ones in danger: Their living allies are also in The Murder’s crosshairs, and for one vengeful zealot, Nora Dearly is the number one target.

 

My Splurge:

 

Zombies in a modern Renaissance Era? Yes, please!
I had amazingly high hopes for this book since the first one exceeded what I thought it would be. Sadly, this book did not meet them. I thought the book was told from way too many perspectives. I would have liked to have just Bram and Nora's perspective. I though having Laura, Mink and Micheal's POVs were unnecessary.

“Nora was the only thing that made sense. She was the only unchanging thing in my universe. She was my lodestar. No matter which way my emotions and circumstances and the impulses of my dead, dying, trying body pulled me, no matter how many mistakes I made, she was always true north. Sometimes I’d side with the dead, sometimes with the living, but always with her.” 

 

Also, I wish we saw Bram and Nora together a bit more. (LOVE the ending by the way) GIRL POWER!!!!
I love Smoke! He's this destructive creature that is tamed by Nora, or as he calls her 'Book Girl.' Hehe, I like that title.
I was very disappointed in Coalhouse. It made me sad. Honestly, I really liked him in Book One and in this one he just kind of fell apart. It was like he no longer see the value in, well, him. And I thought Laura was a bit cruel.

“I’m here for every bit of your life. The bad parts, the scary parts. And I vow to do all you ask of me that is fair … even at the end.” I knew I didn’t have to elaborate; I could see that he’d gotten it, and that it moved him. "

 

 

I adore Bram. I like how he thinks of Nora as utterly adorable but as tough as nails. He's just so cautious around her. It was super cute how he didn't tell her he loved her because he didn't want to scare her off. Even if that did annoy the crap out of me.....

So like 3.5/5 stars for me.

 

Find Lia Habel at http://liahabel.com/

Try This:

-Jackie

 

 The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden by Jessica Sorensen

Kindle Edition, 296 pages

Published December 13th 2012

ASIN: B00ANDLC6K

Rating: 5 Stars
 “In the existence of our lives, there is a single coincidence that brings us together and for a moment, our hearts beat as one.”
Summary 

There are those who don’t get luck handed to them on a shiny platter, who end up in the wrong place at the wrong time, who don’t get saved.

Luck was not on Callie’s side the day of her twelfth birthday when everything was stolen from her. After it’s all over, she locks up her feelings and vows never to tell anyone what happened. Six years later her painful past consumes her life and most days it’s a struggle just to breathe.

For as long as Kayden can remember, suffering in silence was the only way to survive life. As long as he did what he was told, everything was okay. One night, after making a terrible mistake, it seems like his life might be over. Luck was on his side, though, when Callie coincidentally is in the right place at the right time and saves him.

Now he can’t stop thinking about the girl he saw at school, but never really knew. When he ends up at the same college as Callie, he does everything he can to try to get to know her. But Callie is reserved and closed off. The more he tries to be part of her life, the more he realizes Callie might need to be saved.


My Splurge and Random Quotes I Love 

 "It's amazing how the things you remember forever are the things you'd rather forget and the things you desperately want to grasp onto seem to slip away like sand in the wind."

Let me take a breathe here guys. Okay I'm gonna fangirl for a few.
OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG!!! NEW FAV AUTHOR!!! NEW FAV BOOK?? -fans self dramatically- SERIOUSLY GUISE!! COVER LUST! MAJOR MAJOR COVER LUST! FEBRUARY 28th!?!? DARLIN, ARE YAH TRYING TO KILL ME?? THAT'S LIKE FOREVER IN TEENAGE YEARS!!!
Resumes (semi) normal review....
“The corners of his lips tug up into a sad smile. “I can handle scars, especially ones that are on the outside.”  



 Callie and Kayden are both broken, shattered by people who are supposed to love them are at least tolerate them. They both are reaching their breaking point. Callie is the weird girl. She was fine until her 12th birthday....then she changed and no one knows why. When she goes off to college she meets Seth(LOVE HIM) He's broken also. They heal each other. She was raped and he was beaten by his boyfriend and his football player 'friends.' 

“That’s you. Callie, you’re the only person that’s ever made me feel happy about anything. That night you saved me, you changed something in me—you made me want to live.”

Kayden goes off later to the same college that she does and then THE STARS FREAKIN ALIGN!!!! YESSS!!! 



 “I take my time because I love how it feels to carry her, the way she needs me, the way I need to protect her.”

Callie has a thing for helping people-Seth, Kayden, Luke(Kayden's best friend) but she never does it consciously. She's a good person. She has an inner strengh I love. She thinks of herself as weak but she's stronger than them all-especially Kayden. KAYDEN WHY DID YOU DO THAT!?! Okay I know why but that's not a very good thing to do.....


“No. I just never wanted to throw them away. Even if they were broken. I still loved them.”

Kayden hides his secret life of constant beatings from his father at home. He hides from prying eyes. Callie saves him from being beaten to death by his father. He's so scared and vulnerable for that one moment in time. She's so diligent in the task for caring for him.....I liked it because it showed how he finally felt safe. Safe with her.
 
 “I've never felt like this before, with anyone. It's against the rules of surviving.”

Everybody has a story...

 
 “That’s you. Callie, you’re the only person that’s ever made me feel happy about anything. That night you saved me, you changed something in me—you made me want to live.”

The Cliff-hanger in this book made me wanna cry and throw my Kindle against the wall. Hard. And possibly break it...but I didn't cuz I love my Kindle.



 Soo Darling.... As you can see, I adore this book and fail to find a single thing wrong with it....which is rare for me. I'm a picky person. But, luck you(and me)this is only the first one in the series! Sad for you(and me) we are being told we have to wait until the END OF FEBRUARY to get it. Pooh. -_-

I suggest you stalk the author. She's on blogger to! Find her HERE

Say Yes to the

Book

-Jackie

 

I have no self-restraint....

So my grandparents got me a $50 debit card and I spent it all on ebooks for my kindle. Haha. For my Kindle? No, for me. Ughh. I have a serious problem....
But they were all amazing deals!! So here most of them are. Or all that I can remember...

The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden
Fey Fall Down
Archers of Avalon Series
Of Witches and Warlocks Series
The Fallen Star Series
Jake's Story
Savage Series
The Boy Who Sneaks in My Bedroom Window
Transcend
+
__________________________________________________

$53.84(with the other books)



*Takes a bow


-Jackie

Temptation by Karen Ann Hopkins

Paperback, 383 pages

Published June 26th 2012 by Harlequin Teen

ISBN: 037321054X (ISBN13: 9780373210541)

He's Amish. She's not. Being together should be impossible.

Summary:

Your heart misleads you.
That's what my friends and family say.

But I love Noah.
And he loves me.

We met and fell in love in the sleepy farming community of Meadow view, while we rode our horses together through the grassy fields and in those moments in each other's arms.

It should be

ROSE & NOAH

forever, easy.

But it won't be.

Because he's Amish.
And I'm not. 

Rating: 4  Stars

What I think:

 Characters: I thought overall they were really well developed. Noah: he's 18 and has his whole life basically already made for him. Ranging from who he'll be, his job, his religion and the way he'll live his life. Then he meets Rose. Rose is the average girl. She's a 16 year- old girl with big dreams. She's a passionate dancer with two brothers, one older and one younger, and caring father. But they all just lost both a mother and a wife. That's why Rose's father changed from a hectic life to a some-what less crazy one. They meet each other and it's like the stars align. But there's a huge milestone. Noah Amish and Rose is not. I loved how they met-through their common love of horses they were able to really connect. They were both extremely naive to the ways to the other's world to a point to where I found it amusing. I found it really interesting how the author's portrayed both of the father's. They were both fiercely protective in their own way but they always held their families best interest at heart.

 “I'd never reacted to a girl this way before. My body was on fire when I was around Rose, and when I wasn't with her, all I did was think about her. Today had been the longest day of my life, dragging on forever until it was finally time to go meet her in the field.”- Noah

Setting: I like how the setting was out of the way. It was during summer-or at least I assume since school was only mentioned once in passing. The Amish community as a whole was really kind and accepting to their new 'English' neighbors. I though it was sweet. But, of course, there is always gonna be some one I just wanna smack up side the head. Over all I thought the author portrayed it nicely. 

Romance: Well done. I applaud you. It was realistic. How often do author's make a book like this with true ideals set out. Both of them (Noah and Rose) had never been kissed so they were each other's firsts which I found kinda adorable. No more details. Oh and I liked how they weren't trampy.

 “It was strange how in that moment of tragedy, it had seemed so unreal, like an old-fashioned movie reel playing on a screen for my eyes only. The pain and broken heart were blocked off for a little while, leaving me numb with disbelief. Shock is what Dad called it. But after a while, the cruel reality started to seep into my tissues, and my body became a sponge, just sucking it all up until, finally, there was so much grief inside, I couldn't help feeling it.
That's how it happened for me. First, the numbness right after she died, next the agonising pain and then the place I was at now—the land of perpetual depression.”- Rose

Just My Thoughts: Okay so if I was told I had to make the choice of leaving my family, my life everything I knew and loved, my friends, my possessions, everything to be with the guy I was head over heels in love with or stay with my family and have everything I knew and loved but not the guy..... I just don't think I could do it. I don't think I would go. I mean......I would move on eventually....right? But....okay let's just say hypothetically I was 16 and the guy was 18, like Rose and Noah, I would still be living next to him. I would still see him everyday. I would not be able to have contact with him. I would see him and his wife everyday until I moved out.....I don't know. I think I would be able to live without the guy but I don't think I would be able to live without my friends and family. I just don't think I could. But that's just me.

 End Points:

4/5

 

Say Yes to the

Book

Read book two:

-Jackie