Review: Fire & Flood by Victoria Scott

Monday, 31 March 2014  , , , ,  1 comment



Title: Fire & Flood.
Series: Fire & Flood, #1.
Author: Victoria Scott.
Publication Date: March 6th, 2014.
Publisher: Chicken House.
Format: Paperback, 366 pages.
Source: Provided By Publisher.
My Rating:



Tella's brother is dying. He's got cancer, and Tella is helpless to save him. Or so she thought. When an invitation arrives for Tella to compete in the Brimstone Bleed, a deadly competition that will lead her through treacherous jungle and scorching desert, she doesn't think twice. Because the prize is a cure to any illness.
But Tella will be facing more than just the elements...


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The first word that popped into my mind when I first started reading Fire & Flood was that it was completely and utterly bizarre. However, the more I read of the book, the more I absolutely adored Fire & Flood! Adored it in a creepy ‘I LOVE YOU SO MUCH I WANT TO HAVE YOUR BABIES’ sort of way - and in a slightly less creepy ‘I’M FANGIRLING SO MUCH I CAN’T SLEEP’ sort of way. Fire & Flood is a fast-paced, action-packed, thought-provoking novel that’ll have your heart racing and your mind speeding ahead and second guessing every little detail you read. Although the world-building wasn’t that well developed, the amount of details Victoria Scott wrote about, and all the things she described made me feel like I was right there along with the characters in the competition. I honestly can’t seem to get across how much I loved this book – but I’m going to do my very best to try!


Tella is our main character, and to be perfectly honest; I wasn’t really sure what to make of her at first. She seemed a little too superficial for my tastes and some of the things she came out with were pretty darn weird. But as the normal progressed, Tella really changed and grew into a pretty bad-ass character that I ended up loving! It turns out as you read more of the book that Tella has a very maternal instinct, and I loved this. She became fiercely protective of all the Pandora’s in the book, no matter what they’d done for their Contender. Tella was a fascinating character, and although she was a bit obnoxious and judgemental, I really liked her character. I just guess that now days, so many people are like it that it just becomes second nature to them.

Guy is the main love interest throughout Fire & Flood, and boy did I love him! He’s dark, quiet, brooding and sexy – you all should know by now that he’s just my type. He may be a slightly hostile character who’s pretty darn unsociable, but he is also ridiculously protective, smart, caring and kind guy who also has an awesome sense of humour under all the brooding! I loved how Guy’s and Tella’s relationship wasn’t insta-love at all, of course they were drawn to each other somehow – but I loved how Tella often referred to some of the looks Guy gave her as ‘serial killerish’. I just thought it was really refreshing to see two characters actually get to know each other properly, rather than them knowing each other for a few days and suddenly thinking they’re in love. I just thought their relationship was just beautiful.

Overall, I thought that Fire & Flood was bloody fantastic! Although Victoria Scott’s writing is far from perfect and flawed in many ways, it was still an incredible novel that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. Fire & Flood was an easy 5 star read, and I believe it well and truly deserves that rating. I honestly can’t wait see what happens next in this story and find out what happens to the characters – my hands are just itching to get a hold of Salt & Stone, it’s such a shame that we have to wait so long for it to be released! I’m really looking forward to reading more from Victoria Scott in the future, as I can’t wait to see how she handles writing other genres. If you haven’t picked up a copy of Fire & Flood yet, I highly recommend that you do as soon as you possibly can!


Quotes
If my hair gets any frizzier, I'll shave it to the scalp.
Or light it on fire.
Whichever is easier. - Page 03.

I pause outside the door, wondering if I’m about to get busted for breaking and entering. Then I turn the handle and find myself at the top of another winding staircase.
You’ve got to be kidding me. What is this – Dracula’s bachelor pad? - Page 34.

When I first saw the sand, I thought it was beautiful. Like maybe it'd be fun to just roll around in and make sand angels. Now I know the truth, that sand is actually the love child of proud parents Marie Antoinette and Joseph Stalin. - Page 237.

Review: Unremembered by Jessica Brody

Tuesday, 25 March 2014  , , ,  No comments



Title: Unremembered.
Series: Unremembered, #1.
Author: Jessica Brody.
Publication Date: February 27th, 2014.
Publisher: Macmillan.
Format: Paperback, 320 pages.
Source: Provided By Publisher.
My Rating:



A catastrophic plane crash leaves on survivor:
a girl with no memory.
Who is she? Where does she come from?
Nobody knows and no one comes forward to claim her.
The she meets a boy who calls her Seraphina and claims they were once in love.

Can she trust him or is she safer leaving the past...unremembered?


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Unremembered is fast-paced and action-packed novel, filled with suspense and twist and turns that you just don’t see coming. Unremembered completely took me by surprise and blew me away at the same time – I just couldn’t put it down! I couldn’t find a single flaw with this novel, and that’s actually quite surprising to me, as I always seem to find something wrong with books – but maybe I just didn’t want to find any. Unremembered was a beautiful and brilliant novel that has quickly become one of my favourite books that I’ve read this year!


Seraphina is our main character, and I absolutely adored her! She wakes up in the ocean, being the only one to of survived a catastrophic plane crash and has no recollection of who she is, let alone the simple every day things around her. I loved how Sera kept a completely cool and even head throughout most of the book, and didn’t drive herself insane trying to remember her past. Although Sera remembers nothing about herself, I loved being on the journey with her, finding out different things about herself – especially what she loved and hated – it was really extraordinary. When Sera’s true personality starts to surface, we learn that she’s actually a kind, caring and very loving girl, who has just been dealt a very poor hand of cards.

Zen is the love-interest in Unremembered and I loved his character as well – he was absolutely perfect. Zen randomly appears not long after Sera wakes in the ocean; he tells her that her name is Seraphina, they once in love and that her life is in danger. Now, I don’t know about you, but if a gorgeous boy turned up out of the blue and said we were in love – I don’t think I’d really complain! However, Seraphina is naturally cautious of Zen at first, and tries to ignore him, but in the end is won over by the things he tells her and his sweet, caring and lovely personality. I wish I could have my own Zen, but alas – I cannot!

Although Sera and Zen have a history, and have been in love for a while before Sera lost her memories and everything went wrong, Sera’s and Zen’s new relationship is definitely not insta-love. And for that, I am extremely glad! Throughout the book you’re able to see the transition in Sera’s eyes; from Zen being a complete stranger whom she didn’t know. To remembering their love and falling in love with him all over again – it really is beautiful and done so well. There are so many ways that Jessica could have gotten this transition completely wrong, but I think it was done perfectly and I really can’t fault it.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Unremembered – it was such a fantastic and wonderfully done novel that has stayed with me, even after I turned the last page. Jessica Brody’s writing is beautiful and very unique and interesting at the same time. I believe Unremembered well and truly deserves the 5/5 star rating I gave it, and If I could give it more – I really would! I can’t wait to continue on with this series as soon as possible, as I’m sure it’s going to be just as incredible, and a fantastic series overall. I also can’t wait to read more by Jessica Brody in future, as I’m really interested to see how she handles writing other genres! I’d recommend Unremembered to anyone, even if you’re not a huge sci-fi fan, I’m sure you’ll all love it. Jessica is definitely an author to keep an eye out for!


Quotes
Forgetting who you are is so much more complicated than simply forgetting your name. It's also forgetting your dreams. Your aspirations. What makes you happy. What you pray you'll never have to live without. It's meeting yourself for the first time, and not being sure of your first impression. - Pages 5 & 6.

‘Do you remember?’ he asks, leaning in and pressing his lips to my cheek.
‘Yes,’ I whisper. ‘Always yes.’ - Page 186.

Circumstances cannot change how you feel. When you truly love someone – on a level that goes deeper than your mind, deeper than your memories, all the way to the very thing that makes you human – you do whatever it takes.
You save him. - Page 266.

March 2014 Book Haul

Tuesday, 18 March 2014  ,  3 comments


Hey book nerds! :) How've you all been? I'm doing a little better myself, and I do hope to return to more frequent blogging within the next month! I'm sorry I've had to take such a long break, but I'll try and make it up to you all. :) I've not read a whole lot this month so far, I'm only on my third book! But I'm going to try and read at least four or five before the end of March. ^.^ I actually published my review of Heartbeat by Elizabeth Scott last night, so if you're interested in reading my thoughts, don't forget to check that out! :) That's it for today, I hope you all enjoy the haul, I think it's my biggest one to date with over 40 books!!! :3 Talk soon and enjoy the rest of your week. ^.^

Video


Photos And Book Information

A BIG thanks to Harper Voyager which is an imprint of Harper Collins who sent me a copy of Her Dark Curiosity for review! :D I can't wait to continue this trilogy. :)


A BIG thank you to Chicken House who sent me these two books for review! I'm so excited to have them in my possession and can't wait to read them. :D


The Finisher by David Baldacci.

A HUGE thanks to Macmillan who sent me these copies of; The Finisher, Unremembered and Unforgotten for review! I can't wait to read them all. ^.^


Don't Look Back by Jennifer L. Armentrout.

A BIG thank you to Hodder who sent me an ARC of Don't Look Back for review! I squealed like an idiot when it arrived - and I can't wait to read it! :D


Mystic City (Mystic City, #1) by Theo Lawrence.
The Final Empire (Mistborn, #1) by Brandon Sanderson.

Arclight (Arclight, #1) by Josin L. McQuein.
Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson.

Possessed by Niki Valentine.
The Glimpse (The Glimpse, #1) by Claire Merle.

Stolen (Women of the Otherworld, #2) by Kelley Armstrong.
Fated (Fated, #1) by Sarah Alderson.

Saving June by Hannah Harrington.
The Haunted (The Hollow, #2) by Jessica Verday.




Sweet Evil (The Sweet Trilogy, #1) by Wendy Higgins.
Bitter End by Jennifer Brown.



Falling Under (Falling Under, #1) by Gwen Hayes.
Onyx (Lux, #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout.

Opal (Lux, #3) by Jennifer L. Armentrout.
Origin (Lux, #4) by Jennifer L. Armentrout.

Taken at Dusk (Shadow Falls, #3) by C.C. Hunter.
Thirsty by M.T. Anderson.

Love and Other Perishable Items by Laura Buzo.
Zombie Blondes by Brian James.


The Six Rules of Maybe by Deb Caletti.
The Almost Truth by Eileen Cook.

Wasteland (Wasteland, #1) by Susan Kim & Laurence Klavan.
Grave Mercy (His Fair Assassin, #1) by Robin LaFevers.

The Unquiet by Jeannine Garsee.
The Beginning of After by Jennifer Castle.


Once in a Full Moon (Full Moon, #1) by Anna Godbersen.
Ten by Gretchen McNeil.

Firelight (Firelight, #1) by Sophie Jordan.
Uninvited (Uninvited, #1) by Sophie Jordan.

Nightshade (Nightshade, #1) by Andrea Cremer.
Wolfsbane (Nightshade, #2) by Andrea Cremer.

Bloodrose (Nightshade, #3) by Andrea Cremer.
Rift (Nightshade Prequel, #1) by Andrea Cremer.



AHHH! :D SO MANY FRIGGIN' BOOKS I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START!! You wouldn't believe my excitement level for so many of these books. I literally squealed when Fire & Flood and Don't Look Back arrived in the post from publishers - I honestly can't WAIT to start either of them, they look incredible and I've heard so many amazing things! :D Because I love Jennifer L. Armentrout's writing so much, I decided to pick up the rest of the Luxe series, even though I've not read the first book Obsidian, I know I’m going to love the series. :) All of the books I got this month look so friggin' awesome and I wish I could read them all right away! I can't decide which book I'm most excited for, and I love all of their covers. :3 I actually already have another pile of books waiting to be hauled, because I filmed this video about a week ago, and since then, loads more have arrived. :P You'll just have to wait until next month for more though! Have you read any of these books? Let me know! ^.^


What books have you brought or received lately? Leave me a comment or a link to your blog post and I'll be sure to check it out. ^.^ Happy reading! (:

Review: Heartbeat by Elizabeth Scott

Sunday, 16 March 2014  , , ,  1 comment



Title: Heartbeat.
Author: Elizabeth Scott.
Publication Date: January 28th, 2014.
Publisher: Harlequin Teen.
Format: Paperback, 304 pages.
Source: ARC Provided By Publisher.
My Rating:



Life. Death. And...Love?

Emma would give anything to talk to her mother one last time. Tell her about her slipping grades, her anger with her stepfather, and the boy with the bad reputation who might be the only one Emma can be herself with. But Emma can't tell her mother anything. Because her mother is brain-dead and being kept alive by machines for the baby growing inside her.

Meeting bad-boy Caleb Harrison wouldn't have interested Old Emma. But New Emma - the one who exists in a fog of grief, who no longer cares about school, whose only social outlet is her best friend Olivia - New Emma is startled by the connection she and Caleb forge. Feeling her own heart beat again wakes Emma from the grief that has grayed her existence. Is there hope for life after death-and maybe, for love?


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I have to say that I really wasn’t sure what to expect when I first started reading Heartbeat. I’d read so many different reviews and heard so many different opinions about it; people seemed to either really love it or they hated it, so I was eager to find out what side of the fence I would fall on. Whilst reading Heartbeat I was teetering on the edge of really enjoying the book and wanting to flush it down the toilet – and by the end, I think I pretty much fell smack down in the middle of both emotions. Heartbeat was far from a fantastic novel, with confusing dialog at times and text that seemed to veer vastly away from the subject it was focused on. However, it was also a very emotional and quite heart-wrenching and beautiful story in its own weird and kind of quirky way.


Emma is our main protagonist, and although I didn’t hate her character – I wasn’t particularly fond of her either. For about 90% of Heartbeat, Emma was a complete and utter bitch to her step-father. I understand that the situation was a delicate and conflicting one, but some of the things she said to Dan were just plain spiteful. However, in the times that Emma acted like a regular human being, mostly when she was around Caleb, Emma turned out to be a really sweet and interesting character. My feelings for her are pretty conflicted, but she was going through a loss that has completely turned her world upside down. By the end of the novel though, Emma’s character turned into someone completely different, not the selfish cow she’d be acting like, nor the focused and grade-a-student she was before, but someone who’d been whole all that grief, but had came out the other end stronger. And I’m pretty sure that’s one of the morals of Heartbeat’s story.

Caleb is the love interest in Heartbeat, and I really loved his character. Everyone knows I love a good bad boy character, and Caleb fits the bill quite nicely. It’s always great to read about a guy trying to live with his choices and situations. Underneath the ex-drug user and grand-theft-auto, there is this amazing character – with a beautiful personality that Emma helps bring to the surface. Emma and Caleb were drawn to each other, like magnets, having so much pain, anger and loss in common that they just seemed to fit together and I loved their relationship. It wasn’t insta-love, they weren’t destined to be together from the start, something just happened in Emma’s life, and her whole being changed, she became a completely different person – and was drawn to someone she’d never considered an option beforehand. Caleb and Emma balanced each other out, saw beneath the lies and the pain and the tears and the anger, and found each other and I thought it was really beautiful.

Overall, I really did enjoy reading Heartbeat, but there were too many flaws for it to gain more than the 3.5 star rating I gave it. It seemed like it took me forever to finish reading this novel, and I just wasn’t as invested in the storyline as I hoped I would be. Heartbeat had the potential to be an incredible novel, but was let down by a writing style that was all over the place and the utter spitefulness of our main character, Emma. Writing this review has been pretty confusing, and to be perfectly honest, my opinions about this book vary from hating it, to crying at some of the scenes. Although I wasn’t the biggest fan of Heartbeat, I still want to read more from Elizabeth Scott in the future. Who knows, maybe with a different storyline and different characters Elizabeth’s writing will thrive – I certainly hope so!


Quotes
When someone you love...when they die, you want it undone. You'd do anything to have them back, and it's easy to believe that if only this had happened or that had happened, everything would be fine. And that's what makes you angry. What makes you hate. You don't want to believe that sometimes bad things happen just because they do.

I see what grief does, how it strips you bare, shows you all the things you don't want to know. That loss doesn't end, that there isn't a moment where you are done, when you can neatly put it away and move on.

We just look at each other, and I don't care that he's gorgeous and screwed up. I care that he really gets what's going on. Sees it. Sees me.

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