Book Blogger Hop (35) & Follow Friday (27)

It's Friday so it means it's time for the Book Blogger Hop and Follow Friday!

First off, the Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted by Jennifer of Crazy-for-Books. It is a way for all the book bloggers out there to get together and find out about each other's blogs. I've found a lot of great blogs and bloggers through this hop and it's always fun to take part in each week.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:

SINCE TODAY IS APRIL'S FOOL'S DAY IN THE USA, WHAT IS THE BEST PRANK THAT YOU HAVE EVER PLAYED ON SOMEONE OR THAT SOMEONE HAS PLAYED ON YOU?

I don't actually get into April Fool's all that much and I'm not that much of a prankster myself. I honestly don't remember ever playing a prank on someone or having one played on me. There was a time I was pretty gullible but for some reasons my friends were nice and didn't take advantage of that (for which I thank them today). So I guess this is a pretty boring answer.

The Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee's View each week. It works a lot like the Book Blogger Hop except that it's only on Fridays. I haven't been taking part in this hop as long but I've found a lot of great new blogs through this one too.

That's it for this week!

Enjoy your weekends!

White Cat by Holly Black

Summary (from book):

Cassel comes from a family of curse workers--people who have the power to change your emotions, your memories, your luck, by the slightest touch of their hands. Since curse work is illegal, they’re all criminals. But not Cassel. He hasn’t got the magic touch, so he’s an outside--the straight kid in a crooked family--as long as you ignore one small detail: He killed his best friend, Lila. Now he is sleepwalking, propelled into the night by terrifying dreams about a white cat. He also notices that his brothers are keeping secrets from him. As Cassel begins to suspect he’s part of a huge con game, he must unravel his past and his memories. To find out the truth, Cassel will have to outcon the conmen.

Review:

Until I read White Cat, I hadn’t read anything by Holly Black (I know, don’t judge). Now I’ve come to realize that I’ve been missing out. White Cat was absolutely amazing and I’m so happy that I decided to pick it up. I wasn’t sure what to expect but I definitely enjoyed this book, more than I thought I would.

Cassel Sharpe is a non-worker in a family full of curse workers. His whole life he’s been trying to fit in, something made even more difficult for someone who believes they murdered their best friend. When he starts sleepwalking and dreaming about a mysterious white cat, Cassel starts being suspicious, wondering if what he knows of his path is actually the truth. When everyone around him seems to be keeping secrets, Cassel will have to find a way to get to the bottom of things. But for someone coming from a family of expert conmen, it may prove to be easier said than done.

Holly Black is a phenomenal writer and I absolutely loved the voice she gave her characters, especially Cassel. There aren’t that many YA books, that I know of, that are told from a boy’s point of view and I love it when I get the chance to read one. Cassel was just a great character not matter how you look at him. Sure sometimes his behavior and judgement class were somewhat questionable, but that what made him more interesting. There was a lot more to him than met the eye to say the least. I won’t even try to go into the Sharpe-Singer family dynamics. I’m sure they all mean well but they often have a weird way of showing it. Cassel’s friends, Sam and Daneca, amused me. They were ready to follow Cassel no matter how crazy the plan. There was a wide variety of characters and that’s what really made the story that much more interesting.

The idea of curse workers is one that is different from most of what is out there. In most books with some sort of magical or supernatural characters, they live in or outside of society without the general public knowing about them. In this case, curse workers are part of society, granted they aren’t the most upstanding members of it, and the general public knows about them. The curse workers are only one aspect of the criminal activity going on here. This is all set against a back drop of mob activity. Let’s just say that with this book, nothing is ever really as it seems. All together, this book was different from most of what I’ve read and I absolutely loved it.

White Cat was a fantastic read, one you definitely should pick up if you haven’t already done so. Holly Black is an absolutely fantastic writer and creates a story that will have you always wanting to know what happens next. You should go read this book, trust me you won’t regret it.

The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

Summary (from book):

My name is Meghan Chase.

I thought it was over. That my time with the fey, the impossible choices I had to make, the sacrifices of those I loved, was behind me. But a storm is approaching, an army of Iron fey that will drag me back, kicking and screaming. Drag me away from the banished prince who’s sworn to stand by my side. Drag me into the core of the conflict so powerful, I’m not sure anyone can survive it.

This time, there will be no turning back.

****SPOILER ALERT!!! DO NOT READ THIS REVIEW IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THIS BOOK OR THE PREVIOUS BOOKS IN THE SERIES!!!****

Review:

The Iron Fey series is simply amazing and The Iron Queen wasn’t anything less. If I though the first two books were fantastic, I don’t even know how to describe this one. I am completely in love with the world and the characters that Julie Kagawa created and I just can’t seem to get enough.

Meghan is back in Louisiana, after having been banished from the Nevernever by Oberon. This time, though, Ash is with her having also been banished from the Faerie Realm by Mab. Thinking she will finally have some time to relax. Meghan decides to go home. But the Iron King is still after her, and threatening to take over the entire Nevernever. Now, Meghan has to find a way to stop the false Iron King before he destroys Ash’s world, and maybe even Ash in the process. But will Meghan have the strength to do what needs to be done. But more importantly, will she be able to do it all before the Nevernever is destroyed forever.

I was so happy to be able to get back into the world that Julie Kagawa created. There are just so many layers to it, every time I think I have it all figured out, there is something new that appears. There’s always something new to learn about it, and personally I eat it all up. I also absolutely love all the action. There just isn’t ever one dull moment, or if there mysteriously is on it definitely doesn’t last very long. But all of this would be nothing without Julie Kagawa’s amazing storytelling. The way the story is written just draws you in right from the get go and only releases you after the very last word. And the story is full of twists and turns that just make you want to know exactly what’s going to happen next.

Meghan is a majorly awesome heroine. She never backs down and just takes whatever comes her way. Some of the decisions she has to make I’m not sure that I would be able to make them myself. But Meghan just does whatever she has to, no matter how much pain it will cause her. As for the two boys, I may not be so sure who I want Meghan to be with anymore. Don’t get me wrong, Ash is still pretty much amazing but sometimes his behavior just bugs me. As for Puck, I just love him and find myself leaning more and more towards him. I guess I’ll just have to wait and see what happens next.

The Iron Queen was even better than The Iron King and The Iron Daughter if that is even at all possible. It’s an unpredictable, fast paced, action packed story that will just leave you begging for more. Now I can’t wait to read Ash’s story in The Iron Knight.

Book Blogger Hop (34) & Follow Friday (26)

It's Friday so it means it's time for the Book Blogger Hop and Follow Friday!

First off, the Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted by Jennifer of Crazy-for-Books. It is a way for all the book bloggers out there to get together and find out about each other's blogs. I've found a lot of great blogs and bloggers through this hop and it's always fun to take part in each week.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:

IF YOU COULD PHYSICALLY PUT YOURSELF INTO A BOOK OR SERIES...WHICH ONE WOULD IT BE AND WHY?

If I was able to be part of a book or series I think I would go with the Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead. What attracts me to that series isn't even the vampire aspect of it but all of the characters in the books. I would love a chance to be friends with Rose and Lissa and just to be involve in all of their crazy schemes and plans.

The Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee's View each week. It works a lot like the Book Blogger Hop except that it's only on Fridays. I haven't been taking part in this hop as long but I've found a lot of great new blogs through this one too.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:

INSPIRED BY THE INANE TWITTER TREND OF #100FACTSABOUTME, GIVE US FIVE BOOK RELATED SILLY FACTS ABOUT YOU.

1. Technically speaking I can read books in three languages. I'm originally French and still read a number of books in that language, I did Spanish all through high school though a book in Spanish would take me a lot longer to read (though I have done it) and obviously I read in English.

2. Except on a few very rare occasions, I cannot walk into a bookstore and walk back out empty handed.

3. Obviously I've always loved to read, but I was one of those people who practically knew how to read before starting kindergarten.

4. Currently, I am running out of space to put my books since my room isn't exactly very big so they are piled all over the place.

5. I am known for going on book related rants (or gushing sessions) to my friends even when they have no clue what I'm talking about.

That's it for this week!

Enjoy your weekends!

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

Summary (from book):

In the not-too-distant future, because of genetic engineering, every human is a ticking time bomb--males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. To keep the population from dying out, girls are kidnapped and sold into polygamous marriages.

When sixteen-year-old Rhine is taken, she enters a world of wealth and privilege that both entices and terrifies her. She has everything she ever wanted--except freedom. With the help of Gabriel, a servant Rhine is growing dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to escape before it is too late.

Review:

Wither is one of those books that has been getting a lot of hype for quite some time now. I tend to be a little wary of hype, I’m always afraid the book won’t be able to live up to it. Wither most definitely did not disappoint and lived up to all the hype. I can honestly say that it was one of the best books that I’ve read so far this year.

Rhine knows that it happens all the time, she just didn’t think that it would happen to her. But then she finds herself in the back of a car on her way to be married to a man she’s never met, a man who will also be marrying the two other girls in the car with her. Now a prisoner in her husband’s home, Rhine wants nothing more than to escape and go back to her twin brother in Manhattan. But that may not be as easy as she thought. Now that she knows her sister-wives Cecily and Jenna and has gotten close to Gabriel, a servant, Rhine isn’t sure about anything anymore. Even Linden, her husband, is not as bad as she would have thought. Will Rhine be able to escape before she becomes too attached, before it’s too late?

There’s just something about dystopian novels that draws you in, and that was the case with Wither. The world created by Lauren DeStefano was amazing and captivated me from start to finish. I believed every single aspect of it, to the point that I sometimes thought that I was right there with Rhine. From the scary darkness of the basement to all the different gardens and groves, I could see it all and it felt like I was right there. The concept of the story was also very interesting. I’ve read books where marriages are arranged but never any where girls were sold off to be brides. Just that was enough to keep me interested.

I absolutely loved getting to know Rhine and seeing things from her perspective. She had a great voice and I really enjoyed seeing her work her way through everything. What I loved most was seeing her relationship with Gabriel develop and Rhine trying to figure it all out. As for the other two girls, Cecily always had me either smiling or exasperated. Because of her young age, that behavior was normal but sometimes I just forgot that she was that young. It took me longer to warm up to Jenna but once I did, I started to really like her. The one character I really didn’t like was Housemaster Vaughn, he completely creeped me out.

Wither was a stunning story and by far one of the best I have read so far this year. If I didn’t know better, I wouldn’t be able to tell that this is Lauren DeStefano’s first book. I can’t wait to read what comes next from her.

Fall for Anything by Courtney Summers

Summary (from book):

When Eddie Reeves’s father commits suicide, her life is consumed by the nagging question of why? Why when he was a legendary photographer and a brilliant teacher? Why when he seemed to find inspiration in everything he saw? And, most important, why when he had a daughter who loved him more than anyone else in the world? When she meets Culler Evans, a former student of her father’s and a photographer himself, an instant and dangerous attraction begins. Culler seems to know more about her father than she does and could possibly hold the key to the mystery surrounding his death. But Eddie’s vulnerability has weakened her, and Culler Evans is getting too close. Her need for the truth keeps her hanging on...but are some questions better left unanswered?

Review:

Fall for Anything is the first book I’ve read by Courtney Summers, but now I will definitely keep an eye out for her books. The story was touching and stayed with me long after I was finished reading the book.

All Eddie Reeves wants to know is, Why? Why did her father decide to commit suicide and then not leave any explanation behind. She could get more information about that night, if only her best friend Milo would tell her what happened, but every time she asks he says no. Then one day Eddie meets Culler Evans, her father’s student and he seems to have answers to so many of Eddie’s questions. Together they go on a trip that will help them get an answer to that why question. But everything about Culler may not be what it appears and maybe getting answers is not worth getting hurt all over again.

Thankfully, I’ve never lived through someone I loved committing suicide so I couldn’t relate to Eddie in that way, but I could understand the whole thing about wanting answers. There are always some answers you want but you can never seem to get, so I really got that. In general though, I really liked Eddie, she felt real to me which is always something I look for in characters. I also really liked Milo. From the beginning I could tell that he saw Eddie as something more than just his best friend. So basically I was rooting for him all along. Culler on the other hand, I could feel that something was off about him but I just couldn’t put my finger on what exactly. Eventually I found out what it was and I had some trouble believing it.

The story revolved around grief and getting answers but it didn’t feel overly heavy. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t a light read but it also didn’t weigh you down while you’re reading the book. It was a really touching story, one where everything felt real and there was always some part of it that you could somehow relate to. It was also a story that made youthink. There wasn’t a single moment while I was reading that I wasn’t thinking, mostly about what I would do if I were put in Eddie’s situation. This is definitely a story that will stay with me for a while.

Overall, Fall for Anything was a touching and moving read. Courtney Summers is a fantastic writer and I will definitely keep my eye out for her other books in the future.

Book Blogger Hop (33) & Follow Friday (25)

It's Friday so it means it's time for the Book Blogger Hop and Follow Friday!

First off, the Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted by Jennifer of Crazy-for-Books. It is a way for all the book bloggers out there to get together and find out about each other's blogs. I've found a lot of great blogs and bloggers through this hop and it's always fun to take part in each week.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:

DO YOU READ ONLY ONE BOOK AT A TIME, OR DO YOU HAVE SEVERAL GOING AT ONCE?

It used to be that I would only read more than one book at a time when I absolutely had to. The only other times I would read more than one book were when they were completely different (like reading one for school and reading one for pleasure). Now that I have a Kindle, I'm reading three books at once. Because it's so practical, I take my Kindle with me everywhere so I'll be reading on there but then when I get home I pick up an actual book. Thankfully I don't get the stories confused but sometimes I loose track of what's happening where.

The Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee's View each week. It works a lot like the Book Blogger Hop except that it's only on Fridays. I haven't been taking part in this hop as long but I've found a lot of great new blogs through this one too.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:

HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH YOUR BLOG NAME?

Well there really isn't that much to it. My name's Emilie and I tend to be in a world of books most of the time so that's how I ended up with "Emilie's Book World". Not very creative, I know...I tend to lack imagination sometimes.

That's it for this week!

Enjoy your weekends!

R.A.K. - Random Acts of Kindness

After seeing many different people doing this I decided that I would also sign up for Random Acts of Kindness. R.AK. is the brainchild of Isalys and Vanessa of Book♥Soultmates. Basically, you get the opportunity to look at different bloggers' wishlists and if you want you can contact them and offer to gift them one of the books on their wishlist. Personally, I love getting new books and giving books is always fun. Most of the gifts I give to family and friends are books, sharing books I love is just one of the things I love the most, and if I can share them with more people then it's even better.

For those who don't know, R.A.K. is a monthly feature you can sign up for. Basically, all you need is an up-to-date wishlist and a mailing address and you're good to go. If you want more information you can go check it out over at Book♥Soultmates' blog.

If you want to check out my wishlist, you can head on over to my Goodreads and look on my wishlist shelf...or you can just click here.

Waiting on Wednesday (21)

For those of you that don't know, Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine where book bloggers devote a post to an upcoming book release they are particularly looking forward to reading.

THIS WEEK'S PICK:

CROSSED BY ALLY CONDIE

In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky — taken by the Society to his certain death — only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake.

Cassia’s quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander — who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia’s heart — change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever.

Crossed is the sequel to Matched which came out late last year. I really liked Matched when I read it and when I finished, I really wanted to know what was going to happen next. Now I'm really excited for Crossed's release, November can't come soon enough. Plus, how absolutely gorgeous is that cover? It totally represents the story.

Crossed by Ally Condie will be published November 1, 2011 by Dutton Juvenile.

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

Summary (from book):

Clara Gardner has recently learned that she’s part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn’t easy.

Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall in place--and out of place at the same time. Because there’s another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara’s less angelic side.

As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she’s have to make--between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?

UNEARTHLY is a moving tale of love and fate, and the struggle between following the rules and following your heart.

Review:

To be honest, the cover is what originally drew me in with Unearthly but then I hear all these great things about the book which only made me want to read it more. Angel stories are always really interesting and let me just say that I absolutely loved this one.

Clara was perfectly happy living her life in California where she had friends and she fit in, for the most part. But then she starts to have visions about a fire and a mysterious boy whose face she has never been able to see. The thing about Clara is that she has angel blood and those visions have to do with her purpose, the thing she was put on earth to do. Now Clara has to move to Wyoming where, according to her visions, she’s supposed to save Christian from a deadly forest fire. But then there’s Tucker, the boy Clara just can’t seem to get out of her mind when she should be focusing all her efforts on Christian. What will Clara choose? Love or her duty as an angel?

I’ve read a lot of books about different sorts of angels or angel-related people, but this was the first one about actual angels. I really enjoyed it to say the least. The whole concept of purpose was really interesting and it really got me thinking about how, in some way, we all have a purpose to fulfill at some point in our lives. And the same goes for choices we have to make between love and duty just like Clara has to in the book. And that was my little philosophical interlude. The other thing that really got me was all the angel stuff. I loved reading about the history of the angels and how there was a sort of hierarchy to them based on the amount of angel blood they had flowing through their veins. And you know, all the different things they could do were pretty neat too...personally, I wouldn’t mind being able to fly.

I loved the mix of characters in the book. I liked how I was finding out about the angel stuff as Clara was, it sort of allowed me to connect with her more. And I could understand her struggle choosing between love and duty. Who would find it easy to choose between Tucker and Christian? Speaking of Tucker, where has he been my whole life?! At first he really bugged me but by the end of the book I just couldn’t get enough of him. Too bad he’s only a fictional character. The other character I particularly liked was Angela, she sort of surprised me. From the initial description we get of her, I really didn’t think she would turn out the way she did. But I’m glad she ended up being who she was.

Overall, Unearthly was an amazing read. You will keep turning pages until there are no more left to turn, and even then you’ll still want more. Or at least I did. So, when can I get more, please?