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Thursday, September 29, 2011

Bloodlines #0.5 Adrian's Lost Chapter by Richelle Mead

Well, originally, Bloodlines was going to be told from a variety of characters points of view. But then after a couple of chapters Richelle Mead realised that there were a few ginormous teensy weensy problems and scratched the entire thing and started again :)
The first chapter was told in Adrian's POV.
Enjoy!

Bloodlines - Original Chapter One

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead


Still under suspicion after helping Rose escape in Last Sacrifice, Sydney now finds herself protecting the one thing that's keeping Lissa on the throne: Jill Dragomir. Joined by Dhampir Guardian Eddie, and Moroi Adrian, the unlikely group set out and hide... in Palm Springs. Enrolled in a prestigious boarding school as siblings, Sydney's duty is to protect Jill at all costs, but Palm Springs isn't at all what it seems and something far more sinister, that threatens the entire mission, hides just around the corner...

Richelle Mead has struck once more!
After mourning the end of the brilliant Vampire Academy series I think I ran around the house screaming in joy at the announcement of Bloodlines **eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee**
I'm so happy!

Yes. Anyways. Alchemist Sydney Sage has returned once more in the riveting new series Bloodlines.
She's smart, she's determined and she has slight OCD. Oh well, you can't have it all :)
Sydney fights throughout the book, in her own little way, with fervor and determination. Richelle develops this unlikely Alchemist into the perfect heroine! I personally quite like Sydney, she has boundaries and character, and she isn't a perfect unrealistic brat! Sydney is a very protective character even though she may not do it in the most elegant of ways; she tries her best to keep those around her from harm. Her naivety is charming; one of my favourite scenes would be her turning down a date... with logic. Hilarious! I don't think I’ve laughed so hard in a while!

Adrian is BACK!!!! **lweijrlqwfoqweordrjQALSCJKHVGASKD;CLASaikfgakfjoqwdeqw** Yes, I could think of nothing to asterisk about so I just let my fingers attack the keyboard... kswherfwayefdiujaw
He's as charming and confusing as ever! Still recovering from his love sickness, Adrian is more vulnerable than ever in Bloodlines. I don't think I've heard him apologize so much in one book (twice) But don't worry, Adrian's still got that laid back attitude that keeps him so addictive. And yes. His hands still don't do manual labor; that is until Sydney gets to him. hehehe. His quirky comments are the cause of many stitches due to my unstoppable laughing attacks. eeeeeeeee

Jill is also present in this novel, along with Eddie and several other characters. Rose makes a brief appearance and is as kick-ass as ever :) I am so glad that Bloodlines is set in the same world as Vampire Academy, I think my heart is finally starting to heal from the damage the series inflicted by ending. :) It's always an exceptional feeling when there are mentions of characters from Vampire Academy.

I can't say how pleased I am that Adrian comes back and gets a second chance! I'm honestly hoping that he and Sydney get together and have the adorable and cute relationship that they deserve! I can't believe how sad he was when Rose left him, and I really hope that Bloodlines will help him to recover.

The plot overall was very unpredictable, or you think you can predict what's going to happen and then at the last moment the plot twists and drops a massive bombshell on you! The story was very well written (duh it's Richelle Mead) and also very engaging. There were secrets hiding under every little crack and crevice! There were several huge twists in the story and though I won't mention what they are, I’m telling you now they are huge! Not little-huge, no not even elephant huge. Huge like a galaxy's worth or stars huge! The ending was so goooooood!!! And of course, Richelle wouldn't be Richelle if she didn't leave us hanging... her parting gift was another cliff hanger- I don't think I’m going to make it!

Can’t wait for the Golden Lily. Ooooooh, it even sounds good :) And it's soooooooo pretty! :)

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

Yeah... this one's a little late :)


Meghan Chase thought it was all over, that she could just live out the rest of her days with her banished Knight by her side. She was wrong. She was so, so wrong. The Iron fey that she thought she’d left behind have returned to drag her back to her end, because a false King has risen and that false king wants to eliminate any threat against him... starting with Meghan.

This time there are no second chances, this time there is no turning back. And in the end, Meghan will be forced to choose and her choice will impact not only herself, but the rest of the fey...

I laughed, I cried and now I have a gaping hole in my chest.
Why? Julie, Why?

Meghan returns in a flurry of action. She’s grown so much since the first book, she’s changed from the stubborn yet courageous girl determined to save her brother into something more. Meghan has done so much, words cannot do her justice! She’s saved the fey, battled monsters and still she can’t have her happy ending...
The Iron Queen, the title gives it away a little but regardless we all knew that this had to come, the consequences however are what make the story interesting and alluring.

Ash, dark and brooding and willing to relinquish his title and his life for Meghan, we all know that he is completely devoted and willing to go to the ends of the earth for her. The ending of this novel completely threw me, and yes as mentioned above, I cry. And am still crying. The ending was one so fitting yet so wrong, Julie really knows how to leave an audience crying.

They say love can withstand all, well in this case let’s hope it does.

Defiance by Lili St. Crow


Dru’s been through Hell and back.
And still she manages to hold on, but not without consequences. After another attempt on her life, Dru’s still recovering from Anna’s attack. She still can’t get over the fact that Anna, a svetocha, was the cause of her mother’s demise. Being a svetocha herself, Dru hides in one of the very few places that can still offer her safety: The Schola. Graves, her best friend has been taken by Sergej, and has disappeared without a trace, or that’s what she thinks until a source comes forward with evidence which accuses the one person that she trusts with her life as being the one to turn Graves over to her enemy...

**hyperventilate**
Lili St. Crow, you've created a monster.
I don't think I’ll be able to make it without my daily dose of Strange Angels.
One Word: Addictive.

So, I’m at the end of yet another Strange Angels novel.... noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Why? Why cruel fate? I'll be tossing and turning in anticipation for Reckoning. Whyyyy????

If you're worried that Defiance won't live up to the previous books, you've nothing to worry about.
The beginning of Defiance started with a bang! Lili St Crow, how could I ever have doubted you? Lili knows just how to capture the attention of a reader; the pages flew by in a flurry. Even when the plot had relatively calmed down there was anticipation, it was the tranquillity at the eye of the storm, and we all know that it's bound to blow.
True to its word, Defiance had an absolutely astounding ending, the twists, the turns, the betrayal!
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!

Dru Anderson, your good ol' neighbourhood Svetocha. She's still as stubborn as ever, and yes, in case you're wondering, she still brings up her fathers' gruesome ending quite often. But you honestly can't blame her; the experience of shooting your own father may be slightly traumatic. Still recovering from Anna's attempt on her life, Dru's cooped up inside the Schola being watched 24/7. Still she manages to escape every now and then, or so she thinks.

Christophe, dark, mysterious and completely and utterly drool worthy. Yeah, he's still around and as confusing as ever! You know so little about him, but in that way it keeps his character I suppose.

Graves surprisingly is not a main character in Defiance, though he still plays a major role. Being kidnapped tends to have that effect :) Even when he's missing, Graves still manages to influence the story. Big time.

The two males in this book are so different and even though it doesn’t mention it as much in this novel, you can still tell that Dru’s having trouble choosing. One moment she declares her affections for Christophe the next she’s calling him a traitor. Aaarrgghh so frustrating! To be honest I prefer Christophe :) Graves can just go away :)
In summary, Defiance as mentioned above is a riveting read that’s guaranteed to keep you wanting more! How I’ll manage without Reckoning? I don't know. But I won't risk dying before I get my hands on it :)

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Juliet Immortal -speech/ review


Ok, as my blog post several weeks ago mentioned, I had to create a speech for a book for an English Task. As promised, I'm going to be posting my oh-so-awesome speech. Be excited, I won!!!!
Ok, there was a slight problem... there only being 3 entries, but hey... don't burst my bubble. They were tough competition, or so I tell myself so I can sleep at night :)
yep.

Please don't use or copy or paraphrase without asking guys, it will make me sad, and when I’m sad, I cry, and when I cry I look horrid, but then I stop, and I get angry, and when I get angry people get hurt. mwahahahaha

So, in case you missed my very thinly veiled threat. Don't use my speech in anyway, unless of course you've got my permission :) thanks, Appreciate it.

And now without any further ado:

Romeo, Romeo wherefore art thou Romeo?
Trying to kill you! That’s where he is!

Ugh, the dreaded Romeo and Juliet, yeah the tragic love story of the two who died for love, the dismal ending that generations upon generations of students have pondered. Was it really necessary for the lust-struck Juliet to stab herself through the heart in the name of love? What if I were to tell you that Shakespeare had it wrong, it was just a false cover story for what atrocity really happened that day? Yes, you heard me right, the world renowned and iconic story of love and tragedy is all a lie. Juliet didn’t pass away peacefully hand in hand with her one true love, no, she was murdered. Murdered in cold blood.

Who wants to hear of the same stories, vampires, werewolves, vampiric werewolves when you can have Ambassadors of Light and Mercenaries of the Apocalypse? So the dark and light things are a little old, but wait til you hear what they do! The sole purpose of an ambassador of light is to stop the mercenaries from succeeding in their goal. Here’s some background info just to get you up to speed: Soul mates, true lovers only meet once in about 50 years, despite the claims of many desperate teenagers. “But I love him”, no you don't. Anyway that’s where the Mercenaries come in; their goal is to persuade one of the lovers to betray the other for the promise of an eternity of happiness. With the Mercenaries of the Apocalypse wrecking havoc in the world, true lovers are becoming an endangered species.

And cue Juliet; betrayed by her own lover on the night of her wedding, she’s joined the Ambassadors with the sole purpose of ruining Romeo’s plans. The 2 have battled it out for 7 hundred years now, and fate has once again brought them together. Called back to earth, Juliet sets about protecting the soul mates only to discover that this trip is not at all as planned.

"Did you miss me love?” He kisses me on the cheek, a rough, playful kiss that leaves a bit of wet behind. Dylan had died after all. And Romeo has found a corpse. It’s my last thought before his hands are around my throat.
Despite her own wishes, Juliet finds herself falling in love, and Romeo, O Romeo is going to stop at nothing to ensure she never sees her love again...

So think about it, you’re all intelligent people so I don’t need to tell you it’s the perfect book, no, you know that it’s the perfect book. So, who’d want an average book with average characters and average storylines when you can have a story of love, loss and murder? The perfect blend of action, betrayal and love, with a plot that twists and turns so much it’ll make your head spin. Read Juliet Immortal and discover the truth.

--end--

Please note, it sounds far better when you have me **cough** screaming it at you, and doing high-pitched voices at random intervals. Yes it may not be the best work, but I’m happy :)

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

OH MY GOSH!!! Hunger Games Trailer!!!

HUNGER GAMES MOVIE!!!! eeeeeeeeeeeee
Yes, in case you have been living in a hole for most of your life time, you'd be aware the action-packed, edge-of-you-seat, and downright addictive Hunger Games series, is being made into a movie. And guess what... The sneak peek trailer is out. **hyperventilate** aaaaaahhhh!!! I have dreamt of this day since I cried my heart out at the end of the series.
Yes, the sneak peek. **silently 'eeee's**

The actor chosen to play the role of Katniss is Jennifer Lawrence, hm... I haven't actually seen much of her acting (that translates to none at all, haven’t even heard of her), but judging from the sneak peek, she is goooood. Dang! She jumps over that log like it was nothing, that log would probably take me about 10 minutes to get over before promptly tripping and landing smack-bang on the ground. Lovely I know, gracefulness is something I lack severely. And I am impressed by her awesome arrow-drawing skills, loading a bow is super hard, trust me I’ve tried, it wasn't pretty. Yet another skill I lack. Yes, Jennifer does seem to fit Katniss's description (no blond hair or anything) and she's even got the trade mark braid!!! In terms of age.. hmm.... she'll pass.

Now, what you've all been putting up with my incessant chatter for... click >here< for the clip.

And may the odds be ever in your favour.

Monday, September 19, 2011

Clary's Sketchbook-- Mortal Instrument Series- fan made


Dang, have i ever mentioned my absolute love for the Mortal Instruments series? ooh! and the Infernal Devices too!
No? **gasp of horror** I can't believe i've never mentioned my undying love for the series. **blushes in shame** Well, now you know, i love the Mortal Instruments! They are absolutely amazing! If you haven't already read the series, read them. I was captivated by page one of City of Bones, and i'm sure you will be too.
This was something made by a fan that Cassandra Clare shared on her blog.
It's so cute!
click >>here<<
I love it! I'm not sure who it is who made it, but it's awesome!
reeeaaadddd the seeerrieeesss!!!!!

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Who on earth let Tyra Banks write a novel?!?!?!


I cry, I really do. That some people are reduced to such low actions. Yes. Tyra Banks wrote a book. Modelland. To be precise.
My eyes are streaming with tears, ears are burning and I don't think I can feel my fingers. (well, maybe not the last one, or else i wouldn't be able to type properly)
Yes, what has the reading world been reduced to?!?! WHAT IS THIS?!!??!?!?!

I haven't even read the book, and I can tell you it will be very... hmm... **thinks up least offensive word possible** special. Yeah. Special, that's my nice way of saying it'll be horrid. Why? I hear you ask. Just listen to the main character's name: Tookie de la Crème. Is she meant to be some kind of desert?? The poor girl, if I were her I would change my name, heck I'd change it to Princess Consuela Banana Hammock (that's a Friends quote for those of you that think I’m slightly weird) Anything but that.

Oh my fellow book lovers, i fear we may have to go into hiding. I'd write a petition telling Tyra to just shred any piece of evidence on this book, but it's too late. She's gone and had it published. WHAT WAS SHE THINKING!?!?! I feel bad that she's spent 5 years of her oh-so-short life slaving away to write this book, I’m amazed by her actual determination.

Watch this clip. Here. and cry. oh. Tyra darlin' you've got a little something on your face. oh wait it's a smize. **facepalm** Oh, and look how happy she is when the cover of the book is revealed... i'm going to be very shallo here and say that it looks like trash compared to covers like Fallen and Hush Hush (yes i'm being bias), but i honestly thought it'd be something more... plastic? pretty?, Why? because it's Tyra Banks here, and she makes a living on looks. People DO judge a book by it's cover, and i'm just gonna put it out there: people wouldn't really pick up Modelland if it was judged according to the cover. oh and it has a Smize, **scoffs**

Something i picked up on: she's going to Harvard?!?! WHAT IS THIS?!?!?!? Ugh, what has the world become, maybe we should just call up the nearest apocalypse and have it reschedule for today :)

Wow, i dare not read this book for fear of losing half of my already limited brain cells. Modelland is aparently aimed at YA, an alternate world full of magic and models. Tyra, my sweet, I don't think you're aware but models and magic don't mix. At least not the way you're writing it. Who in their right mind would read this book??? Unless it was out of complete boredom, or some sort of dare?

Dang, now I’m feeling bad, I haven't even read the book and I’m judging it. That's just not cool. But. yes big BUT, in my defence, I’ve read several reviews all of which feature unfortunate readers who want to erase the past couple of hours from their memory.

I've just scanned the first chapter--I know, I’m heading into the bathroom to puke as soon as I finish this post-- And I’ve just encountered several interesting facts:
A) some names are normal
B) some names aren’t.
I think Tyra was going for something memorable. But, man oh man are these names special. Going onto the list consisting of Tookie de la Crème are:
Theophilus Lovelaces - yes, this is an actual character name. **snort** yes I actually snorted when I read this, who wouldn't??? **mentally add to my list of what NOT to name my child**
Zarpessa Zarionneaux- eugh, Zarpessa sounds like something Tyra made up by throwing together some random syllables. It sounds like something I’d name my cat, wait scratch that, I wouldn't want my cat to suffer and die of embarrassment.

memorable quote:
The hairy hag was Abigail Goode, sideburns in full glory, faint moustache above her upper lip, unshaven leg hair coating her calves, underarm hair swaying in the wind

Wow, "underarm hair swaying in the wind", I think that's a little far, don't you? hahaha. I might actually read this just for laughs, should I really put myself through all that suffering??

ok, those of you who want to check this out for yourself. Click here. Go on, I dare you. But be warned; keep your puke bag handy.

:)

Forever by Maggie Stiefvater


A YEAR OF WAITING AND I'VE FINALLY GOTTEN MY GRUBBY HANDS ON A COPY!!!! Oh YEAH!

ok. now i shall compose myself :)

Beautiful... Breathtakingly beautiful.
I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect ending.

Remember that ridiculous ending of Linger that nearly-caused-many-crazed-fans-to-jump-off-cliffs,-but-then-changed-their-minds-because-they-have-to-wait-for-Forever-to-come-out??? Yeah well, now I think it's safe to say that all suicidal thoughts have rushed from their minds. **sigh** so beautiful.

“It was a strangely disorienting feeling, to have something you'd relied on for so long start to change, like finding out that gravity no longer worked on Mondays.”

Grace is a wolf now, leaving Sam alone and uncertain his little world, she was meant to be there with him, and she'd want to be with him... if only she could remember. As a wolf, Grace runs free in the woods, the pack as her companions, but she still remembers the strange boy with yellow eyes, her wolf's eyes. She is free, she is happy, and then she shifts back... Grace finds that she's still very unstable, shifting with the temperature, sometimes for an hour, sometimes for less. And finally she manages to find Sam.

Sam, lost and confused, and shaking with longing can barely believe it when out of the blue Grace calls him, after days and months of longing, she finally calls. Unlikely as it is, the two manage to find their way back to each other, but fate just won't let them be, Tom Culpepper's just organised a hunt, a wolf hunt, to wipe out Every. Single. Wolf.
And he's doing it in 14days...

It's a race against time, Forever follows Sam, Grace, Cole and Isabelle as they rush to find a cure, or at least a way to save the wolves... before it’s too late.

As with all the previous books, Forever is a little slow at first, but it's alright because once again it's slowly building up to a magnificent ending. Forces with clash, family collide, and corpses will be left behind...

Sam and Grace have such a beautiful connection, they're linked together somehow. Their relationship is gentle and understanding. Any sane reader would take one look at their relationship, no matter how complicated (they do turn into wolves and all :D ) and wish the two a happy ending. Sam is so gentle, it's like he was made for Grace (well, technically they are made for each other because Maggie did create them), Sam's a dreamer, Grace is logical and their differences balance each other out. I think I cried a little --Ahem-- A lot, throughout the book. I don't really read "lovey-dovey” romances but I could actually find myself "feeling" what the characters felt, I cried for Grace, I cried for Sam, I even cried for Cole. Personally it was way too much crying :) but i couldn't help it (don’t tell anyone, it'll ruin my hardcore image :P)

Cole, he's the one I found myself liking more and more, sure Sam's nice and all, but I found him too nice! Cole on the other hand was troubled, and dangerous, but he was changing all throughout the book. He finds himself and that's what I like about him, the events within a book are meant to change the characters, as well as the readers. I think it's safe to say that Maggie's hit the nail on the head. Her style of writing is so poetic, it's musical even. And there’s no doubt her characters are changed for life.

Maggie always has the best endings, albeit a little depressing at times. The beginning of the book may drag a little but the ending-- oh man-- they're good. I think I might actually forgive her for that dismal ending in Lament, and that punishing cliff hanger at the end of Linger!

**sigh** I am so sad, I want to cry but my oh-so-tough exterior is begging me not to :) oh-what-does-it-matter **cries a little more** the end of another great series, the wait for Maggie's next one... the pain, i can't stand the pain...
THE SCORPIO RACES!!! aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!! I can't wait.
yes. you can see i recovered quickly! :D that's because The Scorpio Races is coming out soon :)
YAY!