Review: Hopeless by Colleen Hoover (***** A MUST READ TITLE)

Title: Hopeless
Author: Colleen Hoover
Series: Hopeless
Book #: 1
Pages: 327
Reading Level: New Adult
Book Rating: 
Goodreads Rating: 4.56
Published: Dec. 19th, 2012.

Sometimes discovering the truth can leave you more hopeless than believing the lies…

That’s what seventeen-year-old Sky realizes after she meets Dean Holder. A guy with a reputation that rivals her own and an uncanny ability to invoke feelings in her she’s never had before. He terrifies her and captivates her all in the span of just one encounter, and something about the way he makes her feel sparks buried memories from a past that she wishes could just stay buried.

Sky struggles to keep him at a distance knowing he’s nothing but trouble, but Holder insists on learning everything about her. After finally caving to his unwavering pursuit, Sky soon finds that Holder isn’t at all who he’s been claiming to be. When the secrets he’s been keeping are finally revealed, every single facet of Sky’s life will change forever.

Taschima's POV:

There are, so many reasons to love Hopeless. Everything from the title and cover, to the breakable heart between the pages. Hopeless manages to seduce you with it's witty and frank dialogue at the beginning, and with the turning of every single page it only succeeds to get better and better and more freakishly complicated. To say that I was completely invested in this story is to put it lightly. I laughed when they laughed, I teared up when they cried, and I, on numerous occasions, wanted to get inside the pages to personally kick some serious ass. This story, this contemporary sort of YA (more like New Adult) story was/is/will forever be breathtaking, and it will forever warrant a re-read. But maybe only after a bit of time to cope because it seriously packs an emotional punch.

First off, there is Sky. She will not bore nor disappoint. She is unapologetic for who she is, and that only makes her that much more fun! The writing is frank, pull no punches style while at the same time when it comes to Holder and romance it is exquisite and unbelievably tantalizing. Much like Holder is himself. Wow, I have not been this turned on by a fictional guy (contemporary wise) since I read Dare You To by Katie McGarry (which is another contemporary series I highly recommend, it is as frank and as wonderful as Hopeless is).

"Let me inform you of something," he says in a low voice. "The moment my lips touch yours, it will be your first kiss. Because if you've never felt anything when someone's kissed you, then no one's ever really kissed you. Not the way I plan on kissing you."He drops his hands and keeps his eyes locked on mine while he backs up to the stove. He turns around to tend to the pasta like he didn't just ruin me for any other guy for the rest of my life"

I am right there with you sister. This man, this fictional guy, has ruined me for any other thereafter fictional guy. He is kind of perfect. He is kind, and caring, and unbelievably sexy/hot!! And the way he TEASES HER! Makes me want to explode.

Which leads me to say, there are a LOT of very hot scenes. So hot, and descriptive in fact that I would consider this book more of a New Adult than YA.

I mean come on, I am using Damon hot pictures. I am talking serious business here!

 

Yes, there is nudity. From both sexes. And sweet sexy time. You have been warned.

Holder and Sky are not the only characters worth knowing though, every single character has a purpose and is endearing. Like Six, Karen, and Breckin. Not a lot of characters all in all, but they all are very appreciated.

My point? This book is incredible from the roots up. It NEEDS to be read. And I haven't even gotten to the JUICY second part of the story (mostly because I don't want to spoil it at all, let's just say that it will leave you in a puddle of your own feels). It is incredibly juicy, and heartbreaking, and so well handled, and did I mention amazing? It needs to be read, Hopeless needs to be read. So for goodness sake, read it. Now.

ARC provided by publisher through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Icons (ICONS #1) by Margaret Stohl

Title: ICONS
Author: Margaret Stohl
Series: Icons
Book #: 1
Pages: 428
Reading Level: YA
Book Rating: 
Goodreads Rating: 3.60
Published: May 7th, 2013

Your heart beats only with their permission.

Everything changed on The Day. The day the windows shattered. The day the power stopped. The day Dol's family dropped dead. The day Earth lost a war it didn't know it was fighting.

Since then, Dol has lived a simple life in the countryside -- safe from the shadow of the Icon and its terrifying power. Hiding from the one truth she can't avoid.

She's different. She survived. Why?

When Dol and her best friend, Ro, are captured and taken to the Embassy, off the coast of the sprawling metropolis once known as the City of Angels, they find only more questions. While Ro and fellow hostage Tima rage against their captors, Dol finds herself drawn to Lucas, the Ambassador's privileged son. But the four teens are more alike than they might think, and the timing of their meeting isn't a coincidence. It's a conspiracy.

Within the Icon's reach, Dol, Ro, Tima, and Lucas discover that their uncontrollable emotions -- which they've always thought to be their greatest weaknesses -- may actually be their greatest strengths.

Bestselling author Margaret Stohl delivers the first book in a heart-pounding series set in a haunting new world where four teens must piece together the mysteries of their pasts -- in order to save the future.

Taschima's POV:

Icons was a book I was excited for, and I really wanted to like, not because the author wrote Beautiful Creatures (still haven't finished that series) but because of the premise, and let's be honest a little bit because of the cover (I think it looks sick, if that is still a word being used). What ended up happening is that I has to make myself sit down in order to finish it. The beginning was exciting, and held a lot of promise, but once the story was past that first rush of excitement... it kind of lagged. A lot. I was so bored I put the book down and didn't come back for days. Not only that, but at times it was a little confusing and hard to believe.

Dol and Ro are survivors of The Day. When they were babies aliens hijacked the planet and killed every one on site. They are able to chemically kill people through frequencies and such. Everybody but these two kids. They live in a mountain somewhere until they suddenly, and unexpectedly, get attacked by the Ambassador and are abducted/dragged back to the city's headquarters were they (surprise!) find that they aren't the only two kids to have survived. There are two more, Tima and Lucas, and together they must uncover the secrets of their survival, their special powers (some very weird and confusing powers) and the secret of how to control their hormones. Good luck to them, specially on that last one.

First off, I didn't connect with the main character. She was just so, blah, and unfocused. Her "ability" is that she knows how everybody feels around her, which to me seems like a pretty kick ass ability, but she seriously doesn't know how to control it. Not only that, but she is so clueless about how people around her feel/are that you would think her ability wasn't even there. That or that it is essentially a joke. I certainly don't see what Ro, or Lucas, see in her. Yes, there is a love triangle, and not one I enjoyed or justified. Sometimes I do enjoy a good love triangle.

Just, not this time.

Ro I can understand. He is a very ill tempered guy who has been Dol's childhood friend. But, I don't think I know Ro very well. At first he seemed this mild mannered technological dude, then all of a sudden 360 change occurs and he is this HULK guy with a temper. Oookay. Lucas on the other hand was the guy we were SUPPOSED to fall in love with, but all I can say is that I REALLY disliked him. He is kind of a jerk and not the kind of jerk Damon (Vampire Diaries) can be (swoon anybody?) but the kind of jerk you wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole.

Exhibit A:

"A shadow passes over Luca's face.
"Fine."
"Don't say that, Lucas. It's not fine. I can feel it, remember?"
"I felt close to you. I wanted to make you feel better. If you don't want to feel better, that's your choice." Lucas tosses my binding at me. He's angry.

Excuse me? Talk about pressuring a girl! Not only that, but being a total jerk about it!

Exhibit B:

"I stare at him, confused. "Isn't that the point? Why we're here?""Are you really that—""What, Lucas?" 

"Stupid?"

Though, really, who can blame the guy for making that conclusion? Because every time Dolores is close to this guy that is exactly what she acts like, following him around with puppy eyes and hanging on his every word.

"Kissing Lucas is like kissing a kiss itself. There's no way to explain it any better than that. And I don't even want to try."

That is the LAMEST way ever to describe a first kiss. Kissing this guy is like kissing a kiss itself?

If this is the kind of writing we can expect for the rest of the series, kill me now.

Now Tima, the rebellious "bitch" of the series is actually 10 times more interesting than Dolores! She has spunk, and turned out to be a major babe with brains! Thanks to her they manage to find out a bunch of different things from the ambassador, without her even knowing it. Girl got some serious skills. She can be terrifying true, and a little moody, but she doesn't bore.

Yes, I am going to continue reading the series. The story does have potential for greatness, and maybe this first book was just a mild bump in the road to said greatness. I am interested in the said "lords" that rule over the planet from a back curtain. I am interested to meet CAP Miyazawa (the human ruler administrator of all). There were a lot of bread crumbs left in the story to hook you in order for you to keep reading. So I am holding hope that the second one is more alive than the first.

ARC provided by publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Vampire Academy Movie: Almost Full Cast

They need a lot of people to fill out this academy, and until now they have done a decent job. But every other week there is a new casting choice announced, and keeping up is a bitch, So I have made a post to basically list the people who have been cast thus far, share some opinion on them, and see what you think about them:

Rose, Zoey Deutch:

 

Dimitri, Danila Kozlovsky:

 

Lissa, Luce Fry:

Christian Ozera, Dominic Sherwood:

 

Tatiana Ivashkov, Joely Richardson:

Victor Dashkov, Gabriel Byrne:

Natalie Dashkov, Sarah Hyland:

Dimitri, reading his western novel.

And yet, still no Adrian (won't get him 'til Frost Bite since he doesn't appear until then). Oh the horror!!

Casting Likes: Sarah Hyland, Gabriel Byrne, Danila Kozlovsky, and Zoey Deutch (I came around on the last two after MUCH pouting and resistance).

BEA 2013: TOP 10 HOT YA Books to Look Out For @Book Expo America

This is the most exquisite, exhilarating, and terrific time of year. Not Christmas, but close. Book Expo America!!

Books, books and more books, all around the huge room. And authors, and publishers, and editors... Basically it's a bookaholic's heaven. Not only that, but you get to meet and hang out with HUNDREDS of bloggers! Every year I go to BEA my blogger group of friends gets bigger and bigger. Hopefully you will be there, and if you are then be sure to say hi!

This is a list of the 10 top YA titles no one can wait to get their hands on:

Goodreads

Title: Tumble & Fall

Author: Alexandra Coutts

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Signing Date: Thursday, May 30th

Signing Time: 3:00-4:00

Table/Booth: Table 15

Goodreads

Title: Crown of Midnight

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Signing Date: Thursday, May 30th

Signing Time: 1:00-2:00

Table/Booth: Table 9

Goodreads

Title: Across a Star-Swept Sea

Author: Diana Peterfreund

Publisher: HarperCollins

Signing Date: Thursday, May 30th

Signing Time: 10:00-10:30

Table/Booth: Table 12

Goodreads

Title: Once We Were

Author: Kat Zhang

Publisher: HarperCollins

Signing Date: Thursday, May 30th

Signing Time: 10:30-11:00

Table/Booth: Table 4

Goodreads

Title: All Our Yesterdays

Author: Cristin Terrill

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Signing Date: Friday, May 31st

Signing Time: 11:00-12:00

Table/Booth: Table 4

Goodreads

Title: INK

Author: Amanda Sun

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Signing Date: Friday, May 31st

Signing Time: 11:30-12:30

Table/Booth: Booth 1238

Goodreads

Title: The Brokenhearted

Author: Amelia Kahaney

Publisher: HarperTeen

Signing Date: Friday, May 31st

Signing Time: 11:00-11:30

Table/Booth: Table 9

Goodreads

Title: The Coldest Girl in Coldtown

Author: Holly Black

Publisher: Hachette

Signing Date: Friday, May 31st

Signing Time: 11:00-12:00

Table/Booth: Booth 1829

Goodreads

Title: The Bone Season

Author: Samantha Shannon

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Signing Date: Friday, May 31st

Signing Time: 2:30-3:00

Table/Booth: Table 22

Goodreads

Title: Antigoddess

Author: Kendare Blake

Publisher: Mcmillan

Signing Date: Thursday, May 30th

Signing Time: 9:30-10:30

Table/Booth: Table 17

There are of course COUNTLESS of other titles, if you wish to see the rest of the list, click here, but for the most part? I think these are the ones I would chop my arm off for =D This year it seems like Bloomsbury and HarperTeen are winning though, their titles are to die for. Cannot wait!

So I started reading Hopeless by Colleen Hoover...

Goodreads

"I'm sure the clique of giggling girls behind me that are scantily, yet expensively clad, are expecting my reaction to be to drop my things and run to the nearest restroom crying. There are only three issues with their expectations.

1. I don't cry. Ever.
2. I've been to that restroom and I'll never go back.
3. I like money. Who would run from that?

I set my backpack on the floor of the hallway and pick the money up. There are at least twenty one-dollar bills scattered on the floor, and more than ten still in my locker. I scoop those up as well and shove it all into my backpack. I switch books and shut my locker, then slide my backpack on both shoulders and smile.

"Tell your daddies I said thank you." I walk past the clique of girls (that no longer are giggling) and ignore their glares."

Tell me you DON'T love this girl? She is absolutely FEARLESS (another good title for the book perhaps?). And I think I am liking the writing style of Colleen Hoover, it seems she is determined to write this story with absolutely no filters. Those are the kinds of stories I like best! Like Pushing the Limits, and Dare you To (Dare you To was MARVELOUS! Review to come).

Now, excuse me but I am going to continue reading this. It started off really strong. Hoping it continues to be so all the way to the end (I am kind of sure it will be since every other review I read has the blogger drowning in their own puddle of tears, and aren't those the best books?).

Review: The Indigo Spell (Bloodlines #3) by Richelle Mead

Title: The Indigo Spell
Author: Richelle Mead
Series: Bloodlines
Book #: 3
Pages: 401
Reading Level: YA
Book Rating: 
Goodreads Rating: 4.50
Published: Feb. 12th, 2013

In the aftermath of a forbidden moment that rocked Sydney to her core, she finds herself struggling to draw the line between her Alchemist teachings and what her heart is urging her to do. Then she meets alluring, rebellious Marcus Finch--a former Alchemist who escaped against all odds, and is now on the run. Marcus wants to teach Sydney the secrets he claims the Alchemists are hiding from her. But as he pushes her to rebel against the people who raised her, Sydney finds that breaking free is harder than she thought. There is an old and mysterious magic rooted deeply within her. And as she searches for an evil magic user targeting powerful young witches, she realizes that her only hope is to embrace her magical blood--or else she might be next.

Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, the Bloodlines series explores all the friendship, romance, battles, and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive—this time in a part-vampire, part-human setting where the stakes are even higher and everyone’s out for blood.

Taschima's POV:

"Whatever logic and reason I normally possessed had melted away. There was nothing but flesh and fire left, and I wasn't going to lie to myself—at least not tonight. I wanted him. I arched my back, fully aware oh how vulnerable that made me and that I was giving him an invitation. He accepted it and laid me back against the table, bringing his body down on top of mine. That crushing kiss of his moved from my mouth to the nape of my neck. He pushed down the edge of my dress and the bra strap underneath, exposing my shoulder and giving his lips more skin to conquer."

... and I just can't get enough.

Even though Adrian always goes after the unavailable girl, even though there is side drama going on between Jill/Eddie/Angeline (barf), and even though witches were thrown into the mix (wtf?), I just can't get enough of the Bloodlines world. I am not as in love with it as I was with Vampire Academy, where I devoured the book seconds after it was published, but I still have a healthy dose of love towards this series. I think the culprit for this is not Adrian specially (though, come on, he is charmingly hot, and even BETTER in this book since he got over the whole Rose debacle and is all manly and protective and loving!), but Sydney.

Sydney is so different from Rose, but that isn't a bad thing. She is tough as nails, and quite honestly a little more relatable. After her debacle with Adrian in the last book (kissing disaster) Sydney is more adamant than ever to avoid Adrian at all costs, though that doesn't seem to be working too well since they are both kind of involved in the same mission to keep Jill hidden. She also needs a partner in crime when it comes to everything she has to solve.

"Sure enough, I glanced back at the tank and found the calistana regarding me adoringly. He was even wagging his tail.
"No," I said sternly. "This isn't a Disney movie where I have my adorable sidekick. You aren't coming out."

I think Indigo Spell was great! I like how it is in the same world as Vampire Academy, but it still is completely different. First off I love the magic component. Sure I wasn't expecting it at first, but now Sydney kicks ass!! It has a little bit of everything to keep you enthralled, a crazy witch trying to suck the life out of other witches, the Alchemists and Warriors of Light secret schemes, Marcus Finch (I'll get to him in a minute) and of course some serious Sydney/Adrian action (SWOON).

Now, Marcus Finch. I was a bit disappointed about him. Since he was portrayed as being a BIG ass deal (with all the marketing around the blogsphere and all) I thought he was going to be something for Adrian to contend with. But, he is just not that impressive. At least to me he wasn't. Sydney on the other hand... she is the one who is going to bring change when it comes to the Alchemists. I just know it.

And of course, there is plenty of sizzling romance...

"I was in his apartment, on his bed, and was glad that I no longer had silverware underneath me. With the venue change complete, his lips found mine again. The urgency in the way I responded surprised even me. I never would've thought myself capable of a feeling so primal, so removed from the reason that usually governed my actions. My nails dug into his back, and he trailed his lips down the edge of my chin, down the center of my neck. He kept going until he reached the bottom of the dress' V-neck. I let out a small gasp, and he kissed all around the neckline, just enough to tease."

Sure Adrian always goes after the unavailable girl, and his "love from afar" thing is annoying, but it makes for a good read. She pulls away, he pulls even closer. Other than that though Adrian is back to being his charming, witty self! Gosh, he is a master make-out buddy. Those scenes were written beautifully.

The one thing I AM eternally grateful for is that the book focuses on Sydney and her increasing list of problems (Adrian included), and NOT on Jill/Eddie/Angeline. That would have been a turn off. Thank goodness for small miracles.

Finally, that ending! Indigo Spell was a nice quick read (even though it's over 400 pages) and I really, really can't wait for The Fiery Heart! Specially with all that happened at the end... I mean talk about complicated! November can't get here fast enough *.*

So I started reading Icons by Margaret Stohl...

Goodreads

"There were small towns, small cities, big cities. Not anymore. Almost the entire population of the planet lives within a hundred miles of a mega city. The Padre said this happened because so much of the world has been ruined by people, by the rising waters, rising temperatures, drought, flooding. Some parts of Earth are toxic with radiation from massive wars. People stay in the cities because we are running out of places to live."

"The Icons regulate everything with an electric pulse. The Padre said the Icons can control electricity, the power that flows between generators and machines, even the electical impulses that connect brains and bodies. They can halt all electrical and chemical activity at any time. Which is what happened to Goldengate, on The Day. And Sao Paulo, Koln-Bonn, Greater Beijing, Cairo, Mumbai. The Silent Cities. Which is why we gave in to the Lords and let them take our planet."

 

It's a cool story overall. Dystopian/Alien story. Really cool, but slow for now. I am on page 28, so it should start to pick up sometime soon (hopefully!). The main character is kind of dry, I am hoping I get to connect more with her as time goes by. I refuse to read reviews before I finish though, don't want them to color my judgement... but between you and me, for those who have read it, what can I expect? Beautful Creatures was good, let's see if Icons is better.

 

 

Review: Rivals (The Ivy #3) by Lauren Kunze and Rina Onur

Title: Rivals
Author: Lauren Kunze and Rina Onur
Series: The Ivy
Book #: 3
Pages: 384
Reading Level: YA
Book Rating: 
Goodreads Rating: 4.14
Published: March 6th, 2012

Decisions, decisions . . . You've survived your first semester and captured the interest of not one but two of the hottest guys on campus.

Now who are you going to choose?

Callie Andrews returns for her second semester at Harvard determined to do better than the previous fall, where those Bs on her report card seemed pretty good compared to the state of her extracurriculars (F, as in if at first you don't succeed, you should probably stop trying), friendships (C-minus, since she and former BFF Vanessa are still on thin ice), and love life (D, as in don't even go there). But various campus rivalries soon threaten to thwart Callie's resolve. Will Callie ever be a match for--

Grace Lee 

the take-no-prisoners managing editor

Alessandra

the gorgeous transfer student

Clint

the guy who might just be too perfect

and Gregory

the guy who may never be perfect enough.

Callie will face some of the toughest choices imaginable: in friendships, in loyalties, and in love. The pressure to pick a side--and a suitor--has never been higher. But will she and her friends choose well?

Taschima's POV:

I love my guilty pleasures. The Ivy is like Gossip Girl, only far more interesting (depending on what stage in your life you are). I must say that Kunze and Onur know how to write an entertaining story with enough cat fights and drama to render you satisfied but not annoyed. Isn't that the perfect spot?

Callie Andrews has done nothing but screw up ever since she moved into the campus of Harvard. After hooking up with Gregory (Clint being non the wiser of course)...

...her unwanted sex tape secret going public, and her campus ex-bestie (Vanessa) hating the mere thought of her... well things aren't going great. Tension runs high on her dorm, with both Gregory and Vanessa. On the other hand Matt, Dana, Mimi, and OK are great! I absolutely LOVE OK and Mimi (when will that girl ever give him a break?) and I wish we had more of their private interactions. Maybe in novella style. In fact, all these characters should have their own private scenes shown, I am sure Vanessa has a lot to deliver (and wouldn't mind being the well deserved center of attention for once).

I love/hate Callie, much like I love/hate many of the characters in this story (mainly Vanessa). They can really bring out intense emotions out of me. The misunderstandings, mixed messages, hidden feelings and secrets all make for a fantastically sweet tale. Too much can make your stomach start to hurt true but I think The Ivy manages to hit the happy medium. Callie is just this girl, freshman, who is trying to make sense of the new world around her, and in that sense I strongly connect with her. Being in college myself (though I must admit not Ivy proportions) the problems of finding the place, and people, where you just fit in resonate. Not to mention the parties (sorry mom), drunken mistakes (who, me?), and exams (ugh).

Well, if you have read the previous novels then you are in for a treat! All the characters manage to surprise us. The love triangle is still waving it's flag way up high, Matt is still trying to get Grace's attention, and Alexis is still the most evil woman in the world. But what I most enjoyed about this novel perhaps was how it handled the friendships between these college students. The book isn't about the glamorous life of the Ivy league (though there is of course some of that in between the pages) or about how CRAZY college students can get when away from adult supervision (believe you me, it gets crazy), but about the relationships and most importantly the friendships you make along the way. For that I give this series my full support.

Was thoroughly frustrated at the ending, mostly because I am pretty much sure I know who the IVY Insider is. But I can't wit for the next book! I am royally pissed on Grace's and Callie's behalf.

Now excuse me while I go buy the fourth book in the series, Scandal ;)