Weekly Reading Update (WRU #4)

This week has been quite the reading week for me! I managed to read three books and start a fourth. When the week first started I read In Honor by Jessi Kirby Sunday and Monday of this week. Afterwards I moved on to Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare which I also finished in two days and the next day on Thursday I read Unbreakable by Kami Garcia in one sitting in a few hours and I really enjoyed it! Currently I am reading Missmatch (Lauren Holbrook #1) by Erynn Mangum and it is actually pretty good so far!

  In Honor

Author: Jessi Kirby
Pages: 235
Acquired: Library
Published: 2012
Rating: 3.5/5

Goodreads Blurb:
Honor receives her brother’s last letter from Iraq three days after learning that he died, and opens it the day his fellow Marines lay the flag over his casket. Its contents are a complete shock: concert tickets to see Kyra Kelly, her favorite pop star and Finn’s celebrity crush. In his letter, he jokingly charged Honor with the task of telling Kyra Kelly that he was in love with her.

Grief-stricken and determined to grant Finn’s last request, she rushes to leave immediately. But she only gets as far as the driveway before running into Rusty, Finn’s best friend since third grade and his polar opposite. She hasn’t seen him in ages, thanks to a falling out between the two guys, but Rusty is much the same as Honor remembers him: arrogant, stubborn . . . and ruggedly good-looking. Neither one is what the other would ever look for in a road trip partner, but the two of them set off together, on a voyage that makes sense only because it doesn’t. Along the way, they find small and sometimes surprising ways to ease their shared loss and honor Finn--but when shocking truths are revealed at the end of the road, will either of them be able to cope with the consequences?

My Review Of In Honor

  Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices, #1)

Author: Cassandra Clare
Pages:479
Acquired: Library
Published: 2010
Rating: 4.5/5

Goodreads Blurb:
In a time when Shadowhunters are barely winning the fight against the forces of darkness, one battle will change the course of history forever. Welcome to the Infernal Devices trilogy, a stunning and dangerous prequel to the New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments series.

The year is 1878. Tessa Gray descends into London’s dark supernatural underworld in search of her missing brother. She soon discovers that her only allies are the demon-slaying Shadowhunters—including Will and Jem, the mysterious boys she is attracted to. Soon they find themselves up against the Pandemonium Club, a secret organization of vampires, demons, warlocks, and humans. Equipped with a magical army of unstoppable clockwork creatures, the Club is out to rule the British Empire, and only Tessa and her allies can stop them....

  Unbreakable (The Legion, #1)

Author: Kami Garcia
Pages: 305
Acquired: Library
Published: 2013
Rating: 4.5/5

Goodreads Blurb:
Supernatural meets The Da Vinci Code in this action-packed paranormal thriller, the first book in a new series from New York Times bestselling author Kami Garcia.

I never believed in ghosts. Until one tried to kill me.

When Kennedy Waters finds her mother dead, her world begins to unravel. She doesn’t know that paranormal forces in a much darker world are the ones pulling the strings. Not until identical twins Jared and Lukas Lockhart break into Kennedy’s room and destroy a dangerous spirit sent to kill her. The brothers reveal that her mother was part of an ancient secret society responsible for protecting the world from a vengeful demon — a society whose five members were all murdered on the same night.

Now Kennedy has to take her mother’s place in the Legion if she wants to uncover the truth and stay alive. Along with new Legion members Priest and Alara, the teens race to find the only weapon that might be able to destroy the demon — battling the deadly spirits he controls every step of the way.

Suspense, romance, and the paranormal meet in this chilling urban fantasy, the first book in a new series from Kami Garcia, bestselling coauthor of the Beautiful Creatures novels.

  Missmatch (Lauren Holbrook, #1)

Author: Erynn Mangum
Pages:Currently reading on page 97 of 365
Acquired: Library
Published: 2007


Goodreads Blurb:
Lauren Holbrook has found her life's calling: matchmaking for the romantically challenged. And with the eclectic cast of characters in her world, there's tons of potential to play "connect the friends."Lauren sets out to introduce Nick, her carefree singles' pastor, to Ruby, her neurotic coworker who plans every second of every day. What could possibly go wrong? Just about everything.

***** 

Tell me what you're currently reading or what you've read this week!

In Honor

 

 Author: Jessi Kirby
Series: Standalone
Pages: 235
Challenge: Goodreads Challenge 2014
Genre: Contemporary
Acquired: Library
Rating: ★★★½

*****

Goodreads Summary:

Honor receives her brother’s last letter from Iraq three days after learning that he died, and opens it the day his fellow Marines lay the flag over his casket. Its contents are a complete shock: concert tickets to see Kyra Kelly, her favorite pop star and Finn’s celebrity crush. In his letter, he jokingly charged Honor with the task of telling Kyra Kelly that he was in love with her.

Grief-stricken and determined to grant Finn’s last request, she rushes to leave immediately. But she only gets as far as the driveway before running into Rusty, Finn’s best friend since third grade and his polar opposite. She hasn’t seen him in ages, thanks to a falling out between the two guys, but Rusty is much the same as Honor remembers him: arrogant, stubborn . . . and ruggedly good-looking. Neither one is what the other would ever look for in a road trip partner, but the two of them set off together, on a voyage that makes sense only because it doesn’t. Along the way, they find small and sometimes surprising ways to ease their shared loss and honor Finn--but when shocking truths are revealed at the end of the road, will either of them be able to cope with the consequences?

  *****

 My Thoughts:

In Honor follows Honor a young girl who recently lost her older brother, Finn. With a letter that arrives after his death Honor makes it her plan to fulfill Finn's request before her first day of college starts. As the book progressed Honor grew up and grew stronger to ultimately learn to cope with the death of her brother and the secrets she discovered from Rusty, Finn's best friend.

Although this book was an okay read I would not say it was one of my favorites unfortunately. I didn't really connect with any of the characters. I felt that they all were a bit boring. Rusty was one of the only characters that I liked which made him all the more interesting to me.

The story is told from Honor's point of view and the problems she faced were realistic and I liked that. For example, she experienced car trouble with was expected, when taking an across country road trip, and realistic. I also liked that she did not fall for Rusty the minute she laid eyes on him again. They were actually enemies for the first half of the book and only stayed connected by Finn. I liked that this wasn't a story centered around romance and more about learning to deal with the death of a loved one while uncovering secrets along the way.

I also felt that Honor became more of an independent and capable person out from behind her brother's shadow. She learned to make her own decisions and choices for herself and her life.

One of my favorite scenes was the airplane scene at the end as well as the secrets that were uncovered to Honor by Rusty about Finn. It really let you see into the kind of person Finn was and how he was as a protective brother and loyal best friend. The thing I liked least was actually Honor's character. For some reason I did not like her at all and found her boring and dull. I really wished that she would have been more interesting; I think I would have liked her more if she added more to the story as a whole with either her personality or actions.

The ending of In Honor was predictable but good to end the story with. It did not really keep me guessing but as a whole it was okay. I would give the cover a ★★½; it describes Honor's features and clothing and it also matches the setting of the book. I would recommend this book for contemporary lovers who enjoy reading about road trips and realistic situations. I ended up giving In Honor a ★★★★½.

*****

"Waiting On" Wednesday (WoW, #5)

 "Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine that highlights upcoming releases that we are eagerly awaiting!

This week's selection is:

The Murder Complex

Author(s): Lindsay Cummings

Series: Series
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Publication: June 10, 2014

 Goodreads Blurb:

An action-packed, blood-soaked, futuristic debut thriller set in a world where the murder rate is higher than the birthrate. For fans of Moira Young’s Dust Lands series, La Femme Nikita, and the movie Hanna.

Meadow Woodson, a fifteen-year-old girl who has been trained by her father to fight, to kill, and to survive in any situation, lives with her family on a houseboat in Florida. The state is controlled by The Murder Complex, an organization that tracks the population with precision.

The plot starts to thicken when Meadow meets Zephyr James, who is—although he doesn’t know it—one of the MC’s programmed assassins. Is their meeting a coincidence? Destiny? Or part of a terrifying strategy? And will Zephyr keep Meadow from discovering the haunting truth about her family?

Action-packed, blood-soaked, and chilling, this is a dark and compelling debut novel by Lindsay Cummings.

What books are you "Waiting On" this week? 

Dead Until Dark (Sookie Stackhouse , #1)

 
Author: Charlaine Harris
Series: Sookie Stackhouse Series
Pages: 291
Challenge: Goodreads Challenge 2014, 2014 Book Bingo Challenge
Genre: Paranormal
Acquired: Library
Rating: ★★★★

*****

Goodreads Summary:

Sookie Stackhouse is a small-time cocktail waitress in small-town Louisiana. She's quiet, keeps to herself, and doesn't get out much. Not because she's not pretty. She is. It's just that, well, Sookie has this sort of "disability." She can read minds. And that doesn't make her too dateable. And then along comes Bill. He's tall, dark, handsome--and Sookie can't hear a word he's thinking. He's exactly the type of guy she's been waiting for all her life....

But Bill has a disability of his own: He's a vampire with a bad reputation. He hangs with a seriously creepy crowd, all suspected of--big surprise--murder. And when one of Sookie's coworkers is killed, she fears she's next...

  *****

 My Thoughts:

First off...why did I not pick up this series sooner! I really enjoyed it from start to finish!
Dead Until Dark follows the young Sookie Stackhouse and her quirky talent of having the ability to read minds as well as her interesting life with the mysterious Bill the vampire now in it.

At first I saw Sookie as a very weak female with many insecurities and an interesting "gift", but as the story went on she grew into herself and became a stronger individual that was more confident and not handicapped by her ability to read minds. I slowly warmed up to her character and connected more with her as the story continued. I really liked that the issues she faced were more "realistic" in a sense and not as otherworldly or huge as in the event of having to save the world and all of humanity by herself. Her issues were believable and suited the story nicely which made me like her character and personality even more.

I also really liked Bill the vampire and his paranomal- vampire-like- nature... meaning that I really liked that he was unlike the newer versions of vampires. He didn't sparkle in the sunlight, nor could he walk in the day time, and he also was not the "all powerful vampire" that had zero weaknesses or vulnerabilities. I liked that he had weaknesses and I felt that made him interesting and all the more mysterious. Another interesting character was a more minor character named Sam, Sookie's boss from work. I have a feeling that he will become more important to the storyline in the later books especially due to the special circumstances that happened later in the book with his own secrets.

The story was told in Sookie's point of view and I think that it suited the book not being aware of every character's exact emotions and feelings. And to the problems faced in the book, again, I liked that they were believable and specific to Sookie and her small town.

Sookie grew into herself throught the book and that helped me connect with her character more as she grew more of a backbone. Also with this being only the first book in the series I look forward to more growth and transformation from her in the rest of the books in the series.

With Dead Until Dark, was the storyline and events different that what I expected? Yes.. and no.. I say yes because the author didn't allow Bill the vampire to be the one calling all the shots and running the story with his capabilities and powerfullness. The story was still about Sookie and not her falling head over hills for a "beautiful" vampire. He gave Bill limitations and made him vulnerable in some aspects. She didn't give him some sort of crazy paranormal ability so that he could control all the minds of humans and that I really liked. And I also say no.. because I was not expecting Sookie to go from weak human to defiant and a more confident individual especially in this book. It was a pleasant surprise that made me like her character even more. She had self control and was in control of her life.

One of my favorite scenes was a scene with Eric, the old vampire, when they were trying to figure out who stole from him. I feel like the events that happened in that scene are important in a way and will make a slight difference in her at least for a little while. But I could also just be reading too much into it. One of the things I liked most was the ending scene with Sam, one that I liked least was the scene with Sookie's Grams.

All in all the ending was pretty good. I think it set up the storyline for the next books pretty well and I am definitely excited to continue with the series. I would rate the cover a ★★½ it is not as eye-catching and beautiful as other books but it describes the setting of the book to me in a way. I would recommend this book to vampire and also just paranormal lovers in general. I really liked it! ★★★★

*****

Top Ten Tuesday (TTT, #3)

 

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's post is:

Top Ten Covers I'd Frame As Pieces of Art

Top Ten: ( in no particular order)

Rebel Belle:The simplicity and beauty of the necklace adds to the contrast between it and the knife on the cover. I love it because with a quick glance it looks like a contemporary novel but once you look closer you see that there is much more to it.



 The Forsaken: I love the complexity of this cover. The author could have easily just put a simple face on the cover but instead took a different route and I really like it.



 The Winner's Curse: I really like that the title is vertical instead of horizontally towards the top. For me it immediately catches my eye as well as the colors, font type, and of course the girl's dress.


*****
What are your favorite covers? Comment and let me know!!

Allegiant (Divergent #3)

 

 Author: Veronica Roth
Series: Divergent Trilogy
Pages: 526
Challenge: Goodreads Challenge 2014, 2014 Book Bingo Challenge
Genre: Sci-Fi, Dystopian
Acquired: Borrowed from friend
Rating: ★★★½

*****

Goodreads Summary:

The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered—fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she’s known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories.

But Tris’s new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature—and of herself—while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.

Told from a riveting dual perspective, Allegiant, by #1 New York Times best-selling author Veronica Roth, brings the Divergent series to a powerful conclusion while revealing the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent.

  *****

 My Thoughts:

Allegiant continues the stories of Tris and Four and their journey to understanding and uncovering more about the world that they live in. As they travel outside the fence and observe the differences from the world they came from they meet people that soon shatter everything that they have known about themselves and where they live. Throughout the book, Tris and Four make alliances, enemies, and friendships as they uncover the truths about their world and slowly try to put the pieces together of their own existence.

In the ending of the trilogy, Allegiant is told from both the point of views of Tris and Four. Although this took some time to get used to, I liked seeing into Four's thoughts and having a better understanding of him as a person aside from what Tris saw on the outside. Though I appreciated the different POVs I did at times get confused and have to continually look back to the beginning of the chapter heading to see who's POV I was actually reading. So the POVs were both loved and hated.

Problems with the book? Well the POVs as I said, as well as Four's character. I really needed him to man up and be the tough badass Four that I remembered. In this book I felt that he was incredibly less intimidating, less tough, and altogether a bit soft. Although seeing into his true nature, personality, and personal thoughts was a nice touch at times, I need the Four from Book 1 to be there and he sadly wasn't there for most of the time.

I also a more favorite scene or part to mention would be the whole trying to get into the weapons room scene. It was the most interesting and exciting part of the book and I liked it well enough despite the outcome which I felt could have been avoided but still made for an interesting scene.

Overall the plot was good, although at times I came to find the book a bit boring . I found myself wishing things would hurry on along and get to the point or the next action scene especially during the first half of the book.

The ending of the book didn't surprise me being that I was spoiled from a completely random Youtube video but overall the book as a whole was okay. Despite some of my issues the book was good ending to the series and I plan to read more of Veronica Roth's work as she publishes them. I give it ★★★½ stars and would recommend this series to anyone looking for a sci-fi/dystopian series with a strong female character and a different and exciting plot line that will keep you guessing throughout the entire series.

*****