In My Mailbox (04)

Just 2 this week (from NetGalley):

In other news, I am going on vacation, but will try to still post.  I'm bringing along several books, so I'm thinking I'll be able to get some reviews done still. :)

Book Blogger Hop: Apr. 22 - 25 + Follow Friday: Apr. 22

This week's question comes from Christina who blogs at The Paperback Princesses. She asks:

"If you find a book you love, do you hunt down other books by the same author?"

YES, I almost always do so, especially if the book was part of a series.  This has happened to me with Meg Cabot, Julia Quinn, Erin McCarthy, Katie MacAlister, and Lisa Kleypas, to name a few.  If I hear of a new book by one of these authors, I have to go out and pick it up (whether it be buying it or checking it out from the library).  Even if it's not part of a series, I think it's only reasonable for a person to think that since you loved that first book you read from them, you would love other books by the same author (assuming it's the same genre, etc.).









And another one!  This is my first time participating in Follow Friday, a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee.

Q. What is on your playlist?
A. A random bunch of K-Pop songs...I have songs from Big Bang, SNSD, DBSK, etc.  My favorite songs on my playlist right now are GD&TOP - 뻑이가요 and SNSD - Hoot, because they're both super fun to listen to, haha.

On the English side, I'm really liking Nicki Minaj's Moment 4 Life.

Waiting on Wednesday (01)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine to spotlight upcoming releases that we're looking forward too.

Though she tries returning to the life she knew before the accident, Pierce can't help but feel at once a part of this world, and apart from it. Yet she's never alone . . . because someone is always watching her. Escape from the realm of the dead is impossible when someone there wants you back.

But now she's moved to a new town. Maybe at her new school, she can start fresh. Maybe she can stop feeling so afraid.

Only she can't. Because even here, he finds her. That's how desperately he wants her back. She knows he's no guardian angel, and his dark world isn't exactly heaven, yet she can't stay away . . . especially since he always appears when she least expects it, but exactly when she needs him most.

But if she lets herself fall any further, she may just find herself back in the one place she most fears: the Underworld.

I love Meg Cabot's work! So I definitely cannot wait for a new release from her. :)

When a virus makes everyone over the age of eighteen infertile, would-be parents pay teen girls to conceive and give birth to their children, making teens the most prized members of society. Girls sport fake baby bumps and the school cafeteria stocks folic-acid-infused food.

Sixteen-year-old identical twins Melody and Harmony were separated at birth and have never met until the day Harmony shows up on Melody’s doorstep. Up to now, the twins have followed completely opposite paths. Melody has scored an enviable conception contract with a couple called the Jaydens. While they are searching for the perfect partner for Melody to bump with, she is fighting her attraction to her best friend, Zen, who is way too short for the job.

Harmony has spent her whole life in Goodside, a religious community, preparing to be a wife and mother. She believes her calling is to convince Melody that pregging for profit is a sin. But Harmony has secrets of her own that she is running from.

When Melody is finally matched with the world-famous, genetically flawless Jondoe, both girls’ lives are changed forever. A case of mistaken identity takes them on a journey neither could have ever imagined, one that makes Melody and Harmony realize they have so much more than just DNA in common.

Judging from this little summary, the story sounds very interesting. And since I enjoyed Megan McCafferty's previous books, I think I'll really enjoy this too.

REVIEW: Unearthly

Title: Unearthly
Author: Cynthia Hand
Series: N/A
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Paranormal
Publisher: Harper Teen
Format: Hardcover
# of pages: 435
Source: Library
Summary:

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 into 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'd 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?

Review:
Unearthly is one of the best books I've read this year. The plot line is very unique to me; I haven't read another book like it.  At first I was a little iffy, because I don't like to read religious fiction, and I was worried about how much religion would be tied in since this book does deal with the idea of angels.  Thankfully, it's not tied in too much.  God is specifically mentioned once or twice, and heaven is mentioned a couple of times, but other than that...nothing overwhelming.

Anyway, this book is told through Clara's point of view as she tries to figure out her purpose as an angel-blood while trying to live the life of a normal teenage girl at the same time.  Her voice was very realistic, as she dealt with being the new girl and trying to fit in, the joys and frustrations of figuring out how to be an angel, and the emotions of just being a teenage girl finding romance with a teenage boy.  But in this case, Clara ends up interested in two boys, and will have to choose when the time comes...

And while the story is about Clara and from her POV, we do get to know the other characters in her life and they are just as likable as Clara.  The plot and characters all added up to a book that I could barely put down.  If I didn't need to sleep, I probably wouldn't have, lol.

The ending, however, was not what I was expecting, and was a bit anticlimactic.  It left me with so many unanswered questions!  BUT, after Googling, I now know that it's probably because there's a SEQUEL!  Yay! (Thank goodness!)

One more thing, the cover is gorgeous!  I know they say not to judge a book by it's cover, but most times I do.  I'm more likely to pick up a book that has a pretty cover, and that's what happened here.  Saw the cover, loved it and decided to read it.  I'm so glad I did.

Rating:
Plot - ★★★★★
Characters - ★★★★★
Ending - ★★★★1/2
Overall - ★★★★★

WWW Wednesday: Apr. 13, 2011

Wanted to do a little update, so I decided to do a meme today. :)

What are you currently reading?
I am currently reading Unearthly by Cynthia Hand.  I'm on page 324, so I'm almost done...and it's really good so far!  This will also most likely be the next review I write up!

What did you recently finish reading?
Other than a textbook?  I actually don't remember.  I'm glad I'm done with school, so I have more time for fun reading!

What do you think you'll read next?
Probably The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor.  I've been wanting to read that for a while, and this is actually my second time checking it out from the library.  I didn't have the time to read it the last time.

Hope this meme gave you a little glimpse of what's to come!  Stay tuned!