Review: Rage by Jackie Morse Kessler

Rage by Jackie Morse Kessler
Published: April 8th, 2011
Publisher: Harcourt Graphia
Pages: 228
Challenge: 100+ Reading Challenge, 11 from 11 in 11 Challenge
Source: ARC via publisher on NetGalley
Other: Second book in The Horseman of the Apacolypse series. Hunger was released last year. There will be a total of four books in the series.
Buy the book: Bookdepository

Missy didn’t mean to cut so deep. But after the party where she was humiliated in front of practically everyone in school, who could blame her for wanting some comfort? Sure, most people don’t find comfort in the touch of a razor blade, but Missy always was . . . different.

That’s why she was chosen to become one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: War. Now Missy wields a new kind of blade—a big, brutal sword that can cut down anyone and anything in her path. But it’s with this weapon in her hand that Missy learns something that could help her triumph over her own pain: control.

A unique approach to the topic of self-mutilation, Rage is the story of a young woman who discovers her own power and refuses to be defeated by the world.

In Rage we meet Missy, a sixteen year old girl, who has problems with outing her feelings and therefore cuts herself. One particular bad night, Missy makes a mistake and Death offers her the sword of War in exchange for her life.

Rage is darker than Hunger, but I had no difficulty identifying with Missy. She was insecure, ridiculed by everyone in her school and her exboyfriend makes a complete idiot of her. She doesn't talk about her feelings, but instead she cuts. I can't identify with the cutting, but I can identify with the insecurity, the feeling to want to let the bad thing escape you. I usually cry my eyes out until I have a headache that's almost as bad as facial vascular pain, but I can understand that there are people that are not able to do that.

I could feel the humiliation that Missy goes through during and after the party and I could relate to what she must have been feeling.

Cutting is a subject that is taboo and the people I know personally who cut themselves, were called emo's, attentionseekers, losers, gothics. All kinds of labels just to give it a name - to humiliate them even more. Morse Kessler did a great job in describing what must have been going through Missy while she was feeling sad, mad, disturbed, humiliated. We get a close look into her mind, and yes, it's confronting. 

In my opinion, Rage is a great sequel to Hunger and personally I think that the second book is better than the first book. Hunger left me confused, where Rage gave me all the answers I needed. Maybe it is because I have no experience with eating disorders that I had difficulty dealing with the first book. I don't know. I do know that if Morse Kessler keeps this up, that I will be thrilled to read the next book, Loss - a feeling that I didn't have as much after finishing Hunger.

My overall rating: 


This book shows the darkness and depth of a character that has difficulty outing herself and I think Morse Kessler did a wonderful job in writing it in a way, which made it confronting and explanatory at the same time.  

Review: Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
Published: August 31st, 2010
Publisher: Walker
Pages: 478
Challenge: 100+ Reading Challenge, A-Z Challenge
Other: First book in The Infernal Devices series, which is the prequel series to The Mortal Instruments series. The second book in The Infernal Devices series, Clockwork Prince, will be published on September 6th, 2011.
Buy the book: Bookdepository


Magic is dangerous--but love is more dangerous still. 

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos. 

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own. 

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by--and torn between--two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length...everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world...and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

In Clockwork Angel, we are introduced to Tessa, who ventures off to Victorian London, after receiving a ticket and a letter from her brother, Nathaniel. Because she is alone and has no other family in America, she goes aboard the ship to England. Once there, she doesn't see her brother, but she does meet the Dark Sisters - two women who kidnap her to work on her ability. Tessa can transform in another person at will, and this makes her a disirable person to the mysterious Magister. After leaving the Dark Sisters, she lives in the Institute, which is the home to Shadowhunters.

Let me say first, that I haven't read any of the books in the Mortal Instruments series. This book can function as a standalone book from TMI and that's why I decided to read it first.

I had a hard time getting into the story. The first 150 pages were sort of boring, only showing Tessa and her ability, and the Institute. Even though I understand it's to set up the story, I found myself having a hard time reading the book and I was seriously considering putting the book down. It took so incredibly long to get somewhere. Around page 200 or so, we finally get to see some action. That's where it started getting interesting!

We see Shadowhunters, Downworlders and just Mundanes (I liked to think of them as Muggles), who are humans, and we get action. Yes, finally action! After that, the pace picked up quickly and I had a hard time putting the book down when I finally got past the 250/300 page mark or so. Cassandra Clare wrote some pretty nice action scenes, which I really enjoyed reading.

I want to point out that I had a hard time imagining what the other characters were like. Will was gorgeous, yet incredibly annoying, selfish and arrogant, and I have the feel that we haven't seen half of Jem yet, which makes it hard to see what he's really like while reading scenes with him. The back of the book tells me that Tessa is torn between the two best friends, but if she is, it doens't transfer from the pages to me as the reader.

Having said that (Hi, Simon Cowell!), I want to say that I actually really enjoyed reading the second half of the book. It left room for the sequel, Clockwork Prince, which I will be picking up when it comes out.

My overall rating:

3,5 stars - because the second half of the book made up a lot to the boring first part of the book.

In My Mailbox (22)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren where we show what books we got in this week. Since I'm on lowbuy, I didn't get in a lot of books, but I'm really excited for them! (Btw, can you detect the theme in the books? xD)

The Vampire Diaries: The Return - Midnight by L.J. Smith

The Emerald Talisman by Brenda Pandos (for review)

Also mentioned:

All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris

Big, massive thank you to Brenda Pandos for being so kind to send me a copy of her book The Emerald Talisman for review. I'm really looking forward to reading it! 

That's it for me this week! Let me know what you got in your mailbox this week :) Happy reading! 

Review: Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White
Published: August 31st, 2010
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 335
Challenge: 100+ Reading Challenge
Other: First book in the Paranormalcy series. Book two, Supernaturally, will be coming out on August 30th, 2011.
Buy the book: Bookdepository

Evie’s always thought of herself as a normal teenager, even though she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can see through paranormals’ glamours.

But Evie’s about to realize that she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.

So much for normal.

In Paranormalcy, we meet Evie, a totally normal human being, even though she can see through the glamours of paranormals. Perfectly normal, right? Evie works for IPCA, a centre that tracks and tags paranormals all over the world to keep humans safe from them. Evie has seen this as perfectly normal, until there is a creature that begins to kill paranormals and she begins to see that there are other ways to deal with paranormals than to stun them and tag them with an ankle tracker.

Evie is in the middle of a prophecy that appears to be developing - only Evie doesn't know about the prophecy until a shapeshifter breaks into the IPCA and tells her about it. So much for normal!

I really liked reading this book. I thought Evie was a great pratagonist and I loved her humor and wit. I liked how she called her tasergun a Tasey (but hey, it was pink and sparkly!) and how she seems to be really observant, even though she might not put one and one together right away. Evie has character and she's not afraid to show it. I find her to be relatable and believable and I really liked her.

White has put a ton of paranormals in this book and I was a little afraid that it might be boring while reading about it, but it was quite the opposite. She managed to make faeries one of the most scary supernatural creatures (they're right up there with the pixies) and I never thought of them that way. I think we haven't seen all of Reth by a mile so I'm looking forward to that, too! (even though he freaks me out). I also want to add that I liked Lend. I thought he was a little too soft and easy, but overall I really liked him as a character and the supernatural being that he is.

I'm looking forward to Supernaturally, but since it will take several months (August!) I will have to be patient for that - and I'm not really a patient person.

My overall rating:

Because I can't bleeping wait for the next book to come out!

Review: Evermore by Alyson Noël

Evermore by Alyson Noël
Published: February 3rd, 2009
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Pages: 301
Challenge: 100+ Reading Challenge, Off the Shelf!
Other: First book in the Immortals series. The sixth and final book, Everlasting will be published on June 7th, 2011.
Buy the book: Bookdepository

Since a horrible accident claimed the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever can see auras, hear people’s thoughts, and know a person’s life story by touch.   Going out of her way to shield herself from human contact to suppress her abilities has branded her as a freak at her new high school—but everything changes when she meets Damen Auguste… 

Ever sees Damen and feels an instant recognition.  He is gorgeous, exotic and wealthy, and he holds many secrets.  Damen is able to make things appear and disappear, he always seems to know what she’s thinking—and he’s the only one who can silence the noise and the random energy in her head.  She doesn’t know who he really is—or what he is.  Damen equal parts light and darkness, and he belongs to an enchanted new world where no one ever dies.

Ever has lost her parents, sister and dog in a horrible car accident. She was saved, but ever since the accident, she can see auras, hear thoughts of others and see ghosts. It drives her insane and she tries to block everything out by wearing hoodies and listening to loud music on her iPod to block out the sound. Until Damen comes along. Damen mutes all the sounds around her and can even make things appear and disappear without explanation. Of course, it turns out that there's more to him than just good looks and wealthyness.

I've had this series for a couple of months now and even though I picked it up because I liked the synopsis, I wasn't tempted to pick it up any time soon. I'm glad that I did though, because it turned out to be an enjoyable read. There's not too much going on in this book in my opinion, just the finding out of who and what, but it was entertaining nontheless.

I liked Ever. She shut herself down almost completely because of all the energy in her head and the supernatural things she can see and hear. I can imagine that - it must be like a constant radio going off in your head. She was terribly sad, depressed even, but still she didn't come across as whiny to me. She was no Bella by any means.

I had some trouble with Damen, though. First, the name wasn't the best choice in my opinion. It reminded me too much of Damon Salvatore from the Vampire Diaries, and even though that may not have been Noëls intentions, I caught myself thinking of Damon Salvatore several times, while I should be thinking of Damen Auguste. And then there's the whole mystery thing going on. To me, as a reader, it was pret-ty obvious what was going on, as well as what was going on with Haven and Drina, but Ever couldn't make the connection. That felt frustrating because it was so obvious that she should have at least had some thoughts on what was going on.

The book is a fun read if you ask me. It had a female protagonist that wasn't a whiny girl sitting around, it had a gorgeous male love interest and Riley. I love Riley. I think she's cute and I'm looking forward to seeing what Noël has in mind for her. Evermore had a villain, that brought some action and tension to the book, even though she didn't strike me as scary or evil. I didn't really feel anything with her. I'm also looking forward to seeing how Ever develops in the next couple of books, since she has a lot on her plate, especially after Evermore.

My overall rating:

Three and a half stars, because it was an enjoyable and easy read and I'm curious to see what Blue Moon has to offer.

In My Mailbox (21)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren where we show what books we got in this week. I had a nice book week this week - with the last four of my massive book order coming in so I'm all set now! If only my lowbuy was over, I could purchase me some more books because I'm going through all my books at insane rate.. Err, anyway, here's my IMM vlog for this week! Hope you enjoy :)

White Cat by Holly Black

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney

That's all that I got in my mailbox this week, let me know what books you got in yours! Happy reading :)

Review: Living Dead in Dallas

Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris
Published: March 2002
Publisher: Gollancz
Pages: 279
Challenge: 100+ Reading Challenge
Other: Second book in the Southern Vampire Series a.k.a. Sookie Stackhouse series. Charlaine Harris recently announched that the series will contain 12 books. The eleventh book, Dead Reckoning, will be published on May 3rd, 2011.
Buy the book: Bookdepository


Waiting tables, sweeping floors, reading minds and solving mysteries for the undead. It's all in a day's work for Sookie... 

Cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse is on a streak of real bad luck. First, her co-worker gets murdered and no one seems to care. Then Sookie is attacked - and poisoned - late one night by some weird and apparently mythical beast. She only survives because the local vampires roll up and graciously suck the poison from her veins (like they didn't enjoy it). But in return the blood-suckers need a favor. 

Which is why Sookie ends up in Dallas, using her telepathic skills to search for a missing vampire, on the condition that her undead friends don't do anything, well, vampiric while she's there. Easier said than done. All it takes is one delicious blonde and one small mistake for things to turn deadly...


In this second book in the series, we meet up with Sookie again. When Sookie comes to work again, she discovers the dead body of her coworker. There is another murderer on the loose. To make things worse, Sookie is attacked and then sent on a mission for the vampires in Dallas.

Sookie is sent to Dallas and it's nice to see a change of environment for her. We meet more vampires and they seem even a little weirder than the ones we've already met.

I don't want to say a lot about the things going on in this book since I feel like I would be spoiling it for you. I liked the change of environment and I like the world with more vampires and the appearance of a mythological creature in the story (I'm a sucker for mythology, if you haven't noticed already). Another thing I appreciated is that we see more of Eric. I'm curious about Eric, what moves him, what's going on inside him. And, to be honest, I wouldn't mind seeing him in his lycra, either.

I found this to be an entertaining read, even though it wasn't a great read. It was enjoyable and I appreciate it for that. I've heard about a slow start on the series, and so far, they have been right.

My overall rating:

Three stars and a little change - because it was better than the first book and it was more enjoyable than its predecessor. I'm looking forward to the next book a little more!

Blogging and vlogging

A couple of weeks ago, I started a Youtube channel so I could upload my IMM vlogs. I'm trying to expand my channel a little more, so there will also be video reviews on my Youtube channel from now on. I'm also doing some tags and vlogs just for fun. I don't think I will post everything here on my blog, but some will be posted on both. For example: If I have done a video review, I will post a link to this review in my written review here on the blog as well. The video will most likely go up before my written review because I schedule all my reviews in advance.

I don't know how long I will be able to keep both up at the same time, since I'm looking for a job. When I'm working again, I will have less time to spend on reading, blogging and vlogging, but until that time, I'm just trying to have fun :)

To spice this post up a little, here is my last video - on my TBR pile for roughly the next two weeks. I try to post a video like this once every two weeks or so :)

If you have suggestions on what I should do a video on, feel free to let me know either by commenting on this post or telling me via twitter! :)

Oh and before I forget: This is the link to my channel » Youtube «

Review: The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan

The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan
Published: April 2007
Publisher: Hyperion
Pages: 312
Challenge: 100+ Reading Challenge, Off the Shelf!
Other: Third book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. All five books have been published.
Buy the book: Bookdepository


When the goddess Artemis goes missing, she is believed to have been kidnapped.And now it's up to Percy and his friends to find out what happened. Who is powerful enough to kidnap a goddess? They must find Artemis before the winter solstice, when her influence on the Olympian Council could swing an important vote on the war with the titans. Not only that, but first Percy will have to solve the mystery of a rare monster that Artemis was hunting when she disappeared -- a monster rumored to be so powerful it could destroy Olympus forever.


In the third book of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, we meet Percy again. Grover has found two new heroes and it's up to Percy and his friends to bring them to safety. On top of that all, the Oracle speaks out another quest, that will have to obstruct dark powers from rising.

It's hard not to talk to prevent spoilers, but I'll do my best. In this book, we follow Percy again and Percy is getting older, although sometimes he doesn't seem to get any smarter with the experiences he has now (the boar, anyone?). We see some new characters and I just have to say that my hunch was right after reading The Sea of Monsters!

In The Titan's Curse, we meet even more mythological characters and Rick Riordan has done a phenomenal job in describing them and teaching the reader about them if you don't already know them. I only know the myths of the gods and creatures that Riordan has written about in The Lightning Thief and The Sea of Monsters, but I could immediately see them before me. Riordan describes a little background with most of the new characters, because Percy doesn't really understand them either, sometimes, so the reader knows what they are reading about.

This book was funny, fast paced, packed with gods, goddesses and other mythological beings and overall it was a pretty darn awesome read. I la-la-loved reading this book and I have to restrain myself from reading the entire series all at once. I don't want to rush it!

My overall rating:


Five fully deserved stars for The Titan's Curse! It's my favorite book in the series so far and I can't WAIT until I see what Riordan has in store for us for The Battle of the Labyrinth.

YA Series Challenge

I just stumbled upon the YA Series over at I Eat Words and since I have quite a few YA and Middlegrade series yet to finish.. I thought it would be fun to join in! For more info, check out the I Eat Words challenge page.  The idea is to read books of a series that has at least 3 books out by the end of 2011. I'm signing up for the following category: Level 6-Addicted and Loving It 23-30 Books. Yes, that's a lot of books - but while I was counting (hey, can't blame one for being prepared!) I already counted 34 books in series that I want to read this year in series I'm currently reading and/or have books from on my TBR-pile. So I guess I should do alright.. Haha. I'm going to start counting today - so I won't even count the books I've read in series before March 14th, 2011. Yay me! 


Books I'm currently planning on reading for this challenge (in no particular order): 
1. The Sword of Hades by Rick Riordan (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #4.5)
2. The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #5)
3. Vampire Acedemy by Richelle Mead (Vampire Academy #1)
4. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (The Mortal Instruments #1)
5. City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare (The Mortal Instruments #2)
6. City of Glass by Cassandra Clare (The Mortal Instruments #3)
7. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (The Hunger Games #2)
8. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (The Hunger Games #3)
9. The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong (Darkest Powers #1)
10. Captivate by Carrie Jones (Need #2)
11. Entice by Carrie Jones (Need #3)
12. Angus, Thongs and Full-frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison (Georgia Nicholson #1)
13. It's okay: I'm wearing really big Knickers! by Louise Rennison (Georgia Nicholson #2) 
14. Knocked-out by my Nunga-Nungas by Louise Rennison (Georgia Nicholson #3)
15. Dancing in my Nuddy-pants by Louise Rennison (Georgia Nicholson #4)
16. And That's when it fell off in my Hand.. by Louise Rennison (Georgia Nicholson #5)
17. Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick (Hush Hush #1)
18. Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick (Hush Hush #2)
19. Fallen by Lauren Kate (Fallen #1)
20. The Sorceress by Michael Scott (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel #3)
21. The Necromancer by Michael Scott (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel #4)
22. The Warlock by Michael Scott (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel #5)
23. Blue Moon by Alyson Noël (The Immortals #2)
24. Shadowland by Alyson Noël (The Immortals #3)
25. Chosen by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast (House of Night #3)
26. Untamed by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast (House of Night #4)
27. Hunted by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast (House of Night #5)
28. The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman (His Dark Materials #1)
29. Eragon by Christopher Paolini (Inheritance #1)
30. Queste by Angie Sage (Septimus Heap #4)
31. Syren by Angie Sage (Septimus Heap #5)
32. Darke by Angie Sage (Septimus Heap #6)
33. Shadow Souls by L.J. Smith (The Vampire Diaries #6)
34. Midnight by L.J. Smith (The Vampire Diaries #7)
35. Forever by Maggie Stiefvater (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #3)
36. The Iron King by Julie Kagawa (The Iron Fey #1)


Whew! That's quite the list.. But I'm determined to read them all before 2012! 


Are you joining in on the challenge? If so, what books are you most looking forward to? 

In My Mailbox (20)

Oh my this week just flew by - and with that I got so many awesome books! This week's IMM is epic (if I may say so myself!). In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren where we show what books and bookrelated things we got in this week. My mailbox is packed, so let's get started!

For Review:

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

Bought:

The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent

Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

Sing me to Sleep by Angela Morrison

Haven by Kristi Cook

Just Listen by Sarah Dessen

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford

Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves

Won:

Signed Luminous bookmark by Dawn Metcalf

After filming this video, I also got approved for Bumped by Megan McCafferty on NetGalley! So big thanks to HarperTeen and NetGalley for that!

A really big thank you to HarperCollins for Divergent and a massive thank you to Josephine Angelini and HarperTeen for the ARC of Starcrossed!! Both were on top of my books-I'm-dying-to-read-list so I did a lot of happy dancing! Also all the books that I got in this week made me very happy! I bought them in February but they didn't come in until now - but it makes me feel like a happy camper now! :D

That's all that I got in my mailbox this week, what did you get in yours? Happy reading! 

Giveaway time! [CLOSED]

A little while back, I reached 50 (FIFTY!) followers! Oh my god! This may not sound like much to some of you, but I honestly never expected that people would read this blog. To be honest, I didn't even know what to do with this blog until I discovered the whole world of YA. Without exaggerating, it made my life so much better - I don't know what I would have done if it wouldn't be for the entire book blogging community and the world of YA fiction. So this is a massive thank you to all of you who made everything a little sunnier *sends hugs*

So, eh, ahem. *blinks away tears* that's not what you came here for. Like the title states, it's time for a giveaway! Now, since I don't have a job or a tree with euro bills growing off the branches in my back yard, I made a selection of (great and awesome and fantastic!) books. This is the pile of awesomeness of which you can pick a title if you win:

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Need by Carrie Jones

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Angus, Thongs and Full-frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison

The Alchemyst by Michael Scott

The winner of the giveaway has their choice of one (1) of the amazing books above. I will ship the book to you using Bookdepository, so make sure your country is on the list of countries where Bookdepository ships to. I selected 9 titles of my absolute favorites, in the hope that you will enjoy them, too!

To enter, I simply ask that you are a follower of my blog and fill in the form below. I'm doing this giveaway as a thank you for my followers, so to be eligible to enter, I ask that you follow my blog openly via Google Friend Connect (GFC). New followers are of course welcome! Make sure you aren't following privately, that way I won't be able to check and your entry won't count! Edited to add: my YouTube channel can be found here.

»» This giveaway is closed ««

This giveaway is open until April 1st (no joke). 

So again, big, BIG thank you to everyone who has read, followed and commented on my blog. *sends virtual hugs out in cyber space* So.. what are you waiting for? Fill in that form! :)

Question: How do you sort your books?

I always like reading these kind of posts so I thought I'd do one, too! I'm fascinated by bookclosets, shelves and just overall how people organize their books. I like looking at it, and I think a lot of people do, considering the amount of bookshelf tours and the like on YouTube.

I came up with a couple of questions, please leave your answers in the comments below! (Or just share your thoughts :) )

1. Where do you keep your books?
I have a big book closet (pictured partly above) where I keep most of my adult fiction and some of my favorites, like my Harry Potter books. I also have a little book closet where I keep a variety of YA books, mostly unread.

2. How do you organize your books? Alphabet, genre, color, hardback/paperback, etc?
My way of organizing is not really logical for other people I think, but I'll tell you anyway haha: I have 9 cubes available in my big book closet, in which 1 is reserved for Harry Potter, 1 for my cookbooks, 3 for adult fiction and chicklit (sorted in alphabetical order), 1 for my 'magic' YA books, 1 for YA books in general and 1 for books that I think are kinda meh - at least at the moment. That is where my Twilight boxed set currently resides. In my little bookcloset I have all my other YA books and my Sookie Stackhouse box. Not really a system in there, yet. I keep my series mostly together.

3. Do you keep your unread books seperate from the rest of your books?
No, I do not. I just keep them all together, like little friends on a playground. I don't have *that* many books that I can't remember what I still have to read, so I should be alright for a little while.

4. What would your dream book organization system look like?
More book closets - because I don't have room for another closet at the moment. I would love to have an extra room in my future house so I can turn it into my own library, complete with my own comfy chair and water cooker so I can make me some tea any time I want to.

If you have any other thoughts, let me know in the comments!

Review: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Published: October 1st, 2008
Publisher: Scholastic
Pages: 374
Challenge: 350 Page Book Challenge, 100+ Reading Challenge
Other: First book in The Hunger Games Trilogy. All books are published.
Buy the book: Bookdepository


Could you survive on your own, in the wild, with everyone out to make sure you don't live to see the morning? 

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. 

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love.


In the Hunger Games, everything is regulated by the Capitol, who controls everything in Panem; a place that was once called Northern America. There are twelve districts and they are carefully monitored by their mayors. District Twelve lives off the coal mines and that district is the home of Katniss. Katniss is 16 and spends her days hunting behind the fence, a place where she's not supposed to be. The book works up to the reaping, an event that's held every year in which every district sends one boy and one girl between the age of 12 and 18 to the Hunger Games; an arena where 24 boys and girls have to battle until they die, only to have one survivor; the winner of the Hunger Games.

I've heard a lot about this series ever since I started blogging in the book blogosphere, and even though the storyline sounds gruesome and horrifying, I decided to pick up the boxed set. I'm so glad I did.

The Hunger Games are set up to show the people in Panem that the Capitol still has all control. At the reaping, we meet Peeta. Peeta seems a bit slow, a bit dull, at the beginning, but right after that he started to win my heart. He seems such an honest, loving and loyal male character that I couldn't do anything else than feel with him. After the interview, I think he stole my heart. I could totally feel what he felt, even though Katniss didn't seem to understand anything. Sometimes I wanted to yell at her to quit being so stupid, because even I saw what was going on (not that it would help, but hey, it's the idea that countrs).

Katniss has grown up to learn how to survive. We see her instinct and I think Katniss is a pretty strong character. I have to admit that sometimes I couldn't really relate to her as I could to Peeta, even though he wasn't the person we were following around.

Big, big thumbs up to Suzanne Collins on writing such a great book with a great story when the story itself is so gruesome. I think she did an amazing job on creating the world and the Hunger Games. I also want to compliment her on her description of the other (minor) characters, especially Rue. Rue touched my heart.

The Hunger Games held me literally on the edge of my seat the entire time. I felt weird in my stomach when I sensed something was going to happen - like I could feel the tension that Katniss must have felt in the arena. I haven't experienced that with any other book. It felt so weird! The book had me hooked since page 1 and I feel relieved that I own Catching Fire and Mockingjay as well, because I can't imagine having to wait for the books to come in the mail.

My overall rating:

Because holy shiz, Suzanne Collins has written a masterpiece.

In My Mailbox (19)

I can't believe it's Sunday again! Where did the week go? It's time for In My Mailbox! In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren where we show what we got in our mailbox this week. I had a good mail week this week, so I'm a really happy camper!

Entangled by Cat Clarke

Legacy by Cayla Kluver

Firespell by Cloe Neill

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

The Iron Thorn by Caitlin Kittredge

Nevermore by Kelly Creagh

The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

That's all that I got in my mailbox this week, what did you get in yours? Happy reading! :)

To be read pile-ish post

So.. I like to babble. And I like to show books. So yesterday, when I was a little bored, I recorded a to be read pile-ish vlog in which I talk about the books I plan on reading in the next two weeks or so - because I saw some people on Youtube asking for more TBR pile vlogs/posts. So here we go!

Books mentioned:

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan

XVI by Julia Karr

Currently reading: 

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

What books do you have on your short term to be read pile (ha-ha)? 

Review: Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Across the Universe by Beth Revis
Published: January 11th, 2011
Publisher: Penguin/Razorbill
Pages: 398
Challenge: 100+ Reading Challenge, 2011 Debut Author Challenge
Other: The first book in the Across the Universe Trilogy. Also, Across the Universe will be first published in the UK on March 3rd, 2011.
Buy the book: Bookdepository


A love out of time. A spaceship built of secrets and murder.

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone-one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

Amy's parents have signed up to be taken aboard Godspeed in frozen coffins. They will be experts on the new planet, Centauri-Earth, 300 years away. Amy is given the chance to stay on earth by her father, but she decides to go along. On board, she's woken up 50 years too early. Someone unplugged her - tried to kill her. She lives, and quickly she discovers that the ship isn't the calm and honest as it appears to be. Amy finds out the ship is literally fueled on lies and she must hurry to find out who is behind the unplugging, before more people get hurt.

Set in the future, Across the Universe is a magnificently written story about a girl who joins her parents to be woken up early - 50 years early. We see how she wakes up and discovers what's going on on Godspeed. The point of view changes every chapter between Amy and Elder, the future leader of the ship. We learn about the ship, about the situation and about Eldest (the current leader of Godspeed). We learn that not everything is as it seems.

Beth Revis has written an awesome book that had me on the edge of my seat ever since the first 111 pages were published online. I wasn't expecting to like it as much as I did, but I did. I couldn't wait to get my hands on my own copy, so I could continue reading. Revis created an entirely new and different world and I love the way how she spaed it and put everything together like a giant puzzle. Let me say, I was suspecting that something was up with You-Know-Who, but I couldn't put my finger on it.

I loved reading the book and I think this is a great starting point to start the second book. I can't wait to get my hands on the second book in the trilogy, even though it's not even finished.

My overall rating:


Because this is a great story and it had me hooked. Now onto the unbearable wait for the second book..

February wrap up

March already, oh my! Time really passes quickly when you're having fun and I'm happy that I can say that I'm having fun in the book blogging community! (smoochies!) My reading pace has slowed down a bit, but I'm still ahead of my planning on reading 100 books this year - I've read 9 books this month, 11 if you include the books that I started reading in January. Not bad!

Finished in February
Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton
Physik by Angie Sage

Read in February
1. Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan
2. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
3. Matched by Ally Condie
4. Rage by Jackie Morse Kessler
5. Evermore by Alyson Noël
6. Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris
7. Across the Universe by Beth Revis
8. Percy Jackson and the Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan
9. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Started, but not yet finished
Cinderella: Ninja Warrior by Maureen McGowan


That makes my total of 2011 now 22 books read that equals 7,328 pages - whoa! My favorite book that I read this month is Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver. Just, wow. I can't wait to read Delirium! (And yes I know that Delirium is totally different). Also; The Titan's Curse was made of amazeballs! My favorite in the series so far. And I finally read the first book of the Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins and it was SO good! Can't wait to get started on Catching Fire.

Something funny I noticed in my GoodReads stats: I have a lot more four and five star ratings already! I'm really getting good at selecting books that I know I will really like and/or love. Yay me!

What books have you read in February? What was the best book you've read? Did you have disappointing reads?