Review of: Rise(Eve, #3) by Anna Carey

Rise(Eve, #3) by Anna Carey

Page Count(Paperback Edition): 310 pgs
Publisher: HarperCollins
Released: April 2nd, 2013
Genre: Young Adult Dystopian
My Rating: 2/5 stars
Read: from 10/26/14 to 12/22/14
Source: Books-A-Million
Synopsis: 

How far will you go when you have nothing left to lose?

When she lost her soul mate, Caleb, Eve felt like her world had ended. Trapped in the palace, forced to play the part of the happy, patriotic princess of The New America—and the blushing bride of her father's top adviser—Eve's whole life is a lie. The only thing that keeps her going is Caleb's memory, and the revolution he started.

Now, Eve is taking over where Caleb left off. With the help of Moss, an undercover subversive in the King's court, she plots to take down The New America, beginning with the capital, the City of Sand. Will Eve be able to bring about a new, free world when she's called upon to perform the ultimate act of rebellion—killing her father?

In Rise, Eve must choose who to leave behind, who to save, and who to fight as Anna Carey's epic tale of romance and sacrifice in the chilling dystopia of The New America comes to a stunning conclusion. 

(from Goodreads)

First off, Merry Christmas everyone, if you celebrate it! I had a wonderful day with family and friends, and I'm looking forward to the coming days to spend time with some special people :)

Okay so I have to be truthful here, but also give the author some credit. The first half of the book, I had huge aspirations for. I was completely happy, until the ending. From there, Carey lost me. I have no words other than I'm disappointed in this trilogy's ending.

By far, the first 2 books in the series provided more rapid heartbeats than this book had the potential to. For lack of a better word, I was bored. I was utterly heartbroken at the end of Once when Caleb died, and didn't have much faith that the author could bring me out of the depressed hole she dug. 

I don't want to spoil anything but I do have to say that the ending was very unsatisfying. I felt that so much was left unsaid and unanswered, I'm so antsy. I NEED the answers! A certain character gets killed but I knew it was coming. I'm happy hes gone actually. But there was no drama to his death!! I was baffled. After all the struggle, he was gone in a split second.

Eve remained pretty true to herself  throughout the book and pregnancy, which was a relief. Of course, the baby is Caleb's. OF COURSE it is. She decided to lead a group of girls from a mixture of schools to Califia, the women's camp in the Outlands. I have to get her credit as well; there is no way I could have survived pregnant in the wild. She's tough as a rock.

One big positive was how easily I have been able to imagine "The New America" in the past 3 books. I visualize the capital, City of Sand being located along the East Coast of the US, around where Alabama is presently. I see the outlands as everything north, east and west of the capital walls. Directly north of the capital, I picture Califia to be stantioned, with their many houses and rivers and lakes. Due west from there, I see Eve's old School, and nearby there, I see her old house and neighborhood. It's sad, I can only picture what it looked like after the virus..

Overall, Rise didn't do much for me. The epilogue left me only slightly satisfied knowing that Eve is able to have a happy life in the future. Too brief, too short, etc. Not my cup of tea as the 3rd and final book of this series.

Review of: Unmaking Hunter Kennedy by Anne Eliot+Giveaway

Unmaking Hunter Kennedy by Anne Eliot

Page Count(eBook edition):422 pages
Publisher: Butterfly Books, LLC
Released: October 17, 2012
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary/Romance
My Rating: 4 stars
Read: from October 19 to December 23, 2012
Source: Anne Eliot herself! Thank you so much! ♥

Synopsis:  

After a car accident--an event he considers a prank gone bad--pop star, Hunter Kennedy is forced to hide out with his aunt in small-town Colorado. He’s supposed to rest, heal his scars and attend high school in disguise until the press dies down. But he only wants to get back to work.

Worse, the girl who’s been assigned to make him over into a geek is a major geek herself. Vere Roth is a chattering pixie, a blushing tornado and a complete social disaster. He’s never met a girl who’s never-been-kissed, believes in romance and thinks Hunter’s a 'nice' guy.

Funny thing is...Hunter is nice around Vere because she’s his first real friend. He also can’t seem to stop sharing his secrets or keep her out of his heart. Knowing he’d never deserve a girl as sweet as Vere, he resigns himself to the friend zone, and helps his new bestie with her own makeover.

She tortures him daily for ridiculous guy advice on how to snag her life-long crush. A guy Hunter thinks is totally wrong for Vere, and sadly, one who has taken note of Vere’s transformation.

When Vere asks her best friend for some kissing advice, Hunter can’t resist...

And that’s when things get out of control...

(from Goodreads)

When I first started this book, I had no clue that I would deeply adore it. Unmaking Hunter Kennedy was a very cute, laughable love story that I'm sure you too, would fall in love with it.

Hunter Kennedy is basically this big pop star in this band called GuardeRobe. He is shipped off to Colorado to live with his Aunt Nan, and The Roth family. Hunter is this ultra hot, tall, blazing blue eyed guy,who, frankly, I fell in love with. You could think that he was this perfect pop star with no problems whatsoever  but that isn't true. He actually attempted suicide and has scars on his wrist from self harm. I was surprised that Anne added that bit, but very happy with how she handled this delicate subject.

So, we follow Hunter through his new home and The Roth family. Vere and Charlie Roth are siblings that now have to welcome Hunter into their life. But, there is a catch. They need to disguise him into this geeky persona so now one will recognize him at their high school, giving him his new name; Dustin Mchugh. I really enjoyed watching Vere and "Dustin's" relationship grow as they camouflaged him in a weekend. I experienced how Vere had to deal with Dustin's "assets", like his hair, eyes or perfect bone structure. Have I mentioned that I adore him?

At first, I was kinda ehhh about Vere, but she grew on me and I begun to relate to her in all of these situations she was put in. Like, every time Curtis, her crush, came around she blushed like crazy and her heart went wild. I was seriously imagining me in those moments! Once I realized how much we had in common, I couldn't get enough of her; she was so cute, like a teddy bear with and attitude! Also, I found myself laughing so hard at Vere's humor!

There is no doubt, a serious attraction to one another as the story progresses. I was up on my couch rooting for them the whole way. How can one not with these collection of quotes?!:

He laughed low and ran a finger along the top of her mouth. His touch sent shivers of sparkles down the back of her neck. “You have heart shaped lips in a heart shaped face. Has anyone ever told you? This one—this top lip alone—could drive a guy out of his mind?”

A strand of her golden-brown hair caught in the breeze and settled itself across her chest before it whipped up and caught against her lips. Lips that have never been kissed. Remember that, dude.

"Thought you were too chicken to try this," she added. Her voice had came out all raspy-sexy. Her eyes were heavy with sleep. A length of hair slid over her shoulder, curling around her tanned hips! Tangling into the little red bikini bows!

Ugh! That last one almost killed my poor heart!

On a more serious note, I really appreciated how Anne added that aspect of suicide into the story. While it wasn't real, it most certainly portrayed what some teens go through on a daily basis. Self harm and suicide is on the rise, which scares me a lot. If you or a loved one are self harming and/or thinking about committing suicide, please get help. You are worth so much in this world. Please look in the back of this book, as suicide hotline numbers are provided. Please, you are not alone in this battle. ♥

All in all, I really enjoyed Unmaking Hunter Kennedy and I recommend this to anyone who loves contemporary romance with lots of humor and cuteness(:

Now... GIVEAWAY time!!
Thank you, Anne Eliot, for giving me this opportunity(:

I have one copy of Unmaking Hunter Kennedy up for grabs

Rules:

• To enter, simply fill out the Rafflecopter form below
• I ask that all entrants be 13 years or older.
• This giveaway is U.S only, due to postal prices.
• When the winner is chosen, it will be announced here and the winner will be emailed by me. Please check your email, because I am only giving the winner 48 hours to respond. Another winner will be selected if this occur's.
• Please enter your email address in the form below, and not in the comments please!(:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

♦Haley♦

Review of: The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Steven Chbosky

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Steven Chbosky

Page Count(Paperback Edition): 216 pgs.
Publisher: MTV Books
Released:February 1st, 1999
Genre: Young Adult Realistic Fiction
My Rating: 3 stars
Read: from December 11 to 27, 2012
Source: Borrowed from a friend(Thanks Meagan!♥)

Synopsis:

Charlie is a freshman. And while he's not the biggest geek in the school, he is by no means popular. Shy, introspective, intelligent beyond his years yet socially awkward, he is a wallflower, caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it.

Charlie is attempting to navigate his way through uncharted territory: the world of first dates and mix-tapes, family dramas and new friends; the world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite. 

But Charlie can't stay on the sideline forever. Standing on the fringes of life offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a deeply affecting coming-of-age story that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller-coaster days known as growing up. 

(from Goodreads)

Okay, I'm going to start off saying this: I may say some things that offend your opinion or P.O.V, and I'm sorry. There is no other way for me to explain why I rated this book 3 stars, without criticizing it. I admit, it will be hard for me to do this too. I will not, however, harp on all the negative things and leave out the positive ones. That would be unfair of me. But let's get to this!

So, The Perks of Being a Wallflower. This almost turned into a DNF, because I was so depressed in the middle of the book. How could I not be? I felt like Charlie kept talking about his deceased aunt Helen all the time, and everything else that was going on in his life. Then, I started feeling bad! I felt that I should have loved and adored this book like everyone else, but I couldn't. I couldn't fake my feelings about this.

Charlie was an odd character. I still don't know whether I liked him or not. He's a freshman, who hangs out with juniors and seniors. That seemed unrealistic to me, but I won't get into that. Charlie is a wallflower, and an intellectual one at that. And this is where my feelings for him waver; he seemed too smart and knowing for his age! How is that realistic?

Ok, here come my two favorite characters: Patrick and Sam. I absolutely loved them. They were fantastically written, and seemed real! Maybe I loved them because I actually know what they look like in the movie...

The last negative thing I will say is how the mood of the story really, really affected me and my progress on this book. I was confused and sad almost the whole time.

Okay, now onto positive things! In the second half of the book, I started liking the story a whole lot better because happiness seemed like it entered the atmosphere. I started reading the book faster because I felt better as a reader. I also really liked Bill, Charlie's English teacher. While he kept giving him books to do essay's on, you learn that he really thinks Charlie is very smart.

I loved Charlie's, Sam's and Patrick's relationship. They were so close, almost like sibling's. If that relationship didn't exist, I wouldn't be able to cope with this book.

All in all, I didn't loathe The Perks of Being a Wallflower, I semi-liked it. It just wasn't the book for me, but I still would recommend everyone to read this, since it is a must-read book.

♦Haley♦

Review of: Belles(Belles, #1) by Jen Calonita

Belles(Belles, #1) by Jen Calonita

Page Count(Hardcover Edition): 356
 Publisher: Poppy
 Released: April 10th, 2012  
 Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
 My Rating: 4 stars
 Read: December 02 to 16, 2012
 Source: Library


Synopsis: 

Fifteen-year-old Isabelle Scott loves her life by the boardwalk on the supposed wrong side of the tracks in North Carolina. But when tragedy strikes, a social worker sends her to live with a long-lost uncle and his preppy privileged family. Isabelle is taken away from everything she's ever known, and, unfortunately, inserting her into the glamorous lifestyle of Emerald Cove doesn't go so well. Her cousin Mirabelle Monroe isn't thrilled to share her life with an outsider, and, in addition to dealing with all the rumors and backstabbing that lurk beneath their classmates' Southern charm, a secret is unfolding that will change both girls' lives forever.

(from Goodreads)

As I'm sure other's would agree, this book is addicting. There was not one point where I said to myself " I'll just stop there for today" There was no good part to stop at. This story was very continuous  and it almost lost it's affect if I ever set it down for too long. Which is why I didn't!

 I love the idea of this story. To me, this was a dialed down version of Mean Girls in a book! It was verbatim the same, with a new girl, and basically a group of mean girls. Who doesn't love this plot?!

I very much enjoyed the character set. Izzie was by far my favorite because of how strong she was, whether it looked like it or not. She had so much backbone and spirit which I loved. Hayden came next because of how helpful he was to Izzie and because he was genuinely sweet. Mira and the others to come are in no particular order, just the way they pop up in my head. At first, I didn't like Mira because she was so controlled by Savannah, and didn't try to accept Izzie into the family! Opposite of Izzie, she had no backbone in the first half of the book, but then towards the end, she really rose and stood up for herself. I cheered her on quietly in my head(: Now, onto the evil queen, Savannah. I did not like her from the beginning and didn't feel sorry for her in the end. She truly irritated the crap out of me, and I probably hated her more than I should have had, because I was imagining her to be someone else.. Anyways, I really thought she was a rich, spoiled, ungrateful brat. I think that I was supposed to hate her, because she was the one who made everyone take Izzie's side. So, Jen, I thank you for that!. 

Onto the guys and family members(: Brayden! Ooh Brayden was such a cute character, I loved him♥. I wasn't expecting that little twist  at Emerald Prep with him and Izzie, but it really set the stage for what was to come. If Brayden was real, I'd take him in a heart beat. No offense Izzie! ;). Taylor was kinda iffy for me. In the beginning, I thought he had some clingy problems with Mira and brushed them off. But towards the end, he really wanted Mira to be everywhere with him, every practice, game, even every minute. That was the point where I was totally creeped out, and vowed to never become a trophy wife, ever. Kellen was really interesting. I was intrigued by his aura around him, but was disapointed when Jen didn't add more to his story with Mira. I hope in the next book, Jen will expand a lot more on their relationship. Mira's family was fairly good, but had some secrets which were revealed in the end. I was shocked when I found them out.

Belles was a wonderful, but shocking book. The only critique I have is that there needs to be more expansion among characters in the next book. I can't wait to get my hands on Winter White! I recommend this to fans of contemporary with a bit of a twist.

♦Haley♦

*on a side note: I have now added another name to my favorite baby girl names: Mirabelle! It's just so perfect and princessy; I love it! The other one I love is Tabitha(:

Showcase Sunday #1

This is my first Showcase Sunday! (: If you are interested, click here for more info(: The book I will feature is one you may have seen with yesterday's post.

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

1. Cruisin' by Sarah Mlynowski

Page Count(e-book Edition): 36
Publisher: Harper Teen Impulse
Released: December 4th
Genre: Young Adult Novellas
Source: Amazon Kindle Store

Synopsis:

From the critically acclaimed author of Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have) and the Magic in Manhattan series comes a fun short story about taking the plunge on the high seas, where not everything is what it seems.

Kristin is ready to take the next step. . . . The only problem is she hasn't found the right guy to take it with her. That's why she agreed to go on the ominously named Cruise to Nowhere with her best friend, Liz. There are plenty of cute guys on the ship to choose from if only Kristin can work up the nerve—and stop worrying about the reports in the tabloids that passengers on cruises have been mysteriously disappearing and that someone suspects it has to do with . . . vampires.

(from Goodreads)

I literally got this book the day it was released, and for only a dollar! I most likely won't do a review on this just because of how short it is. Maybe a paragraph or two.. Who knows? Happy Blogging!

♦Haley♦

Currently Reading Updates(:

Since I feel like I've abandoned you guys, I'm going to do a a little post about my thoughts on the books I'm reading, just to keep you guys up to speed. Ready? OK lets go!

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

1. Unmaking Hunter Kennedy by Anne Eliot
                                 
Page Count(e-book Edition): 422
Genre:  Young Adult Romance
Source: Anne Elliot herself! Thank you so much Anne! :')
My progress: 87% done

Synopsis:

After a car accident--an event he considers a prank gone bad--pop star, Hunter Kennedy is forced to hide out with his aunt in small-town Colorado. He’s supposed to rest, heal his scars and attend high school in disguise until the press dies down. But he only wants to get back to work.
Worse, the girl who’s been assigned to make him over into a geek is a major geek herself. Vere Roth is a chattering pixie, a blushing tornado and a complete social disaster. He’s never met a girl who’s never-been-kissed, believes in romance and thinks Hunter’s a 'nice' guy.

Funny thing is...Hunter is nice around Vere because she’s his first real friend. He also can’t seem to stop sharing his secrets or keep her out of his heart. Knowing he’d never deserve a girl as sweet as Vere, he resigns himself to the friend zone, and helps his new bestie with her own makeover.

She tortures him daily for ridiculous guy advice on how to snag her life-long crush. A guy Hunter thinks is totally wrong for Vere, and sadly, one who has taken note of Vere’s transformation.
When Vere asks her best friend for some kissing advice, Hunter can’t resist...
And that's when things get out of control...

(from Goodreads)

My thoughts so far:
I really, really like this book. Anne Elliot does a great job at balancing humor with  romance. A very cute, quick read. Keep your eyes out for my review coming to a computer near you soon! Haha(:

2. Belle's(Belle's #1) by Jen Calonita


Page Count(Hardcover Edition): 356

Genre:  Young Adult Contemporary
Source: Library
My progress: pg. 244

Synopsis:

Fifteen-year-old Isabelle Scott loves her life by the boardwalk on the supposed wrong side of the tracks in North Carolina. But when tragedy strikes, a social worker sends her to live with a long-lost uncle and his preppy privileged family. Isabelle is taken away from everything she's ever known, and, unfortunately, inserting her into the glamorous lifestyle of Emerald Cove doesn't go so well. Her cousin Mirabelle Monroe isn't thrilled to share her life with an outsider, and, in addition to dealing with all the rumors and backstabbing that lurk beneath their classmates' Southern charm, a secret is unfolding that will change both girls' lives forever.

(from Goodreads)

My thoughts so far:
I like this one a lot too! There are some things that bother me a bit with Mira, like how she has no backbone against Savannah, but maybe by the end, she will stand up for herself and Izzie! I'm hoping so!

And the third one I just started a few days ago and literally have not read a word of it, so I will just give you guys the synopsis, book cover and title(:

3.  Cruisin' by Sarah Mlynowski (A Harper Teen Impulse Imprint)


Page Count(e-book edition): 36
Genre: Young Adult Novellas
Source: Amazon Kindle Store


Synopsis:

From the critically acclaimed author of Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have) and the Magic in Manhattan series comes a fun short story about taking the plunge on the high seas, where not everything is what it seems.

Kristin is ready to take the next step. . . . The only problem is she hasn't found the right guy to take it with her. That's why she agreed to go on the ominously named Cruise to Nowhere with her best friend, Liz. There are plenty of cute guys on the ship to choose from if only Kristin can work up the nerve—and stop worrying about the reports in the tabloids that passengers on cruises have been mysteriously disappearing and that someone suspects it has to do with . . . vampires.

(from Goodreads)
♦Haley♦