Top Ten Tuesday - 21

Top Ten Tuesday was started by The Broke and the Bookish for bloggers who like making lists.

Top Ten Books I'd Give a Theme Song To

1. Book: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Song: “Iridescent” – Linkin Park
Comments: The lyrics fit this book so well!
Lyrics: “You were standing in the wake of devastation
And you were waiting on the edge of the unknown
And with the cataclysm raining down
Insides crying "Save me now"
You were there, impossibly alone

Do you feel cold and lost in desperation?
You build up hope, but failure’s all you’ve known
Remember all the sadness and frustration
And let it go. Let it go.”

2. Book: Harry Potter
Song: “Keep Marching On” – One Republic
Comments: The whole song fits but I’m just gonna provide the chorus.
Lyrics: "There’s so many wars we fought,
There’s so many things we’re not,
with what we have,
I promise you that,
We’re marching on."

3. Book: Wake by Lisa McMann
Song: “Punching in a Dream” – The Naked and Famous
Comments: Check out the lyrics.
Lyrics: "If it falls apart I would surely wake it
Bright lights turn me clean
This is worse than it seems
Way-yay-yay-yay-yay
I don't ever wanna be here
Like punching in a dream,
breathing life into my nightmare."

4. Book: Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare
Song: “To Build a Home” – Cinematic Orchestra
Comments: This song is this book, to me. I feel like the lyrics are talking about the Institute. Also, there is this very awesome fanvid with this song that sums up the entire book. Don’t watch if you haven’t read it yet, though.
Lyrics:"There is a house built out of stone
Wooden floors, walls and window sills
Tables and chairs worn by all of the dust
This is a place where I don't feel alone
This is a place where I feel at home

And I built a home
For you
For me

Until it disappeared
From me
From you
And now, it's time to leave and turn to dust."

5. Book: All These Things I’ve Done by Gabrielle Zevin
Song: “All These Things That I’ve Done” – The Killers
Comments: The entire time that I was reading this book, The Killers’s song was playing in my head!
Lyrics: "When there's nowhere else to run
Is there room for one more son
One more son
If you can hold on
If you can hold on, hold on
I want to stand up, I want to let go
You know, you know - no you don't, you don't
I want to shine on in the hearts of men
I want a meaning from the back of my broken hand

Another head aches, another heart breaks
I am so much older than I can take
And my affection, well it comes and goes
I need direction to perfection, no no no no."

6. Book: Amy and Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson
Song: “Life is a Highway” – Rascal Flatts
Comments: Self-Explanatory.
Lyrics: "Well, life's like a road that you travel on
There's one day here and the next day gone
Sometimes you bend, sometimes you stand
Sometimes you turn your back to the wind

Life is a highway, I wanna ride it
All night long
If you're going my way, I wanna drive it
All night long."

7. Book: The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan
Song: “Ghosts That We Knew” – Mumford & Sons
Comments: What I love about The Forest of Hands and Teeth trilogy that it is about hope, and I think this song symbolizes that a lot.
Lyrics: "You saw my pain, washed out in the rain
Broken glass, saw the blood run from my veins
But you saw no fault no crack in my heart
And you kneel beside my hope torn apart
But the ghosts that we knew will flicker from you
And we’ll live a long life
So give me hope in the darkness that I will see the light
Cause oh that gave me such a fright
But I will hold as long as you like
Just promise me we’ll be alright."

8. Book: Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton
Song: “Set Fire to the Rain” – Adele
Comments: This song was really popular and on the radio while I was reading Angelfire so I came to associate the two in my head. It also helps that the lyrics describe the book, as well.
Lyrics: "I let it fall, my heart,
And as it fell you rose to claim it
It was dark and I was over
Until you kissed my lips and you saved me

My hands, they're strong
But my knees were far too weak
To stand in your arms
Without falling to your feet
But I set fire to the rain,
Watched it pour as I touched your face,
Well, it burned while I cried
'Cause I heard it screaming out your name, your name!"

9. Book: Across the Universe by Beth Revis
Song: “Across the Universe” – The Beatles
Comments: It’s obvious why I picked this one, especially since the author credits The Beatles as being part of her inspiration. It’s a great song though.
Lyrics: "Images of broken light, which
Dance before me like a million eyes,
They call me on and on across the universe.
Thoughts meander like a
Restless wind inside a letter box
They tumble blindly as they make their way across the universe."

10. Book: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
Song: “Tomorrow is a Long Time” – Nickel Creek
Comments: This is the same as Angelfire: I first heard this song while reading City of Bones and it kind of described how I was feeling. The ending is very angsty. It also describes a scene in City of Glass, which is cool.
Lyrics: "If today was not an endless highway
If tonight was not a crooked trail
If tomorrow wasn't such a long time
Then lonesome would mean nothing to me at all

Yes, and only if my own true love was waiting
If I could hear his heart softly pounding
Yes, and only if he was lying by me
Would I lie in my bed once again."

Stolen Away by Alyxandra Harvey

Summary:
For seventeen years, Eloise Hart had no idea the world of Faery even existed. Now she has been abducted and trapped in the Rath of Lord Strahan, King of Faery. Strahan was only meant to rule for seven years, as Faery tradition dictates, and then give up his crown to another. But he won't comply, and now chaos threatens both worlds.

The only one who can break his stranglehold on the Faery court is his wife. . . Eloise's aunt Antonia. Using Eloise to lure Antonia, Strahan captures his wife, desperate to end the only threat to his reign. Now Eloise must become the rescuer. Together with her best friends Jo and Devin, she must forge alliances with other Fae, including a gorgeous protector named Lucas, and Strahan's mysterious son, Eldric-who may or may not betray them. (from GoodReads)

Review:
I was originally drawn to Stolen Away because I really liked Hearts at Stake by Alyxandra Harvey (I haven't read the rest of the series yet, but I'm getting there). Unfortunately, Stolen Away was not that good, and definitely not as good as this author's previous novel.

There were several things I didn't like about Stolen Away. One, the book changes point-of-view between Eloise and her best friend Jo. There's nothing wrong with switching narration but I could never tell who was speaking because both characters sound identical. So that was pretty annoying.

The biggest problem I had with Stolen Away is that it lacked development. It lacked plot, character and romantic development, which really took away from the overall story. The novel is fairly short and because of that everything felt rushed. The Faery court and politics could have been explained a lot better and that added information would have made the story so much more interesting. I never really felt a connection to any of the characters, including the trio of friends Jo, Eloise and Devin, and their romantic interests, Lucas and Eldric. Speaking of romance, for both couples there was some kissing and than instant love. I hate instant love so much.

I did like a few things: the writing was pretty good and some aspects of the characters I really enjoyed. I liked how Jo was obsessed with King Henry VIII (like myself) and there is a reference to Ian Somerhalder which added some points in my book. Unfortunately these things are pretty superficial.

If you want to read fantasy, I would stick to Alyxandra Harvey's vampire series, which I think is much better, and skip Stolen Away.

Rating: 5 out of 10.
FTC: received from Flamingnet Book Reviews

2012/Walker Childrens/288 pages.

Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters by Meredith Zeitlin

Summary:
Kelsey Finkelstein is fourteen and FRUSTRATED. Every time she tries to live up to her awesome potential, her plans are foiled – by her impossible parents, her annoying little sister, and life in general. But with her first day of high school coming up, Kelsey is positive that things are going to change. Enlisting the help of her three best friends — sweet and quiet Em, theatrical Cass, and wild JoJo — Kelsey gets ready to rebrand herself and make the kind of mark she knows is her destiny.

Things start out great - her arch-nemesis has moved across the country, giving Kelsey the perfect opportunity to stand out on the soccer team and finally catch the eye of her long-time crush. But soon enough, an evil junior’s thirst for revenge, a mysterious photographer, and a series of other catastrophes make it clear that just because KELSEY has a plan for greatness… it doesn’t mean the rest of the world is in on it.

Kelsey’s hilarious commentary throughout her disastrous freshman year will have you laughing out loud—while being thankful that you’re not in her shoes, of course… (from GoodReads)

Review:
I thought that Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters was so cute! Even though I'm 20, I still loved reading about Kelsey and all her freshman year antics. It helped that she was pretty mature for her age and also hilarious. If I enjoyed this, I'm sure a younger audience will love it even more.

I actually had a pretty good time in high school, so it was nice to see someone enjoying herself as well. Not that Kelsey didn't have problems, but they mostly revolved around a soccer bully, boring classes, and getting really awful candid shots in the school newspaper. She did have a pretty big fight with one of her friends, but by the end I think Kelsey had a successful freshman year.

Kelsey's voice and narration were great. It's written in first person so we get all of Kelsey's commentary on school, her family, and life in general. There were several times that I was laughing out loud, so it was good that I was reading this alone.

Basically, if you like stories about humorous high school experiences, then you will enjoy this, no matter what your age.

Rating: 8 out of 10.
FTC: received ebook from publisher.
Release Date: March 1, 2012

2012/G.P. Putnam's Sons/288 pages.

Waiting on Wednesday - 74

Waiting on Wednesday was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine for bloggers and readers to get excited about upcoming books.

Cross My Heart by Katie Klein

True love can blossom in unexpected places. This is Jaden pretending not to notice. . .

Jaden McEntyre and Parker Whalen are a wrong fit from the start. Jaden is driven and focused, Harvard Med School within reach. Parker has a past-a reputation-and the rumors about his mysterious habits abound. So there's no reason why, when they're assigned to work together on a project in English, they should discover they have anything in common, or even like each other, and they definitely shouldn't be falling in love.

As they bond over Edith Wharton's tragic novella, Ethan Frome, the "bad boy" vibe Parker plays begins to dissipate. Soon, Jaden finds herself shedding her own "good girl" image: sneaking around to be with him, confiding in him, and ultimately falling hard for this leather-wearing, motorcycle-driving loner who plays into the rebel stereotype.

Still, Jaden can't shake the feeling that there's more to Parker than he's letting on. He's hiding something from her, and discovering the truth means reconciling the Parker she's grown to love with the person he really is. Because it's possible that his life inside the classroom-everything Jaden knows-is one, massive lie. (from GoodReads)

What attracted me to Cross My Heart is the fact that the characters are reading Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton. I loved that book when I read it in high school, but I never hear anyone ever talk about it. So I think that's awesome! Cross My Heart will be released March 15, 2012.

Top Ten Tuesday - 21

Top Ten Tuesday was started by The Broke and the Bookish for bloggers and readers to get excited about new books.

Top Ten Books I'd Quickly Save If My House was Going to be Abducted by Aliens

This will be a quick list because I have a lot of homework. And it's my 21st Top Ten Tuesday on Feb 21!!

1. Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

2. The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare

3. The Infernal Devices trilogy by Cassandra Clare

4. The Gemma Doyle trilogy by Libba Bray

5. Mostly Good Girls by Leila Sales (I'm gonna need a laugh if my house is gone)

6. The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins

7. Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld

8. The Forest of Hands and Teeth trilogy by Carrie Ryan

9. The Secret Life of Prince Charming by Deb Caletti

10. Wings of the Wicked by Courtney Allison Moulton (Just read this and loved it!!)

Wings of the Wicked by Courtney Allison Moulton

Summary:
Life as the Preliator is harder than Ellie ever imagined.
Balancing real life with the responsibility of being Heaven’s warrior is a challenge for Ellie. Her relationship with Will has become all business, though they both long for each other. And now that the secret of who she really is has come out, so have Hell’s strongest reapers. Grown bold and more vicious, the demonic threaten her in the light of day and stalk her in the night.

She’s been warned.
Cadan, a demonic reaper, comes to her with information about Bastian’s new plan to destroy Ellie’s soul and use an ancient relic to wake all the souls of the damned and unleash them upon humanity. As she fights to stay ahead of Bastian’s schemes , the revelations about those closest to her awaken a dark power within Ellie that threatens to destroy everything—including herself.

She’ll be betrayed.
Treachery comes even from those whom she loves, and Ellie is broken by the deaths of those who stood beside her in this Heavenly war. Still, she must find a way to save the world, herself, and her love for Will. If she fails, there will be hell to pay. (from GoodReads)

Review:
Wow!! Wings of the Wicked was amazing!! I think this is the best book I've read in a very long time. I'm so glad I bought this at the bookstore when I did and didn't wait to get it from my library.

I really enjoyed Angelfire but I'm always worried about sequels because they tend to suffer from Middle Book Syndrome. However, I am pleased to say that Wings of the Wicked is the cure! If anything, this book was better than Angelfire, and that's really saying something for a trilogy.

Wings of the Wicked follows Ellie where it left off in Angelfire: she's hunting demons, going to school, and trying to control her feelings for Will. Let me say this, Will and Ellie's relationship is angsty. But in a really good way! It wasn't dumb drama; every time they were together you can tell they have undeniable chemistry and it is so cute how in love they are with each other. And even that makes sense because Will and Ellie have known each other for hundreds of years. Suffice to say, the romance is one of my favorite parts of this trilogy.

I feel like Ellie grew throughout this book. She suffers a lot, and I sympathized with her a lot because her life is pretty tough. But even so, she still remains strong and is still able to kick some demon butt. I love the fight scenes because it shows how powerful Ellie really is.

There were a few twists and turns which I enjoyed for the most part. The "betrayal" the summary talks about was painfully obvious in that I guessed it last book. But the ending leaves off on a cliffhanger which makes me want the next book so bad!!

Overall, I think Wings of the Wicked is the perfect blend of action, fantasy, romance and humor and I am now glad to say that this is one of my favorite trilogies!

Rating: 10 out of 10.
FTC: bought

2012/Katherine Tegen Books/528 pages.

The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan

Summary:
There are many things that Annah would like to forget: the look on her sister's face before Annah left her behind in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, her first glimpse of the Horde as they swarmed the Dark City, the sear of the barbed wire that would scar her for life. But most of all, Annah would like to forget the morning Elias left her for the Recruiters. Annah's world stopped that day, and she's been waiting for Elias to come home ever since. Somehow, without him, her life doesn't feel much different than the dead that roam the wasted city around her. Until she meets Catcher, and everything feels alive again.

But Catcher has his own secrets. Dark, terrifying truths that link him to a past Annah has longed to forget, and to a future too deadly to consider. And now it's up to Annah: can she continue to live in a world covered in the blood of the living? Or is death the only escape from the Return's destruction? (from GoodReads)

Review:
First off, I have to say that I love the cover and title! I think both are the best in this trilogy. And now about the actual book...

I remember I was really wary about reading The Forest of Hands and Teeth because it was about zombies, which weren't as popular as they are now (I am obsessed with The Walking Dead). But the book was so well-written and so detailed it could have been about anything and I still would have loved it. Carrie Ryan really does have a way with words, and that continues in The Dark and Hollow Places.

What I liked about this trilogy is that each book has a different narrator, but all the protagonists are connected so you still get continuity. Between Mary, Gabry and Annah, they are all different, but are similar in that they remain hopeful even in the wake of destruction. I think Annah is the most jaded character, but she is also the one that had the hardest life: guilt for leaving her sister behind, trying to survive in the horrible Dark City, scars on her face that make her feel ugly. It was definitely a change of pace to have a character already cynical (Mary and Gabry start out living fairly normal lives).

Luckily for the readers, we get to see Catcher, Elias and Gabry again, and it was cool to see them from someone else's perspective. Annah sees Gabry as perfect which is interesting after reading about Gabry in The Dead-Tossed Waves. And this trilogy would not be complete without romance. I think Carrie Ryan writes some of the best romance and I end up loving every guy she writes about. I already liked Catcher from before, but it was nice to see him open up someone because he spent all of last book pushing Gabry away.

As usual, the zombies were exciting and dangerous, but what I took away most from this trilogy is the importance of hope and survival, and carrying on even when it's easier not to. I think that's a great lesson to learn and is espoused in every book. I really enjoyed The Dark and Hollow Places and I can't wait to see what Carrie Ryan has in store for us next.

Rating: 9 out of 10.
FTC: Christmas gift.

2011/Delacorte Books/374 pages.