Top Ten Tuesday - 107

Top Ten Tuesday was started by The Broke and the Bookish for bloggers who like to make lists about books.

Top Ten Sequels I Can't Wait to Get My Hands On

1. Witchfall by Victoria Lamb
Since I just finished Witchstruck I'm ready to continue the story! I need to know what evil entity is lurking around the corner and I want to read more about Alejandro!

2. Vengeance by Megan Miranda
Fracture has been out for awhile now, but I'm so glad the author decided to write a sequel. The premise is so interesting: a girl can tell when someone's going to die. Creepy!

3. Summer State of Mind by Jen Calonita
I have never been so excited for a book. Sleepaway Girls is one of my favorite summer books and now we get a sequel?! I don't know how I'll be able to wait until the spring.

4. Her Dark Curiosity by Megan Shepherd
I really enjoyed The Madman's Daughter and can't wait to see what happens next!

5. Just One Year by Gayle Forman
I read Just One Day in about a day so obviously I need this story too. Gayle Forman never disappoints.

6. UnSouled by Neal Shusterman
This is such a good (albeit underrated) dystopian series. Can't wait for the third book to finish out the trilogy.

7. Rebel Spring by Morgan Rhodes
I read the fantasy Falling Kingdoms almost a year ago so I'm ready for the sequel!

8. Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins
I love these books and need another cute romantic comedy in my life.

9. Perfect Scoundrels by Ally Carter
This has already been released and I feel so bad that I haven't read it yet. I'm hoping to get a copy for Christmas.

10. Shadows in the Silence by Courtney Allison Moulton
Another already released book. I'm so behind on reading.

Witchstruck by Victoria Lamb

Summary:
If she sink, she be no witch and shall be drowned. If she float, she be a witch and must be hanged.

Meg Lytton has always known she is different; that she bears a dark and powerful gift. But in 1554 England, in service at Woodstock Palace to the banished Tudor princess Elizabeth, it has never been more dangerous to practice witchcraft. Meg knows she must guard her secret carefully from the many suspicious eyes watching over the princess and her companions. One wrong move could mean her life, and the life of Elizabeth, rightful heir to the English throne. With witchfinder Marcus Dent determined to have Meg's hand in marriage, and Meg's own family conspiring against the English queen, there isn't a single person Meg can trust. Certainly not the enigmatic young Spanish priest Alejandro de Castillo, despite her undeniable feelings. But when all the world turns against her, Meg must open her heart to a dangerous choice. The Secret Circle meets The Other Boleyn Girl in Witchstruck, the first book of the magical Tudor Witch trilogy. (From GoodReads)

Review:
I am obsessed with the Tudors and will pretty much read anything I can get my hands on if it's about this famous family. Sometimes what I read isn't that great, but luckily I really enjoyed Witchstruck!

What's fun about Witchstruck is that it isn't just plain historical fiction. Meg is a witch, so there's fantastical elements too, which made the story more interesting. I liked the twist on the original story. Meg tries to use her powers to help Elizabeth because she wants to see her on the throne. Since witchcraft is illegal there's the added suspense if Meg is going to be caught and what will happen afterwards.

My favorite part of the novel was Meg's relationship with the soon-to-be Spanish priest Alejandro. Their relationship was a tad unrealistic but the forbidden nature of it made it hard to resist. Not only is Alejandro about to be a priest there's also another secret preventing him from getting too close to Meg. I'm curious to see how these two beat the odds in order to pursue a relationship. Unfortunately the odds aren't in their favor.

Even though I had a lot of fun reading Witchstruck, it had its flaws too. Meg was a little too careless using her magic and there were many times that she was almost caught. She should have had more discretion. The characters, including Elizabeth, Alejandro and Meg could have been developed more and that goes the same for Meg and Alejandro's relationship.

Overall I am looking forward to the next book in the trilogy! It's an exciting story and I want to find out what evil is lurking and if Elizabeth will ever get to be queen (though I think we know how that turns out).

Rating: 8 out of 10.
FTC: received copy from author

2013/Harlequin Teen/320 pages

Waiting on Wednesday - 160

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

Uninvited by Sophie Jordan

The Scarlet Letter meets Minority Report in bestselling author Sophie Jordan's chilling new novel about a teenage girl who is ostracized when her genetic test proves she's destined to become a murderer.

When Davy Hamilton's tests come back positive for Homicidal Tendency Syndrome (HTS)-aka the kill gene-she loses everything. Her boyfriend ditches her, her parents are scared of her, and she can forget about her bright future at Juilliard. Davy doesn't feel any different, but genes don't lie. One day she will kill someone.

Only Sean, a fellow HTS carrier, can relate to her new life. Davy wants to trust him; maybe he's not as dangerous as he seems. Or maybe Davy is just as deadly.

The first in a two-book series, Uninvited tackles intriguing questions about free will, identity, and human nature. Steeped in New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan's trademark mix of gripping action and breathless romance, this suspenseful tale is perfect for fans of James Patterson, Michelle Hodkin, and Lisa McMann. (from GoodReads)

This sounds really weird, but in a good way! I can't wait to see what happens. Uninvited will be released January 28, 2014.

Top Ten Tuesday - 106

Top Ten Tuesday was started by The Broke and the Bookish for bloggers who like to make lists about books.

Top Ten Books to Read During Halloween

1. Down a Dark Hall by Lois Duncan
This book freaked me out! It's essentially a ghost story and I was actually afraid to go to sleep while I was reading this. Granted, I was in middle school, but still.

2. Stranger With My Face by Lois Duncan

Another favorite of Lois Duncan, this book was really creepy as someone is impersonating the main character and looks just like her! Lifetime recently made an original movie out of this book.

3. I Know What You Did Last Summer by Lois Duncan

This is the last Lois Duncan book, I swear! She is such a good author, though! This book is way better than the movie and just a good, suspenseful read.

4. The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson

I read this when I was really young (maybe 10?). After reading it I decided never to read horror again because I was so scared. Not sure how the book would be now but then I was thoroughly freaked out. The movie is pretty similar to the book, but wasn't as scary.

5. Goosebumps Series by R.L. Stine

I loved these books so much! They aren't that scary now but when I was in elementary school they definitely were.

6. The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

Not super frightening but definitely eerie. Would you want to hear the echoes of dead bodies? I didn't think so.

7. Frost by Marianna Baer

The main character in this book gets to live in a little cottage with her friends while going to a boarding school. When weird things start happening, you're not sure if it's the house or psychological. Either way, it's pretty spooky.

8. Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann

This book wasn't super scary either, but the ending was so creepy!

9. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz

Another favorite from my childhood; I loved these stories. And some of the pictures were really scary, too!

10. The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

The zombies or "Unconsecrated" are really creepy in this. Another apocalyptic and hopeless novel.

Waiting on Wednesday - 159

Waiting on Wednesday was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine for bloggers and readers to see what new books are going to be released soon.

On The Fence by Kasie West

For sixteen-year-old Charlotte Reynolds, aka Charlie, being raised by a single dad and three older brothers has its perks. She can out-run, out-score, and outwit every boy she knows--including her long-time neighbor, and honorary fourth brother, Braden.

But when it comes to being a girl, Charlie doesn't know the first thing about anything. So when she starts working at a chi-chi boutique to pay off a speeding ticket, she finds herself in a strange new world of makeup, lacy skirts, and bedazzlers. Even stranger, she's spending time with a boy who has never seen her tear it up in a pick-up game.

To cope with the stress of faking her way through this new reality, Charlie seeks late night refuge in her backyard, talking out her problems with Braden by the fence that separates them. But their Fence Chats can't solve Charlie's biggest problem: she's falling for Braden. Hard. She knows what it means to go for the win, but if spilling her secret means losing him for good, the stakes just got too high. (from GoodReads)

I really enjoyed The Distance Between Us so I'm looking forward to what the author does with this topic. Unfortunately we have to wait until July 1, 2014 to find out. That's so far away!

Top Ten Tuesday - 105

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

Top Ten Unusual Character Names

1. Gemma - The Gemma Doyle Trilogy by Libba Bray
I actually really like this name but I thought it was so weird when I first started reading A Great and Terrible Beauty. It's like Emma but different!

2. The Selection Trilogy by Kiera Cass
I'm not even picking one name, when this series features monikers such as America, Maxon and Aspen. I think the author was trying to pick the most outrageous names.

3. Caymen - The Distance Between Us by Kasie West
I thought this was such a interesting choice for a name because it's the same of a certain island where the wealthy store their money (albeit spelled differently). Since the novel focused so much on wealth and what it does to your personality, I was intrigued by this name.

4. Tally - The Uglies Series by Scott Westerfeld
I thought this name was hilarious because we used to have a dog named Talli.

5. Katniss - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Even though I explained to my dad that the series was futuristic, he wasn't buying this name. According to him, names haven't changed that much over a few centuries, so why would they in the not-so-distant future. He had a good point.

6. Augustus - The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
This is such an uncommon name nowadays and I was surprised to see it in a YA book. Not really a fan of the nickname Gus but Augustus sounds pretty authoritative.

7. Felicia - Level 2 by Lenore Appelhans
I think Felicia is such a pretty name! It reminds me of the American Girl doll Felicity too. More people should name their kids this!

8. Rhine and Rowan - Wither Trilogy by Lauren DeStefano
I think these names are really cool, even though they are pretty weird.

9. Hermione - Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
I had to put this on the list! Now this name seems so normal but when I first started reading the series I couldn't wrap my mind around such an odd name.

10. A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin
This is fantasy so it's obvious that the names will be pretty crazy. Some interesting ones include: Stannis, Cersei, Rickon, Bran, Joffrey, Melisandre and Sansa.

The Elite by Kiera Cass

Summary:
The hotly-anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestseller The Selection.

Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned princess of Illea.

America still isn’t sure where her heart lies. When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their new and breathless romance, and can’t dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over—and time is running out for America to decide.

Just when America is sure she’s made her choice, a devastating loss makes her question everything again. And while she’s struggling to imagine her future, the violent rebels that are determined to overthrow the monarchy are growing stronger and their plans could destroy her chance at any kind of happy ending. (from GoodReads)

Summary:
I saw the issues that other people had with The Selection and while I agree with most of them (the lack of world building, the similarities to The Hunger Games, the crazy names), I still enjoyed the story. It wasn't the best writing but it was still fun. Unfortunately, the things that were wrong in The Selection are magnified in The Elite.

I'm sorry, but a love triangle cannot sustain an entire novel; there needs to be some plot. The main conflict of The Elite was whether America should choose Maxon or Aspen. America would fluctuate between the two men and it was the most boring thing to read about. Love triangles can be amazing or they can be contrived. I honestly don't care about any of our three characters and that made this book difficult.

The little plot we got was about the rest of the Selection, now that there were only five girls left. That aspect was just a rehashing of the first novel. The only exciting parts came when the rebels attacked the building. But even that lost some thrill when the characters are just stuck in hiding not doing anything.

There is one part where America has to make a presentation about a charity she would support as princess. The position she took was interesting but I saw it coming from a mile away. So I wasn't even surprised by the "twist."

I did a Waiting on Wednesday on The One because I am a teeny bit curious about what happens but if never finish the trilogy I won't be that disappointed either.

Rating: 6 out of 10.
FTC: borrowed from the library.

2013/HarperTeen/323 pages.