Quickie Review/Resenha Curta: We Need to Talk About Kevin/Precisamos Falar Sobre o Kevin - Lionel Shriver

Paciência para achar o tesouro... Admito que o começo foi bem enfadonho e por pouco não larguei a leitura... mas logo que me acostumei com a narrativa e estilo da mãe de Kevin, o gosto foi crescendo. 

Este livro é uma mistura de drama, com muito terror e pitadas de esperança...a vida de Kevin foi algo muito...estranho, ele era estranho, mas interessante por ser assim. 

O jeito como é descrito por sua mãe é bastante íntimo, cativante...assustador. A frieza dele como ser humano, que era demonstrada em certos episódios contados, te faria pensar nos livros de Stephen King. A ignorância de seu pai dava nos nervos... e sua irmãzinha, pobrezinha, dava raiva E pena. O mais interessante era a relação (?) dele com a mãe, que tinha diversos baixos e leves piques esperançosos...mas todos sabem o final disso... o que interessa é saber a origem do monstro.

Gostei muito do filme, também, que vi bem depois desta leitura. É o tipo de coisa que fica com você, e se já é chocante imaginar, conseguir visualizar é ainda mais... horrivelmente cativante.

Just keep on reading... I'll admit that the beginning was pretty boring and I almost quit reading... but then I eventually got used to the narrative and the style of Kevin's mother, which I quickly grew to enjoy.
This book is a mixture of drama, horror and pinches of hope... Kevin's life was very strange, but he was the strangest of all, interestingly so.
The way his mother describes him is quite intimate, captivating... scary. His coldness and heartlessness as a human being was demonstrated in several instances, bringing to mind something Stephen King might create. His father's ignorance was very irritating... and his little sister made me feel a mixture of rage and pity.
The most interesting was his relationship (?) with his mother. She would repeatedly think things were getting better, until they became worse. An we all know what happens at the end of it... but this is the story of how this monster was created.

I really enjoyed the movie, as well, after reading this. This story is the kind of thing that stays with you, and if it was already shocking to imagine what happened, it's even more... horribly captivating to watch things unfold in the big screen.

Review: The Heart of Hannen by Fawn Bonning

I'm reposting this review because the book now has a new cover!!! (Much improved!). The plot is really good, so give this baby a try. :) (Remember what they say... don't judge it by its cover.)

The Heart of Hannen
by Fawn Bonning

Paperback, 484 pages

Published March 22nd 2011 by Old Line Publishing, LLC

Christine, a troubled teen with a dark past, is miserable in her small town. Shadowed in shame, she feels destined to live her lonely life as an outcast. She has no idea that her true destiny lies in a different town, in a different world; a most brutal world called Atriia. There she learns the true meaning of misery, the true meaning of loneliness, the true meaning of shame. But she also learns that her bravery is boundless as she battles against a formidable foe, a dark shadow that tries to smother the land. And in the arms of a most unlikely candidate, she also learns the true meaning of love. He is Hannen Fallier, the one they call the foul fraigen dropper, revered by men for his fearless feats, but looked upon by women with open disdain. With a face horribly mauled, he hides behind a mask of shame, deeming himself unworthy of love. That he would seek acceptance from Christine is irony in its purest form. That he would seek her love . . . the ultimate betrayal.

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My Review:

I really enjoyed this book! I won it from my first Goodreads giveaway! *-*

I must admit I first judged it by its cover. I thought it might not be so well-written, but I was very mistaken. It was fantastic. I loved the story and the characters.

I really enjoyed seeing how the main character, Christine, grew up! She suddenly finds herself alone in this strange, unknown place called Atriia, where everything is different from Earth. She deals with rude, aggresive, male-chauvinists and strange social costumes, not to mention the weird food and language, but manages to adapt quickly, and very well. I'm not sure I would've been as strong as she was.

Hannen found his way into my heart from the very start. (and when you read it, you'll see exactly what I mean with 'from the very start'). Such a complicated, strong, sweet character. Very well thought of and developed.

I was a bit confused at first with the new 'language' the author introduces to us, but eventually I got the hang of it. (It was only afterwards that I noticed there was a glossary at the end of the book. Silly, slow little me. >.<)

It was a dark, dramatic and sad book, but also very touching. Needless to say, I cried. Hard.

Of course, I wish I could have changed the ending and maybe have seen a bit more of a couple of characters, but it was still great. The book is a bit long, but it's not tiring at all! This one is a keeper. :)

I'm SO glad I had the chance to review it, otherwise I might have never heard of it. Thank you, Fawn Bonning!!!

Now, you! Go ahead and get it, you'll love it too. It's an excellent pick for romance and fantasy lovers.

Mini-Review: Crossed (Matched #2) by Ally Condie

Crossed (Matched #2)
by Ally Condie

Published March 12th 2013 by Speak

In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky - taken by the Society to his certain death - only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake. Cassia's quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander - who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia's heart - change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever.

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopia

Publication Date: Nov 1st 2011

Publisher: Dutton Children's

Format: Hardcover, 368 pages 

Series: yup

Source: my own TBR

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It's funny that even though I don't LOVE the writing in this series that much, I still can't NOT read it. That is one cool plot. And there is finally some action here. And some development of the characters.

Let's get this show on the road:

Don't you love these covers? It's so cool that they sort of tell a story on their own, daring you to pick the book up and go find out more about it. Aaaanyway. It took me a while to read Crossed, but it was so very worth my time! It had ALL the things I always expect to see in my dystopian books! People running from crazy government employees, having to find food, water and shelter, suffering, dying (I'm a bit twisted in the head, in case you didn't already notice), only to prepare themselves to take revenge and save society from an insane, controlling world! Or maybe blowing everything to pieces and go away in order to start over somewhere else. Heh. *-* Su-weet!! Right? And that is me being slightly sadistic, though honest in my book-needs.

My point is that Crossed was quite capable of delivering most of my wants (and I so need a copy of Reached!). Cassia was stronger and more determined than ever. Ky let us take a longer look into his heart, and became more lovable and complex and vulnerable because of it. It was an amazing thing to see (read?). And Ally kept things very fresh for us, changing POVs, making the characters GROW as we watched them. Lovely!

A lot happens in a very short period of time in this book, and so much changes! It felt more like a longer novella than an actual book in the series, but it was still enjoyable to see more into the trading world of Archivists, the Rebels and Xavier's secrets. 

Now, where's my copy of Reached?

Review: State of Emergency (Book #1) by Summer Lane

State of Emergency (Book #1)
by Summer Lane

What would you do if the world as you know it ended in an instant?

How far would you go to survive?

Cassidy Hart is your typical High School graduate: a little shy, a little sarcastic, and a little naive. But when an electromagnetic pulse takes down the United States, she's forced to kick into full survival mode when she gets separated from her father.

Yeah. Things suck.

But with the help of a handsome soldier named Chris, she just might find her dad without getting into serious trouble.

Emphasis on might.

Oh. And there's the matter of avoiding getting killed in a world that's quickly turned into an active war zone.

It's going to change Cassidy's life.

It's going to be a major pain in the butt.

Genre: New Adult, Apocalyptic

Publication Date: Jan 18th 2013

Publisher: Writng Belle

Format: eARC, 360 pages 

Series: yes

Source: copy from the author

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My Review

Nobody knows how it started, only that, out of nowhere, technology turned on humans. Cellphones died, lights went out, car batteries wouldn't work... and chaos ensued.

Cassidy Hart finds herself in the middle of it all. But thanks to her well-prepared father, she has a working car, supplies and a scape plan. Until the moment she meets Chris Young, a very cute soldier who asks her for a ride... and then the whole plan starts to fall apart. Now they're both on the run from crazy starving civilians and an even crazier militia group called Omega. 

But why is Omega group so interested in them? And how come her father was so well-prepared for something like this? Was meeting Chris just a coincidence? What is really going on?

Cassie has no idea. But she will find out.

Wow. State of Emergency was pure undiluted action! I really liked the way the writing instantly sucked me into the story and just wouldn't let me go! It was the first I've read from this author and was pleasantly surprised to enjoy it so much. I love survival / post-apocalyptical stories, but they aren't always that well executed, so YAY for State of Emergency! I especially liked that it a New Adult book, meaning that the main character wasn't a teen anymore. We need some more heroines in the 19-25 age range.

However, it was not all flowers and rainbows. This book had many similarities to the TV series Revolution. There was the global shutdown of all electronic devices, the start of journey in search of a family member, the 'help of a handsome soldier', and a crazy militia group stalking them... so I really couldn't help but compare them both.

Cassidy did some really stupid stuff, too. She fell for obvious traps, she trusted people who were clearly untrustworthy, and, in my opinion, she was way too nice for someone in her situation. I'm sure that if it was real life she would have shot some people. Maybe even killed someone. I mean, come on, when people are trying their best to kill YOU at any cost, you're not just gonna stand there and do nothing to stop them when you have the chance to, will you? But, well, I suppose it wouldn't look good for the heroine to be bloodthirsty...

Oh, and there were these parts where Cassie went on and on and on about obesity in America. I was like, HELLO? It's the end of the world, people are killing and being killed all the time, there's no electricity anywhere, there's a militia group enslaving people, there's almost no food and water anywhere and all you think about is how all this is a good cure for obesity? Seriously? If she had mentioned it once or twice, it would be no biggie; sure, it does, in fact, make some sense when you think about it. But she elaborated on it over SIX times. I know, I counted. She didn't worry about people clearly losing their humanity around her as much as she worried about obesity. Well, that tells you a lot about her. Oh, and I'm not saying it's a good thing to be obese, but if Cassie had some more meat on her bones maybe she wouldn't have almost frozen to death that many times. >.<

Chris was an amazing character... he was smart, kind-hearted and unbelievably patient. I liked him a lot. Even if all he did was save our silly, self-desctructive little heroine most of the time. When he wasn't acting like total man-candy, that is. Not that I'm complaining about THAT part. 

Anyway, I actually learned quite a few survival tips from this book. Turns out I just have to do the opposite of whatever Cassie did. ha-har. Well, jokes aside, State of Emergency made me feel a bit worried about how I'd act if the same happened. I just know I'd be totally screwed. O.o It also makes you think about how people can be perfectly civil and kind one moment and then just slit your throat for an energy bar in the next. If the end of the world happens, of course. Or if they are crazy psychos. But you get my drift. It's an interesting, though frightening, concept.

Funny tidbit: All the time I was reading State of Emergency I was picturing Chris as Chris Hemsworth in the movie Thor. Coincidentally, author Summer Lane admitted in her interview to imagine him like that, as well. The guy IS incredibly hot. *-*

 (And, no, this wasn't just an excuse for me to post more pictures of Chris Hemsworth. Ok, maybe it was.)

All in all, State of Emergency does its job very well! It thrills you, it scares you, it keeps you reading like crazy because you just have to see what happens next, and, most important of all, it makes you feel. And that is not an easy feat for a book. I'm REALLY looking forward to reading what happens in the next book! XD

*I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.*

I'm curious. What would you do if the world as you know it ended in an instant?

Review: A Breath of Magic by Teresa Medeiros

Breath of Magic (Lennox Family Magic #1)

by Teresa Medeiros

Published February 1st 1996 by Bantam

Precocious Puritan and aspiring witch Arian Whitewood spends her lonely nights dreaming of magic and excitement. She gets more excitement than she bargains for when she crash lands straight out of a witch hunt into the 20th century and the arms of Tristan Lennox, a reclusive billionaire. Arian blows through Tristan's climate-controlled existence like a breath of magic, only to discover that the spell he weaves around her heart is more compelling than any enchantment.

Genre: Adult, Romance

Publication Date: Feb 1st 1996

Publisher: Bantam

Format: Mass Market Paperback, 400 pages 

Series: sort of, but not really

Source: My own copy

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My Review

It's been forever since the last Teresa Medeiros book I've read. I forgot how much I enjoyed her storytelling and her characters. :)

A Breath of Magic felt more like a breath of FRESH AIR after so many 'bad' or simply 'ok' adult books I tried this week... I laughed SO hard with it! Really, I can't stress how much fun I had reading it. :) It really came at the best possible moment for me.

Arian is the French daughter of an unmarried woman in the 17th century and never met her father. She's sent to live with a stepfather in the middle of a bunch of Puritans.... which would be okay, if not for the small fact that, uhm, she's a witch. A WHITE witch, sure, but a witch nonetheless. And all is evil in the eyes of the Puritans. Arian finds herself in the middle of an Inquisition, just about to drown when she utters a last-minute spell to try and make time stop, but that actually sends her 300 years in the future, in her flying broom.

Tristan doesn't believe in magic, but, ironically still has some inner hope to find it in the world. Which is part of the reason why he promises a million dollars to whoever proves to him that there is such a thing as real magic out there. Tristan is getting fed up with all the charlatans when, out of freaking nowhere, a girl dressed as a nun appears flying/crashing a broom up in the sky. When she falls/lands right into the middle of the contest. He saves her, and sends her broom for examination, certain that it must had some gadget that made it fly. But while his team of researchers find themselves busy trying to prove it was NOT just a broom, Tristan is about to find himself believing in magic again... and also in love.

Tristan could be very bossy and demanding and rude sometimes, but he constantly made up for it, so all was well. He wore his past wounds as an armor around his heart, but it was very satisfying to see Arian slowly melt it away.

Speaking of Arian, she had everything that could have made me dislike her as heroine, but, surprisingly, did not. I actually LIKED her. And you guys must know by now how bitchy I can be. :P She was smart, but kind and pure in a way that was BELIEVABLE and fitting, not coming out as stupid or over-the-head as they usually do in romance books these days. She was genuinely good and naive. But still strong-willed and determined. Authors, take note of this. Your characters don't need to be total losers/pushovers in order to be good/kind-hearted. 

Their romance was also pure and so, so adorable. There were very few sex scenes, only a couple, as a matter of fact, but they were so... gentle and nonexplicit and just, well, romantic. (I'm very eloquent today). They were heart-warming in their simplicity and candor, and very much perfect in their context. This was a real love story. I liked it immensely. And I'm most certainly NOT a romantic. Yes, I am slightly astonished myself. O.o

I was also charmed by the lovely secondary characters! Copperfield, Tristan's (only) best friend and Indian lawyer. Sven, the poor bodyguard, former manicurist/hairdresser, turned goat. Hilarious! I wish they had books of their own. XD

Miss Medeiros, you managed to write a real gem! One that still remains modern, even after sixteen years!!! I congratulate and thank you for such a feat/treat. :) It will come out a bit cheesy, but it was simply... magical. Really, just enchanting.

Review: Partials (Partials #1) by Dan Wells

Partials (Partials #1)

by Dan Wells

Published: February 28th 2012 by Balzer + Bray

The human race is all but extinct after a war with Partials—engineered organic beings identical to humans—has decimated the population. Reduced to tens of thousands by RM, a weaponized virus to which only a fraction of humanity is immune, the survivors in North America have huddled together on Long Island while the Partials have mysteriously retreated. The threat of the Partials is still imminent, but worse, no baby has been born immune to RM in more than a decade. Our time is running out.

Kira, a sixteen-year-old medic in training, is on the front lines of this battle, seeing RM ravage the community while mandatory pregnancy laws threaten to launch what’s left of humanity into civil war, and she’s not content to stand by and watch. But as she makes a desperate decision to save the last of her race, she will discover that the survival of humans and Partials alike rests in her attempts to uncover the connections between them—connections that humanity has forgotten, or perhaps never even knew were there.

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My Review

It is the year of 2076. Sixteen-year-old Kira Walker works gathering data from dead human babies in order to help researchers find a cure for the deadly virus RM that killed most of the human race during the Break.

The Senate controls everything and everyone and has approved the Hope Act, which makes it obligatory for every fertile female to start breeding from the age of eighteen. They hope that the more babies are born, the bigger the chances one of them will survive longer than three days, becoming somehow immune to the RM.

When there is talk about the Senate wanting to drop the pregnancy age to sixteen, the Voice of People (a group of terrorists that disagree with the breach of human rights that is the Hope Act and all the intense control the Senate inflicts on people) start to attack the perimeter of the city, burning things and killing innocents

But even an even worse threat than the Voice are the Partials. Machines with human DNA built to be stronger and faster, made to protect the humans and fight for them during war times... until they turned against their makers and released the RM virus on all mankind.

Kira is tired of seeing babies die and mothers suffer from their yearly losses. So she decides to look for a cure herself. There are great amounts of data on how the virus works in the infants it infects, but not much in how the survivors became immune to it. After a lot of researching, she comes to the conclusion that the ones who created the virus should have the cure in their blood. Kira gathers all her most trustworthy friends and asks them for help with capturing a Partial for study. After a lot of debate and hesitation, they have it all planned out, but the Partials are so much more powerful than they could have imagined, and only with much luck do they get one as a prisoner... just so the soldiers of the Senate can have him killed. But the Partial is saved by the bell. The senators decide they want to 'interview'

Kira intervenes and is allowed to study him for five days, on the agreement that afterwards the specimen is to be exterminated. The Partial, Samm, turns out to be brighter, more complex and more human than she was led to believe. He may also carry the secret to cure the virus. A virus he insists his kind did not create. Samm starts to make Kira doubt everything she's ever been taught. He also needs her help. Their only hope, for either of them, is to work together.

Sometimes your enemies aren't as bad as you were led to believe... and your heroes aren't nearly as good as they claim to be.

Partials was just pure action, packed with a whole lot of tension, drama and polemic issues. Teenagers being forced to breed like cattle for the survival of the species, a government controlling every single breath you take, hiding and distorting every piece of information to keep you under their thumbs, machines that are also part human...

You won't regret it. I bet my firstborn on it. Well....maybe. LOL. Seriously, you'll love it. When I first saw that cover, I just knew I had to read it. The synopsis almost blew my head off, it sounded so good. I'm glad it delivered everything it promised and more!! I devoured the whole thing in one afternoon, in one sitting. I just wish I had the next volume in my hands already. Oh, the waiting!!! Dan Wells, will you hurry up, pretty please? *-* (BTW, a love triangle with Samm really wouldn't hurt, now, would it? ;))

If you like creative, fast-paced Young Adult books with science fiction,post Apocalyptic and dystopian themes, GO FOR IT. If you don't, just read it, anyway! Or you'll be missing out on a really awesome new series. ;P

Early Review: Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama

Monstrous Beauty
by Elizabeth Fama

Expected publication: September 4th 2012 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

Fierce, seductive mermaid Syrenka falls in love with Ezra, a young naturalist. When she abandons her life underwater for a chance at happiness on land, she is unaware that this decision comes with horrific and deadly consequences. Almost one hundred forty years later, seventeen-year-old Hester meets a mysterious stranger named Ezra and feels overwhelmingly, inexplicably drawn to him. For generations, love has resulted in death for the women in her family. Is it an undiagnosed genetic defect . . . or a curse? With Ezra’s help, Hester investigates her family’s strange, sad history. The answers she seeks are waiting in the graveyard, the crypt, and at the bottom of the ocean—but powerful forces will do anything to keep her from uncovering her connection to Syrenka and to the tragedy of so long ago.

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Publication Date: September 4th 2012

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

Format: eARC, 295 pages 

Series: no

Source: Netgalley

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My Review

The mermaid Syrenka has loved before and only managed to find pain. But in the year 1872 she can't help but fall in love again, very hard, this time for Ezra, a very hadsome young marine biology student, who's fascinated by every sea creature. Needless to say, he's completely enchanted by her. They are quite happy for a while... but they could never imagine that their 'forbidden' romance would bring a lot of pain and suffering -to themselves and others- for years and years to come.

It's 2002 and seventeen-year-old Hester has just met a very strange, yet very charming man inside a cave by the beach. She is stragenly drawn to him, and can't help but come back and just be close to him. She's falling in love... and it's the worst thing she could ever do. Hester has promised herself to never fall in love. Ever since she was just a kid she's been hearing stories about the women in her family, who always seemed to die just after giving birth to their daughters. Including her mother. So, just to be safe, she decides to not love at all. But no doctor could ever find out what really happened to those women. Not even the modern medicine can tell. Is it some kind of genetic condition? Or could it be something more dangerous, like a curse?

When she mentions the mysterious deaths to the guy from the cave, he suggests she looks deeper into it. And when Hester starts to investigate, she discovers much more than she could ever expect to find. Is teh crypt where her ancestors are buried really haunted? Who is the little girl who used to play with her at the cemetery that no else can see but her? And why is it that everything always leads her back to the ocean? Are the myths of sea creatures really myths?

Gods. So much love, so much tragedy, so much sadness, violence and wasted lives. This book will break your heart and make you cry a freaking river. But you'll love it anyway. Elizabeth Fama is a complete genious. Her writing is perfectly fluid, clearly well planned and well thought of, her characters are very alive and almost spill out of the pages. It is, I daresay, an almost perfect tale. It has it all. Drama, tragedy, romance, true love, action, violence, magic, mystery and paranormal beings. And it all fits superbly.

I can't say I was terribly excited about starting this book. I didn't care much about the other mermaid books I've read recently (found them to be very childish, weak or even downright mediocre...), but, oh, boy. Was I surprised by Monstrous Beauty!!! It blew my mind. I just couldn't stop reading it. I could barely blink! (even bloodshot eyes are totally worth it, I promise!). It's not everyday I give a book 5 stars, so that alone should tell you how much I loved it.

Hester was so strong, so smart and likeable! I usually find main heroines annoying, but this one was just absolutely incredible. Ezra was definitely charming, if quite pitiable. He deserved so much more of life... Syrenka was one of the most fascinating characters I've ever read about. I really wanted her to find the happiness she had been looking for her very long life. Even if she did some very gruesome things while trying to achieve it. And the secondary characters were all captivating in their own ways. Peter, Sam, the priest, Nellie... they were all very complex, even if they had short appearances. Oh, and the double POVs were awesome.

There was nothing I didn't like in this book, except that it was too short. LOL. I wanted to keep on reading it forever. ;) Even if it did make me cry quite a bit.

If you like tales of true love with tons of mystery, drama and quite a bit of action and adventure thrown in the mix, you'll love Mostrous Beauty just like I did, especially if you're not a fan of mermaid books, like I was. And you'll follow my example and pre-order it right away, because it's so freaking good you have to have it. (My beautiful precioussssssss must be on its way. *-*).

* I'm so happy I received an eARC for this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

P.P. (Post posting): I sort of liked the eARC cover better, buuuut.... what's a girl to do, right?

So, do you think you'd like to read this book? If you've read it, what did you think? :3

Early Review: Undead by Kirsty McKay

Undead (Undead #1)
by Kirsty McKay

Expected publication: September 1st 2012 by Scholastic Inc.

Out of sight, out of their minds: It's a school-trip splatter fest and completely not cool when the other kids in her class go all braindead on new girl Bobby.

The day of the ski trip, when the bus comes to a stop at a roadside restaurant, everyone gets off and heads in for lunch. Everyone, that is, except Bobby, the new girl, who stays behind with rebel-without-a-clue Smitty.

Then hours pass. Snow piles up. Sun goes down. Bobby and Smitty start to flirt. Start to stress. Till finally they see the other kids stumbling back.

But they've changed. And not in a good way. Straight up, they're zombies. So the wheels on the bus better go round and round freakin' fast, because that's the only thing keeping Bobby and Smitty from becoming their classmates' next meal. It's kill or be killed in these hunger games, heads are gonna roll, and homework is most definitely gonna be late.

Combining the chill of THE SHINING, the thrill ride of SPEED, the humor of SHAUN OF THE DEAD, and the angst of THE BREAKFAST CLUB, Kirsty McKay's UNDEAD is a bloody mad mash-up, a school-trip splatter-fest, a funny, gory, frighteningly good debut!

Genre: Young Adult, Zombies

Publication Date: September 1st 2012

Publisher: Scholastic

Format: eARC, 272 pages 

Series: yes

Source: Netgalley

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My Review

First line: I would rather die than face them all again.

Last line: "We need to get off this bus - now!"

Favorite quote: "Zombie parkour. Don't think that's been done before. Better film this, Alice, it could go viral."

Bobby is on the School Trip from Hell. She was born in the UK, but thanks to her mother's job they had to move to the US. Now, she's back the UK again. On a skiing trip to Scotland before the start of the new school year. The thing is, everyone is making fun of her 'hybrid' accent. She, herself, needs to police her lingo, always trying to sound as properly british as possible. She's also avoiding every single one of her new school mates, because they are all so annoying to new kids, especially ex-american ones, and he really just wants to kick those losers' butts. I mean, their bums. 

That's why she was the only inside the bus when everyone got off to venture the snow storm and eat something at the café by the road. Well, her, the driver and Rob Smitty, rebel without a pause. And hottie. Their teacher forbade him from leaving the bus after he got caught bying booze and cigs with a fake ID. So they were the only ones who didn't get to taste the nice free samples of Carrot Juice, being given away by a man in a carrot costume. And so they didn't see what happened to those who did, inside the café. Until a bloody hand hit one of the bus' windows and the driver went outside to check it out... and the proverbial sh*t started to hit the fan.

Now it's Bobby, the 'freak hybrid', Smitty, the smartass bad boy, Alice, the annoying b*tch--I mean, popular brainless girl and Pete, the cowardly, brainy weirdo. It's just them. Against a whole lot of Zs.

As they try to stay alive and survive constant zombie attacks (and quite a few dangerous humans, too), they also need to learn to deal with each other while trying to find shelter and a way to contact someone. But things aren't really looking good... and little do they know, they just might get worse. And personal.

I LOVED this book!!! There was never ONE boring moment! I mean it, the whole thing was, well... words fail me right now, so I'll just have to go with AWEEEEEESOME! ;P

Those zombies really went all-out! Kirsty McKay got them doing some pretty interesting stuff. Brand new, too. Same goes for the surviving group of teenage humans. Those guys actually managed to survive while NOT working as group or even really caring about each other much (it was pretty realistic, if you start thinking about it. People are selfish. Especially in difficult situations), with a small romantic exception, of course (which worked great, if you ask me!). So...

Oh, and, man!! That miraculous bus driving through a snow storm on an empty tank? WOW! And the hidden dungeon/booze/dumbwaiter inside that Scotland castle? Mah Lawd!

Hey, did I mention the cellphone actually working when they were almost -literally- fried? Yowtch.

Also, the zombies walking UNDER the iced-over loch? SU-weeeet! O.O

I laughed so hard with this book. Almost during the whole thing. It also made me slightly nauseated at times, which makes sense in a zombie book. ;P Oh, and my heart went all a-flutter during a couple of cute scenes, too, which is always a good thing. And I so, SO wanted Alice and Pete to die... but, oh, well. There's always the next book, huh? :D And let me tell you how glad that makes me! I'm dying and un-dying (no pun intended) to read what happens next! Like, I need it right now! OR I'LL GET YOUR BRAINS, Miss McKay!!

LOL.

(that's the last one, I promise)

Hey, you! Yeah, you. Go and pre-order this baby right away!! Thou shall not regret this, my friend.

* I received an eARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Early Review: Defiance by C.J. Redwine

Defiance (Defiance #1)
by C.J. Redwine

Expected publication: August 28th 2012 by Balzer + Bray

Within the walls of Baalboden, beneath the shadow of the city’s brutal leader, Rachel Adams has a secret. While other girls sew dresses, host dinner parties, and obey their male Protectors, Rachel knows how to survive in the wilderness and deftly wield a sword. When her father, Jared, fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector, her father’s apprentice, Logan—the same boy Rachel declared her love for two years ago, and the same boy who handed her heart right back to her. Left with nothing but fierce belief in her father’s survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself. But treason against the Commander carries a heavy price, and what awaits her in the Wasteland could destroy her.

At nineteen, Logan McEntire is many things. Orphan. Outcast. Inventor. As apprentice to the city’s top courier, Logan is focused on learning his trade so he can escape the tyranny of Baalboden. But his plan never included being responsible for his mentor’s impulsive daughter. Logan is determined to protect her, but when his escape plan goes wrong and Rachel pays the price, he realizes he has more at stake than disappointing Jared.

As Rachel and Logan battle their way through the Wasteland, stalked by a monster that can’t be killed and an army of assassins out for blood, they discover romance, heartbreak, and a truth that will incite a war decades in the making.

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Publication Date: August 28th 2012

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Format: eARC, 416 pages 

Series: yes

Source: Edelweiss

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My Review

First line: The weight of their pity is like a stone tied about my neck.

Favorite quotes: "I never thought it was fair that anatomy decided what my brain was fit for."

"His knives are nice. Mine is better."

"Besides, what do I know about being a wife? There are much more important qualities to have than a docile disposition."

"I love how you still think if you tell me to do something, I'll just check my brain at the door and do it."

Sixteen year-old Rachel Adams is not like the other girls from Baalboden. She is not obedient, subservient and submissive. Nope, she can read,write, think, and, best of all, fight. But even though she's so special, it doesn't matter much, because, in the end, she still needs a male Protector to walk her to places and make any and all decisions for her. At least for show. And that was almost acceptable... until her father never came back from his last courier mission and was pronounced dead by the tyrant Commander... and his will required that cutie nineteen year-old Logan, his apprentice, and not sweet Oliver, her almost grandfather, would become her new Protector.

Rachel never quite forgave Logan for turning her down when she declared her undying love to him a year ago, so how can she ever go live with him as her Protector? Especially when she is certain her father can't be dead. Now she needs Logan's help to try and escape over the Wall and into the Wasteland, to look for him. But the Commander won't make things easy for them. He know her father had something important in his possession when he went missing. Something that can help strengthen his already very solid tyranny. Something that has to do with the Cursed Ones, terrible beasts that know only destruction and death.

Written with alternate POVs, Defiance is a lovely tale of adventure, action, mystery and budding romance. I love male POVs, so this was a real treat. Logan was such a great character. Smart, corageous, strong and confident, but at the same time, uncertain of his worth and of making the right decisions... in particular the ones involving his beautiful, innocent and stubborn new ward, Rachel. He needs to constantly save her from herself and her impulsive reactions, and, at the same time, think of how he can get her out of the wall safely and, also, find her father along with the highly sought-after mysterious package.

All the 'women are weak and need to shut up and stop thinking and just rely on their men, 'cause they know what's best for them' did annoy me quite a bit, but Rachel was always trying to rebel and show-off her strength, so that made things much better. Even if she could be a bit too reckless for my taste, sometimes. She had so much stress, sadness, anger and despair building up inside her... I almost could feel it, myself. She really grew during the book. She was forced to 'harden up' and do things that changed her forever, but she never strayed fom her path. Some people might not like their heroines with so much blood and vengeance and anger, but it fit her very well.  The romance wasn't thrown in there very often, but when it was... oh, man. Sparks flew. LOL.

There is just one thing that bothered me. Okay, I get it that it's very 'in' now to write series, but this is the kind of book that could have been a stand-alone. Everything could have been explained and wrapped up in one go... if only the author wanted to.  It was a good book, sure, but it irritated me a bit at the 'end'. This one really shouldn't have been made into a series. I liked it, but there's nothing that really makes me look forward to the next one. A lot has already been explained and what hasn't, I can certainly imagine. 

Anyway, if you like strong heroines, cute heroes and fast-paced books, then give this one a go! :D

* I received an eARC from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.*

Have you read Defiance? What did you think of it?

Early Review: The Unquiet by Jeannine Garsee

The Unquiet
by Jeannine Garsee

Expected publication: July 17th 2012 by Bloomsbury

Sixteen-year-old Rinn Jacobs has secrets: One, she’s bipolar. Two, she killed her grandmother. 

After a suicide attempt, and now her parents' separation, Rinn and her mom move from California to the rural Ohio town where her mother grew up. Back on her medications and hoping to stay well, Rinn settles into her new home, undaunted by the fact that the previous owner hanged herself in Rinn's bedroom. At school, her classmates believe the school pool is haunted by Annaliese, a girl who drowned there. But when a reckless séance goes awry, and terrible things start happening to her new friends—yet not to her—Rinn is determined to find out why she can’t be "touched" by Annaliese...or if Annaliese even exists. 

With the help of Nate Brenner, the hunky “farmer boy” she’s rapidly falling for, Rinn devises a dangerous plan to uncover the truth. Soon reality and fantasy meld into one, till Rinn finds it nearly impossible to tell the difference. When a malevolent force threatens the lives of everyone she cares about--not to mention her own--she can't help wondering: who should she really be afraid of?

Annaliese? Or herself?

Genre: Young Adult, Supernatural

Publication Date: July 17th 2012

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Format: eARC, 388 pages 

Series: ?

Source: Netgalley

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My Review:

First line: Sometimes, when I dream, the deadliest moment in my life happens all over again.

Last line: I don't believe you. 

Favorite quote: As someone who's always drawn to the "bad boy" type, I can't explain my attraction to a certified band geek who'll probably major in animal husbandry and end up inseminating cows for a living.

Corinne Jacobs has been a good girl, taking all of her meds everyday, for 3 months and 13 days. Why she's being so careful and counting all the days like that? Because of what happened 3 months and 13 days ago. The time when she decided to stop with her bipolar meds and ended up killing her grandmother.

Now her stepfather hates her and her mother has dragged her from sunny California to chilling middle-of-nowhere Ohio, where she grew up. Rinn doesn't think that moving to this dinky little town will make anything better. But then she actually starts making friends. And the cute farmer boy next door is starting to look way too yummy. Oh, and she absolutely loves her new house and room up in the attic. Until she finds out that the previous owner killed herself up there, of course. Right after her granddaughter was found dead in the pool at Rinn's new school. Awwwwkward. 

And, as if that wasn't freaky enough, she finds out that very strange things have been happening to the people who cross the 'Tunnel' (the part of the gym with the pool where Annaliese's body was found). Weird things have always happened there before, but now another student is found dead by the pool and Rinn's new friends start to act very bizarre. Is it the ghost of Annaliese? Is she haunting the pool area? Is she haunting Corinne? If so, why?

This book had so much in it! So much mystery, so much drama, so much angst and romance!! It really had everything a good book should have. I especially liked knowing/seeing more about how bipolar people act, what they have to deal and fight with everyday, how they really feel about themselves and everyone else. The pressure. The fear. The regret. The desire to just let go. The strength needed not to. 

The Unquiet gives you very strange vibes throughout the book. You start to think that things are getting better, that Rinn herself is getting better and everything and everyone is going to be alright... then the creepiness starts and you have to control yourself not freak out over what's happening in a freaking book! LOL. Miss Garsee has such an engrossing, enrapturing and right-to-the-pont way of writing things that it sucks you right in and makes you feel comfortable... and that's when you should be careful. She makes you forget, repeatedly, that you're actually reading a ghost story, not an ordinary teenage tale. And it sneaks right up to you. Every. Single. Time. O.o

It's been a while since I've found a book's title that is as absolutely perfect or as fitting as this one is. Unquiet. That's exactly how you'll feel during the entire 'ride' that is Corinne's story. And afterwards. Yup. Even after you close the book and start to try to think of something else. It will stick with you. That unquiet feeling. That little chill behind your neck. And you'll love it.

P.S.: And Nate was so adorable!!! *-* It makes me want to move to Ohio, too. Like, right now.

* I received an eARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*