Jun 24 2013

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2013)

This is a feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish that allows bloggers the chance to geek out about their favorite books. This week’s topic:

Top Ten Favorite Books Read So Far in 2013

This was actually a hard one for me, as I can’t remember the last time I read so many 4.5+ star books in such a short timeframe. My strategy of giving up all the “obligations” and focusing solely on the books that excite me has really paid off!

(click on the covers for full reviews)

#1 Gameboard of the Gods – 5/5 stars

Gameboard of the Gods by Richelle Mead

This was probably my favorite so far this year. Mead really outdid herself.

#2 The Selection – 4.5/5 stars

The Selection by Kiera Cass

This book tickled me.

#3 Black Magic Sanction – 5/5 stars

This one was my favorite Harrison book so far. It’s always nice when a series gets better and better as it goes along.

#4 Hex Hall – 5/5 stars

I am kicking myself for not reading this sooner – I loved it!

#5 Hounded – 4.5/5 stars

I consider this a must-read for any urban fantasy fan.

#6 The Bane – 4/5 stars

The Bane by Keary Taylor

This is dystopian, and I’m really excited to see where the story goes next. It’s perfect for fans of Divergent and Partials.

#7 The Ghost King – 5/5 stars

The Ghost King by R.A.Salvatore

Just when I think this author can’t possibly produce another great novel, he dazzles me.

#8 Indigo Spell – 5/5 stars

Ugh, I can’t wait for the next one. These are SO good!

#9 Frost Burned – 5/5 stars

One of the best urban fantasy series ever – this one was no exception.

#10 The Deepest Night – 5/5 stars

This novel was beautiful, breathtaking, and romantic.

Such good reading this year so far! What books made your list?

Jun 17 2013

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Your Pick for Nik! – July’s Selection

Every month I nominate titles from my TBR pile and you pick which one gets featured for our book club. This month, I’m doing things differently. you see, there is a title that has been the runner up since January and I figured this month would be a good month to feature it considering so many of you out there want to read it. So I’m skipping the voting process and going straight to the pick. Without further ado, July’s selection is:

Title: Pure

Author: Julianna Baggott

Genre: Fiction

The Overview: We know you are here, our brothers and sisters . . . Pressia barely remembers the Detonations or much about life during the Before. In her sleeping cabinet behind the rubble of an old barbershop where she lives with her grandfather, she thinks about what is lost-how the world went from amusement parks, movie theaters, birthday parties, fathers and mothers . . . to ash and dust, scars, permanent burns, and fused, damaged bodies. And now, at an age when everyone is required to turn themselves over to the militia to either be trained as a soldier or, if they are too damaged and weak, to be used as live targets, Pressia can no longer pretend to be small. Pressia is on the run.

We won’t start reading this until July so there’s plenty of time to pick it up if you want to read along (for that matter, there’s still time to read June’s selection, The 5th Wave – it’s fabulous!).

For more information on how this feature works click here.

May 27 2013

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Your Pick for Nik! – May’s Review: Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

Title: Darkest Minds

Author: Alexandra Bracken

Series: Darkest Minds #1

Genre: Teen Fantasy

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

The Overview: When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that gets her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government “rehabilitation camp.” She might have survived the mysterious disease that’s killed most of America’s children, but she and the others have emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control.

Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.

When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now she’s on the run, desperate to find the one safe haven left for kids like her—East River. She joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can’t risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents.

The Review:

This book gives me turmoil because there were a lot of things I loved about it and only a couple of things I didn’t. Unfortunately, those couple of things were a rather big deal.

Story: Bracken really knows how to weave an engaging story. Not many books can make me dig down deep inside myself to feel genuine pain for what the characters are going through. The story tugged at my heartstrings throughout the entire novel before making me feel anguish and frustration for all of the last fifty pages.

This great use of emotion in storytelling is probably why the relationships within the book quickly became my favorite element. The friendships the main character develops were natural and gradual and led to one heck of a love story without ever turning the book into a “romance.” It was subtle and beautiful and I might actually go back and reread certain passages to experience it again. It was by far the strongest part of the story for me.

Conversely, my least favorite element of the book also had to do with story. I have come to expect many elements of brutality and shall we say “unsugar-coated” events from dystopian novels. It is what gives them their edge, raising the stakes and adding to the overall suspense of the plot. While there are many dystopian novels with far more tragic events than I saw here, Bracken piled them up in a way that made me incredibly unenthusiastic about reading the sequel. She took a lot of risks with the plot and, while it was highly unexpected, I don’t think it did her any favors. Other books like Partials and Divergent had many heart-wrenching and difficult moments. The difference it, at the end of those novels, what keeps the characters (and therefore the readers) moving forward is both hope of a brighter future and and some sort of plan to get there. From what I’ve seen in this first book, Bracken didn’t have those elements leaving me nothing but depressed and dissatisfied.

World Building: I am a sucker for a good concept. The idea of children with varying degrees of dangerous abilities excited me right from the start and Bracken did a great job creating the world around those ideas. On a side note, I get personal pleasure out of seeing things color-coded (I drive my coworkers crazy) so any time an author uses color to organize something, I am on board.

While Bracken does a great job with the concept side of her world building, I felt her settings could have used a bit of work. Not once throughout the novel was I sure if this world was truly suffering. There was one specific moment where we went from an abandoned town like any other post-apocalyptic one you read about to a suddenly crowded freeway where life seemed to move along unaffected. It was a contradiction that showed up many times throughout the book and I had a difficult time getting a feel for what life was supposed to be like for the average person in this world.

Characters: Part of the reason the romantic element was so good was Bracken’s ability to create great relationships between characters. We got to know each one organically and their personalities were perfectly rounded and deep making me feel like I was reading a journal log of real people – they were so lifelike! If I do continue reading this series, it will be because I miss the characters and wants to know where their journey ends.

Writing: Even though I had an issue with elements of story and setting, I still found Bracken’s writing style to be incredibly strong. It was always evoking, gut retching, and beautiful making me feel for everything with a passion. It took me by surprise and impress me with how the many pieces of the story came together with the fluidity that was effortless. she really has that kind of style that draws you in and keeps you there until you finish the book – into the wee hours of the morning and everything.

Pacing: At first I made several notes that her pacing was a bit slow. having now finishing the book I see that the only way to make those relationships develop naturally was to slow the story down a bit. It also provided a great contrast for when the plot really started to take off, building up into a breathtaking momentum that made my eyes weary near the end from trying to keep up. It was very well done, and I’m hoping she carries that same excitement into the second book.

Recommendations: The good news is – my biggest objection revolves around a decision with the storyline which means my lower rating has more to do with personal preferences than any flaws in the author’s craft. The bad news is – I can’t get totally behind her when making personal recommendations. I may change my opinion with the second book, but for now I would probably only recommend this to people who have already read my first 5 dystopian recommends (or if someone just HAS to have a book with a naturally-developing love story).

by Niki Hawkes

Other books you might like:

: Divergent by Veronica Roth

: Partials by Dan Wells

: The Fifth Wave by Rick Yancey

: Eve & Adam by K.A. Applegate and Michael Grant

: Acorna by Anne McCaffrey and Margaret Ball

May 20 2013

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Your Pick for Nik – June’s Selection!

Thank you all for your votes (and nominations – they were all fantastic)!

The Fifth Wave by Rick Yancey

This month’s winner is… the Fifth Wave by Rick Yancey!

It was a really close one this month, as it just barely edged out Hitchhiker’s Guide and Pure (which will be included in next month’s nominations). I have already started this one and I can tell you already that it will blow your mind. Great choice this month, people!

A thorough review and discussion for this book will take place on July 1st, so there’s plenty of time to pick it up if you want to participate. For more information on the Your Pick for Nik! book club, click here.

Here’s A look at what the books about:

After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one. Now, it’s the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth’s last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie’s only hope for rescuing her brother—or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up.

**Don’t forget to tune in Monday, May 27 for the review and discussion of May’s Selection: Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken.**

“If you think reading is boring, you’re doing it wrong.”

May 13 2013

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Your Pick for Nik! – June’s Nominations!

To cast your vote, just leave a comment indicating your chosen titles (up to 3) – and may the best book win!

It’s that time again for us to pick our next book! I want to give a special thanks to all of you who nominated titles for June’s Selection – I’m astounded at how many titles I really want to read – phenomenal picks!

Voting starts today (June 13, 2013) and will remain open until Sunday the 19th (Remember: YOU CAN VOTE FOR MORE THAN 1).

For those of you new to the book club, Your Pick for Nik! is a monthly feature where I turn over control of my reading list to you!

Here’s how it works: I will nominate titles from my TBR list (or, at least for this month, YOU nominated the titles) and you will choose which one gets featured. It can be one you’ve already read and want to discuss, one you want to read but wish to see my feedback on first, or – and this is my favorite part – you can read it along with me!

Depicted below are the top 10 nominations I received. Simply vote for your favorites, and let the best book win! At 10:00 am (MST) on Monday the 2oth I will announce the winner. Come the end of June, I will post a thorough review of the chosen title – and hopefully find out what you thought of it as well!

So without further ado…

June’s Nominations:

: The Fifth Wave by Rick Yancey

: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Title: The 5th Wave

Author: Rick Yancey

Genre: Teen Fantasy

Overview: After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one. Now, it’s the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth’s last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie’s only hope for rescuing her brother—or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up

#1 Pure by Julianna Baggott

Title: Pure

Author: Julianna Baggott

Genre: Fiction

Overview:We know you are here, our brothers and sisters . . .
Pressia barely remembers the Detonations or much about life during the Before. In her sleeping cabinet behind the rubble of an old barbershop where she lives with her grandfather, she thinks about what is lost-how the world went from amusement parks, movie theaters, birthday parties, fathers and mothers . . . to ash and dust, scars, permanent burns, and fused, damaged bodies. And now, at an age when everyone is required to turn themselves over to the militia to either be trained as a soldier or, if they are too damaged and weak, to be used as live targets, Pressia can no longer pretend to be small. Pressia is on the run.

Title: Legend

Author: Marie Lu

Genre: Team Fantasy

Overview: What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic’s wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic’s highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country’s most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem. From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths—until the day June’s brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family’s survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias’s death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

Title: Throne of Glass

Author: Sarah J. Maas

Genre: Teen Fantasy

Overview: After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin. Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king’s council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she’ll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom.

Title: Clockwork Angel

Author: Cassandra Clare

Genre: Teen Fantasy

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

Title: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

Author: Douglas Adams

Genre: Science Fiction

Overview: Seconds before the Earth is demolished to make way for a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent is plucked off the planet by his friend Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised edition of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy who, for the last fifteen years, has been posing as an out-of-work actor.

Title: Imminent Danger: and How to Fly Straight into It

Author: Michelle Proulx

Genre: Teen Science Fiction

Overview: High school junior Eris Miller thinks she’s having a bad day when her roommate’s boyfriend catches her stepping out of the shower wearing nothing but a towel. Then she gets abducted by scaly six-armed aliens with a strange fondness for the color blue, and her day suddenly gets a whole lot worse. Trapped on a spaceship bound for the slave markets of Sirius B, Eris fears she’ll never see her home again. But then fate whisks her away from her reptilian captors and into the arms of Varrin, a fast-talking space pirate who promises to deliver her safely back to Earth. He claims to have her best interests at heart, but Eris soon discovers that her charming rescuer has a hidden agenda. As they race across the galaxy, outrunning a villainous figure from Varrin’s past, Eris begins to realize that their relationship is putting her planet, her life and her heart in imminent danger. She knows that trusting Varrin could prove deadly … but what other choice does she have?

Title: Paranormalcy

Author: Kiersten White

Genre: Teen Paranormal Romance

Overview:Evie’s always thought of herself as a normal teenager, even though she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can see through paranormals’ glamours. But Evie’s about to realize that she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures. So much for normal.

Title: Invisibility

Author: Andrea Cremer

Genre: Teen Paranormal Romance

Overview: Stephen has been invisible for practically his whole life — because of a curse his grandfather, a powerful cursecaster, bestowed on Stephen’s mother before Stephen was born. So when Elizabeth moves to Stephen’s NYC apartment building from Minnesota, no one is more surprised than he is that she can see him. A budding romance ensues, and when Stephen confides in Elizabeth about his predicament, the two of them decide to dive headfirst into the secret world of cursecasters and spellseekers to figure out a way to break the curse. But things don’t go as planned, especially when Stephen’s grandfather arrives in town, taking his anger out on everyone he sees. In the end, Elizabeth and Stephen must decide how big of a sacrifice they’re willing to make for Stephen to become visible — because the answer could mean the difference between life and death. At least for Elizabeth.

Title: Sabriel

Author: Garth Nix

Genre: Teen Fantasy

Overview: Sent to a boarding school in Ancelstierre as a young child, Sabriel has had little experience with the random power of Free Magic or the Dead who refuse to stay dead in the Old Kingdom. But during her final semester, her father, the Abhorsen, goes missing, and Sabriel knows she must enter the Old Kingdom to find him. She soon finds companions in Mogget, a cat whose aloof manner barely conceals its malevolent spirit, and Touchstone, a young Charter Mage long imprisoned by magic, now free in body but still trapped by painful memories. As the three travel deep into the Old Kingdom, threats mount on all sides. And every step brings them closer to a battle that will pit them against the true forces of life and death — and bring Sabriel face-to-face with her own hidden destiny. With “Sabriel,” the first installment in the Abhorsen trilogy, Garth Nix exploded onto the fantasy scene as a rising star, in a novel that takes readers to a world where the line between the living and the dead isn’t always clear — and sometimes disappears altogether.

May 7 2013

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Top Ten Tuesday – Top Ten Books When You Need Something Light & Fun (5/7/2013)

As you know, this is a feature hosted by The Broke and The Bookish once a week where all of us geeky book bloggers get to stare at our libraries and figure out which books fit that week’s topic. It’s really fun, so if you haven’t joined in yet, maybe you should. ;)

This week’s topic:

Top Ten Books When You Need Something Light & Fun

: Goose Girl by Shannon Hale

: The Legend of Eli Monpress by Rachel Aaron

: Wild Magic by Tamora Pierce

: Redwall by Brian Jacques

: The Selection by Kiera Cass

: Wings by Aprilynne Pike

: Sword – Dancer/Sword – Singer by Jennifer Roberson

: Poison by Bridgit Zinn

: Hounded by Kevin Hearne

: First Truth by Dawn Cook

#1 Goose Girl: this is the most charming love story i’ve ever read, and it made me smile the whole way through.

#2 Eli Monpress: this series doesn’t excellent job at capturing whimsy and fun without being stupid (i’m not pointing fingers, but it happens). The whole thing is incredibly memorable, and it has one of the coolest magic systems ever. Read full review

#3 Wild Magic: this is essentially about a girl who can talk animals – what’s not to love?

#4 Redwall: an awesome saga where woodland creatures take on the personas of humans, elves, dwarves and other Middle Earthian creatures and take you on one grand adventure after another. These are so epic in places that you forget you are reading about mice. Read full review

#5 The Selection: this is the Hunger Games meets the Bachelor. all the vicious backstabbing in the world, but without all the blood (well, maybe there was a little). I enjoyed the snot out of this book, but be warned – as light and fun as this one was, the second one stressed me the F out.

#6 Wings: the only way i can describe this one is that it was a very “pretty” read. The plot was relatively simple but it was done in such a way that made you not care. It was also an interesting take on Arthurian lore. Read full review

#7 Sword – Dancer/Sword – Singer: don’t read this one if you’re looking for a compelling and complex plot. If you are interested in hilarious exchanges of man versus woman told in a very cheeky manner, this might be the tale you. There might be some sword fighting involved, too. Read full review

#8 Poison: although it had a couple of flaws, Poison was definitely a fun read. I liked the pig. Read full review

#9 Hounded: this urban fantasy was unique and awesome and fun and one of my favorite books that i’ve read this year so far. Read full review

#10 First Truth: this book was written by Dawn Cook, which is Kim Harrison’s alias, so right there you know it’s awesome. I loved every minute of it – it was the the epitome of a “fun” read and it just kept getting better and better with each book. Read full review

Well, there you have it – my top 10. What are yours? Leave a link to your site in the comment box so I can come check out what your fun read books are.

If you’re feeling really helpful, you can click here and nominate a book or two for our “Your Pick for Nik!” book club. Thanks! :)

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