Tag Archives: book

Oct 22 2013
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Coming Soon: Killer Frost by Jennifer Estep

 Killer frostTitle: Killer Frost

Author: Jennifer Estep

Series: Mythos Academy #6

Genre: Teen Paranormal Romance

Release Date: February 25, 2014

The Overview: I’ve battled the Reapers of Chaos before–and survived. But this time I have a Bad, Bad Feeling it’s going to be a fight to the death … most likely mine. Yeah, I’ve got my psychometry magic, my talking sword, Vic–and even the most dangerous Spartan on campus at my side, in Logan freaking Quinn, but I’m no match for Loki, the evil Norse god of chaos. I may be Nike’s Champion, but at heart, I’m still just Gwen Frost, that weird Gypsy girl everyone at school loves to gossip about. Then someone I love is put in more danger than ever before, and something inside me snaps. This time, Loki and his Reapers are going down for good … or I am.

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Hosted by Breaking the Spine

Okay, I’ll admit I lost a bit of steam for this series around book four, but I’m still dedicated to seeing it through to the end. I fell in love with the first two books and am still waiting for the author to take the story where I think it has the potential to go (somewhere amazing!). Here’s hoping I get what I’ve been waiting for in Killer Frost!

 What book are you waiting on?

by Niki Hawkes

Oct 22 2013
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Top Ten Tuesday – Top Ten Character Names (10/22/2013)

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Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

For me, a name is only as good as the character behind it, so this week’s topic could also be dubbed “Niki’s Top Ten Favorite Characters.” In any case, here we have:

Top Ten Character Names!

Full Moon Rising by Keri Arthur
Bloodlines by Richelle Mead
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling

#1: Riley Jensen – This chick kicks butt. She’s half vampire half werewolf, and if I were constantly surrounded by the supernatural, I’d definitely won her on my side!

#2: Sydney – Of all the literary characters, I’ve yet to identify with one as much as I do this awesome Alchemist. We have a lot of the same tendencies and issues… that’s all and saying.

#3: Minerva McGonagall – you would think I would love a character that’s more close to me demographically, but I can’t help it – I love this woman. I admire her spirit, loyalty, and determination, and find her scenes to be some of the most powerful.

Servant of the Shard by R.A. Salvatore
The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken
Daughter of the Empire by Raymond E. Feist and Janny Wurts

 #4: Jarlaxle – I loved that I never knew whose side this character was on. Capable of great evil, he still managed to be incredibly likable. His part in Drizzt’s saga really made the series something extra special for me.

#5 Chubs – Best side character ever! He was so rich and rounded right from the beginning, and his constant loyalty and protectiveness outshone the main characters at times (in the very best way). I was not expecting that to happen.

 #6 Mara of the Acoma – This memorable character taught me it’s possible to be both feminine and strong. Her story will always be on a pedestal in my mind.

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
The Spirit Eater by Rachel Aaron
Wizard’s First Rule by Terry Goodkind

#7: Kvothe – This star of my favorite novel is kind of a shit… but I kind of love him because of it.

#8 Nico – This little girl has more bravery and determination in her little finger than most of us have in our entire bodies. She manages to be both unassuming, dynamic and fascinating all at the same time – what a cool character!

#9: Kahlan – Hands down my favorite female character in literature! I love her so much I’m naming my first daughter after her (although I’m spelling it Kaylen so more people know how to pronounce it).

 And my favorite:

Fool's Errand by Robin Hobb

Fool’s Errand by Robin Hobb

#10: The Fool – this is my favorite character ever. The Fool is simply fascinating and I devour every new novel hoping to learn more about this golden character. His journey touches my heart in ways no other character has, and he is partially responsible for why I started to review blog. A++ all the way!

by Niki Hawkes

Oct 20 2013
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Book Review: False Memory by Dan Krokos

False MemoryTitle: False Memory

Author: Dan Krokos

Series: False Memory #1

Genre: Teen Fantasy

Rating: 3/5 stars

The Overview: Miranda wakes up alone on a park bench with no memory. In her panic, she releases a mysterious energy that incites pure terror in everyone around her. Except Peter, a boy who isn’t at all surprised by Miranda’s shocking ability. Left with no choice but to trust this stranger, Miranda discovers she was trained to be a weapon and is part of an elite force of genetically-altered teens who possess flawless combat skills and powers strong enough to destroy a city. But adjusting to her old life isn’t easy—especially with Noah, the boyfriend she can’t remember loving. Then Miranda uncovers a dark truth that sets her team on the run. Suddenly her past doesn’t seem to matter… when there may not be a future.

False Memory 2

The Review:

I was on the fence with this one at first because, although intriguing, the story was a bit confusing. Now, don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love books with a lot of complexity and plot twists. The difference here was that the explanations were almost always outside the parameters of the understood rules of the world – at least as far as the reader was concerned (anybody familiar with the phrase “jumping the shark?”). What that did for me was take away the fun of trying to figure out what will happen next. All of my theories were squandered every time the rules changed, which happened often. Eventually, I stopped trying to engage in the book and just let it take me where it would.

For the most part, I enjoyed the journey, but I can’t help but wonder how much cooler it would’ve been had I known all the rules up front. There were a few instances where I’m sure the author was trying to provide more information about the situation, but it was a bit ambiguous and unclear – and I don’t think it was supposed to be. I kept feeling like I should know more about the situation than I did (which is definitely part of my overall confusion) so either I was overly dense or the author conveyed it poorly.

This was a really fast-paced book – so much so that if I got distracted even for a second I had to go back and reread because it really was just one thing after another. Ironically, the faster pacing is supposed to be more accessible for those with short attention spans, but I found it had the opposite effect. Anyway, It might have moved a little too fast because it didn’t give me a chance to get emotionally involved with the characters. There’s not a lot of time for inner reflection and development when external conflicts are coming at you left and right. It does, however, get a lot more involved as it goes along.

Now, I’m hoping the second book will provide some answers. I have little patience for books that continually string you along without any payoffs. It’s part of the reason why I quit reading Mazed Runner after book #2 – I just got tired of not knowing what was going on. This book is written in the same vein, so if you’re a fan of one you will most definitely like the other. The benefit of having a super fast-paced book like this one is that there’s never a dull moment – plenty of action and entertainment. My overall impressions were positive, and I can see myself recommending it in the future.

Recommended Reading: for dystopian fans who like a lot of action – this book will really grab you by the hand and run. Also especially for those who loved Dashner’s Maze Runner.

Other books you might like:

by Niki Hawkes

Oct 18 2013
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Book Review: Prodigy by Marie Lu

ProdigyTitle: Prodigy

Author: Marie Lu

Series: Legend #2

Genre: Teen Dystopian

Rating: 4/5 stars

The Overview: Injured and on the run, it has been seven days since June and Day barely escaped Los Angeles and the Republic with their lives. Day is believed dead having lost his own brother to an execution squad who thought they were assassinating him. June is now the Republic’s most wanted traitor. Desperate for help, they turn to the Patriots – a vigilante rebel group sworn to bring down the Republic. But can they trust them or have they unwittingly become pawns in the most terrifying of political games?

Prodigy

The Review:

I always find the second book in a trilogy to be the most difficult to write a review for – they’re often little more than transitional stories. The only thing I can really do is compare it to the first one and figure out if I like the direction is going in preparation of the third one. Sometimes you luck out and get a second book that winds up being the best in the series… as good as Prodigy was, that was not the case here.

Not to say it wasn’t a great book. I enjoyed it thoroughly, I just liked Legend a bit more. I think the difference for me was pacing – Prodigy was considerably slower, lacking that fast-paced decision-making I enjoyed so much about the first one. A lot of things happened to advance the plot, it just didn’t feel as pivotal… At least until the end, where the story culminated into a powerful conclusion (which happens to be my favorite part of the series so far).

Another thing I enjoyed was learning about a handful of side characters who had a much stronger role this time around. They really helped broaden the conflicts and kept the story fresh and interesting. I would say what I’m most looking forward to in Champion is to see how all of these characters are going to work together.

Overall, the quality of the writing and the overall appeal of Prodigy was every bit as good as Legend. I am extremely excited to find out how the story ends in Champion coming out November 5!

Recommended Reading: for dystopian fans! Especially those who prefer edgy (rather than romantic) dystopians like Hunger Games and Divergent.

Other books you might like:

by Niki Hawkes

Oct 15 2013
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Coming Soon: Ruins by Dan Wells

RuinsTitle: Ruins

Author: Dan Wells

Series: Partials #3

Genre: Teen Fantasy / Dystopian

Release Date: March 11, 2014

The Overview: As the clock ticks closer and closer to the final Partial expiration date, humans and Partials stand on the brink of war. Caught in the middle, thousands of miles apart, are Samm and Kira: Samm, who is trapped on the far side of the continent beyond the vast toxic wasteland of the American Midwest; and Kira, now in the hands of Dr. Morgan, who is hell-bent on saving what’s left of the Partials, even if she has to destroy Kira to do it. The only hope lies in the hands of the scattered people of both races who seek a way to prevent the rapidly escalating conflict. But in their midst appears a mysterious figure, neither human nor Partial, with solemn warnings of the new apocalypse-one that none of them may be able to avert.

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Hosted by Breaking the Spine:

The first book in this series, Partials, was by far the best YA I read in 2012 (and trust me, it had some stiff competition). I loved the characters, the story, the world-building, the pacing – everything! The second book was every bit as good, and now I am dying to find out what happens next! This series is responsible for reinvigorating my love of dystopians and I recommend it as often as I can. If you loved Hunger Games, Divergent, and Legend, this is the perfect series to try next!

 What book are you waiting on?

Oct 15 2013
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Top Ten Tuesday – Top Ten Books Other Bloggers Convinced Me to Read! (10/15/2013)

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 Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

This Top Ten Tuesday was almost as difficult to compose as last week’s (which I ended up changing entirely), mostly because I can only think of three books I was ever “forced” to read. They were literary classics I had to read for grade school and in no way reflect my tastes as a reader. For the people that like that genre, I’m sure they were outstanding books, so I’d rather not spend a post ranting about them just because they are outside my wheelhouse.

While I am constantly influenced by other readers, I never feel coerced into picking anything up that doesn’t interest me – especially when there are hundreds of books in my TBR that I’m just dying to read. So where does that leave us this week?

 I decided to feature the books I added to my reading list solely based on stellar reviews posted by my fellow bloggers:

Top Ten Books Other Bloggers Convinced Me to Read!

 Not all the books on the list were unanimously loved, but all of them had enough great positive feedback to convince me to check them out!

You will note that most of these were featured in my Ten Books at the Top of My Fall 2013 Reading List – and they were there for a reason. Thank you, awesome book bloggers for your thoughtful reviews – this list would not be possible without you!

by Niki Hawkes