The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer Book Review:

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

 Released September 27th, 2011

Published by Simon and Schuster

Pages: 466

My Star Rating: 4

Goodreads Rating: 4.13

Challenges: book over 400 pages

Mara Dyer doesn’t think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can’t remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn’t believe that after everything she’s been through, she can fall in love.

She’s wrong.-Goodreads

Michelle Hodkin's writing is a perfect mix of humour and beauty. I laughed out loud a few times while reading this book, which rarely ever happens. I enjoyed Mara as our main character. She is spunky and realistic. If I was in her shoes and people were dying all around me, I would think I were crazy too. I liked her family with the exception of her father. He really annoyed me because it seemed like he put work first. Her brothers were awesome. An issue I had with the book surrounded her younger brother. Why was he texting Noah? How did Noah know where he was taken? That whole situation was just super confusing. 

Noah is super cute. He seems like the stereotype hot guy with the big head, until we really get to know him. I loved his relationship with Mara. The back and forth banter is the best. I officially have a book crush on him. 

I enjoyed how all throughout the book, we are left in the dark just like Mara. We don't know if things are real or not. I felt like we were really able to connect with her because we were just as confused as her. My biggest issue with the story is the last hundred pages or so. Noah and Mara's relationship did not have to go to the next level so quickly. It seemed rushed. And that twist at the end was crazy. I wish it was a bit more developed, but I did really enjoy it. I couldn't put the book down. When I wasn't reading, I wanted to be. Overall, I would highly recommend this to anyone who is looking for a creepy, mind boggling read. I need to get the second book because the last book in the trilogy comes out some time this year.
Until next time,
Bre

Wishlist Wednesday:

Wishlist Wednesday is hosted by Pen to Paper. It is a great book blog, and if you want to go check them out here is their link: Pen to Paper Book Blog. This meme was created to let bloggers feature a book that they are super excited about getting, whether the book is a new release or if it would just be new to them.

A book I'm super excited for is......

Don't You Forget About Me by Kate Karyus Quinn

Published by HarperCollins Teen

Release Date: June 10th, 2014

Pages: 336

Goodreads Rating: 3.97

Welcome to Gardnerville.
A place where no one gets sick. And no one ever dies.

Except...
There’s a price to pay for paradise. Every fourth year, the strange power that fuels the town exacts its payment by infecting teens with deadly urges. In a normal year in Gardnerville, teens might stop talking to their best friends. In a fourth year, they’d kill them.

Four years ago, Skylar’s sister, Piper, was locked away after leading sixteen of her classmates to a watery grave. Since then, Skylar has lived in a numb haze, struggling to forget her past and dull the pain of losing her sister. But the secrets and memories Piper left behind keep taunting Skylar—whispering that the only way to get her sister back is to stop Gardnerville’s murderous cycle once and for all.-Goodreads

Oh my gosh! I've never read a book by Quinn before, but people have said that her writing is creepy and adventure filled. I have so many questions. What is the town infecting the teens with? Why teens? How does no one ever die besides during the fourth year? I need answers!
Let's talk a second about the cover. It is beautiful. I love how the words are a part of the branches. It just makes me want the book for my shelves. What do you think?

Until next time,
Bre

Happy Monday! I wanted to do a post about the read-alongs that are going on this month. They are being hosted by booktubers on YouTube, but they have also created goodreads pages.
The Panic read-along is hosted by Jesse, Kat, Christine,  Liz and Ariel. Each of their names is a link to their YouTube channel. Click HERE to go to the Goodreads page they created. They will do a live review on YouTube.

Panic by Lauren Oliver:
Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a dead-end town of 12,000 people in the middle of nowhere: because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do.
Heather never thought she would compete in Panic, a legendary game played by graduating seniors, where the stakes are high and the payoff is even higher. She’d never thought of herself as fearless, the kind of person who would fight to stand out. But when she finds something, and someone, to fight for, she will discover that she is braver than she ever thought.
Dodge has never been afraid of Panic. His secret will fuel him, and get him all the way through the game, he’s sure of it. But what he doesn't know is that he’s not the only one with a secret. Everyone has something to play for.
For Heather and Dodge, the game will bring new alliances, unexpected revelations, and the possibility of first love for each of them—and the knowledge that sometimes the very things we fear are those we need the most.-Goodreads

The Archived Read-along is also hosted by Jesse. The Goodreads page he created for the event isThe Archived. I'm really excited about this book because I have heard nothing but good things. I believe he will be hosting a live chat at the end of the month on his channel.

The Archived by Victoria Schwab:
Imagine a place where the dead rest on shelves like books.

Each body has a story to tell, a life seen in pictures that only Librarians can read. The dead are called Histories, and the vast realm in which they rest is the Archive.

Da first brought Mackenzie Bishop here four years ago, when she was twelve years old, frightened but determined to prove herself. Now Da is dead, and Mac has grown into what he once was, a ruthless Keeper, tasked with stopping often—violent Histories from waking up and getting out. Because of her job, she lies to the people she loves, and she knows fear for what it is: a useful tool for staying alive.

Being a Keeper isn’t just dangerous—it’s a constant reminder of those Mac has lost. Da’s death was hard enough, but now her little brother is gone too. Mac starts to wonder about the boundary between living and dying, sleeping and waking. In the Archive, the dead must never be disturbed. And yet, someone is deliberately altering Histories, erasing essential chapters. Unless Mac can piece together what remains, the Archive itself might crumble and fall.

In this haunting, richly imagined novel, Victoria Schwab reveals the thin lines between past and present, love and pain, trust and deceit, unbearable loss and hard-won redemption.- Goodreads

For each read-along the hosts have broken down the books into chapter sections. There are discussion boards on the Goodreads pages for each section. You can chat and discuss your feelings about the book before the live chat. These are my first read-alongs, so I'm super excited.
Until next time,
Bre

February Wrap-Up & March TBR

Today I decided that I would share my February Wrap Up and my March TBR, but before that I want to let you know my reading goals for 2014. So let's jump right in : )

Reading Goals for 2014:
- I have a Goodreads Challenge to read at least 40 books this year.
- Read at least 2 classics.
- Read at least 6 books over 400 pages
- Read at least 5 diverse authors
- Finish at least 3 series I have already started
-Read The Hobbit & The Harry Potter Series

February Wrap Up:
Read 3 books in February
Challenges:
Total Read in 2014: 6
Classics: 0
Books over 400 pages: 2
Diverse Authors: 1
Completed Series: 0

The first book I finished in February was:

Smoke by Ellen Hopkins

Published by Margaret K. McElderry

Released September 10th, 2013

Pages: 543

Goodreads Rating: 4.30 stars

My Rating: 3 stars 

Fulfilled one of my challenges: book over 400 pages

I read the first book, Burned, in January and really enjoyed it. It was my first Ellen Hopkins book. My hopes were just as high for this book, but it just went flat for me. I enjoyed Pattyn's perspective, but Jackie worked my nerves. 

The second book I finished in February was:

Angelfall by Susan Ee

Published by Feral Dream

Released May 21st, 2011

Pages: 283

Goodreads Rating: 4.25

My Rating: 5 stars

Fulfilled one of my reading challenges: Diverse Author

I loved this book. It was my first book about angels. I have read a few others that mention them, but this book was 100 percent angels. I fell in love with the characters. Raffe and Penryn were amazing. The playful banter between them and the non-stop action easily made this book the month favourite. 

The last book I read in February was:

The Selection by Kiera Cass

Published by HarperCollins Teen

Released April 24th, 2012

Pages: 327

Goodreads Rating: 4.13

My Rating: 4 stars

I already posted my review on this book ,so CLICK HERE to check it out : )

Now to my March TBR:

I have already completed one book this month. 

I will tell you my thoughts on it in my March Wrap-Up, but my rating is 3 stars.

I'm currently reading:

Mara Dyer doesn’t think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can’t remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn’t believe that after everything she’s been through, she can fall in love.

She’s wrong. -Goodreads

What else I'm planning on reading this month:

Imagine a place where the dead rest on shelves like books.

Each body has a story to tell, a life seen in pictures that only Librarians can read. The dead are called Histories, and the vast realm in which they rest is the Archive.
Da first brought Mackenzie Bishop here four years ago, when she was twelve years old, frightened but determined to prove herself. Now Da is dead, and Mac has grown into what he once was, a ruthless Keeper, tasked with stopping often—violent Histories from waking up and getting out. Because of her job, she lies to the people she loves, and she knows fear for what it is: a useful tool for staying alive.
Being a Keeper isn’t just dangerous—it’s a constant reminder of those Mac has lost. Da’s death was hard enough, but now her little brother is gone too. Mac starts to wonder about the boundary between living and dying, sleeping and waking. In the Archive, the dead must never be disturbed. And yet, someone is deliberately altering Histories, erasing essential chapters. Unless Mac can piece together what remains, the Archive itself might crumble and fall.
In this haunting, richly imagined novel, Victoria Schwab reveals the thin lines between past and present, love and pain, trust and deceit, unbearable loss and hard-won redemption.- Goodreads

Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a dead-end town of 12,000 people in the middle of nowhere: because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do.

Heather never thought she would compete in Panic, a legendary game played by graduating seniors, where the stakes are high and the payoff is even higher. She’d never thought of herself as fearless, the kind of person who would fight to stand out. But when she finds something, and someone, to fight for, she will discover that she is braver than she ever thought.
Dodge has never been afraid of Panic. His secret will fuel him, and get him all the way through the game, he’s sure of it. But what he doesn't know is that he’s not the only one with a secret. Everyone has something to play for.
For Heather and Dodge, the game will bring new alliances, unexpected revelations, and the possibility of first love for each of them—and the knowledge that sometimes the very things we fear are those we need the most. -Goordreads

I don't want to plan out my reading too much, but I know there are read-alongs happening this month for both of these books. I will post a blog all about them this weekend. 

Until next time,

Bre

Wishlist Wednesday:

Wishlist Wednesday is hosted by Pen to Paper. It is a great book blog, and if you want to go check them out here is their link: Pen to Paper Book Blog. This meme was created to let bloggers feature a book that they are super excited about getting, whether the book is a new release or if it would just be new to them.

Drum roll please....

Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige

Published by HarperCollins Teen

Release Date April 1st, 2014

Pages: 432

Goodreads Rating: 4.14

I didn't ask for any of this. I didn't ask to be some kind of hero.

But when your whole life gets swept up by a tornado—taking you with it—you have no choice but to go along, you know?

Sure, I've read the books. I've seen the movies. I know the song about the rainbow and the happy little blue birds. But I never expected Oz to look like this. To be a place where Good Witches can't be trusted, Wicked Witches may just be the good guys, and winged monkeys can be executed for acts of rebellion. There's still the yellow brick road, though—but even that's crumbling.

What happened?
Dorothy. They say she found a way to come back to Oz. They say she seized power and the power went to her head. And now no one is safe.

My name is Amy Gumm—and I'm the other girl from Kansas.
I've been recruited by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked.
I've been trained to fight.
And I have a mission:
Remove the Tin Woodman's heart.
Steal the Scarecrow's brain.
Take the Lion's courage.
Then and only then—Dorothy must die! - Goodreads

This book sounds epic. It is going to be a series of some sort. It just seems like an action packed adventure story, and who isn't up for that?! I am for sure pre-ordering this one. What books are you excited for?

Until next time,

Bre

TOP 10 TUESDAY:

Happy Tuesday! I decided to hop on the Top 10 Tuesday train. Top 10 Tuesday was started over at The Broke and The Bookish blog. Here is their link if you want to check them out: The Broke and The Bookish.

This week's Top 10 Tuesday is The Top 10 Popular Authors I've Never Read. My list is pretty painful. I decided just to keep this list to only YA authors. I really want to read all of these authors very soon. So let's jump right into my list.

10. Rick Yancey
I really want to read The 5th Wave and The Monstermologist by him. I have heard nothing but great things about his writing. The 5th Wave is about an Alien Invasion and The Monstermologist is supposed to be super creepy. Maybe I will keep these to the side for my October TBR list.

9. Patrick Ness
I own two of his books. I have When A Monster Calls and The Knife of Never Letting Go. I'm not sure why it is taking me so long to get into either one. Hopefully I can get my hands on the rest of the Chaos Walking trilogy (The Knife of Never Letting Go) and dive into the series.

8. Marissa Meyer
She is the author of the Lunar Chronicles. The 3rd book, Cress, just came out recently. The series is loosely based on fairy tale retellings. Cinder is the first book based on Cinderella. Scarlet is the 2nd book based on Little Red Riding Hood, and Cress is based on Rapunzel. There is a twist though. Cinder is a cyborg, Scarlet and Wolf are a street fighting duo, and Cress is a hacker in this futuristic series. WHAT?! Must read now.

7. John Green
Once again, I own a few of his books. I sorta kinda have a reason for not reading him. Everyone hypes up his books soooooo much that I am nervous I won't like them as much. Although, I did make myself a promise that I will read The Fault in Our Stars before the movie comes out in June.

6. Rachelle Mead
She is the author of The Vampire Academy Series. I own all but one of the series, so I have no excuse. I have heard through the grapevine that there is a very hunky vampire named Dimitri in this series that is extremely swoon worthy. Hot, sexy vampire? Count me in!

5. Lauren Oliver
She is the author of the well known Delirium trilogy, which I own but have not read. (I have a problem..lol). I just know that the series is a dystopian, in which love is outlawed. Once you reach a certain age the government makes you undergo some type of procedure to make it where you will never love. A world with no love? How does that even work?

4. J.K. Rowling
Covers my face in embarrassment : /

3. Marie Lu
She is the author of a well known dystopian trilogy called the Legend trilogy. I don't know too much about the books other than there is a lot of hype surrounding them, and the last book, Champion, is already out. Marathon time!

2. J.R.R. Tolkien
I have only seen The Hobbit. I have never read or seen any of The Lord of the Rings. Another one that I'm super embarrassed about. One of my reading goals is to read The Hobbit this year.

1. Tahereh Mafi
I want to be part of the fandom that is the Shatter Me trilogy. I actually just order Shatter Me, and it should be coming in the mail within the next couple of days. The main character, Juliet, has a lethal touch. I think she ends up falling in love, and I need to know how she manages that. I just NEED to read this book like now.

Until next time,
Bre

The Selection by Kiera Cass

Published by HarperCollins Teen

Released April 24th, 2012

Pages: 327

Goodreads Rating: 4.13

My Rating: 4 stars

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself--and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined. -Goodreads

I went into the book not expecting a lot. When people describe something and compare it to The Bachelor my expectations automatically lower. With that being said, I was completely shocked when I became obsessed with this book. I had to know what was going to happen next. Kiera Cass did an awesome job developing the main character, America. I was very emotionally connected to her. Although at some points I wanted to karate chop her, she was still a great leading lady. I loved that she was strong and intelligent. 

Aspen on the other hand was not my favourite. He stressed me out. I could appreciate the fact that he wanted better for America. He was a lower caste, and did not think America would ever truly be happy as a Six. But when he broke up with America, I felt like he was breaking up with me. He crushed her. That's ok though because Prince Maxon was there to save the day. He was fabulous. I expected him to be more of a "badass, I can do whatever I want because I'm the prince" character. He surprised me. Maxon was sweet and just the right amount of naive. I am Team Maxon for sure. 

The world that Cass created was super interesting. I found the caste system compelling. I liked how developed the world was. The history lessons that the girls had to sit through really helped paint a picture of the country. The riots make the story even more intense. Not only do we have the Selection going on, we also have to worry about the attacks. 

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I cannot wait to get my hands on book two, The Elite. 

Until next time, 
Bre