Stopping My Posts

Hey Everyone,

As you may or may not have noticed. I have not posted anything since October. Sorry for the sudden lack of updates. I have been greatly distracted (in a good way) and life has taken over. I still have been reading, just not as much or as fast. I suppose you could say that I have been going through a reading slump. I am going to stop posting here on my blog indefinitely. Not sure if I will continue later on or not, probably not. I am also going to delete the blog's twitter. I want to thank everyone who has been reading and commenting on my blog since I started it in March 2012. I greatly appreciate it. It was a lot of fun, but I am moving on. I

Have a great Christmas, Hanukkah, or whatever holiday you celebrate!

Book Review: Reached

Reached

"After leaving Society to desperately seek The Rising, and each other, Cassia and Ky have found what they were looking for, but at the cost of losing each other yet again. Cassia is assigned undercover in Central city, Ky outside the borders, an airship pilot with Indie. Xander is a medic, with a secret. All too soon, everything shifts again."

Author: Ally Condie

Year of Release: 2012

Publisher: Penguin

Genre: Dystopia

Book Version: Hardback

Where did you get the book?: Library

Rating: 2.5 of 5 Stars

Warning: There are some spoilers in the last paragraph of this review

Review: I was vastly disappointed in this conclusion of the Matched trilogy. I thought Matched and Crossed were pretty good, with the latter being the best, so I thought this one would be good as well. I was wrong. The plot was immensely boring and dull. I could never get into it. It dragged on and on. It seemed much too long for no reason at all.  I found myself not even caring about any of the characters or who I wanted to end up with Cassia.

In 99.9% of dystopian books that have risings in them, there is action, suspense, and I get a feeling of anxiety wondering who is going to survive and who will be killed. Reached did not have any of that. There was no violence, no panic, nothing. The rulers of the Rising just simply took over with no battles or anything. There was death, though, but I found myself not caring. Instead of having the things I mentioned, the main dilemma in this novel consisted of a plague and it's mutation. That would have been an excellent problem in addition to a revolt, but obviously there wasn't a revolt.

One thing I did like about this book, though, was that the ending answered all my questions, and the boy Cassia didn't end up with, ended up with somebody else. But again, as I metioned earlier, this book was much too long for no reason at all. Many parts could have been shortened or removed entirely.

Author Interview: Jodi Meadows

I had the wonderful opportunity to interview the author of the Incarnate Trilogy, Jodi Meadows. I split the interview into two parts: questions relating to the trilogy itself and questions related to writing.

Part I: Questions Relating to the Trilogy:

EmilyHeartsBooks: I found myself relating a lot to Ana especially in the first book. Do you find yourself in Ana or in any of the other characters?

Jodi Meadows: Oh of course! Ana and I definitely have a few things in common, like our love of music and the need to improve -- to be better at something we love. In school, I played the flute, and I desperately wanted to be great at it. Ana definitely inherited that from me.

EHB: Many of the characters in the Incarnate trilogy have quite unique names. How did you create them?
JM: Many of the names are real names, just very unusual ones. Some characters appear on the page with names already, but some require a bit more work.  One of my favorite resources is behindthename.com. While I was renaming characters (long story, but many of the characters' names changed in edits!), I cruised through the random name generator on behindthename.com until I came across something that clicked for a certain character.

EHB: I noticed that Ana was the only human in Heart without a gender neutral name. Was this intentional?

JM: In a way, yes! Originally, I had a different naming system -- one that was fun but definitely corny -- so during edits, I renamed almost all of my characters, including Ana. She started out with a name that fit with the original system, but my editor challenged me to think about why the people of Heart might have given her the name they did. We began looking for something brief, something the people of Heart might use to call

someone they saw as temporary and a life thief.

EHB: The mythological creatures mentioned in the previous two books are explored more in Infinite. Did you have a favorite one to write about?
JM: I think I love the sylph and dragons equally, and for different reasons. They're both pretty scary, but how cool would it be to have a guard dragon? Or a sylph to snuggle when it gets cold?

EHB: Was it emotional for you to finish the trilogy, or were you ready to move on and work on something else? 

JM: Oh my commas, yes, it was very emotional. The last, oh, third of INFINITE was especially difficult because I knew I was closing in on the end and that it would be the last time I wrote in the world. (That turned out not to be true; I ended up writing a novella from Sam's perspective months later.) I was -- and am -- excited to work on something else, though. I generally have at least one other project going on in the background, so I'd been tinkering with other things pretty much the whole time I was working on the INCARNATE series.

Part II: Questions Relating to Writing:

EHB: Do you have any unusual writing habits that you would like to share?

JM: I don't think any of my habits are unusual. I mean, it's totally normal to create detailed timelines, weather patterns, and note the phase of the moon for every scene (whether or not you use it in the story) . . . right?

EHB: How many words per day (on average) did you write?
JM: That depends a lot! Some stories seem to fall out of my head more easily than others. Some days, I get only about 500 words. Others I can manage 5000. A lot of the time, it depends what kind of scene I'm writing, what story it is, how chatty the character is with me. . . . There are all kinds of factors. Lately I've felt good about 1000 words a day. (Which isn't much, considering I write for at least eight hours every day, often more. SIGH.)

EHB: How many words (on average) are in each of the chapters?

JM: Every chapter is as long as it needs to be. In the INCARNATE series, they're usually somewhere between 2000 words and 4000, but some have more or fewer.

EHB: How long did it take for you to write the first draft of each of the books?
JM: Probably about two to three months each? I did a lot of prep-work for the INCARNATE series, and they all required a lot of revision. But two to three months is a pretty typical time for a first draft for me.

EHB: Were there any parts in Incarnate or Asunder that you regretted writing because it changed a certain chapter or scene in Infinite?
JM: Not really. As I said, I did a lot of prep-work so I knew what the end of the story would be before I ever started writing the first page of INCARNATE. There were a lot of changes over the drafts, but I always had a clear vision of the story to work toward. 

Be sure to check out Jodi's:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Goodreads

A HUGE thank you, Jodi, for taking the time out of your busy schedule to answer these questions! It was a lot of fun!!

Book Review: The Beginning of Everything

The Beginning of Everything

"Golden boy Ezra Faulkner believes everyone has a tragedy waiting for them—a single encounter after which everything that really matters will happen. His particular tragedy waited until he was primed to lose it all: in one spectacular night, a reckless driver shatters Ezra’s knee, his athletic career, and his social life.

No longer a front-runner for Homecoming King, Ezra finds himself at the table of misfits, where he encounters new girl Cassidy Thorpe. Cassidy is unlike anyone Ezra’s ever met, achingly effortless, fiercely intelligent, and determined to bring Ezra along on her endless adventures.

But as Ezra dives into his new studies, new friendships, and new love, he learns that some people, like books, are easy to misread. And now he must consider: if one’s singular tragedy has already hit and everything after it has mattered quite a bit, what happens when more misfortune strikes?

Robyn Schneider’s The Beginning of Everything is a lyrical, witty, and heart-wrenching novel about how difficult it is to play the part that people expect, and how new beginnings can stem from abrupt and tragic endings."

Author: Robyn Schneider

Year of Release: 2013

Publisher: Katherine Tegen

Genre: Contemporary, Realistic Fiction

Book Version: Hardback

Where did you get the book?: Library

Rating: 4 of 5 Stars

Warning: There are major spoilers in the last paragraph of this review

Review: The Beginning of Everything is quite a bit different from most books that I usually read. I am glad that I do not limit myself to books of certain genres. I would be missing out on very interesting stories.The Beginning of Everything really made me think about life in a different way than I ever have before. It had some very deep messages that could be interpreted any way the reader wants and I liked that about this novel.

Even though the book didn't really seem to have a main dilemma that most books have, I still enjoyed this book. The story and the way it was written reminded me of John Green's books, especially Looking For Alaska. It's kind of funny because I didn't even like Looking For Alaska, but I liked this book quite a bit. However, they were similar in a few ways which I won't go into for those who haven't read Looking For Alaska.

The characters and the story seemed very authentic and genuine, like I was reading about real people in high school. I felt as though Ezra was talking right to me. Schneider used words that any teenage guy would use when telling a story about a significant time in his life. I really liked that. I also liked Toby a lot. He was quite hilarious and I liked his relationship that he had with Ezra. I also liked Cassidy somewhat, but she seemed a bit mysterious and I didn't like some of the decisions she made. I still thought Ezra's relationship with her was cute, real, and authentic. It wasn't a perfect relationship the way many relationships are portrayed in books, and I liked that.

Overall, this story was quite good. I enjoyed it. I liked how the ending wasn't a happy or sad ending, but a realistic ending. I really, really liked that. It is very rare for high school relationships to last, but it seemed as though Ezra's relationship with Cassidy opened his eyes a bit and made him realize some things he hadn't before.

  

Waiting on Wednesday #21

Waiting on Wednesday is a Book Hop hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

I got the fantastic idea from Pam & Sherri over at [YA] Escape From Reality to do Waiting on Wednesday just once a month the first Wednesday of the month. The pick will be the book I'm most looking forward to reading that will be released that month.

The book I'm most looking forward to be released this month is:

Allegiant by Veronica Roth

Release Date: October 22, 2013

Okay, I seriously need to calm down. It is finally October 2013. I've been waiting for this ever since Insurgent came out in May 2012. That's 17 months ago!!! That's 17 months too long. I still remember being so disappointed when I found out that there would be a delay in the release due to Veronica needing more time to work on it. I think it will definitely be worth the wait, but I can hardly contain my excitement. I haven't been this excited for a book's release since the last Harry Potter book came out in July 2007. My soul goes a little crazy every time I realize how close it is till October 22!! AH!! CANNOT WAIT!!

Best Book of September 2013

Many thanks to YA Highway for the idea to post the best book that I read each month.  Last year upon deciding to stop participating it Road Trip Wednesday, I decided that I still wanted to post the best book that I read each month.

Please note: The best book of the month will not be a book that I re-read. Those books are already my favorites, so they will not be in the running for the best book of the month. All books considered will be books I have read for the first time.

Best Book of September 2013

Unearthly was the best book that I read in September 2013. It was a great book. It was fantastically written, well plotted, and the romance was amazing. I loved all the plot twists, especially those involving the romance. It was totally unexpected. I could actually go on complete rants about the romance in this series. The entire series was great, but Unearthly was my favorite. I really want to re-read it now! I probably will some day. 

First Lines: September 2013

First lines of books have always fascinated me ever since Maggie Stiefvater (author of The Raven Boys, The Scorpio Races, & The Wolves of Mercy Falls) posted awhile ago about their importance (I'll have to find that blog post or whatever it was). They are very crucial. They are essentially the first thing that a reader reads and is meant to draw the reader in.

Zabet from Reading Between Classes posts on a monthly basis the first lines of the books that she read that month. I decided to do the same thing because as I said, first lines have always fascinated me. This is also a unique way to keep track of the books I have read each month.

Insurgent by Veronica Roth-I wake with his name in my mouth.

The Transfer by Veronica Roth--I emerge from the simulation with a yell.

Infinite by Jodi Meadows-My death would not be another beginning.

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand-In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees.

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand-In the dream, there's sorrow.

Boundless-The first thing I'm aware of is the dark.

The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider-Sometimes I think that everyone has a tradegy waiting for them, that the people buying milk in their pajamas or picking their noses at stoplights could be only moments away from disaster.

What books did you read in September?

Cover Reveal: The One

The cover of The One, the final book in The Selection Trilogy by Kiera Cass has been revealed!!!!

Release Date: May 6, 2014

I'm seriously flipping out right now! It's so pretty!! Love it!! Seeing this cover is like making it official or something. I'm so excited for this book. This is one of my favorite series & I cannot wait to read it!!! I seriously need to preorder this like right now!! May 2014 will be a good month!!

Book Review: Boundless

Boundless

"The past few years have held more surprises than part-angel Clara Gardner could ever have anticipated. Yet from the dizzying highs of first love, to the agonizing low of losing someone close to her, the one thing she can no longer deny is that she was never meant to live a normal life.

Since discovering the special role she plays among the other angel-bloods, Clara has been determined to protect Tucker Avery from the evil that follows her . . . even if it means breaking both their hearts. Leaving town seems like the best option, so she’s headed back to California - and so is Christian Prescott, the irresistible boy from the vision that started her on this journey in the first place.

As Clara makes her way in a world that is frighteningly new, she discovers that the fallen angel who attacked her is watching her every move. And he’s not the only one. . . . With the battle against the Black Wings looming, Clara knows she must finally fulfill her destiny. But it won’t come without sacrifices and betrayal.

In the riveting finale of the Unearthly series, Clara must decide her fate once and for all."

Author: Cynthia Hand

Year of Release: 2013

Publisher: HarperTeen

Genre: Paranormal

Sequel(s): none 

Prequel(s): Unearthly, Hallowed & a novella called Radiant

Book Version: Hardback

Where did you get the book?: Library

Rating: 4 of 5 Stars

Warning: There are major spoilers in this review

Review: Boundless was a very good ending to this trilogy. Like the other two books, it kept me on the edge of my seat wanting to find out what's going to happen next, and of course, to see who Clara ends up with. Cynthia Hand is an incredible writer. She is descriptive without going over board and she has such an amazing talent of being able to make the reader feels what the characters feel. Books that make me feel the same emotions as the characters are always the best.

I was expecting not to enjoy this book due to the knowledge that there would be a lack of Tucker, and at first, I will not lie, I was annoyed and aggravated by the lack of him. I never like it when one of the love interests has a smaller role or is not in the book at all. I can think of several other books in series that are like this. However, after reading Boundless, I understand why there had to be a lack of Tucker. When I read Hallowed I was beyond upset that he and Clara broke up because of Clara's purpose among other things. I felt as though she didn't love him even though she kept claiming that she did. When reading Boundless, I realized that she never stopped loving him; she was just pushing him away in order to protect him. It was really heartbreaking that they had to breakup, but I understand why.

I was genuinely surprised and happy when Clara accidentally teleported to Tucker's barn the first time she tried without her dad, but was quickly dismayed by the way Tucker was treating her (which was understandable, of course, but still upsetting). I liked how she kept ending up there every time she tried to transport somewhere. It was pretty hilarious, but I never quite understood why until the end. I also found it odd that Tucker just so happened to be there every time she transported there. How unlikely is that? I mean, each time she teleported there, he could have been doing plenty of other things, but he was always nearby. Each time, it became more and more obvious that Clara still had feelings for him, and by the third time, I knew without a doubt that she would end up with him.

Once I arrived at that conclusion, I started to enjoy the novel more. I liked the other storylines with Angela, Jeff, Sam, and Christian as well. It was very addicting. They all tied together really well. As I said previously, I do like Christian. He seemed like a great guy: very sweet, protective, and loyal. He's just not the person for Clara, in my opinion. To me, he always seemed like a brother figure to her, not a love interest. I will not lie, I really, really liked the part when the two of them went out together and when he tried to kiss her, she pictured Tucker. That was downright hilarious. 

The climax of this novel was so much better and much more terrifying than the small little fight that Clara had with Sam in Hallowed. Normally during intense scenes, my stomach doesn't start to hurt with anxiety, but it did this time around when Tucker's life was in jeopardy. I was reading at a much faster pace and ended up crying (which I rarely ever do). I was so upset and angry. Things worked out, and I couldn't have been happier. I absolutely loved how the epilogue was just an extended version of Clara's daydream that she had of Tucker in Hallowed. Now, I'm starting to think that her daydream was a one time vision. 

Overall, this was a great end to this trilogy. I was quite satisfied with the ending, but I want more. I was left with several unanswered questions that I'm dying to know the answer to. Knowing how it ends now, I have a deep desire to reread the first book which I probably will do within the next year or two. I would also probably enjoy Hallowed and Boundless even more a second time.

Waiting on Wednesday #20

Waiting on Wednesday is a Book Hop hosted by Breaking the Spinethat spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pick is:

Alienated by Melissa Landers 

"Interplanetary relations have never been more exciting! The first in a funny, romantic YA sci-fi series.

Two years ago, the aliens made contact. Now Cara Sweeney is going to be sharing a bathroom with one of them. 

Handpicked to host the first-ever L’eihr exchange student, Cara thinks her future is set. Not only does she get a free ride to her dream college, she’ll have inside information about the mysterious L’eihrs that every journalist would kill for. Cara’s blog following is about to skyrocket.

Still, Cara isn’t sure what to think when she meets Aelyx. Humans and L’eihrs have nearly identical DNA, but cold, infuriatingly brilliant Aelyx couldn’t seem more alien. She’s certain about one thing, though: no human boy is this good-looking.

But when Cara's classmates get swept up by anti-L'eihr paranoia, Midtown High School suddenly isn't safe anymore. Threatening notes appear in Cara's locker, and a police officer has to escort her and Aelyx to class. 

Cara finds support in the last person she expected. She realizes that Aelyx isn’t just her only friend; she's fallen hard for him. But Aelyx has been hiding the truth about the purpose of his exchange, and its potentially deadly consequences. Soon Cara will be in for the fight of her life—not just for herself and the boy she loves, but for the future of her planet."

Release Date: February 4, 2014

I'm a huge fan of romance & I think this book sounds fantastic! I cannot wait to read it in February!!

Top Ten Tuesday #19

Top 10 Tuesday is a blog hop hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. They post a Top 10 topic & other blogs participate & link their blog post to their website. It is a way to get to know your follow bloggers & get more traffic on your own blog! If you have a book blog, you can definitely participate! If not, you can still post your answers below in the comments!

Top Ten Best Sequels

As always, this list isn't in any order, and my list consists of books that aren't the last book in the series (except for the one Duology that I included)

1. Insurgent by Veronica Roth

2. Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick

3. The Elite by Kiera Cass

4. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

5. A Million Suns by Beth Revis

6. Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

7. Outside In by Maria Snyder 

8. City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

9. Phoenix by Elizabeth Richards

10. Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

Book Review: Hallowed

Hallowed

"For months Clara Gardner trained to face the fire from her visions, but she wasn't prepared for the choice she had to make that day. And in the aftermath, she discovered that nothing about being part angel is as straightforward as she thought.

Now, torn between her love for Tucker and her complicated feelings about the roles she and Christian seem destined to play in a world that is both dangerous and beautiful, Clara struggles with a shocking revelation: Someone she loves will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.

In this compelling sequel to Unearthly, Cynthia Hand captures the joy of first love, the anguish of loss, and the confusion of becoming who you are."

Author: Cynthia Hand

Year of Release: 2012

Publisher: HarperTeen

Genre: Paranormal

Sequel(s): Boundless & a novella called Radiant

Prequel(s): Unearthly

Book Version: Hardback

Where did you get the book?: Library

Rating: 4 of 5 Stars

Warning: There are major spoilers in this review

Review: Hallowed was a good, satisfying sequel, but I must admit that Unearthly had certain things in it that Hallowed didn't thus the reason why I am lowering my rating of it, as well as because things in this book did not turn out the way I wanted them to. 

While reading this book, I felt many different emotions: happiness, sadness, anger, and confusion. During one part, I'm bursting with joy and the next thing I know, I am on the verge of tears. In other words, this book made me feel all the feels.  That is definitely one thing that makes a great novel.

People say that girls shouldn't rely on guys in order to be happy, and I agree, it should be that way in real life. The same should be said when it comes to fictional characters as well. But my love of Tucker controlled my emotions throughout this novel. I couldn't help it and it started to bother me. I felt like a girl with a huge crush on someone and whenever Tucker wasn't in a scene, I felt like I was just reading through it to get to a part with him in it. However, there were many parts of it that didn't have him in it that I did enjoy. 

I thought the romance in Unearthly was better done or maybe I am just biased when I say that because I like Tucker so much. But still, I sometimes find myself enjoying "the buildup" to a relationship better than the relationship itself. By "buildup", I mean "the buildup" to the start of a relationship. Clara had a huge crush on Christian for the first two-thirds of Unearthly and was completely blinded by the fact that Tucker liked her. Tucker started out being a jerk, but only because he liked her. I liked the slow and realistic way in which their relationship blossomed in Unearthly. It happened when she was least expecting it, just as falling in love happens in real life. The fact that she ended up with Tucker when you think she'll end up with Christian was a bit of a surprise, and I liked that a lot. However, Hallowed didn't have that "buildup" because they were already together. Other than a few other scenes, I didn't enjoy reading about their relationship as I thought I would, mainly because it seemed as though Clara didn't love him anymore. She claimed that she loved him and that she chose him over Christian, but the way she described things made it seem as though she didn't. It even felt as though her relationship with Tucker was awkward while her friendship with Christian was more comfortable and at ease. 

I even started freaking out because: a) first I thought Tucker would die (and feeling guilty because I wanted it to be her mom who dies and not Tucker, and then feeling even more guilty when it really does turn out to be Clara's mother who is going to die), and b) thinking that he and Clara won't end up together because of her purpose. I seriously am not used to not getting my way when it comes to love triangles, and I was becoming very, very upset. I was annoyed that I let the romance aspect of this book control how I overall felt about everything that was going on. 

With all of this said though, I do like how Clara has not let any single boy control her happiness and that she doesn't think that her life has ended knowing that she and Tucker can't be together. It breaks my heart, but I'm glad that Clara has come to terms with it even though, like I said, it felt as though Clara didn't even love him as much in the first place.

Even though I am absolutely in love with Tucker, I can't say that I don't like Christian, not at all. I love how even though he feels as though he and Clara are meant to be together, he still respects Clara's decision to be with Tucker. He seems like a great guy and if Tucker weren't in the picture, I'd totally be in love with him. However Christian was a hypocrite because he said that he wasn't the type of guy to hit on another guy's girlfriend and then a few chapters later, he's kissing Clara when she's still with Tucker. That made me want to slap both him and Clara.

The story itself was quite good and was very well written and plotted out. It was very addicting and was hard to put down. There were a few things that I guessed accurately, but there were several parts that I never would have been able to predict and I loved that. I always enjoy reading books with unexpected twists and turns. It makes me love them so much more. There were also two scenes in this book that I just loved. The first was the scene at the beginning of the book with Tucker and Clara when she went over to his house and she ended up falling asleep in his bed with him. The next morning, Tucker's dad caught them together. It was so awkward and so hilarious. I couldn't stop laughing. The other part was when Tucker and Christian started physically fighting over Clara. It really is a girl's dream to have two attractive and nice guys fighting over her. Clara had even mentioned that she didn't like being in a love triangle and she never found them realistic (I completely agree), but man, oh man, I just loved that scene. 

Overall, I enjoyed this book and thought it was a good sequel, but I did not like it as much as Unearthly. However, I would not classify it as a bad sequel at all.

Book Review: Unearthly

Unearthly

"In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . . .
Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.

Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.

As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?

Unearthly is a moving tale of love and fate, and the struggle between following the rules and following your heart."

Author: Cynthia Hand

Year of Release: 2011

Publisher: HarperTeen

Genre: Fantasy

Sequel(s): Hallowed & Boundless & a novella called Radiant

Book Version: Hardback

Where did you get the book?: Library

Rating: 4.5 of 5 Stars

Warning: There are some spoilers in this review

Review: I was blown away by how good this novel was. It started out pretty well, but it consisted of parts that seemed cliché. The soon ended, and the story quickly turned into something that I really, really enjoyed and couldn't stop reading with the desire of wanting to know what was going to happen next. Cynthia Hand had a way of making an angel story unique. There are plenty of angel novels out there, but this one was different in a good way. It was captivating and really enjoyable.

The plot in this novel was very well done and very well paced. I didn't feel as though it was rushed even though a lot of time went by in only 435 pages. Cynthia Hand had a very good way of handling that. The book also never had a dull moment. I never got bored. Cynthia was able to keep me entertained throughout the entire book. As I mentioned earlier, this book was hard to put down.

As a romance lover, my favorite aspect of this novel was the romance. At first, I was surprised when Clara discovered that Christian, who she is meant to save, already has a girlfriend. I was expecting what most novels have: a love at first sight type of thing. It was strange at first. I had become so accustomed to books where characters fall in love right away that I was actually getting annoyed that it wasn't happening. Then I realized that this story (the love aspect anyway) was realistic. Although people can fall in love within a few weeks of knowing each other, it's much less likely to happen. Clara has a massive crush on Christian, but he already has a girlfriend. Typical if you ask me. I experienced that when I was in high school myself. Their relationship was gradual and natural, the way it would be in real life which I liked.

Enter Tucker Avery. Oh my gosh. I knew he was a potential love interest because of the summary, but by the way the summary describes her relationship with him, I expected him to be a bad type of boy with a sweet side like Patch from Hush, Hush or Jace from The Mortal Instruments. I was entirely wrong. He started out as a total jerk to Clara and I was starting to wonder how this guy was going to become a love interest. She pretty much loathed him and it appeared that he despised her as well. Enter Wendy Avery, Tucker's twin sister who is one of Clara's best friends. I liked the scene between the two of them where Wendy wants to know what's going on with Clara and Tucker and Clara is stunned that Wendy would ever consider such a thing. Wendy mentions that Tucker is only being a jerk to her because he likes her. I hadn't realized that as a possibility considering that no other love interests in books that I have read start out as complete jerks. That was a very unique way for Cynthia to do this, and I liked it. As the novel went on, I started to like Tucker more and more. Clara was falling for Christian, and I found myself falling for Tucker by the little things he did: giving money to Wendy when she was going to go shopping with Clara, taking three girls to prom because none of them had dates, offering Clara a ride home, and of course, willing to take Clara out on a tour of the area when nobody else was around during the summer. I was stunned that he wasn't a jerk at all, but actually a real gentlemen who opened doors for ladies. It was really sweet. I'm still blown away by his relationship with Clara slowly progressed throughout the novel and by the revelations of his character. I never would have expected Clara to fall for him. I just thought he would be the guy who liked her from a distance who eventually told her his feelings, and that she would decline him. I thought he was the underdog. I was, again, inevitably, wrong. (Yay!)

The final chapters of this book were very intense and I enjoyed them a lot. I found myself reading them quickly wanting to find out what happens next. I also found myself in bed still in my night clothes at 12:30 PM still reading. It was that good. What ended up happening was totally unexpected and I have many questions now, but fortunately, I have the last two books already from the library so I will be starting Hallowed very, very soon.

Top Ten Tuesday #18

Top 10 Tuesday is a blog hop hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. They post a Top 10 topic & other blogs participate & link their blog post to their website. It is a way to get to know your follow bloggers & get more traffic on your own blog! If you have a book blog, you can definitely participate! If not, you can still post your answers below in the comments!

Top Ten Books On My Fall 2013 TBR List

1. Allegiant by Veronica Roth

I pre-ordered this book months ago. Seriously, if this book came out right now, I'd stop reading the book I'm reading now & read this. I've been waiting for this book ever since I finished Insurgent in May 2012. So you can imagine how hard the wait has been. Give me! Give me!

2. Champion by Marie Lu

Another book that I cannot wait for. I already have a hold on it at my library. I'm glad I don't have to wait till 2014 for this book.

3. Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs

I love Mermaids. I haven't read any Mermaid fantasy novels before & I'm looking forward to reading this series.

4. Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

I've been meaning to read this series for the longest time!! It's about time that I did!

5. Gone by Michael Grant

Everytime I see one of these books at the library I work at I freak out a little because there are so many of them and they're so massive. I typically read books that are 300-500 pages long, but these books look longer than that! I could be wrong though.

6. The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater

I have a hold on this book at my library. I have enjoyed every book of Maggie's that I have read so I don't think this one will be any different.

7. Wither by Lauren DeStefano

I bought this book over a year ago at half price books and I still haven't read it yet. Now, I think all the books have already been released. That's the best part about forgetting to read a book, the rest of the series will already be available by the time I remember to read it!

8. If I Stay by Gayle Forman

This book is becoming a movie. Normally I like to read books first before I see the movie. That doesn't always happen (many times I don't even know the movie is based off a book until later), but I'm going to try and read this one first before seeing the movie.

9. Ender's Game by  Orson Scott Card

Another book that I want to read before the movie is released. The movie looks fantastic so I'm sure the book is even better!!

10. The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Scheider

Harper Collin's advertisements on Facebook definitely work on me. Their advertisement said that this series is like John Green's The Fault In Our Stars. I LOVED that book, so it caught my attention right away. I read the summary of this book and knew I had to read it. I wouldn't be surprised if this book became just as popular as John Green's books. I have a hold on this book at my library as well.

What's on your list? Let me know!

ARC Book Review: Infinite

Infinite

"DESTRUCTION
The Year of Souls begins with an earthquake—an alarming rumble from deep within the earth—and it’s only the first of greater dangers to come. The Range caldera is preparing to erupt. Ana knows that as Soul Night approaches, everything near Heart will be at risk.

FLIGHT
Ana’s exile is frightening, but it may also be fortuitous, especially if she can convince her friends to flee Heart and Range with her. They’ll go north, seeking answers and allies to stop Janan’s ascension. And with any luck, the newsouls will be safe from harm’s reach.

CHOICE
The oldsouls might have forgotten the choice they made to give themselves limitless lifetimes, but Ana knows the true cost of reincarnation. What she doesn’t know is whether she’ll have the chance to finish this one sweet life with Sam, especially if she returns to Heart to stop Janan once and for all.

With gorgeous romance and thrilling action, the final book in the Incarnate trilogy offers a brilliant conclusion to the compelling questions of this fascinating world, where one new girl is the key to the lives of millions."

Author: Jodi Meadows

Date of Release: January 28, 2014

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Genre: Fantasy

Sequel(s): none

Prequels(s): Incarnate and Asunder

Book Version: ARC hardcopy

Where did you get the book?: Won it in Jodi Meadows's Reviewer Appreciation Giveaway

Rating: 4 of 5 Stars

Review: Infinite was my favorite book of this trilogy. I normally don't read novels that are just fantasy. Most fantasy novels that I have read are urban fantasy, intertwining the real world and a mythological world, so when I read novels like this that take place in a made up world, I'm blown away. Many things in this novel came entirely from Meadows's imagination from the city of Heart to the way dragons communicate. It's amazing. Speaking of dragons, I absolutely loved the mythological creatures in this novel. I found myself wanting to read more about them. They are just so unique and interesting.

As I have said in my reviews of Incarnate and Asunder, this trilogy has a very interesting and unique premise. I greatly enjoyed reading it. There were a few boring parts, but was overall pleased with the conclusion to the series. It kept me reading to see what happens, and answered all my questions that I had after reading Asunder. The ending was a bit ambiguous though. I was left with a few additional questions that were not answered. This might be just me though. I'll have to go back and re-read some the last chapter or so. Overall, when this book comes out in January, I believe that fans will be greatly satisfied with Meadows's last book in the Incarnate Series.