Looking for Guest Reviewers. Also, I found this awesome blog.

(If you're looking for the Spooktacular Blog hop giveaway, keep scrolling down a bit. It's there.)


First:

I haven't been reviewing much lately. I don't really have much of an excuse because honestly, keeping up a stream of strong opinions is kinda tiring. Not that I don't love it, but since I got back from Europe this summer, I've been rereading old books, and reading more random books, and it's been nice (and lazy) to rate it on goodreads and move on to the next one.

So, then I thought, maybe there's some people out there with budding blogs, or not even bloggers, but someone who wants to rave about this really awesome book they read recently (or maybe rant about a crappy book they read recently.) Maybe they'd want me to post their review/thoughts for them, or promote their blog. I'd probably get more of a variety of books, and I'd meet new bookish people.

If you're interested in posting a review here, send me an email, and for now, the months of November and December will be mainly consisting of guest bloggers. Assuming I get any responses...but hey, it's worth a try.


Second:

I just stumbled upon this totally awesome blog. I think it's relatively new because there is no way I could have missed this before. Now, naturally I have to tell everyone I know about it. See, it's called the Recaptains. And they save the world. One book recap at a time.

Here they are, and I added their button to my sidebar. Beware. Spoilers. (duh.)

I recently read the one for Insurgent, since I opened my copy of Allegiant yesterday and had no idea who all the minor characters were. Now I do! And Maggie Stiefvater personally wrote a recap for The Raven Boys, so go over there for the very least to read that one.


Thanks for reading,
Jane

Horde: review

*Warning: possible mild spoilers for the first two books*

See my review of Enclave, and Outpost.

Title: Horde (Razorland #3)
Author: Ann Aguirre
Rating: 5 stars
Release Date: October 29th 2013
Summary: The horde is coming.

Salvation is surrounded, monsters at the gates, and this time, they're not going away. When Deuce, Fade, Stalker and Tegan set out, the odds are against them. But the odds have been stacked against Deuce from the moment she was born. She might not be a Huntress anymore, but she doesn't run. With her knives in hand and her companions at her side, she will not falter, whether fighting for her life or Fade's love.

Ahead, the battle of a lifetime awaits. Freaks are everywhere, attacking settlements, setting up scouts, perimeters, and patrols. There hasn't been a war like this in centuries, and humans have forgotten how to stand and fight. Unless Deuce can lead them.

This time, however, more than the fate of a single enclave or outpost hangs in the balance. This time, Deuce carries the banner for the survival of all humanity.

My Review:

  Wow. I'm a bit stunned. This was better than I could even imagine. I got chills at one point, and teared up at another. It's a long book. Many things happen, trust me. I did not want this book to end.

  To be clear, this is not a zombie book. This is a book about war. A war against something they can't identify at the moment, can't really fathom. But it's certainly not zombies. And I really hope you've figured this out by now in the series. It's something way cooler than zombies. I'll just leave it at that.

  In regards to her relationship with Fade, it reminds me a bit like Wash and Zoe. Deuce is the strong, dominant one, and Fade is actually pretty emotionally compromised for a lot of this book. (Not that Wash is like that, but he isn't as much as a fighter as Zoe. Maybe this comparison just died at my fingertips.) Anyway, it's like, equality in their relationship then. Deuce is all "you can lean on my shoulder all you need, I'm here and not going anywhere. I got your back." I like her security and confidence.

  Also! Once more, Stalker is not a love triangle angle. Aguirre said so herself at the talk I went to. It's more like a love...line between the three of them. I am just so glad he isn't. He's nice and all, I guess, but totally not right for Deuce. Maybe in another universe, I can see that. But not in this storyline. The triangle that appears in the second book only really surfaces out of Deuce's ignorance on her half; she's not aware about how she is acting, and what it means. And I completely accept that as a legit mistake. It makes a good subplot. Okay, rant over now.

  I love all the new things Deuce learns every day. Small things that people have to learn, that didn't occur to me. Things like currency, what a guilty conscience is, basic cultural traditions, new words... and especially one thing that stood out: what a biased opinion is. I think this discovery really changes her world-view. To paraphrase what Deuce says, "I just thought something was true, or not true." That possibility sparks her curiosity about the history of human settlements and what exactly Freaks are, which is an essential part to the story.

  Deuce is a very strong girl. And I don't mean that in the normal kickass way (there's plenty of that!), but she's a strong person inside, too. Aguirre has figured out to make Deuce almost-girly and compassionate, because a true strong female character is strong in spirit as well. As we're seeing that, Deuce is learning that herself, too. It's okay to hug someone; that doesn't make you weak.

  Like I said though, there's plenty of ass that gets kicked. Freaks go down in the hundreds, and with Deuce leading the humans against them, reminding me of River Tam all along, you get really sucked into the war right along side everyone. So watch out, and hold your ground as you finish this fantastic trilogy.

-Jane

Spooktacular Giveaway Hop!

As usual, this annual hop is hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer, and you can find the complete list of participants down below.


For this hop, in the spirit of spookiness, I have a few options. There will be two winners! They can each choose up to two books from the ones listed below. US entries only, guys.

A Spark Unseen by Sharon Cameron is an ARC.
The Dark Unwinding by Sharon Cameron is a hardback from the publisher, read once.
Dead Silence and Desires of the Dead by Kimberly Derting are ARCs, and both signed by her. :):)

I think those books all have an element of creepiness, right? You can't go wrong with a gothic setting and dead people.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Fall of Five: review

Warning, series spoilers ahead!

Title: The Fall of Five (Lorien Legacies #4)
By: Pittacus Lore
Rating: 5 stars
Summary: John Smith—Number Four—thought that things would change once the Garde found each other. They would stop running. They would fight the Mogadorians. And they would win.

But he was wrong. After facing off with the Mogadorian ruler and almost being annihilated, the Garde know they are drastically unprepared and hopelessly outgunned. Now they’re hiding out in Nine’s Chicago penthouse, trying to figure out their next move.

The six of them are powerful, but they’re not strong enough yet to take on an entire army—even with the return of an old ally. To defeat their enemy, the Garde must master their Legacies and learn to work together as a team. More importantly, they’ll have to discover the truth about the Elders and their plan for the Loric survivors.

And when the Garde receive a sign from Number Five—a crop circle in the shape of a Loric symbol—they know they are so close to being reunited. But could it be a trap? Time is running out, and the only thing they know for certain is that they have to get to Five before it’s too late.

Reivew:

   I think these books just keep getting better and better. And after the whirlwind of this one, I can't wait to get my hands on the last book of the series that I'm *hoping* comes out next year. But, you know, a tomorrow-release would be great too. Just sayin.

   The great thing is, that even though there are a lot of POVs switching in here, the different fonts make it a step easier to keep track of, and they're also all in first person. So my normally pet peeve rant about multiple POVs can be excluded from this review.

   I know the author is a pretty seasoned writer (the first book had me cringing more than once), but his writing and storytelling have gotten way better with each book in this series so far. In The Fall of Five, the mention of the "love triangle crap" is even lampshaded. That gets points from me.

   There are a few new characters introduced, Mal, Adam, and Five obviously. First two: good first impressions. Five: bad first impression. And while the character of Five is essential to all the Garde reuniting and saving the world blah blah blah...I never ended up liking him and his sweaty palms all that much. As for the rest of the Garde, Nine is annoying but funny, Marina is pretty neat, and reminds me of a sort of motherly type for the group, and Six is still the most badass.

   My favorite character is still Sam. Sam the human. (Well, Sarah is a human too. And she's a little more tolerable now.) Anyway, I feel I can connect most with him, out of all the characters in this series. Not because I'm like him at all, but I would love to be who he is in the story. The one who reacts positively when being told your best friend is an alien. I mean, who wouldn't think that's totally awesome, right?? You need help saving the world? I don't mind being the nerdy sidekick! Maybe I can help the planetary relations once this is all over. All in all, he is a Goode character, and I really hope he doesn't die.

Jane


You can see my review of the previous book, The Rise of Nine, here.

Books for trade/sale

Okay! Since my trade shelf is bursting, and I need more room, I'd like to direct you to my up-for-trade list. Most of these books are ARCs and in great condition. I have them all posted on the YA Book Exchange, and so here are the Books I Have For Trade and make sure to scroll through all the pages... (My wishlist is posted with the book.)

If you're looking to trade, just email me and we can figure something out! I know the obvious solution to deplete my extra books is to hold a giveaway, but don't worry, I do have a few of those lined up.

(And if you're just really wanting a book, I might be willing to just send it to you if you pay shipping...just let me know.)

So anyway, that is all. Happy reading!