My Momentous Month

This is a monthly meme hosted by the Downright Dystopian blog and I decided to participate because I think it's a bit different from your regular Wrap-Up and TBR - so let's see if you like it as much as I do!


Books Read in November 2012
Beastly by Aley Flinn
Crossed by Ally Condie
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

This doesn't look like a lot, I know, but I've actually also read four German books - only one of them was by a German author, though, so here are the US versions of the books I read in German (...uh...sorry if I'm confusing you :))

Going Bovine by Libba Bray
Starters by Lissa Price
Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass

Reviews Posted in November 2012
Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
Hide and Seek by Sara Shepard
Defiance by C.J Redwine
Eve by Anna Carey
The Casual Vacancy by J.K Rowling
Enclave by Ann Aguire
Heartless by Sara Shepard

To Be Read for December  2012
This month, I'm going to try to finish my Goodreads challenge (14 more books to go) so I'm going to be pretty spontaneous about the books I choose. Anyway, these are very likely to be on my list this month:

Finish Miles to Go by Miley Cyrus (I know. I know. Don't. Judge. Me.)
Finish Dear Bully (anthology)
Finish Beautiful Redemption (I'm on it right now)
Let It Snow by John Green, Lauren Myracle and Maureen Johnson (German)
Dash and Lily's Book of Dares
Reached by Ally Condie

Favorite Book of the Month
That's tough this month...it's between Crossed and Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life. But I think I'll pick Jeremy Fink - that book impressed me quite a LOT!!!

Favorites in Each Genre
Dystopian Crossed by Ally Condie
Paranormal Romance Beastly by Alex Flinn
Contemporary Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life
Steampunk N/A
Historical Fiction I have read Code Name Verity but...I wasn't obsessed with it...so none...
Fantasy N/A

Favorite Cover of the Month



The girl with the flower is super pretty and then there are the planes and the fire and the shades of grey...really love it!

Favorite Characters of the Month
Hehe, Jeremy and Lizzy from the Wendy Mass book. They are the coolest tweens I've ever read about, both totally unique, smart, witty and they had great chemistry!

Favorite Setting/World of the Month
I'd say the one from Under the Never Sky. Not really because of the surroundings but because of the cool technology like the Smarteyes and the Realms..that was pretty darn cool! :D

MINI Review: Heartless (Pretty Little Liars) by Sara Shepard

The Story:

Hanna, Aria, Emily, and Spencer have been telling some outrageous tales; only, the proof always seems to go missing. The friends insist they’re telling the truth, but all of Rosewood thinks they’re just out for attention—and nobody likes a girl who cries wolf. So when the big bad killer comes after them, will anyone believe the girls. . . or will they be the next to disappear?

The Deets:

Release Date: January 19th, 2010

Pages: 274

Series? #7

The Review:

As every other book in the series, this one was quite entertaining, you never really expect things to happen how they happen. Then again, I feel like they get more unrealistic as the series continues. It's just that those ridiculous things happen and no one believes the four girls anymore and actually their lives are ruined anyway and...yeah, it does get a bit repetitive. But then again it's such a quick read that I don't even mind. It's great to get your mind off things or for a break between two huge epic reads :)

Another milestone...

...that makes me so happy!!
You guys....you don't even understand - I got up this morning, tired and confused and not wanting to leave my warm bed for anything at all- and then I crouched down in front of my laptop, I shoved the first spoonful of oatmeal into my mouth, chewed (fast forward, my chewing process takes a while...) and BAM! There it was! Two hundred and ONE followers! Oh my...I was SO excited! I should maybe add that lately I haven't been watching my follower count - I was happy when I got my posts typed and uploaded on time and when I found a minute or two to comment on other people's blogs - so that when I saw that number (over 200!!!) it really surprised me and I really basically jumped up and down this whole day long and trust me - if it weren't for you guys out there - who knows if I had survived those two periods of Maths today???
Whatever, I just wanted to say:

THANK YOU! You mean so much to me...I can't even think of how this blog, you followers have helped me through a lot of stuff that's been going on but also where I would be as a reader...

I'm happy :D That's just what I wanted to let you know today. I hope your day is as great as mine was!

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Most Anticipated Books For 2013

I can't wait for some series to continue...




Some of my favorite authors wrote new books...


These sound amazing, too:

Motivaional Monday

MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE:

“So many books, so little time.” 

― Frank Zappa

MOTIVATIONAL GOAL:

Collect a huge list of christmassy book titles!

MOTIVATIONAL MOVE:

Bake cookies, guys :D Christmas is coming!!!

NEW BOOKS THIS WEEK:



So, what are your goals for this week? What do you do to get into the Christmas vibe? And which new releases are you looking forward to?

Words of the Week

MY LIFE:

Exams - I'm almost through with the second round, the worst ones are definitely over and I'm looking forward to a peaceful December with...
Christmas music - and lots of it! I really want to get into the mood this year! So...do you have any recommendations for great titles or radio stations?
Cookies - plates of them :D Now that it seems like I've got a bit of time on my hands, I'll bake cookies like there's no tomorrow - who's with me?
Books - nothing beats a few wonderful Christmas stories for those cold December nights when you're wrapped up in your blanket with a cup of hot tea or chocolate :) Again - suggestions for great Christmas stories?

MY BOOKS:

I have only read one English book this week - Under The Never Sky by Veronika Rossi - and I'm only about fifty pages into that one. Anyway, it's pretty good so far :)
I also just finished Starters by Lissa Price - but the German translation of it. Why, you ask? Well...for one my library only has German books (duh!) and then...
I finally started my new blog!!! The German one! This may not be as interesting for any of you because - of course - it's in German but if you do speak German and are interested in the books I review over there, you might want to check it out :)

So...that's everything this week! No books for me, I got my fair share with last week's haul :D

Review: Enclave by Ann Aguire

Goodreads Summary:
In Deuce’s world, people earn the right to a name only if they survive their first fifteen years. By that point, each unnamed ‘brat’ has trained into one of three groups–Breeders, Builders, or Hunters, identifiable by the number of scars they bear on their arms. Deuce has wanted to be a Huntress for as long as she can remember.
As a Huntress, her purpose is clear—to brave the dangerous tunnels outside the enclave and bring back meat to feed the group while evading ferocious monsters known as Freaks. She’s worked toward this goal her whole life, and nothing’s going to stop her, not even a beautiful, brooding Hunter named Fade. When the mysterious boy becomes her partner, Deuce’s troubles are just beginning.
Down below, deviation from the rules is punished swiftly and harshly, and Fade doesn’t like following orders. At first Deuce thinks he’s crazy, but as death stalks their sanctuary, and it becomes clear the elders don’t always know best, Deuce wonders if Fade might be telling the truth. Her partner confuses her; she’s never known a boy like him before, as prone to touching her gently as using his knives with feral grace.
As Deuce’s perception shifts, so does the balance in the constant battle for survival. The mindless Freaks, once considered a threat only due to their sheer numbers, show signs of cunning and strategy… but the elders refuse to heed any warnings. Despite imminent disaster, the enclave puts their faith in strictures and sacrifice instead. No matter how she tries, Deuce cannot stem the dark tide that carries her far from the only world she’s ever known.


LONG STORY SHORT:

This was such a blah book. And pretty disappointing, because it was my first zombie novel and I expected to get excited. But actually...Enclave just told the story of two people wandering around in an apocalyptic setting. Yippieh! I mean, the characters were quite likable and the romance was really great in the first half of the book, but the actual plot - in my opinion - failed big time. The book is pretty short, though, so that I didn't mind too much.

REVIEW:

Actually, I got what I thought I'd get. There were zombies and they were so disgusting at times I had shivers running down my spine. And there was a somewhat likable heroine and a nice guy. But the action, people? None! Nothing! As far as I could see .... okay, that's not exactly correct, either. The fighting scenes in this novel were quite long and frequent. But it was always about boring, old survival. There was no fighting for a better world or rising up against the evil...no it was just humans against zombies and again zombies against humans...

The plot felt kind of glued together for me. Like a quilt, in a way. The book just followed this one girl through an episode of her life and then things happen and then it's the end. Okay, maybe I should make myself a bit more understandable: This book wasn't going anywhere. There was no beginning leading up to an end, no strings pulled together, no secrets revealed. That's what bothered me a LOT.

Enclave wasn't all bad, though. As I said before I really liked the main character and her love interest. At first, they had chemistry and I found myself routing for them and hoping for them to end up together. Well...there is one point in the book that I won't mention here because I'd spoil it for you - when my attitude towards them changed. The couple, I mean. It was that last little thing - another random element thrown in - that ruined the book for me at last.

So all in all, this review somehow sucks. I don't even know why. I know what I didn't like about Enclave but I can't find the words for it. The plot was annoying and pretty much nonexistent. The characters didn't help much. There you have it. My last attempt.

RATING: 1/3 Smarties

Review: The Casual Vacancy by JK Rowling

Goodreads Summary:
Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war.
Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils...Pagford is not what it first seems.
And the empty seat left by Barry on the parish council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity and unexpected revelations?






Release Date: September 27, 2012
Pages: 503 (Hardcover)
Series: no
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

LONG STORY SHORT:
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I enjoyed it as much as you can enjoy a book out of a genre you don't typically like and aimed towards an age group you don't feel mature enough for. The author's work? Excellent, in my opinion. But I won't give a book three Smarties when I actually know that I enjoyed other 3 Smartie books way more. This was certainly interesting, it met my expectations and did not at all disappoint. But I'm not obsessed with the story, either.

REVIEW:

I thought I'd make a big spectacle over the new Rowling book. I mean, I started reading it the day it came, even thought of pulling an all - nighter to make it more special or at least post this review with a bunch of special features. The reason I decided to treat this book like any other book was because it felt like any other book to me as I read it. A good novel for adults, I'm glad I read it and here's why:

Rowling's writing style was, is and will always be fantastic. I just like discovering the hidden humor behind the words and between the lines. I like that she makes me laugh out loud or grin sullenly. The Casual Vacancy is a chunk of a book, but I never felt like taking a break or reading something different. I was never fed up with the story because Rowling lulled me into that world so fast - and then I started confusing it with my own. It all just felt so real and alive and I seemed to know the characters like I know my oldest friends. Sound familiar? Hehe...

The actual plot and idea of the book surprised me but I think they were very well done, too. Rowling told like....ten (or probably more) different stories that all intertwined in a way and she still found the right words for every one of them. The issues in TCV were quite heavy...and the ending was quite disturbing, but then again it's pretty close to the real world (I would say).

The only factor that makes me give this book two and not three Smarties is that after all there are books I enjoyed more. There's a reason I don't read adult books unless I'm forced to and there's also a reason for people calling The Casual Vacancy an adult book. Let's just say although the author did everything right it was just not my cup of tea.

RATING: 2/3 Smarties

Waiting on Wednesday

When sheltered American good girl Allyson "LuLu" Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth Night in England, there’s an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left. Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines.

I was a huge fan of If I Stay. And no, I haven't read Where She Went yet...shame on me! But I can't wait for this one to come out!

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Books/Authors I'm Thankful For



JK Rowling, Meg Cabot and Sarah Dessen for keeping me sane throughout those terrifying teen years!



My childhood favorites that made me love reading so much :)



My favorite series because meeting the characters again always makes me sooo happy!

Motivational Monday

MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE:

“If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.”

MOTIVATIONAL MOVE:
Honestly? I'm so stressed out right now (it's school again...), I crave (and I recommend it to every one of you) a hot shower and a face mask and new hand cream and all that beauty stuff to really forget about all the craziness .... at least for a moment.

MOTIVATIONAL GOAL:
I really want to get into the christmas vibe this year, so this week I'm going to start "planning" for it. I'm going to look for christmas books I want to (re)read in december and make a goal list i.e. to make sure to bake cookies this year and to buy a cd with christmas songs :)

This weeks new books:



Not many this week - and I'm not exactly excited about either of them...I might read Elemental one day, but actually probably not - can you guys recommend one of these?

Words of the Week

MY LIFE:

I'll admit it - there was not a lot going on in my life this past week. BUT...there was a giant bookhaul :D So that's what I'm going to dedicate this post to:



I finally got the VA box set - I've been waiting to by it forever and now I can finally dig into this world again :D



I can't WAIT to find out what's up with Ethan - oh my!



Still haven't read Graceling...but...you know...



I heard nothing but good things about this series!



I know I shouldn't uy paranormal romance books (because, you know, I usually hate them after the first two pages) but everyone seems to love this one!




Because I can never get enough contemporary books...



Again, as far as I know this is considered a must-read for every YA fan :D


Soo...that's it for this week (and the following ones, I guess). Have you guys read any of these? If so, how did you like them?

I hope you have a great Sunday,
the Booksmartie

Review: Eve by Anna Carey

Goodreads Summary:
The year is 2032, sixteen years after a deadly virus—and the vaccine intended to protect against it—wiped out most of the earth’s population. The night before eighteen-year-old Eve’s graduation from her all-girls school she discovers what really happens to new graduates, and the horrifying fate that awaits her.

Fleeing the only home she’s ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust...and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life




Release Date: October 4, 2011
Pages: 336
Series? #1
Publisher: Harper Teen

Other books in the series:




LONG STORY SHORT:
Eve is a super quick dystopian read that you should pick up whenever you want something light but aren't in the mood for contemporary of that obviously light kind. Whenever you want a good story to keep you entertained but not one that you need to do three hours of research for until you even understand the plot. I think everyone but hardcore dystopian fans will enjoy this book.

REVIEW:
I wasn't really in the mood for Eve. I'd heard so many people saying it was just average and you wouldn't really miss out if you didn't read it so in my head there was a big fat BLAH.

I think it was the boarding school that got me in the end. I can't help it. I',m  a sucker for boarding schools. And even though Eve is about to finish school at the beginning of this book, I always need something to get me through the first few pages and the boarding school effect definitely did that for me. After those few pages I didn't need anything to keep reading. There was a lot happening in the beginning and I kept turning the pages like crazy. I think the mix of an easy, flowing writing style and the bunch of action that takes place in Eve make the story so addicting.
I mean there was definitely something missing. Like background information. Or civilisation. Honestly, we pretty much spend the whole book wandering around in the middle of nowhere which usually bores me to death.
I recently heard someone saying Eve changed her mind too quickly and I will agree with that. It was like one moment she lived in that world of hers where she believed everything the teachers said and the next she ran away from them convinced they were evil. Kind of unrealistic.
Apart from that, though, I just liked the novel. The romance is cute - no one can argue with that. For a second there was a semi love triangle which was the most annoying and unnecessary thing I've read about in a while but thank God it didn't last long and I could forget about it pretty fast.
The ending of Eve was only weird in retrospect. It's the kind of cliffhanger that doesn't keep you on the edge of your seat (and annoyed) but simply an outlook on how the next book will continue.
In some ways Eve was like a sequel - the plot seemed to build up to something that didn't happen in the first book, there was no grand finale but the many action-packed scenes that made my heart beat faster and ended quite emotionally sometimes made up for that.

All in all, you should not expect an epic dystopian novel with Eve, you should be ready to read a book that is really entertaining if you close one or two eyes at some points.

RATING:
2/3 Smarties