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