The Friday 56 #4

The Friday 56

This is a weekly meme hosted over at Freda's Voice.

The rules are simple-- grab the book you are currently reading and turn to page 56 (or 56% of your e-reader). Then copy a few sentences and post them.

These are the books we are currently reading and a snippet of page 56.

 Max's

Savage by Alexandra Duncan

"Sweat slicks my palms. The electric light grid above me snaps and clicks.
And then they are calling for me."

 

Tessa's

Luminary by Krista McGee

"His eyes never leave us. He seems suspicious. I suppose I cannot blame him. I am suspicious as well."

 

Cassia's


Hey guys, so I'm still reading The Selection by Kiera Cass, so I'm posting a couple sentences from page 112. Thanks!

"'Let her go!' This was a new voice, young but full of authority. My head half turned, half fell in its direction."

The One by Kiera Cass

Picture courtesy of Goodreads

The One

Author: Kiera Cass
Series: The Selection #3
Release Date: May 6, 2014
Pages: 336
Review by: Tessa

America Singer was just a humble Five who was happy to go through life with her instruments for company. But that was before the Selection.

Now, America is one of four girls left in the competition for to marry Prince Maxon, and to win the crown.

While the tensions inside the castle are heating up, the conditions outside are too. Rebels are a constant threat and the revolution cannot be ignored any longer.

America has made her choice, so all she can do is fight for her love.

Top Ten Tuesday #4: Songs for Books

This is a weekly meme hosted by the girls at The Broke and the Bookish

This week is a freebie week, which means that we get to create our own topic. We decided to do our top ten songs for books. Linked right here is our Spotify playlist with all of the mentioned songs!

Max's

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green is a book just begging for a soundtrack (and also a movie! Is anyone else excited?). My pick for this fantastic book is Sweet Disposition by The Temper Trap. The lyrics are so fitting, and it's also just a wonderful song.

My next pick is for The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. A song I feel represents the book greatly is Sick Little Games by All Time Low, even though it's only really the chorus that applies to the book.

Lastly, my pick for The Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare would be distance by Christina Perri. I think it perfectly describes the relationship struggles between Tessa and Will and is just as utterly heartbreaking as their relationship was. In a good way, though.

Tessa's

My first two picks are both for the same book, Divergent by Veronica Roth. This book is one of my favorites, so I just had to pick two songs, Brave by Sarah Bareilles and The Reckless and the Brave by All Time Low. For me, one of the biggest themes in Divergent is how to face your fears, regardless of who you are.

My next pick is for a less popular book, Angelfall by Susan Ee. The song, Human by Christina Perri, really explains how someone can choose to be limited by what they are. In Angelfall, Penryn is up against an army of angels. She is merely mortal, but she still has the spunk to fight back. She knows she does not stand a chance, but she does not let that stop her.

Cassia's

My first pick is for The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton. I mentioned this book as a book that's about friendship, but it's also about fitting in. Or, rather, not fitting in and feeling like the entire world is against you, lost and forgotten and hurt. My song for this book is 45 by Shinedown. There are two different interpretations of this song, both of which work: (1) it's a metaphor for feeling like the world is out to get you, and (2) it's about suicide. Think what you will.

  

Next up is Graceling by Kristin Cashore. The song I picked for this book is Wanted Dead or Alive by Bon Jovi. Now, Katsa isn't exactly wanted, but she doesn't like her Grace at all, and this makes her feel wanted by part of her country.

My next pick is for The Program by Suzanne Young: Give Me Novacaine/She's a Rebel by Green Day. Sloane and James are desperately trying to fight depression, looking for a way out (Give Me Novacaine). When they both finally crack, Sloane tries to fight the Program and keep her memories (She's a Rebel). This song is very emotionally-charged, and effectively gives both moods of the book.

 

My last pick is for The Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare: Skyfall by Adele. (SIDE NOTE: The Adele version was not on Spotify so instead there's a tribute version, sorry.) Most of the time throughout the series, something around Clary and Jace crumbles, whether it's their true heritage or their world as they know it, but one thing they do know: they will stand together. (Can't wait for City of Heavenly Fire!) Also, part of why I picked all these songs for these books is the sound of the songs, not just the meaning. I mean, think about it. Don't they sound like the books? At least a little? 

Keeping the Moon by Sarah Dessen

Hey everybody! Cassia here! Happy Memorial Day! And to all veterans who might be reading this: Thank you so much for your service from all of us here at Crazy For YA, and we are remembering you and all of those who died serving our country. Also, here's another review for you all.

Keeping the Moon by Sarah Dessen

When Colie goes to live with her aunt for the summer, she expects the worst summer ever. What she doesn't expect is to meet Morgan and Isabel. As Colie spends more time there, she starts to realize things about herself and what she can do. Can she overcome her fear of being judged?

Okay you all know I love Sarah Dessen. But, I just didn't like this book as much. I don't know if it was because it was hard to get through or what, but it wasn't the best of her books. It was well written, yes, but even though Colie's history was interesting, she herself was not. The plot was a little slow, and it seemed...I don't want to say this...stereotypical. Stereotypical books aren't bad, but you need something to make it its own. This book just didn't do that.

Now for the characters. None of them really jumped out at me as great characters. Not that the main characters didn't have good qualities, they just weren't that...interesting. Colie, the protagonist, is likeable, but I mostly felt sorry for her. She was bullied all her life and had it all kept up inside her and never told anybody, not even her mom. In the book, her mom isn't really in the picture. She goes off to tour Europe and leaves Colie behind, but it turns out to be a good thing. I think my favorite character was Isabel. I liked her, but again, she wasn't extremely interesting. I liked Morgan, too, and I also felt sorry for her. Norman...yeah I like him. If there was a guy like him in reality, I would possibly have a crush on him. Not in the book, though. Well, okay, a little bit. :)

Now, don't get me wrong, I love Dessen's writing style. This book was very well written, as all of her books are. I liked it and it was good, but it just wasn't a book that stood out to me.

Dessen shows that even people who live in their past and hurt from it can turn their life around through a world of friendship and music.

Three stars!

Goodbye for now,

Cassia

The Elite by Kiera Cass

Picture courtesy of Goodreads

The Elite

Author: Kiera Cass
Series: The Selection #2
Release Date: April 23, 2013
Pages: 336
Review by: Tessa

Thirty-five lucky girls were chosen to compete for Prince Maxon's heart -- and his crown. The war-torn country is anxiously awaiting a queen who can stop the rebels from destroying the country.

America, the only one in the competition who knows how low life can get, is stuck between her charming soldier and the impeccable prince. Her heart has never been given a choice, so she is scared to make the wrong one.

Now, only six girls are left, and the real fight is about to begin.

The Friday 56 #3

The Friday 56

This is a weekly meme hosted over at Freda's Voice.

The rules are simple-- grab the book you are currently reading and turn to page 56 (or 56% of your e-reader). Then copy a few sentences and post them.

These are the books we are currently reading and a snippet of page 56.

Max's

The Heist Society by Ally Carter

"'No!' Kat said, but what she thought was: They were in Germany?

They did a job in Germany.

They did a job without me."

Tessa's

Anomaly by Krista McGee

"' You are not a hallucination.' I speak softly, not wanting to frighten him. He opens his eyes, looking wide awake. Maybe he was not sleeping after all."

Cassia's

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

"'No chance at all,' Julian repeats. 'And so the sick thing, the growth, had to be excised.'"

Taken by Erin Bowman

Picture courtesy of Goodreads

Taken

Author: Erin Bowman
Series: Taken #1
Release Date: April 16, 2013
Pages: 360
Review by: Tessa

My interested in this book was taken away by the end of the second chapter. Of course, being the stubborn human I am, I continued to read the book in the hope that it would redeem itself, but my frustration was overwhelming and kept me from fully enjoying the unique premise.

Top Ten Tuesdays #3: Books about Friendship

This is a weekly meme hosted by the girls at The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's topic is book friendships, about the wonders of bonding with other humans.

Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins

Rebel Belle

Author: Rachel Hawkins
Series: Rebel Belle #1
Release Date: April 8, 2014
Pages: 352
Review by: Max

Southern belle Harper is prepared for a lot--for every meeting she's required to have as president of every club/organization physically possible, dates with her perfect boyfriend, and most importantly, becoming homecoming queen.

What she's not prepared for is becoming the 'Paladin' guardian to her arch-nemesis David Stark, a job that comes with some crazy and  dangerous responsibilities.

The Friday 56 #2

The Friday 56

This is a weekly meme hosted over at Freda's Voice.

The rules are simple-- grab the book you are currently reading and turn to page 56 (or 56% of your e-reader). Then copy a few sentences and post them.

These are the books we are currently reading and a snippet of page 56.

Max's

The Here and Now by Ann Brashares

" 'I think that's wise, Prenna.' He says that a lot. I used to think he simply meant I was being wise. By now I know he means If we find you talking to that man again, you will be sorry."

Tessa's

The Unbound by Victoria Schwab

"'Yeah,' I say, my voice a little shakier than I'd like, as I cast another glance and the photo.

You and I are not so different."

 







Cassia's

The Selection by Kiera Cass
"Mom screamed by my ear, and May jumped up, sending popcorn everywhere."

Cascade by Lisa Tawn Bergren

Hey everybody! Cassia here! I figured it was time for another review, so here you go! Enjoy!

WARNING: This is the second book in the River of Time series by Lisa Tawn Bergren. I highly suggest that you read the first book, Waterfall, before reading this review. Thank you!

Cascade by Lisa Tawn Bergren

Now that Gabriella knows that she is in love with Marcello Forelli, she must convince her mother and her sister to come and stay in medieval Tuscany. With her mother starting to get used to the time period and Lia liking it more and more, Gabi and Macello fall even more in love with each other as they try to avoid war between Siena and Florence. Now that they are fully reunited, Gabi starts to wonder just what the tunnel is capable of, and if she can stay with Marcello forever…

If you’ve read the review of the first book in this series, Waterfall, you know that I love love love this series. While I didn’t like this book as much as the first, it was still amazing. It was not as fast-paced as Waterfall, but there was a lot more romance, which made me happy. Gabi knows that Marcello holds her heart, and she his. So, that makes it more interesting as far as their relationship goes. You get to really know Marcello, which is really nice. This book focuses more on the politics between Siena and Florence, and even the politics between families (*cough* Rossis *cough*). Lucky for me, Bergren makes these politics easy to understand.

For my thoughts on Bergren’s writing style and stuff like that, you can read my review of Waterfall here.

The characters are mostly the same, with some new additions. Well, one, really. Maybe some minor ones, but only one big one: Lord Rodolfo Greco. (Isn’t his name awesome? I like that name, Rodolfo.) He’s the exact opposite of Marcello: Tall, Dark, and Handsome. Not that Marcello isn’t tall and handsome, it just sounds cool. Rodolfo is dark and mysterious, and Gabi cannot figure him out. *****SPOILER***** Later in the series, he sort of kind of makes it a little bit of a love triangle, adding some drama for Marcello and Gabi. But only a teeny tiny bit. He has good intentions. *****END SPOILER***** I really like him, but I like Marcello better. Rodolfo made some choices that I personally think he shouldn’t have based on his position, but you can’t blame him. Gabi has changed a lot, and it is for the better. She has realized some things about life, and has turned to God to guide her in her new world. (That’s another reason I love these books so much: Christian fiction!!) Marcello has changed a little bit, but it may be one of those occasions in which you just come to know more about the character so it appears that they have changed when they really haven’t, you just see some qualities that were there all along but just became apparent. Frankly, I love when characters change, especially when they change for the better, and Bergren has done it here, and done it well.

Bergren continues Gabi’s story in a thrilling sequel that gives both action and romance to satisfy every reader.

Five stars!

Goodbye for now,

Cassia

Top Ten Tuesdays #2: Books I Almost Put Down but Didn't

This is a weekly meme hosted by the girls at The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's topic is books that we almost gave up on, but eventually finished.

The Friday 56 #1

The Friday 56

This is a weekly meme hosted over at Freda's Voice.

The rules are simple-- grab the book you are currently reading and turn to page 56 (or 56% of your e-reader). Then copy a few sentences and post them.

These are the books we are currently reading and a snippet of page 56.



Max's
A Long, Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan

"I stared at the man. He had a kind face, but seemed a little lost. I wanted to draw it. It seemed familiar. Then I realized they all did."






Tessa's
Taken by Erin Bowman

"I watch as a bead of sweat trickles down her neck and across her collarbone, disappearing beyond the neckline of her shirt. 'If I tell you something, do you promise not to repeat it?' she asks."







Cassia's
Keeping the Moon by Sarah Dessen
  
"She took a deep breath and rattled it off: 'Regular Nachos: beans, chips, cheese, chiles. Deluxe Nachos: all of the above plus chicken or beef, tomato, and olives.'
'Duh,' Norman said loudly.'" 

Shatter Me By Tahereh Mafi

Picture courtesy of Goodreads

Shatter Me

Author: Tahereh Mafi
Series: Shatter Me #1
Publication Date: November 15, 2011
Pages: 338
Review by: Tessa

Juliette has a terrible power. She is powerful and powerless.
Her whole life has been hiding and being hidden from.
The Reestablishment has labeled her a threat.
Now she is forced to hide in an asylum. They say isolation will break the most experienced soldier, so what will it do to an already broken teenager?

I really don't know how I feel about this book.
I saw it in the bargain section of my bookstore. It is one of those books that constantly pops up on my Goodreads suggested reading list, so I thought "Why not?"

Top Ten Tuesdays #1: Covers I'd Frame as Pieces of Art

This is a weekly meme hosted by the girls at The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's topic are book covers that we think would be right at home in a museum next to the Mona Lisa. These are some of our favorite book covers.



Max's Picks

I think the cover of Incarnate by Jodi Meadows (which I reviewed here) is pure gorgeousness.

 Recently, I read Angelfall by Susan Ee, and enjoyed the book immensely along with its pretty cover.

Even though I'm not the biggest fan of Across the Universe by Beth Revis, look at the cover!

I haven't read this one yet, but Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge has a fantastic cover.

Tessa's Picks

Obviously, this has to be my first pick. I loved Clockwork Princess (minus the epilogue) and the cover truly reflects the beauty of the writing.

The One by Kiera Cass definitely has the best cover for the series. Look at that dress! I also love the mirrors in the background.

My last favorite is the cover of Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick. I have never seen such a dramatic cover that matches the drama inside (our review).

Cassia's Picks

My first favorite is the cover of Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr. It's very symbolic of the book, and it is just beautiful.

 

Next is the cover of The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross. The cover is the reason I decided to read it, actually: it's mystifying, and an unknown girl is facing away from you, looking back with evil in her eyes.

 

Last is the cover of  Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey. Her dress is simple but beautiful, and it just looks really cool.

 

 

We would love to hear your number one, or even your top ten, below in the comments. Thanks for reading!
*Pictures courtesy of Goodreads.*

Review | Waterfall by Lisa Tawn Bergren

Waterfall

Author: Lisa Tawn Bergren

Series: River of Time #1

Release Date: February 1, 2011

Pages: 369

Review by: Cassia

Gabriella’s life hasn’t been all that interesting. Except for the fact that, you know, her parents are archeologists. Their home is in Colorado, but they’ve made a second home in Italy, where her parents search for Etruscan tombs during the summer. While her and her sister Lia love Italy and think it’s beautiful, they do not like spending their summers at digs. Their summer is just like any other--boring--until Gabi discovers two handprints in Tomb Two. They match her and her sister’s handprints exactly. When they touch them, they get thrown back in time. In another time period (literally), Gabi is drawn to young Marcello Forelli. He has been promised to another since birth, and she knows she can’t get between them. Yet she can’t stop thinking about him…

I loved this book. Yes, I know, I say that about a lot of books. (I just love books in general, so I naturally like a lot of books, but if I don’t like it, or even one thing about it, you’ll know it.) But...this one has quickly become one of my favorites, for many reasons: (1) it’s historical fiction, (2) it’s set in medieval times, (3) it’s very well-written, and (4) it has a great cast of characters. Oh, and it’s fast-paced.

Max by James Patterson (Maximum Ride series)

Max

Author: James Patterson
Series: Maximum Ride series #5
Release Date: March 16, 2009
Pages: 309
Review by: Max

Warning! This is the FIFTH book in a mostly-great series, so if you haven't read the first four books and are interested in reading the series, I highly recommend you don't read this review and start the series from the beginning! Thanks!

In this installment in the attention-grabbing, thrill-filled Maximum Ride series by James Patterson, the Flock explores the circumstances around a catastrophe involving---you guessed it--millions of fish dying somewhere near Hawaii, relationships strengthen and evolve between two specific characters (insert winks and nudges here), and Max learns some lessons about adults and working with them.

Does it sound like your kind of book yet? Me, neither.