Top Ten Tuesday: Any Topic

The folks at The Broke and the Bookish are quite fond of lists, so this meme was made.
June 5: Top Ten Tuesday Rewind (Pick any past topic you want!)
oooh, okay. Any topic I want, huh? Mhmmh

Okay, got it.

Book Review: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Title: Shatter Me
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Series: Shatter Me #1
Links: Website | Twitter | Tumblr | Facebook
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Publication Date: November 15th 2011
Format: Hardback
Pages: 252
Summary from Goodreads;
Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days.
The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color. 
The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war-- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now.
Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.
Rating:
*** 3.99 what? It was a great read .. just one little thing..
Thoughts:
Okay, cover.. meh. I don't think too much of it really. Didn't care for it but didn't hate it. I really like the background and the pose the girl holds though. The title looks amazing! 
The characters in Shatter Me all had their own personalities. Every single one of them and I really liked that. Juliette was a really strong yet stubborn character once you think about it. She's been through a lot and the book really does a great job at explaining the events she's gone through. You really get to feel for her and root for her after you understand her. Adam was so sweet and understanding yet strong at the same time. The villain in this novel was both evil and not.. thinking about it, he's been through a lot too and truly only wanted someone to understand him but didn't know how to express it resulting in really bad decisions but I really wish I get to understand him in the next book. Kenji was a hilarious character, no joke. I laughed so much reading his sarcastic replies and attitude.
The romance was brilliant! It was so swoon worthy and cute. Adam. *sigh* I really liked the little twist when Adam and Juliette first met and how she saw and remembered him. I found it absolutely intriguing how they had a background already and immensely enjoyed how they didn't fall in love at first sight.
The plot, I'm afraid, didn't pick up until a fourth into the book. For me, at least. There are little scenes along the way that make up for it though. Then starting from the middle the plot takes a turn and bam! Action and suspense everywhere! I wished I'd gotten to know more about the past and the Reestablishment though.
The writing was interesting. It's very descriptive yet not. There's lots of literary devices which added a really great touch to the story. For those who don't know what those are.. it's metaphors, symbols, personification, etc. I loathe the ending, really. It was a cliffhanger.. and the next book comes out in 2013. 2013! There is a novella coming out though. Hopefully it makes up for the wait.
I recommend this to anyone looking for a suspense filled novel with a paranormal twist and great characters.
First sentence: 

"I've been locked up for 264 days."

Book Trailer: I adore how the words break into little pieces! Brilliant!

“Hope is hugging me, holding me in its arms, wiping away my tears and telling me that today and tomorrow and two days from now I will be just fine and I'm so delirious I actually dare to believe it.”
― Tahereh Mafi, Shatter Me

Book Review: Flirting in Italian by Lauren Henderson

Title: Flirting in Italian
Author: Lauren Henderson
Links: Website
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Release Date: June 12, 2012
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher via Netgalley
Add it: Goodreads | Shelfari
Buy it: Barnes & Noble | Amazon
Summary from Goodreads;
Four girls. One magical, and possibly dangerous Italian summer. Family mysteries, ancient castles, long hot nights of dancing under the stars . . . and, of course, plenty of gorgeous Italian boys!
Rating:
*** 3.5 enjoyable but lacked a few things.
Thoughts:
I really like the cover for this book, such bright colors. After reading Anna and the French Kiss, I've found I really enjoy reading contemporary books set in foreign countries, well foreign to me and the character of course. So, starting from the first page I was expecting to love this book or at least really enjoy it. Unfortunately, the book didn't quite reach my standards, although I really enjoyed the first half.
The characters in Flirting in Italian were enjoyable to read about. The main character was very interesting to follow, she had a love for art which I found intriguing considering not many of today's YA female characters are interested by that. The writer wrote her point of view in a way where you can feel as though you were the one whom has an interesting in art. Now, the main love interest. He was really something, saying one thing one moment and another the next. He was really mysterious and I would've liked him more if I'd gotten to know more about him but for now he was ok. I wish I'd gotten to know the other characters more throughout the story. The girls were really amusing to read about though, because of their personalities.
I had a hard time understanding the plot and genre considering it kept alternating. At one moment the main character was trying to figure out why the portrait of the girl in the museum looked like her and the next, she was thinking about the guy she meets. I really enjoyed the setting of this book though. Italy, I can't say I've read many, if any books set there and I really found myself emerged in how gorgeous it felt and sounded. The writing was descriptive and had a consistent pace.
The romance was rather interesting, but not really for me. It was cute but at the same time it felt sort of childish how they avoided each other and didn't know what to do or say. The ending was...

Yes, exactly as the GIF indicates.. I did not expect it and left me completely shocked and sitting there holding my nook and thinking "what just happened?" 
I recommend this to anyone looking for a cute, fast read set in a gorgeous setting and w/ lots of dancing and foreign guys. It's a really great contemporary read, don't get me wrong. It just wasn't my favorite.
First sentence: quoted from arc, may change.

"The picture in front of me is like a magnet, drawing me closer and closer, till my shoulder is nearly brushing against its antique gold carved frame."

Follow Friday: Matchmaker ;D

Rules

To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:
(Required) Follow the Follow the Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee & Alison Can Read}
(Required) Follow the Featured Bloggers
Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say “hi” in your comments and that they are now following you.
If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn’t have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followed
Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don’t just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don’t say “HI”
If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love…and the followers.
Q: You are a matchmaker -- your goal, hook up two characters from two of your favorite books. Who would it be? How do you think it would go?

 I really need to think about this one. . .okay, okay, got it! What if the lovely Tris from Divergent meets Ash from The Iron fey series?

okay, okay. So I'm really bad at pairing characters and stuff like that as it results in people staring at me like this;

So, yeah.. what's your pairing? \(.__.)/

Book Review: Pushing The Limits by Katie McGarry

Title: Pushing the Limits
Author: Katie McGarry
Links: Website | Blog | Twitter
Publisher: Harlequin
Release date: July 31st 2012
Add it: Goodreads | Shelfari
Buy it: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Summary from Goodreads;
So wrong for each other...and yet so right.
No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal. But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.  Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

"Pushing The Limits is a heart wrenching novel that will leave readers aching for the characters and flipping through the pages to find out more."

Rating:
( 4 ) **** enjoyable read.
Review:
I am in love with this cover, seriously. It's so cute and the shadows make it even more mysterious. The title fits the story so well considering the characters are exploring unknown feelings and such.
Pushing The Limits was definitely a shocking, emotional roller coaster ride and I loved every second of it! I couldn't put this book down! This is a very deep and emotional read but it wasn't heavy. I was flipping through the pages trying to figure out more about what was going to happen and wondering ;

I really enjoyed reading about the characters in Pushing The Limits. They weren't perfect at all but that just made them more enjoyable to read about. They had their own flaws which is what made them their own person. Noah was a tad possessive at times and he messed up a couple of times, but his intentions were good. There was character development due to all the things and events the characters endured.
The romance was so cute! Katie had managed to achieve something not many writers have done, made the romance cute and realistic. They were brought together by their problems and differences and stayed together because of how similar they were. The writing makes you feel what the character feels through every page of the book. The changing of point of views on every chapter helps to understand what's going through the mind of the main characters which is really helpful.
The ending is somewhat an open ending which was both frustrating and lovely. Frustrating because .. I needed an ending that would help me gather my feelings and lovely because, well, I could insert my own ending which is always good :D
 Other Cover;

Paperback

Quote:

*Quoted from ARC, may change.

"They laughed but they never asked. My entire world collapsed around me as I answered.."

ARC Book Review: Lies Beneath by Anne Greenwood Brown

Title: Lies Beneath
Author: Anne Greenwood Brown
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Expected Publication Date: June 12, 2012

Author Links: Website | Twitter
Source: Arc/ Netgalley
Summary from Goodreads;
Calder White lives in the cold, clear waters of Lake Superior, the only brother in a family of murderous mermaids. To survive, Calder and his sisters prey on humans, killing them to absorb their energy. But this summer the underwater clan targets Jason Hancock out of pure revenge. They blame Hancock for their mother's death and have been waiting a long time for him to return to his family's homestead on the lake. Hancock has a fear of water, so to lure him in, Calder sets out to seduce Hancock's daughter, Lily. Easy enough—especially as Calder has lots of practice using his irresistible good looks and charm on unsuspecting girls. Only this time Calder screws everything up: he falls for Lily—just as Lily starts to suspect that there's more to the monsters-in-the-lake legends than she ever imagined. And just as his sisters are losing patience with him. 
Review:
4 stars, really enjoyed it.
The cover isn't that complex, just a simple mermaid swimming but the sunlight shines through the water so it balances out. Lies Beneath was a book I wasn't pining for, but ended up requesting. Then it so happens that it got approved, so cheers. :D
Lies Beneath had sounded quite interesting as I read the summary from Netgalley and I really hoped it would be the same throughout the whole book, and it delivered. The characters were totally original, and had their own personality, which I adored but I wish I'd gotten to know them more. The romance was so cute and adorable. The plot was not that original, but Greenwood managed to change some things up and spice others, making this story unique.
Basically, Greenwood grabbed elements that make a story unique, mixed them up in a bowl and voila, she made an intriguing book, which had me gasping in shock, and flipping though the pages until I finished it in a sitting.
Anne's Lies Beneath is a truly captivating read that will have you gasping in shock and awaiting the ending while sitting on the edge of your seat.
Book Trailer: The setting of this trailer is absolutely gorgeous!

Top Ten Tuesday 05/29

The folks at The Broke and The Bookish really like lists.. so this meme was born ^__^

May 29: Top Ten Books Written In The Past 10 Years That I Hope People Are Still Reading In 30 Years
This version of the list is mostly books I'd recommend to people.. not really in order..

 1. I want to share this book w/ anyone who hasn't read it because it's AMAZING! It's so darn adorable and cute and *sighs* it's in Paris! The city of love people! ^__^

 The writing and world structure was fantastic and .. it reminds me of harry potter because of the fractions..

 This series is probably going to be on a lot of lists. Care to guess?

The False Prince

This is one of the best books of the year so far for me so of course it's only logical that I would put it.

Gone 

Great, great series. No other comment.

Ash, Puck, Meghan, why wouldn't I want people to read this?

If you haven't read this book.. well ... do it.. now...












This book makes you think and it's fresh! It's an intriguing read that I admit I wouldn't have read if my teacher hadn't assigned to us .. but that's not the point. Point is, it's a fantastic read.

The Hunger Games

I admit, the writing.. not a big fan of but the world building and idea, brilliant!

The Immortal Rules

 This is going to be a movie! *happy dance* Julie Kagawa is an amazing writer that makes you feel as if you're watching a movie as you read her books and watch the scenes unfold.

The Maze Runner

The world and idea is just extremely original and unique. \(.__.)/

Tiger's Curse

The characters were fantastic! I haven't even read the rest of the series but this is definitely a book I'd recommend.