Stacking The Shelves #3

Stacking The Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews and is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

So I randomly found an Amazon gift card for $25, so I ended up splurging it on the books I've been wanted to get! YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW EXCITED I AM TO READ THESE. 

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer - yes yes yes yes yes yes! 

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo - ahhhhhhh yes yes yes yes yesyesyesyesyes!

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi- superpower themed? I think yes yes. Even if I don't like it it was only $6

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater - Have no idea what this is about exactly but I'VE HEARD GOOD THINGS SO YES.

And then I also got a ton of review books from NetGalley. Thank you publishing companies :D

Paradigm by Ceri A. Lowe

Nihal of the Land of the Wind by Licia Troisi - Really looking forward to reading this one

The Revealed by Jessica Hickam - Such a pretty cover

Outshine by Nola Decker

OH AND. I also bought The Way of Kings for Faye's readalong, that started yesterday! 

Only $2.99 on Amazon :D

Feel free to share your STS below!

Review: Paradigm

Paradigm by Ceri A. Lowe
Paradigm #1
Publisher: Bookouture
Release Date: June 13th, 2014
Date Read: 5/8/2014 to 5/16/2014
382 Pages
Rating: ✰✰✰1/2

What if the end of the world was just the beginning?

Alice Davenport awakens from a fever to find her mother gone and the city she lives in ravaged by storms – with few survivors.

When Alice is finally rescued, she is taken to a huge underground bunker owned by the mysterious Paradigm Industries. As the storms worsen, the hatches close.

87 years later, amidst the ruins of London, the survivors of the Storms have reinvented society. The Model maintains a perfect balance – with inhabitants routinely frozen until they are needed by the Industry.

Fifteen-year-old Carter Warren knows his time has come. Awoken from the catacombs as a contender for the role of Controller General, it is his destiny to succeed – where his parents failed.

But Carter soon discovers that the world has changed, in ways that make him begin to question everything that he believes in. As Carter is forced to fight for those he loves and even for his life, it seems that the key to the future lies in the secrets of the past...

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

I received an e-ARC of this book from NetGalley. Thank you Bookouture!

So. How do I begin this. Ugh, I'm just going to start out with my little summary and go from there.

Paradigm is set in a world after a major catastrophic disaster, and our two main characters, Alice Davenport and Carter Warren, are separated by time. This weather disaster is caused by none other than our good friend global warming, by causing huge storms and rainfalls to flood the earth, killing everyone but a select few. Alice, home alone, has no idea what's going on with all the loud sounds and the rain, until she actually looks outside the window. From then on out, survival of the fittest has begun. Well, until she's rescued by Paradigm industries, who foresaw all of this and built a huge building for safekeeping survivors. Oh, and then there's also Mr. Hutchinson which we will get to later.

A number of years later (a lot of year, I'm not sure the exact number), there's Carter Warren, an inhabitant of the new Community and contender for the Controller General (basically the "leader" of this community). He's recently been unfrozen to contribute to society, and obviously to take his place as the new controller general, or at least try out for it.

So yes, basically like The Walking Dead, or the PS3 game The Last of Us! Except replace the zombies with mutated wolves and huge rats! Oh, and also they're much more prepared.

It's really the scenery that's very similar. Obviously.

I'm actually not sure where my judgment lies with this book. On one hand, I did enjoy it at some points, but then on the other, there were definitely some things that bothered me a little.

For me, I had a very rocky beginning. Not only was I introduced to Carter while he was being frozen for like 20 years, which confused me a ton, the writing felt a little off, kind of forced. I had no idea why Carter was being frozen, or why it was important/bad that he had children, or HOW he didn't know he had children, and then there were lines like these:

• "screwed his eyes together"  wait, wut? 
• "The luminous green second hand scratched around with the rhythm of the rain and Alice gulped down two more glasses of water."
• "...she looked around and ran back out of the shelter and into the blinding lights of the oncoming Transporter as it careered towards her. There was a piercing scream..."

In that last line, I literally thought this girl ran into the Transporter (a huge, well, vehicle type transporter) and then DIED because she got ran over. But no, the "scream" was describing the sound of the vehicle stopping. I had to read this line (plus more after the dots) to finally understand this.

With Lowe's writing, you could really tell at which parts she was struggling with. But then there were also other parts where her writing was really good (unless I got too used to the writing style and it's just me.) But in my opinion, it flowed pretty well during the important and climatic scenes. The book did pick up very nicely in the end.

For example, since I became more attached to Alice over Carter, there was one scene where her and a team of explorers finally go outside to clean up a living area that made me a little emotional. Along with this, the book brought up some very nice themes and questions, like whether we should completely start over from scratch, or build up from what we know after a tragedy or disaster such as this.

But then there were other scenes that just didn't sit well with me, like when Mr. Hutchinson barges into Alice's original home, pretends to be helping her, then gets drunk off her mother's alcohol, and then almost rapes her. Um, okay, I guess this leads to Alice's character development somehow. 

Overall, yes, I did enjoy Paradigm. It's not exactly the top read of 2014, but it is decent. I've read worse. There is a switch in POV between each chapter, which was a good or bad thing depending on what happened in the book. I kept on looking forward to Alice's POV, because I didn't care for Carter much. But besides that, I would recommend this to anyone wanting to read a dystopia "after the the end of humanity" that gives a description of how the dystopia actually started. I feel like most books don't usually start that way, which is what makes Paradigm unique in that aspect.

Also, I think I'm now more afraid of climate change and global warming and natural disasters in general, because I definitely do not want what happened in this book to happen to meeeeeee.  

Weekly Updates: Exams Are Over!!

So I finished my final exam this morning, which wasn't too bad. And I'm going back home tomorrow because guess what? 

IT'S SUMMER TIME!

I really have no idea how else to express my happiness! I've been waiting this entire year for summer to come (haha) and I'm finally going to be going home, reading, and doing whatever I want. And also going to the library almost every week. And eating great food!

I'm finally freeeeeee! :D

This has been a random post. 

The Book Blogger Test: Get To Know Me More!

I was tagged by the Ely from A Book So Fathomless! All you have to do is answer the questions below, and then tag 5 other wonderful bloggers! Yay so guess what? This post will be getting to know ALL ABOUT ME! Which is going to be hard because even I don't know what I like...? But anyways, here we go!   

What are your top three book pet hates?

Insta-love. I know sometimes, the couple is meant to be, but most of the times, no. I really like it better when the two are just perfect for each other and the reader is just egging them on and FINALLY they kiss or get together OR SOMETHING and GAH it's so perfect!

Stupid character decisions. Did you really have to do that? Like why. I want to develop an emotional bond with my characters and this is not the way to do it.

Really, really bad world-building. I have a special place for worlds in my heart. And also fictional book characters that I can never meet in real life. It's all cool. nbd

 

Describe your perfect reading spot. 

On the beach, with an umbrella and ice cold lemonade, and no stupid seagulls that POOP ON ME. I still have a grudge on that one seagull.

I hate seagulls

But then on the other hand I love reading in bed, and that's where I get most of my reading done.


Tell us three book confessions.

Ugh, great.

1) I don't have a consistent way of rating books, it's all based on my gut feeling. Sometimes I even come up with a rating before I finish
2) I've only read 104 books in the last 3 years. *sigh*
3) I feel bad for not liking well-written books, when in truth I don't think I could've done a better job.


When was the last time you cried during a book?

Haha. ha. Code Name Verity.


How many books are on your bedside table?

None. You know why? Because I'm still at this godforsaken college with one more exam left and I just really want to go home and work on something more productive.

I DON'T EVEN HAVE A BEDSIDE TABLE HERE!
I'm not sure if my kindle counts for this though.


What is your favourite snack whilst you're reading?

POPCORN :D

And also while I'm on this beautiful topic, ice cream, cucumbers, walnuts, Ruffles chips, yogurt, cheese, chips and dip, fries, chocolate chip cookies, pizza, cinnamon sticks, the greatness that is donuts

Pancakes with maple syrup yum.

Ok moving on.


Name three books you would recommend to everyone.

1) The Machine of Death Anthology by Ryan North
2) Cinder by Marissa Meyer
3) The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

That's it? I only get three recommendations? What is this madness.


Show us a picture of your favourite bookshelf on your bookcase. 

IT'S AT HOME D:
Don't worry guys I'll make sure to update this Sunday or Monday because I feel like everyone deserves to see my awesome bookcase.

Edit: Here it is!

Write how much books mean to you in just three words.

Wait? In three words? This is worse than coming up with a name for a blog!

without books, nothing                 THIS IS ALL THAT CAME TO ME.

What is your biggest reading secret?

My biggest reading secret is that I'm actually a book character. I wandered out of the book by myself and found this strange new land, which is this place. I started reading books from here, and plus I hijacked some poor girls laptop and internet because it's internet! I found out about the awesomeness of blogs, and here we are today! Yay now you know my secret!

For real though, I'm not sure I have a big reading secret.


My tags!

I will be tagging, hmmm, Emily from Follow the Yellow Brick Road, Angel from Spare Reads, Katrina from Chased by My Imagination, Hanna from the Waystone Owl, and lastly Jillian from Jillian's Books.

I'm sure anyone is free to do this though. AND YOU SHOULD. Because I like getting to know more about bloggers :D

Review: Lirael

Lirael by Garth Nix
Abhorsen #2
Publisher: HarperCollins
Released: April 5th 2004
Date Read: 5/4/2014 to 5/8/2014
527 Pages
Rating: ✰✰✰✰  

When the future is hidden, who holds the key to destiny?

Lirael has never felt like a true daughter of the Clayr. She doesn't even have the Sight - the ability to See into the present and possible futures - that is the very birthright of the Clayr. Nonetheless it is Lirael in whose hands the fate of the Old Kingdom lies, while Abhorsen Sabriel is engaged in conflict elsewhere.

As an ancient evil casts its shadow - one that opposes the Royal Family, blocks the Sight of the Clayr, and threatens to break the very boundary between the Life and Death - Lirael undertakes a desperate mission.

With only her faithful companion, the Disreputable Dog, to help her, Lirael sets out upon a perilous journey and comes face to face with her own fate...

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

   

Ok, so I was looking through Amazon, and I saw that Garth Nix is coming up with a new book in this series, called Clariel! I'm not sure why all the characters, Sabriel, Lirael, and now Clariel have pretty much the same ending, BUT WHATEVER. Guess who will be pre-ordering that in October? Me!

But yes, I have finally finished Lirael, which I immensely enjoyed. I did not have any specific expectations going into the sequel, except that I thought the time gap would be smaller. Also, the cover to Lirael looks amazing! I'm a little upset I have it on the kindle rather than in paperback.

So you know how I said I loved Sabriel? Well I love Lirael even more! (You can see my review for the first book here) She does remind me of Sabriel a little, except more shy, reclusive, and just more smart. However, in the beginning of the book she does suffer depression, because she still hadn't received the Sight. The Sight is basically being able to see into the possible future, and being a Daughter of the Clayr at 14 years old without the Sight, Lirael feels like she doesn't belong. 

On the other hand, there's the Disreputable Dog. I have no idea how she got that name, but everytime I think of her I think of a mix between Dug from the movie Up! and the mother wolf from Princess Mononoke

I kid you not. The Disreputable Dog loves Lirael, and is really her only family. She loves being scratched under the ears, and loves to eat food even when she doesn't have to. One minute, she'll act super chirpy and cute, and then the other, she's an all-knowing being and doesn't hesitate to go in for the kill.  

And then there's Prince Sameth, the son of the Abhorsen Sabriel and Touchstone (the two main characters from the first book). He's the Abhorsen-in-Waiting, and doesn't want to be. Basically, what the Abhorsen does, it send the dead (think zombies) back to the dead using her bells and necromancer skills. So basically an Abhorsen is a legit necromancer. Usually being a necromancer is looked down upon, but since she's official, it's OKAY. It's kind of like the Avatar! But not really!

Well, ok besides the point. I absolutely loved the plot! The truth is that the climax doesn't exactly happen in this book, but in the next one in the series. I feel so bad for the readers waiting for another book to come out two years for it to come out. There were mini climaxes here and there, and decent amount of action, so it wasn't boring! 

Also, I'm really glad that Dog became part of Lirael's library adventures. Because honestly, the dialogue added so much more to the story! There's a point when only reading narrative gets boring, and Garth Nix picked the perfect time to introduce a fuzzy new character. The same thing happened with Sameth when Mogget the cat (I'm so glad he has a reappearance in this book) appeared. I've read a bunch of books that are just narrative or thoughts of the MC, and it just didn't appeal to me. 

Also, you don't have to read Sabriel to enjoy Lirael! It explains everything just as clearly, like the Charter magic and the Clayr and also Death. At least I think so. It might be preferable to read Sabriel first though so that you can fully enjoy Mogget's presence. He's a sarcastic fluffball.

Also, don't let the prologue confuse you! 

All I can say now, is that I am so lucky to have the next book, Abhorsen, ready. This series has gotten better and better, and I cannot wait to find out what happens next. If you loved the Alanna series, anything by Tamora Pierce, or fantasy in general, you will love this series! I guarantee it!

Top Ten Tuesday #11

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

Top Ten Book Covers I'd Frame as Pieces of Art!

Note: Sorry that I haven't been posting as much, I'm taking my finals! However I will definitely update more next week (especially since I'll be making a lot of layout changes!)

Yes I absolutely love this topic! Although I'm not sure what I should base this on. Should it be solely on very nice looking covers, my favorite books, or both? Definitely both right? Yes! Though the truth is is that since I haven't read much books, I feel like some of these will be repetitive or similar to my other TTTs. Ah well.

Here are my favorite covers/books that I would definitely hang somewhere in my room!

1. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

This is the first book that comes to mind because wow. I know it's not the best cover out there, but it definitely fits the book itself. And by the way, anyone who hasn't read TFIOS, please go read it now. 

2.  Every single Harry Potter book by J.K. Rowling

I would make it so that somehow they're in a collage, or side by side. Like everyone, I love the series AND the book covers along with it. If I had to go with one cover though (originals wise), it would be the seventh book.

3. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

I have read every one of her books so far, and my favorite of hers is Fangirl! And plus just look at that cute cover, like Cath could totally be me. It's a reflection of myself (except no Levi looking over my shoulder, boo hoo). I also love that color combination.

4. These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

Although I didn't like These Broken Stars as much (I so expected more from all the hype, but ah what can you say), I still absolutely love this cover. Like look at that dress what's-her-face is wearing! (Can't even remember her name ahaha) Wait....it's coming to me....um Liara? Eliza? Rouge? Elsa? Ugh I'm going to cheat. Lilac. 

5. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

So I'm not a huge fan of the movie book cover AND the original one with the dominoes, so I guess I'm going to have to go with this cover. Sure it is kind of creepy what am I saying it definitely is but maybe I NEED creepiness in my room! no I don't. I really do like the font on this cover, is this the UK or AUS version? Or another US version? Either way, I'm absolutely love the Book Thief so it's gonna end up framed.

6. Memoirs of An Imaginary Friend by Matthew Dicks/Green

This book just has so many feels about my childhood and imaginary friends and ugh! I'm pretty sure most of you haven't read it (which I am urging you to now) or maybe never have heard of it, but THIS BOOK. Especially to anyone who has young children. GO READ IT. Ok, but anyways, I'm having trouble with which cover I would frame, because they aren't superb covers. So I'll just leave them both here.

7. Flowers For Algernon by Daniel Keyes

So I actually didn't read this in high school, but on my own because I was so interested in brains at the time (now I'm just obsessed). I've also heard that this is a classic? But nevertheless, I absolutely loved it and plus it was heart-wrenching and emotional and all that woop. I have the newer version of the cover at home, but I prefer this one. (without the little sticker thing obviously)

8. Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

My childhood favorite! And yes it must be framed. No exceptions.

9. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

NOT that stupid cover with the bicycles! NO. I'm still mad that that was the US paperback cover! Like whyyyyyy. Instead, I would be framing this one!

10. Glitches (Lunar Chronicles #0.5) by Marissa Meyer

I know this isn't a physical cover, but will you just look at this detail! I actually wish they printed out this one out somehow because it's such a cool cover! And is it just me, but do novellas sometimes have better covers than the actually books they are based on?

Feel free to link your TTT below! I want to see your framed covers :D

Also! I recently got a twitter specifically for this blog! It's InnocentSmileyx, so feel free to follow and check it out! I made it while I was studying for finals because I'm an idiot.

Review: The Twenty-One Balloons

The Twenty-One Balloons by William Pène du Bois
Publisher: Puffin
Released: 1986 (First published in 1947)

Professor William Waterman Sherman just wants to be alone. So he decides to take a year off and spend it crossing the Pacific Ocean in a hot-air balloon the likes of which no one has ever seen. But when he is found after just three weeks floating in the Atlantic among the wreckage of twenty hot-air balloons, naturally, the world is eager to know what happened. How did he end up with so many balloons . . . and in the wrong ocean?

Taken from Goodreads

Start: 4/30/2014 | End: 5/2/2014 | Pages: 180 | Rating: 3.5 Stars   

My Thoughts:

Ok, so I actually read the 1947 version of this book from the school library, but Goodreads is down today! So I can't update all my information until all that comes back up. Like wow, it's been down for quite a while now.

The Twenty-One Balloons is a classic apparently, like Gulliver's Travels, and it was written for a reason, maybe to promote adventuring in the 1940's. Did you guys know that Gulliver's Travels wasn't meant for children, but actually written as a reflection of the public during the time, and how the people are just trusting the government with everything? So deep. 

Children's book or not, The Twenty-One Balloons is very much all about hot air balloons, the strange island of Krakatoa, and its eccentric but well-mannered inhabitants. To sum it up, Professor Sherman hops on a hot air balloon journey, but his travel of 100 days fall short to 7, when he crash lands on the island of Krakatoa. Instead of being stranded on a deserted island, he finds himself being picked up by Mr. F, one of the island's well-dressed inhabitants. And as Mr. F introduces Professor Sherman to every family, from Mr. and Mrs. A and their two children to Mr. and Mrs. T, he sees extravagant houses matching the architectures of different countries, and tastes the food of every country the family is in charge of. And lastly, how do these families survive so well off? Well off of the millions of diamonds of course! Basically this story is full of food, diamonds, and hot air balloons.

Here's an island full of food have fun = literally the book

This is the most wildly, imaginative children's book I've ever read. Not only that, but it's just so...creative...like how can someone come up with that? Half of the book is spent talking about how each of the 20 families are in charge of meals for one day (in the cycle), and their letter corresponds to the beginning of their country, like the F family is for France and M is for Moroccan. AND WHERE DO THEY GET ALL THIS FOOD? Oh of course we take a couple of diamonds from the mines and then we sail over to different countries each time, sell the diamonds, and then buy a crapload of food and materials to make gigantic fabulous houses and cook amazing meals. 

So very unrealistic. But this was written in 1947, that should explain this. Right? 

You know what I did like though? In my old, tattered library book, there were a decent amount of very, very nice illustrations. If I were to imagine a book from the olden days (haha), this would be the book I would think about. Look at some of these amazing illustrations!

Also, it may just be that this was written so long ago, but this story was basically just telling and not much showing. There was a lot of information, but in a fun...sort of way? The writing style definitely reflects the time period it was written in. I'm not saying this was a bad thing, but just an observation.

Overall, this was a pretty fun read. I read it for book club at school, and we didn't discuss it much because it was an end of the year read. It's a fun children's book, that was written a long time ago! 

I think I'm going to make Classics reviews a thing, in that it's not an actual formal review, but just something I picked up because it's either a classic or required or whatever. I just really wanted to showcase this old book haha! 

Have you been reading any cool classics lately? Or has it been all Jane Austen?

(I've been seeing a lot of Jane Austen on my feed)