My Thoughts: Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

NEWSOUL
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.
NOSOUL
Even Ana’s own mother thinks she’s a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she’ll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are suspicious and afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?
HEART
Sam believes Ana’s new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana’s enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else’s life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?


**EArc received from NetGalley**

Wow- What an amazing book!! That's all that you are going to hear from my mouth right now. Incarnate by Jodi Meadows was one of the most imaginative novels I have ever read. It wasn't just the plot that made me fall in love with this book, it was the way that Meadows went about telling Ana and Sam's story and that way she made me fall in love with Ana and Sam.

Incarnate tells the story of Ana, who was born into a utopian society where no one actually dies- they are reincarnated and retain all the memories from their previous lives. Ana in an anomaly in this world. She is a newsoul; which is basically what it says, someone born with a new soul. She has not been reincarnated and she has no old lives. In fact, she is blamed for stealing the life of another who was expected to be reborn. For this reason Ana is persecuted and essentially shunned from society.

The story that is Incarnate is so imaginative and different, it was SO fun to read and I could barely put it down. But, even with a great idea for a story it would not have been successful had Jodi Meadows been a terrible writer. But she's not, she is a beautiful writer. She has the ability to write a fast pace, intense action scene that has you holding your breath as well as an emotionally intense romantic scene that has you fighting back tears. She did such an amazing job at making readers feel everything that her characters are feeling. It was amazing.

The thing that I loved the most about this novel was the characters. They were truly amazing and complex individuals. Ana was eager and sweet- she wanted to figure out the mystery of her birth. She was smart, really smart, however, she was unfamiliar with just how brilliant she was. I really liked Ana, I never found her annoying or whiny. She was fantastic and it was refreshing. Sam-Dossam- was an interesting individual. I can't imagine him being an easy character to write. Sam was a 5,000 year old man in an eighteen year old's body. He was wounded, and moody, he was also incredibly sweet and caring. The relationship that Sam and Ana have made me happy. Really happy. For those of you who have read Unearthly, Sam and Ana's relationship and how it develops is comparable to Clara and Tucker's. Which is saying a lot. There are a million other amazing characters in this book, but I can't possible talk about all of them, not matter how hard I tried.

Overall, Incarnate was an amazing debut by Jodi Meadows and I can barely wait to read more by this author.

~Happy Reading Everyone!

In My Mailbox #23 (Vlog #16)

Well hello there and welcome to another week of In My Mailbox. As most of you know Imm is a weekly meme that is hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren, and that gorgeous man button comes to you from Laura from All of Everything. 

I have a lot to say/show this week. Just to let you know! 

Books Mentioned

For Review: 

Black Heart by Holly Black

Swapped:

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Bought:

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

Virtue and Vice by Megan Hart

All Fall Down by Megan Hart

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins 

A Million Suns by Beth Revis

Bloggers Mentioned:

Ruby at Ruby's Reads

Cat from Cat's Thoughts 

Giveaways:

There are two and they both end this Tuesday

Young Adult Giveaway Hop

The Pretty Series by Jenny Han 

That's it for me, 

~Happy Reading Everyone! 

Young Adult Giveaway Hop

I am happy to announce that I am taking part in the Young Adult Giveaway Hop! Hosted by the amazing ladies from I Am a Reader, Not A Writer and Down The Rabbit Hole.

It's all very simple as far as giveaways go, but there are a few rules.

1) There will be two winners- One will win a Hard Copy of A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford, the other will win a book of their choice.
2) Contest open internationally- as long at The Book Depository ships to your country.
3) I've never done this before but... You Must Be A Follower if you want to enter- take a look around you'll like it here.
4) Fill out the form to enter.
5) Contest will end Jan 31st at midnight. The Winners will be announced Wednesday Feb 1st, and they will have 48 hours to get back to me.

That's it. That's all you need to do. Don't forget to check out the linky below for more chances to win!

FILL OUT THIS FORM! 

My Thoughts: Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought.
Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.


** eARC received from Netgalley**




Unearthly by Cynthia Hand was one of the first books I bought last year. Which is important to note because I knew virtually nothing about it. I was simply drawn in by it's gorgeous cover. It did however, sit on my self for months before I got around to reading it. Unearthly was a wonderful novel and you can read all about why I loved it here.

For those of you who have read Unearthly you know that there is a a huge revelation in it and that it ends with a bit of a cliff hanger (like most books do). So you can imagine that I was pretty eager for the sequel-Hallowed. I enjoyed Hallowed just as much as I enjoyed Unearthly, however, I experienced a lot more sorrow and bouts of tears in this novel than I did it's predecessor, which would explain why Hand initially titled the novel Sorrowful. But don't let the prospect of sadness keep you from reading this book.

When I first began reading Hallowed I quickly went to that place of readers delight (as corny as that sounds). I started reading and I remembered how much I love Hand's writing and her skill in weaving a story that is a joy to read. What I really appreciated about Hallowed was even through the sad parts (which were plenty), I never once rolled my eyes. I never once thought "well that was pointless." Which is a huge feat for me, as I often think that about the parts that make me feel like crying. But that never happened.

I suppose I should talk about the story a little-which is hard seeing as Hallowed is a sequel and I don't want to give anything away. Hallowed begins essentially where Unearthly leaves off. Clara is still trying to determine exactly what her purpose was, and she now is plagued by nightmares of a place and the sorrow of the black wing that tried to kill her and her mother. Clara is also confused about the growing friendship she has with Christian.

I have read here and there, that Hallowed had caused some people to switch from Team Tucker to Team Christian. Myself I think they are crazy! How on earth can you switch sides, when Tucker is simply amazing.  I would find myself grinning at the Tucker/Clara moments. I got all giddy when Clara would be awed by how much she loved Tucker. I got all warm and gushy inside. Which I think is testimony to how great a writer Hand it. I enjoyed reading about how Christian and Clara's relationship shifts however, and I liked how Hallowed was able to delve deeper into how their fates were intertwined, but I will always and forever be a Team Tucker.

If you liked Unearthly, I can guarantee you will like Hallowed. It has everything that Unearthly had and more: Character development, world building, romance. What more is there to ask for? It was a fantastic read and once again I am eager for the next installment.

~Happy Reading Everyone!

Come visit me-Book Bully Week

I wanted to let all of you know that I am a bully! Well only for today. I took part in Book Bully Week, a super cool event -where I get to gush over my favourite series and bully you into reading it- hosted By Ruby over at Ruby's Reads. 

Find out which series I'm pushing and enter the giveaway- did I mention that there are giveaways? Well there are so HEAD ON OVER, and join the fun.

~Happy Reading Everyone! 

My Thoughts: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.


**eArc received from NetGalley.**








I had absolutely no interest in reading Marissa Meyer's debut novel, when it first showed up on my reading radar. Robots and moon people were not really my thing. I am in no way a Sci Fi fan, and Cinder screamed Sci Fi to me. But than I started hearing more about this book and how wonderful it was. A lot of esteemed bloggers were calling this their favourite read of 2011, and how they couldn't wait until it hit the shelves so they could buy their own hard copy. These were bloggers whose judgement I trusted and respected. So, when I saw that it was available on NetGalley I thought I'd give it a try. Even after I was approved for the galley, I didn't begin reading it until it was almost expired. I was dragging my feet the whole 55 days it was available to me, it was only the realization that it was about to expire that had me thinking about reading it.

WHAT THE HECK TOOK ME SO LONG?!?!?! 

Cinder was SO good. I am telling you the truth. This book is as good as everyone is saying it is. Take my word on it. 

Cinder is a retelling of the popular Cinderella fairy tale. I was going to call it a modern day retelling, but there is nothing modern day about it. 

The story introduces us to Cinder; a cyborg- a human with robotic parts- and she lives in an era of a terrible plague that is taking the lives of humans at a rapid pace, with no cure in sight. How Cinder became cyborg is a grand mystery as she was "adopted" by a man who died soon after he returned home with her. Therefore Cinder is now the property of his wife- her evil step mother. Anywho, after a series of unfortunate events Cinder finds herself at the palace of their nations monarchy as a test subject. It is here she meets Dr. Erland who helps Cinder discover the truth about herself and her past. 

Meyer does such a wonderful job of telling this story. She puts a wonderful spin on this fairy tale retelling, one that isn't boring or trite- something that can sometimes happen when attempting to tell a story that's already been told. I loved the futuristic aspect to the story, I also really appreciated how it wasn't overly sci fi, everything was described well enough to keep confusion limited. 

The characters that Meyer created were fantastic. Every single one. From Cinder herself to her evil step mother, From Prince Kai all the way to Iko the robotic servant. They were all original and well developed, even the crazy lunar queen was a fascinating character. 

There were so many amazing things about Cinder. It really was a pleasure to read. Even if you think that it's not really your style, I would encourage you to give it a try. It might surprise you! 

~Happy Reading Everyone! 

My Thoughts: Fever by Lauren DeStefano

Rhine and Gabriel have escaped the mansion, but danger is never far behind.
Running away brings Rhine and Gabriel right into a trap, in the form of a twisted carnival whose ringmistress keeps watch over a menagerie of girls. Just as Rhine uncovers what plans await her, her fortune turns again. With Gabriel at her side, Rhine travels through an environment as grim as the one she left a year ago - surroundings that mirror her own feelings of fear and hopelessness.

The two are determined to get to Manhattan, to relative safety with Rhine’s twin brother, Rowan. But the road there is long and perilous - and in a world where young women only live to age twenty and young men die at twenty-five, time is precious. Worse still, they can’t seem to elude Rhine’s father-in-law, Vaughn, who is determined to bring Rhine back to the mansion...by any means necessary.

**ARC received by Simon and Schuster Canada**

When I read Wither early last year I was surprised with how much I liked the book. It was most definitely one of the best books I had read in 2011. I mentioned in my review that I wasn't a huge fan of dystopian novels, and I was leery of reading them because of the theme of hopelessness that seems to be an innate quality in dystopian novels. However, what Lauren DeStefano did with Wither and again with Fever was incredible. She made me love the genre. In case you're curious you can find my thoughts on Wither here. In saying that, I was very eager to read Fever when it came in the mail a few weeks ago. Wither ended on an ok note, but I knew that as soon as the sequel came out I was going to read it. I wanted to know what was to become of Rhine and Gabriel, also of Linden and the sister wives.

If you've gone and read my review of Wither, you are aware that I am a huge fan of DeStefano's writing. I raved about how flawless her writing was and how easily I forgot that I was reading a novel that was intended for teenagers. That has not changed. Even with all the books I have read between Wither and Fever, DeStefano's writing is still as magnificent at it was in Wither and it continued to awe me in Fever.

Fever picked up right where Wither ended. Gabriel and Rhine on the run from Housemaster Vaughn. However things don't go as they planned and they run into some interesting situations.  What I really enjoyed about Fever was that the world building continued. Wither introduced us to a society where women die at 20 and men at 25. As a result of the low life expectancy, girls are not really safe, and Rhine is kidnapped and forced into a marriage with two other women. In Wither Rhine resides on one floor of a vast mansion. This is the world that we get to know in the first novel. Fever introduces us to the outside world, what society is like for the less privileged. For the people who are trying to live life as normally as possible. DeStefano does an amazing job in describing this new world, and finding a place for Rhine in it. As a reader we know that this is where Rhine came from, however this is the first time we get to see her in her natural habitat. I was impressed with how easily the story progressed from the mansion to the outside world.

While I was reading Wither I wasn't all that convinced by the relationship between Rhine and Gabriel. I can't say that has changed for me much since finishing Fever. I still find Gabriel a weak character, and the chemistry between him and Rhine is non-existent for me. I felt more chemistry between Linden and Rhine and later Silas and Rhine. After reading Fever, I actually find Gabriel a little annoying.

If you've read Wither, Fever will not let you down. If you haven't read Wither- What are you waiting for? Fever is due to hit shelves Feb 21st, 2012.

In My Mailbox #22 (Vlog #15)

Hello, and welcome to another year of In My Mailbox. For those of you who are new. In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren, and it gives us the opportunity to share with all of you the books that were bought, borrowed, gifted or stolen (that was a joke) that week.

I have a few things to share this week, and it's a collective haul involving some Christmas gifts. I hope you enjoy. 

Books Mentioned

Swapped:

A Need so Beautiful by Suzanne Young

For Review:

The Humming Room by Ellen Potter

Girl, Stolen by April Henry

Gifted:

The Priest's Graveyard by Ted Dekker

The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins

Blogger's Mentioned:

Ruby from Ruby's Reads- Saturday Swap

Natalie from Songs and Stories



That's all for me this week. Till next time.

~Happy Reading Everyone!

Many Books in a Year: December

So, December was a good month for me. It basically made my year. I had a good time reading. So lets get to it. I read a total of eight books in Dec, however, one was a reread. So lets get to it.  This brings me to a total of 87 books read. But actually I think I've read 91. I've missed three somewhere. Oh well. Better luck next time.

1) But I Love him by Amanda Grace (My Thoughts)
2) Don't Breathe a Word by Jennifer McMahon (My Thoughts)
3) The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Caroline Mackler (My Thoughts)
4) Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
5) Fever by Lauren DeStefano (My Thoughts coming soon)
6) Dragon Bound by Thea Harrison
7) Divergent by Veronica Roth (My Thoughts coming soon)
8) Lover Eternal by JR Ward (reread)

Wanna know what I'm planning on reading for Jan. Head on over to my Youtube channel and find out.

~Happy Reading Everyone!