Review: Catching Jordan

Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally
Release Date ~ December 1, 2011
Sourcebooks Fire
ISBN13: 9781402262272
Received from: finished copy from Raincoast Books for review

Goodreads Synopsis:
What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though - she leads them as the captain and quarterback on her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starring position on the team... and has her suddenly wishing to be seen as more than just a teammate.

Every so often there's a book that just seems to catch on and spread like wildfire. Catching Jordan isn't a book that caught my eye at first, until I started reading all the raving reviews from other readers and bloggers. And after all of that, I just HAD to know what the deal was with this book.

Catching Jordan is an exemplary YA contemporary book; it offers up the best of what most readers are looking for, mingling humour with heartgripping moments and the complications that come with growing up.

1. Fantastic narrative:
   One of the first things that really grabbed me with Catching Jordan is how well Miranda is able to write from the point of view and voice of a teenaged girl. But not just any typical girl, but Jordan Woods. Her expressions and perspective are so easily conveyed through the words, that you have no problem buying into the story or Jordan as a character. And I'm especially impressed because Jordan isn't stereotypical in any way. She's both able to blend in with guys, yet stand out on her own as a girl at the same time. That's a thin line to walk, but it's handled expertly here.
2. Realistic dialogue:
   Similar to what I talked about above, but it goes even further with the dialogue. The dialogue and conversations flowed so naturally, that it was like listening in on a conversation or watching a movie because it felt so alive and real. I loved the bantering between Henry and Jordan, and how she conversed with her other teammates.
3. Sports book for people who don't necessarily like sports:Thankfully, you don't have to be much of an athlete to enjoy Catching Jordan, a book which revolves around a female football player. There's a lot going on outside of this, and even though I'm nothing like Jordan when it comes to specific details I could easily relate to her and her struggles. Football is Jordan's passion, but there's so much more to her than that. Don't be turned off by the sports theme, if you're someone who isn't a fan of sports! Give it a chance, and you'll see what I mean.

That being said, I still feel as if I was looking for something more from it overall. I really wanted to be blown away by it, and while I was impressed it seems that it didn't resonate with me as much as it has with other readers. I think some of the storylines could've been fleshed out a bit more, and while Jordan's back-and-forth within herself was understandable I also found it dragged on a bit too long for my taste. I didn't love it as much as I wanted to, but I think I can partially blame that on a lot of the hype surrounding it.

The story itself felt completely candid to me, and I could see why there was this instant love for readers with this one. And I really love a good romance in a book, and this was one of my favourites because Jordan's confusion and problems with it made perfect sense. It wasn't forced in any way, and it was easy to see how she ended up in that position.

Pssst... The Book Depository will have copies available in March 2012 of it, and pre-ordering is under $7!

Cover Reveal: Untouched

Hurry for more Kale-yumminess! Touch was EASILY one of my favourite books last year, and I can't even express how excited I am for the Untouched  novella (and the sequel, Toxic) to be released!

If you haven't read this book yet, you absolutely MUST. I can't rave about it enough <3 If you're curious, you can read my raving 5-star review of it here.

And with a cover like THIS, how can you resist??

Oh hello there, Kale! <3 *swoon*

And in case you missed the cover reveal for the sequel, Toxic, I'm including it as well!

And Touch is available on Book Depository now! Under $10 AND free shipping for a must-read book

Review: Every Other Day

Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Release Date ~ December 27, 2011
EgmontUSA
ISBN13: 9781606841693
Received from: publisher on Net Galley for review

Goodreads Synopsis:
Every other day, Kali D'Angelo is a normal sixteen-year-old girl. She goes to public high school. She attends pep rallies. She's human.
And then every day in between . . .She's something else entirely.
Though she still looks like herself, every twenty-four hours predatory instincts take over and Kali becomes a feared demon-hunter with the undeniable urge to hunt, trap, and kill zombies, hellhounds, and other supernatural creatures. Kali has no idea why she is the way she is, but she gives in to instinct anyway. Even though the government considers it environmental terrorism.
When Kali notices a mark on the lower back of a popular girl at school, she knows instantly that the girl is marked for death by one of these creatures. Kali has twenty-four hours to save her and, unfortunately, she'll have to do it as a human. With the help of a few new friends, Kali takes a risk that her human body might not survive. . .and learns the secrets of her mysterious condition in the process.

The first thing that grabbed me with the book was the description. A girl with natural predatory and hunter instincts that take over every other day? I was dying of curiousity to know what she was and why she was drawn to act that way.

But unfortunately, Every Other Day didn't interest me as much as I had hoped, and most of its revelations did very little to satisfy my inital curiousity.

1. Full of twists and unexpected turns:
   Yes, I did just say that that I was unimpressed (for the most part) with the twists and revelations as they unfolded. HOWEVER, there were so many in the book that I couldn't help but end up surprised by the ending. And it was those last few chapters that really grabbed me and held my attention, because the book didn't end up being as predictable as it seemed to be while I was reading it.
2. Romance takes the backseat:
   It really can be refreshing to read a book with minimal romance, and although I feared at first that there was going to be (yet again) some forced love triangle, I'm so pleased to say that it did not develop that way at all. Romance is barely there, and if I'm being totally honest it isn't really there at all. There's some potential interest and chemistry, but it isn't the driving force of the plot.

But overall, it fell flat for me and didn't meet my expectations like I had hoped it would. I was looking forward to something new and unexpected, but it ended up being more predictable and common.

And I was completely confused by the lack of backstory to this one. Such little information was given to the setting of the story, and it took me a while to figure out that the preternatural occurences and creatures were actually common knowledge. Go figure. Yet at the same time, no one really had a clue as to what to do about it. Nothing irked me as much about this book as the lack of explanation here did.

Guest Post: Top 2011 Reads

Guest Post by Wendy from A Cupcake and a Latte

2011 has, undoubtedly, been a wonderful year for readers! As for myself, I've come across several novels that I've fallen in love with, in fact some were titles that I hadn't expected to enjoy but had. With that, Brenna kindly asked me if I'd be interested in sharing my top 20 picks from novels I've read in 2011.

My Top 2011 Reads

20 Titles I Highly Recommend

1. Saving June by Hannah Harrington - Ironically, I hadn't read Saving June until a couple of weeks prior to the end of the year. I'd heard a glowing abundance of positive remarks in regards to Hannah Harrington's latest and couldn't wait to see what all the hype was about. What I found was not what I expected and Saving June turned out to be my favorite contemporary novel of the year!

2. Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake - This novel shook me off my seat with it's thrilling and down right creepy moments - it was wonderful! If you're a reader who loves a creepy ghost story, Anna Dressed in Blood is an absolute must read! Kendare Blake fed me nightmares with a particular scene which involves the attic door (read it, you'll see why it gave me nightmares when you do!)

3. Descended by Blood by Angeline Kace - The moment Angeline Kace approached me with a pitch on her debut novel, Descended by Blood, I knew it was something I was going to enjoy. The verdict? It was just that...and more! Descended by Blood delivered a unique spin on vampires with a downright sexy and kickass storyline. I'm Team Mirko by the way, are you?

4. Bloodspell by Amalie Howard - Vampires and Witches, what more could you ask for? Amalie Howard's debut novel and first installment in her Bloodspell series had me falling in love immediately! The dialogue was unique and I couldn't help falling in love with Victoria and Christian. I'm highly anticipating it's sequel!

5. Across the Universe by Beth Revis - In all honesty, before diving into Beth Revis' Across the Universe...I hated sci-fi novels! No, hate isn't really a strong enough word for what I felt. More like despised? Anyways, after reluctantly diving into an advance readers copy of the title borrowed from a co-worker, I found myself loving it (a big surprise for me since I'd never had positive experiences with sci-fi novels in the past). With that said, Across the Universe was very different in comparison to other novels in it's genre, and Beth's twists and turns, not to mention the incredible world building, had me hooked!

6. Desires of the Dead by Kimberly Derting - I don't think there's anything that I can say that will ever fully express how much I adore Kimberly Derting's Body Finder series. After loving The Body Finder to bits, I couldn't wait for the release of Desires of the Dead (it's sequel). The twists and turns had me gripping it's pages with anticipation. In fact, there's a new character that shows up in the novel that I couldn't help falling for (or swooning over like a love-sick school girl).

7. Timeless by Alexandra Monir - A time-traveling romance, filled with enough drama, romance, and suspense to have you shaking with anticipation for it's sequel...yep, I think that's Timeless in a nut shell. After reaching the end of Timeless, I'm really looking forward to seeing how Alexandra Monir pushes the story further. If you haven't given this one a try yet (I'm aware that most review bloggers unfortunately haven't) be sure to do so. The storyline is phenomenal!

8. The Demon Trapper's Daughter by Jana Oliver - I fell for Jana Oliver's world of Demon Trappers and I fell for it hard. In fact, I'd been recommending the series to friends and family since and from their feedback...they've all loved it! (It should also be noted that I have a obsession over the UK covers for the series)

9. Flying Blind by Deborah Cooke - Everyone who knows me (or frequents my blog) knows that I absolutely adore Deborah Cooke's pyr! I'd been a big fan of her adult Dragonfire series since their original release and was uber excited for Deborah Cooke's upcoming YA series about the next generation of Pyr, the Dragon Diaries. Flying Blind was exactly what I expected - exciting! (Note: Winging It, Flying Blind's sequel, was also released this year!)

10. Unearthly by Cynthia Hand - I'm usually quite wary about diving into novels that have anything to do with Angels. However, what Cynthia Hand delivered was quite unique and thrilling! I instantly connected with Clara, something that doesn't happen to me and MCs very often. So tell me Unearthly readers, are you Team Tucker or Team Christian? (Me? I'm Team Tucker all the way!) Note: Unearthly by Cynthia Hand is being developed into a CW series!

11. Delirium by Lauren Oliver - Hands down, Delirium is one of my absolute favorite dystopian novels to date! I couldn't wait to dive into it when it was officially released. I actually nabbed it the moment the shipment arrived (at that time I was still working at Chapters, a local book store.) Needless to say, I stayed up all night, even though I had an early shift the following day, and read it from cover to cover.

12. Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton - As I mentioned in my short shpeel about Unearthly above, I've always been quite wary about diving into Angel novels. However, after enjoying Unearthly by Cynthia Hand, I decided to give Angelfire a shot. In my review I described Angelfire to be a cross between The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare and the Fallen series by Lauren Kate. The ending result? I loved Angelfire, and it's worked it's way to my heart each and every time I've re-read it!

13. Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare - I love Jem! Though, I'll never love Jem as much as I do Magnus (there's no competition there. nope..none at all) With Clockwork Prince's release, the anticipated sequel to Clockwork Angel, the world of the Infernal Devices as I knew it was flipped upside. Cassandra Clare brought a hectic terrain of twists and turns that I hadn't expected. If you've yet to dive into the Infernal Devices series, I certainly recommend that you do so. However, be aware that Magnus Bane is mine!

14. Red Glove by Holly Black - Holly Black is made of awesome! No, really, she's seriously made of awesome! If you've yet to read White Cat, the first installment in her Curse Workers series, well I'd hate to say it but you're missing out on quite a bit. A story that's paranormally delicious and a mafia twist - what more could you want from the world of Curse Workers? Note: Movie rights to the Curse Workers series have been optioned.

15. The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong - I was exceptionally reluctant when it came to reading The Gathering. I hadn't enjoyed Kelley Armstrong's Darkest Powers trilogy very much. However, the storyline the Kelley's The Gathering pulled me instantly. I'm really intrigued by it and can't wait to see what it's sequel, The Calling, will bring.

16. Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday - In my early review of Deadly Cool, I described it as "a wonderfully entertaining teen murder mystery with a perfect dose of humour". It is just that...and more! If you're a fan of murder mysteries mixed in with a small twinge of romance, Deadly Cool is the read for you. And...how could you deny your curiosity about a murderer who used a pair of Ipod earbuds as a murder weapon?

17. Damned by Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie - One thing that drew me into the Crusade series by this author duo was it's exciting take on vampires. No, they don't sparkle in the sunlight OR desire to be human. These vampires pretty much scare the hell out of you and want to tear you apart limb from limb, and they aren't afraid to show you just that. However, it wasn't just the vampires that intrigued me, it was it's deep, multi-character storyline which focuses on Jen, Antonio, and countless others. It features their stories on why they joined the fight against the "cursed ones" and at the same time depicts them overcoming their own inner demons (which sometimes involves something that happened in their past).

18. Once Every Never by Lesley Livingston - Once Every Never was one of the first novels I'd read by the formidable Lesley Livingston. Was I impressed? YES! Once Every Never was a race against time, a time traveling wondering, and a romance all binded up into one beautiful novel. It's rather unfortunate that not many readers have read it (mostly because of it's lack of availability in local stores outside of Canada) however I do implore that readers with a strong passion for any of the above take the time out to find this novel and read it!

19. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs - This one is a must read! I've got quite a few friends who actually haven't read this one yet, and believe me...I'm in the process of forcing them to pick it up. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is a supernatural read that can be enjoyed by both teens and adults alike. It features an array of peculiar and strange photographs that compliment the story in very distinct way. It should also be noted that the novel is planned to be adapted into a film, and that a sequel to the novel is in the works!

20. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern - I highly doubt that many people haven't heard of this one. (If you haven't, well, I'm not quite sure what to say to that..) The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern certainly hit the book blogosphere by storm with it's high praises and blurbs about it's comparison to Harry Potter (something I highly disagree with, by the way). The Night Circus was absolutely magical, and if you have yet to read it...I suggest you do so soon! Note: The Night Circus is planned to be adapted into a film.


What are your favorite 2011 reads?
Feel free to share your own list in the comment section below!

Review: First Kill

First Kill (The Slayer Chronicles #1) by Heather Brewer
Release Date ~ September 20, 2011
Penguin ~ Dutton Juvenile
ISBN13: 9780803737419
Received from: won in Goodreads giveaway from Penguin Canada

Goodreads Synopsis:

Heather Brewer's five volume Chronicles of Vladimir Tod tracked its vampire hero through five school years of biting and other acts of mayhem. Now Vlad's cousin Joss Mcmillan, who appeared in the series, takes center stage in an offshoot epic that promises to attract readers not afraid to listen to a different paranormal drummer. Joss is a Slayer with uncommon, indeed unique powers, but he will need every talent in his arsenal to survive a recent infestation of vampires. Chronicles with claws.

I just discovered Buffy the Vampire Slayer not too long ago, and I've been HOOKED on it since! So, that may have had something to do with my decision to finally read First Kill, the new spin-off series from Heather Brewer.

Needless to say, I've found another vampire slayer to worm their place into my heart. I haven't read the previous Vladimir Tod books, but I found it easy enough to understand this great new series without the prior knowledge. But I'm sure fans of Vladimir Tod will find lots more to discover in Slayer Chronicles.

1. Male protaganist:
   I really liked reading about Joss as a character, and I'm hoping to see even greater development from him in future books. And I think it's great when there are new series which focus on male characters, to sort of balance out the female ones. Joss is such an interesting character himself, and is a part of an interesting story that can easily be enjoyed by fans of paranormal YA (male AND female readers).
2. Good twists:
   I love nothing more than good plot twists. And First Kill sets you up nicely so that most of them are rather unexpected and surprising. I like books that keep me guessing, and there are plenty of questions in First Kill, and just enough are answered to keep you interested and satisfied, and enough left unaswered to keep you guessing.
3. Vampire slaying for a younger generation:
   Vampire slayers aren't a new idea, and like I said, I picked this one up while in the middle of a Buffy kick. But I think it's an idea that hasn't been used as much recently, even with all of the fixation surrounding vampires. Even for those who are sick of vampires, I think the storyline following vampire slayers is one that most will find captivating and engaging for its unique perspective (similar to the alchemist perspective in Richelle Mead's Bloodlines).

First Kill made for rather light reading, and while it was enjoyable I still would have liked to see a bit more happen and a story that would engage me more as a reader. It felt rather light for a book that dealt with more serious topics like death and grief, and I wish that had been implemented more overall but perhaps it is something that will be brought up in later books.

For a book I wasn't expecting very much from, I was incredibly impressed by how muc I enjoyed this one and can now see why people have been enjoying Heather's past books as well. I'm not sure how much this series will tie in to the Vladimir Tod books, but I can't wait to see where the next books go!

Review: Switched

Switched (Trylle Trilogy #1) by Amanda Hocking
Release Date ~ January 3, 2012
MacMillan ~ St. Martin's Griffin
ISBN13:  9781250006318
ARC received from: Raincoast Books for review

Goodreads Synopsis:

When Wendy Everly was six-years-old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. It isn't until eleven years later that Wendy discovers her mother might have been right. With the help of Finn Holmes, Wendy finds herself in a world she never knew existed - a world both beautiful and frightening, and Wendy's not sure she wants to be a part of it.

Combine relatively unknown (or at least, uncommon) mythology, REALLY hot (but forbidden) romance and chemistry, and an exciting new world for an intoxicating series that MUST BE READ.

I figured I wouldn't be that interested, and that Switched wouldn't be that different or intriguing. But it was! So, so good and I'm completely hooked on these books. And I'm so very happy that the next books are coming out soon so I can read them! This little book here has just stolen my heart and become a new favourite <3 I'm literally giddy with excitement in anticipation of the next two books (February and April 2012)!

1. Wendy as a complicated character:
   Wendy is delightfully well-developed and elaborate. She is flawed, yet maintains many positive qualities that make her a sympathetic and amiable character. I quickly became attached to her and her goodwill, and was rooting for her all the way through. She also seems to exhibit the beginnings of mature development, and admired her overall for her loyalty and determination.
2. Swoon-worthy romance:
   I wasn't too sure about Finn at first, and similarly to Wendy it took me a while to become attached to him. But by the end, I was completely infatuated and couldn't help swooning over every page he made an appearance. Incredibly well-developed, so that it doesn't feel like instant love at all, but a gradual trust-worthiness which is carefully developed.
3. Struggle between love and duty:
   The Antigone complex. I've used this before in reviews, but it's one of my favourite plot struggles and the story of Antigone is one of my favourites. Wendy ends up torn between her sense of duty and responsibility for the position she's born into and her longing to be free to make her own decisions for her life and stand up for those she cares about (remember how I said I admired her?)
4. Creative use of mythology:
   I adore reading stories that make use of traditional mythology but ones that are less common than the typical vampires/werewolves/faeries storylines. I think youreally get to see a greater degree of creativity on Amanda's part, because it isn't something that's talked about as much as others.

The one thing I didn't love at first is how sudden you're thrown into the story and the action begins right away- and it can feel rather disconcerting when it happens so suddenly. The sudden changes occur so early on in the book that I didn't care simply because I wasn't invested in the story or with the character yet. But you quickly become accustomed to it, and easily find yourself involved in the story so this was a rather minor hitch in a phenomenal story.

OH! And it's only $6.50 to buy off The Book Depository! Such a steal :) YOU WANT THIS BOOK! *peer pressure*

Guest Post: The Holidays

Guest Post by Sheenah Freitas
The moment that the Christmas season starts is the moment when I start to panic. Not only do I have to worry about what to get someone for a Christmas present, but there’s a good chance I’m also going to have to worry about birthday presents. For some reason everyone in the family decided they wanted to be born in December, so the Christmas season doubles as the birthday season. Everything kicks off a few days before Christmas with my mom’s birthday and from there it’s a crazy two week long celebration that all ends on January 1.

With all the presents that get opened and all the food on top of birthday cake, it’s a wonder that anyone can get anything done. Somehow, though, as if by a miracle, we do. Hugs are being given to anyone that walks through the doorway, the house usually smells like fresh baked cookies, and the mantle is full of Christmas cards. By the time all the food is digested, the games have been played, and every last piece of discarded wrapping paper has been trashed, we’re ready to ring in the New Year.

By the time it’s New Year’s Day, most of the family can be found sleeping in until noon, not quite ready to greet the new year. After all, it’s the first day that we’re able to actually rest and not worry about so-and-so’s birthday tomorrow or whose house are we having our next family supper at and what’s the menu and what were we in charge of again? The first day is a cleansing one where no one really wants to do anything and we usually don’t if we can help it.
Have a Happy New Year everyone!