MFB: Dare You To (Pushing the Limits # 2)

“That must be love: when everything else in the world could implode and you wouldn't care as long as you had that one person standing beside you.” 

     Dare You To is the second book in Katie McGarry's Pushing The Limits series and is one of my favorite books of all time. This sweet, heartbreaking romance novel is one of the most emotional experiences I have ever had with a book. The novel tells the story of unconventional Beth Risk and golden boy Ryan Stone as they go from hate to love in an emotional journey.

     When I bought the first book in this series, I wasn't expecting that I would find one of my favorite romance series. While reading Pushing The Limits I found Beth an interesting character although there wasn't much of her and she wasn't exactly nice. But that's exactly what I liked about her. When I finished the first book and found out that there will be a book for Beth, I was extremely happy. 

Here is the official description of the book:

"If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk's home life, they'd send her mother to jail and seventeen-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all costs. Until the day her uncle swoops in and forces Beth to choose between her mom's freedom and her own happiness. That's how Beth finds herself living with an aunt who doesn't want her and going to a school that doesn't understand her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn't get her, but does....
Ryan Stone is the town golden boy, a popular baseball star jock-with secrets he can't tell anyone. Not even the friends he shares everything with, including the constant dares to do crazy things. The craziest? Asking out the Skater girl who couldn't be less interested in him.
But what begins as a dare becomes an intense attraction neither Ryan nor Beth expected. Suddenly, the boy with the flawless image risks his dreams-and his life-for the girl he loves, and the girl who won't let anyone get too close is daring herself to want it all...."

     I really, really liked Beth although she was annoying most of the time. But I loved her and I identified with her. She was broken, unable to trust and scared to love. She had a very tough life and the second she let herself get carried away even for a second, something terrible would await her. 

     While Ryan's character wasn't as intriguing and mysterious as Noah from Pushing The Limits or as sexy and messed up as Isaiah, the dangerous boy who liked Beth, I really liked him as well. I loved how the second he realized Beth would never give him a chance he only got more determined to get her. I love how after all the bad things Beth does he still feels the need to pursue her. I loved how he needed to protect her from herself and from others. 

      I was instantly happy with my decision to continue this series when I started reading Dare You To. I loved that this book made me laugh and made me cry. This book ruined me, broke my heart and then put all the pieces back together. If you're looking for a nice romance book that will do that to you, I definitely recommend checking out Dare You To!

Review: Bloodline (The Forgotten Origins trilogy)

My rating: ★★★☆☆

Actual rating: 3.5 stars

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.

Bloodline is the first book in The Forgotten Origins trilogy. It is a Sci-Fi thriller and it tells the story of a teenage girl. Alex is a sixteen year old living a normal life with her mother and her little brother, Jacob. Her life changes after a meteoric shower that causes a flu virus outbreak which infects most of the population. The outbreak leaves Alex and her brother unaffected but their mother is infected. What starts out like an usual flu with frequent symptoms ends up being a dangerous virus that could cause amazing damage to the population.

The virus causes changes in people during a few days. The people start acting odd, seemingly being wiped of any emotion. After her mother gets sick, Alex finds an old book of her late father which seems odd to her. This is how her journey begins. At about the same time, Alex finds out that most of the people she used to know are becoming sick, including her best friend. One of her school classmates, Chris, notices the odd behavior of the people as well and he and Alex start forming a friendship. 

While Alex tries to decipher the messages left behind by her father, she and Chris team up in an attempt to understand exactly what is going on with the rest of the people. The two of them, along with Alex's brother Jacob, start working to uncover the truth about the mysterious virus. What follows is a race against time to find a way to stop the virus before it's too late. Following the clues her father left behind, Alex struggles to solve things all while trying to keep her brother safe from the "Shiners" - the infected people who are targeting everyone who wasn't affected by the virus. 

What I really liked about this book is the fresh subject. I am a huge fan of Sci-Fi novels and most of the times, they can be similar. This book involved a whole new plot that kept me curious while reading. The involvement of Egypt culture and hieroglyphs also was a very interesting theme of the novel. 
I also really liked the fact that there wasn't an unnecessary romance in this book. While I do believe that Chris could potentially be a love interest for Alex, I think that the romance wasn't necessary in this book. However, I can see it happening in the second installment of the trilogy. I feel like this book was centered more on the action rather than character development and I liked that. Alex had one main goal and that wasn't to fall in love like so many other books of the genre. Her one and only goal was to keep her little brother safe, no matter what. I appreciated that a lot.

Bloodline was definitely an exciting read for me. I liked the plot and I liked the main character. I really liked the addition of Egyptian culture because I find it very intriguing and that made the novel a much more interesting read. My rating is 3.5 stars because I would like to see more character development and more intriguing action in the following books.

MFB: Brightest Kind of Darkness (Brightest Kind of Darkness # 1)

“Nothing makes you appreciate life more than when you wake up from a nightmare and realize it was just that. It's a good reality check.” 

     Brightest Kind of Darkness is the first volume in the Brightest Kind of Darkness series written by P.T.Michelle and one of my favorite books. It is a YA, fantasy, paranormal, supernatural novel. The book tells the story of sixteen year-old Nara Collins, your average girl. Only she's not average.

     I usually read science-fiction, dystopian novels but this book is very dear to me. I came across it while browsing on Goodreads and I have to admit that one of the main reasons I started reading it is the beautiful cover. I don't make a habit of judging a book by its covers but this one blew me away and I just had to read it. And I am glad that I did. 

Here is the official description of the book:

"Nara Collins is an average sixteen-year-old, with one exception: every night she dreams the events of the following day. Due to an incident in her past, Nara avoids using her special gift to change fate…until she dreams a future she can’t ignore.
After Nara prevents a bombing at Blue Ridge High, her ability to see the future starts to fade, while people at school are suddenly being injured at an unusually high rate.Grappling with her diminishing powers and the need to prevent another disaster, Nara meets Ethan Harris, a mysterious loner who seems to understand her better than anyone. Ethan and Nara forge an irresistible connection, but as their relationship heats up, so do her questions about his dark past." 

     One of the main things that I liked about this book are the protagonists, Nara and Ethan. I thought that Nara was a very good protagonist and I loved her. Ethan was the much-needed mysterious presence of the book, at least for the most part. Their romance was really sweet and the fact that they form such an important bond sealed the deal for me. Nara and Ethan aren't just typical teenagers fallen in love. They are also very good friends who respect and trust each other and, most importantly, help each other. 

     I believe this is the first paranormal YA book that I have read and it really made me like the genre a lot because I loved it. Everything paranormal intrigues me and I often find myself doing research on the subject but I had never read a paranormal book before. I was pleasantly surprised by this book and I think it's a very underrated one. If you have the chance, I definitely recommend checking it out! 

Update: Followers & Subscribers

     In an attempt to manage my blog subscriptions and my own blog more easily, I have created a bloglovin account and so I will share here the link to claim my own blog. Also, you can now follow me or my blog faster and more easily: you can subscribe by email, subscribe to either my posts or comments (or both), follow me on Twitter, add me on Google + or follow my blog with Bloglovin!

     I will also post quick direct links to some sites where you can find me:

• My Twitter
• My Goodreads Profile

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/12295633/?claim=panqugpzmqf">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

Review: Starters (Starters # 1)

My Rating: ★★☆☆☆

When I first bought this book a couple of months ago, I was really excited to read it. But along with it I had bought another book which I'd been meaning to read for a very long time, so I read that one first. This one was, therefore, put on hold for quite a while.
I finished reading it yesterday and I have mixed feelings about it. If I were to be completely honest, I was extremely curious to read this book at first but now that I've finished it, I feel that it didn't reach my expectations. I don't know, maybe I was just expecting something else from it. I didn't hate the book, not at all, but I also didn't love it. 

Starters is another dystopian book and that's the main reason I wanted to read it. I have to admit, it was another kind of dystopia book, different from those I have read so far, and that's one of the things I liked about it. As I started reading it, I was curious to see where things were going. I liked most of the book because I thought it had an interesting idea, that was a bit different from all the other books of the kind. I really enjoyed the first part of the book.

What I didn't like was the second half, I guess. I thought it was odd that all of a sudden, just because a sixteen year old girl told them so, all the Enders decided that what they were doing, what they have been doing for so long was wrong. Seriously? The whole book makes us believe that the Enders are ignorant, immoral jerks who use teenagers so that they can live another life full of excitement. They are mean, they are selfish and they only care about themselves. So when, in the ending, all the Enders suddenly decide that it's wrong to act like that, to use Starters and Prime Destinations for their own selfish reasons, I thought it got real cheesy. Sure, some of their grandchildren were missing and all, but I thought it was just too cliché. Maybe other people liked it, but that just didn't do it for me. Plus, when I read the part where Callie has to flee the party where she was invited by Blake and she loses one of her heels, which she later notices Blake holding in his hands I just couldn't help but roll my eyes. I thought it couldn't get cheesier than that. 

Another thing I really disliked about this book was the revelation about Blake at the end of the book. I mean, sure, everyone loves a good twist and this was the mother of all twists BUT! Making us believe that Blake was this nice, cool guy who seemed to like Callie despite her having lied to him and despite her being a poor girl of the streets to just have it all turn out as a sick illusion? I don't know about you, but I enjoyed every little scene between Callie and Blake and I thought they had something genuine going on. I was horrified to learn that the Blake I grew to like so much was actually The Old Man. I mean really? An old man with a sixteen year old girl? They actually kissed, for the love of God! I really didn't see this one coming until the very end.

Anyway, what I liked about this book was that I felt it was different from other dystopian books, with a fresh subject and an interesting plot. Otherwise, I honestly wasn't too impressed with this book and I'm sad to say that because I was really looking forward to reading this and enjoying it. I might check out the next book simply because I liked the twist at the end and I'm a bit curious to see what happens next. But for now, the sequel isn't at the top of my to-read list. The best I can rate this book is two stars because it literally was ok and nothing more.

Update: Posting Info

     Finally, I have finished organizing my blog and setting up each section. I think it's best if I set an expected post date from the beginning and try to stick to it as much as possible. Seeing as how reading books and writing reviews on them can take quite a while, I have decided that I will:

• post a new Review each Monday;
• post a new Favorite Book each Friday;
• Books Of The Month will be published in order each month after being read;

Example: Book 1 was read during May 1st-May 4th; added to Books Of The Month on May 4th

               Book 2 was read during May 6th-May 9th; added to Books Of The Month on May 9th. 

     I will try to stick to this schedule as good as I can. If, in the future, I am able to read a lot and have more than one review per week, I will consider posting twice.

May Books

• Unravel Me (Shatter Me #2) by Tahereh Mafi; my rating: ★★★★☆

• The Fault in Our Stars by John Green; my rating: ★★★★★

• It's Kind of A Funny Story by Ned Vizzini; my rating: ★★★☆☆

• Ignite Me (Shatter Me #3) by Tahereh Mafi; my rating: ★★★★★

• Starters (Starters #1) by Lissa Price; my rating ★★☆☆☆

• Bloodline (The Forgotten Origins trilogy) by Tara Ellis; my rating ★★★☆☆

• Under the Never Sky (Under the Never Sky #1) by Veronica Rossi; my rating ★★☆☆☆

• Easy (Contours of the Heart #1) by Tammara Webber; my rating ★★★★☆

  

MFB: The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games # 1)

     "Winning will make you famous. 
      Losing means certain death."

     The Hunger Games is one of my favorite books of all time. This is the first volume in the bestselling trilogy written by Suzanne Collins. The book is a science fiction novel about a sixteen year old girl, Katniss Everdeen, living in a dystopian, post-apocalyptic world. 

     I think that one of the main reasons I liked The Hunger Games so much is because it had a different plot, I loved the storyline and I really liked the character development. I thought that Katniss was a great protagonist and I felt like her reactions and emotions were genuine. Despite having to kill other teenagers in order to survive, she doesn't want to become a murderer and prefers going smart over going killer.


 Here is the official description of the book:

"In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, "The Hunger Games," a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed."

     The Hunger Games vol. 1 was published on September 14th 2008 and it is followed by The Hunger Games:Catching Fire (The Hunger Games #2) which was published on September 1st 2009 and The Hunger Games:Mockingjay (The Hunger Games #3), the final installment in the trilogy, which was published on August 24th 2010. 

     The Hunger Games is now also a series of adventure movies starring Jennifer Lawrence (Katniss Everdeen), Josh Hutcherson (Peeta Mellark) and Liam Hemsworth (Gale Hawthorne). The first movie, The Hunger Games, premiered on 23 March 2012, the second movie, The Hunger Games:Catching Fire, on 22 November 2013 and the third movie, The Hunger Games:Mockingjay Part I will be released this year on 21 November, with the final movie in the series, The Hunger Games:Mockingjay Part II planned for release in 2015. 

Review: Shatter Me (Shatter Me # 1)

    My Rating: ★★★☆☆

     If you like science fiction, this book is for you. If you like paranormal, this book is for you. If you like dystopia, this book is for you. If you like X-Men, this book is for you. If you're looking for an exciting read, with twists, actions and a badass protagonist, then look no further. This is the book for you!

     I have to admit, I was skeptical about reading Shatter Me at first. Why? I don't know. I just saw it in a book store and, without reading the description, I simply looked at the cover and said "Not interested." But since I joined goodreads, I only heard good things about it. Good reviews, good ratings from friends, even saw it in a lot of lists. So I decided to check it out and when I saw the genres I was surprised because they were among my favorites. 
So I picked this book up and started reading it and I was done in two days because I just couldn't put it down. While I didn't like it as much as I liked other books of the same genres, it was an entertaining read and it kept me interested.

Things I liked:

- how it was written. In the first part of the book where Juliette is locked up and struggling to remain sane, I thought it was genuine, all her emotions, her racing thoughts like she was on the verge of insanity and could slip at any second. Repeatedly questioning herself, her ability and her state of mind. All these things kept me hooked up.

- the main character. Juliette is a seventeen years old girl on the verge of insanity. She's been abandoned, locked up, tortured. But it didn't break her because she was tough as nails. She was strong, and determined and she wasn't easy to manipulate, like so many teenage characters from other books. She stood strong against the antagonist, didn't give in to him and fought for her freedom. BONUS POINTS for not being afraid of weapons and fighting against those who were after her.

- action paced. It did not get boring at any point and while I thought it was a little slow in the beginning I realized that it was the beginning and I got over it. Things got really intense after Juliette was taken out of her cell and the whole series of twists and surprise did not let me down. There were a lot of moments full of tension that just kept me reading page after page without being able to stop because I was so curious to see what would happen next. 

Things I didn't like:

- Warner. But that's alright because you're not supposed to like him. You're supposed to hate him, and that's exactly how I feel. If I were to describe him, I don't think there would be words that Juliette hasn't already used to describe him. Crazy. Insane. Psychotic. A monster. He was absolutely and completely repulsive and he literally disgusted me. I simply couldn't stand reading the scenes with him and Juliette and I think that it's amazing that the author of this book could create a character so twisted that can make you sick. 

Overall, I think it was a nice book and it's safe to say that I will be reading the next ones. Definitely. I'm curious to see where the story is going, with war knocking at these people's door. I'm curious to see how the relationship between Juliette and Adam will develop because I thought it was interesting. I'm curious to see the evolution of Kenji because I found him intriguing. I'm desperate curious to what Warner has planned for Juliette and Adam and I'm really curious to see if there's more to him or if he's simply insane. 
That being said, I give this book three stars because I liked it and because I think that the story has so much potential and I'm hoping the next book exceeds my expectations. I really can't wait to read the sequel and it's safe to say that it is at the top of my to-read list.

Today In My Mail

     If you know me, then you know that one of my favorite writers is Katie McGarry. She is an incredible lady, mostly known for her book series Pushing the Limits. I am a huge fan of hers and I have read all of her books which I thought were truly amazing! The emotional experience I got from reading those novels was incredible.

     The fourth book in her series, Take Me On, is to be released on May 27th by Harlequinn TEEN. In light of this event, Katie McGarry said in one of her blog posts that she will be giving away free Take Me On bookmarks, Dare You To (Pushing the Limits, #2) and Crash Into You (Pushing the Limits, #3) ribbons. Naturally, I was extremely excited and immediately entered the giveaway.

     Today, when I came home I found these bad boys in my mail box:

     I have already tweeted her back saying big thanks for sending this to me, but I will once again say thank you, Katie McGarry!

     Here is the official description for the fourth book in the Pushing the Limits series, Take Me On:

"Champion kickboxer Haley swore she'd never set foot in the ring again after one tragic night. But then the guy she can't stop thinking about accepts a mixed martial arts fight in her honor. Suddenly, Haley has to train West Young. All attitude, West is everything Haley promised herself she'd stay away from. Yet he won't last five seconds in the ring without her help.

West is keeping a big secret from Haley. About who he really is. But helping her-fighting for her-is a shot at redemption. Especially since it's his fault his family is falling apart. He can't change the past, but maybe he can change Haley's future.

Hayley and West have agreed to keep their relationship strictly in the ring. But as an unexpected bond forms between them and attraction mocks their best intentions, they'll face their darkest fears and discover love is worth fighting for."

     You can check it out yourself by clicking here.

About Me & My Blog

     Hey! My name is Denise, I'm an 18 years old girl and I love reading. I have been thinking about creating my own blog for quite a while but only now have I decided to actually make one. I have had a Goodreads account for a while, where I keep track of my reading experiences. But now I have decided to take it one step further and here I am, writing on my own blog.

      I mostly like reading Young-Adult books and my favorite genres are Dystopian, Science-Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal and Romance. Some of my favorite authors include Veronica Roth (Divergent trilogy), Suzanne Collins (The Hunger Games trilogy), Katie McGarry (Pushing the Limits series), P.T.Michelle (Brightest Kind of Darkness series) and Tahereh Mafi (Shatter Me trilogy).

      On my blog, I will post as frequently as possible about my favorite books or my favorite characters from books I have read. I will  make sure to make monthly lists of books that I will have read during a specific month. Also, I will post my own reviews of the books I read, which you will also be able to find on my Goodreads page.

      That's all for now. If you like my blog, feel free to follow it and post your opinions of it in the comments. Also, if you want to, you can find me on Goodreads and check my profile if you click here.