Friday, March 30, 2012

Mesmerize by Artist Arthur


Publisher: HarlequinTeen (Kimani Tru)
Series: Mystyx (bk. 4)
Genera:
Paranormal Romance
Subjects: Mythology, supernatural, magic, psychics
Length: 248 pgs.
HC/PB: Paperback
Summary/ product description: “You can't move forward until you deal with the past Starting over is nothing new to diplomat's daughter Lindsey Yi. She's grown up changing schools the way other girls change clothes. Still, moving to Lincoln, Connecticut, is different. Although she's still reeling from the loss of her parents in an accident, Lindsey is finally in a place that feels like home. Because here, Lindsey's ability to read other people's thoughts doesn't make her weird. It makes her one of the Mystyx.When Dylan Murphy—hot, popular and a senior—starts to notice her, things get serious, fast. But even as she's figuring out how she really feels, the Mystyx realize that they're not the only supernaturals in town. There are other gifted teens who have different motives. And they are hoping to get close enough to the Mystyx to convert them—and the world—to Darkness.”

My Rating:
3 1/2 stars
My Review:
This is definitely the best book in the series so far. Lindsey with her ability to read minds makes her inner dialogue very exciting. She has a haunted past and an important destiny. And now she’s got a guy…but is he really into her or is it just an act. I didn’t believe him for one second! But Lindsey was mesmerized by his eyes, and she started falling for him. Some very surprising things happen in to other characters, not just Lindsey. And there are a few new characters…bad guys, not Mystyx. This series also add diversity to the paranormal genera, since Lindsey is South Korean, and some of the other characters are from different ethnic groups. It’s a good series to pick up.
Cover Art Review: Better than the last 2. Really shows off the ankle mark. Looks like Lindsey, except the bangs are missing.


~Haley G

YA Scavenger Hunt is here!

Go here to enter: http://yascavengerhunt.blogspot.com/
There are 3 different contests. Red, Blue, Yellow teams. You can enter once in each. You go to cerntain author's blogs and look for a single, colored letter. Once you collect them all for a color, you unscramble them to make a phrase related to YA books/scavenger hunt. I suggest using scrabble pieces.
The prize is 20 signed YA book. 1 from each author on the contest you won. It's very fun. It ends at noon on Sunday, April 1st, so you better hurry!

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday 3-28

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a meme hosted by Breaking the Spine in which every Wednesday bloggers talk about a book that they are eagerly anticipating the release of.

 I'm  really excited for the sequel of Veronica Roth's Divergent. I'm from Chicagoland, so the dystopian version is really interesting and scary.


"One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature." (Goodreads)


IT COMES OUT IN MAY!!! Just look at that awesome cover. It's Amity's symbol, peace!

~Haley G

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Perception by Kim Harrington


Publisher: Point (Scholastic)

Series: Clarity (bk. 2)

Genera: Paranormal romance/mystery

Subjects: Psychics, supernatural, stalking, murder, Massachusetts

Length: 275 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

Summary/ product description: “When you can see things others can't, what do you do when someone's watching you?

Everybody knows about Clarity "Clare" Fern. She's the psychic girl in school, the one who can place her hands on something and see hidden visions from the past.

Only Clare would rather not be a celebrity. She prefers hanging back, observing. Her gift is not a game to her.

But then someone starts playing with her head . . . and heart. Messages and gifts from a secret admirer crop up everywhere Clare turns. Could they be from Gabriel, the gorgeous boy who gets Clare's pulse racing? Or from Justin, Clare's hopeful ex-boyfriend who'd do anything to win her back?

One thing is certain. Clare needs to solve this mystery, and soon. Because the messages are becoming sinister, and a girl in town has suddenly disappeared.”

My Rating: ê ê ê ê 1/2

My Review: Oh my gosh, I wish this book was longer, but it was still awesome no matter how short it felt. This series has some of the most amazing psychic detective stories ever, like the Body Finder series. Murder mysteries solved by a “sassy girl detective/psychic.” Claire is pretty tough and extremely relatable. She was being stalked and I kept trying to guess who it was. Sometimes you think it’s her new friend, others it could be a prank by her enemy. It’s really surprising who it actually is (no spoilers), but I started to put the clues together and was correct. I love a good mystery.

We still have a bit of a love triangle here, but they’re not too pushy like some guys are. And I also like the coastal setting, but the first book had more of it because it was summer, but now it’s fall, the off-season. I just really want to read the next book. I WANT CLAIRE TO FIND HER FATHER!!!!! And go to the psychic village in western Massachusetts. Put that in the next book please, Kim!!!!

Cover Art Review: Better than the 1st books cover. The hair and illustrations work well together. The title face makes me think of keys and unlocking secrets and mysteries. The birds are cool but not necessary. I really like the color in this one. They are complementary almost. Makes me think of watermelon tourmaline.

~Haley G

Sunday, March 25, 2012

The Hunger Games Movie

(Yes, I made that image with my own firey photos)

I just got home from seeing the movie and I have to say it was pretty awesome. Better than I expected. The really did stay true to the book. I’d even go as far as to say that I liked the movie more than the book (but some parts were pretty gruesome). The capital people’s outfit were too over the top, Lady Gaga/Katy Perry style, but I really did love Katniss’s red dress. OMG! The flame special effects were so awesome with it! All the Rhine stones and stuff. The fire capes were great too! Oh, Peeta’s camo was awesome too. So realistic looking.

One thing that they didn’t put in the movie was the Avox that Katniss recognized in the book, the one Peeta thinks is Delly Cartwright. And also they didn’t have Madge give Katniss the Mockingjay pin. Madge wasn’t even in the movie. But they did add a lot of amazing stuff that wasn’t in the book: The Control room. You get to see what goes on behind the scenes! You get to know what Snow and Senica are up to. And I finally got to see what the “Cornucopia” was.

Go see the movie if you haven’t! It’s amazing!

~Haley G

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Hunger Games Parody: The Hunger Pains by The Harvard Lampoon

I'm sure all of you are very excited about going to see the Hunger Games movie, or have seen it and thought it was awesome. I'm going to see it on Sunday afternoon because it's cheaper and less crowded, and I cannot wait!

Anyway, I read the parody of the Hunger Games.
"WINNING MEANS WEALTH, FAME, AND A LIFE OF THERAPY LOSING MEANS DEATH, BUT ALSO FAME! THIS IS THE HUNGER PAINS
When Kantkiss Neverclean replaces her sister as a contestant on the Hunger Games—the second-highest-rated reality TV show in Peaceland, behind Extreme Home Makeover—she has no idea what to expect. Having lived her entire life in the telemarketing district’s worst neighborhood, the Crack, Kantkiss feels unprepared to fight to the death while simultaneously winking and looking adorable for the cameras. But when her survival rests on choosing between the dreamy hunk from home, Carol Handsomestein, or the doughy klutz, Pita Malarkey, Kantkiss discovers that the toughest conflicts may not be found on the battlefield but in her own heart . . . which is unfortunately on a battlefield"

My Rating: ê ê ê ê

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Length: 157

HC/PB: Paperback

(It’s about $15, but cheaper at Walmart and Meijer)

The Hunger Pains is a wonderful, hilarious parody of the Hunger Games where they have twisted the characters’ names and other stuff about them. Sadley, no mention of a Mocking Jay here, but the cover has a dead one! (See the “x” for the eye?)

I underlined so many ridiculous quotes and scenes. It was way funnier than the real book (And I even like it better than the real book! Kantkiss is sooooo funny!)

It was also better than Nightlight, the Twilight parody. Vampires Suck was still pretty good. So anyone want to see a movie parody for Hunger Games? Maybe “The Capitol Sucks” or “Dystopian Movie” (Like Epic Movie or Disaster Movie). Katniss/Kantkiss/Catnip/Catpiss…Everdean/Neverclear/Evermean/Liverbean

Peeta/Pita/Peter

Gale/Carol/Lesley…?

I really love parodies, so I’m hoping that a year or two from now they’re make one!

“May da odd be eva with ya, mon” -Effu

~Haley G

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Article 5 by Kristen Simmons


Publisher: Tor Teen

Series: Article 5 (bk. 1)

Genera: Sci-fi Dystopian

Subjects: Resistance to Government, dictatorships

Length: 362 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

Summary/ product description: “New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC have been abandoned.

The Bill of Rights has been revoked, and replaced with the Moral Statutes.

There are no more police — instead, there are soldiers. There are no more fines for bad behavior — instead, there are arrests, trials, and maybe worse. People who get arrested don’t usually come back.

17-year-old Ember Miller is old enough to remember that things weren’t always this way. Living with her rebellious single mother, it’s hard to forget that people weren’t always arrested for reading the wrong books or staying out after dark. That life in the United States used to be different.

In the three years since the war ended, Ember has perfected the art of keeping a low profile. She knows how to get the things she needs, like food stamps and hand-me-down clothes, and how to pass the random home inspections by the Federal Bureau of Reformation. Her life is as close to peaceful as circumstances allow. That is, until her mother is arrested for noncompliance with Article 5 of the Moral Statutes. And what’s worse, one of the arresting officers is none other than Chase Jennings… the only boy Ember has ever loved.”

My Rating: ê ê ê ê

My Review: This book was a fast-paced, action-packed, gripping read. Totally not what I expected from a book I just found out about. It had adventure too. Ember and Chase did a lot of traveling. I love it when the characters are on the road. You never know what to expect. There’s always a twist and turn where ever the go. A lot happened in this book, and I wanted to savor it, so it took a few days. The chapters are kind of long, but the pages fly by once you get into it. And Chase…he is just an amazing complex character! He is like Alex from Angelburn or Alex from Delirium (haha Alexes). I can’t explain it, so read it!

Cover Art Review: I really thing the photoshopping here is excellent. I does look like a bombed out city. A the reversed-out title is pretty cool.


~Haley G

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday 3-21

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a meme hosted by Breaking the Spine in which every Wednesday bloggers talk about a book that they are eagerly anticipating the release of.


Fated by Alyson Noel (Soul Seekers bk. 1) 


I cannot tell you how much I want to read this book. I mean, look at the cover! It's freaking awesome!!! It just scream I AM GOING TO BE A SHINY METALLIC COVER!!! BUY ME!!! I love the birds and those earings. Dreamcatchers! I have a ton of dreamcatchers on my wall. I collect Native American Art (Mostly Navajo and Hopi. Southwestern art). The model looks slightly like Selena Gomez. I think they could have done more with the title, but it's okay.

Goodreads description:
"Lately strange things have been happening to Daire Santos. Animals follow her, crows mock her, and glowing people appear out of nowhere. Worried that Daire is having a nervous breakdown, her mother packs her off to stay in the dusty plains of Enchantment, New Mexico with a grandmother she’s never met.

"There she crosses paths with Dace, a gorgeous guy with unearthly blue eyes who she’s encountered before...but only in her dreams. And she’ll get to know her grandmother—a woman who recognizes Daire’s bizarre episodes for what they are. A call to her true destiny as a Soul Seeker, one who can navigate between the worlds of the living and the dead. Her grandmother immediately begins teaching her to harness her powers—but it’s an art that must be mastered quickly. Because Dace’s brother is an evil shape-shifter who’s out to steal her powers. Now Daire must embrace her fate as a Soul Seeker and find out if Dace is one guy she’s meant to be with...or if he’s allied with the enemy she’s destined to destroy."

This book sounds so awesome! I read the Immortals and Riley Bloom series. I cannot wait to see what Alyson has done this time!
~Haley G

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

I AM BACK…With news!!!!!!!

After the month long break I’ve taken from book blogging/reviewing, I am trying once again to get back into the habit of blogging. School and job searching have been stressful, and I usually turn to a good book to relax…but it’s been had to find time to actually read. Now with spring break coming up I can finally get some things done (Like that 10 page Art History term paper I’m supposed finish by April 24. Yeah. College…uh).
Well, I’m gonna amp up my blog anyways. I’ve been learning some great design techniques in school and I’d like to have more blogs about cover design added in. If I can’t get reading done, at least I can blog about something!
In other news….that website Inkpop is now part of a website called figment, so now all my stories were moved, but I’ve been getting a lot more reviews. I just miss the top 5 thing. I still make book covers for people!
Here’s the site:

Here’s my profile:

Also, I won the Hyperion Teen’s Unrequired Reading Cover Design Contest!!!!! The 1st one they ever had, for Life Eternal by Yvonne Woon.
My cover:


I win 6 books! Yay! I hope I get the ones I asked for.
The next contest they’re having is for the cover of Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins.
Go here and check it out: http://un-requiredreading.com/

Another awesome thing is the books I’ve gotten recently…and the Hunger Games sound track...









The Selection and Unraveling! Can’t wait to read them! (I will review them too) They come out in stores April 24th.
And one more amazing thing: THE RT BOOKLOVERS CONVENTION IS GOING TO BE AT ROSEMONT!!!! Rosemont Convention center….it’s near Chicago…but less than 30 miles from where I live. AND I AM GOING!!! Saturday, April 14th is Teen Day! It’s only $25, and you can bring an adult chaperone for free. You have to be 13-19. I’m 19, so this is the only year I can get this deal! I didn’t know about this last year! I’m so excited!!!! Check it out here:



There’s gonna be like 66 YA authors there! I have no idea how I’m gonna carry around all the book I want signed. I’m gonna have to buy stickers for them to sign instead…book plates! That way I can lug around just the one I absolutely want autographed and stick the autographs into the books when I get home. They sadley won’t be able to personalize them or add little notes. Oh well. I’m excited anyways!

~Haley G