Mini Review: Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books (Oct 1, 2008)

Length: 471 pages

Format: Hardcover

Summary from Amazon:

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight—she’s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug.

     When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change. She never expects to become Po’s friend. She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace—or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.

     With elegant, evocative prose and a cast of unforgettable characters, debut author Kristin Cashore creates a mesmerizing world, a death-defying adventure, and a heart-racing romance that will consume you, hold you captive, and leave you wanting more. 

Review:

I really loved this book! It was interesting and there was never a dull moment. I was always interested to find out what would happen next. I really liked Katsa, i liked that we got to find the truth in her Grace with her. I liked that Po seemed to be everywhere; at the castle where she took out the guards, then at her castle. I thought that it was great that Kasta went with Po to find out more about his grandfather's kidnapping. I loved that she had finally stood up for herself to the King. 

Overall, it was a great book! 4.5/5 stars.

~ALISIA

Mini Review: If I Stay by Gayle Forman

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Publisher: Speak (Apr 6, 2010)

Length: 272 pages

Format: Hardcover

Summary from Amazon:

In a single moment, everything changes. Seventeen year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall riding along the snow-wet Oregon road with her family. Then, in a blink, she finds herself watching as her own damaged body is taken from the wreck...

A sophisticated, layered, and heartachingly beautiful story about the power of family and friends, the choices we all make—and the ultimate choice Mia commands.

Review:

This story of this book is only a little longer than a day, but it brings up stuff from the past. I love how you connect with the characters from the very beginning. This book has an interesting way of looking at death, that she gets to choose if she wants to stay or move on with her family. I loved that I got to see every step of how she made her choice. What really moved me was that the (SPOILER) grandfather told her it was okay for her to choose to go, if that is what she wanted, because her parents and brother died. 

Overall, I liked this book and thought it was put together well. 

3.7/5 stars.

~ALISIA

Mini Review: Heat Stroke by Rachel Caine

Heat Stroke by Rachel Caine

Publisher: Roc (Aug 3, 2004)

Length: 352 pages

Format: Paperback

Summary from Amazon:

Mistaken for a murderer, Weather Warden Joanne Baldwin is hunted down and killed by her colleagues. Reborn as a Djinn, she senses something sinister entering earth's atmosphere-something that makes tomorrow's forecast look deadly.

Review:

There was a lot going on in this book. It was good though. I liked that Joanne had to learn how to be a Djinn without the help of David. I was interested in the parts where they were claimed because they became more than they were. If they could be that powerful, why don't they find someone the trust to claim them? I mean yeah there would be a lot of problems and the warden could become power hungry and treat them as slaves. I really enjoyed the first book of this series, and i'm kinda ehh on this one but i will be reading the next to see if it gets better.

3.5/5 stars.

~ALISIA

Book Blogger Hop 7/6

Crazy-For-Books.com

If you could be a character from any book, who would you be?


There are so many characters I would love to be but only for a day. Like I would like to be Katniss for a day. I would love to be a character from Harry Potter for a year, so I can go on a crazy adventure and save the world (I think it would get tiring, saving the world). If I had to choose one character that I had to be, I think I would pick Katsa from Graceling. She can survive anywhere. And she has someone who truly cares for her. Also she does what she wants (maybe not at first but she gets there).

July 2012

Glimmer / Phoebe Kitandis
Darkfever / Karen Marie
Sweet Evil / Wendy Higgins
Embrace / Jessica Shirvington
The Golden Lily / Richelle Mead
Everneath / Brodi Ashton
Above World / Jenn Reese
Rising Moon / Lori Handeland
Divergent / Veronica Roth
*Summer on the Mountain / Rosemarie Naramore
*Immortal Voyage / C. G. Powell
*The Mystic Wolves / Belinda Boring
*Forget Me Not / Belinda Boring

Mini Review: The List by Melanie Jacobson

The List by Melanie Jacobson

Publisher: Covenant Communications, Inc. (2011)

Length: 289 pages

Format: Paperback

Summary from Amazon:

Ashley Barrett doesn't want to get married. At least, not anytime soon. She doesn't care how many of her friends and family members and fellow churchgoers had weddings before they finished college--the last thing she needs in her fun-loving twenties is the deadweight of some guy. And that's why she created The List. By the time she completes all twenty-five goals--from learning a language to skydiving to perfecting the art of making sushi--she'll be more ready to settle down. Maybe. This summer in California is a prime time for Ashley to cross two items off the list: learn to surf (#13) and have a summer romance (#17). And Matt Gibson, the best surf instructor in Huntington Beach and the most wanted guy in the singles ward, is the perfect man for the job. Ashley hatches a plan to love him and leave him before heading off to grad school in the fall (#4, get a master's degree). But when Matt decides he doesn't like the "leaving" part, Ashley's carefully laid plans are turned sideways. Now Ashley faces an unexpected dilemma: should she stick to the safety of The List, or risk everything for a love that may tie her down--or might set her free?

Review:

I just loved Ashley Barrett. She was a strong, independent women. She didn't fall all over guys when they talked to her, she is awesome!  Reading this book makes me want to have a List. I love the idea of The List. Of doing all the things you want before you get married so you don't have any regrets.  This book shows that maybe some things are more important than Lists. 

4.2/5 stars.

~ALISIA

Mini Review: 365 Days With You by Erica Stanciu

365 Days WithYou by Erica Stanciu

Length: 214 print pages

Format: E-book

Summary from Amazon:

If your life was constantly plagued with tragedy would you run? Ali did just that by using a fake I.D. to enlist in the military. Three years later she was forced to return when her parents chose alcohol instead of raising her brother and sister. She became their guardian and used combat skills learned in the military to open up training gym. Ali was barely getting by when an opportunity literally walked up to her gym. That opportunities name was Jace Sarmiento. 

Ali was faced with the difficult decision of agreeing to follow him around for a year or live in her hometown and hope that her gym made enough money. 

Follow her through a journey of mystery, death, adventure, action, but most of all, love.

Review:

I really liked this book. I really liked Ali. She was strong and caring even after all she had been through. I liked how you could see the relationship slowly growing between each other more and more. It was nice to be able to see their whole relationship play out without someone hidden past or something like some other books. At first I didn't know it was a paranormal romance, I thought it was just a romance but then they were talking about being shifters and half-shifters and I was like oh paranormal okay yay. 

3.7/5 stars. 

~ALISIA