Reboot - Amy Tintera [Review]

This review may contain spoilers.

Title: Reboot
Author: Amy Tintera
Publisher: HarperTeen
Series: Reboot #1
Release Date: May 7th 2013
Pages: 365
Rating: ★★★

Five years ago, Wren Connolly was shot three times in the chest. After 178 minutes she came back as a Reboot: stronger, faster, able to heal, and less emotional. The longer Reboots are dead, the less human they are when they return. Wren 178 is the deadliest Reboot in the Republic of Texas. Now seventeen years old, she serves as a soldier for HARC (Human Advancement and Repopulation Corporation).

Wren’s favorite part of the job is training new Reboots, but her latest newbie is the worst she’s ever seen. As a 22, Callum Reyes is practically human. His reflexes are too slow, he’s always asking questions, and his ever-present smile is freaking her out. Yet there’s something about him she can’t ignore. When Callum refuses to follow an order, Wren is given one last chance to get him in line—or she’ll have to eliminate him. Wren has never disobeyed before and knows if she does, she’ll be eliminated, too. But she has also never felt as alive as she does around Callum.

The perfect soldier is done taking orders.

Hiatus until Friday

I'm on holiday from today until Friday so I won't be able to post or comment back. See you all again on Saturday!

The Mortal Instruments Read-A-Long: Day 13 - Chapter 13 + "take a look at the set"

I'm really excited to be a part of this read-a-long hosted by Ramblings of a Book Junkie! From August 1st to August 21st there will be a post recapping a chapter from City of Bones and something extra that relates to the series. Make sure you stop by all the blogs!

Today: a recap of Chapter 13 and a look at the TMI set.

Chapter 13

The Memory of Whiteness

Location: Magnus' apartment

Clary is astonished to discover that her mother had the memory spell put on her with the help of Magnus. Jocelyn would go to Magnus every two and update the spell if not, it would wear off and Clary would begin to remember the world of Shadowhunters. Magnus has known Clary her whole life and she had no idea about him, she feels utterly betrayed by her mother at this point. Although, she is excited to know that all these years of feeling different haven’t come without cause, but she still is very angry. We learn a little more about the mysterious High Warlock; Magnus, that he was brought up in a religious home only to be nearly killed by his father for being half demon.

The spell can’t be reversed for that she might have permanent damage, she will have to let the memories find their way back…if at all. Magnus does let Clary learn some Runes from the Gray Book, a book full of the Nephilim’s Runes. This should speed up the remembrance process and help open up her mind to this world. They learn Magnus is no fool and will not help them retrieve the cup before Valentine.

As they are getting ready to leave, Isabelle tells them that Simon drank some kind of potion and now is a house rat. Clary flips a lid over the incident but luckily the effects will wear off in a few hours and he will be human again. Upon leaving Magnus pulls Clary back and warns her that her mother wouldn’t want Clary to risk her life to save hers, nor getting involved with the world that she fought so hard to protect her from; the Shadowhunters. While heading home Clary realizes that Simon is missing from her backpack, and rushes back to Magnus for answers. Jace and Clary learn that Magnus saw one of his guests leaving with a small brown rat…this guest was a Vampire.

Quotes

"Move it along, teenagers. The only person who gets to canoodle in my bedroom is my magnificent self." - Magnus

"I wouldn't feel too sorry for him. That's probably the closest he's ever gotten to second base." - Jace

"Not for free, darling, and you can't afford me." - Magnus


“So the Covenant’s all right with this – this mind-rape?” – Clary 

"Every teenager in the world feels like that, feels broken or out of place, peasants. The difference in your case is that it’s true. You are different. Maybe not better-but different. And it’s not picnic being different.” – Magnus

“If there was such a thing as terminal literalism, you’d have died in childhood.” – Jace 


“Vampires are such prima donnas” – Magnus 

Haha, I just love Magnus!

A look at the set

Here are some awesome BTS videos of the TMI set!

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1695297/mortal-instruments-city-of-bones-preview.jhtml
http://mundiemoms.blogspot.nl/2013/08/mortal-instruments-behind-scenes.html
http://mundiemoms.blogspot.nl/2013/08/clips-and-b-roll-footage-from-mortal.html

(I was only able to embed one video, the rest is in the links)

Giveaway

Choose the e-book you'd like to win and enter the giveaway through the rafflecopter below. Take as many chances as you can following the instructions. The giveaway is sponsored by FLY HIGH, Maria Grazia's blog. It is open internationally and will end on August 22nd. There will be two winners. Good luck, everyone! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Schedule

August 1st- Chapter 1 recap + meet Clary (Kayla) August 2nd- Chapter 2 recap + meet Jace (Erika)

August 3rd- Chapter 3 recap + meet Simon (Jessica)

August 4th- Chapter 4 recap + meet Isabelle (Anastasia)
August 5th- Chapter 5 recap + meet Alec (Julie)
August 6th- Chapter 6 recap + meet Magnus (Kaitlin)
August 7th- Chapter 7 recap + all about shadowhunters (Liana)
August 8th- Chapter 8 recap + international covers (J. K. Quirantes)
August 9th- Chapter 9 recap + cast interviews (Anastasia)
August 10th- Chapter 10 recap + "my reaction when I found out TMI was becoming a movie" (Maria)
August 11th- Chapter 11 recap + my favorite Clary quotes (Zed)
August 12th- Chapter 12 recap + my favorite Jace quotes (The Book Wranglers)
August 13th- Chapter 13 recap + take a look at the set (Eveline) - TODAY!
August 14th- Chapter 14 recap + "if the movie didn't have..." (TJ)
August 15th- Chapter 15 recap + "I hope in the movie they..." (Ashtyn)
August 16th- Chapter 16 recap + "the first time I read this book..." (Amanda)
August 17th- Chapter 17 recap + An Extra (Zoe)
August 18th- Chapter 18 recap + Playlist (Jess)
August 19th- Chapter 19 recap + Trailer (Amanda)
August 20th- Chapter 20 + 21 recap + Shadowhunter Runes (Ivy)
Chapter 22 recap + Shadowhunter Runes (Liliana)
August 21st- Chapter 23 + Epilogue + Merchandise (Kayla)
What are your favourite parts in chapter 13? What are you looking forward to in the movie?

Never Fade (The Darkest Minds #2) - Alexandra Bracken [ARC Review]

This review contains spoilers for those who haven't read book 1.

Title: Never Fade
Author: Alexandra Bracken
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Series: The Darkest Minds #2
Release Date: October 15th 2013
Pages: 512
Rating: ★★★★(1/2)

Ruby never asked for the abilities that almost cost her her life. Now she must call upon them on a daily basis, leading dangerous missions to bring down a corrupt government and breaking into the minds of her enemies. Other kids in the Children’s League call Ruby “Leader”, but she knows what she really is: a monster. 

When Ruby is entrusted with an explosive secret, she must embark on her most dangerous mission yet: leaving the Children’s League behind. Crucial information about the disease that killed most of America’s children—and turned Ruby and the others who lived into feared and hated outcasts—has survived every attempt to destroy it. But the truth is only saved in one place: a flashdrive in the hands of Liam Stewart, the boy Ruby once believed was her future—and who now wouldn’t recognize her. 

As Ruby sets out across a desperate, lawless country to find Liam—and answers about the catastrophe that has ripped both her life and America apart—she is torn between old friends and the promise she made to serve the League. Ruby will do anything to protect the people she loves. But what if winning the war means losing herself?

Imperfect - Tina Chan [Excerpt + Free E-Book]

Title: Imperfect

Author: Tina Chan

Published: July 2013

Genre: YA Dystopia

Add to Goodreads

Life is harsh for Kristi. She's the only Accident living in a world of Perfects. More often than not, she feels like a blemish on an otherwise utopian society. And her life is about to get worse. The government has arrested her adoptive parents and her brother goes missing. To top things off, Kristi somehow gets dragged into the mess and now she's a wanted fugitive...

Troop is less than he seems. Teachers love him. Colleges want him. Students revere him. There's even a hot girl after him. Life couldn't get any better than this, right? So, why doe she feel like he's a devil in disguise as an angel?

It's now available for free on Smashwords, get it here!

Excerpt:

About the Author:

Tina Chan is an avid reader, writer and runner. When she's not reading or writing, you can probably find her listening to music, playing racquetball or running outside. Some of her favorite genres to read include dystopian, YA, fiction, sci-fi, steampunk and mysteries. Tina also runs a book review site called The Book Landers.

Let's talk: Love Triangles

Time for the second edition of Let's Talk! This is a feature at my blog in which I discuss a random subject that is on my mind on a random day of the week.

The subject this time is: Love Triangles

If you've read some of my reviews, you know I really dislike love triangles. Why? I can go on a whole rant about how they're unrealistic and stuff, but I know that is not the real problem. I have read books with good love triangles, which would still be unrealistic. Than why do I dislike them so much?

The problem with love triangles is that they are overused, always the same and very predictable. If I scan through blurbs of new YA books, in almost every one of them there is a mention of a love triangle. And even that would not have been so bad, if the execution of the love triangles wouldn't have been almost exactly the same in every one of those books.

I give you the average YA love triangle:

The protagonist is a very normal girl. Then one day she meets a mysterious new boy, he is quite arrogant and a (bit of a) bad boy, but of course he's super hot. She is immediately attracted to him. The boy tells her some secret and they go on an adventure together and of course she falls in love with him. But when everything seems to be perfect and they're ready to start a relationship there is the best friend! This boy the protagonist has known forever and up until the secret adventure they had spent all their time together. He admits he has had a secret crush on the protagonist for ages and wants her to choose him over the new boy.
This leads to the two boys fighting each other or just hating each other and the protagonist only being able to think about who she is going to pick. The love triangle takes over the plot and the secret adventure from the beginning is suddenly not so important anymore.

This can go on and on, for maybe one book or a whole series. But the ending is predictable: the protagonist always goes for new, mysterious boy who is oh so bad, instead of the safe, best friend.

Summary: Good Guy vs Bad Boy. The latter always wins.

Let me give you a few examples of books with this format:

• The Iron Fey. Puck is the best friend and Ash the mysterious new boy. Who does Meghan choose? Ash.

• The Mortal Instruments. Simon is the best friend and Jace the mysterious new boy. Who does Clary choose? Jace. (don't get me wrong, I love TMI, just not the love triangle!)

• Twilight. Okay, Jacob wasn't really a 'best friend', but Bella did see him as a friend and she had known him pretty long. And Edward was of course the mysterious bad boy. I think everyone knows who she chose in the end.

What I just gave you was the average YA love triangle. I'm just so sick of seeing this in books. I tend to subtract stars immediately if I notice this format in a book. If writers are going to insert a love triangle in their book, which is already pretty unoriginal, why not shake it up a bit?

• Make it unpredictable. I don't want to know who the protagonist ends up with from the beginning of the book. Or make her end up alone, let the boys choose to walk away when she can't choose.

• Different players in the game. Don't go with the best friend/mysterious boy format. Take two best friends, two brothers, two girls and a boy, there are so many other options than the good vs bad guy.

• Second priority. Don't let the love triangle overshadow the plot. You can let the protagonist think about the boys, but just don't overdo it.

Examples of great love triangles:

• The Infernal Devices. The two boys are best friends and don't go fighting each other over the girl. Until the end we don't know (at least I didn't) who she is going to choose. And the love triangle did not take over the plot and the girl wasn't constantly thinking about who she should choose.

• The Hunger Games. Love triangles? Katniss Everdeen ain't got no time for that! Yes, we have the best friend, but can we call Peeta a mysterious bad boy? I don't think so. But Katniss is too busy trying to overthrow the government to think about who she is going to choose and thus it doesn't overshadow the plot.

• Throne of Glass. There is a hint of a love triangle between Chaol, Celaena and Dorian, but it definitely doesn't overshadow the plot. Celaena doesn't spend one minute thinking about who she likes better, since she's not even looking for a relationship.

I would add The Host, but that's a love square.. that's a great idea too, add another person to the party.

Or be original and just go with a two-person romance:)


What do you think about love triangles? Do you know any other good or bad love triangles? Do you have any advice on how to write good love triangles?

PS: If you really hate love triangles, this post from Eve @ Paper Sanctuary might be more fitting for you:)

A to Z Bookish Survey

I was thinking about what to post today and than I saw this super fun survey at Pretty Little Memoirs. It's originally from The Perpetual Pageturner. Feel free to join in and I hope you like it!

Author you’ve read the most books from:

According to Goodreads I've read the most books from Cassandra Clare, 11 in total. I've read all her books until now (The Mortal Instruments, The Infernal Devices, The Bane Chronicles) and they're all awesome!

Best Sequel Ever:

That's a hard one. There have been very many disappointing sequels (the feared sequel syndrome), but a few were amazing and sometimes even better than book 1. 

I just read Never Fade, sequel to The Darkest Minds, that one was extremely good. (review coming soon!) Other great sequels are Catching Fire (Hunger Games #2) , Clockwork Prince (TID #2) and the Golden Lily (Bloodlines #2).

Currently Reading:

For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund. Not really loving it yet, it's a bit slow.

Drink of Choice While Reading:

Green tea (preferably with lemon) or diet coke. Yum!

E-reader or Physical Book?

Well, I always buy ebooks first since they're cheaper and handier to carry around. But when I really love a book I buy a physical copy, since those are so beautiful! This also helps keeping my bookshelf tidy:)

Fictional Character You Probably Would Have Actually Dated In High School:

Haha, I would date loads of fictional characters, but well, they are fictional. My favourite book boyfriends are Jace from TMI and Adrian from Vampire Academy/Bloodlines. 

Glad You Gave This Book A Chance:

The Hunger Games. I wasn't really a fan of reading when I bought this book, but I'm so glad I did buy it. Ever since I read that book I haven't been able to stop reading!

Hidden Gem Book:

All our Yesterdays by Cristin Terril. Awesome new book about time travel!

 Important Moment in your Reading Life:

Well, the first was rediscovering my love for reading with the Hunger Games. After that, discovering Goodreads. I got so many great recommendations from it and there I started posting reviews, which in turn led me to create my own book blog!

Just Finished:

Reboot by Amy Tintera (review also coming soon!)

Kinds of Books You Won’t Read:

Well, books that only focus on romance or very serious subjects I don't like reading. And there are also some genres that just don't attract me, like erotica, historical romance or new adult.

Longest Book You’ve Read:

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy (900 pages). According to Goodreads, Harry Potter 5 and Game of Thrones are longer, but I read Anna Karenina in Dutch and that version has more pages than the English one:) It took me quite a while to finish, but it was absolutely worth it!

Major book hangover because of:

Clockwork Princess. It had such a bittersweet ending.. I love it, but it was still so sad!

Number of Bookcases You Own:

Only one :) I have three long shelves on the wall with my favourite books. My dad has an enormous bookcase with books I like to borrow very often, but I guess that doesn't count;)

One Book You Have Read Multiple Times:

Harry Potter, all of them. I think I've read them about 5 times now, if not more. And they get better every time I read them!

Preferred Place To Read:

In the living room. I don't like reading in bed and just in my bedroom at all.

Quote that inspires you/gives you all the feels from a book you’ve read:

Okay, I have lots of favourite quotes from books, but just everything Dumbledore says is profound and awesome. 

Reading Regret:

Not living in America. All those book conventions, author meetings, publishers.. not for us international peeps. :(

Series You Started And Need To Finish(all books are out in series):

When I like a series, I usually finish them all in a row, so there isn't a series that I need to finish. I do still have to read book 3 in the Chemical Garden series, Sever. I didn't like book 2, Fever, so I didn't really have the urge to finish the series.

Three of your All-Time Favorite Books:

The Hunger Games, Harry Potter and The Mortal Instruments

Unapologetic Fangirl For:

J.K. Rowling. She's just an amazing writer and I really respect her for using a pseudonym for her new book.

Very Excited For This Release More Than All The Others:

Crown of Midnight. I loooved Throne of Glass and this sequel got so many great reviews, can't wait to read it!

Worst Bookish Habit:

Trying to scroll too fast in my e-reader, which makes it crash. And then it resets at page one of the book and takes loads of time to get to the right page again.. I need to be more patient!

X Marks The Spot: Start at the top left of your shelf and pick the 27th book:

Die for Me by Amy Plum, a very good paranormal romance book:)

Your latest book purchase:

That would be the two hardcovers of Under the Never Sky and Through the Ever Night. Beautiful additions to my shelf:)

ZZZ-snatcher book (last book that kept you up WAY late):

Pivot Point by Kasie West! I just wanted to know how it would end.

I had so much fun filling it in! I hope you have gotten to know me a little better now:)
Happy Friday!