Review: These Broken Stars (Starbound #1) by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

These Broken Stars (Starbound #1)
by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner
Published December 10th 2013 
by Disney Hyperion

Goodreads Summary:
It's a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone. 

Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help. 

Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever?

Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it.

I'm not a huge sci-fi reader. It takes a lot to keep my attention in a sci-fi novel. It took only the first 5 pages to have me hooked in These Broken Stars (TBS). 

First, I have to say... that cover is GORGEOUS! It admittedly was the reason I decided to purchase this ebook in the first place. And now I HAVE to buy a hardcover version to have on my bookshelf. 

But onto the book itself. The dual POV used was brilliant. I loved knowing exactly what Lilac and Tarver were thinking/feeling. Their character development was very impressive. I felt myself rooting for them to survive together. Having each of them realize that there was more to the appearance they portray daily. 

Having to survive on an abandoned planet without any real resources, they are tested time and time again. Physically, mentally and emotionally. They continuously help each other survive in such miserable conditions. Putting their own pain and injury aside to ensure they make it to their goal. 

The authors did a great job describing every asset of the environment and weather they had to battle through. I felt like I was there watching it happen. 

I couldn't have asked for more from this book. I loved it and it makes me want to pick up the second book in the series SO much sooner. 

Thank you for a beautiful book Amie and Meagan <3

5 (very well deserved) Coffee Cup Stars
Finished 1/2/2015

True Calling || REVIEW

True Calling

By Siobhan Davis
Published: July 28th 2014 by Siobhan Davis
Kindle Edition || 289 pages

Buy it now 

Publisher Description:

I wonder which situation is hardest.
Mine, because I remember everything, or hers because she can’t.

Planet Novo, nestled in space twelve hundred miles above the surface of the Earth, is the new home of 17 year-old Cadet Ariana Skyee. Forced to flee to Novo two years previously—to avoid the succession of natural disasters which have ravaged Earth—Ariana and her family are part of the chosen few who have been carefully selected to share in this new existence. Other survivors reside in a technology deprived post-apocalyptic America; under the constant scrutiny of the ruthless regime, and deliberately kept in the dark about life on Novo.

The new government is strategically focused on the continuation of mankind and development of Novo society. They consequently announce the introduction of a televised e-pageant, ‘The Calling’, which compels every seventeen year old into impending marriage and parenthood.

Devastated at the removal of her free will and forced abandonment of her desired military career; Ariana grows increasingly alarmed at the authorities apparent pre-occupation with her. As a series of tragic events tear her family life apart, Ariana feels progressively more isolated and alone.

Her growing feelings for much-admired, fellow Cadet Cal Remus, intensify as ‘The Calling’ gets underway. Hot-headed, but fiercely loyal and protective, Cal shares knowledge which appears to indicate that the fragile fabric of their new society is disintegrating in front of their eyes.

Confused by the government-sanctioned memory erase—which has stolen her memories of those left behind on Earth—Ariana is struggling to comprehend the continuous, inexplicable dreams of the mysterious Zane.

Discovering the past helps shape her future, with devastating personal consequences.

Thank you to Kym @ Superbookgrl13 for the giveaway for this book 

and to Siobhan Davis for providing the copy !

True Calling is a dystopian-sci-fi-romance that is FABULOUS ! Siobhan did not fail to impress me with this debut novel. It was action packed, swoon-worthy (but not too much!) and I couldn't stop turning page after page. 

|| What I loved ||

I immediately connected with the main character Ariana. She is the one to stay out of the spotlight, loyal to the upmost to her friends and family. Then she is thrown into the world of 'The Calling', a televised pageant that pairs her with her future husband through voting and outside influence. Ariana struggles to accept having to be part of 'The Calling' and is against every aspect of the process. Ariana begins to develop feelings for fellow cadet Cal Remus after quite some time of thinking of him as annoying, amongst other things. 

Through out the book Ariana continuously has dreams that involve a guy named Zane. She has reason to believe that she should know who this mysterious guy but has no memory of him. While Ariana continues to try to unravel who Zane is and how she knows him she grows closer and closer with Cal. 

|| What I didn't care for ||

I didn't like that Cal was so possessive over Ariana and the angry that he showed toward the end of the book. I hope that it lessens over time in the following books. 

I didn't enjoy that the author dedicated a few chapters to Zane telling his side of the story. I did like that it went back over the same time line that the previous section of Ariana's story. But I feel as thought the author should have written in his parts as they are happening and didn't break it up into sections. 

|| OVERALL || 

I loved this story and the pacing keep me involved and interested. I'm excited to see how the story continues in the next books in the series. I still haven't decided whether I'm Team Cal or Team Zane yet. I liked/disliked things about both characters. I do hope that Ariana learns more about Zane though since he is SO dedicated to her! 

5 Coffee Cup Stars!
Finished September 20th 2014

FIVE new Kindle Models!

Hey Everyone! 

So Amazon recently announced FIVE brand new Kindle models! 

Personally, I'm really excited. I've been much more of an e-book reader lately and I will probably purchase one of these in the near future. 

The information is listed below for each model. 

Do you plan on buying a new Kindle, if so, which model are you looking at? 

Let me know in the comments below!

Fire HD 6, 6" HD Display, Wi-Fi, 8 GB - Includes Special Offers, Black

Fire HD 6 Kids Edition, 6" HD Display, Wi-Fi, 8 GB, Blue Kid-Proof Case

Fire HDX 8.9, 8.9" HDX Display, Wi-Fi, 16 GB

Kindle, 6" Glare-Free Touchscreen Display, Wi-Fi

Kindle Voyage, 6" High-Resolution Display (300 ppi) with Adaptive Built-in Light,
PagePress Sensors, Wi-Fi

Click the links to learn more on Amazon !

Kiss of Broken Glass- REVIEW

Kiss of Broken Glass

By Madeleine Kuderick
Published: September 9th 2014 by HarperTeen
ebook Edition, 224 pages

Publisher Description: 

After she’s caught in the school bathroom cutting herself with the blade from a pencil sharpener, fifteen-year-old Kenna is put under mandatory psychiatric watch. She has seventy-two hours to face her addiction, deal with rejection, and find a shred of hope.

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My thoughts: 

This book touched my soul in so many different ways. I was a cutter back when I was a teenager and Madeleine nails the emotion, the thoughts, the decisions on the head in this book. However, in this world it was something that 'everyone' did. Kenna's girl friend talked her in to it and it became a competition. It was never like that in my world and this world makes it that much more awful and scary.

"Whoosh!

The skin tears

and I feel this rush

swirling in my brain

like a waterspout.

A finger-tingling,

tongue-numbing,

heart-pounding

rush.

And the pain doesn't feel like pain

but more like energy

moving through my body

in waves.

Rushing.

Cleansing.

Pulsing.

Purging all the broken bits out of me

like a tsunami washing debris to the shore."

This is the most accurate representation that I've seen some one write for what cutting feels like. There is nothing like it. Unfortunately, self harm is extremely addictive. Madeleine approaches this in a very real but sensitive way. The story is told in verse which is unique in itself. It makes it sound like Kenna is legitimately writing the story herself. 

I give this book 4 stars. 

Though I wish the author wouldn't have set this up as a 

"who can cut the most" contest.

4 Coffee Cup Stars
Finished on September 11, 2014

Legacy Code: REVIEW

Legacy Code

By Autumn Kalquist

Published: July 30th 2014 by Diapason Publishing

ebook, 218 pages

Publisher Description:

The last humans fled a dying Earth 300 years ago, but there was something they couldn't leave behind: the Legacy Code. Every colonist in the fleet carries mangled genes that damage the unborn, and half of all pregnancies must be terminated.

The day Era Corinth is supposed to find out if her baby has the Defect, her ship suffers a hull breach. And it may not have been an accident. As the investigation unfolds, Era begins to question everything she’s been taught about the fleet, their search for a new Earth, and the Defect. But the answers she seeks were never meant to be found...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My thoughts: 

From the very first time I read the blurb for Legacy Code I was intrigued. I picked up Defect #1 on Amazon before purchasing this, read it quickly, and KNEW I had to get Autumns first complete novel Legacy Code. Knowing that Defect #1 took place hundreds of years before Legacy Code was fascinating. While starting Legacy Code I immediately recognized a couple of elements that I loved that were similar to a couple of TV shows that I love and currently watch.

Being 'airlocked' after committing a crime or treason is similar to what happens in The 100.

Being part of a 'lottery' to have the opportunity to get pregnant is similar to what
happens in The Lottery.

"I've never been defiant about anything." ||  "I won't go through with the abortion."

I love how Era not only stood up for herself and what she wanted/believed in but for every female on the Paragon. AND she is ONLY 17 ! I loved that Era and Ditran's love was completely genuine. They weren't forcefully paired together (as in some similar books) and showed they loved each other without having to verbally say it. 

I'm not much of a sci-fi reader, but Autumn has grabbed my attention with this (and Defect #1). It is fast-paced and a very easy read.  

4 Stars for the great writing and story but the ending made me MAD! At least she will have me reading Paragon when it comes out to see what happens! 

4 Coffee Cup Stars
Finished September 8, 2014

 

New ARC's Received 8.27-9.6

New ARCS Received

I have received the following books to review.

Goodreads links connected to titles.

Maxine Wore Black

From: NetGalley

By: Nora Olsen

Expected Publication: October 14, 2014 by Bold Strokes Books, INC.

Watched

From: NetGalley
By: CJ Lyons
Expected Publication: November 4, 2014 by Sourcebooks Fire

Judgement

From: Edelweiss

By: Carey Baldwin

Expected Publication: October 7, 2014 by Witness Impulse

Rethinking Normal- REVIEW

Rethinking Normal
By Katie Rain Hill
Expected publication September 30th 2014 by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers
ebook, 288 pages
ISBN: 1481418254

Publisher Description:
In her unique, generous, and affecting voice, nineteen-year-old Katie Hill shares her personal journey of undergoing gender reassignment.

Have you ever worried that you'd never be able to live up to your parents' expectations? Have you ever imagined that life would be better if you were just invisible? Have you ever thought you would do anything--anything--to make the teasing stop? Katie Hill had and it nearly tore her apart.

Katie never felt comfortable in her own skin. She realized very young that a serious mistake had been made; she was a girl who had been born in the body of a boy. Suffocating under her peers' bullying and the mounting pressure to be "normal," Katie tried to take her life at the age of eight years old. After several other failed attempts, she finally understood that "Katie"--the girl trapped within her--was determined to live.

In this first-person account, Katie reflects on her pain-filled childhood and the events leading up to the life-changing decision to undergo gender reassignment as a teenager. She reveals the unique challenges she faced while unlearning how to be a boy and shares what it was like to navigate the dating world and experience heartbreak for the first time in a body that matched her gender identity. Told in an unwaveringly honest voice,Rethinking Normal is a coming-of-age story about transcending physical appearances and redefining the parameters of "normalcy" to embody one's true self.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My thoughts:

Thank you to Edelweiss and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read this as an advanced ebook copy.

This is a fantastic memoir about growing knowing you are transgender. Katie, who was born Luke, was very aware of herself early on. She even specifically states and remembers knowing that she was "different" from the age of 2. The book begins with Katie being a sophomore in college at TU. She recounts different experiences as she accounts for her life now. Through out the book it is a look back at her life, from very early on up to where she was at the time of the writing of the book. 

Katie recounts what it was like to be ridiculed, bullied, and judging by her classmates through school. She also tells about the people that were her friends despite what others said about her. Katie describes what it was like to keep her secret many times throughout her life because of the fear of rejection she had. 

An important part to Katie's story was her relationship with her parents. Once close to her father their relationship became stranded and they were ultimately disconnected. Her relationship with her mother was the complete opposite. Though Katie tried many times to reach out to her mother about feeling different her mom pushed the concern to the side many times. Her mother eventually becomes her number one support system. 

Overall, I believe this is a wonderful read for people of all generations. Whether you are a tween/teen who feels like you can identify with her or like myself, someone who has no knowledge of anything has to do with transgender individuals. 5 Coffee Cup Stars for this amazing piece of literature. 

5 Coffee Cup Stars
Finished August 29, 2014

Wildlife- REVIEW (kind of)

Wildlife

By Fiona Wood

Expected publication: September 16th 2014 by Little, Brown and Company 

Ebook, 294 pages

ISBN:0316242063

Publisher Description:
During a semester in the wilderness, sixteen-year-old Sib expects the tough outdoor education program and the horrors of dorm life, but friendship drama and an unexpected romance with popular Ben Capaldi? That will take some navigating.

New girl Lou has zero interest in fitting in, or joining in. Still reeling from a loss that occurred almost a year ago, she just wants to be left alone. But as she witnesses a betrayal unfolding around Sib and her best friend Holly, Lou can't help but be drawn back into the land of the living.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I was only three chapters into this book and I could not continue. I actually read those chapters 4 times TRYING, TRYING to get into this book and failed miserably. I don't even know what to say about it honestly. Not even going to bother rating it because I barely got into it. 

On to better things (hopefully!)

New ARCS Received- 8.23-8.26

New ARCS Received

I have received the following books to review this week.

Goodreads links connected to titles.

Rethinking Normal: A Memoir of Transition

From: Edelweiss

By: Katie Rain Hill

Expected publication: September 30th 2014 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Love & Profanity

From: NetGalley

By: Nick Healy

Expected publication: March 1st 2015 by Switch Press

Wildlife

From: NetGalley

By: Fiona Wood

Expected publication: September 16th 2014 by Little, Brown and Company

Melt- REVIEW

MELT
By Selene Castrovilla
Expected publication November 6th 2014 by Last Syllable Books
paperback, 328 pages
ISBN: 9780991626106

Publisher Description:
MELT is a brutal love story, set against the backdrop of The Wizard of Oz. Sixteen year old “good girl” Dorothy just blew into the small town of Highland Park – where the social headquarters is Munchkinland (Dunkin’ Donuts.) There, she meets Joey – a “bad boy” who tells no one about the catastrophic domestic violence he witnesses at home. Can these two lovers survive peer pressure, Joey’s reputation, and his alcoholism? And then there’s his family's secret – about to be unleashed.

Told in dual first person, Joey's words are scattered on the page - reflecting his broken state. Dorothy is the voice of reason - until something so shattering happens that she, too, may lose her grip. Can their love endure, or will it melt away?

MELT is based on true events. It is both a chilling tale of abuse, and a timeless romance. It will hit you like a punch in the face, and also seep through the cracks in your soul.

                                       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My thoughts: 

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC to review.

Girl meets boy. 

Girl is warned about boy. 

Girl falls for boy anyway.

Dorothy and Joey seem to fall in love instantly. The epitome of love at first sight. 

Joey's story is told as if he is speaking directly to you. His words are scattered and repeated. He is super hard on himself and appears to blame himself for the torture that his family is being put through due to his father (Pops).

Dorothy is the person for him to lean on. They come from completely different ends of the spectrum living opposite lives when they meet that fateful day in Dunkin Donuts. She tries her best to understand him and the reason he's an alcoholic.

The character description portrayed through Selene's writing is soul shattering. There were a number of moments I had to put my Kindle down to take a breath and thinking about the pages I just finished. Sometimes I literally felt like the breathe was knocked out of me.

Stunning. Heartbreaking. Intense. Highly recommended to those who can handle it.

5 Coffee Cup Stars
Finished August 24, 2014

First Time APPROVED for eARCS !

This is an exciting day for me! It is the FIRST time that I've been approved for an eARC(that I requested) on both NetGalley and Edelweiss! I know that before long this will be nothing new but it's exciting as a brand new blogger/reviewer. 

I received Portraits of Celina from NetGalley.

Expected publication: April 1st 2015 by Switch Press

Book Description:

Make him pay, Bayley. Make him pay.
It’s as if the wooden chest is luring me, urging me to open it – daring me almost. Open me up. Look inside. Come on, just for a second; it won’t hurt.
Celina O’Malley was sixteen years old when she disappeared. Now, almost forty years later, Bayley is sleeping in Celina’s room, wearing her clothes, hearing her voice. What does Celina want? And who will suffer because of it? A ghost story. A love story. A story of revenge.

I received Rabbit Ears from Edelweiss.

Published March 18th 2014 by HarperCollins

Book Description:

Kaya is adopted, multiracial, grieving the death of her father—and carrying a painful secret. Feeling ill at ease with her family and in her own skin, she runs away repeatedly, gradually disappearing into a life of addiction and sex work. Meanwhile, her sister, Beth, escapes her own troubles with food and a rediscovered talent for magic tricks. Though both girls struggle through darkness and pain, they eventually find their way to a moment of illumination and healing.

Reviews to be posted soon! :)

Paper Towns- REVIEW

Paper Towns
By John Green
Published October 1st 2008 by Speak
ebook, 320 pages
ISBN: 1101010932

Publisher Description:

When Margo Roth Spiegelman beckons Quentin Jacobsen in the middle of the night--dressed like a ninja and plotting an ingenious campaign of revenge--he follows her. Margo's always planned extravagantly, and, until now, she's always planned solo. After a lifetime of loving Margo from afar, things are finally looking up for Q . . . until day breaks and she has vanished. Always an enigma, Margo has now become a mystery. But there are clues. And they're for Q.

                           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My thoughts:

This book contained witty, sarcastic, laugh-out-loud entertainment for me. I was repeatedly stopping and re-reading lines to my other half to see if he laughed as much as me. He didn't. But I told him he had to be into the book. 

This is my second John Green book. I loved each of them on different levels and I'm so glad that they are completely different stories. I appreciate Quentin's consistent dedication to Margo even though she clearly wanted nothing to do with him for years.

As he embarks on this journey from Orlando to New York, he only is faced with more questions. Pick this one up as a quick read with an entertaining couple of characters. 

5 Coffee Cup Stars
Finished on March 31, 2014