Top Ten Books On My Fall 2013 TBR List

It's tuesday and it's time for Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. This time we're supposed to write down our top ten books on our fall 2013 TBR list and that shouldn't be any problem at all.

1. Allegiant by Veronica Roth, give it to me! Now!

2. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, a re-read before the movie comes out.

3. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer. I'm so excited about this book and I've had it for too long!

4. City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare because I have to know what happens.

5. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. It's time!

6. Hate List by Jennifer Brown. I'm so curious about this.

7. Burn for Burn by Jenny Han och Siobhan Vivian.

8. Kiss of Frost by Jennifer Estep. I have to continue the series!

9. Wake by Amanda Hocking.

10. Under the never sky by Veronica Rossi. I should have read it long ago but now it's time.

Top Ten Books I Would Love To See As A Movie/TV Show

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This week it's about books we love to see as movies or TV-shows. In a perfect world, of course, where they don't butcher our favorite books.

1. The Starcrossed trilogy by Josephine Angelini. I really like this trilogy and would definitely watch it as a movie or a TV-show.

2. The Shatter Me trilogy by Tahereh Mafi. I think this would be best as a TV-show actually.

3. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins as a movie. Even I would see it and I normally don't watch romantic movies.

4. Far from you by Lisa Schroeder had been an interesting movie, don't you think?

And these were all that I could come up with! The problem is that all of the series and books I'm reading already is in the process of becoming a movie or TV-show. The Mortal Instruments, Vampire Academy, Divergent...

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

Carmen got the jeans at a thrift shop. They didn’t look all that great: they were worn, dirty, and speckled with bleach. On the night before she and her friends part for the summer, Carmen decides to toss them. But Tibby says they’re great. She'd love to have them. Lena and Bridget also think they’re fabulous. Lena decides that they should all try them on. Whoever they fit best will get them. Nobody knows why, but the pants fit everyone perfectly. Even Carmen (who never thinks she looks good in anything) thinks she looks good in the pants. Over a few bags of cheese puffs, they decide to form a sisterhood and take the vow of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.....the next morning, they say good-bye. And then the journey of the pants - and the most memorable summer of their lives - begins. 

This was a re-read and I'm very satisfied with it. I knew what to expect and it was very special to read it during our vacation in Santorini since a part of it actually takes place there. The reading experience wasn't very different from the last time I read it and I still liked it.

Each of the characters has something and that's one thing I like about this series. Even though Carmen acts a little bit like a baby I can understand her. Her dad, Al, doesn't really care about her and nobody seems to listen to her either. She is just gonna swallow the fact that her father has a whole new family and that he is getting married. Lena is the shy girl with not interest in boys, til she meets Kostas. The opposite of Lena has to be Bridget, or Bee, who is crazy about boys and specially one of them. But when she finally has it all, she just feels empty. And Tibby who stays at home and became friends with Bailey who has leukemia. Their summers is so different but the jeans keep them together!

If you haven't read the series yet, I highly recommend it. It's easy reads and perfect books to pick up during the summer. Now, the summer is mostly gone (at least in Sweden) but read it anyway or save it for the next summer. It will be here before you know it!

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares
Kindle Edition, 303 pages
Delacorte Press
Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon US | The Book Depository

I'm home!

Hi guys! So I got home from Santorini yesterday and I spent the evening going through all of our pictures and movies from the trip. There isn't much book related but I read at least two young adult books that I will be reviewing shortly. I will also show you a book shop in Oia called Atlantis Books, which was the most beautiful book store I've ever been to.

Now you know what to expect so see ya!

We'll Always Have Summer

Belly has only ever been in love with two boys, both with the last name Fisher. And after being with Jeremiah for the last two years, she's almost positive he is her soul mate. Almost. Conrad has not gotten over the mistake he made when he let Belly go even as Jeremiah has always known that Belly is the girl for him. So when Belly and Jeremiah decide to make things forever, Conrad realizes that it's now or never--tell Belly he loves her, or lose her for good. Belly will have to confront her feelings for Jeremiah and Conrad and face a truth she has possibly always known: she will have to break one of their hearts.

It was a really good choice re-reading the series this summer. I loved them when I read in swedish too but it's something special reading in the original language. Anyway, this was as good as the others!

There's a few things I just wanna gaaah a little about. What happened to Jeremiah? The nice and careful boy who would always love and take care of Belly? And, yeah, now we get to understand Conrad but he can't seriously mean that Belly is just going to forget about he being an ass? Anyway, I think Belly choose the right guy in the end and I almost started crying there. That does not happen very often at all.

I'm a little bit sad there isn't more of Belly, Jere and Con but if I've got the time - I'll be re-reading this again next summer and the summer after that and yeah, you know.

We'll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han
Kindle Edition, 304 pages
Simon & Schuster
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Top Ten Books That You Wish Were Taught In Schools

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This week it was actually two different themes but I chose "Top Ten Books That You Wish Were Taught in Schools". I think it will be rather difficult but I'll try!

1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - yeah, why not? It's about a possible future and it's really good so why not?

2. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien 'cause it's a classic. I think it is!

3. I am Legend by Richard Matheson for no special reason.

4. Speechless by Hannah Harrington or any other book with that theme. I think it's important!

And that's all I've got but better than nothing, right?

It's not summer without you

Can summer be truly summer without Cousins Beach? 

It used to be that Belly counted the days until summer, until she was back at Cousins Beach with Conrad and Jeremiah. But not this year. Not after Susannah got sick again and Conrad stopped caring. Everything that was right and good has fallen apart, leaving Belly wishing summer would never come. But when Jeremiah calls saying Conrad has disappeared, Belly knows what she must do to make things right again. And it can only happen back at the beach house, the three of them together, the way things used to be. If this summer really and truly is the last summer, it should end the way it started--at Cousins Beach.

I loved this book just as much as the first time I read it - last summer. This really is a perfect series for the summer and especially when it rains. You just jump into the bed, listen to the rain, pick these books up and dream away.

The only thing that might get me on my nervs in this book is Bellys insecurity. She loves Conrad and all of a sudden Jeremiah is interesting and everything is just very confusing for her. I can understand her a little bit, it's not easy to be a teenager and the feelings are just flowing. Mostly, I really like Conrad but sometimes in this book he's so immature.

Anyway, a review of the third and last book will come up soon!

It's not summer without you by Jenny Han
Kindle Edition, 292 pages
Simon & Schuster
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Goddess

After accidentally unleashing the gods from their captivity on Olympus, Helen must find a way to re-imprison them without starting a devastating war. But the gods are angry, and their thirst for blood already has a body count. To make matters worse, the Oracle reveals that a diabolical Tyrant is lurking among them, which drives a wedge between the once-solid group of friends. As the gods use the Scions against one another, Lucas’s life hangs in the balance. Still unsure whether she loves him or Orion, Helen is forced to make a terrifying decision, for war is coming to her shores. 

SPOILER! (if you haven't read Starcrossed or Dreamless)

It was more than a year since I read Dreamless and I had forgotten a little bit. I wanted to re-read Starcrossed and Dreamless before picking this up but there wasn't time. So many books - so little time. You know how it is. Anyway, Angelini quickly got me into the story again and I had really missed the world of demigods.

Helen and her friends continues the adventure and is trying to stop a war between the gods and the demigods. It's interesting to follow Helen and her new abilities but also her friends reaction. Claire must be one of the worst friends ever. It seems like everyone of the characters gets their fair share in this book and I'm happy about that. Even in this book, a new character shows up - the siren Andy. Helen rescues her from the hospital and protects her from the god Apollon.

I didn't like that so many things in this book is about jealousy. The triangle between Helen, Lucas and Orion is a bit annoying and Lucas suspicions as well. Luckily there isn't so much focus on that.

This was a great final book in a trilogy but I haven't mind reading a lot more about them! If you haven't read the trilogy yet, I highly recommend it.

Goddess by Josephine Angelini
Hardcover, 421 pages
HarperTeen
Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon US | The Book Depository

The Summer I Became A Nerd

On the outside, seventeen-year-old Madelyne Summers looks like your typical blond cheerleader—perky, popular, and dating the star quarterback. But inside, Maddie spends more time agonizing over what will happen in the next issue of her favorite comic book than planning pep rallies with her squad. That she’s a nerd hiding in a popular girl's body isn’t just unknown, it's anti-known. And she needs to keep it that way. 

Summer is the only time Maddie lets her real self out to play, but when she slips up and the adorkable guy behind the local comic shop’s counter uncovers her secret, she’s busted. Before she can shake a pom-pom, Maddie’s whisked into Logan’s world of comic conventions, live-action role-playing, and first-person-shooter video games. And she loves it. But the more she denies who she really is, the deeper her lies become…and the more she risks losing Logan forever.

I read this like a month ago and now I hardly remember the plot. I'm stunned.

Anyway, I didn't really like this book. If I had read anything about it before I picked it up, I probably hadn't picked it up. That's the truth. It gives me a summer feeling, sure, but I didn't really feel anything for the characters or the story. Maddie were also a really superficial character and that drives me nuts.

I understand the mixed ratings for this book but if you ask me, it was OK. Nothing more, nothing less.

The Summer I Became A Nerd by Leah Rae Miller
Kindle Edition, 267 pages
Entangled Teen
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Dreamless

Dreamless continues the story of Helen Hamilton, a shy girl living on Nantucket Island whose desire for an ordinary life was thwarted when she discovered she is a Scion, a descendant of a Greek god and a mortal. Each Scion has a power, and Helen’s is the ability to travel to Hades. Helen is determined to use her talent to stop a war amongst the gods and change her destiny, which is to live a life patterned after that of the tragic Helen of Troy. But her quest may cost her Lucas Delios, the boy she loves.

Okay, I'm going to start this review by saying that if you haven't read the first book in this trilogy - don't read this. 

I didn't get the same feeling about this book as for Starcrossed. Even though it's about greek gods and demigods, it sometimes felt like it was too unrealistic. It's still really good and even though it's about 500 pages - it's a quickread.

I think this book gives us a better understandning for the characters, especially Helen's friends Claire and Matt. I got really annoyed at Jason in this book because of his overprotection of Claire but other than that - I like them all. Angelini introduced a new character as well, Orion. The hot, nice guy who makes Helen really confused. I hope to see more of him in the third and last book in the trilogy.

Dreamless by Josephine Angelini
Hardcover, 487 pages
HarperTeen
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Speechless

Everyone knows that Chelsea Knot can't keep a secret. 

Until now. Because the last secret she shared turned her into a social outcast—and nearly got someone killed. Now Chelsea has taken a vow of silence—to learn to keep her mouth shut, and to stop hurting anyone else. And if she thinks keeping secrets is hard, not speaking up when she's ignored, ridiculed and even attacked is worse. But there's strength in silence, and in the new friends who are, shockingly, coming her way—people she never noticed before; a boy she might even fall for. If only her new friends can forgive what she's done. If only she can forgive herself.

I felt a little speechless (hah) when I finished this book! It's about serious subjects and I think most of us know this from our school days. Although, it's difficult to understand the meaning of the words and the gossip if you're not the one being bullied.

At first I had a little problem with Chelsea but she got better and better. Right from the beginning it felt quite clear that she and Sam would fall for each other. Sam seemed to be an incredibly nice guy, almost a cliche, and it's hard not to like him. Asha also seemed to be very kind but it had been fun getting to know a little more about her. I could really imagine the atmosphere and environment at Rosie's, which was funny. I also thought a little about Chelseas mother and her reaction to Chelseas silence. Why was it so bad?

It is a very good and thought-provoking book that I highly recommend. I am now very curious about Harrington's other book, Saving June.

Speechless by Hannah Harrington
Paperback, 288 pages
Harlequin Teen
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Elemental: The First

Just who is Halíka Dacomé? To Rose Frost, moving house every six months is normal. Another new town here, another new school there, her ability to adapt is as easy as breathing. But everything changes when her parents go overseas and Rose moves in with her grandmother. She enjoys meeting new friends and catching up with old ones from her childhood holidays — except now she must hide a precious secret from everyone, a gift from birth that defies modern day science. Her dreams become riddled with a warrior woman called Halíka Dacomé, but are they visions or messages from the future? She starts her own investigation but encounters more questions than answers. Living right on the edge of Warminster in Wiltshire doesn’t help with its folklore and myths about strange lights in the sky and ghost stories of the Salisbury Plain Not only that, her troubles really take hold one night when the mysterious Aiden Deverill with his alluring smile, his gorgeous dark looks and hypnotising blue eyes, saves her from a freak fire. Or did he? For Rose, her new life is beginning but she soon realises that despite assurances people are not always what they seem. What she always believed to be a happy family and a friendly town soon turns on its head when she discovers that her family secret, Aiden Deverill and the truth behind Halíka Dacomé is at the heart of the whole conspiracy.

I had absolutely no expectations for this book but I got so surprised! It was exciting and I really like the main character Rose. She felt like a simple teenage girl with the usual problems, easy to identify with. Her relationship with Daisy I hope to read more about in the upcoming books.

There were of course some things I did not really like as well, such as the love triangle and the emotions that just seemed syringe from Rose and Morgan. The action was for the most interesting but it was also pretty much up and down.

That said, a surprisingly good book and I'm really looking forward to the continuation! If you like paranormal / sci-fi / YA you have to check this one out!

Elemental: The First by Alexandra May
Kindle Edition, 274 pages
Pauma Publishing
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Crossed

In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky - taken by the Society to his certain death - only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake. Cassia's quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander - who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia's heart - change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever.

I actually had the same problem with this book as I had with Matched. It was way too slow. I put the book down several times and picked up something else. I didn't like the characters more either.

What prevents me from giving the book a really bad rating is the world Condie has built. It's interesting to read about and it's possible that is our future. Frightening! I'm not going to read the third and last installment in this trilogy, sorry.

Crossed by Ally Condie
Paperback, 367 pages
Speak
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If I Stay

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 heart-achingly beautiful story about the power of family and friends, the choices we all make, and the ultimate choice Mia commands.

I got very surprised by this book, in a good way of course. It's a very thin book but the author smashed it all together and got a very beautiful little story. I like the characters, especially Willow and Adam. It's also an easy read and very interesting. This kind of stories I usually watch on TV but I really liked it and I hope to read the next one in this duology very soon.

I highly recommend this book!

If I Stay by Gayle Forman
Hardcover, 201 pages
Dutton Juvenile
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The Summer I Turned Pretty

Some summers are just destined to be pretty. 

When each summer begins, Belly leaves her school life behind and escapes to Cousins Beach, the place she has spent every summer of her life. Not only does the beach house mean home away from home, but her favorite people are there: Susannah, her mother's best friend, and her sons, Conrad and Jeremiah. Belly has been chasing Conrad for as long as she can remember, and more than anything, she hopes this summer will be different. Despite distractions from a new guy named Cam and lingering looks from Conrad's brother, Jeremiah, Belly's heart belongs to Conrad. Will he offer his to her? Will this be the summer that changes everything?

Okay, this is the second time I'm reading this book. I first read it last summer, but in swedish, and now I read it in english. I liked this book even more the second time and the things that annoyed me last year wasn't even there this time. I remember that I thought Belly was a bit immature for example.

This time I also really felt something for Susannah and her boys. Even though Conrad really is a jerk sometimes, he has his own way to deal with things and I can't really blame him for that. I think it's pretty interesting to see the differences between the two brothers, Jeremiah and Conrad. It's like looking at me and my sisters actually. Well, the only character I still doesn't like is Taylor. She is one of the most annoying characters I've ever read about it and I really don't understand why Belly is friends with her.

This book has it all! The characters are amazing and also the setting. When I'm reading this I can picture Cousins Beach in my head so it's a great summer read and if you haven't picked this trilogy up yet - just do!

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
Kindle Edition, 292 pages
Simon & Schuster
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Found

Penny Black hasn’t had it easy. Just about everything you’d expect to happen to a harassed foster-kid turned junkie has happened to Penny. Add in the mysterious power to rewind time, conducting events around her, and it’s a wonder she held up on the streets for so many years. Now, at seventeen, the New Society has found her. Finally, Penny is where she belongs. But that doesn’t stop the visions, or the need to protect the victims shown to her.

Wyatt Adams is excited and intrigued when his sister Melody assigns him to be Penny’s Lookout. Being the youngest, and hopelessly ordinary in the family that created the New Society, has left Wyatt feeling like he has a lot to prove -- and Penny is a big deal. She’s got abilities that surpass any he’s seen before…and pretty much every quality he looks for in a girlfriend, but no one needs to know about that, especially Penny. 

I think I should've read the Zellie Wells-trilogy before picking Found up. It would have been much less confusing but I didn't even know there were a Zellie Wells-trilogy. Anyway, it's difficult to read this book with all the characters and the world and all their abilities. I had a hard time getting through it and it's sad because I really thought it would be good.

As you may have gathered, I won't read the second installment in this trilogy. Even though I'm very happy that I got the chance to read this book through Netgalley.

Found by Stacey Wallace Benefiel
Kindle Edition, 159 pages
Write Free
Amazon US

Matched

Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate... until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.

This book was incredibly slow and it took me forever to get through it. At least it felt like that! I started other books at the same time as well, more exciting ones.

The settings and the characters could have been better described. Oh, it's so hard to make a review of this book because everything I write is so negative but I didn't like it. That's it.

Matched by Ally Condie
Paperback, 366 pages
Razorbill
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I'll be there

Emily Bell believes in destiny. To her, being forced to sing a solo in the church choir--despite her average voice--is fate: because it's while she's singing that she first sees Sam. At first sight, they are connected.

Sam Border wishes he could escape, but there's nowhere for him to run. He and his little brother, Riddle, have spent their entire lives constantly uprooted by their unstable father. That is, until Sam sees Emily. That's when everything changes.

As Sam and Riddle are welcomed into the Bells' lives, they witness the warmth and protection of a family for the first time. But when tragedy strikes, they're left fighting for survival in the desolate wilderness, and wondering if they'll ever find a place where they can belong. 

This is the first book by the author Holly Goldberg Sloan and it was pretty great! It contains strong relationships, love, interesting characters and so on. I don't think I've ever read anything like this before and I'm very happy about that.

I love the relationship between the brothers Sam and Riddle. There's deep love and Sam is also very protective and acts like a father should do. Riddle also connects with Debbie later on in the book.

It's a very good book, as I said, and I highly recommend it!

I'll be there by Holly Goldberg Sloan
Hardcover, 392 pages
Little, Brown
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Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children

A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. And a strange collection of very curious photographs. It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. 

As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children who once lived here - one of whom was his own grandfather - were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a desolate island for good reason.

And somehow - impossible though it seems - they may still be alive.

This wasn't really my kind of book! I expected something else from this and it's strange because I read about the book before I got it. Well, I don't know. I know that it wasn't for me.

I didn't really feel anything about the book and I didn't fell for any of the characters. I know a lot of people love the book and it's characters but I'm just not one of them. The book wasn't as thrilling as I hoped it would be and therefore kind of boring.

Although - the design of the book and the pictures in it are fantastic!

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
Hardback, 352 pages
Quirk
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The White Cat

Cassel comes from a family of Curse Workers - people who have the power to change your emotions, your memories, your luck, by the slightest touch of their hands. And since curse work is illegal, they're all criminals. Many become mobsters and con artists. But not Cassel. He hasn't got magic, so he's an outsider, the straight kid in a crooked family. You just have to ignore one small detail - he killed his best friend, Lila, three years ago.

Cassel has carefully built up a facade of normalcy, blending into the crowd. But his facade starts to crumble when he finds himself sleepwalking, propelled into the night by terrifying dreams about a white cat that wants to tell him something. He's noticing other disturbing things too, including the strange behavior of his two brothers. They are keeping secrets from him. As Cassel begins to suspect he's part of a huge con game, he must unravel his past and his memories. To find out the truth, Cassel will have to out-con the conmen.

I hadn't read that much about this book before I picked it up so I got really surprised when I found out it was about magic. It's a great idea with the curse workers and it's very interesting to read about but I wish there were something more. Spoiler alert! When Lila is transformed back to a human, you couldn't even tell she had been a cat for the last three years. What happened to her behaviour for example? It would have been more realistic if she had some of the cat-stuff left.

I really like that the protagonist in this book was a guy, Cassel. I liked him from the very beginning! His family is a bit messy and I bet it's hard to know who to trust. I also really liked Maura and I hope to read more about here in the second book in this trilogy.

The ending was the best part and I wanted to read the second book right away!

The White Cat by Holly Black
Paperback, 311 pages
Gollancz
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Vampire Academy

St. Vladimir’s Academy isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger... 

Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever. 

Me and vampires are a new thing actually. I haven't ever given them a real chance either so.. but I've heard many book bloggers talk about this series and I got curious. Of course. In the beginning of this book, I got so annoyed by Rose but the more I read, the more I thought she reminded me of myself when I was younger. But I wish someone had slapped me back then!

I liked Dimitri from the start and I hope to read more about him in the series. Christian also seemed like a nice guy. I really like the setting and in my mind, the academy is a dark and thrilling place.

It wasn't that exciting in the beginning but it changed after a few chapters. I tried to guess who the "bad guy" was but I was wrong and surprised. I really looking forward to read the rest of the series!

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
Paperback, 332 pages
Razorbill
Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon US | The Book Depository

Cinder

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . . 

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

Just a few pages in, I was convinced. Cinder is a great character and her relation with the android Iko is very interesting to read about. I actually didn't think I liked sci-fi but ha, I was wrong.

This is a re-telling of Cinderella and it shows in a few different ways. For example in Cinder's family where she has two mean stepsisters and an even meaner stepmom. She also falls in love with a prince, Kai. Kai is a really interesting character and I liked him. He's likeable and friendly to his people. I hope to read more about him in the next book, Scarlet.

I really recommend this book and I'm very curious about Scarlet!

Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Paperback, 387 pages
Square Fish
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Starcrossed

Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—now it's getting harder. She's having nightmares of a desperate desert journey, visions of three women weeping tears of blood. And why is she possessed by the sudden, unstoppable urge to kill the handsome new boy in school, Lucas Delos? 

A love written in the stars . . . A feud started in ancient Greece . . . A curse not even the gods can break. 

Why on earth does every book has to be compared to Twilight?! Because of that, I had very low expectations and maybe that was a good thing because I LOVED IT. It was very difficult putting it down at nights and I really like greek mythology. It's interesting and it's a very good story Josephine Angelini made up.

One thing I like about this book is the funny comments that shows up from page to page. For example when Claire thinks Helen is a vampire.

The only thing I think is a bit negative is the very long chapters but on the other hand, I read it very quickly. I really want to recommend this book and the trilogy.

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini 
Hardcover, 488 pages
HarperTeen
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Anna and the French Kiss

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris--until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, Étienne has it all...including a serious girlfriend. But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss?

I know a lot of people loved this book so my expectations were pretty high when I first picked it up, but maybe they were a little bit too high. It was a great book but it wasn't as fantastic as I thought it would be. I don't normally like too romantic books and this is pretty close to that.

Anyway, I really liked the characters - especially St. Clair. Even though he's a bit cliché I liked him with his british accent and personality.

Very soon I'm going to read the next book by Perkins - Lola and the Boy Next Door and I hope it's as good as this or maybe even better.

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
Hardcover, 372 pages
Dutton Books
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The Hunger Games

Could you survive on your own, in the wild, with everyone out to make sure you don't live to see the morning? 

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual 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 steps forward to take her sister’s place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Unintentionally, she becomes a contender. 

If Katniss is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

This is the first book in the Hunger Games-trilogy and I read it in april last year. I actually saw the movie before I picked up the book but it was no problem reading it. It was just as exciting and thrilling as I hoped it would be.

The book is a real pageturner and pretty thin so I got through it fast. Suzanne Collins is a good writer and I really like the world she has created. The only problem with this book is that it sometimes is incredibly predictable but it wasn't something I cared about a lot.

I really recommend this book so if you haven't picked it up yet - just do it!

P.S. I'm going to re-read the trilogy very soon and then I'll give some more comments about it.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Hardcover, 374 pages
Scholastic Press
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Heist Society

When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her on a trip to the Louvre…to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria…to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own—scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving “the life” for a normal life proves harder than she’d expected. 

Soon, Kat's friend and former co-conspirator, Hale, appears out of nowhere to bring Kat back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has a good reason: a powerful mobster has been robbed of his priceless art collection and wants to retrieve it. Only a master thief could have pulled this job, and Kat's father isn't just on the suspect list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat’s dad needs her help. 

For Kat, there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back. So what if it's a spectacularly impossible job? She's got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in her family's history--and, with any luck, steal her life back along the way.  

This book is a little bit different than the other ones I've read lately and it's a good thing. I don't normally read books with thieves but it was really interesting. I also liked Ally Carter's writing style and now I'm very curious about her other books.

I liked Katarina Bishop, the main character, but also Hale. The book contains a good mix of characters but I hope Kat's father shows up more in the following book.

A very short review this time but I don't think I have anything more to say about this. I will definitely read the next book in the series but I don't know if it will come out in swedish. Otherwise I will be reading it in english. We'll see..

Heist Society by Ally Carter 
Hardcover, 287 pages
Disney-Hyperion
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Follow the White Rabbit

For centuries, Wonderland thrived as the domain of beautiful bedlam and unapologetic madness. It was a place like no other. All it took was one girl slipping in through the cracks of the universe to start chaos spiraling toward order. In the 150 years since Alice’s visit, the realm has become tainted—almost normal. Rabbits in waistcoats and playing card minions are little more than creatures of myth, and Wonderland is literally falling to pieces. 

For Gwen, Rose, and Lucky, Wonderland is home, and yet they know little of its former glory. When the Alice prophecy resurfaces, they’ll have one chance to use Wonderland’s own legends to bring a little mayhem back into their reality. For she who controls Alice controls the fate of Wonderland.

There's not going to be any positive reviews today, I'm sorry about that but I just didn't like this book either. First of all, I didn't like the title at all. It's hard to remember and it's also meaningless.

Second, this is not a book, it's a novella. There's a lot of different point of views in the story and everything goes pretty fast. The lack of details irritates me and I can't help but wonder why the author didn't write a whole book at once? No, this book was not for me and I'm not going to read the second book.

Thanks to Netgalley!

Follow the White Rabbit by Kellie Sheridan
Kindle Edition, 100 pages
Patchwork Press
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Dragonfly

Three bad things I learned this year: 
-People you trust lie, even parents. 
-That hot guy, the one who’s totally into you, he might not be the one. 
-Things are not always how they appear. 

Three good things I learned this year: 
-Best friends are always there for you, even when they’re far away. 
-That other hot guy, the one who remembers your birthday, he just might be the one. 
-Oh, and things are not always how they appear. 

Anna Sanders expected an anonymous (and uneventful) senior year until she crossed paths with rich-and-sexy Jack Kyser and his twin sister Lucy. Pulling Anna into their extravagant lifestyle on the Gulf Coast, Lucy pushed Anna outside her comfort zone, and Jack showed her feelings she’d never experienced... Until he mysteriously withdrew. Anna turned to her internship at the city paper and to her old attraction for Julian, a handsome local artist and rising star, for distraction. But both led to her discovery of a decades-old secret closely guarded by the twins’ distant, single father. A secret that could permanently change all their lives. 

Okay, where to start? I had no expectations for this book. I guessed it was a good summer read and at least I had right about that. I got so freakin' annoyed with the protagonist Anna that I just wanted to throw my Kindle right into the wall. I can understand she has feelings for two different guys but what's up with all the kissing? Does it make things better? Easier? No, she's just digging a bigger hole for herself. Oh my. And the lack of self-confidence? Yeah, I really don't know what to say about her.

I can also point out that the story is full of klichés. Rich guy meets less rich girl, a third guy enters. The girl is the weaker one and of course one of the guys is a bad guy and the other's a mothers dream. Well, I won't bore you to death with details but it's not a book I would recommend. It was easy to read though and I got trough it very fast.

This is the first installment in a trilogy (I think..) and the second book is coming out in a few weeks. Maybe I'll read it just to get to know what happens but you shouldn't count on it ;)

Thanks to Netgalley!

Dragonfly by Leigh T. Moore
Kindle Edition, 265 pages
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I heart you, you haunt me

Girl meets boy. Girl loses boy. Girl gets boy back... ..sort of. Ava can't see him or touch him, unless she's dreaming. She can't hear his voice, except for the faint whispers in her mind. Most would think she's crazy, but she knows he's here. Jackson. The boy Ava thought she'd spend the rest of her life with. He's back from the dead, as proof that love truly knows no bounds.

This is a fantastic story about feelings and how to let go. It was not very difficult to sympathize with Ava. She felt really guilty and even if I didn't think it was her fault, I understood her feelings. It can't be easy in a situation like that.

Although the book is written in verse, and for that matter is very short, it feels like I've read 500 pages. There's really a whole story in only a couple of words. This is the second book I read in verse and I will definitely be reading more, that's for sure. Schroeder is a fantastic writer and now I'm also very curious about Ellen Hopkins.

I heart you, you haunt me by Lisa Schroeder
Paperback, 227 pages
Simon Pulse
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Sorry!

Woow, a new month and nothing is written since the 21st of June. I'm sorry about that! I've actually got a lot of reviews to publish guys and possibly something more interesting.

This week I'm participating in a swedish variant of read-a-thon, which is called läs-a-lot. I haven't read as much as I wanted but hey, I'm working full time and have a lot of other stuff to do so every moment of reading is good.

I hope you guys are okay!

Unravel Me

Our lips 
touch 
and I know I'm going to split at the seams. He kisses me softly then strongly like he's lost me and he's found me and I'm slipping away and he's never going to let me go. 

Juliette has escaped from The Reestablishment. Now she's free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch. Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible. Haunted by her past and terrified of her future, Juliette knows that she will have to make some life-changing choices. Choices that may involve choosing between her heart—and Adam's life. Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her—people with gifts—and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance. She's finally free from The Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch. Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible. 

I absolutely LOVED the first book in this trilogy and I had very high expectations about this one. It turned out to be really slow in the beginning but it got much better. The last chapters were just so great but it wasn't as good as the first book. Nope.

Some new charachters showed up in this book but you didn't really get to know them. Maybe, there'll be more about them in the final book but it almost felt like something was missing. It wasn't as thrilling as I hope it to be either. We get to know Warner a bit better though and I know a lot of you love him but I still can't stand him. Even though we get to know a little about his background, there's no excuse for torturing people. He's not one of my favorite characters as you might have guessed. Kenji grew a lot in my eyes though and I hope to read more about him in the final book.

Anyway, it's a great book and if you haven't start reading the trilogy yet, you should definitely do it!

Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi 
Paperback, 461 pages
HarperCollins
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The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything? 
Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. Having missed her flight, she's stuck at JFK airport and late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon-to-be stepmother Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's sitting in her row. 

A long night on the plane passes in the blink of an eye, and Hadley and Oliver lose track of each other in the airport chaos upon arrival. Can fate intervene to bring them together once more? 

Quirks of timing play out in this romantic and cinematic novel about family connections, second chances, and first loves. Set over a twenty-four-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it. 

A cozy love story that takes place in a flight could not be that bad, right? The cover is really cute and I've heard some people talk about the parables with Anna and the French Kiss but no, it's nothing like Anna. I had too high expectations in this book and got a bit disappointed.

Sure it's a nice story but there are many parts that feels very unlikely! I also got really annoyed at the protagonist Hadley. She too often behaved like a real brat. Simple and easy to read in any case and it went very quickly to read it out because it was like 200 pages thin!

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith
Hardcover, 236 pages
Poppy/Little Brown
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Top Ten Books At The Top Of My Summer TBR List

It's time for The Broke and the Bookish's meme Top Ten Tuesday. This week, we list the top ten books at our summer TBR-list and this shouldn't be a problem at all. I really have to many books to read this summer!

1. Insurgent by Veronica Roth. I. HAVE. TO. READ. IT.

2. My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent, which I got from one of my book friends.

3. My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick. I've heard so many amazing things about this book!

4. Flirting in Italian by Lauren Henderson. A really cute book.

5. The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen, which is her new book and I'm really curious about it.

6. The Summer-trilogy by Jenny Han. I've read these books before but it's time to re-read.

7. Wake by Amanda Hocking. It looks good!

8. Breathe by Abbi Glines. I bought it for my Kindle a couple of weeks ago.

9. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares - also a re-read.

10. Lola and the boy next door by Stephanie Perkins. I read Anna last year and now I'm really curious about this book.

Delirium

Ninety-five days, and then I’ll be safe.
I wonder whether the procedure will hurt.
I want to get it over with.
It’s hard to be patient.
It’s hard not to be afraid while I’m still uncured, though so far the deliria hasn’t touched me yet.
Still, I worry.
They say that in the old days, love drove people to madness.
The deadliest of all deadly things: It kills you both when you have it and when you don’t.

Right before I picked this book up, I read a very negative review about it so I started reading it with pretty low expectations. I think that was pretty good because I ended up really liking the book. It started a little slow but it got better and then I couldn't even put it down. It was easy to read and even though it's pretty thick - it was a fast and exciting read.

I liked most of the characters and they really made me feel something for them. At first, Lena was kind of boring but suddenly she did a real turn. I also liked Gracie but I'm not so sure she turns up later on in the trilogy. We'll have to wait and see.

It's a great book, interesting and thrilling and I highly recommend it.

Delirium by Lauren Oliver
Hardcover, 441 pages
HarperTeen
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What Happened to Goodbye

Another town. Another school. Another Mclean. Ever since her parents' bitter divorce, Mclean and her father have been fleeing their unhappy past. And Mclean's become a pro at reinventing herself with each move. But in Lakeview, Mclean finds herself putting down roots and making friends—in part, thanks to Dave, the most real person Mclean's ever met. Dave just may be falling in love with her, but can he see the person she really is? Does Mclean herself know?

The first few chapters are a bit slow in this book, but it gets better and the ending is really good. It has some similarities with the last Dessen book I read, The Truth About Forever. Girls with a dodgy relationship with their mothers, either divorce or death in the family and these guys that they really shouldn't be interested in. Although, I shouldn't say it's the same and I like the book nevertheless.

The focus is on a teenage girl's life after her parents divorce that has taken harder on her than perhaps even she had imagined. I have married parents so I do not know how it is, but it's interesting to read and interesting to know how Mclean reacts. The relationship between Mclean and her mother is strained to say the least, and through half the book, I was just SO tired of her mother Katherine.

So, it's a good book and it's easy to read. It's perfect to read this summer, like any Dessen book seem to be. The only thing that bothered me was the slow start but as I said, it got better.

What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen 
Paperback, 402 pages
Speak
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