Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish:
This week is your favourite authors that are new to you this year. Here's my list in no particular order.

1. Rainbow Rowell: I've had Attachments in my eReader for a very long time, but it wasn't until Eleanor & Park that I started to read Rowell's work. After reading it, I told myself that I have to get on Attachments, because she's an amazing writer. I immediately went to see if she has any more books coming out. Luckily, Fangirl will be out next year!
2. Suzanne Collins: Yes, I'm one of those people that got into The Hunger Games only after I heard there was going to be a movie. I'd heard of it before that, but I didn't bother to pick it up for a reason that I can't remember anymore. I'm really happy I finally gathered my wits and started reading the trilogy.
3. Kady Cross: A book store employee at my regular book store recommended the Steampunk Chronicles to me after we talked about some favourite YA titles we had in common. I'm super thankful to her for introducing me to the Steampunk genre, because I was totally blind to it prior.
4. Gail Carriger: The same employee recommended the Parasol Protectorate series after I asked if there was a Steampunk book that wasn't YA, and I instantly fell in love with the first 2 books. I've yet to read the others, but I'm looking forward to finally getting into them.
5. Marissa Meyer: Cinder was one of those books that I picked up solely for the cover art. It's gorgeous. Then I read it and the story made me love the whole thing even more. Marissa wrote with this style that just pulled me in and I could barely form coherent thoughts after reading.
6. Scott Westerfeld: I bought Uglies-- again, as with the case of Cinder-- because the cover was pretty. It was just so white and eerie and the layout of the whole thing just intrigued me. After reading Uglies I had to buy the rest of the series immediately. I also picked up Leviathan without knowing it was written by him as well, funnily enough.
7. Cassandra Clare: As if I don't mention her enough on this blog. I only started The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices this past summer, even though I've had the first books of each series sitting on my book shelf for well over a year. I'm glad I finally picked them up. Because I'm obsessed. Like please-get-me-professional-help obsessed.
8. Ellen Hopkins: Every time I walked into the YA section, I had always passed by her books and was intrigued by the covers and titles. I finally decided to pick one up and was surprised to find what was inside. I've never been fond of verse until I read Impulse, and after that I had to go get more of her books. I currently have about 5 sitting on my shelves.
9. Tara Lynn Childs: I've had one of her other books on my TBR list since 2011, but I actually started reading Medusa Girls in October and fell in love. Since then I've added more books by her to my list. Sweet Venom and Sweet Shadows made me want to actually start reading Oh. My. Gods. even more, and I swear, I'll get to it asap. Can't wait.
10. Karen Marie Moning: I started really, really late on the Fever series, which is a shame because I'm currently in love with it. Of course I'd heard of the series (as it seems is the case with most of my list, lol), but I never got around to reading the first book until October. I'm really excited to get further into the other books.

Hosted by Sheila at Book Journey:
This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well… you never know where that next “must read” book will come from!

I'm dedicating most of December to catching up on my reading list (save for studying for finals, lol, kind of important). Here are the books that I'm currently reading this week:

Dancing in the Dark by Robyn Bavati

He tossed her into the air as if she were weightless, and just for a moment she seemed suspended there, defying gravity. I couldn't take my eyes off her. I knew what she was feeling. It was in every movement of every limb.

Here was a power I had never seen before, a kind of haunting loveliness I had never imagined. Seeing it made me long for something, I didn't know what . . .

Ditty was born to dance, but she was also born Jewish. When her strictly religious parents won't let her take ballet lessons, Ditty starts to dance in secret. But for how long can she keep her two worlds apart? And at what cost?

A dramatic and moving story about a girl who follows her dream, and finds herself questioning everything she believes in.

River's Recruit by Charlotte Abel
Sanctuary series, Book #1

Jonathan McKnight lost everything in Afghanistan. His left hand, his identical twin and his self-respect. He searches for redemption during a solo backpacking trip into the remote Sawatch Mountains of Colorado and discovers a secret tribe of shifters.

River, the beautiful young shifter that rescues Jonathan from certain death, wants to recruit him. He is equally determined to rescue her from her cult-like society — even if he has to kidnap her.

Shadowhunters and Downworlders: A Mortal Instruments Reader by Cassandra Clare (Editor)

Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments series, epic urban fantasy set in a richly imagined world of shadowhunters, vampires, werewolves, fairies, and more, has captured the imaginations and loyalty of hundreds of thousands of YA readers. Originally a trilogy (City of Bones, City of Ashes, City of Glass), the series has extended to six titles, plus a prequel trilogy, the Infernal Devices, and a planned sequel series, the Dark Artifices. A feature film is planned for 2013.

Shadowhunters and Downworlders, edited by Clare (who provides an introduction to the book and to each piece), is a collection of YA authors writing about the series and its world.

Authors Who Contributed:
Holly Black / Kendare Blake / Gwenda Bond / Sarah Rees Brennan / Rachel Caine / Sarah Cross / Kami Garcia / Michelle Hodkin / Kelly Link / Kate Milford / Diana Peterfreund / Sara Ryan / Scott Tracey / Robin Wasserman

Have an amazing week, everyone!

Hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer:
It's a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.

Wow, I haven't done a Sunday Post in a few weeks. School has been ridiculously busy with final projects and papers and final prep... I was on the verge of a break down. I haven't even been able to catch up with my DVR recordings. I'm going crazy. Lol. But thankfully everything's been handed in on time and now it's just a matter of getting through finals. That reminds me, I'll have to find time to study today. The first one is already on Wednesday. Then I'll have to get ready for Christmas vacation! Super excited. The family and I will be getting out of this cold Canadian weather and heading to Mexico for a week. Can't wait!

Reading-wise, I've had a pretty good week -- weeks, actually. I've gotten quite a few reviews done in the time that I haven't done a Sunday Post, which you can see here. I'm keeping my haul pretty light again so I can catch up.

I'd also just like to thank everyone who has commented on my reviews and posts. I'm trying to sort out an issue I have with my comment form; for some reason I can't reply. I do read them and greatly appreciate the comments and reading your thoughts, so, thank you! I'm glad to share these titles with you all. Hope everyone has a great week, and happy reading!

Last week:

• Posted a review for Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
• Posted a review for The Lighter Side of Life and Death by C.K. Kelly Martin
• Signed up for two more 2013 reading challenges: Fairy Tales Retold Reading Challenge and the Paranormal Reading Challenge.

Coming this week in reviews:

• The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
• Dancing in the Dark by Robyn Bavati
• Lemonade Mouth by Mark Peter Hughes
• Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

New bookshelf additions:
via NetGalley

Shadowhunters and Downworlders: A Mortal Instruments Reader
by Cassandra Clare (Editor), Holly Black, Kate Milford et al.

From the Author

Barbie Girl by Heidi Acosta
Prophecy Girl by Faith McKay

Purchases / Downloads

The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin (Hardcopy)

Title: The Lighter Side of Life and Death
Author: C.K. Kelly Martin
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: Random House Books
Release date: May 25, 2010
ISBN-10: 0375845895
ISBN-13: 9780375845895
Format: Hardcopy
Source: Purchased

Sixteen-year-old Mason Rice is having the night of his life. He's just delivered an incredible performance in the school play, basked in celebratory afterglow vibes at the party of the year, and lost his virginity to one of his best friends—the gorgeous but previously unobtainable Kat Medina. His dreams are coming true and the future looks golden.

Unfortunately, Kat sees things very differently. Crossing the friendship line was a big mistake and all she wants is to forget it and move on, even if means forgetting Mason altogether. What's a guy to do? Well, if you're Mason, you hang your hopes on the first attractive 23-year-old you cross paths with. At first Mason wonders if he's imagining the chemistry . . . until Colette invites him over to her apartment. Suddenly Mason's living in a whole new world. Fans of John Green and Sarah Dessen will savor C. K. Kelly Martin's sexy, smart, soulful story of one confused boy, two girls, and all the complications that ensue in this feel good celebration of friendship, first love, first lust, and second chances.



My Review:
Mason Rice is living the life. With good friends and a successful run in the school play, nothing could touch him. After one amazing day, he heads over to a party to celebrate his recent accomplishments and finds himself alone with his best friend, Kat. They end up sleeping together, and this changes everything. Kat wants to pretend nothing happened so she starts avoiding him, and their other best friend, Jamie, is mad at Mason because he's also in love with Kat and was kept in the dark about what happened between the two. At home, Mason is dealing with some big changes in his family. He butts heads with his step-sister-to-be and they can never seem to find common ground. Mason then meets Colette, his future stepmom's 23-year-old friend, who he starts a secret forbidden liaison with. As their relationship prolongs, Mason starts slipping away from his old life.

Here's a little personal history for you: I first read this book the year it came out. I just turned 21, but was at that stage where I still felt 20; right smack in the middle of Mason and Colette's 7-year age gap. Fast forward to today, 23 on the verge of turning 24-- same age as Colette. When I was reading this book in 2010, I was just "meh" about their relationship. I got that it was taboo but for some reason I wasn't as affected as I am now. What a difference 2 years makes. My feelings about their relationship changed immensely! Can I imagine myself messing around with a 16-year-old? The thought makes my stomach feel weird. And not in the good way. God, no.

The plot was great and the execution was better than I can imagine. Martin had this style that never went overboard, no matter how big the issue. It was nice and made for an enjoyable light read. The book was full of adolescent problems but instead of taking them and making a big unnecessary show out of it, she wrote it so that the characters actually could deal and the reader could actually see these kinds of reactions to things in real life.

What set this story apart for me was the narration from Mason's perspective. I've never really come across a lot of contemporary romance novels from a guy's point of view. It worked really well for this story, and his voice was so refreshing. He went through a lot of emotions, like every teenager goes through, and it was interesting taking a look into the inner workings of a teenage boy's mind. Mason was easy-going and handled everything great on the outside, but he was slowly losing it inside as the story progressed. He had this illicit affair with an older woman and eventually admitted to it, but the consequences weren't too drastic. Actually, the whole book wasn't as dramatic as it could have been. I personally love Martin for that; the story could have gotten really over-dramatic and cliché, but it was all done with subtle grace. Of course Mason wasn't without his flaws, as all the characters in this book were, but he was definitely a great narrator for the story.

The other characters were all very diverse, which I commend Martin for. Various age groups, ethnicities, and sexual orientations were represented without going overboard. It gave it a more realistic feel that I definitely appreciated. The story went in the direction it did because of Kat, Mason's crush who just so happens to also be one of his best friends. It was interesting that she was Filipino when there are virtually none of us in contemporary literature, so that was kind of cool. And hey, look at that, the story took place in Canada. But that aside, Kat reacted to what happened between her and Mason in such an odd way. It was exasperating. I wanted to like her more and wanted to know more about her. But of course, she was avoiding Mason for more than half the book so that didn't happen. I had mixed feelings about her, but I'm happy with how the story ended. Jamie, though. The other best friend. I could have done without his whining and total abandonment of Mason. I can't even talk about him properly without getting worked up. Colette... I don't know if the readers are supposed to like her. It's just bad right off the bat; she had a relationship with a 16-year-old boy. Freakin' illegal. If it's not illegal, then it's definitely lacking in common sense. She clearly had some issues that she needed to work out; re-evaluate her life a little bit, maybe, because... woah. Ick. All in all, I think every character served their purpose, and it was done well. The fact that both of the leading females in the story were so different in every single way was a nice touch. They could have been severely butchered, one being an immigrant teenager and the other a 20-something woman having an affair with a minor, but Martin managed to stay away from stereotypes.

Funny thing, while I was reading this book the first time in 2010, I always pictured Logan Lerman as Mason. I don't know why. Seems like a character he would play if a movie adaptation was ever made. I've seen several other places online suggesting Aaron Johnson, which would have been good, too, at the time (not now, though). I've always thought he and Logan looked pretty similar. Anyway. When I start getting into potential movie casting is when you know I like a book a lot. It was one of my favourites in 2010, and re-reading it now brought back the feelings. They've shifted a bit, because like I mentioned earlier, 2 years can change a person, even by the slightest. A lot of things that I liked during my initial reading, I changed my opinion on. To add onto that, I noticed more things the second time around that I wasn't really paying attention to before. Regardless, this book remains one of my favourites, and I would recommend it to those looking for a light and not so over-exaggerated read, considering the subject.

My rating:

Visit the author:
Official website | Twitter | Goodreads

Buy this book:
IndieBound.org | Amazon.com | Indigo.ca

Title: Eleanor & Park
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Release date: February 26, 2013 (North American release)
ISBN-10: 1250012570
ISBN-13: 9781250012579
Format: ARC
Source: NetGalley

"Bono met his wife in high school," Park says.
"So did Jerry Lee Lewis," Eleanor answers.
"I’m not kidding," he says.
"You should be," she says, "we’re sixteen."
"What about Romeo and Juliet?"
"Shallow, confused, then dead."
''I love you," Park says.
"Wherefore art thou," Eleanor answers.
"I’m not kidding," he says.
"You should be."

Set over the course of one school year in 1986, ELEANOR AND PARK is the story of two star-crossed misfits – smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park, you’ll remember your own first love – and just how hard it pulled you under.



My Review:
Eleanor & Park is the story of adolescence and first love. It takes place in the 1980s in the Midwestern United States; Omaha, to be exact. Eleanor is the new girl at school. She's described as being slightly overweight with wild red hair and dresses in ill-fitting clothes. She's a target for your typical high school bullies, and unfortunately her home life isn't any better. Park is well-liked at school and has a loving family, but he still stands out from everyone else. He's half-Korean in a neighbourhood full of white kids, his younger brother looks way older than him, and he'd rather read comic books than play sports. Both are misfits in different ways, and after begrudgingly encountering each other one day on the bus ride to school, they find themselves drifting closer and closer together.

As the title suggests, the book focused on Eleanor and Park's relationship, all the way from the ground up. It started with Eleanor getting on the school bus and being forced to pick a seat, only to discover that everyone already had some pre-arranged seating plan. One kid, Park, speaks up (unwillingly and rather rudely) and lets her take the seat next to him. They didn't interact initially -- in fact, they developed preconceived notions about each other that made them speak pretty foully about one another. But after a while, they started discovering common interests, taught each other a thing or two along the way (which was done beautifully, by the way, through wordless interactions) and found themselves enjoying each other's company. By the middle of the book, they were clearly past sneaky glances and silently sharing comic books. It moved a tad fast for me at this point (there's a line where Eleanor stated that he made her want to have his babies and give him both of her kidneys. Woah. And they were only setting up a phone date!), but that aside, the build-up prior to that was near perfection. They fell in love, though Eleanor kept her guard up for most of the book, not wanting this part of her life destroyed by her situation at home. Eleanor lacked self-confidence, but Park always made her feel like the most beautiful girl in the world, even though everyone around them didn't quite understand why they picked each other.

They weren't only great together, but they were likeable as individual characters as well. I feel like this is such a plus when it comes to romances. It pains me when I love two people together, but not apart; that just emphasizes their dependency on each other. I loved Eleanor. She was snarky and hi-laaarious, and she liked the Beatles, so obviously she had great taste in music. Park, on the other hand, didn't know much about the Beatles. Which was a shame, but he made up for it with his adorable love for comic books and nerd references. They were completely different from each other, from their looks and personalities to their families. Eleanor's family was broken and impoverished while Park's was whole and very involved in his life (he even lived next to his grandparents). Their contrasting lives eventually weaved together and ended the story on a very heart-wrenching, very high note.

Rowell is an amazing writer. She ended off paragraphs with quotes and lines that had me clutching my chest and aww-ing more than once. There were parts that made me laugh and parts that made me cry. It was a whole range of emotions for me while reading. The book was written in both Eleanor and Park's perspectives, where Rowell would switch between the two. Thankfully it was written in third person narrative and not first, otherwise it would have been pretty confusing. The switching perspectives worked because it gives readers an inside look at both of their lives away from each other. Their familial situations were so different, and I felt horrible for Eleanor especially. Rowell didn't hold back on tackling the serious issues when it came to Eleanor's home life. It was utterly heartbreaking to read, but it made the story as a whole more real. It wasn't just a romance perfectly packaged and tied up in a pretty bow.

Ah, the pre-90's references. Loved them. I was born at the tail-end of the 80's, so a lot of the pop culture references were still pretty fresh; that, and my parents totally brought me up on all of it so I wasn't lost along the way. The references that Rowell used were the ones that stood out in the 80s; the timeless ones that won't be forgotten even 20 years later. I also think it's safe to say that we live in a time where the younger generation can actually appreciate a more older sound in music. I was at a bookstore one day and an older gentleman was talking to the cashier about how he and his 20-something year old son bonded over Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan. I'm the same with my parents and know a lot of people who are also, so for me, this book wasn't dated at all. In fact, it seems like the perfect time to release this book.

Also, how perfect is this cover? It's the perfect representation for this story; simple but attractive, quirky, innocent, and depicts the connection that Eleanor and Park have with each other, away from the prying eyes of those around them. The incorporation of music in the cover also adds to the overall effect, as music plays quite a big part in the two character's relationship. This US edition will be released by St. Martin's Press on February 26, 2013. I'm happy to admit that this has been one of my favourite YA reads for 2012.

I also have to point out that Rowell has a book coming out in late 2013 called "Fangirl". About a girl who would rather live in other people' stories instead of her own. Are you kidding me? Sign me up.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with the ARC.

My rating:

Visit the author:
Official website | Twitter | Goodreads

Buy this book:
IndieBound.org | Amazon.com | Indigo.ca