Hades by Alexandra Adornetto

Rating: ☆☆☆
Release date: Aug. 30, 2011
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Format: hardback
Source: library
Pages: 424
Series: --
Challenge: --
Summary: 

Bethany Church is an angel sent to Earth to keep dark forces at bay. Falling in love was never part of her mission, but the bond between Beth and her mortal boyfriend, Xavier Woods, is undeniably strong. But even Xavier's love, and the care of her archangel siblings, Gabriel and Ivy, can't keep Beth from being tricked into a motorcycle ride that ends up in Hell. There, the demon Jake Thorn bargains for Beth's release back to Earth. But what he asks of her will destroy her, and quite possibly, her loved ones, as well.

I was a little hesitant to read this after being disappointed by Halo, but I was surprised to find that I enjoyed Hades a lot more than I thought I would. As with the first, I found myself being annoyed with Bethany. She still seemed really helpless, especially how she got "tricked" into the motorcycle ride. I didn't really understand, with her being a divine being and all, why she couldn't just jump off once she realized something was wrong? I mean, maybe she was glued to the seat or something, but that really annoyed me. (And yeah, if there was an actual legit reason, then I apologize in advance. I must of missed that part. :))

Aaand one more thing that bothered me was how Bethany couldn't even figure out she was in Hell. I understand that angels don't exactly make trips to Hell every other week, but I still don't get how she couldn't have put the pieces together.

In the middle and towards the end, she showed a little bit more guts, though, which I guess makes up for all the other stuff about her that bothered me. For the most part, I tried to ignore her helplessness and it ended up more like a minor annoyance. I did end up liking her a lot more towards the end of the book.

One thing I liked was the pacing. Hades has a much faster pace than Halo did. I actually really liked how the book was going, and there really were not that many dull moments. The fact that we get to see both what's happening with Bethany in Hell and what's happening to Xavier and her family ensures that the book never really gets slow. If there's a lull with one character, then Adornetto allows us to see what's happening with the others. I thought this was a pretty effective method to use to keep the book from getting boring.

I also really liked how the danger in this book focuses more on a global view. Whereas Halo was all about Bethany and her family coming to rescue the town, this one had an issue that would impact the whole world. There was more of a sense of urgency in this one, which made the book much more exciting than the first.

I definitely thought this was an improvement over the first. Now hopefully, the third book will be even better!

2012 YA/MG Fantasy Challenge

Okay, this is the last challenge I'll be participating in. I don't think I could handle any more. :)



The YA/MG Fantasy Reading Challenge is being hosted by The Book Cellar. The goal is to read 10 YA or MG fantasy books that will be released in 2012. Here's what I plan on reading:

1. Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore

2. Above by Leah Bobet

3. Of Poseidon by Anna Banks

4. Underworld by Meg Cabot

5. Grave Mercy by R.L. LaFevers

And that's it for now! I'll keep this updated as the year progresses. I'm super excited to be participating in this challenge, though, as fantasy is one of my favorite genres!

In My Mailbox #10

IMM is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren in which bloggers are able to show off what books they received. If you want to learn more, you can read about it here.

Follow Friday #1

This weekly meme is hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. Basically, it's a way to meet other bloggers. This will be my first time participating in it!

This week's question is:

Q: If you had to spend eternity inside the pages of a book, which book would you choose and why?

This is definitely a hard one. I would say Harry Potter, although I'm pretty that's going to be a lot of people's first choice. So my more "original" answer would be the Percy Jackson world. I mean, come on, that would be so amazing to be a demigod and have awesome powers and stuff. Plus, Camp Half-Blood has to be one of the coolest places ever. And because I also really, really love Percy Jackson.

My third choice would be the Mortal Instruments series! I think that'd be so awesome hanging out with the characters and being a shadowhunter and stuff. :)

Be sure to leave the link to your post in the comments!

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Rating:  ☆☆☆☆☆ [5]
Release date: Feb. 1, 2012
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Format: paperback
Source: bought
Pages: 363
Series: Iron Fey (#1)
Challenge: --
Summary: 

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school...or at home.

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.

But she could have never guessed the truth - that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face...and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

Wow, this book is amazing. It was fast-paced, with hardly any slow moments or downtime in between all the action. Not to mention that the story itself isn't flowery or just driven by love like other faerie books might be - this one had some pretty gruesome elements in it, and a couple of the descriptions of the different characters actually frightened me a bit. The plot was also pretty unique in comparison to most other faerie books. It just made sense, and fit in with the world that Kagawa created.

Meghan got on my nerves a little bit, especially in the beginning. There were several times when she had to be saved by somebody else, because she either wouldn't move out of the way or she didn't know what she was doing. Towards the end, though, I began to like her a lot more, because she actually began to fight for herself. She still had a few "damsel in distress" moments, but I learned to ignore it.

I LOVED all the characters. Puck was pretty awesome, and he had a lot of really funny lines. And I really don't know what to say about Ash, the main love interest. He's just amazing. Really. He's definitely high up there on my favorite characters list. The other few side characters, even if they didn't have a big part, were all very interesting and different. I actually don't think there was a character that I disliked.

The ending of the book had me dying to read more. Now I can't wait until I get my hands on The Iron Daughter!

2012 eBook Challenge

The 2012 eBook Challenge will be hosted by Workaday Reads. The objective is to read as many ebooks as you can.

Levels:
Floppy disk - 5 ebooks
CD - 10 ebooks
DVD - 25 ebooks
Memory stick - 50 ebooks
Hard drive - 75 ebooks
Server - 100 ebooks
Human brain - 150 ebooks

I'm going to go ahead and aim for CD right now, because I'm not sure how many ebooks I'll be buying... Hopefully this will motivate me to use my Kindle more! :)

Book List:

1. Revealing Eden by Victoria Foyt {finished 1/13}
2. Die For Me by Amy Plum {1/17}
3. The Everafter by Amy Huntley

In My Mailbox #9

IMM is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren in which bloggers are able to show off what books they received. If you want to learn more, you can read about it here.

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆ [5]
Release date: Dec. 1, 2009
Publisher: Little, Brown
Format: hardback
Source:  library
Pages: 563
Series: Caster Chronicles (#1)
Challenge: --
Summary: 

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps, and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

First of all, I loved how Beautiful Creatures was written from Ethan's POV. Nowadays, I don't really see too many books written from a guy's view, especially one that involved so much romance. It was a really great change of pace, and unlike what some other people say, I don't think he sounded girly or feminine at all.

I also really enjoyed the idea of the story. It was really unique, probably one of the most unique things I've read recently. I had no idea what was going on most of the time, mostly because I had never read anything like it before, so there wasn't much to compare it to. It wasn't like reading a romance book about vampires, where you know that eventually a human is going to fall in love with a vampire, and the vampire wants to drink their blood, blah blah blah. For the most part, in books like that, you can usually tell what's going to happen. Beautiful Creatures isn't like that at all; it really left me wondering what was going to happen.

Unfortunately, this book is rather lengthy and it took me a little longer to finish. Not to mention that it does have a few slow parts. For example, in the beginning not much happens, but it's still very important because it creates the premise of the actual plot. Also, in the middle section of the book, I was getting extremely impatient because I wanted to reach the end already and find out what happens to Lena and Ethan.

Oh! Speaking of the ending, it didn't leave me too satisfied. I don't know..There was a lot of action and that was great, yet I felt the problem was solved somewhat abruptly. I guess it was a little too deus ex machina for me, who knows. I know that I'll still be reading the next book for sure, though! If you haven't read this, I highly suggest that you do!

2012 Standalone Reading Challenge

The goal for the Standalone Reading Challenge is to read 15 Standalone YA books that are released between December 27, 2011 and December 31, 2012. If you want to find out more about the Standalone Reading Challenge, you can do so here. As of right now, I plan to read:

1. Fracture by Megan Miranda
2. Don't Breathe a Word by Holly Cupala
3. Struck by Jennifer Bosworth
4. Above by Leah Bobet
5. The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour
6. Dark Companion by Marta Acosta
7. Forbidden by Syrie James
8. Touching the Surface by Kimberly Sabatini

..And that's all I'm going to plan for now! I'll probably figure out the rest of this list as the new year starts.

The DUFF by Kody Keplinger

Rating:  ☆☆☆☆ [4]
Release date: Sept. 7, 2012
Publisher: Little Brown/Poppy
Format: hardback
Source: library
Pages: 280
Series: --
Challenge: --
Summary: 

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn't think she's the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She's also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her "the Duff," she throws her Coke in his face.

But things aren't so great at home right now, and Bianca is desperate for a distraction. She ends up kissing Wesley. Worse, she likes it. Eager for escape, Bianca throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with him.

Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out Wesley isn't such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she's falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.

I'm sure most of us can say that at one point in time we've felt like we were the DUFF - designated ugly fat friend - of our group of friends. I know I have, and that's probably why I was so attracted to this book in the first place. It sounded like something I could really relate to.

At times, I wasn't sure if I hated Bianca or if I loved her. Honestly, it was really great to see such an aggressive and cynical character, but at the same time it kind of appalled me. Some of the things she did were really outrageous, but I come from a pretty straight and narrow upbringing, so that might have just been me. In the end, though, I really liked her. I loved how she wasn't afraid to do anything or say what was on her mind.

I also really liked the chemistry between Wesley and Bianca. The way they interacted with each other was just so entertaining. It wasn't all just about mushy feelings, in fact, a lot of it was them insulting each other and having a good time.

If you're of the younger audience, then I'd advise that you probably steer clear of this. There's quite a bit of sex in it, and while it's not too graphic, it turned even me off. This book really tackles some mature themes, and Keplinger hits them head on.

TBR Pile Reading Challenge 2012

The 2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge is hosted by Evie at Bookish. The goal is to basically read as many TBR-pile books as you can through the whole of next year.

Levels:
1-10 - A Firm Handshake
11-20 - A Friendly Hug
21-30 - A Sweet Kiss
31-40 - Love At First Sight
41-50 - Married With Children

I'll be going for a Friendly Hug right now, just because I don't want to aim too high. Anyway, here's a list of what I plan on reading:

Blood Red Road by Moira Young
World War Z by Max Brooks
Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink
Moonglass by Jessi Kirby
The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han
We'll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han

And that's all I really have for now, but I know I'll end up getting a lot more, so this list will be changing often.

In My Mailbox #8

IMM is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren in which bloggers are able to show off what books they received. If you want to learn more, you can read about it here.



Received:
You Have Seven Messages by Stewart Lewis

Library:
Hades by Alexandra Adornetto
Abandon by Meg Cabot

I'm really excited to read Abandon. I've seen both negative and positive reviews about it, but it's still something I've been wanting to read for awhile now. Hopefully, it's good. I wasn't a big fan of Halo, so I'm also hoping that Hades is a little bit better. And I love the idea of You Have Seven Messages! It really reminds me of the book Thirteen Reasons Why.

What did you guys get in your mailbox this week? Answer in the comments or leave a link to your post, so I can check it out. :D

What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

Rating: ☆☆☆ [3]
Release date: May 10, 2011
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
Format: hardback
Source: library
Pages: 402
Series: --
Challenge: --
Summary: 

Who is the real McLean?

Since her parents' bitter divorce, McLean and her dad, a restaurant consultant, have been on the move-four towns in two years. Estranged from her mother and her mother's new family, McLean has followed her dad in leaving the unhappy past behind. And each new place gives her a chance to try out a new persona: from cheerleader to drama diva. But now, for the first time, McLean discovers a desire to stay in one place and just be herself, whoever that is. Perhaps Dave, the guy next door, can help her find out.

I thought this book was pretty good; maybe not Sarah Dessen's best, but it was still enjoyable. At times it moved kind of slowly, there's not really any big conflict, but maybe that's just because I'm a big fan of action. If you really love fast-paced books, then I can tell you that this probably isn't for you.

Mclean herself seemed a little bit bland, but that could be because she was having struggles with her own identity. I could definitely relate to some of the issues she was going through, though, and I understood why she would have made the choices she did. Dave was pretty interesting, but he wasn't my favorite Dessen character. Overall, I wish that we had seen more of their relationship and how Mclean and Dave interacted with each other. Sometimes I felt that there wasn't quite enough substance between them.

Also, something about the ending bothered me. Maybe it's because some things were left open and weren't given a final answer. I think I was hoping to know exactly how things worked out, but instead some parts left me wondering. Overall, though, it was still a cute read.

Waiting on Wednesday #1

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly theme hosted by Breaking the Spine. It's a way for bloggers to show off what upcoming releases they're excited for.

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare
Publication Date: Dec. 6, 2011
Series: The Infernal Devices (#2)
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Goodreads, Amazon
Summary:

In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa's powers for his own dark ends.

With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister's war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move and that one of their own has betrayed them.

Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will; the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?

As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.

Okay, so I know that this is being released really soon compared to some other books I'm waiting for - is it 6 days away, now? - but I'm super excited for it! Clockwork Angel was really good, and I can't wait to see how things play out for Jem, Will, and Tessa. (I definitely know who I'm rooting for in the love triangle, too. :D)

Leave a link to your Waiting on Wednesday post in your comment, so that I can be sure to reply back! :)

In My Mailbox #7

IMM is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren in which bloggers are able to show off what books they received. If you want to learn more, you can read about it here.

Bought:Last Sacrifice by Richelle MeadInheritance by Christopher Paolini
Woo, I'm so excited for the both of these! :) I've been meaning to finish the Vampire Academy series, but I just never was able to get the last book. As for Inheritance.. I've been waiting years to read that one! 

Yep, I also bought myself a Kindle Keyboard. :) It was on sale at Target for Black Friday for only $85, so I figured I'd might as well get it. So far I haven't bought any books, just downloaded a couple of free ones. I've only read a little bit, but it's pretty comfortable to read. I was a little hesitant about using it, but it's pretty much almost like reading a real book, except it's much lighter and I can practically carry a whole library with me. :)

What did you guys get in your mailbox this week? Answer in the comments or leave a link to your post, so I can check it out. :D

Heist Society by Ally Carter

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆ [5]
Release date: Feb. 9, 2010
Publisher: Hyperion Books
Format: hardback
Source: library
Pages: 287
Series: Heist Society (#1)
Challenge: --
Summary: 

When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her 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 her back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has good reason: a powerful mobster's priceless art collection has been stolen and he wants it returned. Only a master thief could have pulled off 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 dead 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 (very crooked) history - and with any luck, steal her life back along the way.

I really loved the plot of this book. I mean, honestly, who hasn't ever imagined themselves as thieves trying to pull off a really big theft? If you're like me, then you probably daydreamed about that quite a bit, so you can imagine that I really enjoyed reading this.

Heist Society offers a lot of things. It's exciting and had me at the edge of my seat. Not to mention that the twists and turns had me wondering what was going to come next. In my opinion, this book really wasn't predictable at all; a few times I tried guessing what would happen next and was pretty much wrong every time.

This book also has a diverse set of characters. There were several times when the characters' interaction with each other made me chuckle. I loved how they were as close-knit as a family and how there wasn't that much tension between them. I really dislike when books place too much emphasis on relationship problems and focus on that instead of the actual story, but I thought this book did a pretty good job of balancing out the relationships versus the actual plot.

Ally Carter's writing flows pretty easily, and overall, Heist Society was a really fast read. I am definitely going to read the next book in the series (and hopefully, the little "love triangle" that was featured in this book will make a return as well! ;D)

Sophomore Reading Challenge 2012

The Sophomore Reading Challenge is a challenge hosted by Chick Loves Lit. The goal is to read at least 10 sophomore YA or MG books before January 2013. So, below is what I plan on reading for this challenge. It will most likely end up changing as the year progresses, though!
1. The Disenchantments by Nina LaCour
2. Insurgent by Veronica Roth
3. Hallowed by Cynthia Hand
4. Timepiece by Myra McEntire
5. Fever by Lauren DeStefano
6. Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter
7. Wings of the Wicked by Courtney Allison Moulton
8. A Million Suns by Beth Revis
9. Never Enough by Denise Jaden
10. Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

In My Mailbox #6

IMM is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren in which bloggers are able to show off what books they received. If you want to learn more, you can read about it here.



Bought:Blood Red Road by Moira YoungCracked up to Be by Courtney SummersHarry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. RowlingCrossing Lines by Paul Volponi
Well, I'm excited that I got Blood Red Road! I keep hearing that it's good. Also, I've read the whole Harry Potter series before, but I managed to pick up a brand-new hardcover of the Order of the Phoenix for only $5! Seeing as I'm trying to get the whole set, I just couldn't pass this up. The other two, Crossing Lines and Cracked up to Be, I bought because they were only a $1 each. :)



Won:The Secret Year by Jennifer R. HubbardGlow by Amy Kathleen Ryan {audiobook}A lot of bookmarks, stickers, etc. (some are even signed! :D)
I actually received this awesome stuff from Elegantly Bound Books last week, but I wasn't able to put it up because I couldn't find my camera. I'm really excited that I got Glow. I've never listened to an audiobook before, so this should be an interesting experience! :)
What did you receive in your mailbox? Answer in the comments below or just leave a link to your own post!

Halo by Alexandra Adornetto

Rating: ☆☆☆ [3]
Release date: Aug. 31, 2010
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Format: hardback
Source:  library
Pages: 484
Series:  Halo (#1)
Challenge: --
Summary: 

Three angels - Gabriel, the warrior; Ivy, the healer; and Bethany, the youngest and most human - are sent by Heaven to bring good to a world falling under the influence of darkness. They work hard to conceal their luminous glow, superhuman powers, and, most dangerous of all, their wings, all the while avoiding all human attachments.

Then Bethany meets Xavier Woods, and neither of them is able to resist the attraction between them. Gabriel and Ivy do everything in their power to intervene, but the bond between Xavier and Bethany seems too strong.

The angels' mission is urgent, and dark forces are threatening. Will love ruin Bethany or save her?

One thing I liked about Halo was that it offered a fresh perspective. It was actually from an angel's perspective, rather than the human's, which is really something I don't see too often. Not to mention that it was about actual good angels trying to save the world instead of featuring the whole fallen angel craze I always see.

Bethany, the main character, kind of annoyed me though. There were some points in the book when she acted really stupid. Sure, I understand that it's her first time on earth, and that human life is complicated and all that, but if she's a celestial being sent from Heaven, then you'd think she would act at least a little bit smarter. Also, while Xavier was a pretty good character, he had a few moments when his over-protectiveness of Bethany just reminded me how helpless she could be.

But, overall, I still really enjoyed the plot. It got a little bit slow at times, especially all the lovey-dovey parts, but it was still a fun read. I definitely recommend you to at least borrow this book from the library to see if it's your cup of tea.

Debut Author Challenge 2012

I am happy to say that this year I will be participating in the Debut Author Challenge hosted at the Story Siren. This challenge sounds like it's going to be a lot of fun. Basically, the objective is to review a minimum of 12 YA or middle grade author debut books. This list will probably end up changing as the year progresses (I'll also update this as I finish each book), but here's what I have planned so far:

1. Incarnate by Jodi Meadows
2. Everneath by Brodi Ashton
3. Cinder by Marissa Meyer
4. Tempest by Julie Cross
5. Elemental by Emily White
6. Struck by Jennifer Bosworth
7. Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard
8. Of Poseidon by Anna Banks
9. The Sphinx Project by Kate Hawkings
10. The Glimpse by Claire Merle
11. Article 5 by Kristen Simmons
12. Above by Leah Bobet
13. The Alchemy of Forever by Avery Williams
14. Slide by Jill Hathaway

Okay, yeah, so that's more than 12 books, but they just sounded soo good. Hopefully I'll be able to get through them all!

The Hunger Games Trailer

SO, the Hunger Games trailer just came out, and I am super excited! I mean, it didn't look exactly how I pictured it, but I never expected that to happen. I kind of was expecting the worst, so it's not like I was disappointed. :) From what I can see in the trailer, it looks like it's going to be great! I was a little nervous about the actors, but now that I see them in action, I'm pretty much reassured. I'm super pumped for March!



What do you guys think of the trailer? I'm excited to hear some opinions!

In My Mailbox #5

IMM is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren in which bloggers are able to show off what books they received. If you want to learn more, you can read about it here.


Bought:
The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen 

I really don't need to buy any more books. My "to-read" pile is huge, and since I barely have time for reading nowadays, I haven't been able to get through it. But I just could not resist getting these 2 when I saw them at Half-Price Bookstore. These are both books that I've been wanting to read for awhile, so I'm really glad I managed to find them at a discount. :) But now I need to have a book buying ban! I also won some other things, but I'm too lazy to take a picture (plus I can't find my camera) so that will have to wait until next week.

 What did you get in your mailbox this week? Feel free to answer in the comments or leave me a link to your own blog post. :)

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

Rating: ★★★★★ [5]
Release date: first published 1859
Format: paperback
Source: school
Pages: 304
Series: --
Challenge: --
Summary: 

With his sublime parting words, "It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done..." Sidney Carton joins that exhalted group of Dickensian characters who have earned a permanent place in the popular literary imagination. His dramatic story, set against the volcanic fury of the French Revolution and pervaded by the ominous rumble of the death carts trundling toward the guillotine, is the heart-stirring tale of a heroic soul in an age gone mad. A masterful pageant of idealism, love, and adventure — in a Paris bursting with revolutionary frenzy, and a London alive with anxious anticipation — A Tale of Two Cities is one of Dickens's most energetic and exciting works. (from Goodreads)

Alright, so I know that this isn't a YA book, but I just had to review this because I really wanted to get my thoughts down. This book was honestly really hard to get into it, because I wasn't at all used to the language nor the writing. Plus, the way the story is told is very confusing; it jumps around from character to character and you have no idea what's going on.

But if you're currently reading this and are thinking of setting this book down, don't do it. It's worth it, trust me.

In the middle, it gradually starts getting better (or maybe I was just finally getting used to the language, I don't know.) By the time you are at the end, everything comes so perfectly together, and you'll see that everything happened for a reason. The ending, ugh, it was just so perfect. It was, for me, one of the most memorable endings I've ever read, and I know that it'll stick around with me for a long time.

And the characters are great, too. I had strong emotions about each and every one of them (maybe with the exception of Lucie; she was okay), which is, in my opinion, great. I love books that have me actually caring about the characters.

And seeing how the characters grew was fantastic. For example, Sydney Carton. At the beginning of the book, he was just like "meh" to me, but at the end, he was one of my favorite characters. But I'll stop rambling now. Anyways, this book was super awesome and honestly had me thinking. Don't get turned off by the language if you find it hard to read! Just keep going; it gets a whole lot better. :)

In My Mailbox #4

IMM is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren. If you want to learn more, you can read about it here.


Bought:
The Notebook by Nicholas SparksGeneration Dead by Daniel WatersKiss of Life by Daniel Waters
So this weekend there was a neighborhood garage sale, and I managed to pick all of these up for only $3.50 total. I think it's a pretty good deal considering they are all still in nice condition. :) What did you get for your IMM this week? Leave your answer in the comments!