Prodigy by Marie Lu

Title:  Prodigy

Author:  Marie Lu

Genre:  Young Adult/Dystopian

Publisher:  Penguin (Imprint: Razorbill)

Publication Date:  30th January 2013

ISBN:  9780141344096

Stand alone or series:   Legend #2

Pages:  368 pages

Book Received from:  Penguin (Publisher)

First Lines:  Day jolts awake beside me.  His brow is covered with sweat, and his cheeks are wet with tears.  He's breathing heavily.

Synopsis:

After escaping from the Republic's stronghold of Los Angeles, June and Day arrive in Vegas just as the unthinkable happens: the Elector Primo dies, and his son Anden takes his place. With the Republic edging closer to chaos, the pair joins a group of Patriot rebels eager to help Day rescue his brother and who offer them passage to the Colonies. The Patriots have only one request – June and Day must assassinate the new Elector.

It's the chance to change the nation, to give voice to a people silenced for too long. But as June realizes this Elector is nothing like his father, she's haunted by the choice ahead. What if Anden is a new beginning? What if revolution must be more than loss and vengeance, anger and blood? What if the Patriots are wrong?

In this highly anticipated sequel, Lu delivers a gripping, breathtaking thriller with heartbreaking intensity and nonstop action.


My Thoughts:
Another fantastic book but OMG what an ending!  The wait from Legend was just about killing me but when I received the package from Penguin I was jumping up and down excitedly!

If you are going to read this I suggest rereading Legend again.  It took me a little bit to fall back into the story but after chapter 2 it was so much easier after waiting for so long.

June and Day are on the run.  Prodigy picks up a few weeks after Legend and Day eventually convinces June to join up with the Patriots but at a high price. Unfortunately for them both they have no other choice.  We get to meet back up with Tess and Kaede as well and it seems in just a few short weeks Tess has done alot of growing up.  Kaede, one character that got on my nerves through most of the book does shine through towards the very end and Tess, one of my favourite characters from the first book actually made me change my mind about her in Prodigy.  Less likeable this time around.

The story itself was both awesome and hard.  Both June and Day are separated for most of the story and while it kept the story rolling I couldn't help but wishing they were back together.

Yet again another brilliant book from Marie Lu and after that killer ending I am on the edge of my seat having to wait for book 3 expected to be released in 2014.

Happy Australia Day

I hope everyone has an awesome and safe Australia Day and spends it in wonderful company!

Enjoy

Waiting on Wednesday (129)

Waiting On Wednesday was created by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for!

Looking forward to getting my hands on All Our Pretty Songs by Sarah McCarry.  Love the cover!!  This will be out in July 2013!

Synopsis

The first book in an exciting YA trilogy, this is the story of two best friends on the verge of a terrifying divide when they begin to encounter a cast of strange and mythical characters.

 Set against the lush, magical backdrop of the Pacific Northwest, two inseparable best friends who have grown up like sisters—the charismatic, mercurial, and beautiful Aurora and the devoted, soulful, watchful narrator—find their bond challenged for the first time ever when a mysterious and gifted musician named Jack comes between them. Suddenly, each girl must decide what matters most: friendship, or love. What both girls don’t know is that the stakes are even higher than either of them could have imagined. They’re not the only ones who have noticed Jack’s gift; his music has awakened an ancient evil—and a world both above and below which may not be mythical at all. The real and the mystical; the romantic and the heartbreaking all begin to swirl together, carrying the two on journey that is both enthralling and terrifying.

 And it’s up to the narrator to protect the people she loves—if she can.

What are you waiting on?

In My Mailbox (126)

In My Mailbox is a weekly post created by The Story Siren.

For Review:

Prodigy by Marie Lu (Legend #2)

The Laeduin by Leah Giarratano (The Telling #2)

Thank you to Penguin Australia for sending these to me!!

Bought:

N/A

What did you get in your IMM?

Easy by Tammara Webber Book Trailer

Looking forward to seeing how this one turns out!

 

Waiting on Wednesday (128)

Waiting On Wednesday was created by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for!

I'm really looking forward to reading Stung by Bethany Wiggins.  Due out 2nd April 2013!  Preorder Stung on Book Depository.

Synopsis:

There is no cure for being stung.

Fiona doesn’t remember going to sleep. But when she opens her eyes, she discovers her entire world has been altered—her house is abandoned and broken, and the entire neighborhood is barren and dead. Even stranger is the tattoo on her right hand—a black oval with five marks on either side—that she doesn’t remember getting but somehow knows she must cover at any cost. She’s right.

Those bearing the tattoo have turned into mindless, violent beasts that roam the streets and sewers, preying upon the unbranded while a select few live protected inside a fortress-like wall, their lives devoted to rebuilding society and killing all who bear the mark. Now Fiona has awakened branded, alone—and on the wrong side of the wall.

What are you waiting on?

13 to Life by Shannon Delaney

Title:  13 to Life

Author:  Shannon Delaney

Genre:  Young Adult

Publisher:  St. Martin's Griffin

Publication Date:  22nd June 2010

ISBN:  9780312609146

Stand alone or series:   13 to Life #1

Pages:  308 pages

Book Received from:  Bought

First Lines:  Rio stiffened beneath my touch, striking a glossy hoof against the floor.

Synopsis:
Everything about Jessie Gillmansen’s life changed when her mother died. Now even her hometown of Junction is changing. Mysterious dark things are happening. All Jessie wants is to avoid more change. But showing a hot new guy around Junction High, she’s about to discover a whole new type of change. Pietr Rusakova is more than good looks and a fascinating accent—he’s a guy with a dangerous secret. And his very existence is sure to bring big trouble to Jessie’s small town. It seems change is the one thing Jessie can’t avoid.

My Thoughts:
I know, I know.  It has taken me quite a while to get to this one but I've finally read this and I'm itching to read more from Shannon Delaney.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this but.  I knew it had some paranormal aspect but the synopsis really doesn't give you much in the way of "what" specifically.

Jessie, the main character tells her story in first person.  I will state this now, I loved this book but Jessie wasn't the brightest spark in the book especially considering she was fairly smart!  This is the one of two  things that bugged me out this book.  It takes three quarters of the book before we actually find out what the heck is Pietr's big dark secret when in fact I picked it from the very beginning.  That being said, I really enjoyed reading the Shannon Delany's style of writing and her descriptions.

The second thing that bothered me was how "selfless" Jessie was towards one of her best friends.  Considering the situation I certainly wouldn't be doing half the things she did.

I really enjoyed Pietr as the love interest.  He definitely caught my attention the moment he stepped onto the page and I hope to be picking the next book up very soon to see what happens with Pietr and Jessie.

Except for the few things that bugged me this was a pretty good read!  I just hope that book two steps up in the way of the obvious being there but the character doesn't see it.

Live-Action Mindjack Book Trailer Reveal

The Live-Action Mindjack Book Trailer Reveal

(from the bestselling Mindjack series by Susan Kaye Quinn)

With the help of over 20 cast and crew members, award-winning director Beth Spitalny has brought the concept of the bestselling Mindjack Trilogy to life on the screen.

  When everyone reads minds, a secret is a dangerous thing to keep.

Please share!

Ways you can share the trailer:

 1) Watch the trailer on YouTube (or here)! (more views=higher visibility)
  2) Post it to Facebook (copy & paste below) Check out the live-action Mindjack Book Trailer (from the bestselling Mindjack Trilogy by Susan Kaye Quinn): When everyone reads minds, a secret is a dangerous thing to keep. http:// bit.ly/MindjackBookTrailer
  3) Post it to Twitter (copy & paste below) When everyone reads minds, a secret is a dangerous thing to keep. Watch the live-action Mindjack Book Trailer http://bit.ly/MindjackBookTrailer
  4) Share to Google+, Tumbler, Pinterest, and more Go to the trailer on YouTube and click the "share" button. Click the arrow to expand and see all the options. Easy peasy. (While you're there, click "like" on YouTube, or leave a comment!)
  5) Post the trailer on your blog Grab the embed code from YouTube or email me for a copy of the HTML for a complete post announcing the trailer and ways to share!

Thanks so much for sharing!

To celebrate the release of the trailer,

I'm putting Open Minds on sale!

$2.99 now $0.99

for one week only

$9.99 now $7.99

for one week only

THANK YOU to everyone who is sharing the trailer today!

An EXTRA SPECIAL THANKS to everyone involved in making the trailer a reality, including Director Beth Spitalny, Producer Angel Acevedo, Director of Photography Lance Kaplan, lead actor Nikki Flemming (Kira) and the many fine actors, crew members, and post-production staff who donated their time and talent to the project. For the making-of the trailer, see the Mindjack Trilogy website.

Susan Kaye Quinn is the author of the bestselling Mindjack Series, which includes three novels, three novellas, and a trailer. She's currently writing a steampunk fantasy romance, just for kicks. When that's out of her system, she has ambitious plans to embark on a series about the Singularity (the time when computers become more intelligent than humans) that should appeal to fans of the Mindjack novels. Or possibly play on Facebook all day. Could go either way.

A Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder Book Trailer

I have this book on my TBR shelf and can't wait to pick it up.  Hope you all enjoy the trailer

Pulling Down the Stars by James Laidler

Title:  Pulling Down the Stars

Author:  James Laidler

Genre:  Contemporary Australian Thriller

Publisher:  Hybrid Publishers

Publication Date:  1st February 2013

ISBN:  9781921665820

Stand alone or series:   Stand Alone

Pages:  376 pages

Book Received from:  Author (Advance Reader Copy)

First Lines:  Charlie stood in the hallway of the family home facing his grandpa's bedroom door. 

Synopsis: Charlie Lansdowne’s life is going nowhere ... fast. Trapped at home with his eccentric father and his stroke-affected grandfather, he finds life a daily exercise in dysfunction as three generations of men strive to get along. But when Charlie meets the volatile and tempestuous Maxine – a surfer girl who works at the local abattoir – his life goes supernova. Friendships implode, passions ignite and death comes stalking in the night. Set in the seaside country town of Warrnambool, this is a contemporary Australian thriller likened to 'Jasper Jones'

My Thoughts:
Pulling Down the Stars is very different from the first novel The Taste of Apple which was written in verse.  But in saying that this was just as good, if not better.  Pulling Down the Stars is told from mainly Charlie and Maxine's POV, but we also get's snippets from Bill, a very unstable and scary Serial Killer, which only adds mystery to the overall story.

Chapter one really does hit you in the face.  Charlie is attending to his Grandfather who has suffered a stroke and is very dependant on his son and grandson.  One thing I'll say.  Nothing gets any more real then this first chapter.

We are then introduced to Maxine.  Her chapters start out short and to be quite honest, even reading the beginning of hers you know she is going to prove to be one tough little character.  I do love how the book has Maxine's POV as first person but Charlie and Bill's as third.  Maxine is at times a difficult character to like but bringing it in to first person really helps get inside her head more.  Well that's how I feel.  Mind you, by the end of the book I loved all the characters involved, including the less likable ones.

I also love how James has broken up the chapters with subtitles under each.  It breaks up the text and makes it easier to read and go back and find things that have really stuck with me.

His writing is real, confident and drips with Aussie culture.  Another thing I love!  Reading this is like sitting down with mates and having a convo.  I really felt like I got to know each character and understood them right to the core.

James also shows a real knowledge when it comes to the character's jobs.  Both the hospital and abattoir jobs, I could really picture those characters carrying out their work and with the description it makes the whole scenes within the book really come alive.

The story itself is both kind of harsh and heartfelt.  Charlie and Maxine have a lot to deal with but they really do shine towards the end of the book.  I can't forget Roger.  For someone with nearly full time responsibility for his Father-in-Law, he shows a saint's amount of patience and has proven to be a wise and down to earth character.  And Bill,  well a bit of a nut job lol but he plays his part in the book!

I do recommend reading this book.  While chapter one for me was a little difficult, stick with it because it is an awesome story.  And I mean come on, how can you go past the title.  Pulling Down the Stars!

Fave Line:   -  I completely loved the songs and creativity from Charlie's music!

Waiting on Wednesday (127)

Waiting On Wednesday was created by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for!

It's been a little while since I posted a WOW post so here it is!  The book I'm looking forward to reading this year is The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shephard.  This will be out 29th January 2013

Synopsis

In the darkest places, even love is deadly.

Sixteen-year-old Juliet Moreau has built a life for herself in London—working as a maid, attending church on Sundays, and trying not to think about the scandal that ruined her life. After all, no one ever proved the rumors about her father's gruesome experiments. But when she learns he is alive and continuing his work on a remote tropical island, she is determined to find out if the accusations are true. 

Accompanied by her father's handsome young assistant, Montgomery, and an enigmatic castaway, Edward—both of whom she is deeply drawn to—Juliet travels to the island, only to discover the depths of her father's madness: He has experimented on animals so that they resemble, speak, and behave as humans. And worse, one of the creatures has turned violent and is killing the island's inhabitants. Torn between horror and scientific curiosity, Juliet knows she must end her father's dangerous experiments and escape her jungle prison before it's too late. Yet as the island falls into chaos, she discovers the extent of her father's genius—and madness—in her own blood.

What are you waiting on?