The Time Will Come #13

The Time Will Come is a weekly event hosted by Jodie at Books For Company where we can spotlight those books which have been sitting unread on our shelves for too long. Books that we really want to read and never seem to find time to get around to.

This week my book is Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles. I bought this book and the sequel Return to Paradise in about January after I kept seeing so many rave reviews on blogs, and Amazon had them on offer quite cheap. I really want to read this and it sounds excellent, but I have sooooo many books! I need to read more contemporary real-life romance books like this to give my brain a break from all the sci-fi/ fantasy/ vampire/ demon books I keep reading! One day...

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Nothing has been the same since Caleb Becker left a party drunk, got behind the wheel, and hit Maggie Armstrong. Even after months of painful physical therapy, Maggie walks with a limp. Her social life is nil and a scholarship to study abroad—her chance to escape everyone and their pitying stares—has been canceled.

After a year in juvenile jail, Caleb’s free . . . if freedom means endless nagging from a transition coach and the prying eyes of the entire town. Coming home should feel good, but his family and ex-girlfriend seem like strangers.

Caleb and Maggie are outsiders, pigeon-holed as "criminal" and "freak." Then the truth emerges about what really happened the night of the accident and, once again, everything changes. It’s a bleak and tortuous journey for Caleb and Maggie, yet they end up finding comfort and strength from a surprising source: each other.

Waiting on Wednesday #3

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine where we can spotlight upcoming book releases that we are eagerly anticipating.

This week I wanted to show off Eve by Anna Carey. I seem to be reading a lot of dystopian novels lately, but still this one looks particularly good. It's not published until October- but it's on my radar and one that I will definitely look to be getting later in the year.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

The year is 2032, sixteen years after a deadly virus—and the vaccine intended to protect against it—wiped out most of the earth’s population. The night before eighteen-year-old Eve’s graduation from her all-girls school she discovers what really happens to new graduates, and the horrifying fate that awaits her.



Fleeing the only home she’s ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust...and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.

Review: Matched by Ally Condie

Matched by Ally Condie


My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Wow- that was the first thought that went through my mind when I finished this book. This was after a rollercoaster of emotions in a read that took us from quiet, comfortable Cassia to rebellious think-for-yourself Cassia. I found it horrifying to imagine a futuristic world where absolutely everything is controlled, and you have no freedom to determine your life at all. Your hobbies are restricted to a list of a few select choices and only at pre-set hours of the day. All your food intake is controlled, even the music you listen to is restricted to approved songs and certain times of the day. Cassia is pleased to discover at her matching ceremony (where a person's future partner is revealed to them) that her match won't be stranger in another city but one of her existing friends. Then another possible match- Ky- is revealed to her, and as she and Ky get to spend time together, and share the secret words of a long-lost poem, Cassia starts to realise the extent of control the Society has over her and her choices. People may live for longer and live healthier, but at what price? Rebelling in small ways at first Cassia begins to try to push the boundaries of the Society, and comes to the realisation that the only thing that they can't control is her thoughts.


Cassia's relationships, with her parents and with her friends feel like the only real things in Cassia's life at first, but I absolutely loved her growing friendship with Ky, and their connection and ease in being able to confide forbidden secrets to each other. It is also Cassia's closeness with her Grandfather which encourages her newfound questioning- she can understand his wanting to die under his own terms and not under the complete control of the Society. The only life Cassia has ever known and always accepted seems suddenly so suffocating. Punishments for any misdemeanours are often subtle.


There are still so many unanswered questions at the end of this book and I can only assume that the author didn't want to overload us with all the world-building in one book, which I liked because the focus was mostly on the characters and the story. Hopefully these wider questions will be answered in the next book, when Cassia really starts to rebel against the Society, and I eagerly look forward to the continuation of this story.




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Review: The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting


My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I really loved everything about The Body Finder, the characters, the writing and the story, and it had me riveted right from the beginning.


The whole plot of this book is based around Violet's ability to sense echoes of the dead- either a sound like bells, a scent, or lights (each echo is unique) and this echo is also imprinted on the murderer of that victim. For most of Violet's life this has only been from dead animals that her cat brings to her, but when a serial killer starts preying on local girls, Violet's abilities to track the body (and the killer), are suddenly very useful- and dangerous to her. The story is told mostly focusing on Violet, but with some chapters eerily showing you the murderers perspective (I had chills, it was so creepy!)


Early on in the story I thought that I had already cleverly worked out who the murderer was from a few clues in what he says, but it didn't stop me from wondering every single time a new male character was introduced "oh, maybe he's the murderer!" I loved the build-up and the slow reveal, and the whole drama/mystery of it. (And I'm glad I got it completely wrong). The tension builds up nearer the end as you get to the reveal and the explosive ending, heart in mouth. It is also a love story *yay!* with Violet having a massive crush on her very sweet childhood best friend Jay. This story is so well-paced and well described with a really unique concept and great characters- a win!




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In My Mailbox 1st May 2011

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren, where we can show off which books we have received this week.

This week I got the the following books:

Bought:

• The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter. I've wanted this for ages and finally couldn't resist buying it! I've seen so many positive reviews on blogs and am really looking forward to reading it. A love story with Greek myths, and 7 tasks.

Audiobook:

• Desires of the Dead by Kimberley Derting. This is the sequel to The Body Finder, (which I also got on audiobook) and finished recently and loved.

I use Audible membership for this (a company linked to Amazon) and download the audio to my kindle to listen to.

http://www.audible.co.uk/




From Swapping:

• Rockoholic by C.J Skuse. This looks like such a fun, sweet read, and I'm really looking forward to reading it. I think it was a review on Jess's blog Jess Hearts Books that persuaded me that I really wanted to read it. About a girl who meets her rock idol, accidentally manages to kidnap him, and helps him with a drug addiction.

Uk website- http://www.readitswapit.co.uk/





For Review:

• Everything We Ever Wanted  by Sara Shepherd. Thanks to Netgalley/ HarperCollins. This looks like an emotionally charged book, published in October. I got this to read on my kindle.

From the Library:

• All The Things We Didn't Say by Sara Shepherd. I saw this in the library and wondered if the book that I had been given for review was a sequel because the titles are so similar (but it's not). This looks like an excellent book as well though. (It was published under the title The Visibles in the US).

That's what I got this week- what did you get in your mailbox?