February Book Haul

Hi my lovely readers! I know it´s been a while, but my tests are finally over, which means that I´m going to have more time to blog and film! Yay! And what kind of video would make an awesome start?! A Book Haul, of course! Have fun watching!

Follow Friday #7

Question of the Week: What was the last book that made you cry?

You know, the thing is: I cry a lot. It is really a bad sign if a sad scene can´t make me shed a tear. I guess the last time I really cried was when I read Allegiant by Veronica Roth in January. Oh wow, did I cry at the end.

Legend (Legend #1) by Marie Lu

Read on to find out what I think about Legend by Marie Lu. This is a spoiler free review!
 The Book                                                            

Title: Legend
Author: Marie Lu
Publisher: Penguin

Source: Purchased
Age Group: Young Adult (YA)
Genre: Dystopia
Overall: ♥♥♥♥♥

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

Goodreads * Amazon

 My Thoughts                                                    
It took me some time to pick this book up. It was standing in my shelf for quite some time before I decided to finally give it at go. Legend is a fast-paced story that lived up to my expectations, which were - honestly - pretty high, and I´m sure as hell picking the next book in the series up soon!

The Plot

The plot is actually quite simple. There is June, a young girl that is the top student/soldier of the government. She got a perfect score on her test, which granted her access to an elite school and a bright future. Then there is Day, the most wanted criminal in the whole world, who failed his test. In a fateful night Day breaks into a hospital to steal plague treatments for his family when he is stopped by a young soldier. At the end of the night this soldier is dead and it was June´s brother. June is determined to find her brothers´ killer and everyone is sure that is was Day. Now it is June´s task to catch the governments most wanted criminal and she is in the middle of her mission, when she starts to have doubts...what if the whole system isn´t so perfect after all? And was it really Day that killed her brother?
The Legend recipe: A crippled society, a disease, a top soldier, a criminal and an inevitable love. Tadaaaa!

The Characters 

Author Marie Lu did a great job with her characters. All of them are believable and well developed. The character that you will love instantly is Day. He is the bad boy, who does act on good intentions and gets punished for it. I liked him from the start.

Then there is June and with her this is a whole different story. I did not like her from the start, but instead felt a small resentment towards her. She is a protected and spoiled girl that acts just like that in the beginning. She is not a bad person, don´t get me wrong, but she is so focused on the things the government tells her that she doesn´t even doubt the system one bit before things go down. I began to like her when she finally meets Day and when she finally has the courage and will to look behind the lies everyone told her. 

What I truly loved about this book were the side characters. I adored Day´s family for their loving natures and their will to survive in a corrupt society. Especially Day´s brother is a believable character, because he truly acts like the big brother he is. 

The World-Building

In most dystopias it takes me a while to get to know the world and the rules the society plays by, but that wasn´t the problem with Legend. That is probably the case, because the world that is described is very similar to our world - with a few very imperfect qualities, of course. It could actually happen like that, I believe. A disease that keeps the common people in fear and check and a test at age 10 that decides which course your life will take. 

I´m aware that this is not a very unique idea at times like this, but it is a well-written concept that had me glued to the pages. 

Overall

I really enjoyed Legend, I really did. It was an entertaining read that I devoured in no time. Still, I missed something and I can´t really grasp what that is. Maybe it is the love story that felt a little forced or rushed to me... What I can say is that I will surely continue this series, because it is a really great dystopia with lots of great characters. 

The Yearning Mermaid says: "If you are a fan of dystopias then there is no way around Legend! The fast-paced story will keep you well occupied for a few hours!" 

Follow Friday #6

Question of the Week: Find a “new to you blogger” and feature their button on your post this week (or just a link if they have no button). Tell us why this blogger stands out to you.

I choose Caitlin from The Y.A. Bookworm Blogger. I discovered her blog recently and I really like to read her reviews and most of all: her videos! She joined booktube and I think this is so fantastic. She is not a "new" blogger, she is actually doing this for quite some time now and I think she does a great job :)

Book Blitz + Giveaway: The Star Catcher by Stephanie Keyes

I´m just a sucker for beautiful covers. It´s not any different with this Paranormal Romance series that has one the most beautiful covers I have ever seen! If you keep on reading you will find a teaser and a giveaway down below.

 The Book                                                              

Title: The Star Catcher (The Star Child #3)
Author: Stephanie Keyes
Publication date: November 10th 2013
Genres: Paranormal Romance,  Young Adult

Magick and destiny intertwine as he fights to save his kingdom and the goddess he loves.

Her kiss…the feel of her skin…the beat of her heart…For seventeen-year-old Kellen St. James, each memory is marred by a single sentence on a lone strip of paper.

Cali has been taken…

Armed with an amulet that channels the ultimate power of Faerie, Kellen searches for his love. However, control of the amulet’s energy comes with a price, and Kellen soon learns that Cali’s captor has plans for the stone. With the threat of the Star Catcher’s evil looming above Kellen and his kingdom, he’ll have to free the Heart of Faerie and break the curse the binds the Children of Danu to the darkness. But before that, he has to find his real father, the king. No pressure, right?

Kellen and Cali will battle bewitched armies and unknown foes as they fight to stay together. Will Kellen embrace his immortal destiny? Or will his world, and the man he is fated to become, be destroyed by The Star Catcher?

Goodreads * Purchase

  Teaser Time                                                     

 The Author                                                          

Stephanie Keyes has been addicted to Fantasy since she discovered T.H. White as a child and started drumming up incredible journeys in her head. Today, she's still doing the same thing, except now she gets to share those ideas with readers!

When she's not writing, Stephanie is also a graphic designer, international speaker, teacher, musician, avid reader, and Mom to two little boys who constantly keep her on her toes. In addition, she's best friend to her incredible husband of eleven years.

Mrs. Keyes holds an undergraduate degree in Business and Management Information Systems from Robert Morris University and a M.Ed. from Duquesne University. She is a member of the Society For Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), as well as a featured author in the global group of writers, Love a Happy Ending.com.

Keyes is the author of the YA Fantasy series, The Star Child, which currently includes The Star Child (September 2012) and The Fallen Stars (April 2013), both released by Inkspell Publishing. She is currently hard at work on the third book in the trilogy, The Star Catcher.

Website * Goodreads * Facebook * Twitter

 Giveaway                                                             

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Muse Unexpected Book Blast

I´m really excited to be part of the upcoming Blog Tour for Muse Unexpected by V.C. Birlidis. For now I will share with you the Book Blast that is roaming the book blogging community these days, because I really think this is an awesome novel with lots of potential.

 The Book                                                             

Title: Muse Unexpected
Author: V.C. Birlidis

“We’re Muses. Not vampires, not fairies, not werewolves. We’re Muses.” Sophie was sure her mother had reached an epic level of crazy. ‘We’re Muses?’ She thought Muses were lame, not to mention she found the idea ridiculous. However, Sophie couldn’t explain away her physical transformation that made Anne Hathaway in The Princess Diaries look like a bad Walmart make-over, not to mention why her mood swings triggered an uncontrollable ability to shoot powerful bursts of energy out of her hands.
Sophie soon realizes modern day Muses have evolved into powerful guardians of humankind, tasked with keeping mortals on the right path and the original Olympians locked away from the world. But old hatreds don’t die easily, especially for immortal enemies that have an eternity to plot and gather their forces. Well aware of the Fates’ foretelling of another Olympian war, and a young Muse that would rise up as a warrior and defeat them, the Olympians have vowed to either possess Sophie or destroy her. Either way, they will make sure everyone associated with their imprisonment will reap an eternal damnation in the Underworld, leaving the Olympians to restore Mount Olympus and force humankind into a future of never-ending servitude and misery.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Goodreads

 The Author                                                             
V.C. Birlidis was born and raised in Miami, Florida and has always been involved in the arts. He attended the New World School of the Arts and was a member of The Miami Ballet.
Mr. Birlidis moved to Ohio to attend college where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in marketing and communications from Capital University. He currently is the Director of Marketing at one of the top midwest advertising agencies, SBC Advertising. He has freelanced as a writer for Outlook News and Tickled Pink Magazine, where he wrote a comical advice column named Ask V.
Five years in the making and inspired by the numerous Greek myths his father would utilize as demented bed time stories, Muse, Unexpected is Mr. Birlidis’ first novel. It is the first book in his Muse series.
 

Website * Twitter * Facebook

 Giveaway                                                              
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from <a href="http://iamareader.com/" target="_blank">I Am A Reader, Not A Writer</a> and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW

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January wrap-up

I know this is late, but better late then never, right? January wasn´t a very successful month for me, at least if you take the amount of books into consideration that I´ve read. I´ve only managed to read two books, which is a really miserable number...
I wish I could say that February will be a lot better, but I actually really doubt it, because all my exams take place right this month and I´m super busy learning and preparing for them. I´m really sorry that I´m not as present on the blog as I was in December and I feel super guilty about not posting regularly, but I know that you guys can understand why things are like that!
Still, a few things happened here on this blog in January and if you haven´t checked the posts out I´m referring to down below, feel free to do so!


Reviews

• Insurgent by Veronica Roth, 5/5
• Allegiant by Veronica Roth, 5/5

Videos

• January TBR
• 20 bookish/random facts about me
• Follow me around #1
• January Book Haul
• Follow me around #2

You can find all my videos on my youtube channel!

Unravel me

• The NA genre and me...
• How my blog got its name
• My favourite genre

Cover reveals
I also participated in a few promotional tours for a two books!

• Of Sea and Stone by Kate Avery Ellison
• Captivate me by S.J. Pierce

Angelfall ( Penryn and the End of Days Book #1) by Susan Ee

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 The Book                                                          

Title: Angelfall
Author: Susan Ee
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Source: Purchased
Age Group: Young Adult (YA)
Overall: ♥♥♥♥♥

It's been six weeks since angels of the apocalypse descended to demolish the modern world. Street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night. When warrior angels fly away with a helpless little girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back. Anything, including making a deal with an enemy angel.

Raffe is a warrior who lies broken and wingless on the street. After eons of fighting his own battles, he finds himself being rescued from a desperate situation by a half-starved teenage girl.

Traveling through a dark and twisted Northern California, they have only each other to rely on for survival. Together, they journey toward the angels' stronghold in San Francisco where she'll risk everything to rescue her sister and he'll put himself at the mercy of his greatest enemies for the chance to be made whole again.

 My Thoughts                                                    

I normally avoid YA angel stories at all cost. They often are too cliche and every now and then I end up being bored, which results in me being annoyed and not picking up any other book soon, because a bad reading experience can ruin it all for you. And thus a reading slump is born.

Still, I decided to give Angelfall a try, because the synopsis sounded awesome and a few really cool people on booktube were raving about it non-stop.

Penryn is trying to survive in a world that was destroyed by angels. Together with her sister Page and her mad mother she roams from one place to another in order to find food and shelter. When they happen to witness a few angels fighting each other, Penryn jumps in to help the angel whose wings were cut off, which results in saving the angel, but Page being kidnapped. Penryn will do anything to get her sister back, even if it means going directly into the angels lair. And there is a wingless angel, who is in her debt and can surely help her on her mission...can he?

I loved Angelfall. Every page, every sentence and every word of it. It was so utterly entertaining that even now I have to smile when I think about a few really funny scenes.
The writing wasn´t very flowery, which is really fitting, because the author describes a post-apocalyptic world. Flowery words would really feel out of place.

The characterization of Penryn and Raffee is outstanding! They are bursting with personality, which made this book so special for me. I especially enjoyed that there is no inst-love going on between those two. It was so different from everything I´ve read before!
Then there is the creepiness level. There are some really horrible parts and gruesome scenes that really made me flinch. But I loved even that, because damn, it made me flinch, which means I really felt it!

The story itself is fast-paced and full of action, which is probably the reason why I finished this rather short book in a very small amount of time.
The most mysterious character - with lots of potential - is probably Penryn´s mother. She fascinates me so much with her madness and I never know what she will do next. It adds another level of creepiness to the story when you get to know that maybe Penry´s mother is the reason Page ended up being crippled...

I ordered the second book in the series a few days ago and I can´t wait to dive back into this wonderful world fullof  mysteries and yes, brutality.

The Yearning Mermaid says:" If you are sick of the typical YA stories and want something a little bit different, then pick up Angelfall asap! I´m sure you won´t regret it!"

Book Blitz + Giveaway: Carnelian by B. Kristin McMichael

When I first saw the cover of this novel I fell instantly in love! It is gorgeous! Just look at these mesmerizing colors! And I´m happy to tell you guys that the story sounds just as good. Today I have a few really intriguing Teasers and a Giveaway for you!

 The Book                                                                

Title: Carnelian (Chalcedony Chronicles #1)
Author: B. Kristin McMichael 
Genres: Time-Travel, YA
Goodreads
Book Trailer
Purchase

Everyone has a past, but for most it isn’t so far in the past as Seth Sangre. His past is literally from thousands of years ago. Seth’s past led him to the present seeking something that might help him save his country from destruction. He has been in the present for over three years now and just found exactly what he has been looking for.

Mari had dreams of college being a fresh start, one where she would start over and not fall for the good looking player like high school. Unfortunately for her that’s exactly what ends up falling into her lap on the first day she moves into the dorms. Now she has to hold to her promise to herself and not fall for the handsome Seth. But he doesn’t plan to make it easy for her. Seth has already marked her as his next conquest. As the semester progresses, Mari learns that Seth might just have a past of his own that’s literally in the past. Suddenly Mari finds her future along with her past put into question. She’s connected to Seth far more than she ever wanted to be and maybe the player isn’t who she thought he was. If Mari can trust her heart enough to follow him, Seth will lead Mari on an adventure of a lifetime and reveal family secrets she never knew existed.

Teaser Time

“I don’t need luck. I know you feel it, too. There’s something between us, whether you want to admit it or not, and I intend to make you mine. Don’t forget that when you go hugging other guys.” My mouth dropped open, and he pushed it shut with one feather light finger. Seth Sangre had more confidence than every guy I had ever met combined. He leaned even closer with his face only a breath away from mine. I glanced at his lips. He was too close. He was close enough to kiss, and yes, I did want to find out what it would be like to kiss him.

“You’ll be mine soon,” he said with a sparkle in his dark eyes.

I spun around him, past his arm that had just been touching my face, quickly before he could kiss me as I wouldn’t be able to refuse him with the tingles growing throughout my body.

“We’ll have to wait and see about that,” I called back to him as I hurried away and back to my table with Ty and Sim. I couldn’t help but glance back to the shadow. He stood in the dark, but I could still see him. He almost glowed slightly. His smile was brilliant as he chuckled at me making my way away from him. Something was really different with Seth Sangre, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to know what it was.

 The Author                                                             
Originally from Wisconsin, B. Kristin currently resides in Ohio with her husband, two small children, and three cats. When not doing the mom thing of chasing kids, baking cookies, and playing outside, she is using her PhD in biology as a scientist. In her free time she is currently hard at work on multiple novels. Every day is a new writing adventure. She is a fan of all YA/NA fantasy and science fiction.

Author Links
website
goodreads
twitter

To the winner: If you don´t answer my email after 48 hors, I will choose another winner!
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