Book Review: Dead River by Cyn Balog

Dead River

By Cyn Balog

Release Date: April 9, 2013

Source: Publisher

Summary: My friends and I are spending prom weekend at a remote wooded cabin on the Dead. The Dead River. 

I thought it was going to be just us.

I was wrong. 
Nothing is what it seems in this creepy paranormal thriller by Cyn Balog.

Review: I don't ever read thrillers or scary books. I'm one of the people who get scared to death watching scary movies. So going into this one that's described as a "creepy paranormal thriller," I was a bit nervous. 

Ki hasn't set foot near water since her mother walked out into a river and never came back. So when her friends want to go to a cabin on Death River for the weekend instead of going to prom, Ki decides to join in and lie to her dad. But Ki soon learns that there may have been more to why she's never been allowed by water. As ghost stories turn far too real, Ki doesn't know how she's going make it through the day, let alone the entire weekend. 

In the beginning, I was a bit freaked out by this book. I started it at night, with only my bedside lamp on, so I was in absolutely no state to be reading something even remotely scary. But I did it anyways. That's why I think I was so creeped out by the place Ki was staying and the weird things that would show up in her life. Either way, the author did a great job creating such a creepy atmosphere using just her words. 

I missed the whole "paranormal" part of the description, so when that stuff started to pop up, I wasn't as scared by the book as I was when I thought it was going to be a realistic fiction thriller. Either way, though, the story still grabbed my attention and only had a couple of slow moments. I actually really liked the whole ghost/paranormal aspect, especially since I had no idea what could possibly be paranormal from the summary. It added a lot more to the story and I couldn't wait to see how it all turned out. 

I really liked Ki's character and how her boyfriend and her best friend went on the trip with her. All of the characters were perfect for this story, even Hugo, the annoying guy Ki's best friend invited so she didn't have to be the third wheel. While this book won't be the next must-read in YA books, I still enjoyed the thrilling tale the author had to offer.

Stacking the Shelves (63)

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews where bloggers share what they got throughout the week!

From Barnes & Noble

My brother got me a Barnes & Noble gift card for my birthday and I decided to buy myself a copy of The Spectacular Now by Tim Tharp. I've heard great things about the movie, and I wanted to read it before it came out. Hopefully it's a good one!

From Netgalley/Edelweiss 

These two look so good and words can't even begin to describe how excited I was when I was approved to receive an ecopy of them. I love Cora Carmack's books and The Promise of Amazing just looks super cute. I can't wait to read these two!

From Librarything

 

I've never heard of this one, but I absolutely love the cover! And the story sounds like one full of teenage angst, romance, and drama. I'm excited to see where this one goes!

That's it for me! What did you all add to your shelves this week? 

Book Review: Paradox by AJ Paquette

Paradox

By AJ Paquette

Release Date: June 25, 2013

Source: Publisher

Summary: Fans of James Dashner's Maze Runner series will love this postapocalyptic adventure about a girl who must survive an alien planet in order to save the Earth.

Ana only knows her name because of the tag she finds pinned to her jumpsuit. Waking in the featureless compartment of a rocket ship, she opens the hatch to discover that she has landed on a barren alien world. Instructions in her pocket tell her to observe and to survive, no doubt with help from the wicked-looking knives she carries on her belt. But to what purpose?

Meeting up with three other teens--one boy seems strangely familiar--Ana treks across the inhospitable landscape, occasionally encountering odd twists of light that carry glimpses of people back on Earth. They're working on some sort of problem, and the situation is critical. What is the connection between Ana's mission on this planet and the crisis back on Earth, and how is she supposed to figure out the answer when she can't remember anything?

Review: Gosh this book was cool. So cool. I'm not a big fan of the cover, so I wasn't sure how the story was going to go. But when I read the inside flap, I decided to give it a try, and I'm so glad I did! 

When Ana wakes up in a strange space craft on a strange planet, the only thing she knows is her name. Where is she? How did she get there? Is she alone? All Ana knows is that her watch is counting down to something and she has to follow the map before time runs out. On her way, she meets others from her craft who seem to know more about Ana's "mission" than she does. Not to mention Ana has been running into strange wisps of someone else's memory back on earth, where life seems to be falling apart. What is Ana supposed to believe? And can she make it to base camp before her clock turns to zero?

Right off the bat, you're dropped of onto this new world that Ana has landed on, with just as much knowledge as she has, which is basically nothing. What the heck is going on? You have no clue! All you know that Ana is on a weird planet with her memory wiped. And then, when the three other teens enter the picture, they know something but can't share it. Why not? Being as in the dark as Ana was made the story so intriguing and has you dying to know why all of this is happening. 

Sci-fi books aren't really my thing, which is why I'm really surprised I liked this book so much. I think that the added mystery to what's happening on Earth, what Ana is going through, and what's waiting for Ana at the end of the countdown made this book as good as it was. I was so into the story that I had to finish it in one day because I wanted to know what was happening so badly. 

So even though the cover didn't really draw me in, the story hooked me from the start. There's mystery, giant worms, near death experiences, and a terrifying journey across an unknown planet. Once you start Paradox, you won't want to put it down.

Book Review: Dust Girl by Sarah Zettel

Dust Girl

By Sarah Zettel

Release Date: June 26, 2013

Source: Publisher

Summary: Callie LeRoux lives in Slow Run, Kansas, helping her mother run their small hotel and trying not to think about the father she’s never met. Lately all of her energy is spent battling the constant storms plaguing the Dust Bowl and their effects on her health. Callie is left alone when her mother goes missing in a dust storm. Her only hope comes from a mysterious man offering a few clues about her destiny and the path she must take to find her parents in “the golden hills of the west”: California. 

Along the way she meets Jack, a young hobo boy who is happy to keep her company—there are dangerous, desperate people at every turn. And there’s also an otherworldly threat to Callie. Warring fae factions, attached to the creative communities of American society, are very much aware of the role this half-mortal, half-fae teenage girl plays in their fate.

Review: I didn't know if I would like this one seeing as it's set during the Dust Bowl in America and I'm not too big of a fan of that time period. And the main character's a fairy? I didn't really know what to expect going into the first chapter, but I thought I'd give it a try. 

Callie has lived in Kansas all her life, helping her mother run their inn while they wait for her father to return like he promised. Even though they haven't seen him since before Callie was born. One night, the biggest dust storm Kansas has seen rolls into town and Callie's mother gets lost in the storm. Left by herself, strange people starting visiting Callie and she knows she's got to find her parents, so she heads to the one place she's told they are: California. On the way, Callie meets Jack, a boy who's hoping to head exactly where she wants to go. But there's much more to Jack than meets the eye and he may hold secrets even darker than Callie. 

Okay, so this book was weird. The whole supernatural/fantasy aspect did not click at all with this background. Callie's half fairy and there are weird bugs who look like people that show up at her house. Then, there are even more fairies and weird secret portals to past worlds that don't even make sense. Even by the end of the book, I still didn't understand Callie's powers and who she was even supposed to be in her whole fairy world. 

Not only was the world Callie lived in confusing, but some parts seemed to drag by. In the beginning, all Callie talked about was the dust and things just lagged as she sat there, complaining about how dry things were and how hungry she was. I get it, you're in a dust bowl. Can we move on please? Also, I didn't really understand how she could even get out of the dust bowl and on her way to California. Then, the whole thing at the end was a blur that I didn't really catch on to. 

In the end, Callie wasn't one of the best characters I've ever read about. She seemed a bit juvenile, so I feel like Callie's character would be more suited in a middle grade book than a YA novel. If you can't tell, I wasn't too big of a fan of this books. The main character and the historical time period of the Dust Bowl were both turnoffs for me. If you're looking for your next read, I'd say you can skip this one. 

Book Review: Sharkopedia by Discovery Channel

Sharkopedia: The Complete Guide to Everything Shark

By Discovery Channel

Release Date: June 11, 2013

Source: Publishers

Summary: Meet the most incredible creatures in the sea! Sharkopedia takes you inside the exciting world of sharks. From Discovery Channel, the people who bring you Shark Week every summer, learn everything there is to know about these awesome predators. The book includes more than 400 photos of sharks and all 498 known species of sharks.

Which shark has been clocked swimming 55 miles per hour?
What feeding habits give tiger sharks their nickname "garbage guts"?
Which shark has 25 rows of super-sharp teeth in its mouth?
And more!

Review: I know I never review non-fiction books. Ever. But when I had the opportunity to review a book that was described as the complete guide to everything shark, I knew I had to get my hands on a copy. 

With more than 400 photos, Sharkopedia shares everything there is to know about sharks. The people of the Discover Channel bring the world of this giant beast alive with their guide to all 498 species of the shark. 

Did I ever mention that I love sharks? Well, I do. And Shark Week is one of the best weeks of the year. So being able to look at a book full of everything shark is pretty awesome. The pictures are so amazing and you really get up close and personal with the sharks. Every single page is filled with colorful pictures as well as new, interesting facts about the huge, scary creatures. 

Not only were the pictures amazing, but the facts were so interesting and fun to read. Some pages even have a "fin fact," which I think is clever and adds some fun to the animal. Every page brings something new and the layout and colors never, ever get boring. There are so many different types of sharks and you get to see each and every one of them in this book. 

If you're a fan of sharks, I'd definitely recommend picking up this book. It's one you can look at over and over again and never get bored. So while non-fiction really isn't my thing, sharks will always be an exception. Go out and get yourself a copy of Sharkopedia now and explore the incredible world of sharks. 

Waiting On Wednesday (105)

This is a meme hosted by Breaking the Spine where every Wednesday bloggers highlight a book that they are eagerly anticipating the release of!

The Edge of Always

By JA Redmerski

Release Date: November 5, 2013

Summary: He was taking the long road. She was taking the road to nowhere. It just so happened that they led to the same place…

When everything falls apart, love remains . . .

THE EDGE OF ALWAYS

Camryn Bennett has never been happier. Five months after meeting on a Greyhound bus, she and her soul mate Andrew Parrish are engaged—and a wedding isn’t the only special event in their future. Nervous but excited, Camryn can’t wait to begin the rest of her life with Andrew – a man she knows in her heart will love her always. They have so much to look forward to—until tragedy blindsides them.

Andrew doesn’t understand how this could happen to them. He’s trying to move on, and thought Camryn was doing the same. But when Andrew discovers Camryn is secretly harboring a mountain of pain and attempting to numb it in damaging ways, there is nothing he won’t do to bring her back to life. Determined to prove that their love can survive anything, Andrew decides to take Camryn on a new journey filled with hope and passion. If only he can convince her to come along for the ride…

-----------------------------

I fell in love with The Edge of Never when I read it a couple of months ago and I'm super excited for the second book to be released. I'm so happy that Camryn and Andrew are engaged, but I have no idea what tragedy is going to happen to them. And how is Camryn numbing her pain? I really want to know! Hopefully this one is as amazing as the first book!

Giveaway Winner

Thank you so much to everyone who entered my Burn by Maya Banks giveaway! And now, it's time to pick a winner! And the lucky winner is...

Sydney C

Congrats Sydney! I really hope you enjoy this fabulous book! I have emailed the winner and she has 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen.