Cover Madness (3)

Cover Madness is a meme I created in order to showcase the different versions of covers there are and to share my thoughts on which one would make me by that book. Want to join in? It's easy follow the rules below and link back here!

Rules:

1.  Create a post using my graphic I used or anyone you want to create
2. Can be any country's cover vs. the US cover.
3. Explain which one you think is better and why.
4. Link back here.

This Week on cover Madness is:

Confessions of an Almost Girlfriend by Louise Rozett

US Cover

UK Cover

The winner in this case was defiantly the US cover. The UK version is a lot bolder and brighter and I like that, but I think the font coloring and the font it self throws the amazing cover off. While the US cover remains dual, but the font compliments the actual picture. 

Which one do you think is better?

Review: Georgetown Academy

Georgetown Academy
Author:  Jessica Etting & Alyssa Schwartz
Series: Georgetown Academy
Pages: 136
Publisher: Coliloquy, LLC 
Release Date: October 24,2012
Source: Via Netgalley 
Thanks so much for providing a copy for me to review

Summary:

It’s the beginning of a new political administration. That might not mean much at most high schools, but at Georgetown Academy, Washington D.C.’s most elite prep school, January 20th means new alliances, new flings, and new places to party.

While freshmen—nicknamed “interns” for their willingness to jump into bed with anyone higher on the D.C. totem pole—navigate the not-so-friendly halls of GA searching for Algebra and Bio classes, the school’s lifers have other things on their minds.

For self-proclaimed D.C. royalty Brinley Madison (of those Madisons), the first day of school is all about establishing the social hierarchy and playing the part of perfect political wife to her boyfriend, the outgoing Vice President’s son. Too bad he has a wandering eye that puts Bill Clinton’s to shame. Can she keep him, and her own secret vice, in check?

Ellie Walker, Brinley’s best friend, floats through the halls on the arm of golden boy Hunter McKnight (the JFK of GA). But when her ex-boyfriend, Gabe, returns to town and her Senator mother’s political nemesis is reelected, Ellie’s life starts to snowball out of control.

Shy, quiet Evan Hartnett is more into books than beer, and her closet is full of t-shirts and jeans instead of Jason Wu and Jimmy Choo. No one’s ever really noticed her—but she’s been noticing them. When her star rises as an intern at D.C.’s most-watched political news show, she soon finds the two worlds colliding in ways that make her question what’s secret and what’s fair game.

New girl Taryn Reyes is all laid-back, California cool; with a father who’s in line to be the first Hispanic president, she’s ready to dive into the D.C. scene with an open mind. But when her fellow students turn out to be more interested in spreading rumors than making friends, she realizes that forging a drama-free path might be a lot harder than she thinks.

With so many new friends and former flames in the mix, things are bound to get a little heated. And while diplomatic immunity might keep the cops away, there’s not much it can do about the press.
In a town where one teenage misstep can turn into a national scandal, the students at Georgetown Academy will have to be on their best behavior—or, at least, they’ll have to make the world believe that they are.

Because there’s only one rule: whatever you do, don’t get caught.

Georgetown Academy follows the life of four girls who go to G.A – Evan, Teryn, Brinley, & Ellie . These girls are at this academy because their father or mother is a politician and serves in the Senate or House of Representatives.  Each girl has encountered each other in some sort of way. G.A. tests these four girls throughout the course of this book and show what they are willing to do and what they are not. Not only does each girl have something to hide, that no one else knows, they all have some boy trouble and that only leads to one thing – drama. Let’s face it who doesn’t like a book with drama!

Like I said before, each character is different! Evan Harnett is your average smart girl, but dreams of becoming a reporter. So in order to fulfill her dream she sits on the sidelines and tries to be as discrete as possible because while nobody notices her, she notices them and watches their every move. Her best friend is the star baseball player and is super awesome!  He may just be a little more into rainbows and unicorns than the average guy ;). Everything is going according to her plan until, Hunter starts to notice her and she develops a crush on him, but it will never happen because he is her Ex best friend, Ellie’s, boyfriend.

 Evan was definitely my favorite character of all of them because she’s smart and doesn’t care if she doesn’t have any friends besides her one. Then, she and Hunter are like the cutest thing and while I love Ellie there just might be a whole lot more stuff going on in this book that will make you want Ellie and Hunter to be together! (Hint, hint)

Since there are so many girls I won’t talk about all of them except Ellie, but I do have to talk about plot.

Oh boy! Okay, while this book had a lot of events happening, the plot was just… not that great. I hate having to talk bad about this book, but honestly there was no plot development what so ever. There was just a lot of things happening and a lot of drama. The characters never changed throughout this book and while their background stories were great, the story felt very rushed.

 It felt as if the book left off on the climax because the whole book was just introductions and rising action. There are two more books after this one and I feel as if maybe those books should have been combined with this one.

While that was off for me, I still really enjoyed this book and it did leave off on the climax leaving me to want more and find out what happens. This book really brings the element of politics and everyday drama that these politicians may encounter.  This book also takes on a unique angle and peaks my interest because it explores the lives of daughters of politicians.  If you like drama and politics this is definitely the book for you. 

Even with the problem I encountered with the plot, I still loved this book because it was very fast paced and made my interest of politics even more. Don’t miss out on this book!

Waiting on Wednesdays

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Breaking the Spine. Waiting on Wednesday is to spotlight an anticipated upcoming release. 

       Taste Test by Kelly Fiore

   August 27th, 2013

Summary:

If you can grill it, smoke it, or fry it, Nora Henderson knows all about it. Her father owns one of North Carolina’s most successful barbeque joints and she’s been shredding pork and basting baby back ribs since she could reach the counter. When Taste Test, a reality cooking show for teens, accepts her for their fifth season, it’s a chance for Nora to get out of her humble hometown and break into the big leagues of the culinary world. When she shows up on set at the North American Culinary Academy, however, it’s not just the New England weather that’s ice cold. Fights with her high-society roommate and run-ins with the son of a famous chef force Nora to work even harder to prove she’s a force to be reckoned with. But, despite winning challenges and falling for a fellow contestant, Nora can’t ignore the mysterious accidents that are plaguing the kitchen arena. It seems like someone is conducting eliminations of their own and Nora’s determined to get to the bottom of the mystery before she, or anyone else, is “86ed” for good

Cover:  The cover looks so amazing!!! I love that they included the frying pan over them kissing. Hopefully the cover has some irony to it from the book!

Storyline:  The story also draws me in. It includes 2 of my favorite things! Cooking and a contemporary YA! Can't wait to see how this plays out!

What do you guys think about this cover and the storyline? Do you agree or disagree with my thoughts? Let me know below!

 

ARC Review: Stranelets by Michelle Gagnon

Strangelets

Author:  Michelle Gagnon
Series: Standalone

Publisher: Soho Teen
Release Date: April 7th, 2013
Source: Review copy Received via Edelweiss
 Thank you so much for providing me with a copy to review!
Purchase: Amazon| B&N 

Summary:

17-year-old Sophie lies on her deathbed in California, awaiting the inevitable loss of her battle with cancer…
17-year-old Declan stares down two armed thugs in a back alley in Galway, Ireland…
17-year-old Anat attempts to traverse a booby-trapped tunnel between Israel and Egypt…

All three strangers should have died at the exact same moment, thousands of miles apart. Instead, they awaken together in an abandoned hospital—only to discover that they’re not alone. Three other teens from different places on the globe are trapped with them. Somebody or something seems to be pulling the strings. With their individual clocks ticking, they must band together if they’re to have any hope of surviving. 

Soon they discover that they've been trapped in a future that isn't of their making: a deadly, desolate world at once entirely familiar and utterly strange. Each teen harbors a secret, but only one holds the key that could get them home. As the truth comes to light through the eyes of Sophie, Declan, and Anat, the reader is taken on a dark and unforgettable journey into the hearts of teens who must decide what to do with a second chance at life

Strangelets has a very interesting summary that makes you want to jump straight in. It grabbed me as soon as I read it. Strangelets is honestly very hard to describe because it’s one of those books that you just can’t put into words. It’s honestly the weirdest and most complex book I’ve  read so far.

Strangelets is told from three perspectives – Declan, Sophie and Anat. Declan, Sophie and Anat encounter a near death experience; all from different places around the world. After their encounter, they all wake up in an abandoned infirmary. Where, they met each other and three other characters. Nobody knows where they are, what happened, or even who the rest of the characters are. When they finally leave this hospital, they find out that nothing is as it seems. With no one around, but themselves they soon find out how hard it is to survive. Little do they know that there’s something more than what they expected out there.

My first problem was that I couldn’t connect with either of the characters. This made me read at a turtle’s pace. Declan was quite frankly a jerk who was very indecisive. Sophie, who was actually quite kind at the beginning, soon became aggravating because she was always complaining. While, I understand that she was sick it just became so aggravating to hear her whining all the time. The love connection between Sophie and Declan was meant to pull me in more, but somehow it made me less interested and very predictable. I will say that it was very predictable because you’re reading both characters perspectives and they were always worried about each other. As for Anat, she was in nice terms, mean and very stuck up towards all the rest of the characters; this made her very dis likeable.

Secondly, the pacing of this story was a bit off for me. While reading I became very confused as to what was going on because the story either moved too fast or too slow. At one point in the story I literally read three pages, stopped and came back like an hour later to do the same thing.

While this book did have some cons for me, I have to say there was a pro. I was interested in what was going to happen until the end. This is one of those stories that have a mystery element. One that you have to read until the end or else you’ll sit there wondering what happened. When these creatures showed up I just had to find out how the world came to the state it was now or where they were.  These creatures, by the way, totally freaked me out! I was terrified when they encountered them.

 While the love connections in this story made me even less interested at first, I started to grow to love them.  In the end Sophie was probably the most likeable character in this story even if she did whine at one point or another. 

Maybe my expectations for this book were just too high because this book did disappoint me in the end. The pacing was off for me & I didn’t connect with the characters as much as I had liked. Maybe it was the fact that the story was told in three different prospective that threw me off.  The mystery aspect of it is also threw me off, but in a good way because this was the one part of the story that was not predictable in my opinion.

Strangelets is defiantly a different kind of book. It intrigues you until the end and is very fast pace. If you like an action packed book with a dash of romance and mystery, this is defiantly the book for you and should give it a try!

Arc Review: The Elite by Kiera Cass

The Elite

Author: Kiera Cass
Series: The Selection
Pages: 336
Publisher: Harper Teen
Release Date: April 23rd,2013

Summary:

Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned princess of Illea.

America still isn’t sure where her heart lies. When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their new and breathless romance, and can’t dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over—and time is running out for America to decide.

Just when America is sure she’s made her choice, a devastating loss makes her question everything again. And while she’s struggling to imagine her future, the violent rebels that are determined to overthrow the monarchy are growing stronger and their plans could destroy her chance at any kind of happy ending

Going into this book, I had hardly any expectations. As, I did the worst thing a blogger can do, I looked at another review that said that while this one was good the first one was way better. With this being said I am so glad it wasn’t like that for me because I really enjoyed it!

In this book you start off just where you left off in the first part. America is in the palace still very much indecisive on whom she should chose or if she should even be there in the first place. America came off in this book as a very indecisive girl who just couldn’t make up her mind. One moment she wanted Maxon and before she wanted Aspen not even five pages ago.  This began to annoy me at some point because if you didn’t know I am totally team Maxon thus, this makes me totally angry when she gets mad at Maxon for something stupid. 

As the plot progressives, I have to say there was a lot and I mean a lot of curve balls! Girls began to go home and things just get downright crazy in this book!  Maxon loves America and everybody knows that from the first book, but this version of Maxon, is in a way, so much better! Maxon is loving, caring and gives America whatever she wants. Weither it’s time or his attention. This makes him so swoon worthy and I love him. There are some other parts in the book where he protects America and It just made my heart flutter.(TEAM MAXON FOR THE WIN!)

I have to say there where a lot of amazing things that happened in this book. Though, most of them I cannot talk about without spoiling it for those who have not read it yet. One thing though that I found in this story that was so amazing, was the friendship. These girls are all competing for Maxon’s heart; little do they know that there is no chance in hell they are going to win! Even though this is going on, they still have time to form amazing friendships while they are there. One friendship I was particularly fond of was Kriss and America. After a major even happened, Kriss and America started to suddenly get closer and just worked together because they knew that it would benefit them in all ways. Hey, I never said it wasn’t a tricky friendship. 

One Character in particular I still very much dislike. You’ve probably already guessed who I am talking about right? Well if you didn’t, I am talking about the Wicked witch of the west, Celeste. My goodness she irks my nerves so bad! Oh yeah, she doesn’t go away. In fact, she comes back stronger and might I add, bitchier than ever. She’s a total snob with only goal-- to get maxon. Who knows what her real intentions are because whatever they are, I’m pretty sure they’re not good ones.

The first book, The Selection, took my heart, crushed it and then, put it back into place. This one was no different except this one took my heart and twisted it and when there were sweet moments that put it back together and then broke it again and again. This went on until the shock of one moment made me have a heart attack. Then, my heart was fluttering and redeemed by the end!

Then Kierra Cass decided to make it loud in clear at the end, END OF BOOK TWO! Oh my gosh! Are you kidding me!?! I HAVE TO WAIT Again?!?!? Go read this book now while I go mark my calendar off of how many days I’m going to have to wait.

Don’t miss this heart- throbbing story of a girl that came from nothing, but now has everything she could imagine. Who will she choose her first love, Aspen or the wonderful prince, Maxon?

4 out of 5 Towers