Daily Dose 44

Daily dose is a meme hosted by Good Golly Miss Holly 

The 'What the heck?' Edition

What inspires you?

just sayin,

-Kare

The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler

Description:
It's 1996, and less than half of all American high school students have ever used the Internet.

Emma just got her first computer and an America Online CD-ROM.

Josh is her best friend. They power up and log on--and discover themselves on Facebook, fifteen years in the future.

Everybody wonders what their Destiny will be. Josh and Emma are about to find out.


A list of epic things that may occur in this book:

• Time travel (or time viewing?)- This concept was so 
original, seriously nothing out there comes close to this. It covered so many bases of awesomeness. 
• Caused me to ask these questions: How I would have viewed Facebook back then? Why do we share such silly things about ourselves on Facebook? How does your present effect your future?
• This novel could legitimately be considered historical fiction. It's set in the year 1996, only fifteen years ago, but it's a perfect portrayal of that time. 
• The Future of Us is a lot of things, it's a lot of different things. It's sci-fi, romance, historical fiction, sweet, funny, but most of all it's unputdownable. 
• Kellan- She is witty and sarcastic and mostly over-dramatic.
• Emma- She gets wrapped up in assuring her future is a good one that she losses herself and sight of her present. 
• Josh- He's the typical nice guy whose been rejected. Something about Josh is so genuine, he is just- Josh. 
• Kellan and Tyson's relationship- It's sweet and complicated. They have a slight love-hate relationship but they always come back to love. 
• the dual perspectives of Emma and Josh give the story a more rounded feel. Asher and Mackler are phenomenal together. I hope to see more from the duo. 
• The writing is absolutely perfect and slightly addicting. Something about it consumes your mind and forces you to just keep reading. 

Overall:
All the elements in this book come together to for a spectacular combination of epic proportions. I really hope to see more from these two.


just sayin, 
-Kare

Daily Dose 43

Daily dose is a meme hosted by Good Golly Miss Holly 

Origami Edition

What inspires you?

just sayin,

-Kare

Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King

Description:

Lucky Linderman didn't ask for his life. He didn't ask his grandfather not to come home from the Vietnam War. He didn't ask for a father who never got over it. He didn't ask for a mother who keeps pretending their family is fine. And he certainly didn't ask to be the recipient of Nadar McMillan's relentless bullying, which has finally gone too far.

Lucky has a secret—one that helps him wade through the daily dysfunction of his life. Grandad Harry, trapped in the jungles of Laos, has been visiting Lucky in his dreams—and the dreams just might be real: an alternate reality where he can be whoever he wants to be and his life might still be worth living. But how long can Lucky remain in hiding there before reality forces its way inside?

Printz Honor recipient A. S. King's distinctive, smart, and accessible writing shines in this powerful novel about learning to cope with the shrapnel life throws at you, and then taking a stand against it.

Epic Wins:

• Lucky- He's a good kid who is a little lost, confused, and broken but he is trying to get to better ground. He was funny too, you know if your into that thing.
• The ants were very sarcastic and basically a reality check for Lucky. I rather agree with Lucky when he said that sometime there job looked fun.
• Ginny- Best described as a kindness ninja :D She really helps Lucky grow and changes his life for the better. I loved that she knew she was better than just her hair. 
• I loved all the little chuckle moments planted all over in the book, whether the ants or Lucky himself. They made a slightly dark topic come into some light.
• Granddad Harry- I almost want to say that he was Lucky's conscience. He was always so patient with Lucky and the people around him, a truly wise man.  
• The whole book is about growing up and dealing with your problems head on. Oh and about turtles and squids!!
• Aunt Jodi- Yes she is a nutter and probably takes too many pills but her heart is in the right place and sometimes that is enough.
• Uncle Dave- I liked him to begin with and I still think he taught lucky something. In the end his true colors seemed to show.
• Lucky gets a scar and as it heals he says it looks like the shape of certain states. It was funny because he would say stuff like I looked at Ohio in the mirror.

Epic Fails

• Nader rules the world of fails. He is a creepy psycho bully who scars the outside and the inside. 

Overall:
A funny book about a boy with a state shaped scar,the people who helped the boy grow, and  ants that have the funnest jobs.


just sayin, 
-Kare

Sitting There Collecting Dust

This weeks topic is:

Books That Have Been On My Shelf For The Longest But I've Never Read

1. The Replacements by Brenna Yovanoff- This is one that I coveted for months on end before it came out and as soon as I got it I put it on my shelf. I just couldn't read it then and now it's still there, on the shelf. 
2. Linger and Forever by Maggie Stiefvater- (oh-the-irony) I have abandonment issues with series. After this list you will see what I mean. I LOVED Shiver, like with all my heart, so why can't I finish this series? Maybe because I know what Maggie is capable of her writing is both heart-breaking and beautiful. 
3. Delirium by Lauren Oliver- I tried to read it but if I don't read books when I am in the mood for them sometimes it makes me hate the book so I put it down and just haven't picked it back up yet.
4. The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa- Again abandonment issues. The only thing that will get me into these books is the world. I hate the whinny which-guy-am-going-to-choose-syndrome.
5. Looking for Alaska and An Abundance of Katherines by John Green- I have tried several times to get into either of these but there is like this wall that I keep hitting with both of them. 
6. Matched by Ally Condie- Same case as The Replacement, wanted it something fierce before it came out, saved money to get it , and then I didn't read it. 
7. City of Ashes, Glass, and Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare- I warned you.... The first one didn't sit well with me and I don't know if I can go back into that world.
8. Gone by Lisa McMann- I'm getting redundant now. I read Wake my Sophomore year proclaiming it better than Twilight, because it was. Then my series abandonment kicked it and only just recently read Fade.
9. The Lost Hero, The Red Pyramid, and The Throne of Fire by Rick Riordan- Technically this isn't abandonment because they are new series from him, right? I LOVED the Percy Jackson series so I don't know why it's so hard for me to pick these up.
10. Eon by Alison Goodman- It's about a ninja so why haven't I read it? *shrugs* Maybe because of it's size...

just sayin,

Kare

Daily Dose 42

Daily dose is a meme hosted by Good Golly Miss Holly 

Giraffe (possibly again...)  Edition

What inspires you?

just sayin,

-Kare

How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr

Description:
Jill MacSweeney just wants everything to go back to normal. But ever since her dad died, she's been isolating herself from her boyfriend, her best friends--everyone who wants to support her. You can't lose one family member and simply replace him with a new one, and when her mom decides to adopt a baby, that's exactly what it feels like she's trying to do. And that's decidedly not normal. With her world crumbling around her, can Jill come to embrace a new member of the family?

Mandy Kalinowski knows what it's like to grow up unwanted--to be raised by a mother who never intended to have a child. So when Mandy becomes pregnant, she knows she wants a better life for her baby. But can giving up a child be as easy as it seems? And will she ever be able to find someone to care for her, too?

Critically acclaimed author and National Book Award finalist Sara Zarr delivers a heart-wrenching story, told from dual perspectives, about what it means to be a family and the many roads we can take to become one.


Epic Wins:

• Message (one): Sometimes pushing people away, thought it seems better, isn't the answer.
• Message (two): Usually what you think of as the WORST case scenario is really that thing you have needed in your life. 
• Message (three): You just have to trust other people and that maybe doing it all by yourself just won't work.
• Jill- Synical and smart her personality cuts through the pages. She was the character I loved the most. 
• Mandy- She was totally insane. Insane like Luna Lovegood. She was sweet and strong, always meaning well. She was so much smarter then people thought. 
• Dylan- He was a sweetheart but he seemed at a loss of what to do. I REALLY loved the way he treated Mandy (I kept waiting for something to happen there). 
• Ravi-He was so understanding of what Jill was going through and was the only one she could really talk to about what happened. He's one of those truly good guys. 
• I always love when books go back and forth between different point-of-views and How to Save a Life was no exception. The balance between Jill and Mandys' personalities was perfect and clear. 
• Hugable: A book so good that it has the after effect of overwhelmingly needing to hug it. This book has it and Ecey knew this when she told me I needed to read it. (Thanks hon!!)
• It's such a sweet story about family, especially the family that ISN'T blood related.

Epic Fails:

• At one point Mandy thinks, Maybe I should just do the opposite of what my mom says to do, with this I agree. Her mom was always so nasty towards Mandy. 
• Ken, I was on to him from the beginning.

Overall:
A book you can't put into accurate enough words to describe it's awesomeness. 


just sayin, 
-Kare

Daily Dose 41

Daily dose is a meme hosted by Good Golly Miss Holly 

The Cheerios Edition

What inspires you?

just sayin,

-Kare

The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

Description:
The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children. 

If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company. 

And there are no strangers in the town of Near.

These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life.

But when an actual stranger—a boy who seems to fade like smoke—appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.

The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. Still, he insists on helping Lexi search for them. Something tells her she can trust him.

As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi’s need to know—about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.

Part fairy tale, part love story, Victoria Schwab’s debut novel is entirely original yet achingly familiar: a song you heard long ago, a whisper carried by the wind, and a dream you won’t soon forget.

Epic Wins:

• This book, for starters, was like mental candy and I am kind of addicted to it. A strait shot of awesome! 
• The plot kept twisting and turning in delicious and devious ways, thrusting me into the story and keeping me entirely too hooked.
• Lexi- She was the hardcore, knife-wielding, butt kicking type of heroine that I LOVE to read about.
• Cole- He was mysterious with sides of magical and sweet. He made the perfect match to Lexi's personality. 
• The setting- Near was a small town full of dark secrets from the past and unbridled fear making it the perfect setting for the plot.
• The time period- I could never pin down an actual time period but they used candles and the girls all wore dresses or skirts so it wasn't modern day. 
• The Sisters- They were wise/all seeing women. They almost remind me of the fates from Greek myth, except they have all there eyes and they were minus a sister. 
• Schwab has this amazing talent with transporting. I swear it's like I am sucked into the pages and into the story.
• Lexi's mother- She went from being considered a 'ghost' to, in her small ways, taking a stand.

Epic Fails:

• Not a fan of Tyler or Bo for that matter.

Overall:
A book that wraps you up in the characters, the plot and the setting seamlessly. 


Want more information about The Near Witch? Check out the Goodreads page  here.

just sayin, 
-Kare

In My Mailbox 36

[In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren]


For Review:

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

Won:

The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler

I have already devoured both of these and LOVED them. :)



What did you get in your mailbox?

just sayin,

-Kare

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Description:
It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die. 

At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them. 

Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn’t given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition — the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen


Epic Wins:

• I loved the way Maggie intertwined the voice of Puck Connolly and Sean Kingston. 
• Puck- She was fierce, smart, and above all she's a one of a kind character that you can't help but root for. 
• Sean- He was quiet, ready, and controlled. He didn't love easily but when he did it ran deep through to his veins. 
• Sean and Puck's love formed from a mutual respect for each other. It wasn't instant and it flowed evenly. 
• Killer horses- These creatures were fantastic in my head litterally racing through my mind. A beautifully recreated myth. 
• The setting- Thisby is an island, I'm guessing off of England, that is like another world. I couldn't quite put a time period on this book but it didn't matter all that much. 
• George Holly- Honestly? He reminded me, not sure why, of Gatsby from The Great Gatsby. The nice clothes, the huge fortune, the funky hat, and just the way he spoke. All of his words were important. 
• The  ending was perfect through my eyes and I couldn't/wouldn't ask for a sequel. 

Epic Fails:

• The Malverns- Rich,  powerful, and they like to play games with people's lives for fun.

Overall:
A masterful piece of literature that will always reside on my favorites shelf. 


just sayin, 
-Kare

Giving Thanks to Books

We are talkingTheBIGHUGEAMAZINGLYEPIC giveaway
One book that I am grateful for. (Just one? Really? Fine)
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K Rowling:
This is the first book (aside from the many books by Dr. Seuss) that I read. No I didn't start with the first book in the Harry Potter series, I started with this one. This book opened my eye to the possibility of exactly WHAT a book could do for you. It was the door way to so many other books, so I thank it for that. 

just sayin

Books that make you emote

[Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish]

I feel like I haven't been doing many other post besides reviews and Daily Dose so I thought I'd try this meme. I like lists so it's perfect for me :)

 Top Ten Books I Had VERY Strong Emotions About (cry, laugh, hurl across the room, etc.)

Books that made me cry:

The Miles Between by Mary E. Pearson

I started this book at about ten o'clock only to finish at four in the morning. I could not stop flipping pages. For the last fourth of the book I was struggling to see through the streams of tears.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak 

Everyday I had a commute to my college. It was short but I was going nuts trying to listen to the radio, so I tried audio books. As I was finishing this one up (the ending is so heart breaking) I was on my way to class. Needless to day I was a mess that day. (this one can also be under the categories of  Made me randomly smile, made me laugh till I cried, and broke my freaking heart.)

Sorta Like a Rock Star by Matthew Quick

My mom come into my room around one in the morning asking if I needed to take sinus medication. Embarrassed I explained that something had happened in my book that made my eyes run like a river. 

Books that had me looking around the corner for a serial killer:

The Riddles of Epsilon by Christine Mortan-Shaw

This book is seriously over looked. I don't know but one other person that has read it and I thought it was freaking fantastic. It was so creepy.

Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender 

Ghosts. Really scary, evil ghosts. That is all. 

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Randsom Riggs

Books that when I think back to them I laugh:

(and then get a bunch of weird looks because I am laughing for no apparent reason)

Paranormalcy Series by Kiersten White

*laughs* I love Kiersten White and her brand of funny. I thought that the second one wouldn't hold that same snark but she brought it packed into Evie. 

The Hex Hall Series by Rachel Hawkins

Snark at it's finest. Sophie is build of snark and she throws a ton of one liners around.

Books that made me think outside my bubble:

Willow by Julia Hoban

Willow is a cutter but you can't help but fall in love with her character. 

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

Lia is anorexic. Something about Lia's story and her fight with her inner self pulls you in.  

The book that sort of gave me anxiety / the odd 11th book :

Divergent by Veronica Roth

This book gave me a new experience. I had NEVER experience this with any other book. Pure anxiety. I felt like I was the one jumping off the moving train or of the ledge of the 100 story building. It threw me off guard but I LOVED it. 

Just Sayin,

-The Nerd