Book Review: Torn Away

Goodreads synopsis:
Jersey Cameron has always loved a good storm. Watching the clouds roll in and the wind pick up. Smelling the electricity in the air. Dancing barefoot in the rain. She lives in the Midwest, after all, where the weather is sure to keep you guessing. Jersey knows what to do when the tornado sirens sound. But she never could have prepared for this.

When her town is devastated by a tornado, Jersey loses everything. As she struggles to overcome her grief, she's sent to live with relatives she hardly knows-family who might as well be strangers. In an unfamiliar place, can Jersey discover that even on the darkest of days, there are some things no tornado can destroy?

My thoughts on the plot:
I have never read a book like this. The plot was what made me want to pick it up. It just sounded interesting and devastating at the same time. A natural disaster like a tornado, is something that I will never be able to fully understand how it feels like, because I live in a country where tornadoes never happen. But I wanted to read about it, to get a better understanding of what some really unlucky people actually have to go through. It sounded like a book that gets you're thoughts going, and I like that.

My thought on the character:
I liked the main character in the book, Jersey. And I felt sad, angry, devastated, happy along with her. I had absolute understanding for the times she freaked out or got really angry. What she had to go through was so sad, and I felt so bad for her.
Her little sister Marin was so funny and cute, and I loved all the fun things she did.
But OMG, her fathers family were awful. I hated them so much, and I really couldn't stand them. 
Her mothers parents on the other hand, was absolutely lovely, and I immediately became fond of them.

All in all:
This is a super sad book, but at the same time it also has a lot of great and beautiful moments. I can't begin to imagine how it would be to go through something as heart breaking as Jersey. I loved following her through all her ups and downs.
This book really makes you think about all the small things in life that we take for granted. You really don't know how lucky you are until you lose it.
But most importantly this book shows you how family and friends is the most important thing you've got, and how important it is to treasure this.
This book was very good, and I ended up giving it:

….

Elin

Book Review: Legend

Goodreads synopsis:
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.

My thoughts on the plot:
I love dystopian books, and I always find that their synopsis' sounds so interesting. The synopsis of legend is no exception. It sounded so good, but I have to say I was a little bit disappointed in the beginning. One thing I find very interesting with dystopian books, is the world building. Usually the world is totally different from the world we live in, and I enjoy seeing how the different authors choose to do it. In this book I felt like it lacked a lot of world building. I found myself wanting more.
But as I got through the book, more interesting stuff started happening, and more secrets about the world was revealed. Obviously those secrets couldn't be revealed in the beginning, cause that would just spoil the surprise, so as I got more into the book I could kind of see why Lu chose to do the world building the way she did.

My thoughts on the characters:
The two main characters, Day and June, was great. I also love to read from several peoples perspective, which you get to do here. They were pretty tough both of them, and I liked that. The love between them was a little bit boring though, but that might pick up in the next books.
The only thing I missed was like a funny character. Usually books contain a funny friend, and I always seem to really enjoy reading about them. So I wish a character like that was in the book. But who knows, maybe it will come later on.

All in all:
I wasn't super sucked into this book, and I did think it was a bit disappointing in the beginning. But with that being said, it really picked up throughout the books. Shocking secrets were revealed, and I found myself very interested in finding out "what's happening next".
I will definitely pick up the next book in the trilogy.
In the end I ended up giving this book:

….

Elin

Waiting on Wednesday #3

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. This is a meme where you can share upcoming releases that you are waiting for.

This week I chose Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch

Release date: October 14th, 2014

Goodreads synopsis:
A heartbroken girl. A fierce warrior. A hero in the making.

Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved, leaving them without magic or a monarch. Now, the Winterians’ only hope for freedom is the eight survivors who managed to escape, and who have been waiting for the opportunity to steal back Winter’s magic and rebuild the kingdom ever since.

Orphaned as an infant during Winter’s defeat, Meira has lived her whole life as a refugee, raised by the Winterians’ general, Sir. Training to be a warrior—and desperately in love with her best friend, and future king, Mather — she would do anything to help her kingdom rise to power again.

So when scouts discover the location of the ancient locket that can restore Winter’s magic, Meira decides to go after it herself. Finally, she’s scaling towers, fighting enemy soldiers, and serving her kingdom just as she’s always dreamed she would. But the mission doesn’t go as planned, and Meira soon finds herself thrust into a world of evil magic and dangerous politics – and ultimately comes to realize that her destiny is not, never has been, her own.

My thoughts:
This just sounds like such an interesting book, with a mix of fantasy and dystopian. That has to be the recipe for success. It looks like this is going to be a trilogy, and who doesn't like a good YA trilogy. This is definitely high on my wishlist.

To discover more upcoming releases, click HERE.

….
Elin

August Wrap Up - September TBR

The end of August is here, which means it is time to do a wrap up and a TBR blog post. I managed to read 6 books in August, which is an OK amount. I was hoping to get through more considering it was the bout of books read-a-thon this month, as well as I had my three weeks vacation. But I was more busy then I expected.
I'm still happy with the books I got through though, and without further adieu, lets get started with the wrap up.

The first book I read was My Husbands Secret by Liane Moriarty:

My thoughts:
I really enjoyed this book a lot, and it definitely made me want to pick up more of Liane Moriarty's books.

I did a book review for this, so if you would like to see what I thought about the book, click HERE.









I ended up giving this book:

The second book I read was Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead:

My thoughts:
This is the third book in the Vampire Academy series. This was fast pace and a lot of stuff happened. I still enjoy the characters a lot, and the story and mystery is great.
It ended with quite a heartbreaking cliffhanger.










This book got:

Then I read Blood Promise by Richelle Mead:

My thoughts:
The fourth book in the Vampire Academy series. This was actually kind of a disappointment to me. I felt like it was too slow, and not a lot of exciting things happened. The stuff that did happen was interesting, but I felt like the book dragged out a lot, and it got boring at times.









I gave this:

I then read Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher:

My thoughts:
I needed a break from the VA series, and I'm so glad I chose to pick up this book. I loved everything about it, the plot, the characters, the writing style. I also did a book review, which you can find by clicking HERE.










Of course this book got:

The next book I picked up was Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead:

My thoughts:
This is the fifth book in the Vampire Academy series. After a little break I decided to pick up this series again, cause I still wanted to know how it continued. And this book was definitely better then the last one.
This was filled with action, mystery and love drama. And I enjoyed all of it.








This book got:

The last book I read during the month of August was Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol:

My thoughts:
This is a graphic novel, which is something I haven't read a lot of.
It was a really quick and fun read, and I read it in one sitting. It also had a bit of a shocking twist, which I enjoyed.
It definitely made me want to pick up more graphic novels, cause it gives you a very different and fun reading experience.








The book got:

So all in all it was a really great reading month, where I've had a lot of super enjoyable reads.

When it comes to the September TBR, this will not be a list that is set in stone. I might change what I want to read and pick up other books then what I plan. But I do have some books I think I will definitely read.

First of all I will be reading Torn Away by Jennifer Brown:

I am currently reading this book, and I am very intrigued by the story so far.

I am starting work again on Monday, and this means sitting in traffic, which again means time for audiobooks. This month I am planning on listening to the Legend series by Marie Lu:

I also want to finish the Vampire Academy series, which means I will pick up the last book, Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead:

Other then that I will just pick up whatever I feel like. I hope to start a new series, but I have a couple of different to choose from so I don't know which one it will be yet. I'm also hoping to read more stand alones. 

….

Elin

Series Review: Caster Chronicles

This will be my spoiler free book review of the entire Caster Chronicles series by Kami Garcia and Margareth Stohl.
It is 4 books in total, and that is Beautiful Creatures, Beautiful Darkness, Beautiful Chaos and Beautiful Redemption.

I really enjoyed this series, and ended up giving the first two books 4 stars, and the last two 4.5 stars. I love when series just gets better and better.

Short synopsis:
These books follow the ordinary small town boy Ethan, and a new girl in town Lena. Lena is a caster, which is another word for witch. She is cursed, and when she is turning 16 she will be claimed for either the dark (bad) or the light (good) side.
We follow Ethan and Lena as their lives intertwine, and they must together fight against the curse.

My thoughts on the plot:
I think the plot of the books were interesting, and original. In the first book they fight against the curse that Lena will have to deal with when turning 16. In the other books they run into a lot of other obstacles. The last book was more adventurous than the other 3, and that was also one of the reasons why I liked that one the most.
So much happened throughout the books, so even though the books are pretty big, I flew through them.
The one negative thing I will say about the story in the books, is that it was a bit predictable at times. There weren't really any shocking moments that made me feel taken aback, and I missed that.

My thoughts on the characters:
I did to like the two main characters, Ethan and Lena. Ethan wasn't tough enough, and Lena was just annoying and whiny. I didn't like their relationships either, it was just to "lovey-dovey" for my taste. I will say though, that in the last book you get to read from both Ethan's and Lena's point of view, and that actually made me like Lena a little bit better.
But besides the main character, the books contained a lot of other enjoyable people. I love Link and Ridley, I think they are hilarious. Macon is also great, he's just such a good person. Liv, who is introduced in the second book, was also a really great character. She is the type of girl character I enjoy reading about in books.

All in all
This is a very fun magical and action packed read. I would not recommend seeing the movie, because that just isn't that great, and these books are so much better. If you like young adult novels, you will probably really like these books as well. Again, a really great series, and combined I'm giving this series:

Wishlist Wednesday #2

Wishlist Wednesday is a weekly meme posted by Pen to Paper, where you share a book that is on your wishlist.

The book I have chosen for this wednesday is Legend by Marie Lu

Goodreads synopsis:
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.

My thoughts:
This book has been out for a couple of year now, and it has been on my wishlist since it started being popular in the book community. This is the first book in a trilogy, and all three books have very good reviews on goodreads. That, and the fact that i love dystopian books, and that it also sounds super exciting makes me really want to get this book. I also mentioned this in my last Top Ten Tuesday list, and there I wrote that I will probably get this book as an audiobook and listen to it when I start work on monday. Can't wait :)

If you would like to see others wishlists, just click HERE.

….
Elin 

Top Ten Tuesday #4

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. Every week it's a new topic, and then you share you're top ten list for that specific topic.
This weeks topic is:

Top Ten Books I Really Want To Read But Don't Own Yet

1. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

This book is high on my list, and I have been wanting to read it for ages. I just simply need to get a hold of the trilogy and read them. Haven't heard a negative word about these books, and it just sounds amazing. Don't really know why I haven't picked it up yet, but it is going to happen very soon for sure.

2. Fallen Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes

I mentioned this book in my Wishlist Wednesday post a couple of weeks ago, which you can find HERE.
It sounds awesome, and I am really digging fantasy at the moment, so this just fits right in there.

3. The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

Again another fantasy book. I want it because I'm into fantasy, it sounds really good, and people are raving about it. It just has to be great then.

4. Doon by Carey Corp & Lorie Langdon

It's not that long ago since I came over this book. And my first reaction was to suggest it to my sister, which is in love with Scotland. And the books takes place in Scotland. But I also think it sounds like a super fun read, so I definitely want to read it for myself. I think the second book just came out as well.

5. The Archived by Victoria Schwab

When I read the synopsis for this book I knew right away that I wanted to read it. It just sounds so unique and different. It is also very popular in the book community.

6. The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson

Again, another fantasy book. This one has been super popular amongst readers lately, and I feel like everybody is picking up a copy. I need to do that too. It sounds like a great story, that I wanna take a part of.

7. Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

I haven't read many books about dragons, but I do wanna read more of them. And I think this one is a good choice. It sounds interesting from the plot, and the reviews on Goodreads is really good. Also the second book is coming out sometime next year.

8. Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan

This book is just one of those books that everybody just has to read. And I really want to read it, cause I think it will be a great and really fun adventure. And people LOVE this series so much.

9. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

This is probably the book on this list I mostly want to get my hands on. The plot is awesome, and the main character sounds really badass. This is also a book with tons of good reviews, which can sometimes be scary, but I think I will enjoy it.

10. Legend by Marie Lu

I love dystopian books, and this one has been on my wish list for a while. Again a book with good review and a great plot. I think I'm gonna get this as an audiobook and start listening to it when I go back to work in a week. Hopefully it will make the time in the traffic a whole lot more fun.













Click HERE to check out other people's Top Ten list, or go and share your'e own list.

….
Elin