Friday 29 June 2012

False Memory by Dan Krokos ARC Review + Interview

Source: Hachette Book Group Canada

Author: Dan Krokos

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Genre: Thriller

Format: Floppy Cover

Subformat: Young Adult

Release Date: August 14th, 2012

Description: 



Miranda wakes up alone on a park bench with no memory. In her panic, she releases a mysterious energy that incites pure terror in everyone around her. Except Peter, a boy who isn’t at all surprised by Miranda’s shocking ability.
Left with no choice but to trust this stranger, Miranda discovers she was trained to be a weapon and is part of an elite force of genetically-altered teens who possess flawless combat skills and powers strong enough to destroy a city. But adjusting to her old life isn’t easy—especially with Noah, the boyfriend she can't remember loving.
Then Miranda uncovers a dark truth that sets her team on the run. Suddenly her past doesn’t seem to matter...when there may not be a future.

Chaos' Review:

   Now that we're back on track, lets start with the cover as per tradition. I LOVE it! Simply gorgeous, and its B L U E, which is my favourite colour! Plus its all dark and mysterious and doesn't give away the story at. all. Lets just say that it's my way of saying PERFECT! Props to the designers! 
    Time to dive in on the explanation of what I thought of the story! It jumps right in on Miranda waking up with no memory whatsoever. She's freaked, panicky, and lost. Then it also turns out that she has this wicked power in which she can INDUCE fear into people surrounding her. I gotta say, this was probably the first chapter and I was gawking at how interesting the story already was! I HAD TO KEEP READING! Peter pops on in, and DANG! I liked this dude already. Then things are just going insane, and as in the description it says "Miranda discovers she was trained to be a weapon..." well, Miranda can kick some butt! I always love protagonists that can fend for themselves PLUS protect the ones around them. ITS JUST SO COOL! *fangirls* Sorry, I am a total nerd for crazy things like this. 
  Anyways! back on topic,  Noah is hilarious, so he turns serious situations into something much lighter, no doubt, he's that guy that can piss you off with all the snarky comments he makes non stop. He's still funny though. 
  Man, this book was not predictable at all. So many twists and turns. Just whoa. This is one of those books that you just can't describe. Calamity asked me to put the story into words without spoiling it, and all I could say was "Go read it. like, now". 
  One negative I would say that countered the extreme enjoyment of this story is probably because of how the main character wasn't as interesting as the characters around her, it seemed like her personality was clearly being out-shined, but I still really enjoyed it overall. 
  This was totally a unique and thrilling read filled with action, romance, and mystery! Lets just say this book was
 -Awesome- and leave it at that without revealing anything else. 





About the Author





After pumping gas for nine years to put himself through college, Dan Krokos, now twenty-six, dropped out to write full-time. He enjoys watching TV, playing MMORPGs, and drinking coffee. Currently, he’s hard at work on the next book in Miranda’s journey. Follow his antics on twitter (@DanKrokos)






Interview


What inspired you to write False Memory?

I’d been writing a lot of the same stuff for a while. Really gritty adult crime novels. I was
getting rejections that said my stuff was too masculine, or that it wouldn’t appeal to female
readers. I started to get worried that I could only do one thing. Around that time I read
Twilight and The Hunger Games, and yes, I loved them both. They were fun.

I started reading more and more YA, and decided to challenge myself by switching gears
entirely. I grew as a writer because of it.

Once I decided to go this route, I just applied all the things I loved about books growing up.
Action, adventure, and yes, romance.

Did you base any of your characters identities/personalities on people you’ve met or
passed by?

All writers take their experiences with people and distill them into fiction, but I never
go “Okay this character is going to be just like so and so.” I think characters have to be more
interesting than real people. Let’s face it—a lot of us are pretty boring.

What is one of the wackiest things you’ve ever done?

I really can’t say without incriminating myself : )

What is one of your favourite things to do while not writing?

Watch movies. They are my favorite thing. Or certain TV series.

Anything you can reveal about the sequel?!?

Maybe after the first book is out! I can say that it is a bit scarier than the first one.

What’s it like to write from the POV of a girl? Is it difficult?

Extremely. I doubt I’ll do it again. It’s definitely a lot easier now that I know Miranda, but in
the beginning it was really frustrating. I couldn’t really base any of the character on myself,
which always makes things easier…but maybe that’s a good thing?

I was lucky enough to get a lot of female advice on Miranda’s voice though, something I’m
very grateful for.

Favourite snack while writing? Or just in general?

I’m not much of a snacker. Does ice cream count as a snack? I definitely don’t snack while

writing. I’m a little OCD about keeping my keyboard clean, so I wash my hands every time
before I sit down to write. Yeah. I really only keep coffee and water nearby.

Any words of advice to aspiring writers?

I’d say don’t give up, but if you’re really a writer, you’re not going to anyway. So I guess I
would say to get off the social media stuff, for now. You can come back. But for now, focus
100% on writing and reading. Every spare moment, you can be learning. Right now I waste
so much time on the internet (as you’ll see in the question below), and I’m trying to do a
slow rollback. It’s so easy to distract yourself when a scene gets tough, so avoid that now
before the habit becomes ingrained.

Do you have any pre-writing things you do to get into your -zone-?

Yes, but really I’m just procrastinating. I look at stuff on the internet, sometimes hours
before starting, just to put it off. I like to have a cup of coffee first to get in the zone.

What would you do if one day you woke up and had the superpower you have forever
been dreaming of having?

I would give up the writing gig and become a full time superhero. Seriously.



Find False Memory at a bookstore near you on August 14th, 2012! Or Pre-Order online!





Monday 25 June 2012

July Releases We're Anticipating!

The Goddess Legacy By Aimee Carter


For millennia we've caught only glimpses of the lives and loves of the gods and goddesses on Olympus. Now Aime e Carter pulls back the curtain on how they became the powerful, petty, loving and dangerous immortals that Kate Winters knows.


Harlequin | July 31, 2012




Spark By Amy Kathleen Ryan (Sky Chasers #2) 

Waverly and Kieran are finally reunited on the Empyrean. Kieran has led the boys safely up to this point, and now that the girls are back, their mission seems slightly less impossible: to chase down the New Horizon, and save their parents from the enemy ship. But nothing is truly as it seems…Kieran’s leadership methods have raised Seth’s hackles— and Waverly’s suspicions. Is this really her fiancé? The handsome, loving boy she was torn from just a short time before? More and more, she finds her thoughts aligned with Seth’s. But if Seth is Kieran’s Enemy No. 1, what does that make her? 

St. Martin's Press | July 17, 2012


Insignia By S.J. Kincaid 

More than anything, Tom Raines wants to be important, though his shadowy life is anything but that. For years, Tom’s drifted from casino to casino with his unlucky gambler of a dad, gaming for their survival. Keeping a roof over their heads depends on a careful combination of skill, luck, con artistry, and staying invisible.

HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS | July 10, 2012



Drain You By M.B. Bloom

   Every night I'd lie there in bed and look out at the hills behind our house, listening. I knew there'd be consequences.
  Actions meant reactions. Sunrises meant sunsets. My fear was too permanent, lasting longer than eyeliner, something I wore every day and didn't wash off.

Harpercollins Publishers | July 24, 2012 




House Of Shadows By Rachel Neumeier

Orphaned, two sisters are left to find their own fortunes. 

Sweet and proper, Karah's future seems secure at a glamorous Flower House. She could be pampered for the rest of her life... if she agrees to play their game.

Orbit | July 10, 2012




The Lying Game By Sara Shepard #4

When I was alive, my family seemed picture-perfect. My adoptive parents adored me, and my little sister, Laurel, copied my every move. But now that my long-lost twin, Emma, has taken my place to solve my murder, we're both learning just how flawed my family really is.

Harpercollins Publishers | July 31, 2012




The Thing About The Truth By Lauren Barnholdt

  Kelsey’s not going to let one mistake ruin her life. Sure, she got kicked out of prep school and all her old friends are shutting her out. But Kelsey’s focused on her future, and she’s determined to get back on track at Concordia High.
  Isaac’s been kicked out of more schools than he can count. Since his father’s a state senator, Isaac’s life is under constant scrutiny—but Concordia High’s his last stop before boarding school, so Isaac’s hoping to fly under the radar and try to stay put for a change.
  When Kelsey and Isaac meet, it’s anything but love at first sight. She thinks he’s an entitled brat, and he thinks she’s a stuck-up snob. So it surprises them both when they start to fall for each other
                                                  
                                                 Simon Pulse | July 10, 2012

Just For Fins By Tera Lynn Childs

When Lily Sanderson decided to remain Crown Princess Waterlily of the mer kingdom of Thalassinia, she knew she couldn''t just coast along in the current. But since she''s spent the last couple of years on land, Lily''s not sure she has the fins to lead a kingdom. Even her maddeningly pretentious cousin Dosinia seems to know more about ruling than she does.

HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS | July 3, 2012



Once By Anna Carey (An Eve Novel)

When you''re being hunted, who can you trust?
For the first time since she escaped from her school many months ago, Eve can sleep soundly. She''s living in Califia, a haven for women, protected from the terrifying fate that awaits orphaned girls in The New America.


HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS | July 3, 2012




So Close To You By Rachel Carter 

Lydia Bentley has heard stories about the Montauk Project all her life: stories about the strange things that took place at the abandoned military base near her home and the people who've disappeared over the years. Stories about people like her own great-grandfather.

HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS | July 10, 2012




Endlessly By Kiersten White (Paranormalcy #3)

Evie's paranormal past keeps coming back to haunt her. A new director at the International Paranormal Containment Agency wants to drag her back to headquarters. The Dark Faerie Queen is torturing humans in her poisonous realm. And supernatural creatures keep insisting that Evie is the only one who can save them from a mysterious, perilous fate.

HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS | July 24, 2012



Don't You Wish By Roxanne St. Claire

When plain and unpopular Annie Nutter gets zapped by one of her dad''s whacked-out inventions, she lands in a parallel universe where her life becomes picture-perfect. Now she''s Ayla Monroe, daughter of the same mother but a different father-and she''s the gorgeous, rich queen bee of her high school...

Random House Children's Books | July 10, 2012




Lies, Knives, And Girls In Red Dresses By Ron Koertge 

Once upon a time, there was a strung-out match girl who sold CDs to stoners. Twelve impetuous sisters escaped King Daddy's clutches to jiggle and cavort and wear out their shoes. A fickle Thumbelina searched for a tiny husband, leaving bodies in her wake. And Little Red Riding Hood confessed that she kind of wanted to know what it's like to be swallowed whole. From bloodied and blinded stepsisters (they were duped) to a chopped-off finger flying into a heroine's cleavage, this is fairy tale world turned upside down.

Candlewick Press | July 10, 2012

Something Strange And Deadly By Susan Dennard

There''s something strange and deadly loose in Philadelphia. . . .
Eleanor Fitt has a lot to worry about.
Her brother has gone missing, her family has fallen on hard times, and her mother is determined to marry her off to any rich young man who walks by. But this is nothing compared to what she''s just read in the newspaper:
The Dead are rising in Philadelphia.


HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS | July 24, 2012

Destiny By Gillian Shields

With help from her new friend Orion, seventeen-year-old Helen Hamilton descends into the Underworld in search of a way to break the Furies' blood curse and prevent the start of another Trojan War.

HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS | July 31, 2012





Never Enough By Denise Jaden

Loann's always wanted to be popular and pretty like her sister, Claire. So when Claire's ex-boyfriend starts flirting with her, Loann is willing to do whatever it takes to feel special…even if that means betraying her sister.

Simon Pulse | July 10, 2012 





The White Glove War By Katie Crouch (A Magnolia Novel) 

Every society has its secrets.

The members of Savannah''s Magnolia League have it all: money, beauty, power, and love. Some may call them lucky, but we know better. Spells, potions, and conjures are a girl''s best friends, and thanks to the Buzzards -- a legendary hoodoo family -- the Magnolias never run out of friends.


Little, Brown Books for Young Readers | July 3, 2012


Cold Fury By T.M. Goeglein 

Jason Bourne meets The Sopranos in this breathtaking adventure

Sara Jane Rispoli is a normal sixteen-year-old coping with school and a budding romance--until her parents and brother are kidnapped and she discovers her family is deeply embedded in the Chicago Outfit (aka the mob)....

Putnam Juvenile | July 24, 2012



Before You Go By James Preller

The summer before his senior year, Jude (yes, he's named after the Beatles song) gets his first job, falls in love for the first time, and starts to break away from his parents. Jude's house is kept dark, and no one talks much-it's been that way since his little sister drowned in a swimming pool seven years ago when Jude was supposed to be watching her.

Feiwel & Friends | July 17, 2012



Amelia Anne Is Dead And Gone By Kat Rosenfield

Becca has always longed to break free from her small, backwater hometown. But the discovery of an unidentified dead girl on the side of a dirt road sends the town--and Becca--into a tailspin. Unable to make sense of the violence of the outside world creeping into her backyard, Becca finds herself retreating inward, paralyzed from moving forward for the first time in her life.

Penguin Young Reader Group | July 10, 2012



Dark Companion By Marta Acosta 

Orphaned at the age of six, Jane Williams has grown up in a series of foster homes, learning to survive in the shadows of life. Through hard work and determination, she manages to win a scholarship to the exclusive Birch Grove Academy. There, for the first time, Jane finds herself accepted by a group of friends. She even starts tutoring the headmistress's gorgeous son, Lucien. Things seem too good to be true.

Tom Doherty Associates | July 3, 2012



Pushing The Limits By Katie McGarry

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal.

Harlequin | July 31, 2012


Sunday 24 June 2012

In My || Our || Mailbox #4




In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi over at The Story Siren. It's pretty much just an awesome way for blog followers know of some of the books that we got this week :D

So here are the books we got during the month of June and have been working on completing + reviewing! They're some pretty sweet titles so, look forward to seeing our opinions on them VERY soon!

Number 1. 
False Memory by Dan Krokos
Source: Hachette Book Group Canada

Number 2. 
The Darkest Minds By Alexandra Bracken
Source: Hachette Book Group Canada


Number 3. 
Break My Heart 1,000 Times By Daniel Waters
Source: Hachette Book Group Canada


Number 4.
Dark Star By Bethany Frenette
Source: Hachette Book Group Canada


Number 5. 
The Golden Lily By Richelle Mead
Source: Bought

Post a comment or a link to your blog so we can see/know what you guys got in your weekly or monthly book haul! XP

Monday 18 June 2012

Summer Here We Come

As you guys may have noticed...WE HAVEN'T REVIEWED ANYTHING FOR A WEEK!! 

We sincerely apologize, and now we shall bore you all with our completely lame excuse....
Exams.

Its been a pretty Strigoi few weeks with school ending and stuff, crambing in as much as we can, and studying our heads off for these completely *lame* exams. 
But guess what! Our exams and simply everything school based is almost officially OVER! So we'll be back on track and amuse you all with our weirdly entertaining reviews! 

The past week, we suffered so much. Here's a few torturous things that happened,

Loss of SLEEP
No READING time
Headaches
Boredom
Anxiety
Not having to clean (WAIT...that's probably the only good thing)
and the list CONTINUES!

Oh heaven forbid! This is probably the worst time of the year! IT DRIVES YOU INSANE! 

Enough of our excuse now, please continue with whatever book you were reading

Message from Calamity & Chaos😜






Sunday 10 June 2012

Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris Review

Source: Gifted

Author: Elizabeth Norris

Publisher: HarperCollins

Genre: Thriller 

Format: Hardcover

Subformat: Young Adult



Description: 
  Two days before the start of her junior year, seventeen-year-old Janelle Tenner is hit by a pickup truck and killed? As in blinding light, scenes of her life flashing before her, and then nothing. Except the next thing she knows, she''s opening her eyes to find Ben Michaels, a loner from her high school whom Janelle has never talked to, leaning over her. And even though it isn''t possible, she knows? With every fiber of her being? That Ben has somehow brought her back to life.
  But her revival, and Ben''s possible role in it, is only the first of the puzzles that Janelle must solve. While snooping in her FBI agent father''s files for clues about her accident, she uncovers a clock that seems to be counting down to something? But to what? And when someone close to Janelle is killed, she can no longer deny what''s right in front of her: Everything that''s happened?the accident, the murder, the countdown clock, Ben''s sudden appearance in her life?points to the end of life as she knows it. And as the clock ticks down, she realizes that if she wants to put a stop to the end of the world, she''s going to need to uncover Ben''s secrets?and keep from falling in love with him in the process.

Chaos' Review

Lets get straight into this. The cover is filled with awesomeness. The title confuses you, the people on the front make you wonder, and the description on the back is just icing on the cake. If this book was a slice of cake, I would devour it within the minute no doubt.
  On to the story! It starts right off into the protagonist's aka Janelle's, daily routine during the last few remaining days of summer vacation, which is exactly 2 days in counting for her junior year! She's a lifeguard and is a bad-ass swimmer, is dating the oh so deliciously popular senior at school, has a smart-ass best friend named Alex, and it basically seems like shes surfing through a fantastic life. Not. At. All. She gets picked on by her ex-best friend and her "boyfriend's (not technically because they're still dating and aren't official)" ex-girlfriend, her mother is bipolar, her Father is barely ever at home, and she is forced to mother her younger brother Jared. Then BAM! she's hit by a freaking TRUCK! Then things get crazy as this loner yet hottie guy named Ben Michaels enters her life and "possibly" plays a role in Janelle's revival. 
  As the story proceeds and you jump into Janelle's history and understanding of the current situation, dead literally melted to the bone, bodies appear and there's a countdown to something no one can figure out and everything is just pure stress and craziness GAHHH!!!!  I have to admit. This book was mind-blowing for me because I could relate to Janelle SO MUCH! This book brought me to tears, and honestly, this is probably my favourite book of the YEAR. I simply loved it inside out. This story isn't just based on the protagonist's love life, but also her family life, and it just literally was so HEART BREAKING! I know for sure that it's going to be an agonizing wait for book 2, which is called Unbreakable. I send all high praises possible to the author, Elizabeth Norris, I LOVE LOVE LOVED Unraveling! Being a teenager myself, this book honestly called out to me. I know the older crowd is judging this book immensely, but screw them, I am a YOUNG ADULT and I damn well loved this book. Did I mention I'm in the middle of reading it for a 2nd time?
  And if I could go beyond our 5-star ranking system, I would, but I'll play by the rules today and here we are!