Book of the Moment: Eve by Anna Carey

Title: Eve
Author: Anna Carey
ARC: 318 pages
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: October 4, 2011
Source: local bookstore friends
Interest: Blog Buzz



Synopsis:

The year is 2032, sixteen years after a deadly virus—and the vaccine intended to protect against it—wiped out most of the earth’s population. The night before eighteen-year-old Eve’s graduation from her all-girls school she discovers what really happens to new graduates, and the horrifying fate that awaits her.

Fleeing the only home she’s ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust...and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.

~Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Eve by Anna Carey was just such a good dystopian thrill that I managed to read it in a few hours. Yes, Eve is a good sized book but the the whole story was just so darn good that I found myself trying to read every single page during any spare time I had. Since high school started for me, I haven't able to find a good book that's made me want to tear my self from my social life and facebook and such. I'll admit, I have been giving way more importance to my social life then I have for my blog. I've been taking a pro longed break and I have to get back on the wagon! But in order for that to happen, I had to read a really good book and that was Eve. My insatiable thirst for books has returned, hopefully better than ever and maybe my next few books will keep my mind off of Homecoming. Maybe. Hopefully...

Eve is a dystopian read in the future of 2032 where 98% of the world's population is dead due to a plague and it's vaccine. Dystopian books has been a huge hit in the YA world and this book has just added to it's montage of Hunger Games esque books. Most of the dystopian books I've read really haven't had the idea of breeding as a way to get the world back up again and because of that idea, this book was edgy and fresh. The fact that girls as young as 18 birthed litters of kids that wrecked havoc on their bodies was chilling and made me shudder in disgust.

Anna Carey wrote up a damn good adventure and a strong girl with that. Eve is the main character and has never seen a real life man due to her upbringing in an all girls' schools and having been taught that all men are ruthless and wild. While sure, some men are like that in Eve's wilderness of a world, there are also kind and different guys like Caleb. From Eve and Caleb's first encounter you can tell that they were going to fall in love. It was no annoying insta love but rather took time. Their romance was tentative and innocent in my opinion with just a few shared kisses here and there. But being brought up to think that men were horrible her whole life, of course it was tentative and very new for the both of them. It was adorable and I loved the fact that Caleb was a nice guy. And that he had dreads! :)

Eve was a great dytopian tale that I think is going to do really well in the YA world. The concepts were original and if you loved The Hunger Games or Enclave then your definitely going to love Eve.

In My Mailbox (2)

IMM is quite the spectacular and popular meme that goes around the blogosphere, originated by the amazing Kristi from The Story Siren. It's kind of brilliant...

 

 

Eve by Anna Carey

Goodreads | Indiebound

Tris & Izzie by Mette Ivie Harrison

Goodreads | Indiebound

Flyaway by Lucy Christopher

Goodreads | Indiebound

Glimmerglass by Jenna Black

Goodreads | Indiebound

Book of the Moment: Amplified by Tara Kelly

Title: Populazzi
Author: Tara Kelly
ARC: 293 pages
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company
Release Date: October 25, 2011
Source: local bookstore friends
Interest: Synopsis




Synopsis:

When privileged 17-year-old Jasmine gets kicked out of her house, she takes what is left of her savings and flees to Santa Cruz to pursue her dream of becoming a musician. Jasmine finds the ideal room in an oceanfront house, but she needs to convince the three guys living there that she's the perfect roommate and lead guitarist for their band, C-Side. Too bad she has major stage fright and the cute bassist doesn't think a spoiled girl from over the hill can hack it. . . . In this fresh new novel by critically acclaimed author Tara Kelly, Jasmine finds out what happens when her life gets Amplified.

~Goodreads

My Thoughts:

You gotta love a good ol' book with a kick ass female main character who has a great sense of music and bad ass 'tude. That was exactly what I got from Amplified by Tara Kelly. I love YA books that do with the music business. I LOVE them. The characters always, always have a great story to tell. The passion that they exude is inspiring and makes you want to pick up a guitar yourself. Even if your musically inadequate like a certain someone... *cough* *cough*.

Jasmine Kiss, who by they way has the COOLEST full name ever, made me at times love her yet also made me want to cringe in annoyance. I loved how Jasmine didn't let anyone mess with her but there were times when she was just really harsh and her outlook on life seemed a little bleak. Maybe it's a tortured musician thing, I don't know. All the characters in the book had problems people could relate with, including Jasmine who's mother abandoned her when she was at a wee age.

The description of the songs that were played and the description of the characters were also stellar. Kelly did a great job of putting a good image in my head and I had a lot of fun reading Amplified. This book had a raw feel to it that seemed like the author put her heart and soul about music into this book.

Though I loved the passion behind the music in this book. I had not one clue about any bands stated in this book. It was "industrial rock" which makes some like me go blank. I'm more of a Muse, Florence + The Machine, and indie rock type of gal.

This is a great book and if you loved books like the awesome Audrey, Wait by Robin Benway, then your sure going to love this!

Book of the Moment: Populazzi by Elise Allen

Title: Populazzi
Author: Elise Allen
ARC: 400 pages
Publisher: Harcourt
Released Date: August 1, 2011
Source: local bookstore friends
Interest: Blogg Buzz




Synopsis:

 Cara has never been one of those girls: confident, self-possessed, and always ready with the perfect thing to say. A girl at the very top of the popularity tower. One of the Populazzi.
 
Now, junior year could change everything. Cara’s moving to a new school, and her best friend urges her to seize the moment—with the help of the Ladder. Its rungs are relationships, and if Cara transforms into the perfect girlfriend for guys ever-higher on the tower, she’ll reach the ultimate goal: Supreme Populazzi.

The Ladder seems like a lighthearted social experiment, a straight climb up, but it quickly becomes gnarled and twisted. And when everything goes wrong, only the most audacious act Cara can think of has a chance of setting things even a little bit right.
~Goodreads

My Thoughts:



I was very excited about picking up this book because I knew that Elise Allen had worked with Hilary Duff on her YA novel, Elixir and I was very impressed by it so I just had to check out Elise Allen's debut.

First off you can tell from Elixir to Populazzi that the writing styles are pretty different. Elixir had this mellow but slowly brewing chaotic-ness that would follow you through the story. Hilary Duff probably had more to do with the book then I accounted her for.  It didn't have a super girly narrative and wasn't all dolled up in teen slang and I appreciated that.

However...Populazzi was the epitome of a teen novel with a totally teen voice. Even in the first chapter I found my self rolling my eyes on several occasions, just annoyed by the teen chatter. Sure, I talk about those things but I'm positive I don't sound like that much of an air head when I do.

I've read books about girls climbing the social ladder to become the "It Girl" but frankly, I didn't really see anything different. The only thing that really made me finish this book at all was the humor. Cara cracked some jokes here and there and well I do admit I was a little curious on how Cara was going to turn out.

Although this book was realistic fiction, it really shouldn't be. I'm officially in high school and stuff like this doesn't happen in real life! Sure there are those popular kids but it just seemed so off to me! I felt like Cara was a little pathetic because of her need to be the cool girl and I felt like her friend, Claudia, was just NOT a good friend. She was the one who encouraged the obsession and I found myself just not impressed with these two at all. Cara completely changed hereself for a boy and that was probably the lowest point for me. It was so enraging... and funny, I do have to say. You can't get anymore pathetic. But atleast she realizes her mistakes in the end. I liked how she exentually handled her self in the face of extreme embaressment and admired her strength.

This book was an ok read and didn't have me rushing to devous every page. But if your looking for an easy realistic fiction read about popularity and mean girls, then by all means, pick this book up. It's total chick-lit.