My Momentous Month (7)

I finally got around to making a *brand new* button for this meme! It goes along with my blog design as well as all my other buttons. If you'd like to join in with my momentous month, just remember to link back to my blog! You can use the new button if you'd like as well. :)

My Momentous Month is a weekly meme which is hosted here at Downright Dystopian. It's pretty much just a way to wrap up everything that has happened over the past month. I also pick favorites and I share what I'm going to read next month!

Books Read in January 2013

1. What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang
2. Black City by Elizabeth Richards
3. Lullaby by Amanda Hocking
4. Delirium by Lauren Oliver
5. Reached by Ally Condie
6. Across the Universe by Beth Revis
7. A Million Suns by Beth Revis
8. Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion
9. The Prey by Andrew Fukuda
10. Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver
11. Everneath by Brodi Ashton
12. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
13. The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
14. Noah and Mara's First Meeting from Noah's POV by Michelle Hodkin
15. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
16. Linger by Maggie Stiefvater (Almost finished with... so I'm counting it.)

I did really well this month. I actually beat my record of 13 books from way back when I started this blog in July 2012.

Reviews Posted in December 2012

• Black City by Elizabeth Richards
• What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang
• Lullaby by Amanda Hocking
• Max by James Patterson
• Persistence of Vision by Liesel K. Hill
• Glass Houses by Rachel Caine
• Delirium by Lauren Oliver
• The Prey by Andrew Fukuda

To Be Read for January 2013

Since I never follow by tbr, I guess this could just be books that I'd like to read at the moment. I usually end up just reading what I feel like reading.

1. Divergent by Veronica Roth (re-read)
2. Insurgent by Veronica Roth
3. Tempest by Julie Cross (re-read)
4. Legend by Marie Lu (Re-read)
5. Forever by Maggie Stiefvater
6. The Unidentified by Rae Mariz (re-read)
7. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (re-read)
8. Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

As always, this is more of a guidline. I know I'm probably not going to follow through!
Favorite Book of the Month

I'm going to have to go with Persistence of Vision by Liesel K. Hill. It was absolutely amazing. It was my kind of dystopian, most definitely.

Favorites in Each Genre

Dystopian Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver
Paranormal Romance The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
Contemporary N/A
Steampunk N/A

Historical Fiction N/A
Fantasy Lullaby by Amanda Hocking
Science Fiction A Million Suns by Beth Revis

Favorite Cover of the Month

 

I love this cover. I was pretty much tied between What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang and this one, although this one had won in the end. It's so beautiful and the colors are really pretty.

Favorite Characters of the Month

Male Noah Shaw from The Unbecmoing of Mara Dyer and The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Female Lena from Delirium and Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Favorite Setting/World of the Month

This month, I'm going to have to go with Beth Revis's ship... Godspeed. It's just full of so much mystery and I'm completely intrigued.

What were your favorites of the month?

Waiting on Wednesday (31)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. This meme spotlights upcoming releases that bloggers are eagerly waiting for.

This week I'm waiting on When We Wake by Karen Healey.

My name is Tegan Oglietti, and on the last day of my first lifetime, I was so, so happy. Sixteen-year-old Tegan is just like every other girl living in 2027--she's happiest when playing the guitar, she's falling in love for the first time, and she's joining her friends to protest the wrongs of the world: environmental collapse, social discrimination, and political injustice.
But on what should have been the best day of Tegan's life, she dies--and wakes up a hundred years in the future, locked in a government facility with no idea what happened.
Tegan is the first government guinea pig to be cryonically frozen and successfully revived, which makes her an instant celebrity--even though all she wants to do is try to rebuild some semblance of a normal life. But the future isn't all she hoped it would be, and when appalling secrets come to light, Tegan must make a choice: Does she keep her head down and survive, or fight for a better future?
Award-winning author Karen Healey has created a haunting, cautionary tale of an inspiring protagonist living in a not-so-distant future that could easily be our own.

When We Wake will be released on March 5, 2013 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

Book Review: The Prey by Andrew Fukuda

Title: The Prey
Author: Andrew Fukuda
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Release Date: January 29, 2013
Source: Publisher for Review
Edition: Hardcover (304 pages)
Genre: YA Dystopian/Vampire Apocalypse
Cover Review: I love this cover... a lot. Blue is my favorite cover color and I love the cover redesign!
Tagline: N/A
Series: The Hunt #2
Main Character: Gene

For Gene and the remaining humans—or hepers—death is just a heartbeat away. On the run and hunted by society, they must find a way to survive in The Vast... and avoid the hungry predators tracking them in the dark. But they’re not the only things following Gene. He’s haunted by the girl he left behind and his burgeoning feelings for Sissy, the human girl at his side.

When they discover a refuge of exiled humans living high in the mountains, Gene and his friends think they’re finally safe. Led by a group of intensely secretive elders, the civilisation begins to raise more questions than answers. A strict code of behaviour is the rule, harsh punishments are meted out, young men are nowhere to be found—and Gene begins to wonder if the world they’ve entered is just as evil as the one they left behind. As life at the refuge grows more perilous, he and Sissy only grow closer. In an increasingly violent world, all they have is each other... if they can only stay alive. 

The Prey begins with Gene trying to escape the coming vampires with Sissy and her pals. They are in a boat, just like the ending of The Hunt. As the group continues down the lake, they come up to a waterfall. Everyone isn't sure about what to do because of it. If they jump, they could possibly not make it. Same thing could happen if they go down the waterfall. In the end, they end up going down the waterfall.

After the crew goes down the waterfall, they end up finding a little cabin. While in the cabin, a young girl comes who asks Gene for "The Origin." Nobody has any clue what she is talking about, though the girl claims to be from a place called The Mission. The group decides to go with her, because they believe it could possibly be the Land of Milk and Honey, which is the land that the Scientist repeatedly told them about.

In The Mission, everything is strange. There are many girls and not many boys. When there are boys, they are much older. The girls also seem to all be pregnant and they seem to have very small feet. It's just not normal. Most of the guys don't notice it because they have never been swarmed and surrounded by so many girls before, so they don't really know what to do. Sissy sees it though, and so does Gene. The man in charge of The Mission doesn't seem to be normal either. He keeps telling Gene and his friends that they need to board the train, though he won't tell them where it leads to. Gene and the crew must find out why everything is strange in The Mission while finding many clues that they didn't see coming.

Again, as in The Hunt, I can't express how much I liked this book without talking about each character.

Gene was as awesome as ever. I'm definitely starting to see him as more of a hero-type figure. He's really beginning to get to the bottom of things. He's also starting to take charge in more than one case. Gene definitely has grown a lot since The Hunt, and I'm excited to see what happens to him in the next book.

Sissy really grew on me. In the beginning of the book, I was a little aggravated with her because I was a fan of Ashley June. That has definitely changed. Sissy is very strong and she is willing to do anything as long as she can protect the ones that she loves and cares for. That's all that matters to her. Sissy is also very good at figuring things out. She figured out quite a few things before Gene did, and I really admired that.

Epap kind of got on my nerves. Maybe it was because he was in love with Sissy and I wasn't exactly rooting for him. He grew on me though as well, just as Sissy did. He really can do more than stare at Sissy with puppy eyes.

The Elders kind of creeped me out. I mean, they were so much older than everyone else. Plus, there just seemed to be something off about them, just like the town and it's civilians.

The Prey was much better than The Hunt, and that is really saying something because The Hunt is definitely one of my favorite books. In The Prey, much more is revealed and a few times I found myself rereading because I had to make sure that what I read was correct. I absolutely couldn't put it down, to put it lightly. I felt as if this book also sort of had a mystery aspect as well, which I eagerly enjoyed. Another thing that was really enjoyable was the fact of romance not being the entire story. Don't get me wrong, I love romance in books, but I also love my adventure. Gene also learned a lot about himself and his family and I absolutely loved learning it with him.

If you haven't started reading this series as well, I highly suggest you do. It's definitely worth your time and much, much more. Fukuda has created a mysterious world where vampires rule and humans are almost extinct. How can that not intrigue you? The Prey is one of the best sequels out there and it definitely doesn't suffer from Second-Book Syndrome. The Prey kept me asking questions and I definitely can't wait to devour more.

Rating:

Recommended for fans of:

Vampires

Black City by Elizabeth Richards

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Have you read this novel? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Thank you to the publisher for letting me review this in exchange for an honest review!

Book Recommendations: Apocalyptic Vampires

This week, I decided to recommend some books that have vampires and take place in the future! These happen to be some of my favorites.

Darkness Before Dawn by J.A. London
I've actually already recommended this one, but it fits with my headline, so I'm recommending it again! This book takes place in a future where humans are kept inside walls and vampires roam around outside. There are rare occasions where the vampires sneak in and actually try to attack. Our main character, Dawn, happens to be the person who has to speak with the leader of the vampires every month. This could be a scary job, but she can handle it. After vampires end up being found dead with vampire bites (impossible, right?), Dawn must try to make everything right.

 

The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda                                                           
 Our protagonist in The Hunt is Gene, who happens to be a human pretending to be a vampire... in a world run by vampires. Gene ends up being chosen for an event called The Hunt, where he and other vampires must hunt down and eat hepers or humans. How is he supposed to do this if he is really human himself? This book is full of action and adventure and it will leave you wanting more.

Black City by Elizabeth Richards

In Black City, we follow Natalie, a human, and Ash, a half-darkling. It's against the law for darklings and humans to have children or get married, so Ash is one of the last few left of his kind. Therefore, Ash and Natalie can't fall in love. Or can they? Darklings are practically like vampires, so I'm putting them under this category.

What are some of your favorite apocalyptic vampire novels?

Book Review: Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Title: Delirium
Author: Lauren Oliver
Publisher: HarperCollin's Children's Books
Release Date: February 1, 2011
Source: Purchased
Edition: Hardcover (441 pages)
Genre: YA Dystopian
Cover Review: The cover is alright. I do really enjoy the colors though.
Tag Line: N/A
Series: Delirium #1
Main Character: Lena Haloway

Ninety-five days, and then I’ll be safe.
I wonder whether the procedure will hurt.
I want to get it over with.
It’s hard to be patient.
It’s hard not to be afraid while I’m still uncured, though so far the deliria hasn’t touched me yet.
Still, I worry.
They say that in the old days, love drove people to madness.
The deadliest of all deadly things: It kills you both when you have it and when you don’t.

In Delirium by Lauren Oliver, we follow Lena who happens to live in a world where love is considered a disease. Since Lena was brought up in this world, she completely believes it. She tries to follow all the rules and always watches out for the signs of deliria nervosa. In this world, when one becomes of age, they are given the procedure, which makes them unable to love anymore. They are then given someone that they are to marry and they are told how many children they are to have. I know, crazy right?

Lena's older sister happened to have contracted deliria back when Lena was younger. Lena never wants it to happen to herself. This all changes when she meets Alex. Alex is a rebel who happens to be from the Wilds, the place outside of the caged in Society that Lena lives in. Alex has never had the cure, even though he has the mark that proves he did. According to him, he put the mark on himself. Will Lena be infected before it's too late?

WOAH. I read this book way back in the beginning of 2012, so I decided that it was about time to have a reread. It was still absolutely amazing. I absolutely loved Alex and everything that he stood for. I could go on rambling about characters for a long time, so I might as well just write a little about each.

Lena, our protagonist in Delirium, starts out as a girl who always plays by the rules. She doesn't want to stand out in a crowd or anything. She kind of wants life to go on the way that it is supposed to. I think that she does have a feeling deep inside of her though... like she doesn't really agree with the whole "deliria" thing.

Alex, Lena's love interest, is absolutely awesome. He cares deeply for Lena but he understands if Lena doesn't want to get in trouble for being with him, since it's practically against the law.

Hana, Lena's best friend, is pretty popular. Wherever she goes, people always stop and turn to look at her. Even though they are best friends, there is a lot that Lena doesn't know about her. I think Hana was probably one of the most interesting characters in the story. After Lena finds out her secret and something happens to put her back in her place, Hana completely changes her attitude about everything. I'm interested to see if we meet her again in Pandemonium.

My final thoughts on Delirium are simple. You must read it! It was super interesting and the world-building was amazing. I absolutely loved how Lauren came up with written pieces of the law for the beginning of each chapter as well. It was unbelievably unique. She is definitely one of my favorite authors. In the end, I can't wait to finally read Pandemonium!

Rating:

Recommended for fans of:

Dystopians

Love

Contemporary Romance

Maggie Stiefvater

Have you read this novel? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

New Releases for the Week of January 27-February 2, 2013

Here are some of the new releases for the upcoming week!

January 29: Legend by Marie Lu in paperback

January 29: A Shimmer of Angels by Lisa M. Basso

January 29: Prodigy by Marie Lu

Sequel to Legend

Photos and info found on Barnes & Noble.

Downright Discussion: Hard Copies vs. E-Copies

This week's topic is brought to you by Catherine @ The Book Parade.   You should definitely take a look at her blog!
I feel like this is one of the biggest and most popular discussions out there, right next to love triangles. So, let's look at the highs and lows of hard copies and e-books, eh?

Hard Copies
Pros: I feel like when reading a hard copy, I'm actually getting something out of it. I understand more.
The book can sit and look pretty on your shelf.
You can actually touch it and feel it.
Cons: Books can take up a lot of space. Trust me, I'd know.

E-Copies
Pros: You can have tons of copies of these and they barely take up any space.
They are cheaper... plus there is always great deals.
Cons: You can't actually touch the book... just the screen.
I've tried reading e-copies on my iPod, and I barely get anything out of them, because I feel as if I'm just reading from a computer.

My Final Verdict:
I can't stand e-copies. I don't have an e-reader and I definitely don't want to try to read on either my iPod or the computer. I don't ever get anything out of it. Hardcopies make me happy and I love to rearrange how they look on my shelf. Plus, I can sit and just hold or hug the book because of its awesomeness. I can't just hug a computer.

What do you think?

Blogger Interview with Emily at Read Your Bookcase!

Today, I have the specialty of interviewing Emily from Read Your Bookcase!

1. Hardcover or paperback?Hardcover, because I lend out books to a lot of people (so they hold up better.) Also, I usually can't wait for the paperback!

2. Book or e-copy?Book, because it doesn't need batteries.

3. Library or book store?Both! I work at a library, and used to work at a book store. There are benefits to each. Library: Free. Book store: No holds list, no grime.

4. New books or used books?Either! I usually go for new myself, but if a used book looks practically new, then I'll get it.

5. If you were in a book, which type of character would you be? (EX: hero, villain, sidekick, etc.)Ooh! This is a good question. I don't think I would want to be the hero, because that's a lot of work, and I don't like the idea of being a sidekick. Villains don't get good endings... So I would probably pick a contemporary romance leading lady.

6. Would you want the book you were featured in to be turned into a movie? Who would play you?I would love it if Emma Stone would play me, because she can pull off red hair really well and she is just so cool.

7. If you could live in any possible genre, which would you choose and why?Fantasy, because anything is possible.

8. If you could meet any one author, who would you meet any why?Meg Cabot, because she is the reason that I love teen books. The Princess Diaries got me through high school.

9. If there was a book about your life, what would it be called?"Always Books" or something like that. I've worked with books my whole life.

10. Which character in a novel that you've read most resembles you and why?Anne of Green Gables, because she has red hair, she's skinny, she's got freckles, she has a fantastic imagination, she loves to read, she talks too much and she knows what she wants in life and she's not afraid of being different.

11. How many times have you read your favorite book and will you read it again?I've read the first three Princess Diaries books about 5 times. I definitely look forward to reading them again!

Thank you so much for letting me interview you, Emily!

You can find Emily on:
Read Your Bookcase

Book Review: Glass Houses by Rachel Caine

Note: Since this book is a bindup for two different novels, I'm going to post each review seperately.

Title: Glass Houses
Author: Rachel Caine
Publisher: New American Library
Release Date: November 3, 2009
Source: Purchased
Edition: Paperback (222 out of 452)
Genre: YA Fantasy/Vampires
Cover Review: There isn't anything special about this cover, though I do like the blue.
Tagline: N/A
Series: Morganville Vampires #1
Main Character: Claire Danvers

Morganville is a small college town in the heart of Texas that has its share of quirky characters - and some evil ones too. When student Claire Danvers moves off campus into one of Morganville's oldest houses, she finds that her roommates don't show many signs of life. But they'll have Claire's back when the town's deepest secrets come crawling out, hungry for fresh blood.

In Morganville, vampires rule the town. You always have to be careful of what you say and what you do. You also don't want to make anyone angry-like Claire did. You don't know what kind of power they have or whether or not they have any strengths. After Claire is repeatedly bullied at college by a mean girl, she decides that it's about time to move out. Her parents don't want her to of course. She is only about 16... she is just really smart.

Claire finds this place called the glass house, and she decides to meet the residents. The residents are pretty nice, as nice as they can possibly be as a matter of fact. After Claire finally moves in with them, she finds that Morganville isn't exactly what she always thought it was.

I thought this book was okay. It was enjoyable and I didn't get bored much. I will probably be reading the next book, since this book was an omnibus. I'm not sure if I'll be picking up the rest though... it's a really long series. If the second book leaves me wanting more, then of course I will give in to the craving. The one thing that I really enjoyed about this book was the characters.

Claire, the main character of the story, is super smart. I found her parents to be kind of annoying, though I really loved how Claire always stood up for herself. Just because she is younger and she's in college doesn't mean that her parents should still dictate what she does. I think Claire and Shane would be perfect together.

Shane, one of the guys at Glass House, seems to always be looking out for Claire. He also tries to hold her back, but when she fights for what she wants, he goes along with it. Eve, the only other girl at Glass House, was really sweet. She was always helping Claire and I felt like she was always in the same place as Claire. Michael was one of my favorite characters. He has a big secret that Claire ends up finding out. He's just so interesting because we learn quite a lot about him in the past.

If you are looking for a fun read, then I suggest reading this story.

Rating:

Recommended for fans of:

Vampires

Richelle Mead

Have you read this novel? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Great Expectations (6)

If you'd like to join in on this meme, just please link back to me and leave a link to your post in the comments! I'd love to see what you have to say about it.

Great Expectations will be a weekly meme where you talk about a book that has had a lot of hype. You then proceed to talk about whether you believe it should've had all that hype. After that, you can talk about a recent read that you loved to try to give it some hype.

The Hype

I'm not sure if this counts or not, but I'm going to count it anyway. I recently read the sequel to Across the Universe by Beth Revis, A Million Suns. I had heard so many outstanding things about the thrilling sequel to one of my favorite novels. It had taken me a while to finally buy it though. As soon as it came in the mail, I instantly reread book one and then I went on to completely devour the second book. It was definitely even better than the first. It was filled with even more mystery, which I loved! Plus, so many things are revealed that I couldn't have even guessed. I definitely suggest reading the sequel, even if you didn't like the first book. So did this book deserve the hype? Heck yes!

Recent Read

A book I recently read... I'm going to have to go with Reached by Ally Condie. Reached is the third and final book in the Matched Trilogy written by Ally Condie. It's about a dystopian world where a Society dictates who you love, what you eat, and when you do everything. It's pretty amazing. The final book absolutely blew me away. The synopsis totally didn't really explain what was going to happen, which I absolutely loved. Everything was a complete mystery and I was just waiting to find out what happened. A few new characters are introduced and we also reunite with some old ones. If you've read the first two books in this trilogy, you definitely will not be disappointed by Reached.

 

 What books do you think deserve all their hype?

Waiting on Wednesday (30)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. This meme spotlights upcoming releases that bloggers are eagerly waiting for.

This week I'm waiting on Legacy of the Clockwork Key by Kristin Bailey.

A teen girl unravels the mysteries of a secret society and their most dangerous invention in this adventure-swept romance set in Victorian London.When a fire consumes Meg’s home, killing her parents and destroying both her fortune and her future, all she has left is the tarnished pocket watch she rescued from the ashes. But this is no ordinary timepiece. The clock turns out to be a mechanical key—a key that only Meg can use—that unlocks a series of deadly secrets and intricate clues that Meg is compelled to follow.



Meg has uncovered evidence of an elite secret society and a dangerous invention that some will stop at nothing to protect—and that Meg alone can destroy. Together with the handsome stable hand she barely knows but hopes she can trust, Meg is swept into a hidden world of deception, betrayal, and revenge. The clockwork key has unlocked her destiny in this captivating start to a trilogy.

Legacy of the Clockwork Key will be released on March 5, 2013 by Simon Pulse.

Blog Tour: Interview with Liesel K. Hill, Author of Persistence of Vision!

This week, I was lucky enough to have Liesel K. Hill, the author of Persistence of Vision, stop by to do an interview!

1.       What inspired you to write Persistence of Vision?

You know, it was a bunch of things that came together. At the very start of the book, Maggie and her brother have a disturbing experience in Vegas. That incident is based on a true story. My sister’s co-worker reported a similar experience she had in Vegas with her husband. They stopped to get mixed drinks, didn’t watch them be mixed, and woke up the next day in a stranger’s hotel room. To this day, they have no idea what happened during that missing time. All the cops could say was that it was some kind of tourist trap. Creepy, right? But then my imagination just takes off. That’s what led to most of the story about Maggie and the team. It didn’t feel complete, though.

Meanwhile, in my final semester of college, I took a literary science fiction class. One of the stories we read got me thinking about collectives and the drawbacks of such a lifestyle. I started thinking about the exact moment when someone who is part of a collective decides to break away and become an individual instead, and what it would be like. David’s plot line was born and it rounded out the story nicely. The rest is history.

2.      Why did you choose to write a dystopian as your debut novel?

It wasn’t a conscious choice. I had a vision for the story, but it wasn’t until after it was written that I categorized it as any certain genre. It actually took me awhile to figure it out. I didn’t know what dystopian was, as a genre. At first I called it a scifi, but I quickly realized that hard-core scifi junkies would take issue with that classification. Eventually I came across dystopian literature and knew my novel had found its genre.

3.      Do you base your characters off of anybody you know?

No. Not in particular. I’m more likely to borrow from other characters in literature that I love than from real life. I have lots of brothers and they’re all goof balls, so I get a lot of Karl’s jokes and sense of humor from them, but none of them have his exact personality either.

4.      Did you assist the artist that designed your cover or did the artist design it by his/her self?

I helped bat around ideas. The art department hadn’t read the book so I described the creepy bad guys in it and they thought it would make a great cover image. I also suggested the dark, mountainous background to be indicative of Interchron.

5.      Interchron as a setting really intrigued and fascinated me. How did you come up with it?

Again, it was kind of the natural flow of the story. I live near Weber State University in Utah, which is situated right up against a mountain. My sisters and I hike the trails in the summer, so many of the details of the terrain came from real life. I knew they’d need somewhere out of site and that it would need to be big enough to house an entire community. Being a mountain girl myself, one thing just sort of led to another. ;D

6.      At what age did you know you were going to be a writer?

I wanted to write books from a young age, though I never saw it as my primary vocation. I was always off in my own head, making up stories and imagining myself in interesting situations. Not until college did I figure out that this is what I really ought to be doing, and nothing else.

7.      What genre of books do you like to read?

Pretty much all kinds. I love epic stories, so high fantasy is big for me, as well as multi-generational historical epics. My Goodreads shelves are many and varied, though. I’ll pick up anything that catches my attention.

8.      How many novels do you plan on writing in this series?

It’s not all planned out yet, so I can’t be sure, but I’m tentatively thinking five.

9.      Would you ever consider making a movie based on this book? If yes, who would you cast?

This is a favorite question I’m being asked a lot, but it’s difficult to answer. First of all, of course I’d love to see it made into a movie. It’d be so surreal to see something that came out of my own head played out on the screen—big or small. As for casting, I just don’t know for sure. I don’t picture any particular actor when I write my characters. Trying to match an actor to a character is kind of hard. I could throw out some names, especially the male hunks I particularly like, but would they actually be good in the part? Hard to say. I’d be happy with just about anyone, even unknowns, as long as they proved they could play the part convincingly.

10.  When are you planning on releasing the next book?

I’m not positive but I’m hoping (*crosses fingers*) to have it out by the end of this year. I’m nearly done with the writing of book 2, and I need to have a conversation with my publisher on that subject. *winces* I keep both my blog and my email list updated, though, so if you want to be kept apprised, consider following me one of those ways.

Thanks so much for having me on your blog today! Happy reading, Everyone!

Author Info

Liesel K Hill writes across three genres: scifi/fantasy, historical fiction, and crime drama. She lives in northern Utah and comes from a large, tight-knit family. She's a devout member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and plans to keep writing until they pound the final nail into her coffin. Or until the Second Coming. You know, whichever happens first.

Author Links

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Goodreads Author Page

Goodreads Book Page

Goodreads Giveaway Page

Book Review: Persistence of Vision by Liesel K. Hill



Image found here.

Title: Persistence of Vision
Author: Liesel K. Hill
Publisher: Tate Publishing
Release Date: January 29, 2013
Source: Author, for review
Edition: Paperback (386 pages)
Genre: New Adult Dystopian/Fantasy
Cover Review: I think this cover is very original. I really like the spider web on the guy's face. It's kind of creepy.
Tagline: N/A
Series: Interchron #1
Main Character: Maggie Harper

In a world where collective hives are enslaving the population and individuals have been hunted to the verge of extinction, Maggie Harper, and independent 21st Century woman, must find the strength to preserve the freedom of the future, but without the aid of her memories.

After experiencing a traumatic time loss, Maggie is plagued by a barrage of images she can't explain. When she's attacked by a creep with a spider's web tattoo, she is saved by Marcus, a man she's never met, but somehow remembers. He tells her that both he and her creepy attacker are from a future in which individuals are being murdered by collectives, and Marcus is part of the rebellion. The collectives have acquired time travel and they plan to enslave the human race throughout all of history. The flashes Maggie has been seeing are echoes of lost memories, and the information buried deep within them is instrumental in defeating the collective hives.

In order to preserve the individuality of mankind, Maggie must try to re-discover stolen memories, re-kindle friendships she has no recollection of, and wade through her feelings for the mysterious Marcus, all while dodging the tattooed assassins the collectives keep sending her way.

If Maggie can't fill the holes in her memory and find the answers to stop the collectives, the world both in her time and in all ages past and future will be doomed to enslavement in the grey, mediocre collectives. As the danger swirls around her and the collectives close in, Maggie realizes she must make a choice: stand out or fade away... 

In Persistence of Vision, we follow Maggie, a young girl who keeps having the same memories. About a year or so ago, Maggie blacked out after being in a bar with her brother. They both woke up later and they happened to be in a hotel with no recollection of ever getting there. After Maggie wakes up from this sleep, she feels like a part of her is missing. Back to present time, Maggie finds a guy with a spider web tattoo in her house. She has no idea who he is or how he got there, but he tries to attack and kill Maggie. Another guy, with a question mark scar on his head, appears and knocks out Mr. Spider Web Tattoo. Maggie isn't sure who he is, but she recognizes him because she's seen him before.

The guy introduces himself as Marcus. Marcus runs with Maggie as they find that more people are going after them. As they're running, they travel into the future. Turns out that Marcus is from the near or far future, and Maggie has already been to this place that he calls "Interchron." Marcus introduces her to everyone there, including Doc. As you can probably tell by the name, he's a doctor. He's been there for a while so he pretty much knows the most. Turns out that Maggie is part of a prophecy to help save the world from the evil going around.

You see, the thing is, people starting joining collectives, and they all became one big mind. Nobody ever thinks for themselves anymore. They really don't control what they do either. The top collectives are planning on enslaving the whole world, but there is a prophecy that everyone would be saved and a girl with Maggie's genetic coding is the key. I would definitely not want to have that weight on my shoulder! Maggie gets filled in on her past, which pretty much scares her a little at first but then she just wishes that she has her memories back. Sometimes, wishes can be fulfilled.

As the story progresses, Maggie must learn to survive in this world where magic, time travel, and many other elements exist. She also has to learn to cope with her missing memories and go on with life wondering what really happened the last night that she was in Interchron.

The characters were absolutely amazing in this book. I think I'm going to have to talk about each of my favorites separately.

Maggie Of course I had to start with the main character! I thought that Maggie really grew as a character as the story went on. She started out as a kind of lonely girl who felt like a part of her was missing, though she ended as a character who wasn't scared of anything at all and she was willing to stand for what she believed. I also really liked how as she was asking questions and learning everything about Interchron, we were learning at the same time as she was.

Marcus was a really sweet character. He was really strong and brave. I really liked his power as well. It's just so cool to think that someone could ever do what he can, even if it is in an imaginary world. I thought it was really nice how he was so patient with Maggie since she didn't know anything about their past together.

Karl was a pretty cool character. I thought it was super-amazing that he could use time travel! How could you not ever want to use time travel? It was really funny how he was always telling Maggie that they used to be good friends too.

Since I loved the world so much, I decided that I just had to talk about it. The world that Liesel created was just so intriguing. There was just something about it that made me want to know more. Maybe it was all of the elements and time travel, but I just loved learning about it. All of it. I thought it was really cool that some humans were never assimilated into the collectives and they were hiding out in Interchron. It must be really hard to know that you may be some of the only humans left that can actually think for yourself.

This book was seriously fantastic! I hadn't read any dystopians in a while, and this book really boosted my dystopian love. It was full of all of my favorite things: science, time travel, magical powers, lies, mystery, and a little bit of romance. It's just the perfect mix! As soon as I started reading, I didn't want to put it down. I had so many questions and I just wanted to know the answers. I can't wait for the second book after reading this one. I will definitely be rereading it sometime in the future because of it's goodness. I loved how all of the characters were so different but lovable. It's definitely a book that I'd recommend. I think that everyone should read this in 2013!

Rating:

 Recommended for fans of:

Time Travel

Magical Powers

Great World-Building

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

The Host by Stephanie Meyer

Author Info

Liesel K Hill writes across three genres: scifi/fantasy, historical fiction, and crime drama. She lives in northern Utah and comes from a large, tight-knit family. She's a devout member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and plans to keep writing until they pound the final nail into her coffin. Or until the Second Coming. You know, whichever happens first.

Author Links

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New Releases for the Week of January 20-26, 2013

Here are some of the new releases for the upcoming week!

January 24: Slated by Teri Terry

Photos & Info found on Barnes & Noble.

Downright Discussions: Bookshelves?

This week on Downright Discussions, I decided to bring up the bookshelves talk. I can never decide how to arrange my bookshelves. I probably rearrange them at least once a week. I don't know if it is because I get bored of the view or what, but I never like how they are organized. Whether it be by size, publisher, author, cover color, genre, or even series.

My question is, how do you organize your bookshelves? Is there a certain way that you prefer? A way that is most logical? I bet I'm not the only one who is constantly changing how my shelves look. There is upsides and downsides to each choice that I've made for arranging my books.


Do you have any suggestions for Downright Discussions hosted on Downright Dystopian? Feel free to leave them in the comments!

Blogger Interview with The Romance Bookie!

Today I'm doing an interview with Mandy from The Romance Bookie! She has been blogging since December 2010.

               
1.  Hardcover or paperback?
Of course, I prefer Hardcovers, but I also like paperbacks! :)  Hardcovers more because they are sturdier and last longer. Plus they don't get the crease! And with some authors like Cassandra Clare's "Mortal Instrument" and "Infernal Devices" series it's easier to read the hardcover copies with the larger print! :)

2. Book or e-copy?
Honestly, I like both!  I read both, switching off.  I prefer owning hard copies of books, when they are the same price as the ebook, but if an ebook is only like 99 cents, or even FREE, then of course I'll take the ecopy! :)

3. Library or book store?I prefer book stores if I have money, but one of my new year resolutions is to get new books out of the library instead of always going straight to buying them! :)

4. New books or Used books?
I get a TON of used books at Thrift Stores, but when I buy a book their I always look at their condition! I've gotten some great copies, that looked never read, for under $2!  I highly recommend Goodwill! 

5. If you were in a book, which type of character would you be?
I'd love to be a hero!  Someone like Hermoine, who I guess some people would call a sidekick, but overall in that group they each have their own strengths! :)

6.  Would you want the book you were featured in to be turned into a movie?  Who would play you?
I love movie adaptations!  I know a lot of people don't, but I have always enjoyed them! :)  But I have no idea who I would have play me!  I am terrible at that!  But I love Melissa Joan Hart, even though she would play an older version of me, and she's a bit shorter I think haha

7.  If you could live in any possible genre, which would you choose and why?
I love contemporary romances with a happy ending! 

8.  If you could meet any one author, who would you meet and why?
I met my absolute favorite author in February, Meg Cabot.  Would love to meet her again one day! But if I had to choose someone new I'd love to either meet Cassandra Clare, Stephenie Meyer, or JK Rowling! OR all three! :) I love their books!

9.  If there was a book about your life, what would it be called?
"Living Under a Rock" haha, I'm quite the hermit, when I'm reading a great book!
 
10. Which character in a novel that you've read most resembles you and why?Not by what she does in the novel, but Bianca in Kody Keplinger's "The DUFF", reminded me of me in high school, when she was called "The DUFF" (The Designated Ugly Fat Friend).  That's exactly how I thought of myself back then.  Great book and highly recommend it by the way!

11. How many times have you read your favorite book and will you read it again?There are a few books I've read a number of times.  The third Princess Diaries, "Princess in Love" by Meg Cabot I've read I would say more than 10 times.  And then The Twilight Saga I've read at least every year, since 2008, before each movie came out :).

It was a pleasure to interview you, Mandy!

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Stacking the Shelves (14)

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

I purchased and received quite a lot this week! Instead of posting the synopsis's like I usually do, I decided to just use pictures because I don't want to have a really long post.

Purchased:

Beautiful Creatures, Beautiful Darkness, and Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl I have heard amazing things about this series and I bought this as a box set. I already own the first book, but the box set was only $17 so it was cheaper than buying the second and third book in paperback!

Hunger, Lies, and Plague by Michael Grant I read Gone last year and I really loved it, so I decided that it's about time to buy the rest of the books that are out in paperback. I'm excited to visit Grant's world once again!

Everneath by Brodi Ashton I've seen this book all over the book world and since it is now available in paperback, there is no reason for me to not read it!

Gravity by Melissa West I had forgotten about how much I wanted this book until I saw it on the shelves of the bookstore. I can't wait to finally read it! The tagline really drew me in too... Don't. Ever. Peek.

Specials by Scott Westerfeld I read Uglies and Pretties about three or four years ago, and I absolutely loved both of them. I finally decided to get the third book and I'm really looking forward to seeing how it all ends.

For Review:

Thank you Macmillan!



The Prey by Andrew Fukuda I read The Hunt last summer and I thought it was the most original and unique novel that I had ever read. I loved the characters and the world that Fukuda created was just so different and intriguing. I'm definitely looking forward to finally seeing what happens next!

What books did you receive this week?