Review: PODs by Michelle Pickett

• Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
• Publication date: 6/4/2013
• Pages: 288
• Source: ARC provided by the publisher for review

 Purchase: Amazon | B&N | The Book Depository

Seventeen-year-old Eva is a chosen one. Chosen to live, while others meet a swift and painful death from an incurable virus so lethal, a person is dead within days of symptoms emerging. In the POD system, a series of underground habitats built by the government, she waits with the other chosen for the deadly virus to claim those above. Separated from family and friends, it's in the PODs she meets David. And while true love might not conquer all, it's a balm for the broken soul.

After a year, scientists believe the population has died, and without living hosts, so has the virus. That's the theory, anyway. But when the PODs are opened, survivors find the surface holds a vicious secret. The virus mutated, infecting those left top-side and creating... monsters.

Eva and David hide from the infected in the abandoned PODs. Together they try to build a life--a new beginning. But the infected follow and are relentless in their attacks. Leaving Eva and David to fight for survival, and pray for a cure.

My Thoughts

End of the world by killer virus has been done plenty of times, but I loved the idea of people living in these PODs and emerging into a world that is so much worse than expected. The mutated virus has left any infected survivors violent, and hungry for human flesh. Zombies of a sort I guess if you want to think of it that way, except they aren't actual dead people reanimated. I loved the desperate feel of the story and I found it to be interesting and enjoyable.

Eva is one of the chosen people to live in the PODs while the virus kills itself off. Or so they think anyways. She was a character that took me a little while to warm up to, but I really did like her. I know that she didn't really have much of a choice, but it seemed like she got over losing her family pretty quick. She adapts to the POD pretty well also. I can't really say that I wouldn't do the same because I couldn't imagine being in that situation. Her "roomates" are quite a diverse bunch, and she gets along with them well. Most of them anyways. She is very smart, which is one of the reasons she was chosen for the POD. She discovers that this was no random lottery. All of them in the pods are within a certain age group and all super smart in a certain subject. She knows that they will be the start of the new world once they are out.

David is the love interest and I pretty much adored him. He was sweet and he would do anything for Eva. He does get a little of the male dominance thing, and the need to keep the women safe, but he doesn't do it to be a chauvinistic jerk, he just really cares and wants them to be safe. His devotion to Eva is amazing too. I loved the little things he would do for her that seem totally simple, but mean everything.

We meet a large cast of characters since she is stuck in the POD for a good portion of the story. I liked most of them, but one character made me want to throw things. I couldn't stand him. I get that he is pissed off at the world, but you would think after time he would kind of get over it or stop being such a tool, but he doesn't . I was not so secretly hoping he got eaten the second they are out in the real world. The others in the POD were great though, and they really became a family. The characterization was a big part of the story, and I am glad that I was able to care what happened to most of them.

The first half is slow, but not in a boring way. We are really getting to know the characters well and it's setting up for the investment we have in them once they are secluded anymore. The last third of the book is creepy and awesome. It's filled with plenty of action as they are constantly fighting for their lives against the people infected with the mutated virus. The romance is a huge part of this book too, but it is woven into the story well so it's not overshadowing the issues at hand. I think the creepiest thing about this book was I could actually imagine something like this happening. It had so much realism to it and I think that made it all the more chilling. This was fantastic.

 

*An advanced copy of this book was provided by the publisher for an honest review. I did not receive any compensation.

Review: Parallel by Lauren Miller

• Publisher: HarperTeen
• Publication date: 5/14/2013
• Source: eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss for review

Purchase: Amazon | B&N | The Book Depository

Abby Barnes had a plan. The Plan. She'd go to Northwestern, major in journalism, and land a job at a national newspaper, all before she turned twenty-two. But one tiny choice—taking a drama class her senior year of high school—changed all that. Now, on the eve of her eighteenth birthday, Abby is stuck on a Hollywood movie set, miles from where she wants to be, wishing she could rewind her life. The next morning, she's in a dorm room at Yale, with no memory of how she got there. Overnight, it's as if her past has been rewritten.

With the help of Caitlin, her science-savvy BFF, Abby discovers that this new reality is the result of a cosmic collision of parallel universes that has Abby living an alternate version of her life. And not only that: Abby's life changes every time her parallel self makes a new choice. Meanwhile, her parallel is living out Abby's senior year of high school and falling for someone Abby's never even met.

As she struggles to navigate her ever-shifting existence, forced to live out the consequences of a path she didn't choose, Abby must let go of the Plan and learn to focus on the present, without losing sight of who she is, the boy who might just be her soul mate, and the destiny that's finally within reach.

My Thoughts

I have a thing about parallel universe books. I think they are super cool and I am always looking for great ones, so I couldn't pass this up. I have to admit that I was quite confused in the beginning as we see the "here" and "there" Abby's. It took a while for me to get my head straight and start enjoying the story. Not only are there parallel universes, but everything that Abby in the "there" universe does something differently than what she originally did, it throws things off in the "here". Lost? Yeah, I felt that way for a little while too. It does get better though I promise.

Abby ends up in Hollywood as an actress. Her meticulously crafted plans for her future not going as she thought they would. Then after her eighteenth birthday party as she's going to bed, there's an earthquake. This somehow makes the parallel universes collide. Abby, unlike everyone else remembers her other life. That isn't supposed to happen apparently. She can only remember certain things though since there is a year and a day gap between "here" and "there". Makes things awkward when she has no clue who her roomate is, or her boyfriend. I have to say that she handles things pretty well. She's a smart girl. I had a hard time connecting with her at first, but by the end of the book I was able to feel emotion toward the characters and the story.

Caitlin is pretty much her rock. Luckily she believes Abby when she tells her about what happened. Caitlin helps her by filling her in on the things that she has missed in the past year since something the other Abby did changed the way things are now. I really liked Caitlin. She was the super smart, honest, faithful friend. She would do anything to help Abby, even when Abby is selfish and not really thinking about what's going on with Caitlin.

I can't really say too much since it's really something you have to read and experience on your own. There is a bit of a love triangle type thing, but it is really great because it makes sense. What the "there" Abby does affects the "here" Abby, even if she doesn't know what has changed, so mistakes happen and it's not like she can just erase things. It vaguely reminds me of the movie The Butterfly Effect and how each action changes the present or future, except for in this case, it changes the Parallel Abby's world. I also want to note that the chapters go back and forth from her waking up as "here" and "there" Abby.

Overall I really thought this was good. Despite being a little confused and disconnected for a better portion of the first half, I was still quite intrigued and couldn't stop reading. As I got into the last third of the book, that's when the emotions started to kick in. After finally starting to connect with both Abby's and the other characters, all the changes and situations that were happening really affected me. I was close to tears at one point. This is full of twists and turns since you never know what the "there" Abby is going to do to change things. It wasn't perfect, but it was entertaining and interesting. A great debut. I will be looking forward to reading this authors other work!

*A copy was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss for an honest review. I did not receive any compensation.

Waiting on Wednesday 5-22-13

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine  to share what book you are highly anticipating the release of.

This week my WoW is Quick Fix by Linda Grimes. I really enjoyed In A Fix and can't wait to see where the story goes. 

• Publisher: Tor Books
• Publication date: 8/20/2013

The second installment of the original urban fantasy series starring human chameleon Ciel Halligan

Ciel Halligan, an aura adaptor with a chameleon-like ability to step into the lives of her clients and fix their problems for them — as them — is working a job at the National Zoo with her boyfriend, Billy, and his ten-year-old sister, Molly. It's supposed to be a quick fix, giving her time to decide if it's wise to pursue the romantic relationship her charming scoundrel of a best friend wants, or if she should give Mark, the CIA spook she's crushed on since hormones first rattled her pubescent brain, a chance to step up to the plate.

Molly has already begun to show signs of being an adaptor herself. She's young for it, but she's always been precocious, so it's not impossible. What is impossible is her taking on the form of the baby orangutan she touches — adaptors can only projecthuman auras. Until now, apparently. Worse, Molly is stuck in ape form. She can't change herself back.

Escaping from the zoo with their new baby orang, Ciel and Billy head for NYC and the only person they know can help: Ciel's brother James, a non-adaptor scientist who's determined to crack the aura adaptor genetic code. But when Billy winds up in jail, accused of attempted murder, Ciel begins to suspect Molly's unusual adapting ability is more than just a fluke. Who's been experimenting on Molly, and what do they hope to gain? And will Ciel survive to find out?

This one sounds really fun. If it's half as fun as the first one I will love it. What are you waiting for this week? 

Audiobook Review: The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani

• Publisher: HarperCollins Audio
• Publication date: 5/14/2013
• Format: Audiobook
• Read by: Polly Lee
• Source: Digital audiobook provided by the publisher for review

 Purchase: Amazon | Audible | B& N | The Book Depository

 At the School for Good and Evil, failing your fairy tale is not an option.

Welcome to the School for Good and Evil, where best friends Sophie and Agatha are about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime.

With her glass slippers and devotion to good deeds, Sophie knows she'll earn top marks at the School for Good and join the ranks of past students like Cinderella, Rapunzel, and Snow White. Meanwhile, Agatha, with her shapeless black frocks and wicked black cat, seems a natural fit for the villains in the School for Evil.

The two girls soon find their fortunes reversed—Sophie's dumped in the School for Evil to take Uglification, Death Curses, and Henchmen Training, while Agatha finds herself in the School for Good, thrust among handsome princes and fair maidens for classes in Princess Etiquette and Animal Communication.

But what if the mistake is actually the first clue to discovering who Sophie and Agatha really are . . . ?

The School for Good and Evil is an epic journey into a dazzling new world, where the only way out of a fairy tale is to live through one.

My Thoughts

This book was so fun!! I got completely lost in it and couldn't seem to get enough. The characters, the story, everything just came together so well! I was lost in the magic and the fairy tale world. I was excited to know what their story would be. What a cool premise!! This book was pure excitement for me. I haven't felt so lost in a world since reading Harry Potter. This was a fantastic start to what is sure to be a series people will fall in love with!

Sophie has wanted to be a princess her whole life. She has prepared for it. She is a firm believer of the rumor that each year two children are taken, one for good, and one for evil. When she gets taken and ends up in the school for evil she thinks there had to have been a mix up. Of course we soon learn that she is not really good and pure. She is in fact selfish, self centered, and not really very nice at all. The thing is, she really thinks that she is. She was a hard character to like personality wise, but I absolutely loved her. She made the story amazing!

Agatha who is boring, drab, and not pretty should have been in the school of evil right? Not a chance. She doesn't fit in with the gorgeous, well mannered princess girls, but her inner good is what makes her beautiful. It's clear from the very beginning that she is right where she belongs in the school for good. I loved that she was always so willing to help people, especially Sophie. Sophie was so mean and insulting to her, but she cares about her. She will always be there for her friend. I really loved Agatha! She was the root of the story for me.

There is of course romance. What kind of fairy tale would it be without one? I would like to say that I liked the love interest, but he was a bit of a shallow jerk at times. I did like him, but I thought that he could have been a little nicer. He has his issues though, so I can see where that stems from. I thought the way the romance was done was absolutely brilliant. I won't really go into it more than that, but it was really great!!

This book was amazing story wise, but what made it even more fabulous was listening to the audio. The narrator captured the characters and the story so well. I was enchanted by the story telling and could not have asked for a better narrator for this particular book. I loved this book, but the audio was the icing on the cake!

Full of action and adventure, this is a must read book. I enjoyed every single second of it. Filled with great characters, and a fantastic setting, this is sure to please! There is a bit of a cliffhanger ending, but it's not so much you want to tear your hair out. I can't wait to see where the story goes next. If you are looking for a great audio, this is one you will want to get, but the physical copy is full of beautiful illustrations also that really enhance the enjoyment. I would recommend this book to anyone!!

Review: Absent by Katie Williams

• Publisher: Chronicle Books LLC
• Publication date: 5/21/2013
• Source: eARC provided by the publisher via Edelsweiss 

 Purchase: Amazon | B&N | The Book Depository

Forever is a long time to be stuck in high school.

Seventeen-year-old Paige is dead, the victim of a freak fall from
the roof during Physics class. Now she’s a ghost, permanently
bound to the grounds of her high school. It isn’t all bad, she can
find out everyone’s secrets, which can be amusing—for a while.
But then Paige hears something that isn’t amusing at all: the
rumor spread by the most popular girl at school that her death
wasn’t an accident—that she supposedly jumped on purpose.
Paige is desperate to stop the gossip, but what can a ghost do?
Then Paige discovers something amazing. She can possess
living people when they think of her, and she can make them do
almost anything. Maybe, just maybe, she can get inside the girl
who’s responsible for the stories. . . and have a little fun turning the tables while she’s at it.

Katie Williams’s second novel is a suspenseful page-turner full of
eerie wit and a touch of the otherworldly.

My Thoughts

I admit, it was the cover that attracted me to this book. It's so simplistic, yet gorgeous and I had to know more. Then, I found it was a ghost story and I was sucked right in. I had to have it! This was a very quick read and it had a bit of mystery to it. I loved discovering the outcome along with Paige, though some of it I was able to figure out before she does.

Paige was a character that I really felt bad for. I mean, how could I not feel bad for a girl who died at school and is now stuck there. Talk about suckishness!! She isn't alone at least. She and Evan, another ghost trapped at school, get along pretty well. She gets along okay with Brook, but she prefers to spend her time wandering alone or with Evan. She is really upset that people think she committed suicide and wants more than anything for people to know that she didn't, especially her best friend Usha who is angry that she could do that. I could almost feel her desperation, but also thought she was selfish inhabiting people's bodies to try to stop the rumor. She is lost, broken, and upset. I loved who she became through the book though, and that she was able to grow up. Sadly, that can't bring her back.

There was a whole bunch of other characters that I really enjoyed too. Evan, who was friendly and helpful, but kept his past to himself mostly. He really was a big part of the story, and I think that he was fantastic. Then Usha, who is still alive. She's hurt and angry at Paige, but she is a great person and was a wonderful friend. Then there is Harriet, who somehow can see the ghosts. The part she plays in the story is a major mystery solver. Probably my favorite was Wes. He is one of what Paige refers to as the "Burners" but she has him all wrong. He is really a sweet, artistic, real guy. He says what is on his mind, though it's not always interpreted the right way. He was so awesome and I couldn't get enough of him. I was glad that we got to know him well. There are so many other characters that play a big part in the overall story, but those are the most notable.

I was so sucked in to this story. I thought that the plot was wonderful, the characters were amazing and well developed, and there was just enough emotion to really fully absorb me into the book. I was frantically turning pages the closer I got the then end. I needed to know if the things I suspected were correct. For such a short book, this was packed full and was very satisfying. It's also a stand alone, which is nice in a sea full of series. This was really a great book that I think anyone who likes ghost stories, or contemporaries would enjoy.

Book Blast: Tragic by J.A Huss

Hello and happy Monday!!! I am taking part in the Book Blast for Tragic by J.A. Huss, organized by GCR Promotions. 

TRAGIC: Rook and Ronin, #1
By J. A. Huss
New Adult Contemporary Romance
Published May 15, 2013
Science Future Press

Rook Walsh is TRAGIC

Because life so far – just sucks. Some girls get parents. Rook got the foster care system. Some girls get Prince Charming. Rook got an abusive frog. Some girls get lucky…

Rook got a second chance.

And she took it. Because when fate throws you a bone – you grab it with both hands and run.

Antoine Chaput knows the minute he spies Rook in his photography studio that she’s got The Look. The dark and desperate look he must have to land the exclusive TRAGIC media contract.

Rook is paired up with top model, Ronin, and he’s everything her abusive ex-boyfriend wasn’t. Patient, gentle, happy, attentive, and sexy! He knows exactly what to do to make Rook blush for Antoine’s camera.

Rook’s luck changes in an instant and suddenly she’s the darling of the modeling world. It’s a dream job to go with a dream guy and all she has to do is look pretty and follow directions. But there’s always a price to pay – and Rook is about to get the bill.

New Adult Contemporary Romance *Mature Content* Recommended for ages 17+ due to sexual situations and language usage

**Does contain strong language

I gather up all my clothes and stick them in the stackable washer in the closet just off the bedroom. The breeze caresses my naked limbs and gives me the chills, but I enjoy it. The goose bumps travel up my arms and spread out to my whole body. I shiver for a second and then head to the kitchen.

And stop dead in the living room.

Ronin fucking Flynn is sleeping on the couch.

What is he doing here? My eyes track to the front door and I suppose it's my fault, I left it open. There's nothing but a screen door between this apartment and the terrace. My gaze wanders back to the sleeping man. He's lying on his stomach, his one arm tucked underneath him, the other falling over the edge of the cushion, and he's shirtless.

And then I realize I'm naked.

"Shit!"

He stirs and I make a break for the bedroom. It's one thing to let him see me naked half hidden in darkness and quite another to be fully illuminated by the bright morning sunshine. I wrangle the sheet around my body and then head back to the living room, wistfully looking at the washer that contains every single article of clothing I own.

"Ronin!" I say loudly.

Nothing except a half-muffled snore from him. Lord, this man has the most perfectly chiseled and muscular back I've ever seen. Both hands pull up and go under his face, like he's blocking out the sunlight, and this gives me the perfect opportunity to study his flexing biceps. The muscles are thick and hard-looking near his shoulders. They curve down, dip into a little valley, and then climb once again.

I lean down and smell him.

"Why are you sniffing me?" he asks groggily.

"Uh—" Because you smell delicious, the inner Rook says. But luckily the outer Rook says, "I'm checking to see if you're drunk. Why are you sleeping on my couch?"

He peeks up, opening one eye in my direction, squints, and then croaks out some words. "I love your outfit." He grins, winks, and then drops his head back down into his arms.

"Are you leaving?" I ask, frustrated and confused at the same time. "I mean, why are you here?"

"I told you I'd come back with dinner. But when I got here, the lights were on and you were in bed. I only sat down for a second to think up a rational excuse to wake you up, but I guess I fell asleep." He raises his head again, grins sheepishly, and then rolls over on his back, tucks his hands behind his neck, and flashes his perfect body at me as he closes his eyes, probably confident that I'll be checking him out.

I do check him out. It's quite hard not to notice that he's got the perfect six-pack abs and that absolutely adorable fuzzy happy trail you see on a shirtless designer jeans model. Hmmmm… maybe he is that model? "You have no shirt on."

Yes, after all that gawking, I finally manage the obvious.

He opens the one eye to look at me again. "Neither do you."

Purchase your copyAvailable on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo.

J. A. Huss likes to write new adult books that make you think and keep you guessing. Her favorite genre to read is space opera, but since practically no one reads those books, she writes new adult science fiction, paranormal romance, contemporary romance, urban fantasy, and books about Junco (who refuses to be saddled with a label).

She has an undergraduate degree in horses, (yes, really–Thank you, Colorado State University) and a master’s degree in forensic toxicology from the University of Florida. She used to have a job driving around Colorado doing pretty much nothing but shooting the breeze with farmers, but now she just writes, runs the New Adult Addiction and Clean Teen Reads Book Blogs, and runs an online science classroom for homeschoolers.

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Weekly Recap / Stacking the Shelves (55)

*Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews

Another big week for me. The weather is getting nicer too which means more outdoor time. (Which means more reading time because the computer doesn't distract me. My phone is acting up so it shuts down when I try to tweet lol) I love summer because it means more family time, more outdoors, and warm weather. I have lived in Massachusetts my whole life, but still hate the cold.

OMG I keep getting all bug eyed in my vlog. I don't know why I kept doing it, but it looks weird. My eyes are itching and burning from allergies so I keep feeling like they are droopy. Maybe I was trying to open them up better lol!! And I know, I'm totally lazy, but I didn't link any of the books. I also didn't include my weekly recap, but I did put my search terms. I hurt my foot, and then got super lazy and didn't get on the computer until late and then I just wanted to throw it together quick. I am such a fail this weekend.

Books Mentioned

Review

• As the World Dies: Untold Tales Volume 3 by Rhiannon Frater 
• Asylum by Madeline Roux
• Blurred (Inbetween #2) by Tara Fuller
• Dire Warning (In Darkness We Must Abide #6) by Rhiannon Frater 
• Don't Bite the Bridesmaid by Tiffany Allee
• Freshman Forty by Christine Duval
• Tarnished by Rhiannon Held 
• Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A Tucker (Audiobook)
• The Planet of Thieves by Dan Krokos
• This Song Could Save Your Life by Leila Sales
• Wallbanger by Alice Clayton (Audiobook)

 Won/Gifted

• Charm & Strange by Stephanie Kuehn

Bought

• Let the Sky Fall by Shannon Messenger

 

 People Mentioned

• Giselle @ Xpresso Book Tours
• Blythe @ Finding Bliss In Books
• Rhiannon Frater

Thank you so much to HarperTeen, Edelweiss, Entangled Publishing, Rhiannon Frater, Giselle, Blythe, Tor Books, Simon Audio, and Macmillan.

Search Terms

• strings by kendall grey - Loved this!!
• lux series summary - Umm I don't know if the series itself has a summary, but each book does.
• adam warner shatter me - Honestly, at this point I am team neither, though in Shatter Me I was team Adam.
• aiden's pov from the covenant series - There are a few Aiden POV's for the Covenant series. Check out JLA's website. She has all the goods and links to such things.
• as the world dies untold tales volume 2 - I loved this!! The characters in the ATWD series are so awesome and I loved getting to know them better. Vol. 3 comes out soon too!!
• audiobook review lightning thief - I reviewed this a few months ago. Maybe more.
• bella andre - I haven't read it, but have heard it's a fantastic series.
• book cover loki’s wolves, by k. k. armstrong - I have a pic of the cover on my review. This book was awesome too!!

That's all I have for you. Sorry for my laziness guys. I will be better next week with my recap and links. You know, all that good stuff. (Do people actually click on the links anyways? Just curious.)