All These Lives by Sarah Wylie

All These Lives
by Sarah Wylie

Published: June 5th 2012
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Format: Ebook
Pages: 272
Series: -
Source: From NetGalley for
review
Amazon |
Book Depository

Sixteen-year-old Dani is convinced she has nine lives. As a child she twice walked away from situations where she should have died.
But Dani’s twin, Jena, isn’t so lucky. She has cancer and might not even be able to keep her one life. Dani’s father is in denial. Her mother is trying to hold it together and prove everything’s normal. And Jena is wasting away.

To cope, Dani sets out to rid herself of all her extra lives. Maybe they’ll be released into the universe and someone who wants to live more than she does will get one. Someone like Jena.
But just when Dani finds herself at the breaking point, she’s faced with a startling realization. Maybe she doesn’t have nine lives after all. Maybe she really only ever had one.

*MAY CONTAIN SOME SPOILERS*
The main reason I got so interested in this book, was the deal with the nine lives. I wasn't sure if it meant something paranormal, but I hoped so, at least a little. Well, it didn't really work that way, but I still wasn't disappointed with the story.

I haven't really read many cancer book because they probably are pretty depressing. And life can be pretty depressing even without cancer, so prefer not reading about it.
So this was my first one of those, but luckily this book didn't concentrate that much to Jena's cancer but more to her twin sister, Dani, and how she handles her sisters illness.
Well, she really doesn't. In one point of her life someone told her that cat has nine lives and after cat losts one, that life gets freed and it ends up with someone who needs it more. And since she's survived unlike situations earlier, she's convinced her life is like a cats, with extra eight lives. And she's two down, seven to go.
After testing her theory, she notises Jena's feeling better. So she ends up putting herself in danger, time after time, just to save her sister. Until it might be too late to hold on to her last life.

Dani loves her sister more than anything but doesn't really let other people near her. She's sarcastic, snarky and even bitchy at times, but that just made me love her! Probably cause I love sarcasm and every other sentence coming out of my mouth are sarcastic, even though it annoys many people.. But what can you do.

If my review was based solely on the main character, I would have to give 5 cupcakes, no questions asked. But since it's not..
I felt kind of iffy with the whole nine lives- thing. I would've loved it if there was any paranormal element, but in the real life? You just have to wonder if she's really in this world. You know, mentally and all..
And I felt the story was left uncomplete, because we never really get to know what happens with the cute guy. Love the story leading to romance, but wished there were some romantic scenes or something.
This book definitely left me wanting to know more, but unfortunately there won't be more. And that makes me sad, but what can you do.


Thanks to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) for providing a review copy!

Monthly Recap: July

This month SUCKED. Seriously. I felt like I didn't get any reading done, and I wasn't wrong. Terrible suckiness. But, now I'm unemployed again, so at least I have time to read again.

I read

And the best read was definitely Pushing the Limits!

By the Pale Moonlight by Jennifer Hendren

By the Pale Moonlight
by Jennifer Hendren

Published: November 2nd 2011
( first publ. October 17th 2011 )
Publisher: Barnes and Noble
Format: Ebook
Pages: 310
Series: Moonlight Series
Source: From the author for
review
Amazon

Makenna Wilhelm knows all of her friends have their quirks, but when Ty shows up naked in her yard one morning, she finds it beyond weird. Stranger still are the deep gashes across Ty’s chest and his sudden ability to hear and smell things that no human should.

During a moonlit night, Ty’s secret is revealed. He’s no longer the boy she’s crushed on forever, but rather a werewolf with one serious aversion for all things silver. Makenna is left wondering if he’s to blame for the recent death of one of their classmates, the apparent victim of an animal attack.

With the help of Melanie, the dead girl’s friend, they manage to shed doubt on Ty’s guilt only to discover Makenna was the intended prey. Even worse, she’s still a target.

In a race against the full moon, the trio struggles to find who murdered the young woman. However, without a way to cure Ty, they have no way of knowing who poses the greater threat: Ty or the unknown enemy.

*MAY CONTAIN SOME SPOILERS*
This book really brought up some mixed feelings. I definitely wanted to love this, since I fell in love with both the cover and synopsis. And like in any book, there were lots of pros and cons.
Pros, like I mentioned, awesome cover and synopsis. But cons won the race this time. Because in order for me to enjoy this the book there should be some serious editing done.

First of all, it was really hard to keep up with the story! It felt like the characters were just running around, without any clear goal or even a purpose.
For example: Like mentioned in synopsis, it's believed that Makenna was the intended prey and she's still a target. And in this scene I was pretty much like "R U SERIOUS?". Because they base their assumption on the fact the dead girl was wearing Makenna's coat while being attacked. I mean, seriously? That's all you got? The dead girl stole Makenna's coat and was wearing it when attacked, but that's it! Oh, and both girls' hair was remotely same color. But.. Werewolves have pretty great sense of smelling, right?
So that really wouldn't have been enough evidence for me, sorry.

Then there's running around with dog whistle. You heard me right. Like in the synopsis, you would think they would get some silver to reveal the werewolf. If not silver, maybe something else badass werewolves can't stand. But no, they use a freaking dog whistle. And there wasn't even an explanation why and how and when they came up with the plan to use the dog whistle. It was more like "hey look, it's pretty awesome I happen to have a dog whistle in my pocket, let's hunt werewolves with it!". There was lot of that going around, just coming up to conclusion without any kind of reason, so it really was quite hard to keep up with.

This is the last example, I promise. Makenna found out the werewolf attacking "the dead girl" was actually black. So of course she blames the "bad guy" of the school. Because he's the only guy with black hair in your school or in the town?! And she just decided the werewolf's fur color is based on the person's hair color. You've seen one werewolf, so again, little too little evidence?!
And why would "the bad boy" attack Makenna? Well, two years earlier he asked her out, and she said no. Can you imagine that?! And it's so hard for the bad boys to get girls, so of course he still holds a grudge over her! w00000t..?
Okay now I seriously need to change the subject because my head starts to hurt.

I don't have much to say about the characters over all. They were pretty one-dimensional. They were lots of going with Makenna and Ty and their friends, but nothing was really explained. There was very little background about anyone, so it was pretty hard to feel connected. I really didn't care what happened to them, 'cause I didn't feel close to them.

Makenna was pretty much the only character I occasionally had some feeling for. Though that was mostly me going crazy because I was so annoyed with her.
She really isn't likable main character, believe me. She's really superficial and she hangs out with friends who bully everyone else. She has a boyfriend, who is a douche, sleeps with everyone else and is constantly trying to get to Makenna's pants. Yet Makenna dreams about her best friend, Ty, all the time. And when ever they see, she gribs Ty's shirt and hugs him. If I was dating Makenna, I would probably have a problem with her and Ty's hugging. And the mr. Douche obviously knows there's something going on, because he keeps making comments about Ty. Though the background of this is never revealed, so reader's just have to guess why mr. Douche's so pissed off. Like, okay, I know he's pissed to Ty and to Makenna and that's why keep making these douchy comments about Makenna sleeping with Ty, but what happened?! Why does he do that?? It's really frustarting!!
And even though Ty is probably meant to be the second main character, there really isn't much to say about him. He's just some dude, I really don't care.

There really was some huge potential, which why I hate to give a bad review. But when you just can't enjoy the writing, there's not much to do about it.
Though I must admit the huge cliffhanger made me curious. And pissed off. Because it was the only interesting part in the book, so it was too little too late.


My thanks to author for providing a review copy!

1 Year Blogoversary Giveaway

I've been book blogging for a whole year now, can you believe that?! When I first started blogging, I was pretty sure I would lose interest over the time (because that happens a lot, I have a goldfish brain). But I didn't, and I'm so proud of myself now!

And to celebrate that, I'm going to be hosting a giveaway! This competition will be open worldwide, as long as Book Depository delivers to your area :)

The winner may pick any number of books up to $25 from Book Depository!

To enter, simply fill in the Rafflecopter form!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

There will be one winner chosen.
Winner has 72 hours to reply my email, or there will be a new winner chosen.
The giveaway will end on August 12th at 12:01 AM.

Good luck!

Teaser Tuesdays #27

By Should Be Reading!

He threw a quick glance over his shoulder. Melanie sat staring intently at the colored screen, her back to us.

He bent over me and brushed the hair away from my face before pressing his warm lips against my forehead. With one last check on Melanie, they closed over mine in a gentle kiss.

"I could get used to having you here," he whispered.



By the Pale Moonlight by Jennifer Hendren

T

Musing Mondays #25

By Should Be Reading!

This week's musing asks…

Do you read magazines? If so, which ones? If not, why not?

Not so much. There's few magazines I "read", meaning mostly look pictures ;D

I mostly read knitting and sewing magazines, also occasionally browse through some magazines about cooking and decorating.

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Pushing the Limits
by Katie McGarry

Published: July 31st 2012
( first published July 25th 2012 )
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Format: Ebook
Pages: 409
Series: -
Source: From NetGalley for
review
Amazon |
Book Depository

"I won't tell anyone, Echo. I promise."
Noah tucked a curl behind my ear. It had been so long since someone touched me like he did. Why did it have to be Noah Hutchins? His dark brown eyes shifted to my covered arms. "You didn't do that - did you? It was done to you?"
No one ever asked that question. They stared. They whispered. They laughed. But they never asked.

SO WRONG FOR EACH OTHER ... AND YET SO RIGHT.

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.

But when Noah Hutchins, the smokinghot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo’s world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.

Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she’ll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

*MAY CONTAIN SOME SPOILERS*
When I first saw the cover, I just.. fell in love. It's obviously steamy, but there's also something unique in it. It just got that something, the "IT" factor that makes you want to read the book immediately.
And after I finished the book, all I could think was.. Finally! It's been so long when I last read a book that made me ball my eyes out! This definitely did the trick. Though, unfortunately when I was finishing this, I was also doing my make-up for work, so I had to fix it like three times. But man, it was so worth it!

At first, when I started reading the book, I was little scared. Because I was pretty sure this was going to be one of those stories where bad boy gets the good girl and bad boy turns good birl I mean boy, you know the usual story!
So when I noticed this was something completely different, I was over the moon. Yes, there is a bad boy, Noah. Or that's how it seems from the outside. And there's a good girl. Or a girl who used to be The Good Girl of the school, but after Echo's disappearance, everything changed for her.
Now there's just two broken people who seek comfort, and find it from the least expected.

What I love the most in this book is.. emotions. And how the author managed to make them so real. You get to cry, hate, love and laugh throughout the book and it's just amazing. And even though, or maybe because, the story is so filled with emotions, it's believable, realistic. As an author, Katie McGarry is like a puppet master, controlling reader's emotions through amazing scenes. That is something truly unique.

Through this book, you'll get to know what it's like to be a girl, who's life has fallen apart. You'll get to feel her sorrow for losing her family. Hate and jealousy for his father marrying her baby sitter. And you'll get to know what it's like to be the bad boy. When people know you as a troublemaker and girl-user, but when you're actually a boy, who lost his family and just wants to survive.
If you want true emotions, read this.


HUGE thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Teen for providing a review copy!

Waiting on Wednesday #29

Hosted by Breaking the Spine!

Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick

Expected publication
October 23rd 2012


Fates unfurl in the gripping conclusion to the "New York Times" bestselling Hush, Hush saga.

Nora is more certain than ever that she is in love with Patch. Fallen Angel or no, he is the one for her. Her heritage and destiny may mean that they will always be enemies, but there is no turning her back on him.

And yet their biggest challenge lies ahead. Can their love survive a seemingly insurmountable divide?

The lines are drawn, but it's unclear which sides have been taken. And in the end, will there be enough trust left to rebuild what has been broken?

I wasn't a huge fan of the book #3, but of course I have to read this!

There is a saying..

.. in Finland. It goes something like "The shoemaker's children go barefoot" and in my case it means that every day I fix other people's computers, but mine is crap.
So I wiped everything clean and trying to put everything together now, so that's the reason for me being so quiet!
But no worries, I'm starting my holiday next Friday, then I'll have more time to fight with my computer and update my blog :)

Shut Up Giveaway has some winners!

We have some winners!



Winners were chosen with Random.org, and with winning numbers 46, 6, 48 and 24 the winners are..


Laura J. (paperback),

Laura M. (paperback),

Ashley S. (signed bookmark)

and Katrina (signed bookmark)!

Anne will email you soon, congratulations! :)

Thanks to all the participants!