Book Review~Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Title: Shiver
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks
Pub Date: June 1st 2010
Format: Paperback
Pages: 392
Genre: YA, Paranormal, Romance, Fantasy, Werewolves
Links: Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ Author/Book Site

Synopsis: the cold.
Grace has spent years watching the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf—her wolf—watches back. He feels deeply familiar to her, but she doesn't know why.

the heat.
Sam has lived two lives. As a wolf, he keeps the silent company of the girl he loves. And then, for a short time each year, he is human, never daring to talk to Grace...until now.

the shiver.
For Grace and Sam, love has always been kept at a distance. But once it's spoken, it cannot be denied. Sam must fight to stay human—and Grace must fight to keep him—even if it means taking on the scars of the past, the fragility of the present, and the impossibility of the future.

Trailer:

Rating: 7/10
Source: Borrowed from a friend.

Cover Talk: I love love LOVE the cover!! I could seriously stare at it all day long! My favorite color is blue, as I have mentioned a thousand times before, and this cover is just... breathtakingly beautiful! The blue tree branches and leaves, the white background, the blue shadow of the wolf, even the title, which isn't really in a fancy font but the bloody dot above the 'i' just adds that... perfect finish to the cover. I simply love it! ♥

My Thoughts: I've heard and read a lot of great things about this book. And it has been on my "Want To Read" list for a while now. A friend of mine read it and she loved it. So she persuaded me to read it too.

I must say, I was disappointed. I mean, with all the hype, I was expecting something that would blow my mind. That would be so amazing that I wouldn't stop fan-girling about it. But it really didn't live up to the hype for me.

The book wasn't that bad. I really liked the story. It was really interesting and, honestly, it was the story that kept me reading. The writing was too detailed for my taste. And sometimes the author 'left it for the imagination of the reader' which really annoyed me. But that wasn't such a big problem either. The problem was the characters. I could not connect with the characters. I didn't feel what they felt. I just couldn't even care about them. It's not that they weren't well developed, they were. But the reader-character bond wasn't there, for me.

I like bad-boys (in books). But I could also fall for a sweet, nice guy (e.g. Sam from Speechless). But in this story, the boy, Sam, was... too good. It got pretty annoying sometimes. I started calling him Saint Sam, 'cause he was just that good. And I get what the author tried to do, making Grace strong and practical and Sam emotional and.. sainty.. but it didn't really work.

The ending was the best part. That's what made me give this book a 3.5 instead of 3. By 'ending' I mean the story after Sam changes for the last time to the end of the book. That scene was probably the closest I got to feeling for a character.

All in all, it was an enjoyable book. Not something I would read again. But I would like to read the next two books in the trilogy. To see where the story goes.

Favorite Quotes: Somehow, having a deer preside over the ceremony of a werewolf and a girl seems oddly appropriate.

“You're beautiful and sad," I said finally, not looking at him when I did. "Just like your eyes. You're like a song that I heard when I was a little kid but forgot I knew until I heard it again." For a long moment there was only the whirring sound of the tires on the road, and then Sam said softly, "Thank you.” 

“What do you eat?"

"Baby bunnies." She narrowed her eyes, so I grinned and said, "Adult bunnies, too. I'm an equal-opportunity bunny-eater.” 

“Books are more real when you read them outside.” 

“I said uselessly, "Sam, don't go."

Sam cupped my face in his hands and looked me in the eyes. His eyes were yellow, sad, wolf, mine. 

"These stay the same. Remember that when you look at me. Remember it's me. Please.” 

About The Author:

All of Maggie Stiefvater's life decisions have been based around her inability to be gainfully employed. Talking to yourself, staring into space, and coming to work in your pajamas are frowned upon when you're a waitress, calligraphy instructor, or technical editor (all of which she's tried), but are highly prized traits in novelists and artists. She's made her living as one or the other since she was 22. She now lives an eccentric life in the middle of nowhere, Virginia with her charmingly straight-laced husband, two kids, two neurotic dogs, and a 1973 Camaro named Loki.

Extras: How to Sharpie a Guitar by Maggie Stiefvater + Summer Girl (a song from Shiver written by Sam for Grace) by Sulaiman Azimi

Cover Reveal~His Black Wings by Astrid Yrigollen

Title: His Black Wings
Author: Astrid Yrigollen
Release Date: Early November
Cover:

Synopsis: His Black Wings is...

Beauty and the Beast set in the future during a Victorian era revival. 

The Grand Council has brought the world peace, but will it last?

Malice, revenge and lust are not easily defeated...

Claren Maidstone has been forced to flee her childhood home, following the death of her parents and a vicious attack from a man who intends to marry her. 

She assumes a new identity and finds employment as an assistant to the handsome, Fredrick Lowood. However, Fredrick's generosity isn't without a price and Claren soon finds herself forced into a strange friendship with his disfigured son. 

Unaware of how Claren's past entwines with his own, 

Etrigan Lowood begins to yearn for her love. 

Unfortunately, the past is not far behind.

Is his love for Claren enough? 

Or will Etrigan remain alone with his black wings... 

Author Bio: 

Astrid Yrigollen is a self published author of young adult and children's books. Astrid started her writing career when she begun work for the international video game giant, Sega of America. Working her way up the ranks, she began writing companion guides for games. With a love for writing fiction since childhood, she took her short stories out of storage and had her first story ever written published. It was only after that she found out that first stories are never published! She has resumed writing full time and has succeeded in putting out the titles, The Doughnut Tree, Mysterious Pootkins, and The Mosswoods--to name a few. Her short stories have appeared in the literary journal of Threshold Press and Shock and Awe Magazine. 

Connect with the author! 

Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Website

Giveaway:

1. There will be three winners.
2. Giveaway will run until the release of His Black Wings.
3. The Giveaway is INTERNATIONAL!
4. The winner will win a signed copy of His Black Wings + SWAG!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Update

I know I've been MIA for the past couple of days, but my senior year started at the beginning of September and it has been so hectic! It's so much harder than the previous classes and we do double the work we used to.. It just... it has been hard.. 

I get so many homeworks, teachers are going crazy! They think we are robots or something. And then there are revision tests. I'll be going to college next year so I really need to maintain my grades. Plus I'm the IT/Media Director of the MUN (Model United Nations) our school is hosting this year. I just have a lot on my plate.. It's really frustrating..

And that is why I was neglecting this blog. I'm really sorry for that. I'll try to manage my time better, and if that doesn't work either, then I may stop blogging. I'll still lave this blog running for anyone who wants to read the old reviews, and I may still post once in a while... lets just see what happens.

For now, I'm making some changes to the blog. First of all, I changed the email id for this blog. That means, if anyone wants to contact me please use the new email, i.e. hmviewsnreviews@gmail.com, instead of the old one, which was smashing.hira@gmail.com. It will be easier for me to keep the blog related emails separate. I will still be checking the emails sent to the old id, but please update your contact list to the new one.

Next, my twitter account got hacked =(  So I had to make a new one. I lost all my old followers and the people I was following. Once again, I'm so sorry for that! I'll start following the people I still remember I was following before. My new twitter is @ViewsnReview.

Lastly, I'm not accepting any review requests right now. I already have many, which I will be taking care of soon, so for now no more review requests.

I'll also be updating the layout and everything. I took the day off tomorrow for that. I hope I can manage it all and make it work... Wish me luck!

And that's it. I'm sorry and thank you so much everyone!

~Love Hira 

Book Review~Blame My Brain by Nicola Morgan

Title: Blame My Brain
Author: Nicola Morgan
Publisher: Walker Books Ltd
Pub Date: November 5th 2007
Format: Paperback
Pages: 192
Genre: Non-fiction, Teen, Mental Health, Psychology
Links: Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ Book/Author Site

Synopsis: Contrary to popular (parental) opinion, teenagers are not the lazy, unpleasant - frankly, spotty - louts they occasionally appear to be. During the teenage years the brain is undergoing its most radical and fundamental change since the age of two. Nicola Morgan's carefully researched, accessible and humorous examination of the ups and downs of the teenage brain has chapters dealing with powerful emotions, the need for more sleep, the urge to take risks, the difference between genders, the reasons behind addiction or depression, and what lies ahead.

Rating: 10/10
Source: Borrowed from the school library

My Thoughts: I know I've never reviewed a non-fiction book on the blog before (I don't read many of those anyway) but I really liked this book and I wanted to share it with my readers. My friend showed me this book in our school library. I wasn't going to borrow any book because I already had too many books to read, but this book really interested me. And since it was just 192 pages, I borrowed it anyway.

This was a really interesting book. I wish I'd have read it sooner because now I'm pretty mature and I don't have the problems mentioned in the book. Whereas at the beginning of my teenage I was very much like the teenager mentioned in this book. So I think if I'd had read it sooner it would've helped me cope better. But I'm still glad I read it. It's nice knowing what was happening in my brain and why I was acting the way I was acting.

This book basically tells you what is going on in a teenager's brain, how it is changing, that is affecting his/her behavior. It deals with issues like drug use, drinking and depression and suicide. It also tells us about sleep, why teenagers take more risks, etc and links it to our brain and hormones and evolution. It also has fun facts and tests etc

I think this book is a must-read for all teenagers, especially the younger ones. And I think this would be useful for parents too. I recommended it to my teacher who has two teenage kids she seems to be struggling with. I think this book could really help them understand what is going on in there child's brain. Same goes for high-school teachers.

About The Author:

Nicola Morgan has written a number of critically acclaimed books for teens, including the Scottish Arts Council Award-winning Fleshmarket, Mondays Are Red, Chicken Friend, The Leaving Home Survival Guide and Sleepwalking, winner of the 2005 Scottish Arts Council Children's Book of the Year Award, as well as numerous home learning titles and a series of Thomas the Tank Engine stories. She lives in Edinburgh.

Timeless Back Cover Blurb Reveal!! + Awesome Giveaway (US)

Blurb:

IT'S A RACE AGAINST TIME.

In Remembrance, Lizzie and Drew changed the course of fate so they could be together. 

In Vengeance, Chelsea set fate back on its original, deadly path. 

Now, strange things keep happening to Lizzie. Things that are omens of darkness to come. A curse has doomed her to die an early death, just as she did in her past life. To make things worse, even if she can figure out who cast the curse, it's irreversible. There's only one option left for her to save herself. It's crazier than anything she's heard yet, and to do it, she'll need Drew and Chelsea's help.

Because to make things right, they must go back to when it all began …

Giveaway Info:

Prize:

- One signed paperback of Timeless (to be sent as soon as possible after the release date)
- A choice of one of these time travel novels: Waterfall by Lisa Bergren, Tempest by Julie Cross, Hourglass by Myra McEntire, TimeRiders by Alex Scarrow, Time Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone, or Timeless Love by Judith O’Brian.

Go to Michelle Madow's website (www.michellemadow.com) for more info and to buy the first book in the Transcend Time Saga, Remembrance.

Fill the rafflecopter form below to enter the giveaway. The giveaway is open to US residents only.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal~Reaping Me Softly by Kate Evangelista

(This cover reveal is a part of a book tour hosted by AToMR Tours.)

Synopsis: Ever since a near-death-experience on the operating table, seventeen-year-old Arianne Wilson can see dead people. Just as she’s learned to accept her new-found talents, she discovers that the boy she’s had a crush on since freshman year, Niko Clark, is a Reaper.

At last they have something in common, but that doesn’t mean life is getting any easier. All while facing merciless bullying from the most powerful girl in school, Arianne’s world is turned upside down after Niko accidentally reaps the soul of someone she loves. This sends them both into a spiral that threatens to end Arianne’s life. But will Niko break his own Reaper’s code to save her? And what would the consequences be if he did?

Expected publication: October 30th 2012 by Omnific Publishing

Add this book on Goodreads here (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15988916-reaping-me-softly) 

My Thoughts: Not only does the synopsis sound so amazing and interesting, it has a beautiful cover to go along with it too! As I've mentioned before, I love blue! So this cover captured my eye instantly. But besides that, the cover has this soft, soothing effect to the eyes that instantly attracts you. I love the girl's dress and how she's blind-folded. I really wish the butterflies have a role in the book 'cause I love to see these little details added in the book cover! I like the font too. It is haunting yet soft... just like the book title ;) I'm really looking forward to this book!