Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award

Posted by The YA Book Traveler , Saturday, November 8, 2014 9:01 AM

http://boatsagainstthecurrent.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/sisterhood-of-the-world-bloggers-award11.jpg 

I was recently nominated for the Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award
by Ginger Cat.  Thank you for the nomination! Here are the rules:
1. Thank the blogger that nominated you, and link back to their site.
2. Post the award’s logo onto your blog.
3. Answer the 10 questions you’ve been asked.
4. Nominate 10 bloggers.
5. Set 10 new questions for your nominees.
So here goes!

Ginger Cat's Questions:

1. Can you name 3 books that you would recommend to everyone?
Harry Potter of course is an easy answer but it's more
than 3 books, so I'll just make that an honorary mention. ;)
A. Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi.
 I LOVE this series so much.  To be honest, I do not like the cover
but because I kept seeing it everywhere, I decided to read it.
I love the characters so much. Even the secondary characters
are awesome. I wish Perry and Roar were real...
B. The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon. I also LOVED this book.
It's been agony having to wait for The Mime Order's release.
This book took me by surprise.
C. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas. This series is great.
I love the chemistry,the characters, the actions
and how real the characters
feelings and emotions are. They keep getting more
developed as the series progresses.
Plus, Sarah J. Maas is awesome. I got to see her at a
book signing and she's SO FUNNY!
2. Who is your all-time favourite character from a book?
Wow, this is tough. I suppose I'll go with Celeana from
Throne of Glass because in Heir of Fire she's dealing with
some major depression in the beginning. I've had a tough
few years dealing with depression myself and I felt her
character was spot on with thoughts and emotions, doubts
and hurts that I went through emotionally as well. I could
relate the most to her (not the kick-ass warrior stuff,
that'd be awesome though!)
3. Do you prefer paperback, hardback or E-copy?
It kinda depends. My first reaction is to say hardback.
It's nice having the actual feel of the book and even being
able to visually see my progress. Ebooks are nice for travel.
If I'm anywhere I can pick it up.
4. What is the next book on your 'to be read' pile?
Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch. I won an eBook
of this and can't wait to dive in!
5.  Is there any book which completely surprised you? If so, why?
Starters by Lissa Price.  I got this from the library
and it sounded interesting. It blew me away! My library
didn't have the second book, Enders, and I was able to
get them to place an order for it.
6.  Do you prefer to watch a film adaptation before
or after you read a book, or not at all?
After.  The only tough thing with seeing it after
is picking out during the movie what stayed the same and
what was different. I'm almost analyzing too much the
first time through. (I did this with Catching Fire).
But I'd still rather read the book first.
7.  If you were offered a free book of your choice right now,
which one would you pick and why?
 Gathering Darkness by Morgan Rhodes.
 The first two books in this series, Falling Kingdoms
and Rebel Spring were SOOO good.  Seriously,
if you haven't read them, you NEED too.
8. What is the last book you read that you could not finish and why?
The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson.
The first chapter was great, but I had trouble getting
into the characters. I just didn't care about them
or what happened to them. I ended up looking it
up on Recaptains just to find out how it ends.
9. What book have you re-read the most times?
There are 2.  I've read Harry Potter series 3 times,
and Under the Never Sky series 3 times.
10. What book, if any, did you have to read for school
but ended up really enjoying?
I LOVED 1984.  I wasn't much of a reader in
High School there were limited books for school I enjoyed.

My Questions:

1. What is your favorite book to movie adaptation? 2. What is your favorite genre to read? 3. When did your loved for reading begin? 4. What author would you most like to meet (alive or dead)?
5. How many books do you buy in a month?
6. What book would you recommend everyone read?
7. Did you have a favorite childhood book (if not, what's your favorite book now?)
8. What book character do you most identify with?
9. Are there any popular books you refuse to read?
10. Why do you love reading?

My Nominations:

So...I am totally new to book blogging.  I will nominate some
of my favorite bloggers BUT if you've done this then I apologize.
Please only participate if you'd like!
I nominate:
Shae/Shelver @ Shae has Left the Room

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Stacking the Shelves #1

Posted by The YA Book Traveler , 9:00 AM

Welcome to my Stacking the Shelves hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

Purchased (All purchased on Book Outlet, $15 for all 3!)

Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis The Burning Sky by Sherry Thomas The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski

Won

Snow Like Ashes eBook by Sara Raasch (Thanks Royal Social Media) Exquisite Captive (Thanks Alexa) Jackaby ARC by William Ritter (Thanks Christie from Geek in Librarians Clothing) The Jewel ARC by Amy Ewing (Thanks Christie from Geek in Librarians Clothing) I Become Shadow ARC by Joe Shine (Thanks Christie from Geek in Librarians Clothing)

Library Haul

Endgame: The Calling by James Frey The Young Elites by Marie Lu

Scholastic Cereal Rewards Books

So, my son technically order this with his free code from our Kellogg cereals, but I will snatch it up and read it after he's done. The Underland Chronicles #1: Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins

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It's all about the COVERS! (Well, not completely)

Posted by The YA Book Traveler , Thursday, November 6, 2014 9:00 AM

BOOK COVERS!

We love them...

Or we hate them...

For me, and I know for many others, a great cover will determine whether a person will read a book or not. I wanted to share a few of my FAVORITE covers out there. All these book are on my TBR but I am DYING to get my hands on.

Cover 1 - A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray

I read an interview on the Epic Reads blog (link below) with the lead artist, Alison Klapthor, on the cover design for this book. Marguerite Caine, the books main character is a painter so the goal was to create something that really did look like a work of art. It's really a gorgeous cover! Read the full interview here: http://www.epicreads.com/blog/behind-the-design-a-thousand-pieces-of-you/

Cover 2 - Snow Like Ashes - Sarah Raasch

So who doesn't like a good fantasy, especially one with an awesome cover like this! We all know that a huge reason for the popularity of this book is the cover! I just won an ebook of this and plan to read it soon and CANNOT wait. There is so much talk, constantly, on how great this book is, so I do know that it's more than just a pretty cover. Shout out to Jeff Huang who designed this cover! Follow him on Twitter @thefifthorder

Cover 3 - Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

This was book-love at first sight! EVERYONE loves this cover. It's... just... amazing. I really don't know too much about the book, but who cares?! The cover tells me it's AWESOME!

Cover 4 - This Shattered World by Amie Kaufman

I really enjoyed These Broken Stars. In fact, Tarver is one of my favorite male characters because he isn't the stereotypical guy that I've read over and over and over again. But I am VERY excited about This Shattered World cover because Jubilee is a POC and she's on the cover! There is a HUGE vacuum of African American girls featured on the covers of YA books. This makes me very happy! Add all these books to your Goodreads shelves and buy buy buy!

What are your favorite covers? I'd love to know!

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Book Cover Redesigns with Diversity!

Posted by The YA Book Traveler , Tuesday, November 4, 2014 8:59 AM


Visit weneeddiversebooks.org

I want to first explain why I am a supporter of the We Need Diverse Campaign. Three years ago my husband and I adopted a sibling group of three out of Foster Care. There are THOUSANDS of children in each state who desperately need a permanent home. Our house became one of differing colors.  My husband and I are Caucasian  and my children are African American, the oldest is Bi-Racial.  Diversity is important to me because people are beautiful because of the differences. My children are avid readers, especially my daughter, and I want her to be proud of who she is and I think she's gorgeous!  After becoming aware of the We Need Diverse Books Campaign, I quickly realized that there is a HUGE hole of African American characters within YA (my favorite genre) and of course other races as well. (My daughter loves to read. Here is a picture of her at the library dressed like a princess!)

Book Cover Fun

Just for Fun I photoshopped a few popular YA books to have a person of color on the front.

 Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi This is one of my favorite books of all time! The characters are rich, fun, and I wish I knew them in real life. Here is my version with an African American version of Aria on the front. Check out this book on Goodreads and add to your pile! Under the Never Sky
Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard Here is my version of Eleanor Fitt! Check out and add this book to your Goodreads, click link below! Something Strange and Deadly

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Book Tag: The TBR Tag

Posted by The YA Book Traveler , Sunday, November 2, 2014 8:58 AM

This is my first TBR tag. I was not tagged by anyone but I've been wanting to do one for a while.  (I'm also new to blogging) How do you keep track of your TBR pile? Like most, I keep track of my TBR through Goodreads.  After seeing other's category list, mine is very simple. Is your TBR mostly print or ebook? Mostly print. I have a few free, or cheap ebooks I've bought, but most are print. I just won an ebook of Snow Like Ashes and I'm super excited to get into that one! How do you determine which book from your TBR to read next? Two ways: 1. It's the book that comes to me first from the library. 2. Whatever I decide I'm in the mood for. A book that’s been on your TBR list the longest? I have tried twice now to read The Casual Vacancy, but I keep getting stuck at the first chapter. Perhaps one day I'll get to it but I can't say I'm extremely motivated.

A book that you recently added to your TBR pile?

RIDERS by Veronica Rossi!  The announcement was finally made for Veronica Rossi's next book and I am EXCITED! She is one of my favorite authors so I quickly added this book to my TBR the same day.

A book on your TBR strictly because of its beautiful cover?

I wouldn't say this book is on there strictly for of the cover but that I want to read it BECAUSE of it's beautiful cover. To be honest, I don't really know what it's about but I don't care! I will read this! A book on your TBR that you NEVER plan on actually reading? The Seventeenth Summer by Maureen Daly was recommended to me by a friend one night while we were swapping books we loved. So, to please her I put this on my TBR. Most likely I'll never actually read this. An unpublished book on your TBR that you’re excited for? THERE ARE SO MANY!!!! But if I can only pick one, I will pick: The Mime order by Samantha Shannon. I LOVED The Bone Season so much when I read it last fall.  And I feel like I've been waiting FOREVER for The Mime Order to come out. It originally was set to release this fall but got bumped back.  The waiting has been real.

A book on your TBR that basically everyone has read except you?

The Giver.  I have not read this or seen the movie. I know that I should at some point! A book on your TBR that everyone recommends to you? The Bloodlines series by Richelle Mead. I read the Vampire Academy series and I loved it (I'm SO SAD that they're not making anymore movies!). However, I didn't really care for the character Sydney.  I've been reluctant to read this but others talk about that it's even better than VA. A book on your TBR that you’re dying to read? Gathering Darkness by Morgan Rhodes is a book I'm DYING to read!  The first two, Falling Kingdoms and Rebel Spring OMG they're so good. THIS! SO MUCH THIS! The number of books on your Goodreads TBR shelf? Um...38.  Yes, I know it's a low number but to be honest, I really only put books on my TBR I plan on reading. I don't want to just put books on there just to put them on there. This was fun! Thanks for reading!

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The Young Elites by Marie Lu and Star Wars

Posted by The YA Book Traveler , Saturday, November 1, 2014 8:58 AM

This review will contain spoilers, BUT first some information about the book, The Young Elites.

Goodreads Summary:

Adelina Amouteru is a survivor of the blood fever. A decade ago, the deadly illness swept through her nation. Most of the infected perished, while many of the children who survived were left with strange markings. Adelina’s black hair turned silver, her lashes went pale, and now she has only a jagged scar where her left eye once was. Her cruel father believes she is a malfetto, an abomination, ruining their family’s good name and standing in the way of their fortune. But some of the fever’s survivors are rumored to possess more than just scars—they are believed to have mysterious and powerful gifts, and though their identities remain secret, they have come to be called the Young Elites. Teren Santoro works for the king. As Leader of the Inquisition Axis, it is his job to seek out the Young Elites, to destroy them before they destroy the nation. He believes the Young Elites to be dangerous and vengeful, but it’s Teren who may possess the darkest secret of all. Enzo Valenciano is a member of the Dagger Society. This secret sect of Young Elites seeks out others like them before the Inquisition Axis can. But when the Daggers find Adelina, they discover someone with powers like they’ve never seen. Adelina wants to believe Enzo is on her side, and that Teren is the true enemy. But the lives of these three will collide in unexpected ways, as each fights a very different and personal battle. But of one thing they are all certain: Adelina has abilities that shouldn’t belong in this world. A vengeful blackness in her heart. And a desire to destroy all who dare to cross her. It is my turn to use. My turn to hurt.

REVIEW: I found this book very enjoyable. It pulled me in right at the first chapter. I love how effortlessly Lu introduces the reader into this new world and how the society functions.  The blood fever has produced malfettos, those who survived the fever, with extraordinary gifts.

SPOILERS BELOW!!!!! 

After reading The Young Elites, I understood that Adelina is turning into a villain.  After reflecting on this, I immediately thought of Anakin Skywalker.  All villains are complicated and may not always start off that way, so here some some ways I see similarities with Adelina and Anakin. 1. Troubled childhood

Adelina grew up mostly without her mother and a father who never loved her, in fact, only abused her.  She was told she was a monster and felt alone. Anger, fear, bitterness developed in her life.

Anakin grew up with no father in his life and then became as a slave to Toydarian Watto. After winning his freedom he reluctantly left his mother to become a Jedi, this moment set fear into his heart. Fear for his mother's whom he loved.

2. Never accepted

Adelina comes to the realization that everyone just wanted to use her. She never felt kindness without strings attached. At the end of the book, only her sister is truly there for her. All others have turned her back on her and she's realized they never really believed in her from the beginning. They always wanted her dead and felt she was a threat.

Anakin is older than most when he starts his Jedi training. Because of this he is not fully trusted by those around him. Other Jedis did not want him to be trained and his fear was strong.

3. Fear and Love

Adelina comes to understand that her powers come out of fear, anger, passion and ambition.  After being rescued by The Daggers, Adelina discovers her sister has been kidnapped and will be hurt or killed if she doesn't betray The Daggers. She doesn't know what to do. She doesn't want to go against those who saved her life, but she can't let her sister be killed either.  Her choices are made out of love for both the Daggers and her sister but in the end, people get hurt.

Anakin becomes a Jedi but his fear for his mother, then for Padame steer him to a path that he thinks will save those he loves. He's afraid of Padame dying and will do whatever he needs to do keep her alive. In the process, this anger and fear lead him to the dark side where Padame does end up dying because of his choices.

Even though these two characters are different there are some similarities as well. People are complex, there is no black and white sometimes. I don't know if Adelina will continue down her dark path and what awaits her because this is the first book of the series. But, I think we all understand why her choices had been made, why she will continue to make them.  I am intrigued to know if she ever finds the light.

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