Review: The Pledge by Kimberly Derting

Hardcover, 323 pages

Published November 15th 2011 by Margaret K. McElderry

Summary:

In the violent country of Ludania, the classes are strictly divided by the language they speak. The smallest transgression, like looking a member of a higher class in the eye while they are speaking their native tongue, results in immediate execution. Seventeen-year-old Charlaina has always been able to understand the languages of all classes, and she's spent her life trying to hide her secret. The only place she can really be free is the drug-fueled underground clubs where people go to shake off the oppressive rules of the world they live in. It's there that she meets a beautiful and mysterious boy named Max who speaks a language she's never heard before . . . and her secret is almost exposed. 

Charlie is intensely attracted to Max, even though she can't be sure where his real loyalties lie. As the emergency drills give way to real crisis and the violence escalates, it becomes clear that Charlie is the key to something much bigger: her country's only chance for freedom from the terrible power of a deadly regime.

Review and Rating: 3.5-4

My heart says 4 but my mind says 3.5. I really enjoyed the main characters. They definitely had some good twists which really added to the plot. I found the main plot predictable (but what plot isn't now?) but the twists in the characters and minor plots definitely helped make up for it. Derting definitely created a new world and interesting characters. I feel it ended too quickly but that may just be because its addictive and therefore got finished fast. I'll definitely be reading the rest of the trilogy to see what happens to our lovely Charlie and others.


Cover:
I really just have to say I love the cover. The contrasting colors definitely catch the eye and with the model its just beautiful. Its definitely a cover well done and when the cover is what catches the eye and raises interest that's a good thing that a lot of books miss out on but this one did great.

Essay Contest for Aspiring Writers of YA/middle grade fiction

Win a literary agent or acclaimed author's feedback on your unpublished manuscript for young adult or middle grade readers.  This rare opportunity is being offered to the six winners of an essay contest recently announced by the literacy charity Book Wish Foundation.  See http://bookwish.org/contest for full details.

You could win a manuscript critique from:

• Laura Langlie, literary agent for Meg Cabot

• Nancy Gallt, literary agent for Jeanne DuPrau

• Brenda Bowen, literary agent and editor of Karen Hesse's Newbery Medal winner Out of the Dust

• Ann M. Martin, winner of the Newbery Honor for A Corner of the Universe

• Francisco X. Stork, winner of the Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award for The Last Summer of the Death Warriors

• Cynthia Voigt, winner of the Newbery Medal for Dicey's Song and the Newbery Honor for A Solitary Blue

All that separates you from this prize is a 500-word essay about a short story in Book Wish Foundation's new anthology, What You Wish For.  Essays are due Feb. 1, 2012 and winners will be announced around Mar. 1, 2012.  If you win, you will have six months to submit the first 50 pages of your manuscript for critique (which means you can enter the contest even if you haven't finished, or started, your manuscript).  You can even enter multiple times, with essays about more than one of the contest stories, for a chance to win up to six critiques.

If you dream of being a published author, this is an opportunity you should not miss.  To enter, follow the instructions at http://bookwish.org/contest.

Cover Crazy: The Reason is You

Cover Crazy is hosted by Tawni over at The Book Worms

Ok so first I'll admit the cover is a bit disorienting but its just so beautiful. 

I love the color of the dress and well the dress itself too. Its so pretty and definitely stands out. The little flowers are a cute touch and they stand out as well.

I really love the water. I like how shes falling into it and the way it ripples around her.

The scrip for the title is pretty but almost seems too sweet with the fact that shes falling.

There's something beautiful and sweet about it but also something maybe sad or dangerous to it. 

I think even with the cover being disorienting it works being turned (In my opinion) the wrong way. It makes it interesting and adds to the beauty of it. 

Cover Crazy: The Goddess Test

Cover Crazy is hosted by Tawni over at The Book Worms

Okay so first I notice and love all the green and blue-green. I love how the ferns are full and surround her and some even lay over her. I think the white (and blue) dress was a good choice to make her stand out from all that too. 

Second the model is just gorgeous. She has beautiful angled cheeks boned and full berry lips. I also like that shes pale and even paler in places and with the set up you could almost imagine it as the light of a full moon on her.

Third the script for the title is beautiful and has the Greek parts to it. (Or math if your a nerd like myself and know what a sigma is) I also love the light lacing around and through the words.

I haven't gotten to read this yet but I love the summary (and cover 'cause we all secretly look at that) and plan to read it soon.

Review: Original Sin by Lisa Desrochers

Summary:

Luc Cain was born and raised in Hell, but he isn’t feeling as demonic as usual lately—thanks to Frannie Cavanaugh and the unique power she never realized she had. But you can’t desert Hell without consequences, and suddenly Frannie and Luc find themselves targeted by the same demons who used to be Luc’s allies.

Left with few options, Frannie and Luc accept the protection of Heaven and one of its most powerful angels, Gabe. Unfortunately, Luc isn’t the only one affected by Frannie, and it isn’t long before Gabe realizes that being around her is too…tempting. Rather than risk losing his wings, he leaves Frannie and Luc under the protection of her recently-acquired guardian angel.

Which would be fine, but Gabe is barely out the door before an assortment of demons appears—and they’re not leaving without dragging Luc back to Hell with them. Hell won’t give up and Heaven won’t give in. Frannie’s guardian exercises all the power he has to keep them away, but the demons are willing to hurt anyone close to Frannie in order to get what they want. It will take everything she has and then some to stay out of Hell’s grasp.

And not everyone will get out of it alive.

Review and Rating: 3-3.5

First off I love how Desrochers writes. I love that she isn't one of those shy YA writers. She doesn't back down from how teens really act and what life really feels like. I couldn't give this book as high a rating as the first though. I found myself too often annoyed by the characters going around the same internal problems over and over again. That's how people really are though so it made sense.  I liked it, its a descent book but I'm personally hoping the third one comes back and steals me like the first. 

Cover Crazy: Wicked Lovely

Cover Crazy is hosted by Tawni over at The Book Worms

Okay so this is one of my favorite books. It's a bit older of a book but its still amazing and I would highly recommend it.

The first thing I love is the frosted Iris and hands. Its just beautiful and if you read the story it makes a lot of sense. I love that its in focus compared to the rest of the cover as well. It draws attention to it and makes it more dramatic.
Second I love the way the title is set up. I love the color choice. It both stands out from the background and blends in at the same time. Also I love the vines twisting out from and below it.
Third I love the girl in the background. Shes slightly out of focus so shes still left to your imagination but she also fits in with the rest of the cover (and the book). Also I love how her lips stand out (again it makes sense when the book is read).
Fourth I just love the general color. The dark blues and purple mixed with the black. I definitely love this cover and the ones in the rest of the series are wonderful as well.

In My Mailbox 10

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren.This is a weekly meme where we will post any books that we have received in the mail, bought, borrowed, loaned from the library etc. It can be anything we have just gotten and/or are excited about.


Far From The War By Jeffrey David Payne