Review: Full Tilt by Neal Shusterman

Title: Full Tilt

Author: Neal Shusterman

Publication date: June 2003

Published by: Simon & Schuster

Source: Purchased paperback

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Synopsis:

Sixteen-year-old Blake and his younger brother, Quinn, are exact opposites. Blake is the responsible member of the family. He constantly has to keep an eye on the fearless Quinn, whose thrill-seeking sometimes goes too far. But the stakes get higher when Blake has to chase Quinn into a bizarre phantom carnival that traps its customers forever.

In order to escape, Blake must survive seven deadly rides by dawn, each of which represents a deep, personal fear -- from a carousel of stampeding animals to a hall of mirrors that changes people into their deformed reflections. Blake ultimately has to face up to a horrible secret from his own past to save himself and his brother -- that is, if the carnival doesn't claim their souls first!

My rating: ★★★★☆
Blake follows his thrill-seeking younger brother to a creepy, phantom-like amusement park. A park that is more than meets the eye.

This was the exact opposite of some drugged-out experience. We still had our senses. Our minds were sharp and clear. It was the rest of the world that had gone crazy.

Review: When Lightning Strikes (1-800-Where-R-You #1) by Jenny Carroll

Title: When Lightning Strikes

Series: 1-800-Where-R-You #1

Author: Meg Cabot (as Jenny Carroll)

Publication date: February 2001

Published by: Simon & Schuster Ltd

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis:

Jess Mastriani has never been what you'd call a typical Midwestern teenager—her extracurricular activities, instead of cheerleading or 4-H, include fist-fights with the football team and month-long stints in detention. A part of Jess would like to be the prom queen her mother has always envisioned her being, but another part is secretly counting the days until she's saved up enough money to buy her own Harley.

Then something happens that guarantees Jess will be one of the in-crowd... at least until her newfound talent ends up getting her dead.

My rating: ★★★★☆
It's a typical day at school for Jess--beating up guys bigger than her, going to detention, that sort of thing. But on her typical walk home from school, things take a weird turn... Jess gets struck by lightning! Shocking, I know. (see what I did there? Eh? Ehhh? Oh, I give up...) Anyway, Jess wasn't majorly hurt or anything, so that's great! Until she wakes up the next morning knowing where a missing kid is... Turns out the lightning strike gave her the weird ability to find people who are missing. Useful, but it could also put her in danger under the right (or wrong) circumstances.

Review: Sleepless by Thomas Fahy

Title: Sleepless

Author: Thomas Fahy

Publication date: August 2009

Published by: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Source: Own paperback

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Synopsis:

SOMEONE ELSE WILL DIE SOON she tells herself.

SOMEONE ELSE WILL DIE AND I WILL BE RESPONSIBLE.

A few days after the first time you walk in your sleep, you kill someone. That's how the end begins.

Emma Montgomery has been having gruesome nightmares. Even worse, when she wakes up, she isn't where she was when she fell asleep. And she's not the only one. One by one the students of Saint Opportuna High start having nightmares, and sleepwalking. And the next morning one of their classmates turns up dead.

Something is making them kill in their sleep. Emma and her friends need to band together, to keep themselves awake until they can figure out what's behind the murders--before anyone else dies.

My rating: ★★★☆☆
I love horror novels, and I thought this one was a pretty okay one. In my opinion, however, it was not as frightening as I thought it would be.

Blog Tour - Review + Giveaway: The Offering (The Pledge #3) by Kimberly Derting

Hey guys! Welcome to my stop on The Offering blog tour! Today I have for you a review of the wonderful conclusion to an amazing series. Plus, there may be a giveaway at the end ;)

Title: The Offering

Series: The Pledge #3

Previous books in this series: The Pledge (#1) | The Essence (#2)

Author: Kimberly Derting

Publication date: December 31st, 2013

Published by: Kimberly Derting

Source: ARC from publishers for review

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Synopsis:

True love—and world war—is at stake in the conclusion to The Pledge trilogy, a dark and romantic blend of dystopia and fantasy.

Charlie, otherwise known as Queen Charlaina of Ludania, has become comfortable as a leader and a ruler. She’s done admirable work to restore Ludania’s broken communications systems with other Queendoms, and she’s mastered the art of ignoring Sabara, the evil former queen whose Essence is alive within Charlie. Or so she thinks.

When the negotiation of a peace agreement with the Queendom of Astonia goes awry, Charlie receives a brutal message that threatens Ludania, and it seems her only option is to sacrifice herself in exchange for Ludanian freedom.

But things aren’t always as they seem. Charlie is walking into a trap—one set by Sabara, who is determined to reclaim the Queendoms at any cost.

My rating: ★★★★★
It's over! I cannot believe it! But I am happy because The Offering had the most perfect ending ever! :D

So, after the crazy happenings in The Essence, the Queen of Astonia and Charlie, Queen of Ludania, work to come to a peace agreement between the two countries. But Queen Elena plays dirty and sends Charlie a threatening message that puts those she loves (and her country) in danger. Charlie decides that in order to save her Queendom she must give herself up to Queen Elena. Only things aren't what they seem and Charlie finds herself in the most difficult position imaginable: surrender to Queen Elena the one thing Charlie is unwilling to give up, or lose those she cares for.

Review: The Essence (The Pledge #2) by Kimberly Derting

Title: The Essence

Series: The Pledge #2

Previous book in this series: The Pledge

Author: Kimberly Derting

Publication date: January 2013

Published by: Margaret K. McElderry

Source: Borrowed

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Synopsis:

At the luminous conclusion of The Pledge, Charlaina defeated the tyrant Sabara and took her place as Queen of Ludania. But Charlie knows that Sabara has not disappeared: The evil queen’s Essence is fused to Charlie’s psyche, ready to arise at the first sign of weakness.

Charlie is not weak, but she’s being pushed to the brink. In addition to suppressing the ever-present influence of Sabara, she’s busy being queen—and battling a growing resistance determined to return Ludania to its discriminatory caste system. Charlie wants to be the same girl Max loves, who Brook trusts, but she’s Your Majesty now, and she feels torn in two.

As Charlie journeys to an annual summit to meet with leaders of nearby Queendoms—an event where her ability to understand all languages will be the utmost asset—she is faced with the ultimate betrayal. And the only person she can turn to for help is the evil soul residing within.

My rating: ★★★★☆
In The Essence, we have the new Queen of Ludania, Charlie, getting ready to go to the Summit to meet the other Queens and maybe establish a relationship with them that will help her country move forward and improve after Sabara's tyrannical rule.

Review: The Pledge by Kimberly Derting

Title: The Pledge

Series: The Pledge #1

Author: Kimberly Derting

Publication date: November 2011

Published by: Margaret K. McElderry

Source: Borrowed

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Synopsis:

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.

My rating: ★★★★☆
I love Kimberly Derting and her Body Finder series, so I was very excited to start this one! And just like The Body Finder, The Pledge was another original story you cant help but get sucked into!

Review: Devoured by Amanda Marrone

Title: Devoured

Author: Amanda Marrone

Publication date: September 2009

Published by: Simon Pulse

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis:

Megan’s twin sister Remy died in an accident nine years ago, and she’s been haunting her ever since. Knowing how crazy that sounds, Megan keeps this secret to herself and tries to lead a normal life. But when she takes a summer job at Land of Enchantment to keep an eye on her new boyfriend and his lovesick best friend, Samantha, she meets fellow employee Luke who can see Remy, too. Things get even twistier because Megan’s new friend Ari is sporting a massive crush on Luke, who seems to be developing a massive crush on Megan…making for a love triangle that’s positively possessed.

Megan wants to keep her distance from Luke, but when Remy’s visions get crazy violent; she knows she needs his help. Because someone’s definitely in danger...the only question is who?

My rating: ★★★★☆
This book was amazing!! I really liked it :) Especially with the modern fairy tale twist (that would be Snow White, if you care to know).

Review: Nevermore by Kelly Creagh

Title: Nevermore

Series: Nevermore #1

Author: Kelly Creagh

Publication date: August 2010

Published by: Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Source: Borrowed from Library

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Synopsis:

Cheerleader Isobel Lanley is horrified when she is paired with Varen Nethers for an English project, which is due—so unfair—on the day of the rival game. Cold and aloof, sardonic and sharp-tongued, Varen makes it clear he’d rather not have anything to do with her either. But when Isobel discovers strange writing in his journal, she can’t help but give this enigmatic boy with the piercing eyes another look.

Soon, Isobel finds herself making excuses to be with Varen. Steadily pulled away from her friends and her possessive boyfriend, Isobel ventures deeper and deeper into the dream world Varen has created through the pages of his notebook, a realm where the terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe come to life.

As her world begins to unravel around her, Isobel discovers that dreams, like words, hold more power than she ever imagined, and that the most frightening realities are those of the mind. Now she must find a way to reach Varen before he is consumed by the shadows of his own nightmares.

His life depends on it.

My rating: ★★★★☆
This book is a little hard to explain, but it was really good!! It was quite lengthy, but I somehow managed to finish it in 2 days :)

Instead of going into what the book is about, ‘cause frankly if I tried to explain I’d probably end up talking about trees or something, lol . Anyway, instead of that I think I’m just going list off the things I liked and didn’t like about this book..

Review: Cabel's Story (Dream Catchers #1.1) by Lisa McMann

Title: Cabel's Story

Series: Dream Catchers #1.1

Books in this series: Wake (#1) | Fade (#2) | Gone (#3)

Author: Lisa McMann

Publication date: 2010

Published by: Simon and Schuster Publishing

Source: own e-book

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Read it for FREE here!

Synopsis:

A free online story by Lisa McMann. A companion to the first Dream Catcher novel, Wake, this is Cabel's perspective of the field trip that Janie and he took with their English class.

My rating: ★★★★★
It took me like 20 minutes to read this :P But it was interesting. I liked getting inside Cabel's head and knowing what was going through it.

Review: Gone (Dream Catchers #3) by Lisa McMann

Title: Gone

Series: Dream Catchers #3

Previous books in this series: Wake (#1) | Fade (#2)

Author: Lisa McMann

Publication date: February 2010

Published by: Simon Pulse

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis:

Janie thought she knew what her future held. And she thought she’d made her peace with it. But she can’t handle dragging Cabel down with her. She knows he will stay with her, despite what she sees in his dreams. He’s amazing. And she’s a train wreck. Janie sees only one way to give him the life he deserves—she has to disappear. And it’s going to kill them both.

Then a stranger enters her life--and everything unravels. The future Janie once faced now has an ominous twist, and her choices are more dire than she’d ever thought possible. She alone must decide between the lesser of two evils. And time is running out....

My rating: ★★★★☆
Through out the book, this is what was on my mind most of the time: WHAT DESCISION IS SHE TALKING ABOUT?! AHHHHHHH! That and: WHAT THE F**K ARE YOU THINKING?!?!?!? YOU ARE GOING TO LEAVE CABEL? WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!?!?!?
*Takes deep breath*

Review: Fade (Dream Catchers #2) by Lisa McMann

Title: Fade

Series: Dream Catchers #2

Previous book in this series: Wake

Author: Lisa McMann

Publication date: February 2009

Published by: Simon Pulse

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis:

SOME NIGHTMARES NEVER END.

For Janie and Cabel, real life is getting tougher than the dreams. They're just trying to carve out a little (secret) time together, but no such luck.

Disturbing things are happening at Fieldridge High, yet nobody's talking. When Janie taps into a classmate's violent nightmares, the case finally breaks open -- but nothing goes as planned. Not even close. Janie's in way over her head, and Cabe's shocking behavior has grave consequences for them both.

Worse yet, Janie learns the truth about herself and her ability -- and it's bleak. Seriously, brutally bleak. Not only is her fate as a dream catcher sealed, but what's to come is way darker than she'd feared....

My rating: ★★★★★
Wow... I loved this book! Man, I don't know what else to say besides that. Oh wait: I read this book in one day... 5 hours to be exact :D It was just great! Plus, its an easy read.

Review: Wake (Dream Catchers #1) by Lisa McMann

Title: Wake

Series: Dream Catchers #1

Companion short story: Cabel's Story

Author: Lisa McMann

Publication date: March 2008

Published by: Simon Pulse

Source: Borrowed from the library

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Synopsis:

For seventeen-year-old Janie, getting sucked into other people's dreams is getting old. Especially the falling dreams, the naked-but-nobody-notices dreams, and the sex-crazed dreams. Janie's seen enough fantasy booty to last her a lifetime.

She can't tell anybody about what she does they'd never believe her, or worse, they'd think she's a freak. So Janie lives on the fringe, cursed with an ability she doesn't want and can’t control.

Then she falls into a gruesome nightmare, one that chills her to the bone. For the first time, Janie is more than a witness to someone else's twisted psyche. She is a participant.

My rating: ★★★★☆
Overall I thought this was a very good book. However, the style of writing, I thought, was a little weird....