Owl Post #5 [December]

Guys, today I'm doing something new on my blog....been coming on for a long time. This meme, called Owl Post is created by Brodie of Eleusinian Mysteries inspired by In My Mailbox by The Story Siren. Been meaning to do this since forever and I just love this idea. I'm being a Ravenclaw since at the age of eleven and couldn't seem to remember to do this....kudos to Brodie for thinking about this!

Before you all proceed further, let me make something clear:-

1. Just like my IMM posts, this will not be done every Sunday but on the last Sunday of each month... the reason why you'll see a lot more books in here than normal.

2. This first Owl Post will have all the books that I received in October & November.

3. Also it will feature a list of recap link at the bottom of the page, which enlists all the review, interviews and tour posts I have done that particular month. Now I expect you all to visit each link and give out a comment here and there(would very much appreciate it) and you all can link your reviews too, i'd love to comment.

4. You are all welcome to share what you all got in the comment section below....i'd love to visit....

For Review

Netgalley

Shadowhunters and Downworlders: A Mortal Instruments Reader
The Split World #1 Between Two Thorns - Emma Newman
Lies Beneath #2 Deep Betrayal - Anne Greenwood Brown
Peregrine Harker & The Black Death - Luke Hollands
Project Paper Doll #1 The Rules - Stacey Kade


Edelweiss

Black Hole Sun #3 Shadow on the Sun - David Macinnis Gill
Seven Wonders #1 The Colossus Rises - Peter Lerangis


From Publisher

Watersong #2 Lullaby - Amanda Hocking (from Pan Macmillian India)

The Diviners #1 The Diviners - Libba Bray (from Hachette India)

Bought

Perfect Chemistry #1 Perfect Chemistry - Simone Elkeles

Artemis Fowl #1 Artemis Fowl - Eoin Colfer

The Heir Chronicles #1 The Warrior Heir - Cinda Williams Chima

The Associate - John Grisham

Giveaway Won

Thanks to Pan Macmillian India and PVR Pictures for this amazing win and included among the 10 winner. (link)

Recap Links

Conquered Earth #1 Midnight City - J. Barton Mitchell

New kid #1 The New Kid - Temple Mathews

Heroes of Olympus #3 The Mark of Athena - Rick Riordan

End of the World Giveaway HOP (INT): Win Throne of Glass

WinterHaven Sleigh Tour [+Giveaway] : The Magic of Christmas

Legacy #3 Sacrifice - Cayla Kluver

Best of 2012 GIVEAWAY HOP
Eve and Adam - Michael Grant & Katherine Applegate
The Lost Girl - Sangu Mandanna

The Lost Girl

Another Dystopia. But a different Dystopia. Presenting The Lost Girl by Sangu Mandanna.

Here is the summary of the book:

Eva’s life is not her own. She is a creation, an abomination – an echo. Made by the Weavers as a copy of someone else, she is expected to replace a girl named Amarra, her ‘other’, if she ever died. Eva studies what Amarra does, what she eats, what it’s like to kiss her boyfriend, Ray. So when Amarra is killed in a car crash, Eva should be ready. But fifteen years of studying never prepared her for this. Now she must abandon everything she’s ever known – the guardians who raised her, the boy she’s forbidden to love – to move to India and convince the world that Amarra is still alive ...

Dystopia is the need of the hour. Authors both high and low are searching and perfecting ways of bringing about a fresh look to this sub-genre with their books. Mandanna's The Lost Girl is I am glad to say one such diamond i'd be happy to add to this prestigious category. And  am so not exaggerating at all you just wait and see.

This is the story of Eva. Created by this group of weavers, to one day take the place of Amarra, if she meets an unfortunate end. This is the story of Eva, the echo of Amarra, doomed forever to live in the shadows of the one girl she is meant to replace if and when the need arises. But this is also the story of Amarra, in part and in essence; she hates her echo with a passion. Forced to keep a journal telling her her deepest and darkest secrets.

Life after death. The grief of death, people deal with it in their own ways. Some take it in strides and try to move away, some close off, while some try to re-animate the dead. This is what the weavers seemed to have  promised Amarra's parents when they commissioned an echo be made of their daughter. But the weavers are not quite there yet. No matter how similar they may look, they are bound to be different from each other. Being an echo in itself is very dangerous. One slip of tongue, of language, of attitude and you leave yourself a prey for the hunters.

Mandanna's characters bring out the beauty of this story, the inner struggle of an echo, who does all she can to come away from the shadows of the person she is meant to replace one day. Throughout the pages, you begin to sympathize with Eva's plight as she goes out of her way to be different, to break free of the shackle..... but you can never know how fate works in her weird ways .

"The Lost Girl, is a standalone treasure. A sci-fi dystopia of contemporary proportions, that is sure to leave you questioning the meaning of life and its value. Eva's plight is sure to touch you through to the core"

Genre :      Young Adult, Sci-fi, Dystopia


Publisher: Random House


My Copy:  Random House India


Rate:              5/5 (It was Amazing)

Eve and Adam

Definitely better than I was expecting it to be. Presenting Eve and Adam by Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate.

Here is the summary of the book:

And girl created boy… In the beginning, there was an apple— And then there was a car crash, a horrible injury, and a hospital. But before Evening Spiker’s head clears a strange boy named Solo is rushing her to her mother’s research facility. There, under the best care available, Eve is left alone to heal. Just when Eve thinks she will die—not from her injuries, but from boredom—her mother gives her a special project: Create the perfect boy. Using an amazingly detailed simulation, Eve starts building a boy from the ground up. Eve is creating Adam. And he will be just perfect... won’t he?

Creation is one of the basic necessities of life. Evolution makes much more sense after creation. We are all creations of God and science as we all know is always at a tug-of-war wit religion. But is it possible for a man to create another man? I say that it is not impossible. Science has gone far enough to create androids and marionettes.....a little more tweaks and you can have the perfect human being. Ethics of creation still remain...

And this is what Eve and Adam is all about. Evening Spiker was in a big accident at her school. So during her recovery procedure her mother tells her to design the perfect human to pass her time. But is it just a virtual program to get Eve interested in genetics or is her mother onto something because her mother is Tara Spiker, the head b**** of Spiker Pharmaceutical, and she does not do things lightly at all. Creating the perfect Adam does have repercussions though.....

What i loved about Eve and Adam is the fact that they didn't elaborate on the original tale but gave it a new premise. Their is actually another guy for Eve, Solo. Solo also works at the Spiker Biopharm and God is he hot. Adam does not even feature until the almost middle of the book. But thats alright because the core of the story is the whole process of Eve creating Adam, which all I tell is simply marvelous. The details put in through this whole ordeal makes it real enough for the readers to feel present thoughout.

I last ---- I absolutely loved the writing, the sci-fi elements and the turn-of-the-tables point towards the end but most of all loved Eve and Solo together, they were both so clueless that it was endearing to watch them squander around each other. And the fact that even perfect Adam has a major flaw felt so write... Kudos to the authors for creating such a complex yet simple tale..... simply amazing.

"Creation be it human or God, there will always be flaws. Eve and Adam's tale is the perfect example of this"

Genre :      Young Adult, Sci-fi


Publisher: Feiwal & friends


My Copy:  Netgalley and Publisher


Rate:              4/5 (Really Liked It)

Best of 2012 GIVEAWAY HOP

It's almost time to share the best books we have read this year.  The Best of 2012 Giveaway Hop wraps up a year of giveaway hops.  

Best of 2012 Giveaway Hop

December 27th to 31st

The best of 2012 as seen below.....


UPDATE: If i get 700 followers by the end of the giveaway then there will be 2 winners of this giveaway..

  

  

  

  

RULES : 

1. There will be only One Winner (subjected to change). 

2. Winner will be informed via email and *must* reply within 48 hours else I won't have a choice but to select another winner. 

3. All entries would be verified. 

4. Just fill in the rafflecopter below :

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Legacy #3 Sacrifice

A worth the wait book. Presenting Legacy #3 Sacrifice by Cayla Kluver.

Here is the summary of the book:

This is not the time for the fight to end. Now is when the fight will begin. This is the time to regain what has been lost. Alera. Queen of a fallen kingdom, secretly in love with the enemy. Shaselle Daughter of a murdered father, rebel with a cause. One lives behind the former Hytanican palace walls and walks the razor's edge to keep the fragile peace in her beloved homeland. The other slips through the war-torn streets, seeking retribution for her family's tragedy, following whispers of insurgency. Both face choices that will separate them from those they cannot help but love. As their stories intertwine, a conspiracy ignites that may end in slavery or death—or lead to freedom anew, if only each can face what must be sacrificed.

It gets better and better after every book. Sacrifice is the final book of Cayla Kluver's Legacy Series and it brings everything to a perfect conclusion. Hytanica is over run by Cockyrians. Things gone topsie-turvie. There are no longer any Kings or Queens, the army disbanded and the kingdom, now a province to Cokryi. But the high priestess designs Alera to be the ruling figure head of the province, Grand Provost.

Taking charge of a war weary Hytanica is not as easy as it looks. Cokyrians control everything now, everything in her country is screened and filtered by the enemy. And then there is Narian, the love of her life. Her country on one side and Narian on one, proves to be the true test of courage for Alera. With a few surprises to the mix, she stands tall with her beliefs because well victory needs true Sacrifice.

Oh! How I love Cayla's style of writing. Historical fiction is supposed a strong hold of medieval literature but she produced this amazing piece which is young adult and still retains the charm of historical genre without being to over bearing. Alera's development throughout the books is gradual and beautiful. She grows from this head strong princess to this capable leader throughout. Then there is Narian, at first it was not known on whose side his allegiance truly lay but little by little it becomes clear, it has always been clear. It was always Alera. I absolutely loved them throughout.

The conclusion was well thought out. The battle scene hair-raising. It doesn't feel like the end but a new beginning. The threat of Cokyri is still present but Alera knows that with Narian by her side she can brave any storm that comes her way.

"Heart rendering and awe-inspiring. Cayla Kluver has produced a great masterpiece that is sure to score a big place in your heart"

Genre :      Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Romance


Publisher: Harlequin Teen


My Copy:  Netgalley and Publisher


Rate:              5/5 (It was Amazing)

WinterHaven Sleigh Tour [+Giveaway] : The Magic of Christmas

Today I am excited to join the WinterHaven Sleigh Tour hosted by WinterHaven Books. This week, we are posting our favorite Children's, Winter or Christmas story. To see who else is on the sleigh, go to WinterHaven Sleigh Tour for a list of participating blogs.

My favorite Christmas story is definitely Dicken's A CHRISTMAS CAROL. Scoorge is mean as a miser. Enough to not even give out a single penny to this relations and not even sparing his subordinates on Christmas. The beauty of this tale, is that before long Scoorge is able to amend his ways with the help of the three Christmas ghosts.

And that is what the spirit of Christmas entails- forgiveness, joy and gift giving and celebrating the birth of Jesus, charity, kindness and goodwill. I urge all those who have yet to read it please do, this is a beautiful story.

GIVEAWAY TIME!

As part of The Magic of Christmas, WinterHaven Books is hosting a give-away that will include two book bundles to be shipped to an elementary school or library of the winner's choosing. The winner will be offered a few options and they can choose what 2 bundles and location to ship to within the United States. Good luck and happy holidays!

Your choices:

Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins (includes all 3 books)
Shiver Trilogy by Maggie Steifvater (includes all 3 books)
Dairy Queen Trilogy by Catherine Murdock (includes all 3 books)
Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare (includes first 3 books)


Great giveaway, right? Thanks to WinterHaven Books! :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

End of the World Giveaway HOP (INT): Win Throne of Glass

End of the World Giveaway Hop

December 14th to 21st

Hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer

& My Life With Books

12/21/12 

The Mayan Calendar Ends!

Does it mean the end of the World? 

Probably not but just in case...

Which books would you save if the world was coming to an end? 

Below is one of the many books that I want to save and that is what i'm giving away here.

NOTE:- IF I GET MORE THAN 600 GFC FOLLOWERS BY THE END OF THIS GIVEAWAY THEN THE WINNER WILL GET ALL THE FOUR PREQUELS OF THE THRONE OF GLASS SERIES ALONGWITH IT AS WELL....DOUBLE TREAT SO GET ON WITH IT PEOPLE.

RULES : 

1. There will be only One Winner. 

2. Winner will be informed via email and *must* reply within 48 hours else I won't have a choice but to select another winner. 

3. All entries would be verified. 

4. Just fill in the rafflecopter below :

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Heroes of Olympus #3 The Mark of Athena

Finally a book that I can categorize along with the Percy Jackson series, finally a book I liked in this series. Presenting Heroes of Olympus #3 The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan. Bare in mind there will be LOTS OF RAMBLINGS THROUGH.....

Here is the summary of the book:

Annabeth is terrified. Just when she's about to be reunited with Percy—after six months of being apart, thanks to Hera—it looks like Camp Jupiter is preparing for war. As Annabeth and her friends Jason, Piper, and Leo fly in on the Argo II, she can’t blame the Roman demigods for thinking the ship is a Greek weapon. With its steaming bronze dragon masthead, Leo's fantastical creation doesn't appear friendly. Annabeth hopes that the sight of their praetor Jason on deck will reassure the Romans that the visitors from Camp Half-Blood are coming in peace. And that's only one of her worries. In her pocket Annabeth carries a gift from her mother that came with an unnerving demand: Follow the Mark of Athena. Avenge me. Annabeth already feels weighed down by the prophecy that will send seven demigods on a quest to find—and close—the Doors of Death. What more does Athena want from her? Annabeth's biggest fear, though, is that Percy might have changed. What if he's now attached to Roman ways? Does he still need his old friends? As the daughter of the goddess of war and wisdom, Annabeth knows she was born to be a leader, but never again does she want to be without Seaweed Brain by her side. Narrated by four different demigods, The Mark of Athena is an unforgettable journey across land and sea to Rome, where important discoveries, surprising sacrifices, and unspeakable horrors await. Climb aboard the Argo II, if you dare....

I'll be honest with you all after Riordan's Percy Jackson series ended I was kinda lost with The Lost Hero......mind you I did like Kane Chronicles but Heroes of Olympus book 1 didn't really hold an interest with me. The Son of Neptune was a little better....return to normalcy.....because of Percy but man 'The Mark of Athena' felt right back at home. It felt right at home because it held everything that we are familiar with throughout the Percy Jackson series.

So the Greeks and Romans finally meet. As expected it goes from bad to worse within few hours. You really can't blame the Romans to think Argo II as not a battleship. But things, are fast going overhead, the Greek Demi-Gods need to find Nico before he dies, find the Doors of Death, and follow the prophecy about the seven demigods to come together and push back Gaia where she actually belongs. But Athena/Minerva demands retribution and Annabeth must adhere to what her mother says........Destructive when you have a Goddess for a mother, mark it.

Now I did say that the first two books of this series didn't much appeal to me but.......GOD.......The Mark of Athena is decided to kill. With the usual layout of Riordan's books involving three demigods, well this goes a niche further and doubles the stakes. This book is told from Percy, Annabeth, Leo and Piper's point of views. And who doesn't like to hear about Percy and Annabeth. GOD!! Missed his dry humor and Annabeth's resourcefulness because that is what they are and that shows again in this book. This book maybe about them all demigods trying to avert danger and Annabeth is on her own quest and this time she can't ask for two others. GOSH IS SHE STRONG.

This is one book that doesn't lack in anything at all. Its one of those unputdownable books.....and you know it. Riordan totally did it with book. The action, the mythology, his own twists and turns to the tale keeps you on the precipice of combustion. There is not one boring moment at all........

BUT GOD WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT ENDING........I think i'll add 'KING OF CLIFFHANGERS' to Mr. Riordan's name because that cliffhanger was way amazing. Jaw-dropping. Totally. And I now have to wait a grueling long year for the House of Hades?? WHAT US THE WORLD COMING TO!! I WANT IT NOW!!!!!!

"Freaking-Jaw-Dropping Cliffhanger.....Mythological action and Riordan's perfect writing.....An OMG inducing book.......DO NOT MISS IT......I REPEAT YOU CAN NOT MISS IT"

Genre :      Middle Grade, Urban Fantasy, Mythology


Publisher: Hyperion Book CH


Rate:             5 /5 (It was Amazing)

New Kid #1 The New Kid

Presenting New Kid #1 The New Kid by Temple Mathews.

Here is the summary of the book:

Will Hunter is used to being the New Kid; Harrisburg High School is his fifth new school in less than three years. By now, he knows not to be fooled by the bright pep rallies, the wholesome jocks, the innocent cheerleaders. He knows the evil lurking underneath. It’s the same evil that took his dad eight years ago: the same evil he battles every day. Natalie Holand’s life fell apart the night her sister Emily disappeared. No one believes her when she tells them what she saw: yellow and green eyes, glowing beneath the surface of the water in which Emily supposedly drowned. And Emily isn’t the only person to go missing in Harrisburg lately. The town is changing, not for the better, and Natalie doesn’t know why. What she does know is that, whatever’s happening, it’s bad, and the New Kid is right in the middle of it. Because Will has a secret even bigger than Harrisburg’s, and there’s more to it than even he knows. This fast-paced, action-packed first novel by veteran Hollywood screenwriter Temple Mathews takes the idea of high school as hell to a whole new level. Will’s story, part wish-fulfillment sci-fi adventure and part iconic hero’s journey with a side of budding romance, will appeal to teen readers of both genders.

Refreshing and very old school, Temple Mathews' The New kid brings back the norms of before. How we saw evil, high school and demon hunters. Yup you heard right this is the story of the new Kid, Will Hunter. Super genius, he has been hunting demons for a very long time. Battling them city after city, but this time, this might be the one. The one where Stan aka Lucifer aka The Dark One is finally defeated. The truth however comes out at last and it is definitely not something Will was expecting at all.

Very refreshing and a fast read. Will Hunter is a very interesting character to read about. A pretty face and so much more. This demon hunter is one to watch out for. Then there is Natalie, the interest, a distraction at first but a later girlfriend and a beacon in the dark for Will, she becomes his confident and his ally against the fight with the devil himself. A very sweet chemistry there, the one that balances out the seriousness of this book.

And my God! The climax was just so edgy. Will hunter may be accustomed to being a new kid by now, but the action and the game changing climax was just amazing. Simply brilliant job Mr. Mathews.

"Action and Romance - Fight against evil - Will Hunter is sure to leave you in awe with his skills"

Genre :      Young Adult, Paranormal


Publisher: Teen Libris


My Copy:  Netgalley and Publisher


Rate:              4/5 (It was Amazing)

Conquered Earth #1 Midnight City

A perfect futuristic sci-fi dystopia, worthy of being read and re-read. Presenting Conquered Earth #1 Midnight City by J. Barton Mitchell.

Here is the summary of the book:

Lord of the Flies meets War of the Worlds in J. Barton Mitchell's alien-invaded post-apocalyptic world where two teens and a young girl with amazing powers must stop the aliens’ mysterious plan. Earth has been conquered by an alien race known as the Assembly. The human adult population is gone, having succumbed to the Tone---a powerful, telepathic super-signal broadcast across the planet that reduces them to a state of complete subservience. But the Tone has one critical flaw. It only affects the population once they reach their early twenties, which means that there is one group left to resist: Children. Holt Hawkins is a bounty hunter, and his current target is Mira Toombs, an infamous treasure seeker with a price on her head. It’s not long before Holt bags his prey, but their instant connection isn’t something he bargained for. Neither is the Assembly ship that crash-lands near them shortly after. Venturing inside, Holt finds a young girl who remembers nothing except her name: Zoey. As the three make their way to the cavernous metropolis of Midnight City, they encounter young freedom fighters, mutants, otherworldly artifacts, pirates, feuding alien armies, and the amazing powers that Zoey is beginning to exhibit. Powers that suggest she, as impossible as it seems, may just be the key to stopping the Assembly once and for all. Midnight City is the breathtaking first book of the Conquered Earth series.

I have no more words it seems! Midnight City is the perfect product to these combined elements of sci-fi, dystopia, post-apocalyptic, alien invasion, fantasy and the mythos. The constant onslaught of action can hardly be missed. The dangerous-deadly-apocalyptic landscapes are a perfect depiction of an alien invaded-and-occupied Earth. And very graphic too. A plus point to this alchemy of genres.

Humanity is but extinct. Mitchell's blue planet is no longer what we see it as everyday. Earth is now an alien occupied planet, the Assembly (this is what the humans call the aliens) has taken over the adults. The children are left to fend for themselves. And situations have since then been escalating from bad to worse. Mitchell's post-apocalyptic world is a true marvel. Earth is a wasteland now, devoid of human 'mostly' but it is not just waste that lives in the ruins anymore, things have been growing in such dark places. Things that feed off of the darkness.

But a true marvel of this post-apocalyptic world is the creation of the Strange Lands and the Midnight City itself. The Strange Lands are strange indeed. Shrouded in mystery an almost fantastically edge to it. The Strange Lands is a place under a constant cover of storm clouds. A dangerous place, very much magnetized scientifically speaking if you mean. Then, there is Midnight City. This sprawling city is owned and operated by kids. A different world is itself altogether. This is a city that works on intrinsic formula of points tables. Everyday you play this play, dangerous, life threatening, devious games that garner you points, without which you can never hope to succeed in a place this ruthless.

And if those are not enough, the author supplies us with some dynamic characters you'll never read about anywhere else. Holt, Mira, Zoey and Max. You'll never find more dynamic characters than them. Barring Max, I don't think anybody else has all their cards laid out wide on the table. Just when you think you begin to understand their motifs, they bring about something new to the game. Holt is a surviver, if he sets his mind to something he does all he can to attain it. Mira, just like the city is hidden behind layers over layers, intricately woven together......and Zoey.....well she is special, very special.

Applause to the author though, he has produced this masterpiece of an amazing product that may never have been thought possible. Midnight City coolly places the Entrée before you with unimaginable flavors. It is upto you to bit into it........I for one am famished for the main course, the next book rather hungrily if you know what I mean.

"A never before seen balanced alchemy of sci-fi, post-apocalyptic, fantasy and mythology. It is just the Entrée......don't miss out on it"

Genre :      Young Adult, Sci-fi, Dystopia, Post-Apocalyptic


Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin


My Copy:  Netgalley and Publisher


Rate:              4/5 (It was Amazing)