You Have Got to Check Out This Book!

I read a series this weekend that blew me away! While looking through Amazon's deals I found Please Don't Tell My Parents I'm a Supervillain by Richard Roberts. I DEVOURED this book! I couldn't tear my eyes away from it and after I finished the first book, I immediately bought the second one and started reading it until late in the morning!

 Penelope Akk wants to be a superhero. She's got superhero parents. She's got the ultimate mad science power, filling her life with crazy gadgets even she doesn't understand. She has two super-powered best friends. In middle school, the line between good and evil looks clear. 

In real life, nothing is that clear. All it takes is one hero's sidekick picking a fight, and Penny and her friends are labeled supervillains. In the process, Penny learns a hard lesson about villainy: She's good at it. 

Criminal masterminds, heroes in power armor, bottles of dragon blood, alien war drones, shapeshifters and ghosts, no matter what the super powered world throws at her, Penny and her friends come out on top. They have to. If she can keep winning, maybe she can clear her name before her mom and dad find out.

While reading I couldn't believe this was a middle grade book- I loved it! And if my recommendation doesn't do it, what about the 4.34 rating on Goodreads ought to convince you! (to put that into perspective, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone has a 4.39) 

The best part of this? You can purchase the first book for only $0.99 today! So do yourself a favor! Go! Buy it! Love it! And if you do try it, come back here and leave a comment and tell me what you think! 

Teaser Tuesday

Hi everyone! And welcome to Teaser Tuesday! This is a meme hosted by A Daily Rhythm (formally Should Be Reading). 

In this meme you pick up your current read and post two teaser sentences from it- but no spoilers! 

This week's teasers are from Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender. 

Alexis thought she led a typically dysfunctional high school existence. Dysfunctional like her parents' marriage; her doll-crazy twelve-year-old sister, Kasey; and even her own anti-social, anti-cheerleader attitude. When a family fight results in some tearful sisterly bonding, Alexis realizes that her life is creeping from dysfunction into danger. Kasey is acting stranger than ever: her blue eyes go green sometimes; she uses old-fashioned language; and she even loses track of chunks of time, claiming to know nothing about her strange behavior. Their old house is changing, too. Doors open and close by themselves; water boils on the unlit stove; and an unplugged air conditioner turns the house cold enough to see their breath in.

Alexis wants to think that it's all in her head, but soon, what she liked to think of as silly parlor tricks are becoming life-threatening--to her, her family, and to her budding relationship with the class president. Alexis knows she's the only person who can stop Kasey -- but what if that green-eyed girl isn't even Kasey anymore?

Using my new Kindle's ability to flip through the book, I decided on a random page in Chapter 7. (Unfortunately my Kindle is giving me locations instead of page numbers.) 

The basement door is right down the hall from the kitchen. I stood outside it for a really long minute, staring at the doorknob. I really- and I mean really- had no desire to open it and go down those stairs. 

I thought I heard something on the other side of the wall.
"Kasey, are you down here?"
Still no answer, but this time I heard a definite sound. 

I just started this book but I was really intrigued by the premise- creepy possessed little sisters? I'm all in for that. 

What do you think of this week's Teaser Tuesday? Do you participate in this meme? Have you read Bad Girls Don't Die? Leave me a comment and let me know!  

Seed Review

I recently had the chance to read Seed by debut author Lisa Heathfield. 

All that Pearl knows can be encapsulated in one word: Seed. It is the isolated community that she was born into. It is the land that she sows and reaps. It is the center of her family and everything that means home. And it is all kept under the watchful eye of Papa S.

At fifteen years old, Pearl is finally old enough to be chosen as Papa S’s companion. She feels excitement... and surprising trepidation that she cannot explain. The arrival of a new family into the Seed community — particularly the teenage son, Ellis — only complicates the life and lifestyle that Pearl has depended upon as safe and constant. 

Ellis is compelling, charming, and worldly, and he seems to have a lot of answers to questions Pearl has never thought to ask. But as Pearl digs to the roots of the truth, only she can decide what she will allow to come to the surface.

I was super excited to read this book! When I read that description, I was hooked! I know we always make jokes about "drinking the kool-aid" or cult mentality. But how would it be to read from the POV from someone who is actually on the inside? Who believes whole-heartedly that what her leader says is law? 

We get that experience with Pearl because she cannot imagine a better place in the world to live than Seed. No one is hungry at Seed. No one is unhappy at Seed because Nature provides everything they need and communicates to the community through Papa S. Papa S leads the family in his loving ways and Pearl is so excited to finally be a woman, to be considered to be his Companion. 

This was such an interesting read! It was definitely not for the faint of heart because the observant reader quickly picks up on the emotional and sexual abuse going on in the background of this utopia. But our narrator Pearl is completely naive. 

I'm not going to lie, at first I wasn't a big fan of newcomer Ellis. He came off very arrogant and I felt like he treated Pearl like she was stupid for her beliefs. But I slowly grew to understand that his attitude was that of a teenage boy who is forced into an unfamiliar territory that goes against everything that he was ever taught.

Other than Ellis's occasional bought of teenage moodiness and arrogance, my only other (slight) problem with this book was how quickly the book seemed to rush to the end. It felt like the majority of the book was building to something that in the end, was over rather quickly. That being said, what happened in the end blew me away and I'm surprised the author went with the ending she did. 

I would recommend this to 16+ readers who are emotionally mature enough to deal with the adult nature of this book. Its a great read and I highly recommend it to readers who enjoy a female protagonist that isn't traditionally "strong". Pearl has doubts, she cries, she is at times naive, she's not physically any stronger than a normal 15 year old girl, but she has an inner strength that pushes her to do the right thing that I really admire. 

*I received a free ARC of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. This in no way influenced my review.

The Gemini Effect Review

Hi guys! I have a super exciting new book to tell you about- The Gemini Effect by Chuck Grossart!

A single raindrop opens a Pandora’s box when the spawn of perverse genetic research performed during World War II is unleashed on an unsuspecting modern world. By dawn, only a dead city remains, eerily quiet and still, except for mutant beasts that hide from the light, multiply, and await the shadows of night to continue their relentless advance.

Ordered to investigate the unfolding crisis, biowarfare specialist Carolyn Ridenour barely escapes the creatures’ nocturnal onslaught, saved in the nick of time by Colonel Garrett Hoffman, who lost hundreds of his troops to a swarm that neither bombs nor bullets can stop.


As Carolyn and Garrett race to stop the plague, a battered and broken government prepares to release the fury of America’s nuclear arsenal on its own soil and its own citizens.

The Gemini Effect is a wild roller coaster going 100 miles an hour to what you know will be your total annihilation, and you can't wait to get there!

We follow biological warfare expert Carolyn as she struggles to understand the virus that has been unleashed on America, President Smith as he comes to grips with the what has happened and decides the best course of action, and Vice President Allison as she watches her country  come undone. In 4 days, we see America spiral out of control and the end of the world as we know it.

I really did not expect to enjoy this book as much I did but I really enjoyed it! I found myself rooting for some characters, despising others, and terrified of the horde that was sweeping the nation. 

I was able to download this book as part of the Kindle First program as part of being a Kindle Prime member.

The Good Dog Review

As part of my personal young adult challenge I read The Good Dog by AVI. This was the first book I chose off the shelves and the first book I've finished as part of my challenge.

 
When the Wild Calls McKinley, a malamute, is a good dog -- he's reliable and trustworthy. Whether it's watching over the other dogs of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, or taking care of his human pup, Jack, McKinley never even thinks of letting anyone down -- until he meets Lupin. Lupin is a she-wolf and she's urging the dogs of Steamboat Springs to leave their domesticated lives and join her wild pack. And though she scares McKinley, he also finds himself drawn to her and the life of freedom that she offers.

For the first time, McKinley's loyalties are torn. Should he stay with his humans and continue to lead the dogs of Steamboat Springs? Or should he join the wolf and live freely, like his ancestors did? When the wild calls, what will McKinley's answer be?




My thoughts:
I would hesitate to call this a book for young adults. This was more a book for children ages 7-11. That being said, it wasn't a bad book and I did enjoy reading a less well-known AVI book. This book is about a dog, McKinley who has to deal with the struggle of whether is more interested in being a "good dog" or honoring his wolf ancestors. Because the book was more appropriate for a younger audience, the writing was quite simplified and the characters weren't extremely developed. The author did try to put human terms/objects into terms a dog might understand- for example "cold box", "more car place", etc. The book has a heavy message of what it means to be a dog owner and emphasizes kind treatment to animals and viewing our pets as equals rather than possessions.

Overall, this was a simple cute read that I would feel great about giving to any young reader, mostly a young boy who is dog-obsessed or into wolves. I don't think this counts as a young adult book however.

Young Adult Library Personal Challenge

Today I went to the library to return some of the zombie books I had checked out and I was wandering the young adult stacks looking for more books to fuel my addiction, I thought "Huh. I've actually read most of these books. I wonder if I could read all of them." And so my personal challenge was born. 

I have challenged myself to read every book in the young adult section of my public library. Every. One. No matter the subject matter, length, or personal interest. So I started picking random books off the shelves. I'm not going by any particular order. 

This week's books are: 

The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson

The Good Dog by AVI

In The Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters

I'll still be reading adult books but my main focus will be on my personal challenge so be on a look out for this week's reviews!

Teaser Tuesday: Masque of the Red Death

So I know I may be the only person who HASN'T read The Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin but just in case you missed the bandwagon too, I've decided to use it for Teaser Tuesday.

Teaser Tuesday is a meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. To participate all you need to do is grab your current read, flip to a page, and post 2 teaser non-spoiler sentences from that page!

Everything is in ruins.

A devastating plague has decimated the population, and those who are left live in fear of catching it as the city crumbles around them.

So what does Araby Worth have to live for?

Nights in the Debauchery Club, beautiful dresses, glittery makeup . . . and tantalizing ways to forget it all.

But in the depths of the club—in the depths of her own despair—Araby will find more than oblivion. She will find Will, the terribly handsome proprietor of the club, and Elliott, the wickedly smart aristocrat. Neither is what he seems. Both have secrets. Everyone does.

And Araby may find not just something to live for, but something to fight for—no matter what it costs her.

Waiting on Wednesday and Wishlist Wednesday

Today I'm joining Waiting on Wednesday hosted by Breaking the Spine. 

This is a meme where you post about an upcoming book that you're excited about. 

I'll be joining my Waiting on Wednesday post with Wishlist Wednesday hosted by Pen to Paper. 

This is a meme where you post about a book that you can't wait to get off your wishlist and onto your shelves!

The book that I have been waiting for for more than 8 months that was just released is The One by Kiera Cass. 

The Selection changed the lives of thirty-five girls forever. And now, the time has come for one winner to be chosen.
America never dreamed she would find herself anywhere close to the crown—or to Prince Maxon's heart. But as the competition approaches its end and the threats outside the palace walls grow more vicious, America realizes just how much she stands to lose—and how hard she'll have to fight for the future she wants.

I finished book two in this series The Elite back in November when I couldn't find a concrete answer for when the last book was coming out and it drove me crazy! I'm super excited the book is finally out- it was released May 6th but I'm still going to have to wait to get it from the library or find room in the budget to buy it. 

I find myself really enjoying this book- it is kind of a Cinderella tale with lots of women coming to the ball to vie for the Prince's attention but only one is going to come away the queen. I don't really know why I enjoy this book so much though. There is a serious case of insta-love here and now we have two love triangles- one on either side and this is objectively the kind of book I can't stand. BUT I REALLY DO ENJOY IT AND I CAN'T WAIT TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENS NEXT! I can view this book as an objective outsider and it really isn't a great book- the main plot is who is going to end up with who and the secondary plot is what is happening with the country but somehow it works.

Have you read The Selection? What do you think? Have you ever had a book that you loved that you had no idea WHY you love it? Leave me a comment and let me know!