Nine Days by Fred Hiatt

Synopsis from Goodreads: A fast-paced contemporary thriller in the vein of James Patterson and Anthony Horowitz set against the bustling backdrop of Hong Kong, Vietnam, and the border of China. This heart-pounding adventure takes place as two teens, an American teenage boy and his friend, a Chinese girl from his Washington, DC-area high school, must find her father who has been kidnapped—and they only have nine days. Although the characters in the novel are fictionalized, they are based on a real Chinese family who were part of the Chinese Democracy Movement and inspired this story.

Number of pages: 256
My review: Seeing as that I've been to China (and Hong Kong) I absolutely loved this book. It definitely took me back to all the culture, sights, sounds, and just amazingness that is China. Not only that but I loved how the author implemented the political sector and what is going on, not only in China, but also in the United States as well. It was implemented in such a way that it wasn't like I was reading all this information about politics that I was bored, it flowed well with the story line, and really pulled the whole story together very nicely.
I also loved how this was based on a true story, so I could totally imagine a lot of this stuff happening. All the different situations that Ti-Anna and Ethan got into. It was extremely fast paced, and just kept flowing and flowing. Definitely makes me wish I was back in China *nostalgia*
When I was finished reading I was kinda wishing that there would be a sequel! It ended on sort of cliff-hanger ending, but also tied up a lot of loose ends, and left me feeling overall pleased with the whole novel. This definitely inspired me to want to read more novels on Asia in general, or novels about kidnapping and social unrest in communist China.
You're sort of getting a history lesson, action adventure, and tour of China and Hong Kong, all in one book. It wasn't overpowering, super easy to read, and I loved the whole darn thing. Ti-Anna and Ethan were really strong characters who were just smart. It's not often I come across characters that actually have some common sense (they're all either so in love that they can't think straight, or just so engrossed in become a mythical creature and trying to discover who they are that there's no room to show off their intelligence.)
Anyways, I would definitely recommend this for adults and young adults it was so great! I gave it 5 out of 5 stars on Goodreads!
See you soon!

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Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King

Synopsis from Goodreads: Vera’s spent her whole life secretly in love with her best friend, Charlie Kahn. And over the years she’s kept a lot of his secrets. Even after he betrayed her. Even after he ruined everything.
 
So when Charlie dies in dark circumstances, Vera knows a lot more than anyone—the kids at school, his family, even the police. But will she emerge to clear his name? Does she even want to?
 
Edgy and gripping, Please Ignore Vera Dietz is an unforgettable novel: smart, funny, dramatic, and  lways surprising.

Number of pages: 336
My review: Wow. You know those books that when you're done reading them you kind of just sit there and stare off into space and your mind sort of goes blank? That's what I did after I read this. It was just so profound.
I don't think a book has ever made me cry as much this one did. It was really deep and made me think about all the people out there who have problems that are similar to Vera's and Charlie's. Also, the plot itself was written so beautifully and was so original that I just found myself wanting to devour the book even more. Overall, great read. Like really, really great.
I honestly can't put into words my feelings about this book. It's kind of like Perks of Being a Wallflower except more sad, and more involved with a larger variety of characters.
I think I'll leave this review at that. Seriously go read this. It will probably be on my list of top favorites of 2013 because it was just so excellent. I was pleasantly surprised after reading Ask the Passengers which I didn't really like and then I read this book and it was so excellent. Bottom line: GO READ IT.
See you soon!

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Top Ten Tuesday #18

Check out all the info here at The Broke and The Bookish's website!

May 14: Top Ten books dealing with tough issues

(Side note: These are in no particular order)

1. Crank by Ellen Hopkins

2. Tricks by Ellen Hopkins

3. Confessions of a Teenage Hermaphrodite by Lianne Simon

4. The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

5. Cracked Up To Be by Courtney Summers

6. Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King

7. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

8. A Child Called "It" by Dave Pelzer

9. The Look by Sohpia Bennett

10. Easy by Tammara Webber

What's on your list? Leave a link below and I'll come check it out!

See you soon!

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Stacking the Shelves #12

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga over at Tynga's Reviews. Stacking the Shelves is a way to show off what books you have received throughout the week (whether they be for review, from the library, etc.)

This week: May 5th - May 12th

Received from library: 

Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King

(I'm currently reading this and absolutely LOVE it)

Nine Days by Fred Hiatt

Received from Paperbackswap:

Rose Daughter by Robin McKiinley

Purchased on Amazon:

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

What did you get this week? Leave me a link below and I'll come check it out!

See you soon!

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Agent Colt Shore: Domino 29 by Axel Avian

Synopsis from Goodreads: When an ordinary kid learns he’s the heir to a secret agent dynasty, F.A.L.C.O.N puts him on a case to protect a famous rock group and find a missing journalist. Before he knows it, Colt Shore has gone from body guard to rock star to full-fledged agent when he learns that a human trafficking ring plans to kidnap a group of teenage girls. It will take more than his ingenuity and skills and a couple of cool gadgets to protect his new friends and rescue the captured girls before it’s too late.

Number of pages: 370
Release Date: May 15, 2013
My review: This book was such a great surprise for me. I didn't expect to like it as much as I did and I can honestly say that this is one of my favorite books of 2013! Agent Colt Shore had it all; action, adventure, secret agents, cool gadgets, and a really great plot to top it all off.
Right from the start we are thrown into a world where there is a high school set up for secret agents in training for a company called FALCON. But, unlike other YA books where the characters are placed into this school and they have to go through the whole "who am I? I'm not a *insert type of person here including but not limited too; vampire, werewolf, etc.* No, Colt knew from the start that he was an agent in training which I really liked. Of course there were secrets here and there that were revealed and that definitely made the book all that more interesting.
As Colt begins his adventure, and right up until the end, I liked how we kinda of got a history of the different places he was going or a connection to real life events that had transpired in different places of the globe. This made me a lot more interested and curious about the real life issues going on in these settings and often I'd set the book down to do my own research, which was way, way, cool.
Agent Colt was one of those characters that I felt an immediate liking to. He was level-headed and wise despite the fact that he was a 15 year old newbie in his field, but he just had this aura about him that drew you in.
Also, often with books like this about secret agents and adventure and stuff you feel that the characters get too lucky, but I didn't feel that way at all. All of the obstacles that Colt had to overcome sounded reasonable and like something that could happen in real life.
Overall, it was just a really awesome and fantastic book. I can't express to you how good it was. Of course, once I finished the book all I could think was, when is this going to be made into a movie, and when is there going to be a sequel?

Here's some more info about Agent Colt Shore: Domino 29 and Axel Avian, the author!

axelavian@gmail.com – write and say hello or ask questions .

AxelAvian.com – Come and browse the site for more on locations and characters in the book. PLUS - a challenging Android and iphone game ap called Agent Colt Shore: Falcon Academy on the website to be released on May 15^th as well.

AMAZON Hour!! – Buy the book May 15^th before noon on Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Agent-Colt-Shore-Domino-29/dp/1933608528/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1367417773&sr=8-1&keywords=agent+colt+shore+domino+29

Check out Axel’s latest YouTube installment of “Regular Guy Spy” where he answers reader questions about his mysterious past as a secret agent. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBtoIQ8O_zI

You can follow Axel on Instagram!!

The publishing company is running a Fan Fiction writing contest with some great prizes: write another chapter of Agent Colt Shore using one of the characters from the book and submit to Karen.lee@arundelpublishing.com

Want to win the book for yourself? Enter below! We have five books to give away!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


See you soon!

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Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

Synopsis from Goodreads: Crazy Rich Asians is the outrageously funny debut novel about three super-rich, pedigreed Chinese families and the gossip, backbiting, and scheming that occurs when the heir to one of the most massive fortunes in Asia brings home his ABC (American-born Chinese) girlfriend to the wedding of the season.
When Rachel Chu agrees to spend the summer in Singapore with her boyfriend, Nicholas Young, she envisions a humble family home, long drives to explore the island, and quality time with the man she might one day marry. What she doesn't know is that Nick's family home happens to look like a palace, that she'll ride in more private planes than cars, and that with one of Asia's most eligible bachelors on her arm, Rachel might as well have a target on her back. Initiated into a world of dynastic splendor beyond imagination, Rachel meets Astrid, the It Girl of Singapore society; Eddie, whose family practically lives in the pages of the Hong Kong socialite magazines; and Eleanor, Nick's formidable mother, a woman who has very strong feelings about who her son should--and should not--marry. Uproarious, addictive, and filled with jaw-dropping opulence, Crazy Rich Asians is an insider's look at the Asian JetSet; a perfect depiction of the clash between old money and new money; between Overseas Chinese and Mainland Chinese; and a fabulous novel about what it means to be young, in love, and gloriously, crazily rich.

Release date: June 11, 2013
Number of pages: 403

My review: Honestly, I have a couple of different emotions about this book. I read it while reading a few other books because it is just a massive hunk of a book (you know the type, big book but tiny writing), but also because there were some spots that were a bit slow for me. The first 100 pages were awesome; a lot of backstory which made me really care for or understand the characters later on down the road, and I liked how the switching viewpoints was set up. Sometimes when books switch the views on different characters I am left feeling a bit confused and dizzy, but Crazy Rich Asians did it where it wasn't switching all over the place and each character had their fair share of speaking time throughout the novel.
The next 100 pages (so around the 200 range) were pretty good, lot's of name dropping and finally more of the characters and families get to interact, especially Rachel being introduced to a large majority of Nick's family. Also more thrawting and scheming comes out which always makes a book more exciting!
Then the 300 page range. Oh my goodness. It seemed to drag on a little too long. The story was good I just felt that it wasn't going anywhere fast. Often in cases like this I'll say something like it could have been taken out, but honestly it's probably better left in otherwise the ending would have felt weird or sort of rushed (which it already kind of was but I'll explain that in a minute).
The last 100 pages were pretty awesome. A LOT more drama started happening and the ending story about Rachel and her mom made the whole book worth it. That story in itself could be a novella or companion novel for this book!
The characters themselves were pretty cool. Nick and Rachel are a good couple; you can totally see how they are compatible, even if Rachel is sometimes a little TOO goody-two-shoes for my liking (although she does have her moments of outburst which made me laugh).
Nick's family; pretty much all jerks, except for a couple cousins or uncles and aunts here and there. His mother is pretty awful although his dad seems super cool. Astrid, one of Nick's cousins is honestly such a chic and cool character. I loved her little side story and I was rooting for her from the very beginning (dare I say it, more than Rachel?). Rachel's family, which is just her mom, total sweetheart. Loved her!
Another cool thing about the book was when it discussed Asian cuisine or used some phrases that were in different languages it left little asterisk and at the bottom of the pages it explained everything for you. Some were really short one sentence things, but some asterisk were pretty long and took up almost half the page. You're sort of getting a mini-history lesson with some of the things the author included.
So, in conclusion, it wasn't completely awesome but it wasn't a let down either. I gave it a solid four stars on Goodreads and I would definitely recommend you check this out for yourself when it comes out. Warning though; if you don't like name dropping or rich people flaunting money, don't read this. You'll hate it.
See you soon!

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Top Ten Tuesday #17

Check out all the info here at The Broke and The Bookish's website!

May 7: Top Ten Books when you need something light and fun!

(Just a little side note, sorry I've been skipping a couple of the past TTT's but I've been crazy busy studying for AP tests. It's a miracle that I'm even posting this one!)

1. Anything by Lisi Harrison

2. Anything by Rachel Hawthorne 

3. Anything by Zoey Dean

4. Austenland by Shannon Hale

5. Cruel Summer by Alyson Noel

6. The Death by Bikini Mysteries by Linda Gerber

7. Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

8. Pretty much any romance ever written

9. Sweet 16 by Kate Brian

10. The Summer series by Katherine Applegate

What's on your list?

See you soon!

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Book Blogger Confessions #5

Here's what it's all about: "Started in January 2012, by Karen - For What It's Worth & Tiger - Tiger's All Consuming Media & now co-hosted with my good friend Pam from Midnyte reader, Book Blogger Confessions is a meme that posts the 1st and 3rd Monday of every month, where book bloggers "confess" and vent about blogging/bookish topics. Feel free to share, vent and offer solutions.

Just keep it respectful - no bashing authors or other bloggers!"

May 6th Topic: Reading challenges: Do you host or join in any? What is your success rate on completing them? Do they keep your reading goals on track, put too many restrictions/pressure on you?  What do you think makes for a successful reading challenge? 

Ahh reading challenges. The thing either you love or you hate. Personally, I love them! I did one for the first time last year and (unfortunately) did not finish due to crazy college application preperation and a lot of crazy stuff going on at the end of the year but it was fun to participate. I like how it tells me exactly how many books I've read this year without wondering "I wonder how many books I've read this year".

I do not host any, and the only one I do do (haha) is the one on Goodreads where you set your own goal. This year I have set a goal of 100 books and currently I am 8 books (or 8%) ahead of schedule! 

Last year when I did the reading challenge for the first time I felt myself scrambling at the end of the year to try and finish quick, short books and that felt wrong to me. So hopefully at the end of this year I won't feel so pressured by that. However, you can opt out at any time so you shouldn't feel too pressured!

I think for a successful reading challenge it should be exactly that; a challenge! Something that makes you work a little harder instead of slogging your way through books. I like the idea of those challenges that require you to read books from different genres but I haven't joined one...yet. Mainly because I need to finish my TBR shelf, which I guess in itself is a challenge, but I digress. Reading challenges are whatever you want them to be. Bend the rules! Make it your own! They're just for fun anyways! And isn't that what we're all here for? To have fun?

See you soon!

P.S. I totally missed the discussion from last week so I didn't realize until now that Google Reader is being disbanded. Can someone explain to me what that means for all of us that use Blogspot? I'm really curious. Thanks everyone! Also leave your thoughts about this topic below too! I love hearing from you guys!

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The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Synopsis from Goodreads: Charlie is a freshman.

And while he's not the biggest geek in the school, he is by no means popular. Shy, introspective, intelligent beyond his years yet socially awkward, he is a wallflower, caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it.

Charlie is attempting to navigate his way through uncharted territory: the world of first dates and mix tapes, family dramas and new friends; the world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite. But he can't stay on the sideline forever. Standing on the fringes of life offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a deeply affecting coming-of-age story that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller-coaster days known as growing up.Number of pages: 213

My review: Honestly, everyone and their mother has done a review of this book. Just go read it. Please, right now, do it. After I finished reading it (during which I laughed and cried) I wrote down a list of things I was feeling so I could better explain how I felt once I was finished. I knew it would be a week or so before I wrote this review so this is what I felt a week ago:

• Happy
• Sad
• Disbelief
• Humbled 
• Content 
• Out of body
• Melancholy
• Wise
• Perceptive 

Then, I decided to reread it and I started noticing that it had some really, really good quotes, but it was definitely better during the first read through. Maybe because I started noticing more things and maybe because after the first reading of any book you're kind of let down by reading it again immediately afterwards. I definitely need to come back to this again in a few months.

But seriously, go read it. I know people who never ever read and they loved this book so please take the time to go read it. Also, if anyone has seen the movie and they enjoyed it, or hated it, or felt it was/was not close to the book please let me know! I still need to see it and would like a few opinions!

See you soon!

P.S. This review is so short that there is literally nothing I can say about this book which has already not been said. And it's one of those things you just have to experience on your own. You'll either love it or hate it so go read it and decide. 

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Stacking the Shelves #11

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga over at Tynga's Reviews. Stacking the Shelves is a way to show off what books you have received throughout the week (whether they be for review, from the library, etc.)

This week: April 21st-April 28th

Received from library:

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky 

Received from Paperbackswap:

Bergdorf Blondes by Plum Sykes

What did you get this week? Leave a comment/link below and I'll come check it out!

See you soon!

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Top Ten Tuesday #16

Check out all the info here at The Broke and The Bookish's website!

April 25th: Top Ten Books I liked more/less than I thought I would

So for this I'll be splitting it right down the middle and the first five will be books that I liked more than I thought I would and the last five will be the one's that I liked less than I thought I would

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1. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

2. Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

3. Marked by P.C. and Kristen Cast

4. Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief by Rick Riordan

5. Tricks by Ellen Hopkins

Less

1. The Host by Stephenie Meyer

2. Pop Tart by Kira Coplin and Julianne Kaye

3. Distant Waves by Suzanne Weyn

4. Crazy In Love by Dandi Daley Mackall

5. Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad (liked this one A LOT less than I thought I would)

What's on your list?

See you soon!

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Bergdorf Blondes by Plum Sykes

Synopsis from Goodreads: Plum Sykes beguiling debut welcomes readers to the glamorous world of Park Avenue Princesses, the girls who careen through Manhattan in search of the perfect Fake Bake (tan acquired from Portofino Tanning Salon), a ride on a PJ (private jet) with the ATM (rich boyfriend), and the ever-elusive fiance. 

With invitations to high-profile baby showers and benefits, more Marc Jacobs clothes than is decent, and a department store heiress for a best friend, our heroine known only as Moi is living at the peak of New York society. But what is Moi to do when her engagement falls apart? Can she ever find happiness in a city filled with the distractions of Front Row Girls, dermatologists, premieres, and eyebrow waxes? Is it possible to find love in a town where her friends think that the secret to happiness is getting invited to the Van Cleef and Arpels private sample sale? And how is she going to deal with the endless phone calls from her mother in England demanding that she get married to the Earl next door?

With enormous wit and an insider's eye, Sykes captures the nuances of the rich and spoiled in a heartwarming social satire, featuring a loveable "champagne bubble of a girl" who's just looking for love (and maybe the perfect pair of Chloe jeans).

Number of pages: 320
My review: Okay just a heads up; If you don't like superficial people or books about superficial people, then you better not read this book. Bergdorf Blondes takes these super rich and wealthy people and basically talks about their lives and how the live with all this money and how they're "hunting" for husbands and stuff like that. Our main character, who's name is never stated she is simply "Moi", was someone I started out liking but gradually started to see her real side, which I didn't like.
At first I thought she was a girl who was definitely not as priveliged as her friends (i.e. she claims she borrows clothes from the work closet, and borrows things from her friend Julie Bergdorf, etc.) and the way she talks about her friend Julie, I thought okay, maybe she's really down to earth and Julie is not. Maybe she keeps her grounded.
WRONG. WRONG. WRONG.
"Moi" is just as superficial as Julie and does most of the same things Julie does. Perhaps she wasn't as dramatic as her friends but she sure was stupid sometimes. A lot of the men in the novel kept telling her to stop being selfish and petty and to think about someone other than herself and she never understood them. She couldn't grasp the concept that everything wasn't about her. Definitely frustrating.
I also thought her relationships with the variety of men was very superficial, and she obviously only liked them for their money.
On the other hand, I did like the name dropping and all the talk about the luxiours dresses, jets, hand bags, shoes, etc. It makes any girl pine to be rich and wish that she was living the life that is described in the novel (minus the annoying friends).
The plot itself really went nowhere, but it was a really fast read. I smiled through a lot of it, mostly because it was so ridiculous. But all in all I would say it was a fun read that you can't take too seriously and it's just something for when you're between other books. Needless to say, I gave it three out of five stars on Goodreads, so you make the call.
See you soon,

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