*Review* Everblossom – Larissa Hinton

 Everblossom: A Short Story and Poetry Anthology

Larissa Hinton

53 pages

ASIN: B005H5GKIY

Format: E-book

Source: Author

Everblossom is a short anthology of stories and poetry that represent different stages of a flower (seed, bud, blossom).  The stories and poems are dark, light, realistic, fantasy, heartbreaking, disturbing and everything in between.

The stories are very diverse and I enjoyed them, though there were several typos throughout the book.  I enjoyed the writing style and felt it was very clear.  I have to say I enjoyed the poetry more than the stories, however.  I found the Words Speak Volumes poems were very intriguing and well written.  Almost every line was a single word that may or may not directly connect to the next word, but all together, it spelled out the entire story without having to include every word like a story.

I rated this book as a 4, though it was really almost a 4, but above a 3.5, so it’s real rating would have to be 3.75.  The stories still had me intrigued and left me wanting to know more about what was going to happen in the stories, so the author did well at keeping your attention and interest.

This book could fall under adult or young adult because of the subjects it goes over, though I wouldn’t suggest anyone 13 or younger read it because some of the harsher subjects.  All in all, I enjoyed it, but I wish it had been longer.

Diverse, dark in places, well-written, unique, a bit too short.

Best of 2011

Hi guys!  I hope you all had wonderful holidays.  I know I certainly did, especially since it was my first Christmas on in several years.  My break is over, now back to posting!  Here’s a post of favorites for my 2011 reads!  You can click the titles to get to my reviews.

Top Ten Best Books

In no specific order…

 1.  Tempest Rising – A dark mermaid story that I loved and the author did a wonderful job creating the underwater world and the heartbreak.  Wonderful characters and story.

2.  Fins are Forever –  Another mermaid book, but much brighter and quirkier than Tempest Rising.  I adore the Fins stories!

3.  The Girl Who Chased the Moon – A wonderfully written novel that has a touch of magical elements.  Beautiful and meaningful.

4.  Babe in Boyland – An incredibly fun read!  Sneakiness, scheming, cross-dressing, a ton of fun and some romance all mixed together!

5.  Anna Dressed in Blood – This was a perfect Halloween read! Creepy in the right spots and gory in a fun, vivid way.

6.  Ashfall – Post-apocalyptic novel about a realistic geological disaster that showed the good and ugly of the human race under the stress of such a world changing event.

7.  The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer – This book was a very enthralling read.  You felt as confused about everything as the main character was and it was unputdownable!

8.  The Language of Flowers – Beautifully written and a wonderful story that had me fully engrossed in the characters and their world.

9.  Eve – I was so absorbed with this book I read it in only a couple of sittings and I loved it.  I can’t wait for the next installment!

10.  The Near Witch – Just finished this one and it was amazing!!  Wonderful fairy tale like story for young adult and a great writing style to go with it.

Best Adult Writer

My favorite adult writer during 2011 is definitely Sarah Addison Allen.  I just discovered her this year and she has a beautiful writing style.  I will certainly be getting my hands on every one of her books I can.

Best Young Adult Writer

My favorite young adult writer for 2011 is Tera Lynn Childs.  I constantly gush over the Fins books and I can’t wait for the third to come out.  I love her characters and the worlds she creates.

Best Debut Novel

My favorite debut novel is the one I just finished, The Near Witch.  The writing style is much different than most of the other YA and I loved the fairy tale feel of it.  The author creates beautiful imagery with her descriptiveness.  A must read!

Best Cover

My favorite cover of my 2011 reads has to be Tiger’s Curse by Colleen Houck, not only is it a beautiful cover anyway, but it also has my favorite animal on the front, the white tiger!  Plus, the cover was shiny and I like shiny 🙂

Best Title

I really like book titles, they can really get your attention, almost as much as the cover itself.  My favorite title is A Need so Beautiful.  The title itself is beautiful and poetic.  The title of the second book may get to be my favorite for 2012 because it is an awesome title, too!

Favorite Book

My favorite book out of all my reads in 2011 would have to be Anna Dressed in Blood.  This book was fabulous!  It is very hard to creep me out, but at the end of chapter 20, the hair on my arms was standing up.  Hence the reason this book made it on my Favorite Reads page.

*Review* The Near Witch – Victoria Schwab

The Near Witch

Victoria Schwab

282 pages

ISBN: 9781423137870

Format: Hardcover

Source: Library

The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children.

If the wind calls at night, you must not listen.

  The wind is lonely, and always looking for company.

There are no strangers in the town of Near.

     These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life.  But when an actual stranger – a boy who seems to fade like smoke – appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.

The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion.  As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi’s need to know – about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.

Part fairy tale, part love story, Victoria Schwab’s debut novel is entirely original yet achingly familiar: a song you heard long ago, a whisper carried by the wind, and a dream you won’t soon forget.

This was a fantastic novel!!  I really loved this book and the voice in which it was written.  I felt like I was in an old village with these characters and was being told the tale of the old scary witch.  The writing of the novel is strong and feels like a voice from long ago, and it is filled with wonderful descriptions.  The language is simple, yet very elegant and rich.
I loved the characters.  Most of them anyway, except for the ones you aren’t supposed to love of course.  Lexi is a very responsible and be-herself character, even though her uncle constantly wanted her to do the things girls are supposed to do.  I would have liked to have seen a touch more from Cole, though, but he was a good character as well.
As for the cover of the book, I found it very appealing and inviting.  The way the subject is peering from behind the curtain gives a mysterious air, making you wonder what she is looking at.  I also like the fact that it isn’t a dark cover, instead it is mostly white with dark font, which is a fancy older looking script.
This story is old and new at the same time.  The plot was great, the dilemmas were great, the idea was great, and the voice was great.  The only complaint I have against the book is that the resolution was a bit anticlimactic.  They are running around trying to solve these problems and find the children and finally when the big final scene comes, it’s really quick and over.  I did a “that was it?” after I read it, but that’s the only grievance from me on this book.  Wonderful, wonderful read!

Elegant, incredibly descriptive, fairy tale feel,  engaging, simplistic resolution.

Top Ten Tuesday (6)

 Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted at The Broke and The Bookish.  Each week a new top ten list is posted, and to participate all you have to do is fill in YOUR top ten for the list.

This week the topic is:

The Top Ten Books I Hope Santa Brings Me

1.  Destined – Jessie Harrell – I have been wanting to get this book since before it came out, and, strangely, it isn’t offered in book form on B&N, which was disappointing since I do most of my book buying from B&N.

2.  Across the Universe – Beth Revis – I haven’t had the pleasure of reading this one yet, and I have heard so many great things about it!

3.  The Space Between – Brenna Yovanoff – The cover was very eye-catching and the synopsis is very intriguing.  Definite want!

4.  Psych Major Syndrome – Alicia Thompson – I have been wanting this book for forever now, but I just haven’t gotten around to getting it yet like a slacker >.<

5.  The Faerie Ring – Kiki Hamilton – Another I have been hearing a lot of good stuff about.

6.  Tiger’s Voyage – Colleen Houck – I have the first two of the series, so of course I must have the next in line.

7.  Forbidden – Tabitha Suzuma – A very taboo book, but I am really wanting to read it since I am open to try about any book!

8.  Shattered Souls – Mary Lindsey – Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful cover!

9.  Virals – Kathy Reichs – I love the show Bones and I have been wanting to read Reichs’ work for a while now.

10.  The Peach Keeper – Sarah Addison Allen – I already read this book, but I borrowed it from the library and I loved it so much, I must have it for my own collection.

So what are you hoping Santa brings you?

Teaser Tuesday (10)

    Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme anyone can take part in, hosted my MizB at Should Be Reading.  To participate all you have to do is get the book you are currently reading, open to a random page, and post a two sentence teaser that doesn’t contain spoilers.  Make sure you don’t forget to let us know the title and author of the book so people can add it to their To Be Read list if they liked the teasing!

Here’s my teaser:

“Good night, cruel girl,” he calls through the door.
“Good night, silly boy,” I call back, standing at the door until his footsteps fade into nothing.

The Near Witch
Victoria Schwab

Cover Crazy (8)

 Cover Crazy is a weekly meme hosted at The Book Worms in order to showcase books we think are beautiful and eye-catching.

This week’s cover crazy is Touching the Surface by Kimberly Sabatini.  I find this cover incredibly beautiful with its cool purples and the little blue paper birds that stand out against it.  The way her hair is swinging and the way the paper birds are, you can feel the motion in that moment.  Gorgeous!

Life altering mistakes are meant to alter lives… 

When Elliot dies for the third time, she knows this is her last shot. There are no fourth-timers in this afterlife, so one more chance is all she has to get things right. But before she can move on to her next life, Elliot will be forced to face her past and delve into the painful memories she’d rather keep buried. Memories of people she’s hurt, people she’s betrayed…and people she’s killed. 

As she pieces together the mistakes of her past, Elliot must earn the forgiveness of her best friend and reveal the truth about herself to the two boys she loves…even if it means losing them both forever.

In My Mailbox (2)

 

In My Mailbox (IMM) is a weekly meme, hosted by The Story Siren to show the new books you have bought, borrowed, traded, etc for the past week.  In my mailbox this week I have:

Bought:

Delirium – Lauren Oliver

From the Author for Review:

The 58th Keeper – R. G. Bullet

I am so excited about reading Delirium!  I have heard nothing but good things, and the 58th Keeper sounds quite interesting as well.

Know Me Better (6)

“Know Me Better” is a fun weekly meme hosted by I Am a Reader, Not a Writer in order to get to know our fellow readers and bloggers better.  There are 5 new questions to answer each week.  Here are my answers!

Red or Green?

Definitely green!  My fave color is blue, but my fave color to wear is green since it goes well with my hair and eyes which are both brown.

Favorite Christmas carol?

O Holy Night sung by Josh Groban.  I absolutely love his voice!

What do you want for Christmas?

B&N gift cards are always a plus!  I of course want to get books, and I have so many people can’t just buy them for me, so I ask for gift cards.  I took totally go for some photography accessories as well.  The focus is the kids though, my nephew has certainly racked up from me this year!

Favorite holiday treat?

My mother’s fruit salad.  It is one of those things that is a must and is expected at Christmas dinner!

Favorite holiday tradition?

Hmm, we really don’t do many traditions.  Used to be, we would open one gift one Christmas Eve, then the rest the next day.  Because of schedules we started our gift giving on Christmas Eve instead.  I just love being with everybody.

 

Waiting on Wednesday (7)

 Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

This week’s pre-publication “can’t-wait-to-read” selection is:

 Just for Fins
Tera Lynn Childs
Release 7-3-12

When Lily Sanderson decided to remain Crown Princess Waterlily of the mermaid kingdom Thalassinia, she knew she couldn’t just coast along in the current. But since she’s spent the last couple of years on land—with gorgeous human Quince by her side—Lily’s not sure she has the fins to lead a kingdom. Even her maddeningly pretentious cousin Dosinia seems to know more about ruling than she does. 

But Lily has to dive in deep to keep her promise to Tellin, her mer bond in name only, whose kingdom is suffering in the changing ocean climate. Lily knows this is a seven seas–sized problem: from sea animals dying to oil spills and threats to humans. They’ll need to create some serious waves to make the mer community aware and get it to join together to make things right. Even if that means facing one of the iciest queens in the mer kingdoms. 

Just when Lily thinks her double life on land and sea can’t get any more complicated, an ancient mer law might separate Lily and Quince after all. It feels as if the pair is up against a solid tsunami wave! 

In this third installment in the series that began with Forgive My Fins and Fins Are Forever, Lily will have to find a way to balance safety and justice for the mer people as well as for the humans she loves.

Why I’m waiting for this one:

Because I absolutely love the first two in the series!!  Forgive My Fins and Fins are Forever are on my Favorite Reads page.  I just adore these books.  They are by far my favorite mermaid novels yet!

In My Mailbox (1)

In My Mailbox (IMM) is a weekly meme, hosted by The Story Siren to show the new books you have bought, borrowed, traded, etc for the past week.  In my mailbox this week I have:

Bought:

Carrier of the Mark – Leigh Fallon
Beautiful Creatures – Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan – Lisa See
Firelight – Sophie Jordan
Eyes Like Stars – Lisa Mantchev

These are some books I have been meaning to read for a while, and I finally bought several I’ve been wanting to read.  I do have to stock up on books for my reading challenges!!

From the Library:

The Near Witch – Victoria Scwab

From the Author for Review:

The Ocean and the Hourglass – Dan O’Brien

I am very excited about reading all these books!  Next few weeks, I won’t have much of an IMM since Christmas is right around the corner, so I had to get a good one in for my first IMM!