Thursday, July 11, 2013

REVIEW: What the Spell by Brittany Geragotelis

What the Spell
Brooklyn is nearly sixteen-years-old and feels like she's invisible. She desperately wants to be pretty and popular, and to be adored by a cute guy. Luckily for her, she's a witch about to come of age ~ so she's only a few spells away from making it all happen. On her milestone birthday, Brooklyn's conservative parents finally unbind her powers, and this newfound freedom leads to a spell-assisted dream makeover. Her crush, Asher, finally notices her, and so does the Queen Bee of the popular, cool clique. Even better, Brooklyn discovers her true power: the ability to magically match couples with a love spell.


But Brooklyn's quest for popularity is not without its price, and as the clique escalates their initiation tests, the more she relies on her powers to complete the tasks. Can Brooklyn keep her magic hidden from their scrutiny? Like her Salem ancestors, if caught, she could be vilified. But worst of all, Brooklyn runs the risk of losing what she really cares about ~ Asher ~ unless she can work a little magic of her own.


THE RUN-DOWN 
Brooklyn is invisible. Not literally, but to her it seems that the only people that know of her existence are her parents and her school counselor. But ,of course, Brooklyn isn't completely normal. She comes from a family of witches. While most witches start learning spells when they start to walk, Brooklyn's parents have not bounded her powers and won't let her use them until her sixteenth birthday.
When she gets her powers, the first thing she does is get a magical makeover.
Brooklyn doesn't want to be invisible anymore.


MY THOUGHTS 
This book was not what I expected...
I was fully prepared to dive into a book full of magic and witches!
But what I get is high-school drama...

I admit it, the main reason why I had trouble with this book is because I didn't understand Brooklyn's obsession with popularity.
I understand that she was feeling invisible, but that's no excuse because I'm also invisible at my high-school! I also understand that there are people out there like Brooklyn, that feel like they won't amount to anything in life if they weren't popular.
But I really didn't understand why she wanted to be part of The Elite (the popular kids) so badly. The magical makeover changed her appearance so much, that hardly anyone recognized her! But she's been going to the same school for three years and The Elite suddenly wants her because she's now hot! How was she okay with hanging out with people that only wanted her because of how she looked when that's not really what she looked like? Let's not forget to mention how badly The Elite treated her.
Throughout the whole book I just knew that Brooklyn was going to fall down hard

I got the feeling that this book had a life lesson. Popularity isn't everything, know her your true friends are...
And while I don't necessarily like the story, I respect the fact that it was teaching something. And honestly, things had to play out the way they did or else there wouldn't be a lessen to learn.



IN CONCLUSION 
If it's not obvious by what I wrote above, I'm not a fan of popularity and have never understood it. This made be much disappointed in this book since that's where the majority of the book lies. I honestly thought that this would be more of a magic/witch book. 

If you are looking for a magical read: Turn around and pick up a different book.

If you like High-school drama and popularity stories: You can give this book a try.


I hereby give this book...
1.5 Wheels
Meaning: I am very close to disliking this book...


Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Movie Adaptations That I'm Excited For

Hosted each week by The Broke and the Bookish, it's a meme for listing the top ten for everything bookish.

To be completely honest, this week's Top Ten is supposed to be "Top Ten Best/Worst Movie Adaptions" but I have read a total of 19 books that have been made into movies (7 of those are the Harry Potter books and there are 5 others that I haven't even watched the movie of!)
Since there's a lack of  these adaptions to make a list out of, I'll make a list of upcoming ones (and there are more than 80 of them being rumored)!

NOTE: I am excited for Catching Fire but will not list it since the 1st book has already been made into a movie and that lessens my excitement level.

*In no certain order*

Divergent (Divergent, #1)


Angelfall (Penryn & the End of Days, #1)


Legend (Legend, #1)


City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments, #1)


The Maze Runner (Maze Runner, #1)


Shadow and Bone (The Grisha, #1)


7. Unwind
Unwind (Unwind, #1)



8. Chaos Walking
The Knife of Never Letting Go (Chaos Walking, #1)


9. Under the Never Sky
Under the Never Sky (Under the Never Sky, #1)


10. Anna Dressed in Blood
Anna Dressed in Blood (Anna, #1)


Some of these movies are currently in the making, some have had their movie rights bought, and others are only rumors...
But I'm very excited to see at least a few of these on the big screen!

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Waiting on Wednesday: Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, where you talk about whatever book you are IMPATIENTLY WAITING for!
This week I am waiting for...


Cruel BeautyGoodreads Description:

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom—all because of a reckless bargain her father struck. And since birth, she has been training to kill him. 
Betrayed by her family yet bound to obey, Nyx rails against her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, she abandons everything she’s ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, disarm him, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.
But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle—a shifting maze of magical rooms—enthralls her. As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. But even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, could she refuse her duty to kill him?
Based on the classic fairy tale Beauty and the BeastCruel Beauty is a dazzling love story about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny.



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What books are you waiting for?

Coming to a Bookstore Near You... THIS JULY!!!


Sunday, June 30, 2013

RECENT COVER REVEALS: June 2013 Edition

June was cover reveal month!
So there's a huge heaping list of cover reveals!
Some you've seen, some you haven't.
Some you've heard of, some you've not.
But here they are!

To All of the Boys I've Loved Before
To All the Boys I've Loved Before
Link to All of the Boys I've Loved Before

Sea of Shadows (Age of Legend #1)
Sea of Shadows
Link to Sea of Shadows

Deathsworn (Deathsworn #1)
Deathsworn (Deathsworn, #1)
Link to Deathsworn


Ashes to Ashes
Ashes to Ashes
Link to Ashes to Ashes

Faking Normal
Faking Normal
Link to Faking Normal

Promise Bound (Lies Beneath #3)
Promise Bound
Link to Lies Beneath (book 1)
Link to Deep Betrayal (book 2)
Link to Promise Bound

Fugitive X (Revolution 19 #2)
Fugitive X
Link to Revolution 19 (book 1)
Link to Fugitive X

Steadfast (Spellcaster #2)
Steadfast (Spellcaster, #2)

Link to Spellcaster (book 1)
Link to Steadfast


Wanderers (Wasteland #2)
Wanderers

Link to Wasteland (book 1)
Link to Wanderers

The Book of Love (The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers #2)
The Book of Love (The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers, #2)
Link to The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers (book 1)
Link to The Book of Love


Ruins (Partials #1)
Ruins (Partials, #3)
Link to Partials (book 1)
Link to Fragments (book 2)
Link to Ruins

Salvage
Salvage
Link to Salvage


Dear Killer
Dear Killer
Link to Dear Killer

Frozen (Taken #2)
Frozen (Taken, #2)
Link to Taken (book 1)
Link to Frozen

Let the Storms Break (Sky Fall #2)
Let the Storms Break (Sky Fall #2)
Link to Let the Sky Fall (book 1)
Link to Let the Storms Break


House of Ivy & Sorrow
House of Ivy & Sorrow
Link to House of Ivy & Sorrow


The Inventor's Secret (The Inventor's Secret #1)
 The Inventor's Secret (The Inventor's Secret, #1)


Fragile Spirits (Souls #2)
Fragile Spirits (Souls #2)


Split Second (Pivot Point #2)
Split Second (Pivot Point #2)


Elusion
Elusion


Into the Still Blue (Under the Never Sky #3)
Into the Still Blue (Under the Never Sky, #3)

Side Effects May Vary
Avalon 
Avalon

Ask Again Later
Rebel Belle
Rebel Belle


Cruel Beauty
Cruel Beauty


All That Glows
All That Glows


Perfect Ruin (The Internment Chronicles #1)
Perfect Ruin (Internment Chronicles, #1)


Perfect Lies (Mind Games #2)
Perfect Lies (Mind Games, #2)



Tremor (Pulse #2)
Tremor (Pulse, #2)


Evertrue (Everneath #3)
Evertrue (Everneath, #3)


Warrior (The Dragon King Chronicles #2)
Warrior (The Dragon King Chronicles, #2)


Her Dark Curiosity (The Madman's Daughter #2)
Her Dark Curiosity (The Madman's Daughter, #2)


Witch Fall (Witch Song #3)
Witch Fall (Witch Song, #3)


Starling (Secrets of the Eternal Rose #3)
Starling (Secrets of the Eternal Rose, #3)


No One Else Can Have You
No One Else Can Have You
Link to No One Else Can Have You


White Space
White Space
Link to White Space


Infinite (Newsoul #3)
Infinite (Newsoul, #3)


So, which ones are your favorites?