Release Date: April 5th, 2011
Genre:  Sci-fi, Horror, Dystopia
Publisher: Katherine Tegen
Pages: 497
Rating:
Amazon Link*: Click Here
Goodreads Page: Click here
Series: Gone #4 (Review of #1, #2, #3)
Summary: (Spoilers, highlight to view) 

It's been eight months since all the adults disappeared. GONE.


They've survived hunger. They've survived lies. But the stakes keep rising, and the dystopian horror keeps building. Yet despite the simmering unrest left behind by so many battles, power struggles, and angry divides, there is a momentary calm in Perdido Beach.


But enemies in the FAYZ don't just fade away, and in the quiet, deadly things are stirring, mutating, and finding their way free. The Darkness has found its way into the mind of its Nemesis at last and is controlling it through a haze of delirium and confusion. A highly contagious, fatal illness spreads at an alarming rate. Sinister, predatory insects terrorize Perdido Beach. And Sam, Astrid, Diana, and Caine are plagued by a growing doubt that they'll escape - or even survive - life in the FAYZ. With so much turmoil surrounding them, what desperate choices will they make when it comes to saving themselves and those they love?

Blurb: Horrific and gripping, fans of the series won't be disappointed.

Review: I'll keep this review short since only those of you familiar with the series will care.

This is definitely the most gruesome of the books. I would certainly call it horror. Nevertheless, it was still just as gripping as the other three. More action than Lies, but not quite as good as Gone or Hunger. I've devoted over 2,000 pages to this series, and I could easily devote another 2,000. These books fly by. I read them in about the same amount of time it would take me to read a book half as long.

Great series, but don't start it unless you plan to finish it. Because once you start, you won't have a choice.



*I am an amazon affiliate. If you purchase this book using my link, I will get a tiny fraction of the purchase, which goes toward contests.

Release Date: April 29th, 2008
Genre: PURE AWESOMENESS (and I guess... futuristic realism? Is that a genre?)
Publisher: Henry Holt
Pages: 336
Rating:
Amazon Link*: Click Here
Goodreads Page: Click here
Summary: 

Seventeen-year-old Jenna Fox has just awoken from a year-long coma — so she’s been told — and she is still recovering from the terrible accident that caused it. But what happened before that? She’s been given home movies chronicling her entire life, which spark memories to surface. But are the memories really hers? And why won’t anyone in her family talk about the accident? Jenna is becoming more curious. But she is also afraid of what she might find out if she ever gets up the courage to ask her questions. What happened to Jenna Fox? And who is she really?

Blurb: A modern day classic. You haven't lived until you've heard Jenna Fox's story.

Review: This is a first for me, this is actually a re-review. The Adoration of Jenna Fox was one of the first ARCs I received. I got it in February of 2008, and I was dubious because at the time I wasn't a big fan of sci-fi, and this seemed very sci-fi. But I loved it. "sci-fi" is far too constraining a term for the majesty that is this book. I was afraid that it couldn't live up to the first time I had read it, and was very hesitant to re-read it. And boy, was I proved wrong.

This book tears at my soul, rips out my heart, and steals my breath. Still. I could read this book again and again and again. I could memorize every single word, and it would still have that effect on me. There were honestly times where I'd be reading, and realize that I'd been holding my breath. It's that good.

People always ask me what my favorite books are (usually they require that I pick non-Shannon Hale books), and I often forget to mention this one. Why? Because it's such an important part of my life. I forget that people haven't read it. My mom is always asking me if she can borrow a book while she goes on a business trip or some other excursion. When she saw me re-reading this book, she asked if it was one she should read. I gasped. DOZENS of times my mother has asked to borrow a book, and I had always just assumed that she'd read Jenna Fox. I felt like I had failed her! Failed in my mission that the whole world MUST READ JENNA FOX!

That's not an idle threat, either. I have given this book to so many people that I've lost count. Friends, aunts, grandparents, cousins. If I could afford to buy the entire world a copy of this book, I would do it.

Alas, I cannot afford that. But I hope by my expressing how vehemently I love this book, that you will go out and at least find it at your library, if not purchase it. Mary Pearson is one of the most gifted authors I have ever read, and Jenna Fox is a character that will forever be in my heart.

The book is narrated by Jenna, and I think my favorite line in the whole book (and I'm quoting this from memory so you'll have to forgive me if it's a bit off) is this one:

Father says that time heals all wounds.
I don't tell him that I don't know what time is.

Doesn't that make you shiver?! Oh this book is so good. I sobbed and sobbed the first time I read it. I only cried a little this time, but that was because I had gotten my wisdom teeth out about 3 hours before I read it, and crying hurt. Otherwise I would have totally let loose.

All right. This is one of my longest reviews ever-- nearly 500 words. If I haven't convinced you to read this book yet, leave a comment, send an e-mail, do SOMETHING. I won't rest until I convince you.


*I am an amazon affiliate. If you purchase this book using my link, I will get a tiny fraction of the purchase, which goes toward contests.

P.S. This didn't fit anywhere in the body of the review, but I will mention that there is one "bad" word in this book that is repeated a few times because it becomes a joke. This isn't a "swear" word, but it still isn't a nice word. Other than that the book is COMPLETELY clean. And this word really isn't that frequent, and it's not meant in a negative way.

No, I haven't forgotten about the new release giveaway. The winners of June's giveaway are...


There will not be any new release giveaway or featured books this month because I will be having a blogoversary giveaway/contest, plus the birthday bash starts in August, and then the holiday giveaways. So the new release giveaway probably won't return until January, I just can't afford to do it on top of all my other upcoming contests. Hope that's all right. Still plenty of chances to win from other giveaways!

Release Date: February 9th, 2010; June 21st, 2011
Genre:  Action, Teens, Romance
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Pages: 287, 298
Average Rating:
Amazon Link*: Book One (bargain priced!), Book Two
Goodreads Page: Book One, Book Two
Summary: 

The Heist Society novels star brave Katarina Bishop. We follow her adventures to Paris, Moscow, London, Monaco, Paraguay, and more! She isn't alone, though. With the help of her stunningly beautiful cousin Gabrielle, the brilliant Simon, the goofball Bagshaw brothers, the mysterious Nick, and the dashing W. W. Hale, we watch one of the world's youngest theives pull of the most amazing feats.

Blurb: Non-stop action makes readers forget they are reading a book, and feel like they're watching an action movie.


Review: This series reads like an action/heist movie. Seriously. While I was reading it I could literally see all of the different split-screens and hear th dramatic music.

In fact, this book reminds me a lot of a summer movie. Funny, action-packed, cute/hot characters, and relatively... fluffy. Yup. Don't go reading this series if you're wanting a mind-bender. Everything is pretty straight forward. Which is fine for a summer read! Take this one down to the beach, set out a towel, and get ready for a good laugh. You'll probably finish the book by the time you start to get a sunburn.

My only complaint with the series is that I felt like I was missing things. I read Heist Society in one sitting, so I told myself that I missed things because I was going so fast. But I read Uncommon Criminals over three days, and still felt like I was missing stuff. The characters seemed to jump to conclusions that I didn't understand. And all of a sudden they'd be flying across the country and I didn't know why. Maybe I just wasn't paying close enough attention, or maybe it was written in a jerky-style that made it hard for me to process everything. Not sure.

I will end by saying that overall I really liked this series, and will look forward to the next books. They're great if your brain needs a little break, but your funny bone still wants a tickle. Also, Ally is one of the cutest people ever! First of all, she has a super-cute accent, and she's SO NICE! She answered all of my crazy questions with 100% of her attention. Loved it! If you get the chance to go hear her speak DO IT.



*I am an amazon affiliate. If you purchase this book using my link, I will get a tiny fraction of the purchase, which goes toward contests.

Well, it's July. Do you know what that means? It means that it's time to start getting ready for the Squeaky Books Birthday Bash 2011!

Many of you weren't here for the Squeaky Books Birthday Bash 2010, but if you want to see all of the fun stuff we did, you can click here.

The coolest thing about the birthday bash is that it requires a lot of interaction with other bloggers. The birthday bash isn't possible without you!

Want to know how you can participate? Well, there are a couple different ways:

1. As a guest-poster

• I love guest posts during the birthday bash! This year's theme is "The Best Birthday," so from guest-poster's I'll be looking for you to write about your best/most interesting birthday. This can be a true story about an actual birthday you had, or you can write a fictional short-story. Either one! ANYONE AND EVERYONE CAN BE A GUEST-POSTER. There are no strings attached to this one.
• The birthday bash will run August 22nd - September 22nd. Guest posts will not be needed until Mid-August

2. As a contest host

• I hope y'all will be interested in this one. Basically all you do is host a contest on your blog for the birthday bash. I'll write the contest post for you, and all you have to do is post it at the appropriate time. This way I send my readers to discover your blog, and you send your readers to discover my blog. See how it works? Last year the people who hosted contests for the Birthday Bash gained an average of around 100 followers, and you get some major love from me personally. Last year there was no requirement for hosting a contest, you just had to have a blog.
• There is a requirement to host a contest this year. Due to the fact that the birthday bash last year cost me well over $100, I am asking that contest-hosts either buy their book and mail it to me, or send me an Amazon.com gift card so that I can buy the book (which is what I prefer). Most books range from $10-$13. I will send you a list of books you can choose from, so you can be sure to host a contest for a book you're actually interested in. I ask that you send the book to me/send me a gift card because last year there was some problems with so many hosts mailing out the books. Things got lost.
• If you don't want to donate you can still sign-up to host a contest, but you will only ACTUALLY host one if I can find a prize for you. This is not a guarantee. the only way to be SURE that you will host a contest, is if you send me a GC for the book.
• You can be international, a book blogger, a non-book blogger, etc. You just have to have a blog.
• The birthday bash will run August 22nd - September 22nd. Contest hosts will be assigned a book in early August.

3. A shipping donor

• I pay for all of the shipping for all of the prizes. Last year shipping alone cost me $50, and so I have set up a donation button on the left sidebar for anyone who wants to donate. Even $1 helps! I'm not going to use this money for anything other than shipping costs, and I'll take down the button if I get to $50. This is completely optional! I don't use my blog for profit (I don't believe in ads), and I was really skeptical putting up a donation button. But I figured it couldn't hurt to try. You don't need a paypal account to use this button, just a credit/debit card.

All right, if after reading ALL OF THAT, you're still interested, you can fill out the form. You don't have to fill out the form to be a shipping-donor, just click the "donate" button off to the side. You can fill out the form below, or CLICK HERE if you want to see it in a separate window.

THANK YOU! I'm hoping the bash will be a roaring success. I'm currently contacting some fabulous authors in hopes of interviews/guest posts/more giveaways. Fingers crossed!