REVIEW: A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray

Title: A Thousand Pieces of You

Author: Claudia Gray

Publisher: Harper Teen

Publication: November 4, 2014

Cover Rating: 5/5

Goodreads | Amazon

Claudia Gray is one of my favorite authors. I loved her Evernight series and I was wondering if she was ever going to write more books. Well, I got my answer in the form of A Thousand Pieces of You. This heartbreaking, tear-jerking, emotional roller-coaster ride of a book has now become my favorite book of the year.

I am not a big Sci Fi person. I actually kind of hate it. Same goes for fantasy normally. But when I saw that this book was going to be Sci Fi, maybe not Star Wars but still Sci Fi, I had to give it a try. I am so glad I did. There were times when I couldn't put the book down and then there were times when I couldn't pick the book back up in fear of what emotional turmoil I was going to experience next. 

Marguerite was such a strong and amazing main character. She had just lost two people that were huge parts of her life and yet she had the balls to go off on some dimension jumping vendetta to avenge what was done. Not to mention that fact that she was in the middle of a love triangle that she doesn't even know about yet.

Theo is a dick. There is no getting around that. He thinks he is God gift to girls which we later find out is pretty much just a cover up so he looks cool in front of Marguerite. He has some good intentions but it turns out they aren't for very good things. And then, to quote The Fresh Prince, "My life got flipped turned upside down." Let's just say, things got crazy with Theo.

Paul, oh Paul. I could just tell from the beginning that Paul was going to be one hell of a story. But we don't only get one Paul. Oh no. Claudia Gray has to mess with us and give us 2. Lieutenant Markov is the perfect Paul, in my opinion. 

But with us having two Paul's it kind of starts to prove his fate theory. Marguerite parents are proof enough but her going to Russia, being royalty and Paul ending up being her soldier escort, that just proves that he is meant to be in her life. In none of the worlds was Theo actually in her life. 

The love Paul has for Marguarite is eternal. Every Paul that knows her is in love with her. And the same goes if you reverse it. She loves every version of him the her other selves had contact with. It's completely amazing to see something like that. But it hurts so much more knowing that you can lose the person you love more than once if you go to different dimensions. 

One big question this book brought to mind was religion. If people think you go to Heaven or Hell then what happens to the other versions of you in other dimensions? You don't all die at the same time. And sometimes you don't even exists in the first place.

I loved how connected Marguerite family was. There was so much love in this book that you couldn't help but feel it yourself. 

The end of the book is just a huge cryfest. There really is no other way to describe it. So much happens that you just don't know what to do. I put the book down for an entire day because I was afraid to read the last 40 pages. 

The entire situation with Triad and Conley was scary to say the least. The fact that you could have someone spying on you and you really would never know. I don't know why Conley would want to create a world like that. He was pretty much just a power hungry toddler. Using Marguerite, against her knowledge and will, to test out his spy theory was beyond screwed up. But using her loved ones to get her to do what he wanted was even worse. 

I was so torn when Theo walked away. I know love is crazy and sometimes it hurts but Marguerite ended up with who she belongs with, I believe. It just hurt so bad seeing someone who would risk their life for her having to suck it up and walk away. 

On thing I almost forgot to mention. I loved the Schrodinger's cat reference. I actually laughed out loud and had to explain myself. Which didn't help because not many people knew what I was talking about. "There's a cat, in a box." I loved it!!!

Overall, I gave the book 5/5 stars.

Mini Review Monday[25] Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

We go on a whole new adventure with the characters Percy and Annabeth in this book. 

From the beginning we get introduced to a new character by the name of Tyson. He isn't the kind of character you would expect, but he is very loyal and would do anything to make sure his friends stayed protected. 

Not only do we get introduced to a new character, but also new creatures that they meet along the way and who they also have to battle. 

Percy managed to go almost a whole school year without causing any trouble except for the last day of school where it starts off the new adventure. 

A quest is given to another character and yet Percy, Annabeth and Tyson go on the quest anyway even though they are not supposed to. To help them on their quest the god Hermes helped them out and I liked that some other god helped them on their journey. It showed that they are not bad people. 

All the while Percy has been having dreams where Grover is in trouble. You learn it is called an empathy link and it can be deadly. I find it an interesting component for both Percy and Grover. 

Percy, Annabeth and Tyson continue on their journey you come to find out that Grover is running out of time. 

We get to see the characters develop more in the story on their new quest. Annabeth is a good strategist. When the characters get themselves into a tough spot Annabeth comes up with a way to get them out of it. 

Throughout their quest Annabeth starts to slowly open up to Percy about things from her past. Because she starts to do this you get a sense of those two getting closer together. We get a sense of how deep Percy will go to protect those he cares about even if it means he may die because of it and I really like seeing that in a character. 

One thing I really am enjoying is how fast paced this series is and all of the action. It keeps the story exciting and keeping you on the edge of your seat because you have to know what happens next.

When Hermes came up to Percy the first time to help them on their quest he said one thing that really reached me because it’s about how difficult family can be. “My dear young cousin, if there's one thing I've learned over the eons, it's that you can’t give up on your family, no matter how tempting they make it. It doesn't matter if they hate you, or embarrass you…”

Overall, I gave the book 5/5 stars.

PRE-PUBLICATION REVIEW: Hugs and Misses + Stars and Swipes Postcard books by Wilhelm Staehle

Title: Hugs and Misses, Stars and Swipes

Author: Wilhelm Staehle

Publisher: Quirk Books

Publication: December 3rd 2014

Cover Rating: 4/5

I adored both of these postcard books. Hugs and Misses would have to be my favorite though. They are so quirky and absolutely funny. They are meant to be sent out to friends but I don't know if I can do that. 

Hugs and Misses are 30 postcards with funny romantic pictures and scenes. My favorite on says "Love potions #1-8 were utter failures." I laughed at this but my husband didn't get it. I have a feeling a lot of people won't understand the humor but a lot of people will. 

Stars and Swipes are 30 post cards of funny American scenes. These ones I actually didn't like too much. I don't really care for military jokes and old war jokes. But they were still pretty funny. 

If you have a good sense of humor or know people that you could send these post cards to that would appreciate them then I would suggest picking these up.

Overall, I gave the books 4/5 kitties.

25 Days of Reviewmas!!

I have decided to do a really cool blog thing for the month of December. I know not everyone celebrates Christmas but I do. I will be doing 25 days of reviews. Mainly small ones. But at the end of those 25 days(Christmas Day) I will be doing a BIG giveaway. I have been plotting this giveaway all year and I figured this would be the perfect lead up to it. I actually can't wait to get this started. I love Christmastime. I just don't exactly have the best family to celebrate Christmas with. SOOOOOO. I will celebrate with you guys!!! Posts will begin December 1st. I hope you guys like this idea!

REVIEW: In The Shadow Of Blackbirds by Cat Winters

Title: In The Shadow Of Blackbirds

Author: Cat Winters

Publisher: Amulet Books

Publication: April 2, 2013

Cover Rating: 5/5

Goodreads | Amazon

I should have read this book in a day. Just sat down and said screw all of my other chores and responsibilities. Instead, I read the book in a week. I had a huge impact on me but I think it would have been sooo much better if I had read it in one sitting.

So, WWI and Spanish Influenza. Scary stuff. Especially with the war going on right now plus Ebola starting to spread. This book hit very close to home right now. 

Mary Shelley Black is such a stunning, spitfire character. She doesn't let anyone try to tell her where her place should be just because she is a girl. She is smart and very headstrong. 

Stephen is much the same way as Mary except, well, he's a guy. And guys are supposed to be headstrong and all those other macho blah blah words. But he is also very fragile. He has an artists soul and never should have gone to war. He wasn't brave enough to stick out his troubles at home so what made him think he could last in a war? Well, I guess he had to learn the hard way and lose his life in the process.

This book is so sad. Young love and death seem to come hand-in-hand when war is around. This story is no exception to that. It seems like everyone in this book has lost at least one loved one. 

I loved the historical and spiritual aspects of the book. I have been really into Historical+Paranormal Young Adult books lately. The world that Cat Winters created in this book feels so real. People believed in ghosts and spirits and all sorts of paranormal things back then and the author really brought that to life.

The one question I had through the entire book was "How did Julius know Stephen was dead when he JUST got home the same time Mary and Eva got there AND his mother JUST found Stephen the minute he walked in the door?" Julius told Mary that Stephen died a hero's death even before he could have known he was dead. Of course, that was answered. But the answer was a lot different than I thought. I always suspected Julius but the answer I got wasn't what I was thinking. Not by a long shot.

I have no idea how Mary Shelley survived everything she went through. She died multiple times, got sick and had a concussion. Come on now. If that doesn't say Strong, Independent Woman, I don't know what does!

In the end, I am glad Mary Shelley helped Stephen move on. And I am glad they were able to let each other go. Love is hard, but it's harder when you start it and never get to finish it. No, love is never finished, but Mary and Stephen's love was cut off so quickly, the never got to declare anything or share any pivotal moments that a couple should share. 

Now, the only question I have left is what will happen to Mary Shelley's dad? The war is over and I don't think he even had his trial yet. Will they let him go? Will they still charge him for war crimes? I hope they let him go. Mary Shelley has lost enough for the time being.

Overall, I gave the book 4.5/5 kitties! 

Mini Review Monday[24] The Lightning Thief by Rock Riordan

I love anything that deals with Greek mythology, so I was excited to be able to start reading the Percy Jackson series. 

I know a lot of people read this series during their middle grade years, but I was reading other books. I was hooked from the first page with the sarcasm/humor that we see right away. I enjoyed that because I love both.

We are in the perspective of a 12 year old boy hero and it was refreshing to read that. I don’t have many books where it's in a boy's perspective. You learn he is a troubled kid but yet he is actually a good kid. Reason being is because he doesn't exactly fit into the human school system. He belongs somewhere else. 

While in school, he has a friend named Grover and it turns out he isn't exactly human and is there for a reason. Grover eventually gets Percy to this camp where people like him live and are protected. This is where you meet a strong female character, Annabeth. 

This book is very fast paced and I love that. The story goes, by quick without having any dull moments. It is also action packed. One moment they are battling something and are on the run and the next thing you know they are battling something else. 

Grover, Annabeth and Percy don't have much time to sit and rest on the quest they go on to. They are constantly being found and fought. 

In this Greek mythology story we learn a lot of history and I love learning how Rick Riordan wrote it. Not only do we get the history, but we also learn about all kinds of different creatures that are part of their world. 

I enjoyed reading this very much. I love the characters, the plot, the action, the humor and the pace. Not only that, but I liked that the gods do have some interaction with the children that they have. It may not be directly, but at least they acknowledge the children that they have. This was a very enjoyable read and I can't wait to read the next book.

One quote did stick out to me though that Percy said and that is “So few people did good in their lives. It was depressing.”  

Overall, I gave the book 5/5 stars.

REVIEW: The Unbound by Victoria Schwab

Title: The Unbound

Author: Victoria Schwab

Publisher: Hyperion

Publication: January 28, 2014

Cover Rating: 5/5

Goodreads | Amazon

At first, I was rather disappointed. The book was very draggy and a lot of the information that was thrown at me seemed like stuff that really should have been introduced in the first book. In a way the book felt like a prequel AND a sequel.

We get a private school setting tossed into the mix which adds a bunch of new faces. I love private school type books but for some reason I wasn't too thrilled with that in this book.

Mac was the same girl, she was just a lot more screwed in the head. She was having nightmares, not sleeping and hurting herself because of her nightmares. It got pretty intense. 

When Mac hurt herself and was put under observation and send to a counselor I was  a little upset. She couldn't tell anyone the truth and every believed she has tried to hurt herself. Which I don't see how her parents could even think she would do that after what happened to Ben. They really should have known Mac a little bit better than that. 

After the "self harm" episode Mac's mother does something NO mother should ever do and I didn't like her for the rest of the book. It did lead to Wesley sleeping in Mac's room though. So that was pretty cool.

Questions that keeps coming to mind when I think about this series are about the noises the people from The Archive hear when someone touches them. The main question is, do peoples sounds change as they grow up? Wesley is all rock music and such and I don't think his noise was that when he was a kid. So is the noise something that grows with the person? I think it is, personally. Like all the things each person goes through, the things they like and so on are what compile the sounds for their noise.

I can't believe Owen!!! Oh, my, God! Mac wasn't insane. 

ALL of the action and good stuff happens at the end of the book. Which I DON'T LIKE. Death, destruction, insanity, love, etc. Everything is throw into the end of the book like one big fireworks show going off at once. Haha, fireworks, get it? You will if you read the book.

I am not saying the book was bad. It just didn't live up to my love for the first book. 

I know there is going to be a second book BECAUSE we never found out Wesley's real name. That is going to drive me bonkers. I also wonder if Wesley knows about the kiss with Cash. Hmmm. So many things to ponder. 

Overall, I gave the book 4/5 kitties.

Word of the Week Wednesday[20]

Word of the Week - Palimpsest - Cruel Beauty - Page 219

Meaning - A manuscript or piece of writing material on which the original writing has been effaced to make room for later writing but of which traces remain. Reused but still bearing its earlier form.

Coming back!

Hello everyone! I will be resuming blogging next monday. I have been trying to figure things out in my life and trying to push myself forward to make better life choices. I have severe depression, anxiety and an eating disorder. Living with my family doesn't help anything. The constant fighting and my mother's mental health really effect me. So I am trying to better myself by focusing on me. I tend to stretch myself very thin when it comes to taking care of others. But recently my depression and anxiety have stopped me from living. I don't get out of bed. I don't even reaf really. I've been on the same book for a week. I normally wake up at 5:50 am, wake my husband up, make his breakfast then I sit with him until he leaves at 6:45. Then I will either read for 10 minutes or just go right back to bed. I sleep all morning. But I don't sleep at night. I feel like I sleep my life away but in reality I only sleep for 4-6 hours a day tops. But I am going to attempt to change things. Thank you guys for sticking with me. Blogging and books are definitely a huge part of my life and I want to be a better blogger and a better reader.

Word of the Week Wednesday[19]

Word of the Week - Pergola - Fates - Page 30

Meaning - An archway in a garden or park consisting of a framework covered with trained climbing of trailing plants.