Follow Friday

Friday Follow is a blog hop that was started by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read.  Each week a different question is posted by our hosts and we will answer!  This is a great opportunity for bloggers to network and interact. 

This week’s question –

Question of the Week: Do you read more than 1 book at a time, and if so, how, like a certain amount of pages per book before moving on to the next one in the queue? - Suggested byWords I Write Crazy
And of course the answer is....HECK YEAH!!  I get a little ridiculous sometimes and am reading 4-5 books all on different mediums.  I fully support the public library by providing a % of my income to fines as well because I have NEVER completed reading everything before it becomes overdue.  I would like to chalk it up to being overly enthusiastic about titles that I have not yet read...But let's be honest, I think I just need to learn to F-O-C-U-S....Does anyone else have the same problem?  Perhaps we should diagnose this issue? -Christinabean

Welcome to the Paperback Princesses! Make yourself at home, take a look around our blog and let us know what you think in the comments section. We would love to hear what you have to say about our posts. We often try to comment on your comments as well so feel free to start a conversation! Since there are two of us running the show, we always have a variety of titles and event postings. Be sure to check out our own personal meme page. Check out Fantastic Fairytales, Let's Hear it for the Boys, In Case you Missed it and a few others. We try to not only focus on new YA books but also great titles from the past.

Unmarked - by Kami Garcia

Published: September 2014

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Copy Provided by: Borrowed

Summary: Goodreads

Summary:

The heart-pounding sequel to the instant New York Times bestseller, Unbreakable, by New York Times bestselling Beautiful Creatures co-author Kami Garcia.

He is here... and he could be anyone.

Kennedy Waters lives in a world where vengeance spirits kill, ghosts keep secrets, and a demon walks among us–a demon she accidentally set free.

Now Kennedy and the other Legion members–Alara, Priest, Lukas, and Jared–have to hunt him down. As they learn more about the history of the Legion and the Illuminati, Kennedy realizes that the greatest mystery of all does not belong to any secret order, but to her own family. With the clock ticking and the life of someone she loves hanging in the balance, Kennedy has to ask the question she fears most: what is it about her past that has left her Unmarked? 

Review:

I am often weary of second books.  On the one hand I am eager to see how the plot continues from Book #1 and on the other, second books often fail to live up to the excitement found in Book #1.  I am happy to say that Unmarked DID NOT suffer from Second Book Suckitis.  I don't think that you should read this review if you have not ventured into reading Book #1.  There will be spoilers and you may be confused.

So Book #2 begins with Kennedy knowing that she has possibly released the most fearsome supernatural creature on earth which will lead to the destruction of mankind.  What an excellent way to start your day eh?  She is about to lead a very sad, troubled life with the weight of the world on her shoulders.  Her super sleuthing was incorrect and she is constantly questioning whether she is actually meant for membership in The Legion.  She reminds me of Kevin Tran from Supernatural.

A new player is on the scene to accompany Kennedy.  Her best friend has been thrown in the mix and while she is untrained and lacks the natural skills that Kennedy and her fellow Scoobies have, she seems to be able to hold her own. 

On another side note, I am still not seeing the chemistry between Jared and Kennedy....maybe I should try picturing one of the guys from Supernatural and a cute supermodel....ahhh...that's better.... 

Overall, I like the way this series is heading. There are a lot of unique elements to the plot which I really enjoy.  References to the Legion vs. another secret organization (trying to be clandestine here) are fascinating.  So when Kennedy doesn't receive her mark from the Legion, it leads to suspicions of her being the last member of this group.  Book #2 carried through smoothly and continued to flow nicely without losing momentum.  

Waiting on Wednesday - The Ruby Circle by Richelle Mead

 

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine,  that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating or books that are in our TBR pile.  This week’s “can’t-wait-to-read” selection is



 

I love the Bloodlines Series.  The Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead is on my top 10 series list and Bloodlines is a spin-off.  Once again, we join Sydney Sage and her Moroi boyfriend Adrian for their final book.  I'll be sad to see this series end...

 

- Christinabean





Stacking the Shelves

Stacking the Shelves allows us to share the books we have added to our collections - physical, virtual, borrowed, bought or received

This week I got: 

Fairest is pre-Lunar Chronicles ad talks about Queen Levana...something to keep us pre-occupied while we wait for book #4 coming out in NOVEMBER!!

 - Christinabean

Killer Instincts by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Published: November 14, 2014

Publisher: Disney, Hyperion

Pages: 386

Copy: Library

Summary: Goodreads

Seventeen-year-old Cassie Hobbes has a gift for profiling people. Her talent has landed her a spot in an elite FBI program for teens with innate crime-solving abilities, and into some harrowing situations. After barely escaping a confrontation with an unbalanced killer obsessed with her mother’s murder, Cassie hopes she and the rest of the team can stick to solving cold cases from a distance.

But when victims of a brutal new serial killer start turning up, the Naturals are pulled into an active case that strikes too close to home: the killer is a perfect copycat of Dean’s incarcerated father—a man he’d do anything to forget. Forced deeper into a murderer’s psyche than ever before, will the Naturals be able to outsmart the enigmatic killer’s brutal mind games before this copycat twists them into his web for good?

With her trademark wit, brilliant plotting, and twists that no one will see coming, Jennifer Lynn Barnes will keep readers on the edge of their seats (and looking over their shoulders) as they race through the pages of this thrilling novel.

Curlypow's thoughts:

I loved the first book in this series, 'Naturals', and am glad to say that 'Killer Instinct' did not disappoint.  Ms Barnes has managed to pen another satisfying thriller with a fascinating cast of characters.

One of the best things about this one was re-acquainting myself with Cassie and the gang and watching those characters develop into generally likable people.  These kids have all had problems growing up and are managing to get past their issues and genuinely meld as a family.  They all do certain things that made me throw up my hands, but at the same time are furiously defensive of each other to varying degrees and generally think before they act.

The story starts with a bang, has some major twists and turns and  ends with an even bigger bang, and I for one was not able to anticipate most of the events.  For those of you that enjoyed Barry Lyga's 'I Hunt Killers' trilogy, this series would be perfect for you

Follow Friday - January 30

Friday Follow is a blog hop that was started by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read.  Each week a different question is posted by our hosts and we will answer!  This is a great opportunity for bloggers to network and interact. 

This week’s question –

Question of the Week: Hard print (real thing) or Kindle/Nook, which is your favorite? - Suggested byThe Realm of Books
Honestly, I LOVE reading from cover to cover with a REAL book that I can hold in my hands.  Unfortunately, because my time is limited to commuting and whenever I have the opportunity, I lean more towards reading on my phone right now.  Its more convenient and I can sneak in a chapter or 5 at lunch, or on the train rather than hauling a hardcover in my purse (although...if I cleaned out my purse I might have room...)- Christinabean

Welcome to the Paperback Princesses! Make yourself at home, take a look around our blog and let us know what you think in the comments section. We would love to hear what you have to say about our posts. We often try to comment on your comments as well so feel free to start a conversation! Since there are two of us running the show, we always have a variety of titles and event postings. Be sure to check out our own personal meme page. Check out Fantastic Fairytales, Let's Hear it for the Boys, In Case you Missed it and a few others. We try to not only focus on new YA books but also great titles from the past.

In Case You Missed It - The Duff by Kody Keplinger

Published: September 2010

Publisher: Little Bown/Poppy

Pages: 280

Copy Provided by: Borrowed from a friend

Summary: Goodreads

Summary:

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn’t think she’s the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She’s also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her “the Duff,” she throws her Coke in his face.

But things aren’t so great at home right now, and Bianca is desperate for a distraction. She ends up kissing Wesley. Worse, she likes it. Eager for escape, Bianca throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with him.

Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out Wesley isn’t such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she’s falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.

Review:
Have you ever picked up a book only to be much more entertaining than you ever thought it would be?  The Duff was one of those books for me.  I'm sorry to say this but I was expecting something a bit shallow, easy to read and quick. Instead, I found it to be rather thought-provoking.  I enjoyed the characters and I'm sorry that I waited so long to read this title.

It spoke volumes of the stigmas attached to some of the names we give one another, especially in school as we are trying to discover our own identities.  DUFF was just a nickname, or so Wesley thought.  But to Bianca, it meant something different. She took it to heart and began acting in a way to reflect that name. Perhaps Wesley did as well.  When his grandmother assumed he was a womanizer, he started to act in a way that reflected this.

Bianca went on a journey in The Duff and I was glad to be a part of it.  Although...I wish she would have talked to her friends (Casey and Jess MUCH sooner).  True friends don't care about the labels and they would have squashed Bianca's insecurities quickly without a second glance.

In high school, during adolescence when there are so many cliques and people at trying to figure out who they are, this book is particularly relevant.  It addresses issues of self-identity, peer pressure, sex, friendships and self-image.  Looking back, I do think that this title would make an excellent ISU and I would go so far as to suggest it be required reading material for a pre-teen/teen audience because I feel that many students could identify with the characters presented. 

What I love is that The Duff is coming out as a film this year.  That is what prompted me to read this title (which has been on my TBR list for 4 years).  The movie is coming out next month and it looks pretty good.  My only reservation in seeing it is Ken Jeong. That guy drives me nuts...and not in a good way.  The movie plays up the funny references in the book which could take away from some of the more serious topics in this title.  In the end, what if we gave ourselves and others more positive identities, nicknames and values?  Would we live up to those images?  My take on The Duff?  I'd read it again...and of course recommend it to just about every teenager that I know....