Follow Friday (7)

Q. Today's Question is something new, an activity. We want to see what you look like! Take a pic with you and your current read! Too shy? Boo! Just post a fun pic you want to share.

Unfortunately for you guys, I just woke up, so... But I am currently reading Everneath by Brodi Ashton. Let me just say that the story totally lives up to that stunning cover.

And the winner is....

I have several winners to announce! First, the 3 winners of a copy of Eyes in the Mirror by Julia Mayer are:

Ashley

Sierra

Andy

And the winner of my Spooktacular giveaway is....

Kelly

All winners have been contacted, and responded to my initial email.

Also, a big HI to all my new followers! I can't wait to meet you, and if you have a blog of your own, be sure to leave your blog addy here so I can swing by!

Review: Frail by Joan Frances Turner

Title: Frail

Author: Joan Frances Turner

Publisher:  Ace

Publication Date: 10.4.2011

Pages: 384

Genre: Horror

Series: Yes (Resurgam Trilogy #2)

Source: Finished copy provided by publisher

Rating: B+

Summary (from Goodreads):

Now that the Feeding Plague has swept through human and zombie societies, it seems like everyone is an "ex" these days. Ex-human. Ex- zombie. Except for Amy, that is. She's the only human survivor from her town-a frail. And if the feral dogs, the flesh-eating exes, and the elements don't get her, she just may discover how this all began. Because in this America, life is what you make it...

Review:

I really just didn’t think anything could shock me more than Dust (Book 1 in the trilogy), but I was clearly wrong. While Dust was told from a zombie’s point of view, Frail ups the ante on the horror by showing how humans have fared in Joan Frances Turner’s post zombie-apocalyptic world.

The story follows Amy, a frail (or regular human) as she tries to survive after an illness created a new breed of super humans/zombies that seem almost immortal. She bonds with Lisa, an ex who is struggling to hold onto her humanity.  Their friendship is anything but simple and easy, and it was fascinating to see them working together.

My biggest issue with this book was that I just didn’t connect with Amy, the narrator, the way I did with Jessie (narrator of Dust). Kind of odd since Jessie was a zombie, but I digress. I think the reason I connected more in book 1 is because the idea of a novel told entirely from the POV of a zombie was just so fresh and radical, I couldn’t help but love it. The perspective of a human seemed somewhat dull in comparison.

This series is unique and fresh, and I’m thoroughly enjoying it. I recommend you check it out if you love horror, can stomach some unpleasant imagery (‘cause there’s a whole lot of that!), and are looking for a break in the storybook romances the YA genre is drowning in. This book is about fight and survival, and I cannot wait to see what Turner brings in book 3!

Buy: Amazon

In My Mailbox (12)

Hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren, this is a great way to share the reads I got this week by purchasing, trading/swapping, or for review. All links lead to Goodreads. I usually only post one IMM a month, but this haul was too awesome not to share!

 

 

 

For Review:

Beautiful Chaos by Margaret Stohl & Kami Garcia

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

The Water Wars by Cameron Stracher

 

Many thanks to Little, Brown; HarperCollins; and Sourcebooks!

Review: Dust by Joan Frances Turner

Title: Dust

Author: Joan Frances Turner

Publisher:  Ace

Publication Date: 9.7.2010

Pages: 384

Genre: Horror

Series: Yes (Dust #1)

Source: Finished copy from publisher

Rating: B+

Summary (from Goodreads):

Nine years ago, Jessie had a family. Now, she has a gang.

Nine years ago, Jessie was a vegetarian. Now, she eats very fresh meat.

Nine years ago, Jessie was in a car crash and died. Nine years ago, Jessie was human.

Now, she’s not.

After she was buried, Jessie awoke and tore through the earth to arise, reborn, as a zombie. Jessie’s gang is the Fly-by-Nights. She loves the ancient, skeletal Florian and his memories of time gone by. She’s in love with Joe, a maggot-infested corpse. They fight, hunt, dance together as one—something humans can never understand. There are dark places humans have learned to avoid, lest they run into the zombie gangs.

But now, Jessie and the Fly-by-Nights have seen new creatures in the woods—things not human and not zombie. A strange new illness has flamed up out of nowhere, causing the undeads to become more alive and the living to exist on the brink of death. As bits and pieces of the truth fall around Jessie, like the flesh off her bones, she’ll have to choose between looking away or staring down the madness—and hanging onto everything she has come to know as life…

Review:

Maggots, rotting flesh and zombies? Sounds like a truly grotesque combination, but not so much in this originally crafted novel by Joan Frances Turner. While there are some truly gross moments (there’s maggots, OK?), I love this completely unique approach. Turner actually humanized zombies, something I never, ever considered.

Jessie fascinated me. I loved reading about the world through her eyes, and how her life changed since becoming undead. I enjoyed reading about the community that her gang had created, and all the people, uh, zombies in it. The book lagged a bit in places, but I still enjoyed reading this nonetheless. I love reading anything than can give me a fresh take on an idea I had long-since stereotyped.

This book is NOT for the squeamish. Some of the details are quite gory and disturbing, but I only thought that enhanced the overall novel. It gave a sense of realism to the book. I mean … it’s zombies. It’s not like they sit at the dinner table eating hamburgers; they eat raw meat. They kill and are constantly surrounded by death. It probably sounds a little crazy, but I loved that. I felt like it took a serious amount of commitment on Turner’s part to not water this down and gloss over the less pretty aspects of being undead.

Buy: Amazon

Waiting on Wednesday (16)

"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 I'm waiting on....

Under the Never Sky

by: Veronica Rossi

 

Here's the Goodreads blurb:

Since she’d been on the outside, she’d survived an Aether storm, she’d had a knife held to her throat, and she’d seen men murdered. This was worse.

Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland—known as The Death Shop—are slim. If the cannibals don’t get her, the violent, electrified energy storms will. She’s been taught that the very air she breathes can kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He’s wild—a savage—and her only hope of staying alive.

A hunter for his tribe in a merciless landscape, Perry views Aria as sheltered and fragile—everything he would expect from a Dweller. But he needs Aria’s help too; she alone holds the key to his redemption. Opposites in nearly every way, Aria and Perry must accept each other to survive. Their unlikely alliance forges a bond that will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.

In her enthralling debut, Veronica Rossi sends readers on an unforgettable adventure set in a world brimming with harshness and beauty.

Why I need to read this one:
I cannot get enough of dystopians and this one will be a welcome addition to the genre. I can't describe it, but I just get a good vibe from this one. I cannot wait to read about Aria and Perry and their adventures in this post-apocalytpic world that debut author Veronica Rossi has crafted.

 

Under the Never Sky will be released 1.3.2012 by HarperCollins

Review: Dark Eden by Patrick Carman

Title: Dark Eden

Author: Patrick Carman

Publisher:  HarperCollins Children’s Books

Publication Date: 11.1.11

Pages: 336

Genre: Horror

Series: No

Source: ARC from publisher

Rating: B+

Summary (from Amazon):

Fifteen-year-old Will Besting is sent by his doctor to Fort Eden, an institution meant to help patients suffering from crippling phobias. Once there, Will and six other teenagers take turns in mysterious fear chambers and confront their worst nightmares—with the help of the group facilitator, Rainsford, an enigmatic guide. When the patients emerge from the chamber, they feel emboldened by the previous night's experiences. But each person soon discovers strange, unexplained aches and pains. . . . What is really happening to the seven teens trapped in this dark Eden?

Review:

This book could not have been read (for me) at a more opportune time. With Halloween right around the corner, this book is filled with terror, thrills, and chills. I am a horror-fan, so this book was right up my alley. Patrick Carman did a fantastic job. The way he wrote this novel pulled me in from the very beginning.

The story follows Will Besting, who has been seeing a therapist for a while to deal with his incessant fears, but it doesn’t seem to be helping. In a radical (but clearly calculated) maneuver, the therapist suggests he go away, with six other teens, to help Will get better by confronting their worst fears. What happens next is equal parts thrilling, horrifying, and incredible. I hate to say much more for fear of divulging too much. And while it started a little slow for my tastes, it quickly took off and I became engrossed in the story and finding out what would happen to Will.

What I will say is that this is an excellent cast. I love ensemble novels, and while the novel is told from Will’s perspective, you get a great sense of the six other teens. With a cast this diverse, the reader can easily find someone to identify with. There are hints of romance, but nothing solid. If you’re looking for a romance, this isn’t your book. If you’re looking to be scared and freak every time you hear a creak in the house? This is your book.

When I was first approached about reviewing this book, I was initially intrigued by the bonus content as opposed to the actual story (but I came to enjoy the story itself quite a lot). This book is so much more than just a story; there’s an entire website, smart phone app, and so much more that plays along to enhance the story. It made reading the novel an experience that I could actually, physically, get into. I cannot begin to tell you how much fun that was.

Buy: Amazon

Review: Epic Fail by Claire LaZebnik

Title: Epic Fail

Author: Claire LaZebnik

Publisher:  HarperTeen

Publication Date: 8.2.2011

Pages: 288

Genre: Contemporary, Remake

Series: No

Source: Purchased from Amazon.com

Rating: B+

Summary (from Goodreads):

Will Elise’s love life be an epic win or an epic fail?

At Coral Tree Prep in Los Angeles, who your parents are can make or break you. Case in point:

As the son of Hollywood royalty, Derek Edwards is pretty much prince of the school—not that he deigns to acknowledge many of his loyal subjects.

As the daughter of the new principal, Elise Benton isn’t exactly on everyone’s must-sit-next-to-at-lunch list.

When Elise’s beautiful sister catches the eye of the prince’s best friend, Elise gets to spend a lot of time with Derek, making her the envy of every girl on campus. Except she refuses to fall for any of his rare smiles and instead warms up to his enemy, the surprisingly charming social outcast Webster Grant. But in this hilarious tale of fitting in and flirting, not all snubs are undeserved, not all celebrity brats are bratty, and pride and prejudice can get in the way of true love for only so long.

Review:

Finally, a reworking of Pride and Prejudice that would make Jane Austen proud! Claire LaZebnik created a vibrant cast, took Austen’s original novel, but then made the concept her own with a great modern twist. The ending result is fabulous and total entertainment.

I cannot get over how much I fell for Elise and Derek. Something about their connection simply jumped off the pages and grabbed me. Elise was simply awesome. She’s the type of girl I would have loved hanging out with in high school. And yes, while Derek is a bit standoffish and hard to read at times, that mystery only adds to his appeal. Their scenes together were a big part of what kept me reading—I could not wait to get to their next interaction.

If I find fault in anything about this novel it’s the way it sort of fizzled at the end. I felt like it dragged on a chapter or two more than necessary. I’m not sure what, if any, purpose the last few chapters added to the story. I thought maybe something else would happen, but it never materialized. I was left a little confused and let down by that.

Epic Fail is a fast, fun, and adorable read. It’s the kind of book you want to sink into in one sitting and not feel the least bit guilty about binging on after three straight hours.

Buy: Amazon

"Spooktacular" Giveaway Hop!

This giveaway hop is hosted by the aweomse people from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer & The Diary of A Bookworm. It will run from Oct. 24 - Oct. 31, 2011 (yes, I'm posting a little early). I'll choose the winner on Nov. 1, 2011. I had so much fun last time and met so many awesome people from a variety of countries, that I decided to make this one international as well.

The Prize:

You can win a book of your choice, up to $10 USD from:

if you live in the US,
OR

if you live outside the US! That means this giveaway is international as long as The Book Depository ships free to you. Not sure? Check this list HERE.

The Rules:

1. Must be a public GFC follower (I will be checking!)
2. Have a valid address
3. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email announcing their win. After that, I will select another winner.

Bonus entries:
     +3 for replying to any of my reviews
     +2 tweet about this contest (must provide the link & include my handle: @irish_banana)

FILL OUT THE FORM!!!!

In My Mailbox (11)

Hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren, this is a great way to share the reads I got this week by purchasing, trading/swapping, or for review. All links lead to Goodreads. Since I haven't posted one in a bit, this covers the last month.

 

 

 

For Review:

Bunheads by Sophie Flack

How to Save A Life by Sara Zarr

Dust by Joan Frances Turner

Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Don't Breathe A Word by Holly Cupala

 

Swapped/Traded/Bought:

The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

Pure by Julianna Baggott

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi (Read my REVIEW)

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins (Read my REVIEW)

Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon

Fury by Elizabeth Miles

Moonglass by Jessi Kirby

After Obsession by Carrie Jones & Steven E. Wedel

The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

 

Won:

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

 

Thanks to NAL, Penguin, HaperCollins, and Little, Brown.