Operation Vitro

Want to win awesome prizes in honor of the release of Jessica Khoury's second novel, Vitro? Of course you do! Join Operation Vitro at corpusnetwork.com to win these said prizes, including a Nook and signed books!

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BR: Asunder

*BR: Book Review*

Summary from Goodreads:

DARKSOULS
Ana has always been the only one. Asunder. Apart. But after Templedark, when many residents of Heart were lost forever, some hold Ana responsible for the darksouls–and the newsouls who may be born in their place.

SHADOWS
Many are afraid of Ana’s presence, a constant reminder of unstoppable changes and the unknown. When sylph begin behaving differently toward her and people turn violent, Ana must learn to stand up not only for herself but for those who cannot stand up for themselves.

LOVE
Ana was told that nosouls can’t love. But newsouls? More than anything, she wants to live and love as an equal among the citizens of Heart, but even when Sam professes his deepest feelings, it seems impossible to overcome a lifetime of rejection.

In this second book in the Incarnate trilogy, Ana discovers the truth about reincarnation and will have to find a way to embrace love and make her young life meaningful. Once again, Jodi Meadows explores the extraordinary beauty and shadowed depths of the soul in a story equal parts epic romance and captivating fantasy.

I've been waiting for this book for a really long time. One of the best things that happened was when I picked out Incarnate (Newsoul #1) from the library shelf. This book is so underrated its not even funny. Easily, Asunder goes in my top ten favorite books, right along with the first book in this series.

Asunder starts off with a bang. Instantly, Ana wants to get the heck out of the Heart (fun fact: Ana was originally called 'Erin') so her and Sam leave together *cue fangirl scream*. First, they go to Purple Rose Cottage. If you don't remember, this was Ana's childhood home, where Li raised her. Horribly, I might add. This is where the sylph attacks begin.

They attack the cottage by the dozens, while Sam and Ana are outside. This happens after Sam gives her this amazing gift that's perfect and symbolizes just how important the role of music is in this book. So, when the sylph attack, Ana does the only thing she can to try and ward them off - she plays music. Oddly enough, that makes the sylph go away.

This is only the beginning of the madness that progresses in Asunder. 

Desperate to learn more information as to why the sylph didn't attack, Ana and Sam go in search of Menehem's lab, deep in the forest. When they find it, they do everything they can to try and understand all of Menehem's research and what it all means.
 
(If you were wondering, which you totally were, there are a ton of cute scenes between Ana and Sam)

Here's the big thing: the Temple in the Heart was where Ana disappeared to in the first book, right? Don't forget about Janan either. Jodi Meadows addresses what really happened that night when the dragons attacked, and just what Janan is up to.

I seriously cannot love this book anymore than I already do. It's on my shelf where all my favorite books are. I've stalked the authors website. But seriously, this book was absolutely amazing. It makes you want to cry sometimes (which is quite often) scream in angst at the characters (I'm looking at you, Ana) and swoon (You can guess who I'm talking about). The writing was beautiful, and it flowed gracefully. One day, I want to touch the hearts of readers everywhere, just like Jodi did with both Incarnate and Asunder. It's a romance and fantasy all wrapped up into one. If this doesn't make you squeal in anticipation, then you should seriously think about your reading preferences.

Asunder earns 4.5/5 stars. I'm a tough person to please when it comes to books, and all I see is the flaws in writing. But with Asunder, I could only see the good in it, which was every single word. I don't know how Jodi Meadows does it, but she does it well.

Author: Jodi Meadows
Release Date: January 29, 2013
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
ISBN:  0062060783

Buy Asunder: 
Amazon 
Barnes and Noble 
IndieBound 

Buy the first book in the trilogy, Incarnate: 
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
IndieBound

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BR: Unearthly

*BR: Book Review*

Summary from Goodreads:

In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . . .

Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.

Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.

As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?

Unearthly is a moving tale of love and fate, and the struggle between following the rules and following your heart

So, as we all know, there tons of angel books floating around out there, since they are becoming popular in YA literature. We have Cassie Clare's The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices. Becca Fitzpatrick has her Hush Hush Series. Laini Taylor wrote Daughter of Smoke and Bone, and that's just a few I can think of off the top of my head. Despite all these authors creating their own versions of angels, Cynthia Hand did an amazing job of adding her own twists, while still keeping it interesting.

I really enjoyed Clara's voice. She was no Mary Sue, that's for sure. I'm honestly able to say that Clara is a very strong character that I think almost everyone will love (you can't please everyone, you know). Clara was strong, independent, and she wasn't afraid to fight. You wouldn't find her cowering behind some incredibly hot, bulky guy. (Which, by the way, there are a lot of them - hot boys, I mean.)

Okay, so there may be a partial love triangle. I know that turns people off, but trust me, just give this book a try. There's Christian, the boy in Clara's reoccurring visions. He's supposed to be her future, he destiny. After all, he's her purpose. Not to mention he's a completely hot guy, with a killer smile. But there's Kay, his girlfriend. We don't talk about her.

Then we have Tucker, the country-boy-but-not, who has tanned skin, blue eyes, and wears cute cowboy hats. When Christian leaves for the summer, Clara turns her attention to him... and lets just say their spark is undeniable.

So Clara may be falling for Tucker, but Christian is the boy in her dreams, the boy she's supposed to be with. Can Clara choose between her heart, and her destiny,  before the fire ignites and everything goes up in flames?

I'd seriously recommend this series. Cynthia Hand's writing makes you feel like your sitting there with the characters in Jackson. My favorite character is probably Tucker. I mean, come on, Carrots is such a good nickname! Completely adorable.

Unearthly earns a 4/5 rating in my book. It's amazing, and I'd definitely recommend that you go and give it a try. The characters are strong, the writing is amazing, the plot breathtaking. Go ahead and check it out, you won't regret it!

Author: Cynthia Hand
Release Date: January 4th, 2011
Publisher: HarperTeen
ISBN:  0061996165

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Clockwork Princess Discussion

I cannot tell you how excited I am to read Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare. The first thing I did when I got my Barnes and Nobles gift card back in December was pre-order this book. I've been patiently waiting for this book since August '12 (I'll be the first to admit, I WAS NOT THERE FROM THE BEGINNING. But trust me, I will be here to 'till the end) So, now my precious book is somewhere in the world, just waiting to be brought to me. Anyone else order this book already? I really want the first edition with the whole family tree.

Luckily, the prologue was posted on the new Shadowhunters app! If you don't have a device that is compatible with the app, you can always go look for it on Tumblr. 

Okay, so I'd like to just rant and rave and cry and scream and sob and dance with joy as we look at the few Clockwork Princess snippets that evil Cassie Clare decided to torture us with.  

And the gold of her ruined wedding dress.

WOAH WOAH WOAH, HOLD THE PHONE. Whose wedding is it? Is it Tessa's? And what the hell happened to her dress? WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE. I swear to God, never have eight words impacted me so much. Cassie does love 'emotionally maiming' us, so it might not even be Tessa's wedding. Who knows? I guess we'll just have to waitttt to find out.

* If you've read some of my "The Better Choice" series, you will know that sometimes I compare two boys from YA books and decide which boy would be better for the girl. I plan to write the impossible and write one of these for The Infernal Devices. Look for them soon!

" Wo wei ni xie de,” he said, as he raised the violin to his left shoulder, tucking it under his chin. He had told her many violinists used a shoulder rest, but he did not: there was a slight mark on the side of his throat, like a permanent bruise, where the violin rested. 
“You — made something for me?” Tessa asked.
“I wrote something for you,” he corrected, with a smile, and began to play.

 How can you not find this so cute and adorable? Jem can describe his words with music, much like Will likes to mention book characters. Damn it, I made this about Will. I am I sorry about it? Nope. I wish that someone could record his song and we could listen to it. I'm glad at least some parts of CP2 "seem" happy. Partially. Well, this one does.

“I am not at your beck and call,” Magnus said. “I helped with de Quincey because Camille requested it of me, and Will once, because he offered me a favor in return. I am a warlock. And I do not serve Shadowhunters for free.”

*smirks* oh Magnus, funny how you defy this in TMI. And then, in a CoHF snippet, you repeat almost the exact same lines. When will you learn, my dear sassy, sparkly warlock? These Shadowhunters are tangled up in your life, no matter how hard you try to push them away. So, what the hell does he want for payment? Another kiss from Will? ;]

“You know,” Cecily said, “you really didn’t have to throw that man through the window.”

Cecily Herondale, I'm kind of loving your character. She reminds me so much of Will. They are siblings, Alex. Duh.

 “It has been the privilege and the honor of my life to know you.”

NO NO NO NO NO NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. THERE WILL BE NO DYING DECELERATIONS, YOU HEAR ME CASSANDRA CLARE? NONE

Tessa reached to brush the damp hair from his forehead. He leaned into her touch, his eyes closing. “Jem—have you ever—” She hesitated. “Have you ever thought of ways to prolong your life that are not a cure for the drug?”
At that his eyelids flew open. “What do you mean?”
She thought of Will, on the floor of the attic, choking on holy water. “Becoming a vampire. You would live forever—”
He scrambled upright against the pillows of the bed. “Tessa, no. Don’t—you can’t think that way.”
“Is the thought of becoming a Downworlder truly so horrible to you?”
“Tessa …” He exhaled slowly. “I am a Shadowhunter. Nephilim. Like my parents before me. It is the heritage I claim, just as I claim my mother’s heritage as part of myself. It does not mean I hate my father. But I honor the gift they gave me, the blood of the Angel, the trust placed in me, the vows I have taken. Nor, I think, would I make a very good vampire. [redacted for spoilers] I would no longer be Will’s parabatai, no longer be welcome in the Institute. No, Tessa. I would rather die and be reborn and see the sun again, than live to the end of the world without daylight.”
“A Silent Brother, then,” she said.
His eyes softened slightly. “The path of Silent Brotherhood is not open to me.”

There have been lots of speculations about who Brother Jeremiah might be. Some people think it might be Jem, others think Will. Ouch, that must sting Tessa. She is a Downworlder. And I'm quite interested to know why being a Silent Brother isn't an option for Jem, and whether or not that changes by the end of the book.

“Will.” Tessa caught at his wrist. “You would not abandon me now — not leave me the only one who still hopes? I cannot do it without you.”
He took a deep breath, half-closing his shadowed blue eyes. “Of course not. I will help. I will continue. It is only —”
He broke off, turning his face away. The light that came down through the window high above illuminated cheek and chin and the curve of his jaw.
“Only what?”
“You remember what else I said to you that day — that day in the drawing-room?”

WHAT??? What did Will say to her in the drawing room. Cassie, it's not fair to toy with our feelings like this!

Tessa couldn’t help herself; despite everything, she giggled. “It laces,” she whispered. “In the back,” and she guided his hands around her until his fingers were on the strings of the corset. She shivered then, and not from cold, but from the intimacy of the gesture.

 First thing that came to mind: Tessa, giggling? I mean, Tessa's fiance is dying, she has to go with seeing Will everyday, and Mortmain still is out to get her? I don't know about you, but maybe they drank some more of that sparkling lemonade. Whoever this guy is. I mean, Jem seems innocent enough to not know a lot about corsets.

There are tons more of CP2 snippets, and you can go look for them on Cassie's tumblr. But be warned, there are a lot of painful things she like to post, just to torture us. Cassie, this is me giving you the stink eye. (I still love you though)

So what are your feelings about Clockwork Princess? I'm completely heartbroken that this will be the last book about the London shadowhunters! I can't survive without Will, Jem and Tessa!

Comment below, and tell me what you think is going to happen! A lot can happen in 592 pages, and I'm 100% positive not all of them will be pleasant I mean come on, Cassandra Clare wrote the book.

Here are some links to preorder the book:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
BAM

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The Better Choice: Julian or Alex

Today, I want to discuss Julian and Alex from Lauren Oliver's Delirium Trilogy. When we last left off in the second book, Alex had just come into the room where Lena and Julian were. Many people have different opinions on this matter, but I want to dig deeper and see just who is the better choice.

So first, we have Alex,, who appeared in the first book. He taught Lena how to love, and in return, she loved him back. Alex was this caring, adventurous guy. He took Lena to his little trailer and they stared up at the stars. Before that, when Lena was trying to get Hana away from the illegal party, Alex healed her leg, which was injured by a dog. He saved her more times than I can count.

But his most memorable moment is when he sacrifices himself so Lena can escape. He knows that Lena will be cured if she stays, and she won't love him anymore. So, to stop this from happening, he escapes with her. The plan was going okay until the 'police' were following them, and Alex knew that only one of them could escape. He let Lena believe that he was coming, and he told her to keep running, and don't look back.

And once she gets over the fence, she looks back.

There's Alex, standing behind the fence, swarmed by officials. There's the boy, the one who showed her how to love, standing there in a death trap. But, no matter how much she wants to stay with him, she continues on to the Wilds.

ANNDDDD THEN...... enter Julian, the son of a huge anti-love guy. Both he and Lena are 'kidnapped' and are stuck in a room for days on end. You tell me: one girl+one boy+small room+long periods of time= ? IT EQUALS FEELINGS.

This relationship is so different from Lena and Alex's. Julian's way more awkward and not as hands-on as Alex. He's the kind of guy who will just sit back and watch everything, slowly studying the world around him. At first, he was like 'ew, girl, get away from me. I don't want to catch the deliria.'

WELL JULIAN, APPARENTLY YOU CHANGED YOUR MIND. 

And you know as well as I do, Lena was going to fall in love with him sooner or later. There's this one scene that made me jump up and down and cry at the same time.

"What does it feel like?"
I know what he is talking about, but I still ask, "What does what feel like?"
 "The deliria." He pauses. Then I hear him slide slowly out of bed. He is kneeling in the space between our bunks. I cannot move or breath. If I turn my head, our lips will be six inches apart. Less. "What does it feel like to be infected?"
 "I--I can't describe it." I force the words out. Can't breath, can't breath, can't breath. His skin smells like smoke from a wood fire, like soap, like heaven. I imagine tasting his skin; I imagine biting his lips. 
 "I want to know." His words are a whisper, barely audible. "I want to know with you
(pg. 300, Pandemonium) 

JESUS TAKE THE WHEEL.

This whole time I was thinking 'he's going to kiss her, he's going to kiss her." AND THEN HE FUCKING DOES. One part of me was cheering like an idiot, while the other part was drowning in its own tears.

You can't blame me for being upset. I spent a whole book falling in love with Alex, and now, I spent a whole book falling in love with Julian. Honestly, my emotions are as mixed up as Lena's.

THE CHOICE

1) Alex. This was Lena's first love. Without him, nothing in Pandemonium would've happened. Lena would've never learned about love, she would've never question the society. This is the boy who risked their lives just to meet Lena everyday, to show her a piece of the Wilds, who told her stories about escaping the world they lived in so they could be together. He's adventurous, caring, daring and most importantly, Lena's first love.

2) Julian. After Alex died, Lena met Julian. As you can tell by the first book and the way Lena acted in Pandemonium, she still had feelings for Alex, even though she thought he was dead. Lena and Julian were stuck together, and they bonded. They didn't have to talk, or tell stories about their past, but they did. Lena trust Julian, and slowly, he trusted her. He's almost the polar opposite of Alex: quiet, shy, and studies the world around him.

Both these boys have special spots in Lena's heart. I personally love them both and could never choose between them, but for me, I think Lena loves Alex more. I LOVE THEM BOTH, but I think Lena feels more towards Alex than Julian.

For one, whenever she was with Julian, she was always comparing him to Alex. She'd always see Alex's face, and think about what Alex would've done if he was in Julian's position.But, towards the end, I think she starts to see Julian as his own person.

Another thing-- when Alex was stuck in Portland, Lena did not know for sure that he was dead. It was likely that he was dead, but Lena didn't know for sure. Even with a slight chance that Alex was still alive, Lena didn't event think to go and save him.

But when Julian was going to get executed, and Lena didn't know if she was going to get there in time, she still went to save him. She didn't think of the consequences, all the she could think about was saving Julian. Lena didn't even think for a second to go back and save Alex. She always thought that he would find his way to her, not the other way around. That was not an option for Julian, she just couldn't go on without him after everything that happened.

So, it's you decision. Julian, or Alex? I personally love both boys, but I think I gravitate more towards Alex. But, he has spent a long time away from Lena and my, my, have things certainly changed. I guess we'll just have to see how everything ends up in the last installment of the Delirium Trilogy, Requiem, out March 5, 2013.

Comment below and tell me who you think Lena will choose, or if you think she'll pick anyone at all!

-A

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BR: The Selection

*BR: Book Review*

Summary from Amazon:

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.
But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.
Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself—and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined. 

Plot: 3.5/5

Character Development: 3.5/5

Cover Art: 5/5

 This is the first book in Kiera Cass' series, titled "The Selection". The first thing that drew me in was the cover. I mean, gorgeous dress, and a redhead? Sold! But seriously though, I enjoyed reading this book and was one of the few times judging a book by its cover turned out well.

Okay, so the plot was pretty entertaining. It was basically The Bachelor in book form mixed with The Hunger Games and Matched. It is a dystopia, but it doesn't really go any farther than changing a name, adding a caste system and dividing the world up into provinces. Even though we did get to glimpse a bit of the world that Kiera Cass built, my hope for the next one is that we will get to see a little bit more of the world she created.

We have America Singer, our main character. She is probably the only character in YA fiction that I've seen flat out say "I have no interest in you and probably never will". It was nice to see that she was a real girl with a personality just like anybody else. One thing I noticed is that America is never completely described throughout the whole book, so you kind of have a chance to picture her however you want.

Then we have Prince Maxon, who is very simple and doesn't have much depth to him. I didn't like how he was so charming when he had never spent a lot of times with girls before. He portrayed a young royal very well, and like America, he seemed like a regular teenager at heart.

Something that annoyed me was Aspen. He's this dark haired handsome guy who is very argumentative and almost like a rebel. I think that there is always one of these in stories, and Aspen wasn't much different. Of course, we have out bubbly blonde, Marlee, and our evil mean girl Celeste. The characters weren't terrible, but they weren't exactly terrific either. Still, I did like reading about them.

THE COVER ART. It is beautiful and portrays the whole book perfectly. America is seeming to say "Don't look at me," but she's still risking it and peaking out over her arm. That sums up the whole book perfectly and I don't know if I've ever seen a cover that matches a book so well!

Strengths-

- Drawing out the romance slowly.  It isn't fast paced, but it isn't slow enough to make me bored, either. It wasn't like America fell in love with the guy the first second she met him. She actually starts out the story with Aspen, her boyfriend. I was glad that she started out with a love interest.

- The fact that America just wants to be friends. I cannot express how happy I am that America does not spend the whole book going "ohmygod i'm in love with him, no i'm not, yes i am". She even states that they are just friends and nothing more. This makes things so much more realistic!

- Believable characters. Each character has at least one flaw, and no one is essentially 'perfect'. I love the fact that Kiera Cass pointed out that some girls were only in it for the money or the crown. I guarantee you, if the Selection was real, I bet half the girls wouldn't care about love.

Weaknesses-

- The cliche characters. While I said that the characters are believable, some are also cliche. We have our mean girl, Celeste, our bad boy, Aspen, and our bubbly blonde best friend, Marlee. I've seen these characters a million times in books, and hopefully these characters can have some depth added to them in the second book.

- Lack of information of the world. It's a dystopia! You are literally free to make up any kind of world you can imagine. Sadly, we didn't get to learn much about the world other than a few name changes and the addition of a caste system. I was looking forward to more world-building, but sadly, it didn't happen in the first book.

Overall, I give this book a 3.5/5. I really enjoyed reading this book but I wish that we could've learned more about the world and the characters. The story was enjoyable, the people were believable, and the cover is amazing. I recommend checking this book out!

Author: Kiera Cass

Release Date: April 24, 2012

Publisher: HarperTeen, an official imprint of HarperCollins Publisher

ISBN: 978-0-06-205993

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Welcome all Fangirls!

Hi, I'm Alex, and this is a new blog that I'm starting called "Alex's Fangirl Fanatics"

......

OKAY, HOW BORING WAS THAT? No seriously, wasn't that so boring? I'm not really one for formal introductions, so- wuts up, my name is alex.

Hahaha, I'm not like that either. Okay, now seriously, WELCOME TO THIS WONDERFUL BLOG. It might not seem like much right now, but that's because it still has so much work that needs to be done! I'm still searching for a good background, editing the colors, yada yada. But when its done and polished up, it'll be fantastic and all you fangirls will be stunned by its gorgeousness (I am aware fangirls are not usually 'stunned' but that's how good this blog will look)

I will be posting book reviews rants, and maybe a few pieces of writing advice or a piece of my own writing! Possibly even giveaways, but who knows? If you like these books, then you're definitely going to want to add this blog to your reading list:
- Divergent, Veronica Roth
- The Mortal Instruments, Cassandra Clare
- The Infernal Devices, Cassandra Clare
- Hush Hush Series, Becca Fitzpatrick
- Delirium Series, Lauren Oliver
- Matched Series, Allie Condie
- Shatter Me, Tahereh Mafi
- The Heroes of Olympus/ Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Rick Riordan
- Across the Universe Trilogy
- Nightshade Trilogy, Andrea Cremer
- Rift + Rise, Andrea Cremer
- The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins
- Under the Never Sky, Veronica Rossi
- Uglies Series, Scott Westerfeld
- The Fault in Our Stars, John Green
- Beautiful Creature Series, Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
AND SO MANY OTHERS OH MY GOSH BOOK OVERLOAD.

If you see at least one book on that list that you love, I seriously suggest you add this blog to your reading list because it is gonna be awesome! All fangirls are welcomed!

-A

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