2013 DNFs [Part 1]

The time has come again to round up a few DNF books of 2013 so far. Note that I have read over 75 books this year so there are bound to be some that are simply not worth my time and effort. I also know some have seen these on my STS and are awaiting my thoughts, so here goes (note that these are not all my 2013 DNFs, just the most noteworthy):

The Brokenhearted
by Amelia Kahaney 

A teenage girl is transformed into a reluctant superhero and must balance her old life with the dark secret of who she has become.

Prima ballerina Anthem Fleet is closely guarded by her parents in their penthouse apartment. But when she meets the handsome Gavin at a party on the wrong side of town, she is immediately drawn into his dangerous world. Then, in a tragic accident, Anthem falls to her death. She awakes in an underground lab, with a bionic heart ticking in her chest. As she navigates her new life, she uncovers the sinister truth behind those she trusted the most, and the chilling secret of her family lineage…and her duty to uphold it.

I had the hardest time getting into this book. It went from great to.... not, in a very short time. The first clue that I was not going to like it came within mere pages after the protagonist loses her virginity to some guy she just started dating the week before, claiming she was in love. BLAH! Then of course he gets kidnapped for ransom because she's rich and she has to risk her life for him--he's the love of her life and all. I thought it was going to be an exciting superhero movie but honestly all she did in the 51% I read was cry and do dumb stuff. You can find my conversation with Jenni about it here (some very insightful info!).

Vengeance Bound
by Justina Ireland

The Goddess Test meets Dexter in an edgy, compelling debut about one teen’s quest for revenge… no matter how far it takes her.

Cory Graff is not alone in her head. Bound to a deal of desperation made when she was a child, Cory’s mind houses the Furies—the hawk and the serpent—lingering always, waiting for her to satisfy their bloodlust. After escaping the asylum where she was trapped for years, Cory knows how to keep the Furies quiet. By day, she lives a normal life, but by night, she tracks down targets the Furies send her way. And she brings down Justice upon them.

Cory’s perfected her system of survival, but when she meets a mysterious boy named Niko at her new school, she can’t figure out how she feels about him. For the first time, the Furies are quiet in her head around a guy. But does this mean that Cory’s finally found someone who she can trust, or are there greater factors at work? As Cory’s mind becomes a battlefield, with the Furies fighting for control, Cory will have to put everything on the line to hold on to what she’s worked so hard to build

I was SO excited for this one as soon as I saw it involved mythology and the mention of Dexter, but unfortunately I could not care less for any of the characters in the book. I found the character development seriously lacking, and while the premise was very creative and could have been awesome I was just bored with it. I also got annoyed by how every reference to the Furies ("Them" "They" etc) was capitalized. It was distracting every time; I kept yelling the word in my head to give it emphasis because of this, and that was just annoying. I don't much care for yelling at myself.

The Loop
by Shandy Lawson 

Ben and Maggie have met, fallen in love, and died together countless times. Over the course of two pivotal days—both the best and worst of their lives—they struggle again and again to resist the pull of fate and the force of time itself. With each failure, they return to the beginning of their end, a wild road trip that brings them to the scene of their own murders and into the hands of the man destined to kill them.

As time circles back on itself, events become more deeply ingrained, more inescapable for the two kids trapped inside the loop. The closer they come to breaking out, the tighter fate’s clutches seem to grip them. They devise a desperate plan to break free and survive the days ahead, but what if Ben and Maggie’s only shot at not dying is surviving apart?

I think this book was DNFed at its earliest ever at not even 30 pages. Why? Basically, it starts with "Oh wow I have a lot of deja vus lately, let's go see this creepy old guy at that psychic's table in the middle of the street who's been grinning at me." The psychic creep tells him he's in a time loop where he relives things over and over.. and the MC's like "Huh, ok that explains it!". O_o

Yah... Not for me.

 Insomnia (The Night Walkers #1)
by J.R. Johansson

It’s been four years since I slept, and I suspect it is killing me.

Instead of sleeping, Parker Chipp enters the dream of the last person he’s had eye contact with. He spends his nights crushed by other people’s fear and pain, by their disturbing secrets—and Parker can never have dreams of his own. The severe exhaustion is crippling him. If nothing changes, Parker could soon be facing psychosis and even death.

Then he meets Mia. Her dreams, calm and beautifully uncomplicated, allow him blissful rest that is utterly addictive. Parker starts going to bizarre lengths to catch Mia’s eye every day. Everyone at school thinks he’s gone over the edge, even his best friend. And when Mia is threatened by a true stalker, everyone thinks it’s Parker.

Suffering blackouts, Parker begins to wonder if he is turning into someone dangerous. What if the monster stalking Mia is him after all?

I DNFed this one at 38% and honestly I don't really have much to say about it other than I just didn't like it. The MC was a jerk and a creep. He can only sleep if he looks into the eyes of one particular girl every day so he stalks her in the most obvious of ways and it was just.... ick. Then when his best friend tells him as such he punches him.  Eeh. I don't know, he just unsettled me. The plot didn't particularly interest me either it seemed like one I would forget 5 seconds after finishing the book. I was undecided as to if I would continue or not but after a few of my friends' reviews came back not especially positive I'm going to keep it as a DNF.

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I'm sure many has read books where you just know finishing it is futile, some may finish it still, I don't have that patience anymore knowing I have so many other - better - books I could get to. If you do DNF books, let me know which ones made the unfortunate list this year! Part 2 of 2013 DNFs will be posted at the end of the year!

Book Girl Don't Cry... Except When They Do

Inspired by Book Buzzers, Book Girls Don't Cry is a weekly feature where we each discuss/vent/advise on the chosen weekly bookish topic. Don't miss Jenni on Mondays, and Amy on Saturdays:

 

This week's topic was suggested by Kathy from I Write, I Read, I Review.

ALL THE FEELS!

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There are always books that get our emotions involved and this week we decided to feature some books that truly gutted us into oblivion (or tears... however dramatic you want to be ;).

   

   

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

       Hopeless is the most recent powerfully emotional book I read. It had me in tears for most of the book. This was also my first by Colleen Hoover and it will for sure not be my last. I was up until the wee hours to finish it and I was an emotional wreck the whole time, lasting long afterwards.

Siege by Rhiannon Frater

       I bet you didn't expect a zombie book to be feature here eh? I'm not a crier at all when it comes to fiction. My eyes tear up and I feel uber emotional, but to actually cry is a rarity, yet Siege had me sobbing like a baby. It's incredible how much you get to care for characters in this series. Though what actually had me crying the most in Siege wasn't even the death of beloved characters, but the reactions of their friends and family members. These were some of the most powerful scenes I've yet to read!

Where She Went by Gayle Forman

       I could have put both books in this series as they're both very emotional reads but I think this one was a bit more poignant than the first, which is surprising considering it's mostly about the guy's heartbreak. But for some reason his voice really showed the pain and regret he had gone through as well.

What Happens Next by Colleen Clayton

       Surprisingly I have not read very many books on the topic of rape, but this one really shows the consequences emotionally and physically that it can have on a person. I loved how, as emotional as this one was, it was really about hope in the end. So while there was a lot of emotion, it was, in the end, tears of admiration.

The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay

       I think I described how I felt about this one best in my review: "I came out of this feeling wrecked, yet completely satisfied." I remember having my heart in my throat almost from page 1 to the very ending of this novel. It's a very raw story that makes you feel all the feels for these characters!

Room by Emma Donoghue
       This novel seems to be a hit or miss for some, but I thought it was an incredibly moving story. It's written in a 5 year old's POV and it's what makes it so emotional. You see how innocent and oblivious they are to cruelty around them. It's also especially beautiful to see them perceive things in a way that adults never could. This remains one of my favorite reads ever.

What are some books that made you super emotional?

Also, don't forget to leave suggestions for future topics you'd like to see! :)

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You know you love me!

Xoxo, Book Girl!

Waiting on Wednesday (82)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine 

and spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. 

My pick this week:

Losing Hope
Colleen Hoover

Genre: NA Contemporary
Publication date:  July 9th 2013
by Atria Books

In Hopeless, Sky left no secret unearthed, no feeling unshared, and no memory forgotten, but Holder’s past remained a mystery.

Still haunted by the little girl he let walk away, Holder has spent his entire life searching for her in an attempt to finally rid himself of the crushing guilt he has felt for years. But he could not have anticipated that the moment they reconnect, even greater remorse would overwhelm him…

Sometimes in life, if we wish to move forward, we must first dig deep into our past and make amends. In Losing Hope, bestselling author Colleen Hoover reveals what was going on inside Holder’s head during all those hopeless moments—and whether he can gain the peace he desperately needs.

I read Hopeless just about a month ago and I LOVED it so I'm DYING to get this one! Luckily it comes out in a month so I won't die waiting! :D

What are you waiting on?

Link me up! :)

Review: Confessions of an Angry Girl by Louise Rozett

Confessions of an Angry Girl
Louise Rozett

Series: Confessions #1
Genre: YA Contemporary
Publication date: August 28th 2012
by Harlequin Teen

Rose Zarelli, self-proclaimed word geek and angry girl, has some confessions to make…

1. I'm livid all the time. Why? My dad died. My mom barely talks. My brother abandoned us. I think I'm allowed to be irate, don't you?

2. I make people furious regularly. Want an example? I kissed Jamie Forta, a badass guy who might be dating a cheerleader. She is now enraged and out for blood. Mine.

3. High school might as well be Mars. My best friend has been replaced by an alien, and I see red all the time. (Mars is red and "seeing red" means being angry—get it?)

Here are some other vocab words that describe my life: Inadequate. Insufferable. Intolerable.

(Don't know what they mean? Look them up yourself.)

(Sorry. That was rude.)

-A copy was provided by Harlequin Teen for review-

If it wasn't for my friends' recommendations I don't think I would have read this book. The synopsis makes it sound like it involves an annoying, bratty main character who whines and complains about stupid high school stuff. Lucky for them, my friends didn't fail me and I found myself really enjoying it. The protagonist, Rose, is a little younger than I usually like my MCs - at only 14 and starting high school - but in a way it brought me back to how jarring it can be to go from one grade to the next where, suddenly, the rules are different, boyfriends and sex seem to be constant hot topics, and popularity seems to be what counts.

Rose is someone I think a lot of people could relate to. For many, starting high school was not an easy - or a welcome - change. Rose is the awkward, confused girl who's feeling like a clueless kid when all her friends seem to be miles ahead of her. On top of everything, she is also dealing with the recent death of her father. Her character could be fairly judgmental at times, even a little prudish, and while she's simply overwhelmed and confused, having been jarred by the sudden changes in her life, I can't say I particularly liked her from the start. Still, I found myself sympathizing with her for how she was made to feel so alone. I also admired her for sticking to what she believed in, and doing the right thing knowing the dire consequences it would bring. It's not everyone who can stay so true to themselves in high school with all the pressures it entails. Most of the book is Rose trying to find where she fits in this big world she was thrown in. Her not fitting in anymore has made her angry, and you could clearly feel her confusion throughout.

I'm not sure how I feel about the romance in the book. Jamie confused me as much as he did her. He has a girlfriend, or so it seems, yet he keeps running to Rose. Then when Rose gets in trouble with this girlfriend he does nothing to defend her. It irritated me in a way that I didn't find him worthy of Rose at all. It's hard to discern what about him had Rose so charmed. I was actually rooting for her friend Robert who is incredibly sweet and obviously in love with her, but for some reason she doesn't feel the same. The novel doesn't dwell on the romance completely, though; the plot keeps its focus on Rose figuring herself out.

Topics in this book range from bullying, to death, to friendship, and family. Her father's passing gives this story quite a bit of emotional depth - more than I was expecting in this type of book. I could easily feel Rose's grief overshadowing her. How her family is dealing with the pain is realistic as well as disheartening, having yet to heal from this sudden gaping hole in their lives. This, along with everything else that is happening at school, forced Rose to grow up. And she does. At the end of the book I found she was a much more determined and confident girl, showing some great character growth. One result of this growth made me especially satisfied at the end, and I can't wait to see its delightful unraveling in the sequel. *evil laugh*

Filled with sarcasm and loud opinions, Confession of an Angry Girl is perfect for when you're looking for your next high-school drama with a lot of heart.

4 Hot Espressos

Review + Giveaway: Bitter Angel by Megan Hand

Bitter Angel
Megan Hand

Genre: NA Contemporary/Thriller
Publication date: April 1st 2013

Torn between two realities.
A choice that will mean life or death.
But she won’t know anything… until she wakes up.

College sophomore, Lila Spencer lived Friday night twice. She doesn’t know how or why, just that she did. As if she split in half and went in two different directions.

Out clubbing with her friends, Heather and Nilah, the girls rock it out and party hard. What begins as an innocent night will lead to a deadly fight for their lives, and Lila might be their only chance for survival.

In bed with her boyfriend, Jay, Lila is safe and warm as she drifts to sleep in the arms of the man she loves. Until she is sucked into a horrifying nightmare of her friends' deaths.

As the sunlight warms her face on Saturday morning, the two scenarios collide. But there can be only one outcome. Will she wake up in her warm bed with Jay by her side, devastated and grieving for her friends? Or was she there to save them?

The answer is just the beginning.

-A copy was provided by Megan Hand for review-

Bitter Angel was a very mixed bag for me. The first part would easily get a 4 stars; it was intriguing and exciting, it even had my heart pounding with pure adrenaline. Unfortunately the second part left a little too much to be desired, garnering only a 2 if rated separately.

Let's start at the beginning: After Lila decides to go out with her two best friends at a club, she never thought things would turn into a life or death situation involving gang rapes and abduction. What's peculiar though, is she also remembers what happens if she had stayed home with her boyfriend, and that scenario was equally terrible. Although obviously not "realistic", I found this to be very interesting. The abduction was a terrifying situation; all too real and with tons of intensity. The other reality, staying home and leaving her friends to themselves, evened this out with a sweet romantic night, but with its own consequence in the end. The action does plummet after these initial sequences, though, when Lila wakes up for her redo and the story switches gears. Mostly this next part contains exhausting inner dialogue, a lot of fidgeting, and even an instance of garbage eating.

Yes. Garbage eating. *shakes head still in disbelief* So Lila is spying on this guy, right, hiding out in a back alley, when hunger hits. It has been SO long - like, 8 hours!! - since she last ate that she can not fathom going another minute in hunger, so she jumps into the dumpster and searches through trash bags until she finds Chinese food… and eats it!

I think my barf just barfed!

"It's smelly, but what leftover Chinese isn't? I decide it's fresh enough."

Eeeh yeah no shit it's smelly! Even if it was only a day old (which I very much doubt seeing as even the buildings on this street are rotting), it was likely amongst used condoms and dirty diapers. No one normal would resort to this unless they were seriously starving to death and trapped. Not someone who ate lunch the very same day! On the plus side, it has brought on random giggling fits for the past 2 days whenever I'm reminded of it. Though I doubt this was the intended reaction. Even ignoring the hobo habits, Lila doesn't have the most common sense in all of this ordeal, diminishing the tension of the story greatly. It's hard to be scared for someone who puts themselves in their own messes. It comes to no surprise that I'm not this girl's biggest fan, however I can't say I disliked her either. She does prove her strength and determination more than once which redeems her faults a little. Like I said: a mixed bag!

The plot itself veers away from the expected traumatic side of this story line and instead focuses on bringing justice down on sickening evil. I was both intrigued and, I admit, a little disappointed by this - I do thrive on those traumatic psychological thrillers - but it was still a refreshing change of direction for a story that could easily have been another same ol'. I was horrified yet completely immersed when we learn of what these people have been doing on a regular basis. Most of the horror takes place at the beginning of this book, but we get a great climactic ending that brings back a little of the excitement I was hoping would keep throughout.

While I have obvious complaints about this novel, I can't ignore the fact that I was holding my breath during the first part, drowning in Lila's fear and truly feeling her heart breaking in guilt and grief. Megan clearly excels at writing suspense and I will be watching for more from her!

3 Hot Espressos

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Stacking the Shelves (57)

Xpresso Weekly is my edition of Stacking the Shelves hosted by Tynga's Reviews featuring the books I got this week, and I also mention blog news/happenings of the past week.

This week at Xpresso Reads

The time has come, lovelies! I'll be leaving on Tuesday morning for NYC and back on June 2nd. I do have posts scheduled while I'm gone and I'll still be on Twitter once in a while so you won't miss me too much! ;) I can't wait to meet everybody there and I think I'm more excited to meet my bloggy friends than authors--oh and Grumpy Cat! Baha! Also, on the blog this week we posted a sign up for our very first giveaway hop! You should all join the madness!

Sign up!
 

Stacking the Shelves

 (Click on covers or title links for Goodreads)
I received for review:

-PODs by Michelle Pickett
-Chosen at Nightfall by CC hunter

-Wake & Lullaby by Amanda Hocking

- All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill

Short and sweet this week!
Have a great week and I hop to see a lot of y'all at BEA! :D

Link me to your book haul! :)

Fresh Batch (May 26th - June 1st)

Exclusively titled for Xpresso Reads, Fresh Batch features the hottest releases of this upcoming week.

Flavor of the week:

Spirit
Brigid Kemmerer

Series: Elemental #3
Publication date: May 28th 2013
by K Teen

With power comes enemies. Lots of them.

Hunter Garrity just wants to be left alone. He’s learned the hard way that his unusual abilities come at a price. And he can’t seem to afford any allies.

He’s up to his neck in hostiles. His grandfather, spoiling for a fight. The Merrick brothers, who think he ratted them out. Calla, the scheming psycho who wants to use him as bait.

Then there’s Kate Sullivan, the new girl at school. She’s not hostile. She’s bold. Funny. Hot. But she’s got an agenda, too.

With supposedly secret powers rippling to the surface everywhere around him, Hunter knows something ugly is about to go down. But finding out what means he’ll have to find someone he can trust…

Brigid's Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

Brigid Kemmerer finds the time to write somewhere between caring for her family and working at her day job, but sometimes she ends up mothering her coworkers and managing her family. Storm: The Elemental Series is her first novel.

Review: The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen

The Moon and More
Sarah Dessen

Genre: YA Contemporary
Publication date: June 4th 2013
by Viking Juvenile 

Luke is the perfect boyfriend: handsome, kind, fun. He and Emaline have been together all through high school in Colby, the beach town where they both grew up. But now, in the summer before college, Emaline wonders if perfect is good enough.

Enter Theo, a super-ambitious outsider, a New Yorker assisting on a documentary film about a reclusive local artist. Theo's sophisticated, exciting, and, best of all, he thinks Emaline is much too smart for Colby.

Emaline's mostly-absentee father, too, thinks Emaline should have a bigger life, and he's convinced that an Ivy League education is the only route to realizing her potential. Emaline is attracted to the bright future that Theo and her father promise. But she also clings to the deep roots of her loving mother, stepfather, and sisters. Can she ignore the pull of the happily familiar world of Colby?

Emaline wants the moon and more, but how can she balance where she comes from with where she's going?

-A copy was provided by Penguin Canada for review-

As my first Sarah Dessen novel I was a little worried as it seems people either love her books or don't, so it's a relief that I fall in with her fans. The Moon and More is an especially perfect beach read. It's lighthearted, it's fun, with a great summery atmosphere, and it has enough emotion to keep you fully immersed.

This book is not really about anything at all (and I say this in a positive light), or some may say it's about everything; it's about growing up. It spans one summer in Emaline's life; the last summer before she's off to college which, for a lot of us, is when our life suddenly feels changed. We say goodbye to our high school days, and often to our boyfriend and hometown as well. It's a situation many can relate to, making this book - a single summer in the life of a small town girl - surprisingly engaging. Emaline's dealing with insecurities towards her high school long term relationship, as well as anxiety of knowing she'll be leaving her small niche in a matter of weeks. In addition, she has her biological father to deal with, which lends some emotional family problems into the mix.

Even though the novel is, in a way, romantically inclined, it remains a part that makes up the sum of this story. If I had to pick what was predominant, I would say it's family. With two sisters, a grandmother, a mother, a father and a dad, in an exceptionally small town, Emaline's family is a large part of her every day life, especially that she's working at the family business renting summer houses on the beach (I did envy her job once or twice!). The family dynamics are lively and full of heart. I loved the bond she has with her mother and sisters, and I'm very happy with how the drama with her biological father resolved. It didn't go the direction I expected--which was the cliché perfect ending. It may not have worked out 100% happily, but I feel it was very realistic. Emaline also learned a lot from it which made her able to understand their relationship, and even embrace her situation.

To touch a bit more on the romance: that, too, was much more realistic than the happily ever afters. I actually found it was quite perfect in its own way. We have her high school boyfriend, and an intensely ambitious NYC fella named Theo, though don't worry there is no love triangle. Theo is a little… energetic? He definitely doesn't fit into the small town life Emaline has been so comfortable in, and to be honest he kind of grated on my nerves for most of the book. His power hungry, arrogant attitude makes it kind of hard to like him. His boss, however, which is nothing but a slob and a total bitch surprised me by how much I enjoyed her character. She was just so… loud. Her whole personality was very loud. The same can also be said about Emaline's fashionista best friend and the lazy "boy next door". Oh and her brother, he was just adorable! Honestly this whole cast was very dynamic and spirited. They are easily the best part of the book. It also helps when you're from a small town like them; I could relate to a lot in their lives.

My first Dessen experience was clearly a successful one, and will not my last. Sparkling with warmth and carefree summer days, The Moon and More is the book you bring with you on vacation!

4 Hot Espressos

Book Girls Don't Cry: That Time I Was the Black Sheep

Inspired by Book Buzzers, Book Girls Don't Cry is a weekly feature where we each discuss/vent/advise on the chosen weekly bookish topic. Don't miss Jenni on Mondays, and Amy on Saturdays:

 

This week's topic was suggested by Ruby from Feed Me Books Now!!! 

I wanted to love you, but...

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Sometimes there are books that you are just DYING to love either because it sounds exactly like you type of perfect read, all your friends highly recommended it, or it just has an epically awesome cover (pfft yeah I just by the cover! Sue me!), BUT they don't always pan out. So this week we're talking about books we wanted to love but we just.... didn't. Then the black sheep was born. BAAAAAA. (that was a sheep.... fyi).

Note that most of these I did not hate, I just didn't LOVE like so many (either 3 or 2 stars).

 
Jellicoe Road
by Melina Marchetta

Abandoned by her mother on Jellicoe Road when she was eleven, Taylor Markham 17, finally confronts her past. Hannah, the closest adult she has to family, disappears. Jonah Griggs, moody stares and all, is back in town. If Taylor can put together the pieces of her past, she might just be able to change her future.

Yeah yeah I know. EVERYONE and their dog loved this one. I mean, 180 of my Goodreads friends read it and their average is 4.62 (note that I rarely see over 3.6; I have very picky friends >.<). So call me disappointed (and a lil scared of the horde) when I didn't love this one. I didn't hate it - I did give it a 3 stars - but I wasn't able to understand the big hurrah about it either. Honestly I did read this 3 years ago, so maybe if I read it now I would get it, but I only remember being confused. Which does make me kind of want to give it another try now that I've read more in the genre (wasn't big on contemp back then).

  The Night Circus
by Erin Morgenstern

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called "Le Cirque des Reves," and it is only open at night.

Another one that is very highly praised. I did understand why some love it as it does have an incredible imagery and fantastic writing, but otherwise I was just so bored. The blurb talks of battles between magicians and fierce competitions and high stakes, hence why I expected something much more exciting. Sure it's flowery but it had nothing to hold me over. It could, however, make an awesome movie which I hear is in the works! [Find my review here.]

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer
by Michelle Hodkin   

Mara Dyer doesn’t think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.
It can.
She believes there must be more to the accident she can’t remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.
There is.
She doesn’t believe that after everything she’s been through, she can fall in love.
She’s wrong.

GAH I think some of you know by now that this book was a big load of fail for me so I won't go on and on about it. I jut expected SO much more from it. It was my most anticipated book for what seemed like a very long long from when I saw the cover, then I finally got my greedy hands on it and I was utterly disappointed that it turned into another bleh romance story. [Find my review here.]

  Unspoken
by Sarah Rees Brennan

Kami Glass loves someone she’s never met . . . a boy she’s talked to in her head ever since she was born. She wasn’t silent about her imaginary friend during her childhood, and is thus a bit of an outsider in her sleepy English town of Sorry-in-the-Vale. Still, Kami hasn’t suffered too much from not fitting in. She has a best friend, runs the school newspaper, and is only occasionally caught talking to herself. Her life is in order, just the way she likes it, despite the voice in her head.

But all that changes when the Lynburns return.

*Feels Kara's glare* This sounded so up my alley it felt too good to be true, and sadly it was.  I remember wishing it was less romantic and more... gothic I guess. But mostly with this one I just didn't feel any connection with the characters which you know can make or break a book.  I don't really remember a whole lot from it now, but I do recall enjoying the creepiness of the plot at least. [Find my review here.]

Delirium
by Lauren Oliver

Ninety-five days, and then I’ll be safe.
I wonder whether the procedure will hurt.
I want to get it over with.
It’s hard to be patient.
It’s hard not to be afraid while I’m still uncured, though so far the deliria hasn’t touched me yet.
Still, I worry.
They say that in the old days, love drove people to madness.
The deadliest of all deadly things: It kills you both when you have it and when you don’t.

This one I read pretty recently actually, so I do blame my not being wow-ed by the simple fact that it was my 28312736821767th dystopian this year alone. It wasn't a bad book, it got a 3, but I was just kind of bored for a while.

I'm hoping I didn't get too many death glares from this post! But now it's your turn!

Tell me what book(s) made you feel like the black sheep!

Also, don't forget to leave suggestions for future topics you'd like to see! :)

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You know you love me!

Xoxo, Book Girl!