2012 Challenge: Book Blogger Recommendation Challenge

So I've decided to join a few challenges this year. It's March so I've got plenty of time. One that caught my eye was the Book Blogger Recommendation Challenge hosted by: Reading With Tequila.

I've chosen to do level 1: read 5 books from the list

Here are the 5 I chose:

• Jane Eyre By Charlotte Bronte
• Delirium By Lauren Oliver
• Tiger's Curse By Colleen Houck
• Divergent By Veronica Roth 
• Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Review: Rot & Ruin by Jonathon Maberry

Title: Rot & Ruin
Author: Jonathan Maberry
Pages: 464
Age Rating: M
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers




Synopsis from Amazon:
It’s been 14 years since First Night, when the dead came back to life. Six billion people have died (and reanimated) since then, and America has collapsed into isolated communities living within the great “Rot and Ruin.” Benny is 15, which means it’s time to get a job or face cut rations, but his general laziness leaves him with only one employment option: join his stuffy, sword-swinging, Japanese half-brother, Tom, as an apprentice bounty hunter. This means heading beyond the gates to slice and dice “zoms,” but Benny quickly begins to see the undead in a new light—as well as realizing that Tom is much more than he ever let on.

Rot & Ruin is a book I had been looking forward to reading for a while. It was sitting on my shelf begging to be read and finally I obliged. I am sooo glad I did. This book is amazing! It captivated me from the very beginning, it's a true page turner. You are easily able to connect with the characters and their emotional journey, all of us have had secret crushes and fights with our siblings.

One thing I loved about this book was that even though some characters were only 15, they had real raw & deep emotions. There world is not & possibly will never be like the world we know today and they know it. You get to see them battle feelings of staying in their comfort zone & wanting more from their life & world. You also get to see them grow in maturity over the course of the book. It's an amazing journey considering the time frame of the book is only about a month or so. You see them evolve from having a teenagers maturity to that of an adult.

Another thing about this book is that it's focused around the subject of the living dead, only this isn't your typical zombie book. This looks at zombies from another angle. One of "humaness" (yes I do believe I have created a word). This book shows that zombies are people too, or that they used to be. They have families who love them and grieve for them. It's not their fault that they are the way they are. In most movies you see zombies being killed left & right in all kinds of ways, but this book looks into another way to do it. One very hard, emotional way to do it. I must say I am a bit of a sap & I have teared up once or twice reading this book. One of those times being at the end.

Rating: 3 Bookmarks - Finished & in Novel Utopia!

I gave this book an age rating of a M just for the fact that the book did have a few curse words here & there and there were 15 year old boys with raging hormones :-). If you're looking for a great book to curl up with & read over a weekend then I highly suggest this one.

Fresh Writes Spotlight: Heather Anastasiu

 *Bio taken from Goodreads.
Heather lives just south of Austin, Texas and is currently finishing up her Master's in Literature with an emphasis in Children’s Literature at Texas State University. She’s a self-proclaimed nerd, attracted to anything fantasy or sci-fi, especially if there’s kissing involved. She spends her free time writing, reading, and loving on her hubster and cutie-pie kiddo. 

Glitch Synopsis:

In the Community, there is no more pain or war. Implanted computer chips have wiped humanity clean of destructive emotions, and thoughts are replaced by a feed from the Link network. 

When Zoe starts to malfunction (or "glitch"), she suddenly begins having her own thoughts, feelings, and identity. Any anomalies must be immediately reported and repaired, but Zoe has a secret so dark it will mean certain deactivation if she is caught: her glitches have given her uncontrollable telekinetic powers. 

As Zoe struggles to control her abilities and stay hidden, she meets other glitchers including Max, who can disguise his appearance, and Adrien, who has visions of the future. Both boys introduce Zoe to feelings that are entirely new. Together, this growing band of glitchers must find a way to free themselves from the controlling hands of the Community before they’re caught and deactivated, or worse. 

Glitch's expected release date is Aug 7, 2012 so mark your calendars!!

Big Things Coming Up!

Hey guys!

Stay tuned for the next few months to see all the big things that I have in the works. Great reviews, author interviews and even some giveaways!
If you're not following the blog, go ahead and do so today and invite your friends to follow also! Help me make it to my goal of 100 followers.

Also, I decided to stop doing recommendation wednesdays and want something to replace it. If you have any good ideas on topics for a weekly post leave a comment! Maybe your ideas will be featured! This is your chance to have your voice heard so go ahead and leave a comment. Your opinion matters to me.