Friday, March 30, 2012

Game of Thrones is on this Sunday. =]

Here are some awesome videos to get you amped up for the show. =]





Let me know if you guys are gonna watch the first episode of Game of Thrones: Season 2 this sunday. I can not wait and currently I am read A Clash of Kings so it will bring the show to a whole new level. =]

Thanks for visiting and Happy Reading.

-Michael

Monday, March 26, 2012

Teaser Tuesday(Mar. 27th)



Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers.




Delirium (Delirium, #1)

My Teaser(I have two this week. =]):

“You can't be happy unless you're unhappy sometimes.”
Lauren Oliver, Delirium

“Sometimes I feel like if you just watch things, just sit still and let the world exist in front of you-sometimes I swear that just for a second time freezes and the world pauses in its tilt. Just for a second. And if you somehow found a way to live in that second, then you would live forever.”
Lauren Oliver, Delirium

Thanks for Visting and Happy Reading. =]

-Michael

Sunday, March 25, 2012

ebook Deal and a Trailer



Hi everyone,
Just wanted to do a little post telling you about an awesome deal and a trailer for a movie I can't wait for. =]

ebook Deal
$2.99
Gone (Gone Series #1)


Now for the awesome Host trailer coming out in 2013. The book was awesome. I really can't wait for the movie. =]


Hope you enjoyed today's blog post. =]

Thanks for visiting and Happy Reading. =]

-Michael

Thursday, March 22, 2012

The Hunger Games Opening Weekend



Opening Weekend is coming upon us. I so can not wait to see the movie. I am so excited. I will let you guys know what I think of it and sort of post a review of it.

What are your guys plans for seeing the movie? Are you going tonight to see the midnight showing or are you going to wait because you don't like cramped theaters? I get to go see it on Friday afternoon.

I am so excited that I even bought a cool Hunger Games pin to wear for when I go see the movie. =]




Thanks for visiting and Happy Reading. =]

-Michael

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Review: Glow/Glow Audiobook by Amy Kathleen Ryan

Glow (Sky Chasers, #1)

Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication date: 7/17/2012
Pages: 320
 ***Glow Audiobook provided by Macmillan Audio for a fair and honest review. =]

Synopsis:

What if you were bound for a new world, about to pledge your life to someone you'd been promised to since birth, and one unexpected violent attack made survival—not love—the issue?

Out in the murky nebula lurks an unseen enemy: the New Horizon. On its way to populate a distant planet in the wake of Earth's collapse, the ship's crew has been unable to conceive a generation to continue its mission. They need young girls desperately, or their zealous leader's efforts will fail. Onboard their sister ship, the Empyrean, the unsuspecting families don't know an attack is being mounted that could claim the most important among them...

Fifteen-year-old Waverly is part of the first generation to be successfully conceived in deep space; she was born on the Empyrean, and the large farming vessel is all she knows. Her concerns are those of any teenager—until Kieran Alden proposes to her. The handsome captain-to-be has everything Waverly could ever want in a husband, and with the pressure to start having children, everyone is sure he's the best choice. Except for Waverly, who wants more from life than marriage—and is secretly intrigued by the shy, darkly brilliant Seth.

But when the Empyrean faces sudden attack by their assumed allies, they quickly find out that the enemies aren't all from the outside.


My Thoughts/Review:



Glow was really awesome and thought provoking. I fortunately got to read the book and listen to the audiobook all thanks to Macmillan Audio. They provided me with the Glow audiobook for a fair and honest review. Both were fantastic by the way. Glow really explores the depths of the human spirit and mind. It is set in outer space with two twin ships traveling to New Earth because earth was corrupt in someway to make it uninhabitable so they had to leave. The ship called the New Horizon has come to rendezvous with the Empyrean. It turns out the New Horizon is infertile and can't make babies so they came their to steal the girls from the other twin ship. The premise of this book is really what got me interested and made me really like it. I mean could you imagine what you would do if you were stuck in space and the people aboard your ship couldn't help continue life for New Earth. Glow really makes you think about all the things humans might do and go through in order to continue life.

Waverly and Kieran are both are the main characters and they both show so much depth and personality as the book goes on. They both had to go through so much throughout all of their ordeals both emotionally and physically. They both are really likable in their own ways and I think the audiobook made me like them even more. I felt connected with Waverly and Kieran because the actors that did the voices did such an awesome job. It was like I was listening to a story about actual people and not just fictional ones. Glow really got me thinking about how groups of people deal with different high stress situations. This book really at times reminded me of Lord of the Flies because aboard the Empyrean there are times where there are no adults and chaos and fights and conflicts break loose. I really loved how this book had two sides with such complex characters and emotions. It flips back and forth between both Waverly and Kieran and you see how different they both are and how their different experiences they have to go through changes them both. I also loved both the voices on the audiobook. They both are very talented voice actors and I love how they could manipulate their voices really well to portray the emotion and depth of each of the characters in Glow.

The major theme of religion comes into play in this book a lot and I am the type of person that doesn't go to church and I just believe in my own believes and don't force them on anyone else. Many of the major conflicts in Glow take place over religion and how sometimes if you think you know and believe you are able to interpret the word of God you can have power over people. This is not the right way to go about religion and if you read Glow you will see and find out what happens to cause all the craziness in the book.

I really can't wait to see what happens as the story and journey continues in the next book. I am so glad that I got to listen to the audiobook. It was really enjoyable and a fantastic listen with such awesome voices which brought the story to life. Glow was such a great Sci-fi with great depth and feeling. I recommend it to anyone who loves a good science fiction book that really delves into the human mind.


Overall I give this book...
 + .5
Thought provoking Science Fiction that really delves into the human psyche =]
4.5 out of 5 Stars
Links to Check it Out:



Thanks for visiting and Happy Reading. =]

-Michael

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Happy St. Patrick's Day.


Hope you all have an awesome day today.

Be Safe and Happy Reading.

Thanks for visiting. =]


-Michael



Thursday, March 15, 2012

Game of Thrones- Season 2

Last year I read Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin alongside watching the HBO Series. That is exactly what I am going to do this year. I so can not wait for Season 2 to start on April 1st.
Here is my review of Game of Thrones that I posted last year. (Keep in mind that this review was when I first started and I wasn't very good at it.)


So I just wanted to share a trailer for this upcoming season. =]



If you haven't read these books or watched the series. Definitely check them out. Game of Thrones Season 1 just came out on Blue Ray and DVD and the books are available at really any bookstores.

Let me know your thoughts on Game of Thrones in the comments and if you are as excited as I am for Season 2.


Thanks for Visiting and Happy Reading. =]
-Michael

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Teaser Tuesday



Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
Grab your current read
Open to a random page
Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers.

Glow (Sky Chasers Series #1)


My Teaser:

"You are so naive." Felicity laughed scornfully. "Don't you see what people are? They're animals. Every one of them."  "Felicity." Waverly grabbed hold of the girl's hand and squeezed hard enough to hurt, unitl Felicity lifted her eyes to Waverly's. "We're animals, too. We can fight back." Felicity yanked her had away. "You idiot. It doesn't matter how hard you fight."
"It matters to me", Waverly said quietly.
"So fight, then," Felicity spat over her shoulder.
Waverly stood up, fists clenched. "I will."

This book is really good so far. I really can't wait to find out what happens.
I received the Audiobook for a fair and honest review from Macmillan Audio. It is really creative and intriguing especially with two voices going back and forth. =]
Leave me a link to your teaser tuesday in the comments and I will come visit yours. =]

Thanks for visiting and Happy Reading. =]

-Michael

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Review: Hippocampus by Tom Tancin

The full wraparound cover for Hippocampus (Book One of the Atlantis Revolution).  Illustration by Veronica Jones.

ebook, 189 pages
Expected publication: April 3rd 2012
*The Author gave me a copy of the ebook for a fair and honest review. =]


Synopsis:

An Island that Shouldn't Exist...
A Life He Didn't Know...
A Destiny That Can't Be Escaped

There was no turning back. We were going to set into motion a revolution that could either save Atlantis or leave it destroyed in the process.

Sixteen-year-old Trey Atlas' known life is a lie. While he was raised in Miami, Trey was actually born in Atlantis. Sent off the legendary island as a baby for his own safety, Trey is the only living heir to the Atlantean throne. Whether he likes it or not, Trey has to go back to his birthplace and accept his role as the Ruling Prince and lead the revolution to defeat the Knights of the Abyss. Otherwise, thousands of innocent lives and his true family legacy could be lost forever.

My Thoughts/Review:


Spectacular, adventurous and magical is what sums up this awesome book by Tom Tancin. I am so happy that I got the chance to read this book before it comes out in April. Hippocampus really takes you on an adventure that you don't want to leave once the book ends. As you read you learn about Trey Atlas and what happens to him thoughout his journey. You get to learn all about the lost city of Atlantis and all the wonders it has to hold. The one negative about this book was that I wish it was longer. I wanted to learn more about Atlantis and the future that Trey has to face. I really can not wait to read the next book in the series.

In my honest opinion this book reminded me of a combination of Harry Potter, Percy Jackson and Eragon and that is saying a lot. Hippocampus has practically everything in its pages. It has sword fights, good vs. evil, a prophecy, sorcerers, and a whole new Atlantean language. Hippocampus really was like reading a combination of all my favorite books with just the right elements added in. I really liked how the chapter heads were in Atlantean when Trey was in Atlantis and when Trey was at home they were in English. This book really has great detail that makes the book amazing, which you can tell took a lot of work to accomplish.  

All of the characters throughout Hippocampus are really well thought out and defined as people with very different personalities. I loved all the depth each character brought to this book. One of my favorite characters was Aerian and how she was a sorceress and was the brave one to actually call Trey back to Atlantis. Trey was a great main character even though on the outside he seemed to have no flaws on the inside he was a real person who had feelings and some troubles of his own. Oaren was very brave also especially with everything that he had to go through and I loved in the end that he found his strength. You really feel invested in all of the characters because, whether they are a main character or a background character, they are all well written out and have such feelings and emotions that you can't help not feeling for them.

 Tom Tancin is really an awesome writer who came up with such a great idea for a book. His writing style really fits into this young adult genre and the world that he has created is just fantastic. It is like he has taken many different elements and weaved them together to create an amazing fast paced book. I feel like I want to go visit the island of Atlantis and from all his descriptions it feels like Tom has acutally been there himself. I can't wait to read the next book to go back to Atlantis to visit the beautiful island and see what all the awesome characters are doing. =]


Overall I give this book...

Spectacular, adventurous and magical, a really fun read that I can't wait to dive back into. =]
5 out of 5 Stars
Links to Check it Out:

About the Author:
At 28 years old, Tom Tancin is an accomplished author. Having already written seven books (and self-published three), Tom ventured out to write a young adult fantasy series. A fan of Atlantis, Tom decided to focus the series on the mythical island and then designed Trey Atlas, the sixteen year old protagonist of the series. He spent nearly three years developing, plotting, writing, editing, and promoting the first book, Hippocampus, before it was released on April 3, 2012. The series is currently planned to have four books, one released per year from 2012-2015.

Tom is also a 7th grade science teacher, an avid reader of young adult novels, and a fan of sci-fi/fantasy/adventure movies. He lives in Pennsylvania.


Thanks for Visiting and Happy Reading. =]

-Michael

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Happy Daylight Savings Time




Don't forget to turn your clocks back tonight.


I hate that I lose an hour of sleep.

Hope you all get enough reading time in with losing an hour and all.

Thanks for Visiting and Happy Reading. =]

-Michael

Monday, March 5, 2012

Top Ten Favorite Covers of all Time


Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because they are particularly fond of lists at The Broke and the Bookish. They love to share lists. 

I think covers are so awesome. Most of the time it is what draws me to the book. These 10 are the ones in the recent years that I think are the best of all time. =]

Divergent (Divergent, #1)

I think this one is so creative, I love the different symbols for the different factions and I can't wait for Insurgent to come out. =]

Sisters Red (Fairytale Retellings, #1)Sweetly (Fairytale Retellings, #2)
Jackson Pearce's Fairytale retellings are amazing and the covers look so good and magical. I love how the sisters intertwine with the wolf. And I love how the face is in the branches of the trees of Sweetly which I still need to read and can't wait to.

Pure (Pure, #1)
I just read Pure and I love the cover with the dome and Pressia's butterfly. It kind of gives you a sense of deeper meaning. Especially once you read the synopsis. =]

Eragon (Inheritance, #1)Eldest (Inheritance, #2)Brisingr (Inheritance, #3)Inheritance (Inheritance, #4)

The illustrations of all the dragons on these covers really make the world of Eragon come to life. I can't wait to start Inheritance and dive into the last chapters of this world.

The Alchemyst (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, #1)The Magician (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, #2)The Sorceress (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, #3)The Necromancer  (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, #4)
The Warlock (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, #5)The Enchantress (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, #6)

The covers of this series really what got me interested in the books. I love all the elements and symbols going on with the covers. It states that the world inside the book is exciting and magical and very interesting.



Tempest (Tempest, #1)

This cover just invites you to delve into the story of Tempest. It asks the question why are these two people falling in the sky and what will happen to them. You have to read to find out and it is a very exciting read indeed.

The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1)
Hunger Games simplistic covers really says it all. Awesomeness.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Harry Potter, #1)
How could I not put Harry Potter on my list. It was one of the first covers of my childhood and I loved looking at them trying to figure out what was going to happen in the book.

Across the Universe (Across the Universe, #1)

Across the Universe is awesome and so is its cover. I mean the stars mixed with Amy and Elders first meeting. You just have to know what this book is about. Then you find out the cover is reversible with a map of Godspeed on the back. The map plus the thrilling, awesomely written first chapter solidified how great this book is.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
Creepy and weird. I just had to read this book from the cover and pictures inside it. I mean a girl floating on her own how can you resist not reading this book. I just had to find out what happened and I am glad that I did. =]

Thanks for visting my Top Ten. Link me up to yours and I will come visit once I am out of work tomorrow. =]

-Michael

Saturday, March 3, 2012

March TBR List

Currently I am reading Hippocampus by Tom Tancin. It is really good so far. Can't wait to keep diving into it. =]

Hippocampus (The Atlantis Revolution #1)




Here are the other books I plan to read in this month. =]

Delirium (Delirium, #1)




Glow (Sky Chasers, #1)





Thursday, March 1, 2012

Follow Friday(12)



FF 2012 Feature & Follow #80
Follow Friday is a weekly event hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read.
This week's Question is:
Q: What book would you love to see made into a movie or television show and do you have actors/actresses in mind to play the main characters?

I have to pick two books for this question, which is such a good question by the way.
I would have to pick Divergent and Across the Universe. Two of my favorite books from 2011.

Divergent (B&N Exclusive Edition)

Across the Universe (Across the Universe Series #1)

These books have totally awesome plots and would make amazing movies. I could no way pick the casts for these movies. I would leave that up to the professionals because I know that they would pick the perfect people to play the parts.
This was a really great question for this weeks Follow Friday.
Leave me a comment with a link to your FF.
I will follow you back once I get home from work. =]
 
Thanks for visiting and Happy Reading. =]
 
-Michael

I Am Number Four: The Lost Files: Nine's Legacy

Just wanted to let you guys know that another Lost Files came out two days ago in the Lorien Legacies series. I didn't know about it til today. I can't wait to read this one. It is all about Number Nine and what he went through. Hope you guys enjoy this one just as much as I am going to. Plus it is only $3.99 so that is awesome. =]


I Am Number Four: The Lost Files: Nine's Legacy


  • Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
  • Publication date: 2/28/2012
  • Sold by: HARPERCOLLINS
  • Format: eBook
  • Pages: 144


  • Synopsis:

    Number Nine—when John frees him from his cell in the power of six, he's ferocious, reckless, and ready to fight back. But being held captive changes a person—even a Lorien. See what Nine was like before his capture, and read about his dramatic escape from his point of view.

    In i am number four: the lost files: nine's legacy, discover the story behind Nine. Before meeting John Smith, aka Number Four, before being held prisoner, Nine was hunting down Mogadorians in Chicago with his CÊpan, Sandor. What happened there would change Nine forever. . . .


    Links to check it out:


    Thanks for stopping by and Happy Reading. =]

    -Michael