Taking A Break From All the Politics So We Can Relax and Watch Stuff Blow Up

We haven't had a "stuff blows up" post in quite a while, so here's some footage of a fire in a rocket fuel plant.

Review: The Shadow Society by Marie Rutkoski

The Shadow Society by Marie Rutkoski
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux 
First published: October 16th, 2012
Source: NetGalley
Format: eARC
Pages: 416

Goodreads Summary:
Darcy Jones doesn’t remember anything before the day she was abandoned as a child outside a Chicago firehouse. She has never really belonged anywhere - but she couldn’t have guessed that she comes from an alternate world where the Great Chicago Fire didn’t happen and deadly creatures called Shades terrorize the human population.

Memories begin to haunt Darcy when a new boy arrives at her high school, and he makes her feel both desire and desired in a way she hadn’t thought possible. But Conn’s interest in her is confusing. It doesn’t line up with the way he first looked at her.

As if she were his enemy.

When Conn betrays Darcy, she realizes that she can’t rely on anything—not herself, not the laws of nature, and certainly not him. Darcy decides to infiltrate the Shadow Society and uncover the Shades’ latest terrorist plot. What she finds out will change her world forever . . .

My Rating: 4.0 / 5

First thoughts:

With a very interesting concept and a story of forbidden love, The Shadow Society made me turn its pages as fast as possible to find out more about these different worlds and most importantly about Darcy's past and future.

More detailed:

With every day that passes more books are released and more ideas are no longer "new" to us. But I'm very happy to announce that Marie's Rutkoski's The Shadow Society is a quite unique novel in the YA world and managed to surprise me with its interesting concept, mixing both science fiction and paranormal elements.

Even Darcy, The Shadow Society's protagonist, isn't the usual main character you are normally confronted with. She's a little bit spunky, has slightly crazy but very loveable friends and a past that she mysteriously cannot remember. All of this sets the scene for a very interesting plot line and makes you curious to find out more about the world Darcy is thrust in.

The love story has the addictive flair of a forbidden love, which usually is already enough to get me interested. But these two are a couple that you want to overcome every single obstacle and just finally get together for good. Nonetheless there are some parts when their attitudes seriously frustrated me and I wanted to shout at them - but that kind of investment as a reader is what makes a good love story.

All in all, I really liked The Shadow Society. Even though there were a few parts of the story that didn't captivate my attention like others did, I am very pleased with how the story turned out and I'd definitely like it if there was a sequel, so I can find out even more about these worlds.

Have you read The Shadow Society? If yes, what did you think about it?

If no, do you plan to read it?

I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Carina

The Border Was Just Asking For It

I have seen some crazy and offensive shit posted at  my local paper's website, but this post, by a drooling idiot hiding behind the moniker 101jackson, takes the cake, as he responds to my latest column by equating illegal immigration with rape:

Rape in this country is not as widespread as the Democrats make it out to be, unless you want to consider the illegals penetrating our borders, now that is rape, or the fact that they also have been getting tax refunds through fraud, again that is rape being carried out by the same illegals who raped us the first time by sneaking in, well come to think of it we are getting raped repeatably and it seems the Democrats are loving it since they just lay down spread our border patrols out so thin making forceable entry seem like it is conscensual. And again Obama will hold us down and for a few more votes pull down our pants. Why do you refrain from the immigration topic when making your weekly speech?

The Party of Love: you can always depend on them.  No wonder they're losing among women. 

(Post title courtesy of  Nic Rhoades)

Fictional Distractions of the Week #50

Welcome to Fictional Distractions of the Week. It is inspired by Book Journey's It's Monday! What are you reading? and Fiktshun's My Reading Pile and it will show you what I'm planning to read during the next week.

The books I plan to read this week:

At first, I'm going to finish Allegiance by Cayla Kluver, which is the second book in the Legacy trilogy. So far I'm liking it quite a bit and can't wait to finish it, so I can read the third book soon as well. 

After that I'm going to get to read one of my most anticipated reads for 2012 - The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin. Ever since I've read the first book, I've been dying to get my hands on a copy of its sequel and now I'm fighting with the urge to ditch Allegiance since this pretty book arrived on Saturday.

And my third read (which I kind of doubt I will get to) will be Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill, which just sounds like one of the most amazing contemporary reads I can imagine. I really hope it'll live up to my expectations, because they are pretty high.

What are your Fictional Distractions of the Week?

 

Thanks For the Reminder, Mr, Mourdock!

Latest Newspaper Column

I think we all owe a great debt of gratitude to Indiana GOP Senate candidate Richard Mourdock. No, really. I mean it. At a time when it was looking like people might start actually believing flimflam artist Mitt Romney's transparently false attempt to shake his Etch A Sketch and "tack to the center," someone like Mourdock comes along to remind us of what the Republican Party really stands for.

I've got to tell you, if I were Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus, I'd have sent out a memo months ago telling every GOP candidate for every elected office, from president to prom king: "For God's sake, if anyone brings up rape, change the subject!" Because it seems that anytime the subject comes up, some far-right ideologue manages to say something (a) stupid; or (b) downright horrifying.

Problem is, the difficult topic of rape keeps coming up. It forces the right to face one of the thornier problems of its stance against a woman's right to choose: Would you force a woman to carry a pregnancy to term if the pregnancy was the result of rape or incest?

Different candidates have dealt with this question in different ways. A few weeks ago, you had Missouri Senate candidate Todd Akin, who dealt with the question by denying scientific reality and essentially making up his own. He claimed that he'd heard from doctors that pregnancies from rape are "really rare" - that "if it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down."

This led to a firestorm of indignation and well-deserved derision. While some on the right, particularly Mike Huckabee and the Family Research Council, defended Akin, the bulk of the party decided to back away from defending the idea that you could separate sexual assault into "legitimate" and "illegitimate" categories, not to mention the completely bogus notion that a woman's body provides a magic shield against becoming pregnant by rape if it's "legitimate."

At least they did at first. Now, it seems, some conservative Super PACs, such as Sen. Jim DeMint's Senate Conservatives Fund, are deciding to try to raise money for the guy who believes in "legitimate rape."

Just as the Akin furor was dying down and Mitt was playing at being a moderate once again by claiming, "There's no legislation with regard to abortion that I'm familiar with that would become part of my agenda" (after claiming he'd be a "proudly pro-life president" and promising to defund Planned Parenthood), along comes Mourdock.

Asked if there'd be any exception to his anti-choice stance, Mourdock allowed as how he'd graciously let a mother choose to live if her pregnancy might kill her. As for rape or incest, he said, "I think that even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that it is something that God intended to happen."

Really? A woman gets raped, her rapist makes her pregnant, and that's all part of God's perfect plan?

In addition to "legitimate rape," we're now supposed to believe in "rape with pregnancy intended by God"? I'm glad that, while I do believe in God, he's not a God that thinks women being made pregnant against their will is just what he intended. Such a God would be some kind of sadistic cosmic psychopath.

Mourdock, however, isn't getting the Akin treatment. The party is still sending him cash. No doubt the leadership reasoned, "Hey, if we start throwing every nutball under the bus after he says something stupid or offensive to women, pretty soon we won't have any candidates left."

Honorable John McCain said Mourdock should apologize, but then walked the demand back the very next day. As for Romney, even though spokeswoman Andrea Sauls asserted that "Gov. Romney disagrees with Richard Mourdock's comments, and they do not reflect his views," Lord Romney, the High Sheriff of Flip-Flopshire, has endorsed Mourdock.

He's even cut a campaign ad on his behalf that's running in Indiana right now. This is called "trying to have it both ways." It's also called "transparently cynical and unworthy of a man who claims he's a leader." Among other things.

So thank you, Mr. Mourdock. Thanks for reminding us, once again, of what the GOP really is: the home of right-wing religious crazies who try to parse and partition various "kinds" of rape, and the alleged moderates who have to grit their teeth and embrace them for political gain.

Meanwhile, I just voted for the president who says unequivocally, "Rape is rape," and that we don't want "politicians, mostly male, making decisions about women's health care decisions."

New Distractions #15

Last week, I received a copy of The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin and it's pure torture to not ditch my current read and start reading this one immediately. Will definitely start reading this once I'm finished with Allegiance, because I just need to know what will happen after the mean ending of the first installment.

Which books did you get last week?

Carina

Short Story Review: Iron's Prophecy by Julie Kagawa

Iron's Prophecy by Julie Kagawa
Series: The Iron Fey #4.5
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
First published: September 1st, 2012
Source: Bought
Format: Paperback (part of The Iron Legends)
Pages: 76

Goodreads Summary:

Meghan Chase is finally getting used to being the Iron Queen, ruler of the Iron Fey. Her life may be strange, but with former Winter prince Ash by her side at last, she wouldn’t have it any other way.

But when they travel to the Summer and Winter courts’ gathering for Elysium, the oracle from Meghan’s past returns with a dire prophecy: “What you carry will either unite the courts, or it will destroy them.” Now Meghan faces a devastating choice that may determine the future of all fey—and her and Ash’s unborn child…

This review might include spoilers for the previous books of the series.

My Rating: 5.0 / 5

What I thought about it:

I've been in love with this series ever since I started reading the first few pages of The Iron King and still cannot get enough of its characters and world-building. Julie Kagawa has managed to create such a beautiful albeit slightly scary world that sucks you in even with the smallest snippets of writing - so of course I ended up loving Iron's Prophecy, too.

This is set not too long after The Iron Knight and gives us a tiny glimpse into Meghan's life as the Iron Queen. It ends up setting the scene for The Lost Prince and gives us a few ideas about what Julie might have in store for those characters that we've fallen in love with. I just absolutely adored the little adventure that brought a couple of our favorite heroes back together and made me reminisce about their previous adventures.

I definitely recommend reading this before reading the first installment of the spin-off, The Lost Prince, because even though it's not necessary, it makes certain scenes and actions a bit more understandable. All in all, Iron's Prophecy is another wonderful novella and adds very interesting facts to the Iron Fey series.

Have you read this series? If yes, have you read Iron's Prophecy, too, or do you plan to read it?

If no, what are you waiting for?!

I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Carina

Waiting on Wednesday #79

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
by April Genevieve Tucholke
Publisher: Dial (Penguin)
Expected Publication: August 15th, 2013

Goodreads Summary:
You stop fearing the devil when you’re holding his hand…

Nothing much exciting rolls through Violet White’s sleepy, seaside town…until River West comes along. River rents the guesthouse behind Violet’s crumbling estate, and as eerie, grim things start to happen, Violet begins to wonder about the boy living in her backyard. Is River just a crooked-smiling liar with pretty eyes and a mysterious past? Or could he be something more? Violet’s grandmother always warned her about the Devil, but she never said he could be a dark-haired boy who takes naps in the sun, who likes coffee, who kisses you in a cemetery...who makes you want to kiss back. Violet’s already so knee-deep in love, she can’t see straight. And that’s just how River likes it.

Blending faded decadence and the thrilling dread of gothic horror, April Genevieve Tucholke weaves a dreamy, twisting contemporary romance, as gorgeously told as it is terrifying—a debut to watch.

Please do something so I'm craving this book a little bit less, because - wow, it just sounds über-awesome. Creepy. Amazing. Why does it have to come out in August? I want it to be released right now!

What are you waiting for this Wednesday?

Carina

Bring Me Binders Full Of Women!

Latest Newspaper Column:

It’s odd sometimes how the things you think are going to end up being a big deal aren’t, and the things that end up being a big deal are the ones you wouldn’t have suspected.

This was recently illustrated in the aftermath of the latest debate between President Barack Obama and Lord Mitt Romney, the Earl of Etch A Sketchington, and how a comment by His Lordship made “binders full of women” an Internet sensation.

When asked by a member of the audience how the candidates would deal with the issue of gender inequality in the workplace, in particular pay inequality between men and women, Obama noted that the first bill he signed was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which increases the ability of women to seek recourse against discriminatory pay practices.

He mentioned education, particularly Pell grants, which allow both men and women better access to education. He promised enforcement of anti-discrimination laws.

When it was Lord Mitt’s turn, he began with a recollection of how he’d hired a bunch of women for Cabinet positions when he became governor of Massachusetts:

“Well, gosh,” he said, “can’t we — can’t we find some — some women that are also qualified?” He went on to relate: “I went to a number of women’s groups and said, ‘Can you help us find folks,’ and they brought us whole binders full of women.”

Now, I confess, I didn’t pay much attention to that phrase when Romney said it. It went right by me, probably because I was too busy griping that Romney hadn’t done squat to answer the actual question. But hoo-boy, did some people, mainly women, notice it.

“Minutes after” the fateful phrase was uttered, it was “lighting up Twitter and had already spawned a new website,” according to the L.A. Times. The website  mocked Romney’s phrasing in typical online fashion, with references to various other Internet memes and sarcastic pictures.

It didn’t end there. Someone created a Facebook page that immediately garnered more than 200,000 positive votes (“Likes,” in Facebook parlance). USA Today dubbed “binders” its “Obama-Romney Word of the Day.” It seems a lot of people found the image of Mittens paging through “binders full of women” more than a little creepy.

You knew the phrase was really taking hold when conservative pundits started whining that the Obama campaign was “trivializing” the issue by bringing up the words their candidate actually used. Pro tip: When they’re whining, you’re winning.

Then people who were actually around in Massachusetts at the time Romney took office began to speak up, and — surprise! — it turns out that he was playing fast and loose with the truth. Again.

Romney’s former lieutenant governor noted that the “binders” were prepared by a group called the Massachusetts Women’s Political Caucus, through a program they called MassGAP. In a statement from that group released Wednesday, spokesman Liz Levin noted that Romney hadn’t come to them after the election; they’d come to both him and his opponent, Shannon O’Brien, before the election even took place, and that “both campaigns made a commitment” to work with them on hiring more women.

And while they applauded Romney’s initial commitment, which resulted in women filling “42 percent of the new appointments made by the Romney administration,” they noted that “from 2004-2006 the percentage of newly appointed women in these senior appointed positions dropped to 25 percent.”

But the initial question, and the big issue, wasn’t about whether Romney’s a good guy for perusing “binders full of women” to find candidates for Cabinet posts. It was about gender inequality in the workplace. So what did Lord Romney or his campaign have to say about the Lilly Ledbetter Act, which, as noted above, increases the ability of women to seek redress for income discrimination in the workplace?

Well, according to Romney spokesman Ed Gillespie, Romney opposed the passage of the bill, but would not repeal it.

Then, the very next day, Gillespie performed one of the flip-flops that have become such a regular part of the Romney campaign that no one in the mainstream media even seems to comment on them anymore: Romney, Gillespie told the political blog Talking Points Memo, “never weighed in on [the Act]. As president, he would not seek to repeal it.”

Once again, Mittens displays the breathtaking ability to take up to three positions on a single issue within the space of 24 hours: He doesn’t support it, takes no position on it, but won’t repeal it.

Awkward, out-of-touch, and condescending remarks, lies and shameless flip-flops, followed by whining about what people are quoting what the candidate actually said. Just another day on the campaign trail for His Lordship.

Cover Comparisons #71: Tempest by Julie Cross

Living in Germany gives me the perfect opportunity to compare original covers with the ones German publishers choose. Sometimes they're gorgeous, sometimes they make me cringe, but it's always interesting to see different covers for the same novel.

Cover Comparisons is a weekly feature here at Fictional Distraction.

---

  Tempest by Julie Cross

(US Hardback / US Paperback / GER)
You can click on each cover to enlarge it.

I'm not really sure which cover of these I like most. To be honest, I don't love any of these, even though they are definitely special. The typography of the German cover is very pretty and unique, but I probably wouldn't have chosen this color along with a male cover model. The new US cover is definitely more eye-catching than the older one. Nonetheless I feel as though it's a bit too hectic for my taste and would probably rather pick up the older version, even though this one's colours are a tiny bit too gloomy for me... you see, I can't really make up my mind.

Which version do you like best?

US HardbackUS PaperbackGER

pollcode.com free polls

Which version did you vote for? Why?
I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Carina

Waiting on Wednesday #78

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This Is What Happy Looks Like 

by Jennifer E. Smith

Publisher: Poppy
Expected Publication: April 2nd, 2013
Pages: 416

Goodreads Summary:

If fate sent you an email, would you answer?

In This is What Happy Looks Like, Jennifer E. Smith's new YA novel, perfect strangers Graham Larkin and Ellie O'Neill meet—albeit virtually—when Graham accidentally sends Ellie an email about his pet pig, Wilbur. In the tradition of romantic movies like "You've Got Mail" and "Sleepless in Seattle," the two 17-year-olds strike up an email relationship, even though they live on opposite sides of the country and don't even know each other's first names.

Through a series of funny and poignant messages, Graham and Ellie make a true connection, sharing intimate details about their lives, hopes and fears. But they don't tell each other everything; Graham doesn't know the major secret hidden in Ellie's family tree, and Ellie is innocently unaware that Graham is actually a world-famous teen actor living in Los Angeles.

When the location for the shoot of Graham's new film falls through, he sees an opportunity to take their relationship from online to in-person, managing to get the production relocated to picturesque Henley, Maine, where Ellie lives. But can a star as famous as Graham have a real relationship with an ordinary girl like Ellie? And why does Ellie's mom want her to avoid the media's spotlight at all costs?

Just as they did in The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, the hands of fate intervene in wondrous ways in this YA novel that delivers on high concept romance in lush and thoughtful prose.

I adored The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight soooo soooo much and freaked out a little bit when I find out about Jennifer's upcoming book. This sounds seriously cute and slightly mysterious, too, and I can't wait to get a copy and devour it as fast as possible. I wish I didn't have to wait until April!

Which book are you waiting for this Wednesday?

Carina

Review + Giveaway: Ember by Carol Oates (Blog Tour Stop)

Ember by Carol Oates
Series: Ember #1
Publisher: Omnific Publishing
First published: July 18th, 2011
Source: Received from publisher
Format: eBook (Kindle)

Goodreads Summary:

When Candra Ember wakes up in hospital after a dangerous encounter with a red-haired woman, she is shocked to discover that seeing a winged boy wasn’t her imagination. Candra is exposed to a world of rivalry and sacrifice she never knew existed, and the aftermath of a war to save humanity thousands of years ago. Soon she finds herself relentlessly stalked by Sebastian, a beautiful and arrogant Watcher Angel and romantically pursued by his darkly seductive rival, Draven. Ultimately, dubious about her own goodness, Candra’s very existence compromises a tentative peace in the city of Acheron.

I'd recommend this for an older audience (16+).

My Rating: 3.0 / 5

First thoughts:

After having loved some parts of Ember very much but feeling unsure about certain other moments, I decided to rate this with three stars. It was definitely an enjoyable read and I'm very curious about what will happen in this world after that very interesting ending. Nonetheless I would have loved to feel a deeper connection to the characters, which would have made me enjoy it even more.

More detailed:

I put Ember on my to-read list almost immediately when I found out about it in 2011, but never got around to buy a copy and finally read it. So of course I jumped at the chance to review it for its sequel's blog tour. And even though my expectations might have been a bit higher, I'd definitely recommend it to everyone who is looking for a unique angel story.

Novels that focus on angels can be either really awesome or... not so awesome. Ember's paranormal aspects are definitely very enjoyable, especially because they don't focus too much on the religious elements. And while at times I found it a bit hard to follow every single explanation we get (which can probably blamed on my current chronic fatigue), I really like the background story Carol Oates created.

Like I said above, I would have preferred to feel more connected to the characters. While Candra is a likeable main character, I found almost every character to be a tiny bit too unpredictable, which led to some frustration - especially when they behaved in a way that I didn't want them to. Maybe, though, I just needed to much time to get used to the third person narrator, because I usually like a first person narrator more - which is just a very personal preference and shouldn't stop you from reading this.

Ember's love story is, just like its angel lore, very unique and, just like its characters, a tiny bit frustrating. But in this case it's a good kind of frustration, because which love story would be complete without its heartbreaking and tear-inducing moments? And even though we are confronted with elements of a love triangle, I'd still recommend it for people who usually dislike these - just see for yourself why.

All in all, Ember is the first book of a series that seems to have lots of potential. I'm definitely looking forward to read its sequel, Iridescent, and can't wait to see what Carol Oates has planned for these characters. 

This review is part of Iridescent's blog tour,

hosted by AToMR Book Blog Tours.

Click here for more information about book #2, Iridescent.

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Fictional Distractions of the Week #49

Welcome to Fictional Distractions of the Week. It is inspired by Book Journey's It's Monday! What are you reading? and Fiktshun's My Reading Pile and it will show you what I'm planning to read during the next week.

The books I plan to read this week:

At first I'm going to finish Ember by Carol Oates. There's not much left for me to read, but I'm still not really sure how I'm going to rate it. Some parts I absolutely loved so far, while I almost wanted to skip over some others... really hate it when a book has such wonderful potential, but some scenes just lack in comparison to the others.

Then I'm going to read The Shadow Society by Marie Rutkoski. Just like last week, I'm still really intrigued by it and am excited to finally get around to start it.

And then I'm actually hoping that despite my very slow reading pace I'm going to get around to start The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa. I don't think that I need to say anything about why I'm excited for this one, except Julie Kagawa. Just love her books. Love.

What are your Fictional Distractions of the Week?

Sluice Tundra, Private Eye In: The Case of the Bothered Bird

Latest Newspaper Column:

The street was clean, colorful, brightly lit. The doors were painted a vivid, friendly green, and cheerful red curtains hung in the windows. The place looked welcoming and warm, a neighborhood anyone would want to live in.

It gave me the creeps.

My name is Sluice Tundra. I'm a private eye. I usually make my living on meaner streets, where the only thing hotter than the dames is the lead that flies when the bad guys meet the badder guys, where the only thing darker than the night is the evil that lurks in every alleyway, where men's lives are often measured out in intervals shorter than this monologue.

But it wasn't the contrast between this street and the ones where I ply my usual trade that sent a shiver of warning up my backbone. It was the fact that the street, which you'd expect to be full of happy people doing happy things, was empty. I knew there were people behind those doors and windows, but no one moved. No one made a sound.

Something was seriously wrong on Sesame Street. And I was here to get to the bottom of it.

"Hey, buddy," a growly voice said behind me. I looked around.

The guy addressing me from the trash can was covered in green fur, with a bushy unibrow over wide, bulging eyes. He looked a lot like my brother-in-law from my first marriage. Or my sister-in-law from my second.

"My name's Tundra, not buddy," I said.

"What's your business here?" he demanded.

"My business is my business," I said. "And it's not with you."

"Awright," he said. "You had your chance to play nice."

I felt a sudden sharp pain in the back of my leg. I looked down. Another little furry guy, this one covered in what looked like crimson shag carpeting, was whacking the back of my leg with a lead pipe.

"Hey!" I snapped. "Cut that out!"

He ignored me, just kept waling away, as if he was trying to chop me down like a tree. I reached down and picked him up by the scruff of the neck.

"I said -" I began, before I realized my mistake. I'd raised him to head level. He nailed me right on the forehead, and everything went black.

I awoke on a hard concrete floor. As I sat up and rubbed my head, I noticed the guy who'd hit me a few feet away. But it was the figure next to him I'd come to see. Eight feet tall, covered with bright yellow feathers, and sporting an absurdly long beak.

"Big Bird, I presume," I said.

The little guy spoke first. "Elmo's really sorry, Mister," he said. "But Elmo can't be too careful."

"That's OK," I said. "Elmo was just doing his job." Dang, now he had me doing it.

"Sorry," Big Bird said. "But with you-know-who gunning for us, me in particular ... well, we're all a little jumpy."

"I get it," I said.

"Well, I don't," said the bird. "What did I ever do to him? We take up less than one one-hundredth of 1 percent of the federal budget."

"He's trying to make an example of you," I said.

"Why?" he said bitterly. "To scare other puppets?"

"No," I said, "because he won't be specific about any other things he wants to cut, except ones that don't add up. He said he wants to save money by repealing Obamacare, but the Congressional Budget Office says that while that would reduce spending by $890 billion, it'd cut revenues by $1 trillion and increase the deficit.

"He says he wants to cut taxes, raise military spending, and maintain Medicare and Social Security at the current levels for people 55 and older. To do that, he'd have to cut all other government spending by at least 53 percent. On everything. Student loans, national parks, cancer research, food and drug inspection, environmental protection, small business loans, highways, the State Department ..."

I was running out of breath. When I recovered, I went on. "If he talks about the rest of the stuff he'll need to do to make his promises come true, he'd be about as popular as stomach flu. So he name-checks you."

"This doesn't make me feel any better," Big Bird said.

I shrugged. "Cheer up. The way this guy flip-flops, tomorrow he may be claiming he'll nominate you for secretary of education."

"So what can we do?"

"One, hope the president's on his game enough to try and pin you-know-who down on his claims. Two, get out the vote."

"We can't vote," he said. "We're Muppets."

"What, no photo ID?"

He shook his giant head. "You're really not from around here, are you?"

New Distractions #14

The books I received in the past weeks:

For Review:

Poison Princess | Undeadly | Splintered

The Madness Underneath | Uses for Boys | Sacrifice

Free for Kindle:

Wander Dust

Huge thanks to Simon & Schuster UK, Harlequin Teen, Abrams Books, and St. Martin's Press.

Is there anyone who'd like to stop me from requesting NetGalley titles in the future? Because I really shouldn't have requested any of these, but I just couldn't stop myself, because I'm craving to read all of these. Aaaah.... at least I already got around to reading and reviewing Poison Princess, which was absolutely awesome. Click here for my review.

Which books did you get this week?

Carina

Distractive Obsessions #10

Distractive Obsessions are books that are going to be released very soon and that I'm dying to read - books that I know I'm going to be obsessed with until I'll finally hold them in my hands and read them.

This week's pick is THE EVOLUTION OF MARA DYER by Michelle Hodkin.

It's going to be published on October 23rd, 2012 by HarperTeen.
ISBN: 9781442421790 | pre-order: The Book Depository / Amazon US / Amazon UK / B&N

Goodreads Summary:

Mara Dyer once believed she could run from her past.

She can’t.

She used to think her problems were all in her head.

They aren’t.

She couldn’t imagine that after everything she’s been through, the boy she loves would still be keeping secrets.

She’s wrong.

In this gripping sequel to The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, the truth evolves and choices prove deadly. What will become of Mara Dyer next?

It's been a long time since I've featured a Distractive Obsession, but I just didn't have enough time to obsess over upcoming releases (and actually bought only very few books in the past weeks and months). But now I'm totally crazy about the upcoming release of The Evolution of Mara Dyer which has to be just über-awesome, because it's going to be released on my birthday! 

I am dying to get my greedy little hands on a copy of this book, especially after the very nice cliffhanger of book #1. If you are not obsessing over this book like I am, I can only think of one good explanation - you haven't read The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer. And if that's true, you need to change that as soon as possible ( = pick up a copy right now) and then get a little bit crazy with me while waiting for its sequel.

Which book are you obsessing over at the moment?

Review: Mystic City by Theo Lawrence

Mystic City by Theo Lawrence
Series: Mystic City #1
Publisher: Delacorte Books FYR (Random House)
First published: October 9th, 2012
Source: NetGalley
Format: eARC
Pages: 416

Goodreads Summary:

Aria Rose, youngest scion of one of Mystic City's two ruling rival families, finds herself betrothed to Thomas Foster, the son of her parents' sworn enemies. The union of the two will end the generations-long political feud—and unite all those living in the Aeries, the privileged upper reaches of the city, against the banished mystics who dwell below in the Depths. But Aria doesn't remember falling in love with Thomas; in fact, she wakes one day with huge gaps in her memory. And she can't conceive why her parents would have agreed to unite with the Fosters in the first place. Only when Aria meets Hunter, a gorgeous rebel mystic from the Depths, does she start to have glimmers of recollection—and to understand that he holds the key to unlocking her past. The choices she makes can save or doom the city—including herself.

My Rating: 4.5 / 5

First thoughts:

Inspired by one of the most tragic love stories in literature, Mystic City pulled me into its dystopian world of betrayal, mixed with paranormal elements, and didn't let me go until I finished it. And even now, while writing this review, I'm still hoping that its sequel will pop up next to me magically, so I can continue reading and find out what will happen after that explosive last chapter and only slightly calming epilogue.

More detailed:

I loved reading Romeo and Juliet back in school even though I'm not the biggest fan of starcrossed lovers as heartbreak is an inevitable part of these stories. And today I'm still looking forward to every Romeo and Juliet inspired story that takes this tragic drama and twists it into something beautiful and heartbreaking in a new setting and with new but recognizable characters.

Mystic City definitely exceeded my expectations, turning out to be more addicting than I could have possibly hoped for. Aria is, despite her naivety, a very interesting protagonist whose lack of memory of certain aspects of her past make it incredibly hard to put this book down. While I soon began to suspect correctly that some characters' ambitions weren't exactly what they pretended to be, I still ended up surprised by some others.

Of course the love story is the most vital part of Mystic City. Starcrossed lovers tend to break my heart and it's no exception with this book. But the positive moments these two get to share with each other definitely make up for the lovesickness and all those parts that will make you wish you hadn't picked up a book that is so closely related to Rome and Juliet.

Only the dialogue and a few certain characters sometimes made it hard to find certain story developments believable. Some were too one-dimensional and others betrayed their intentions a little bit too easily for my taste - their choice of words in that moments felt too artificial to me, too. But keep in mind that this just happened only a few times and could be a very subjective point of view - you might not even recognize these scenes as I can be quite picky with my characters and dialogues.

All in all, Mystic City is a very well written novel set in a dystopian world that is very easy to imagine thanks to the descriptions we get. I can't wait to find out where Aria's journey will take her and what will happen to her. If you've been considering to give this book a chance, I'd recommend you to do so as soon as possible.

Challenge(s):

Debut Author Challenge 2012

Buy this book:

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

Have you read Mystic City? If yes, what did you think about it?
If no, do you plan to read it?

I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Carina

Waiting on Wednesday #77

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Invisibility by Andrea Cremer & David Levithan
Publisher: Penguin
Expected Publication: May 7th, 2013
Pages: 358

Goodreads Summary:

Stephen has been invisible for practically his whole life — because of a curse his grandfather, a powerful cursecaster, bestowed on Stephen’s mother before Stephen was born. So when Elizabeth moves to Stephen’s NYC apartment building from Minnesota, no one is more surprised than he is that she can see him. A budding romance ensues, and when Stephen confides in Elizabeth about his predicament, the two of them decide to dive headfirst into the secret world of cursecasters and spellseekers to figure out a way to break the curse. But things don’t go as planned, especially when Stephen’s grandfather arrives in town, taking his anger out on everyone he sees. In the end, Elizabeth and Stephen must decide how big of a sacrifice they’re willing to make for Stephen to become visible — because the answer could mean the difference between life and death. At least for Elizabeth.

It was love at first sight for me and that über-gorgeous cover. And then I read the synopsis and realized that this beauty has a huge potential to be just as pretty on the inside. I really cannot wait to get my hands on a copy of this and find out whether it'll live up to my expectations.

Which book are you waiting for this Wednesday?
Carina

Review: Poison Princess by Kresley Cole

Poison Princess by Kresley Cole
Series: The Arcana Chronicles #1
Publisher: Simon & Schuster FYR
First published: October 2nd, 2012
Source: Received from UK publisher
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 369

Goodreads Summary:

Sixteen year old Evangeline “Evie” Greene leads a charmed life, until she begins experiencing horrifying hallucinations. When an apocalyptic event decimates her Louisiana hometown, Evie realizes her hallucinations were actually visions of the future—and they’re still happening. Fighting for her life and desperate for answers, she must turn to her wrong-side-of-the-bayou classmate: Jack Deveaux.

But she can’t do either alone.

With his mile-long rap sheet, wicked grin, and bad attitude, Jack is like no boy Evie has ever known. Even though he once scorned her and everything she represented, he agrees to protect Evie on her quest. She knows she can’t totally depend on Jack. If he ever cast that wicked grin her way, could she possibly resist him?

Who can Evie trust?

As Jack and Evie race to find the source of her visions, they meet others who have gotten the same call. An ancient prophesy is being played out, and Evie is not the only one with special powers. A group of twenty-two teens has been chosen to reenact the ultimate battle between good and evil. But it’s not always clear who is on which side….

I'd recommend this for an older audience (16+).

My Rating: 4.5 / 5

First thoughts:

Mysterious, compelling and with a positively frustrating love story, Poison Princess is impossible to forget and keeps its readers on their toes all the time. With more than one twist in the storyline and characters that you can love and hate at the same time, this novel ensured that I'll be reading its sequel as soon as possible, hoping to find out more about the mysteries Kresley Cole weaved into this paranormal post-apocalyptic story.

More detailed:

How do you describe a book that has taken you by surprise completely? What can you say about a novel that you wanted to read, but didn't expect to be so special? Because that's exactly how I'd describe Poison Princess - special.

We get to follow Evie on her quest to find answers to her questions about who - or even what - she truly is and if her destiny is somehow connected to a greater good, or evil. As a main character and narrator I liked her a lot and found it easy to understand her motivations and reactions to certain situations and characters.

Her love interest, the swoon-worthy Jackson Deveaux is definitely a different type of bad boy. He's not as easily turned into a good guy like some other "bad" love interests in the YA world, but still shows his weaknesses from time to time. I definitely would have preferred to find out more about his past and his demons, but except for a few hints, Poison Princess solely concentrated on Evie's destiny.

And what a destiny that is. The paranormal aspect of Tarot that is used in Poison Princess is, at least to me, unique in YA and I've devoured the lore and mystery Kresley Cole created. Along with the post-apocalyptic setting, readers are thrust into a completely different world that's still familiar enough to create a subtle fear of having to endure similar things.

All in all, Poison Princess turned out to be a wonderful and addicting read and I can't wait to see where Kresley Cole will take this story. Even though it can be a bit confusing at times, I fell in love with the lore, but am still trying to mend my slightly broken heart after an ending that will have you crave the second book of the Arcana Chronicles.

Buy this book:

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

Have you read Poison Princess? If yes, what did you think about it?

If no, do you plan to read it?

I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Carina

Fictional Distractions of the Week #48

Welcome to Fictional Distractions of the Week. It is inspired by Book Journey's It's Monday! What are you reading? and Fiktshun's My Reading Pile and it will show you what I'm planning to read during the next week.

The books I plan to read this week:

Since I'm a terribly slow reader at the moment, I have yet to read Mystic City by Theo Lawrence, which had already been on my reading pile for the last week. I have only read a couple of pages so far, but I'm definitely intrigued and am looking forward to find out more about this story - especially since so many others have loved it.

After that I really need to read Ember by Carol Oates, which I've been craving to read for a long, long time and since I'm participating in this series' blog tour next week, it's time for me to finally read Ember. Really hope that my expectations will be met.

And maybe, just maybe, I might get to start The Shadow Society by Marie Rutkoski, which sounds like a very unique YA read, which initially made me sooo curious about it. I didn't have the chance yet to check out some reviews for it, but I think that quite a few people already read and liked it, so I'm looking forward to find out more about it myself.

What are your Fictional Distractions of the Week?

Also be sure to enter my current international giveaway: