Review: Of Poseidon

Book: Of Poseidon
Author: Anna Banks
Series: Of Poseidon #1
Release Date: May 22, 2012
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Pages: 324
Source: publisher (Thank you so much, Macmillan!!)
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon CA | The Book Depository | Chapters
Stars: 4.5/5

Galen is the prince of the Syrena, sent to land to find a girl he’s heard can communicate with fish. Emma is on vacation at the beach. When she runs into Galen—literally, ouch!—both teens sense a connection. But it will take several encounters, including a deadly one with a shark, for Galen to be convinced of Emma’s gifts. Now, if he can only convince Emma that she holds the key to his kingdom . . .

Told from both Emma and Galen’s points of view, here is a fish-out-of-water story that sparkles with intrigue, humor, and waves of romance.

(summary taken from Goodreads)

MY THOUGHTS:  

"Ohmysweetgoodness!" Out of all the mermaid books I've ever read, Of Poseidon definitely takes the top spot! I absolutely loved it from start to finish. 

Told from the alternating perspectives between Emma and Galen, the story is so well-written and easy to get absorbed in that it's definitely a one-sit read. Not only is the lore of Syrena incredibly fascinating, but there's also an underlying mystery that hooks you in even more. You can never really guess what's going to happen. This story will grab you hook, line, and sinker, and you can only hang on for the speedy ride.  

I know I must say this a lot, but Emma has to be my new best friend! She's stubborn and snarky and absolutely hilarious in that subtle-clever sort of way. And I don't know what to say about Galen except that he makes a tail seem like the hottest thing ever. ♥ The romance is electric and sizzling. Every moment they spend denying their attraction to each other is another moment you want to push them together — but in a good way! 

The rest of the cast is fun too. Rayna and Toraf, other Syrena like Galen, are a blast. Even their human friends like Rachel bring smiles to my face. Of Poseidon also ends on a cliffhanger that makes me want to pull my hair out, but I can't even recommend that you read this book closer to the release of the second because it's one you want to read as soon as possible.  

Fast-paced, fun, and with a romance that teases and pleases at the exact same time, Of Poseidon is undoubtedly the best fish-filled story ever to hit the shelves. I can guarantee that you'll lose sleep reading this book and thinking about it after! :) 

BUY or BORROW?: Definitely a buy-worthy book! You'll want to read it again and again, so having it on your shelf would be the perfect solution for your soon-to-develop Galen addiction! ;)  

-Mimi

Happy Easter!

Even though not everyone celebrates Easter, I just wanted to wish you all an AMAZING long weekend! :)

I know I'm excited because I have no school for four days (YAY!) and my parents are off work for three of the four too. Plus, even though my sister and I are too old to hunt for chocolate eggs, we still get to hide them all over the house for my little cousins to find (and eat the extras) which is always so much fun. I think that Easter chocolates are even better than Valentine's Day ones!

(Then again, chocolate is chocolate and I'll take what I can get LOL. With one of my cousins being lactose intolerant, I can't help but know how lucky I am!)

My weekend is bound to be chaotic — between staying with my grandma, doing homework, being dragged to watch Titanic in 3D with my friends, and trying not to explode on sugar — so I hope yours will be just as fun!

Are you planning on doing some special things for this weekend too? Or is it just going to be another relaxed weekend? Either way, eat lots of chocolate, read lots of books, and go for a five mile walk. You'll be golden! ;)

Love you guys so much! :') ♥

-Mimi

Masquerade Read-Along Week 1!

Hiiii, everyone! :)

Even though I've been around the blogosphere for a little over a year now, this is my very first read-along so I'm really excited! Especially that it's for Masquerade by Cambria Hebert because she's such an awesome author, and I'm loving her book so far!

This read-along is hosted by Heidi @ Rainy Day Ramblings, Steph @ Five Alarm Book Reviews, Candace @ Candace's Book Blog,  Veronica @ Mostly Reviews and Cambria Hebert. I don't think it's too late to sign up, so go ahead and jump in for next week if you want! :)

This wee is hosted by Steph @ Five Alarm Book Reviews: 

-x-

Chapters 1 - 8

1. If you were disfigured like Heven (by some sort of accident) do you think you would have reacted the same way as her? (loss of self confidence, hiding yourself, etc)

Oh! I don't think I can really say for sure because everything always feels different when you're actually in the situation rather than reading about it.

But I'd like to think... that I wouldn't have lost confidence in myself. Since I was a pretty clutzy kid (okay, so a really clutzy kid), I have tons of scars on my arms and legs. And even though they aren't nearly as bad as Heven's, they don't bother me as much as they'd bother my mom or sister. I like to think I'd remain the same person I am now even if they were as bad as hers — spunky and strange and smiley! :)

It was nothing to be embarrassed about; it wasn't Heven's fault that she had those scars. As long as I'd have awesome friends like Kimber sticking by me, I think I could get by okay!

2. Do you think that Kimber’s plan for revenge against Cole (for kissing another girl) is a good idea?

Definitely not! Revenge is fun to read about sometimes — and I have to admit to loving the TV show, Revenge LOL — but I'm not really a revenge person myself. (I can't hold a grudge long enough to get revenge for the life of me!) As soon as Kimber decided to get back at Cole by making him jealous, I wished I was in the book so I could tell her not to.

Making a boy who loves you jealous... usually doesn't end well. x)

3. In the beginning chapters, Heven is very drawn to Sam but won’t admit it due to her own insecurities. Kimber begins to “date” Sam… do you think that Heven should have spoken up? Do think Kimber should have seen Heven’s real feelings?

In Heven's position, I honestly don't know what I would've done because I'm really bad at sorting out that kind of stuff. It's hard for me to see the line between "I'm totally crushing on that guy!" and "Oh my gosh, he is SO hot!" LOL x)

I guess it might've been hard for Heven to say something since Kimber set her sights on Sam from the beginning and she didn't want to be a bad friend. But since they were friends, Heven should've mentioned something anyways because that's what friends do. And Kimber should've noticed how her friend was about the situation.

4. Masquerade is broken in four separate POV’s: Heven, Sam, The Hate and The Hope. Do you think having multiple POV’s adds depth to the story? Why or why not?

When they're done right, I love multiple POV's so of course my answer is going to be yes! ;) We haven't read much of Sam's POV up to chapter 8 yet, but I love reading Heven's because she's really sweet and realistic. And I love how The Hate and The Hope are like back to back opposites. One says, "I like pizza," and the other says, "I hate pizza." Those lines aren't in the book but it's a lot like that LOL, which is pretty cool to read. :)

5. A great source of strength for Heven is her grandmother. Who do you think yours is/would be?

If we were talking about people, a great source of strength for me would definitely be my older sister. I love her like crazy! She's always the first person I go to if I need help with something, just like I'm always the first person she goes to when she needs help too. We may not be all that similar (for example, she doesn't like to read), but she's kind of like the yin to my yang. I don't think I would've survived so many things without her!

If we were talking about things... I'd have to say books! In a way, books DO help make you stronger because you learn so much from them. And they're a nice escape from reality too when things aren't going as well as you'd hope. Reading a novel can be like therapy for a bookworm's heart, if that doesn't sound too cheesy LOL. ;)

-x-

And that's it! :) If you've read this book before, I would LOVE to know what you thought. But if you haven't read it yet, I'd love to know what you thought of these questions & answers anyways!

Have an amazing day, you guys! ♥

-Mimi

Waiting on Wednesday: Darkness Before Dawn

Time for another amazing Wednesday! ♥ :)

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by the awesome Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating! This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is: 

Darkness Before Dawn by J.A. London

This electrifying new trilogy blends the best of paranormal and dystopian storytelling in a world where the war is over. And the vampires won.

Humans huddle in their walled cities, supplying blood in exchange for safety. But not even that is guaranteed. Dawn has lost her entire family and now reluctantly serves as the delegate to Lord Valentine, the most powerful vampire for miles. It isn’t until she meets Victor, Valentine’s son, that she realizes not all vampires are monsters....

Darkness Before Dawn is a fresh new story with captivating characters, unexpected plot twists, a fascinating setting, and a compelling voice. Written under the name J. A. London by a talented mother-son team, the trilogy is perfect for fans of True Blood and the House of Night and Morganville Vampires series.

(summary taken from Goodreads)

Release Date: May 29, 2012
Series: N/A
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon CA | The Book Depository | Chapters

To say that I'm excited for this book would be an understatement — I think this has to be one of my most anticipated reads of 2012! ♥ I'm just completely in love with that cover, and the whole "dystopian vampire" thing kind of reminds me of The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa, but in the best possible way! :)

WHAT BOOK ARE YOU WAITING FOR? 

-Mimi

Review: Belles

Book: Belles
Author: Jen Calonita
Series: N/A
Release Date: April 10, 2012
Publisher: Little, Brown Books
Pages: 356
Source: publisher (Thank you so much, HBGC!)
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon CA | The Book Depository | Chapters
Stars: 4/5

Fifteen-year-old Isabelle Scott loves her life by the boardwalk on the supposed wrong side of the tracks in North Carolina. But when tragedy strikes, a social worker sends her to live with a long-lost uncle and his preppy privileged family. 

Isabelle is taken away from everything she's ever known, and, unfortunately, inserting her into the glamorous lifestyle of Emerald Cove doesn't go so well. Her cousin Mirabelle Monroe isn't thrilled to share her life with an outsider, and, in addition to dealing with all the rumors and backstabbing that lurk beneath their classmates' Southern charm, a secret is unfolding that will change both girls' lives forever.

(summary taken from Goodreads) 

MY THOUGHTS: 

I've always been more of a paranormal or fantasy girl (preferring made up worlds to our boring old realistic one), but I think that this was exactly the kind of contemporary book that I've been looking for to get me back into the genre — and I kind of want to hug it for that!

Belles zeroes on the lives of two completely different girls who are inexplicably linked: Isabelle (Izzie), the spunky swimmer who comes from the "wrong side of town," and Mirabelle (Mira), the privileged social butterfly who's still finding out who she is. Set in a beachy Southern town, it may not be a fantasy book but it's still kind of magical in its own way.

I loved both of these girls from beginning to end! Even when they made mistakes and trusted the wrong people, they were realistic and fun and easy to relate to. Izzie didn't take crap from anybody, and Mira surprised me by being more artistic and confident than I expected.

And of course no good contemporary is complete without its sweet boys (one of which is a surfer)! The romance was adorable, but it also didn't take away from the surprisingly touching plot. You get to grow to love each of the characters just like you do with Izzie and Mira, and the benefit of this being a standalone is that you get a nicely wrapped up ending.

Filled with a fun cast of characters and one life-changing secret, Belles is a book you'll want to read while sitting by the seaside and burying your feet in the sand. It finds the balance flawlessly between sweet but not too fluffy, drama-filled but not a soap opera, and inspiring but not preaching. I just loved it! :)

BUY or BORROW?: On top of having such a beautiful cover (I probably had to stare at it in my hands for a few minutes — it's even prettier in person!), I'm definitely taking this book with me the next time I suntan on the beach. Can't do that with a library book, right? ;)

-Mimi

April Giveaway & Blogoversary!!

Nope, not my cake! Although I dreamed that it was, if that counts. ;)

You know you're cool WHEN... you forget your own blogoversary! x) I can't believe I didn't remember the exact date! March 26, 2011 was the day I created this blog and posted my first (and kind of embarrassing) post, meaning that Mimi Valentine's YA Review Blog (which really needs a new name haha) is officially one year old!

I kind of feel nostalgic right now. :')

Thank you SO MUCH to everyone for your support and your comments and your overall awesomeness, and for not feeling creeped out by me when I drop by your blog. ♥ I hope you guys know that reading what you guys have to say (and gush about) is always what makes blogging worth it. This year wouldn't have been the same without all of you! :) 

Soooo..... you want to know about the giveaway, right? 

The Rules:

1. There will be TWO winners. 
2. Giveaway ends on May 1, 2012 @ 11:59 p.m.
3. Be a follower (through GFC or RSS).
4. Be 13 or older.
5. Live anywhere that The Book Depository ships to (which is basically everywhere!)
6. Fill out the form.

The Prize: 

Since this is very last minute (and I mean just-shot-out-of-bed-last-night-and-realized-I'm-an-idiot last minute), I'll stick with the prize for my regular monthly giveaway except there will be TWO winners instead of one. I hope that's okay for now!

Each of the winners will get to choose any one book from the list of anticipated near-April releases below! Or if you would like another book that releases around this time instead, I could definitely substitute that in as long as it's under $20 (USD). :)

Above by Leah Bobet
Take a Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg
Pure by Jennifer L. Armentrout
The Calling by Kelley Armstrong
Kill Me Softly by Sarah Cross
The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa
Storm by Brigid Kemmerer
Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris
Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin

Just enter through the widget below. Since I always forget to announce the winners after I email them, I decided to use Rafflecopter for the first time because they can be shown straight from the giveaway post. But this is my first time, so just bear with me! :)

In My Mailbox #24

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren, where we spotlight the books that we've received for review, swapped, or purchased that week. It's a really great idea and I'm excited to take part! :)

FOR REVIEW: 

Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins

Belles by Jen Calonita

Fairystruck by J.L. Bryan

I already read & reviewed Spell Bound HERE, and I just finished reading Belles which was honestly such a sweet book! (Think Gossip Girl, with a touch of The Last Song minus the tears, and tons of adorableness!) And I adore the Songs of Magic series so I was really happy to find a copy of Fairystruck in my mailbox too! A huge thanks to Hachette Book Group Canada and J.L. Bryan for sending these to me! :)

WON/GIFTED: 

Oppression by Jessica Therrien

Elemental by Brigid Kemmerer

Spellcaster by Cara Lynn Shultz

I won a copy of Oppression and a gorgeous notebook from Jessica Therrien, who was so sweet that she signed and personalized them too! (I wish I could share a picture because they're so pretty, if only my sister didn't have the camera!) Thank you a million times over for this, Jessica!

Brodie @ Eleusinian Mysteries (who I want to hug every time I visit her amazing blog!) sent me a copy of Elemental!! She's been shipping this series for so long that I couldn't help but read it right away, and it was AMAZING. If you haven't heard of this series before, you can read Brodie's review on Elemental, her review on Storm, or the first chapter of Storm. If you need anymore convincing after that, I'd be happy to find you a ride to the doctors for a mental check-up. :)

And my long-time BFF (who I've only met in person twice), Kaylee (who should really start blogging again), surprise-gifted me Spellcaster!! YAY! Somehow she always knows what book I want before I have a chance to buy it (since I absolutely adored the first book)! Kay, look out for a package next week. ;)

I think my mailbox is themed pink and green this week, which is funny because pink and green are two of my favourite colours (the other two being blue and purple)! :) But even if it wasn't, I'd still say that this mailbox  is year-making-worthy!

Thanks so much again (and again and again) to Hachette Book Group Canada, J.L. Bryan, Jessica Therrien, Brodie @ Eleusinian Mysteries, and Kaylee for making a not-so-great week so much better! :) ♥

WHAT'S IN YOUR MAILBOX? 

-Mimi