The Epic, Extravagant, (Evil), and Elastic Examination Day 03

Your favourite series

My favourite series is (This is really difficult. I mean, I really like a certain series in the moment but then looking back I can always find a fault with it. I mean there are so many series too: Chemical Garden, City of Bones, Divergent, The Hunger Games, Matched, Delirium, etc, and those are just in the last like year. This is tooooooooooo hard!!!) Partials by Dan Wells (Thanks Kristen) (you be welcome). It's full of adventure, twists, turns, and even love. There is a cause and a war and fighting for life and, of course, an almost apocalypse. I cannot wait for March to get the next book in the series! I plan on rereading it as soon as I get Partials back from Kristen (cough cough) (was that a hint?). If anyone knows Mr. Wells, get him to send me the booooooook!! 

~ Kelsey

All my answers are The Hunger Games! This is too easy, I want my money back! 

- Kristen 

Defiance

Reviewer: Kristen 
Author: C J Redwine
Pages: 403
Format: Paperback 
My Rating: 7 out of 10


Summary (you so great, Goodreads): While the other girls in the walled city-state of Baalboden learn to sew and dance, Rachel Adams learns to track and hunt. While they bend like reeds to the will of their male Protectors, she uses hers for sparring practice.

When Rachel's father fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the city's brutal Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector: her father's apprentice, Logan—the boy she declared her love to and who turned her down two years before. Left with nothing but fierce belief in her father's survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself.

As Rachel and Logan battle their way through the Wasteland, stalked by a monster that can't be killed and an army of assassins out for blood, they discover romance, heartbreak, and a truth that will incite a war decades in the making.

My Thoughts: I really, really enjoyed this story. A lot. I liked the setting, I liked the plot, I liked the story line, I liked the characters. Understatement, I loved most the characters. Words of wisdom though; don't get too attached. There's death, there's violence. It's a dystopia mixed with romance and a heavy dose of a strong lead character. I think that C J Redwine writes beautifully, and I was completely immersed in her world. At first, I really enjoyed the alternating perspectives, but as the book went on, it almost felt tedious. Sometimes I felt Logan's thoughts were a little too romanticized (I understand obligations and moral duties, but how far are you really going to go for someone you haven't spoken to in two years, especially when being blown up is an option?). But I got over that quickly enough, and dived right back in.

Technically speaking, the only "major" problem I had with this love story was the romance aspect of it. I love me a good romance, don't get me wrong. And I absolutely love that it didn't morph into a cheesy love triangle. It was a good old boy and girl falling in love with no interference (okay, besides the interference of the town leader, better known as dictator dickwad in my books). Excuse my outburst. Anyways, the problem I had was that the relationship just kind of happened. It happened before the books got started, but not really. I mean, she had a crush and he didn't. They hadn't spoken. Now they are, and we see that oh my gosh, he really did like her. And oh my gosh, how convenient, she still really likes him too! So one day, without really saying anything (other than I love you) they were together. Ish. Or are they? I'm not really totally 100% sure. I read somewhere the author said that she wasn't sure if they were going to be together, and I think that kind of seeped into the book. Enough of that though. 

That cover though! Seriously, that's part of the reason I bought this. It's so pretty, I just wanna look at it all the time! 

Final Thoughts: Once I started reading, I couldn't stop. 

The Epic, Extravagant, (Evil), and Elastic Examination Day 02

A book that you’ve read more than 3 times

A book I've read more than three times is Just Listen by Sarah Dessen. I enjoy all of Sarah Dessen's novels but this book is one of my favourites. I love the tie back to music. I also love Owen even though he was a little different, he really cared for Annabel. I understood her situation and cared for her almost right away. For me, all of Sarah Dessen's novels are multiple reads, they all stand out to me. Just Listen is a perfect multiple read.

~ Kelsey

I was with Kelsey when she set up this question, and let's just say, I instantly yelled The Hunger Games series. She had to hm and ha, but me, I got it. So there's that. I've read them all like 14 times. And, you know what, it's about time I read them again. It's been a while. See ya on the flip side! 

- Kristen 

Follow Friday

Ahhh, hello old feature friend! It's been too long. 

What are some of your favorite magazines?

Hmm, I'm afraid my answer is going to be terribly boring. I don't read magazines. At all. Which is untrue, but, I only read magazines in certain settings. For example, the hair dressers and the airport. And when I do pick up a magazine, it's always a trash magazine. Usually People or US! or something like that. Sorry my answer couldn't be better, but really, I don't normally go near them! 

 - Kristen 

The Epic, Extravagant, (Evil), and Elastic Examination Day 01

(We have decided to do a challenge. Wish us luck for it will be a daunting quest that will require bravery and stamina and strength and endurance and focus and...basically we are lazy and weak. Here goes nothing!)

Best book you read last year

Best book I read last year? I can hardly remember what I read this summer! I think I'll have to go with (this seems longer ago than it should but) Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. It was an incredibly moving book. I wanted the Clay to find out the reasons Hannah died but at the same time I was hurting for Hannah and Clay. It was horrible how she felt and it was horrible that she put him on the list of reasons. It was also horrible to make him suffer listening to all the reasons. This book really makes you think, granted, it does it while jumping on your heart and ripping it to shreds. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher was the best book I read in 2012.

~Kelsey


Hmm.... Ahh.... Uh.... Mmmm..... now this is a head scratcher. When was last year again? I can't even remember what I had for lunch yesterday... which is a lie because I totally can because it was turkey day... Favourite book last year... (I'm having fun with the ellipses today) was probably Divergent, and that's really only because this is the only one I can think of. I'm in class, and should probably take some notes, so I'll make sure my next answer is super fantastic, not just fantastic. 

- Kristen

PostApoc

Reviewer: Kristen 
Author: Liz Worth 
Pages: 184
Format: Paperback (sent my JKSCommuncations) 
My Rating: 10 out of 10

------ This was sent to us by the publisher for a fair and honest review ----- 

Summary (thanks GR): Sole survivor of a suicide pact, Ang has fallen into an underground music scene obsessed with the idea of the end of the world. But when the end finally does come, Ang and her friends don't find the liberation they expected. Instead, those still alive are starving, strung out and struggling to survive in a world that no longer makes sense. As Ang navigates the world's final days, her emotional and physical instability mix with growing uncertainty and she begins to distrust her perception in a place where nothing can ever be trusted for what it seems to be. Bleak and haunting, "PostApoc" blends poetry and punk rock, surrealism and stark imagery to tell the story of a girl wavering at the edge of her sanity.

My Thoughts: Holy crap. Where do I even start with this one? The cover? The writing? The story? All of the above might be too daunting a task to do at once, so I'll start with the cover. Oh. My. God. How creepy/haunting/beautiful is that cover?! Seriously though, it's perfect for the story. It sets the mood perfectly. And that title? That title is perfect, it has so many different meanings and connections within the story. I don't want to spoil anything, so you're just going to have to read it yourself! (Trust me, you should be doing that anyways.) The writing is definitely, without a doubt, hands down my favourite part of the story. It's written beautifully. There are no words to describe how beautiful the prose in this story is. There were times where I would just re-read certain parts because of how beautifully it was written. It definitely inspired me to get writing, and it takes quite the novel to make me wanna do that lately. The story was so unique and so engrossing. It was dark and beautiful and twisted and I've already re-read it just so I could really appreciate it. I loved this novel, and I promise you, you will too. 

Final Thoughts: Go, go go! 
P.S for the playlist click HERE

THIS WILL BE RELEASED OCTOBER 15th, DON'T MISS OUT! 

Sutton Place

Reviewer: Kristen 
Author: Louise Gaylord 
Pages: 261
Format: Hardback (sent to me by JKS Communications!)
My Rating: 8 out of 10

Summary (thanks Goodreads): Just When Things Seem to be Going So Well a horrific incident from Julia Fairchild’s past —one she thought had been buried long ago —comes 
charging back into her life. Then a promising romantic weekend goes bad, which makes staying at Sutton Place more than Julia can handle. So she flees her home, her family…her life. But apparently, she can’t go far enough.The Fairchilds were a happy family of wealthy New York stock, with two loving daughters. Until the secrets started to surface.The first secret was revealed when Julia was told the truth about her father. Her reaction to the 
revelation sent her spinning out of control.The second secret concerned the parentage of Julia’s sister, Ariel. How Ariel responded to the revelation astounded the rest of the family. Now Julia is building a superb reputation at one of New York’s finest hospitals. The future looks bright until a romantic weekend turns into a disaster. Fleeing home and family, she moves to New Mexico and starts to pull her life together.

Just when it looks like things are heading toward happily-ever-after, events in New York draw Julia
back to Sutton Place, where she learns of Ariel’s secret life and finds herself facing her worst 
nightmare.
My Thoughts: Holy twists and holy turns. Not once could I figure out what Louise Gaylord was going to do to the characters. Speaking of characters, all of them are so great. I loved all the characters, and the characters who weren't so nice, I loved to hate. It was hard to trust even my favourite characters. There were secrets everyone, and everyone had them. There isn't much I can say about the secrets and lies without spoiling it. What I can say is that all their lies make for one, huge tangled mess.  I loved everything about this novel. It was fast paced, the characters felt like people I could know, and the plot kept me reading. I literally couldn't put it down. I had only planned to read for a few minutes before I had to go to a stupid baby shower, but I ended up taking it with me. And I may or may not have read under the table the entire time. I just HAD to know what was going on, and what was going to happen and figure out the next lie! The reactions everyone had and the betrayal they felt was so real you forgot characters were fictional. This is the first Louise Gaylord novel that I've had the pleasure of reading, but it certainly won't be the last. 

Final Thoughts: I absolutely loved this. It's the perfect mystery!