Katy - The United States (1,069 books)

Katy rated a book 4 of 5 stars

Fangirl
by Rainbow Rowell (Goodreads Author)

read in May, 2013

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3.5 stars - This book was surprisingly good.

Honestly, I had made up my mind pretty early on that I wasn't going to like this book. I had a totally different preconceived notion of "fangirling," and the whole Simon and Baz thing wasn't for me (view sp ...more 3.5 stars - This book was surprisingly good.

Honestly, I had made up my mind pretty early on that I wasn't going to like this book. I had a totally different preconceived notion of "fangirling," and the whole Simon and Baz thing wasn't for me (view spoiler) Instead, Cath's obsession was not at all what I thought it was going to be, so I lost a bit of enthusiasm there.

Also, I had a really hard time connecting with Cath. I get that she's in a different environment. Starting college is hard enough as is, but to do it without her twin by her side is a pretty daunting task. I understand that she's shy and scared, but I was so frustrated with her for holing herself in her room all the time. I mean, come on, to eat protein bars because you don't want to face going to the dining room or not knowing major areas on campus. Get a grip.

And the book started out meh - mundane and unmemorable.

I couldn't tell you exactly when I started liking the story. It just kept growing on me as I continued reading, and it wasn't until "the kiss" that I realized I was - and had been - enjoying it quite a bit. I love Reagan's spunky attitude and how she just had a way of easing Cath out of her shell, whether it was intentional (we're going to have dinner) or not (the daily gossip). And I loved how Levi just had this easy-going, reliable charm to him. And her dad was strange but quirky.

You would think that with everything going on - starting college, meeting new people, dealing her father, dealing with her mother, breaking up and starting new relationships, drama with her sister, school issues above just doing wel in class, oh right, and the fanfiction writing - that it was a little too much. And I think at first, I did think that. Something was ALWAYS happening in her messed up world.

But once I had realized that I had been enjoying the story, I totally sympathized. I laughed. I smiled. I may have even shed a few tears. It was a great "normal" read.

My other complaint, aside from the slow start, was that a lot of the issues in the book were never solved. Primarily, Cath's relationship with her mother. With others, it took that typical dramatic event for her to realize what's important. And with Wren, I still don't she has it all figured out.

Overall, it's was an enjoyable read, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants a leisurely, lazy afternoon, not-to-serious, not-at-all-fluffy read.

05.14.13 - Mitch had asked if this is my autobiography. I guess I should find out.(less)

Katy is currently reading:

Dance of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin

Dance of the Red Death (Masque of the Red Death, #2)
by Bethany Griffin (Goodreads Author)

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Props to Bethany Griffin for making this a two-book series. I liked Masque of the Red Death, so I'm glad we can cut out the second/middle book.

EDIT - Crap, a quick scan of stars, and it doesn't look promising.

Katy rated a book 3 of 5 stars

Once We Were (The Hybrid Chronicles, #2)
by Kat Zhang (Goodreads Author)

read in May, 2013

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3.5 stars - I loved "What's Left of Me" - like blown away by the concept and sucked into the story. This one was still enjoyable enough, but I couldn't really get into it until the last third.

First of all, I'm glad to see Eva coming out of her shell....more 3.5 stars - I loved "What's Left of Me" - like blown away by the concept and sucked into the story. This one was still enjoyable enough, but I couldn't really get into it until the last third.

First of all, I'm glad to see Eva coming out of her shell. Sure, there were times I wanted to yell at her for being stupid or for being a self-absorbed, selfish brat, but I could sympathize that she finally has an opportunity to let her personality surface. And I honestly do like her. My complaint, however, is Eva was the recessive one, the weaker one. But in this book, Addie was such a weakling, and Eva was the strong, determined one. Like I said, I understand that's she's finally discovering what it's like to be in control, but if she had always been like this, she would have never almost faded away. I had expected this book to be about her finally being able to experience everything, appreciating and savoring each thing she was able to do. Not at all like she was in this book. It's as if she was a different person.

And sort of like my Addie and Eva complaint, I really wondered what happened to Halle and Lisa? Again, I understand they went through a pretty traumatic experience near the end of book 1, but they were so strong and determined back then. They were the one urging Addie and Eva to consider something very dangerous. They hardly appeared in this book, and when they were, they were either aloof, or like the book said, seeking acceptance from others. Not the same characters I grew to love from the first book.

My thing was there were so many characters in this book. I mean, you have a lot of players during a rebellion, in general, but to double everyone up, it was just a little hard to keep track of.

As for the book itself, it was good, but not mind-blowingly amazing. I don't know, it just felt like any other book about oppressed citizens seeking for equal rights and preparing a rebellion, not knowing who to trust and constantly battling with themselves whether this was the right thing to do. The only thing that stuck out was the two people sharing a body concept. So yeah, I knew Zhang was trying to build up to the big climax at the end, but I struggled a bit to stay with the story, and I kept waiting for something to happen.

And when something finally did happen, starting in the last third or so, everything occurred really quickly, and I remembered why I liked the story so much. There was a LOT of action, a lot of twists and turns, some betrayals and surprises (although some you will probably see it coming). And when Eva and Addie come face-to-face with Jensen again? Okay, totally NOT what I would have expected, and it's got my gears churning in my head.

So okay, I think this book had a lot of the second-book or middle-book elements in it. If Eva and Addie had been portrayed differently or if Zhang had incorporated what was going on in the laboratories more instead of the drama and tension in the little rebellion group, I probably would have been more sucked in. But I just know that book 3 is going to knock my socks off, and I'm pretty excited to find out what Jensen and his gang has up his sleeves and reveal whatever it is that we thought we knew but we really didn't or what we were led to believe is not really as it had seemed. So putting this one aside, the end has me pumped up for the next book.

05.06.13 @ 8:11 PM - The ARC is out! And we don't have a cover yet! Hurry, please, hurry.
05.06.13 @ 8:48 PM - Ahhhhh! We now have a cover! So exciting!
05.07.13 @ 7:46 AM - Wait! Where did it go?
05.10.13 @ 7:20 AM - Look! The cover is back!(less)

Katy rated a book 3 of 5 stars

The Van Alen Legacy by Melissa de la Cruz

The Van Alen Legacy (Blue Bloods, #4)
by Melissa de la Cruz (Goodreads Author)

read in May, 2013

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What an amazing story that started it all - such a creative, truly unique to incorporate vampires with angels and Roman history. Having said that, the delivery was kind of blah.

I wish I could say I was sucked in to Skylar and Ollie's adventures or Ki...more

Katy marked as to-read:

Allegiant (Divergent, #3)
by Veronica Roth (Goodreads Author)

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THERE'S A COVER! THERE'S A COVER!!!

AND the movie is currently filming, which means there's a cast!
Read more about it on our blog at A Girl, A Boy and A Blog.

In the meantime, guess who this is...
[image]

Katy rated a book 5 of 5 stars

The Avery Shaw Experiment
by Kelly Oram (Goodreads Author)

read in May, 2013

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Oram's best work YET! I picked this up for my biggest Kelly Oram fan (and no, I wasn't referring to a girl), and I've had mixed feelings about her other books, but I absolutely LOVED this one.

Five pages in, I just KNEW that I was going to love Grayso...more

Katy rated a book 3 of 5 stars

Untold (The Lynburn Legacy, #2)
by Sarah Rees Brennan (Goodreads Author)

read in May, 2013

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Hurls iPad across the room. Muffles a scream of frustration. Sighs and goes over to retrieve said iPad.

I absolutely hated this book (no, not really). It made me want to pull my hair out (seriously, I have bald spots). But for the "lovely, lovely read...more

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Katy rated a book 4 of 5 stars Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell (Goodreads Author) read in May, 2013	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
3.5 stars - This book was surprisingly good. Honestly, I had made up my mind pretty early on that I wasn't going to like this book. I had a totally different preconceived notion of "fangirling," and the whole Simon and Baz thing wasn't for me (view sp ...more
May 16, 2013 07:35pm · see review
Katy is currently reading: Dance of the Red Death (Masque of the Red Death, #2) by Bethany Griffin (Goodreads Author)	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Props to Bethany Griffin for making this a two-book series. I liked Masque of the Red Death, so I'm glad we can cut out the second/middle book. EDIT - Crap, a quick scan of stars, and it doesn't look promising.
May 16, 2013 05:10am · see review
Katy rated a book 3 of 5 stars Once We Were (The Hybrid Chronicles, #2) by Kat Zhang (Goodreads Author) read in May, 2013	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
3.5 stars - I loved "What's Left of Me" - like blown away by the concept and sucked into the story. This one was still enjoyable enough, but I couldn't really get into it until the last third. First of all, I'm glad to see Eva coming out of her shell....more
May 15, 2013 05:40am · see review
Katy rated a book 3 of 5 stars The Van Alen Legacy (Blue Bloods, #4) by Melissa de la Cruz (Goodreads Author) read in May, 2013	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
What an amazing story that started it all - such a creative, truly unique to incorporate vampires with angels and Roman history. Having said that, the delivery was kind of blah. I wish I could say I was sucked in to Skylar and Ollie's adventures or Ki...more
May 13, 2013 07:04pm · see review
Katy marked as to-read: Allegiant (Divergent, #3) by Veronica Roth (Goodreads Author)	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
THERE'S A COVER! THERE'S A COVER!!! AND the movie is currently filming, which means there's a cast! Read more about it on our blog at A Girl, A Boy and A Blog. In the meantime, guess who this is... [image]
May 09, 2013 08:54pm · see review
Katy rated a book 5 of 5 stars The Avery Shaw Experiment by Kelly Oram (Goodreads Author) read in May, 2013	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Oram's best work YET! I picked this up for my biggest Kelly Oram fan (and no, I wasn't referring to a girl), and I've had mixed feelings about her other books, but I absolutely LOVED this one. Five pages in, I just KNEW that I was going to love Grayso...more
May 05, 2013 11:13pm · see review
Katy rated a book 3 of 5 stars Untold (The Lynburn Legacy, #2) by Sarah Rees Brennan (Goodreads Author) read in May, 2013	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Hurls iPad across the room. Muffles a scream of frustration. Sighs and goes over to retrieve said iPad. I absolutely hated this book (no, not really). It made me want to pull my hair out (seriously, I have bald spots). But for the "lovely, lovely read...more
May 05, 2013 08:17pm · see review

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