Kaniesha (Micro)Reviews: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Title: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer
Series: Mara Dyer #1
Author: Michelle Hodkin
Release date: September 27th, 2011
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Genres: paranormal, romance, mystery
Goodreads, Amazon, Book Depository, abebooks, Barnes & Noble

Mara Dyer doesn’t think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.
It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can’t remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn’t believe that after everything she’s been through, she can fall in love.

She’s wrong.

Kaniesha's Waiting on Wednesday #14: Sea of Shadows by Kelley Armstrong

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

Title: Sea of Shadows
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Series: Age of Legends #1
Release date: April 8, 2014

Synopsis: In the Forest of the Dead, where the empire’s worst criminals are exiled, twin sisters Moria and Ashyn are charged with a dangerous task. For they are the Keeper and the Seeker, and each year they must quiet the enraged souls of the damned.

Only this year, the souls will not be quieted.

Ambushed and separated by an ancient evil, the sisters’ journey to find each other sends them far from the only home they’ve ever known. Accompanied by a stubborn imperial guard and a dashing condemned thief, the girls cross a once-empty wasteland, now filled with reawakened monsters of legend, as they travel to warn the emperor. But a terrible secret awaits them at court—one that will alter the balance of their world forever.

I've loved a lot of Armstrong's books and I'm hoping this one will be no different!

Parajunkee created a New Year's Challenge for 2014. Deux Lectrices will participate! We realize we were supposed to start almost two weeks ago but life is hectic and we're doing this a bit late.

Day 14: Blogging Wish List of 2014.

Heather:

More reviews from me and that's pretty much it.

Kaniesha:

Ah, I have no idea! Never really thought about it. I'd like for the blog to reach at least 7k views (We recently passed 2k!!) and maybe 100 followers by the end of the year. I hope that maybe Heather and I could participate in a blog hop or book blog tour! I just want to have more book fun.

What's on everyone else's blog wishlists?

Parajunkee created a New Year's Challenge for 2014. Deux Lectrices will participate! We realize we were supposed to start almost two weeks ago but life is hectic and we're doing this a bit late.

Day 13: Share a Blogger Horror Story.

Heather:

Not posting enough! XD But seriously, I think Blogger ate one of my monthly wrap up posts and I was panicking for a week afterwards thinking it might eat others.

Kaniesha:

I don't think I have any! Or maybe it was when we first started and our name had incorrect French grammar and we were scrambling for an hour or two trying to fix it (by then I'd already made us 4~5 accounts to branch out properly) and I was afraid we wouldn't be able to change everything!

Anyone else have intense blogger moments?

2013 Combined Reading Summary (ft. Born of Illusion, Something Strange & Deadly, The Girl of Fire and Thorns, Shadow and Bone, The Princess Bride)

Hello all! We've decided we're going to summarize a handful of our combined reading books from 2013 and only individually review a few.

Parajunkee created a New Year's Challenge for 2014. Deux Lectrices will participate! We realize we were supposed to start almost two weeks ago but life is hectic and we're doing this a bit late.

Day 12: How We Plan on Getting More Followers This Year.

Heather:

Is that something you can really do? Hmm, I don't entirely know, but I'm a fan of the theory that if I try interacting and post content that is good enough people will follow.

Kaniesha:

Write more reviews! Tweet more! Comment on other people's reviews and posts! Participate in more memes!
Basically just support more book bloggers and have fun. People want to follow fun blogs, right?

Any of you concerned with your follower counts and have plans to get more?

Parajunkee created a New Year's Challenge for 2014. Deux Lectrices will participate! We realize we were supposed to start almost two weeks ago but life is hectic and we're doing this a bit late.

Day 11: TBR Shelf: How Many?

Heather:

1903 >.< To be fair, there are SO many books I would like to read and that sound amazing.

Kaniesha:

Goodreads shows that I have 1369 but I feel like it's actually less than that! There's a lot of stuff on my shelves that I'm kind of iffy about (based upon reviews or the like) and books I've got on my shelves solely for their covers (woops).

How many books do you plan on reading?

Parajunkee created a New Year's Challenge for 2014. Deux Lectrices will participate! We realize we were supposed to start almost two weeks ago but life is hectic and we're doing this a bit late.

Day 10: New Things We Will Be Doing This Year.

Heather:

Kan and I have been discussing things about the blog and I hope I can honestly be more on the ball and produce more reviews. I write plenty on my other blog, but I'm very nervous about posting them here.

Kaniesha:

Nothing comes to mind, honestly! I can't guarantee we'll be able to do anything - but I hope we can make more captivating and original content (as I've gone on before in these challenge posts). I really want to spazz more about books!

Kaniesha's Waiting on Wednesday #13: Split Second by Kasie West

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

Title: Split Second
Author: Kasie West
Series: Pivot Point #2
Release date: February 11, 2014

Synopsis: Addie hardly recognizes her life since her parents divorced. Her boyfriend used her. Her best friend betrayed her. She can’t believe this is the future she chose. On top of that, her ability is acting up. She’s always been able to Search the future when presented with a choice. Now she can manipulate and slow down time, too . . . but not without a price.

When Addie’s dad invites her to spend her winter break with him, she jumps at the chance to escape into the Norm world of Dallas, Texas. There she meets the handsome and achingly familiar Trevor. He’s a virtual stranger to her, so why does her heart do a funny flip every time she sees him? But after witnessing secrets that were supposed to stay hidden, Trevor quickly seems more suspicious of Addie than interested in her. And she has an inexplicable desire to change that.

Meanwhile, her best friend, Laila, has a secret of her own: she can restore Addie’s memories . . . once she learns how. But there are powerful people who don’t want to see this happen. Desperate, Laila tries to manipulate Connor, a brooding bad boy from school—but he seems to be the only boy in the Compound immune to her charms. And the only one who can help her.

As Addie and Laila frantically attempt to retrieve the lost memories, Addie must piece together a world she thought she knew before she loses the love she nearly forgot . . . and a future that could change everything.

Pivot Point is one of my favorite books! I was blown away by the plot, the characters and especially the ending. (P.S. I've reviewed it!)

Parajunkee created a New Year's Challenge for 2014. Deux Lectrices will participate! We realize we were supposed to start almost two weeks ago but life is hectic and we're doing this a bit late.

Day 9: Cons or Events We Hope to Attend.

Heather:

Considering where I live, I don't think there are any around here. I like hearing about them though and I think the people who get to go are the luckiest people!

Kaniesha:

None, really. There was a small amount of hope that we'd be able to afford to travel to something like that last year but it's not even a possibility this year. Maybe 2015? I'd love to go to BEA.
Searching around there IS NoVaTeen Book Fest that's local so I could possibly attend it! Not sure though.

Anyone reading going to any bookish events this year?

Kaniesha Reviews: The Burning Sky by Sherry Thomas

Title: The Burning Sky
Series: The Elemental Trilogy #1
Author: Sherry Thomas
Release date: September 7th, 2013
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Genres: high fantasy, romance, magic, adventure
Goodreads, Amazon, Book Depository, abebooks, Barnes & Noble

It all began with a ruined elixir and an accidental bolt of lightning…

Iolanthe Seabourne is the greatest elemental mage of her generation—or so she's being told. The one prophesied for years to be the savior of The Realm. It is her duty and destiny to face and defeat the Bane, the greatest mage tyrant the world has ever known. A suicide task for anyone let alone a sixteen-year-old girl with no training, facing a prophecy that foretells a fiery clash to the death.

Prince Titus of Elberon has sworn to protect Iolanthe at all costs but he's also a powerful mage committed to obliterating the Bane to revenge the death of his family—even if he must sacrifice both Iolanthe and himself to achieve his goal.

But Titus makes the terrifying mistake of falling in love with the girl who should have been only a means to an end. Now, with the servants of the Bane closing in, he must choose between his mission and her life.

Parajunkee created a New Year's Challenge for 2014. Deux Lectrices will participate! We realize we were supposed to start almost two weeks ago but life is hectic and we're doing this a bit late.

Day 8: Your Favorite Book Blogger Moment

Heather:

Making the blog with Kan! It's been a lot of fun talking to her and teaming up on things and I just wish I was able to do as much as she has.

Kaniesha:

I have so many! Lydia Kang, author of Control, is following the blog and commented on my review of The Holders! Sarah Maas retweeted one of my tweets and a few other authors have replied to my tweets too! Making and continuing to run the blog is really fun too, makes me feel accomplished!

Parajunkee created a New Year's Challenge for 2014. Deux Lectrices will participate! We realize we were supposed to start almost two weeks ago but life is hectic and we're doing this a bit late.

Day 7: Top Ten Blogger Pet Peeves.

Heather:

• Not being able to do things on time!
• Having reviews written up, but doubting myself on them.
• Hitting reading slumps.
• Hitting reviewing slumps.
• Wanting to review a book that others have reviewed (because I feel like I can't say anything as good as anyone else has)
• Thinking that my content isn't interesting when I should just shut up and post
• Worrying too much about people flaming me for a bad review (again, I shouldn't worry)
• Leaving Kan to pretty much manage things on her own when I really shouldn't be doing that
• Trying to find my reviewing voice
• Writing reviews for books I didn't like, but didn't hate (that's SO hard for me!)

Kaniesha:

• Mass follower tweeters. You know, the ones who follow thousands and expect follow backs?
• Forgetting to keep the blog active.
• Looking for new and interesting content and not being able to find anything.
• Trying to create new or interesting content and not being able to do so.
• Being afraid that my reviews aren't good enough or interesting enough for people to want to read them.

Do you have any blogger pet peeves? Feel free to share them with us!

Parajunkee created a New Year's Challenge for 2014. Deux Lectrices will participate! We realize we were supposed to start almost two weeks ago but life is hectic and we're doing this a bit late.

Day 6: Best Book of 2013.

Heather:

I read over 160 books last year and the ones that really stood out to me were: The Lies of Locke Lamora, The 13 and a Half Lives of Captain Bluebear, any of the Gail Carriger books I read, Bridget Jones's Diary, all of Jonathan L. Howard's books, The Ocean at the End of the Lane (I know people are mixed on that, but I'm such a Gaiman fangirl), This Is Life by Dan Rhodes, Molesworth (omg, I loved that book so much!), The Diviners, and Delicacy by David Foenkinos.

Kaniesha:

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas. This book cemented Throne of Glass being my new favorite series. Brilliant! Amazing! Incredible! Honorable mentions: Angelfall, Legend-Prodigy-Champion, Reboot, The House of Hades.

Parajunkee created a New Year's Challenge for 2014. Deux Lectrices will participate! We realize we were supposed to start almost two weeks ago but life is hectic and we're doing this a bit late.

Day 5: Worst Book of 2013.

Heather:

I had quite a few disappointments honestly, but the biggest to me was The Girl in the Steel Corset. I wanted so much to like the book and I just didn't. Adult book-wise, Middlesex was very boring, in my opinion, and I was sad I didn't like it more.

Kaniesha:

Not sure if the meaning is worst book I read in 2013 or the worst book I read in 2013 that came out in 2013. City of Bones would be the worst I read in 2013. Hover would be the worst book I read that came out in 2013.

Day 4: Books of 2014 We Won't Miss

Parajunkee created a New Year's Challenge for 2014. Deux Lectrices will participate! We realize we were supposed to start almost two weeks ago but life is hectic and we're doing this a bit late.

Day 4: The Books of 2014 We Won't Miss

Heather:

American Savages by Matt Whyman (I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THIS WAS A SERIES UNTIL A FEW DAYS AGO!), of course any books by Pratchett, Howard, Scott Lynch, Walter Moers. I believe there's an English translation of Haruki Murakami's newest book due out soon as well and I'm really excited about that one.

Kaniesha:

So many! Throne of Glass #3 by Sarah J. Maas, The Darkest Minds #3 by Alexandra Bracken, Split Second by Kasie West, Lady Thief by A. C. Gaughen, The Shadow Throne by Jennifer Nielsen, The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski, Illusion by Sherrilyn Kenyon, Dreams of Gods & Monsters by Laini Taylor, Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins, Of Neptune by Anna Banks, The Murder Complex by Lindsay Cummings, Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater, The Young Elites by Marie Lu, The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan and Shadow Scale by Rachel Hartman.

I think there might be more than this but............. BOOKS. BOOKS ALL THE TIME. BOOKS.

Share any can't-be-missed with us?

Day 3: Books of 2013 We're Sad We Missed

Parajunkee created a New Year's Challenge for 2014. Deux Lectrices will participate! We realize we were supposed to start almost two weeks ago but life is hectic and we're doing this a bit late.

Day 3: The Books of 2013 We're Sad We Missed

Heather:

Surprisingly Raising Steam by Terry Pratchett, The Fear Institute and Katya's War by Jonathan L. Howard, and Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy by Helen Fielding. I really wanted to read these when I got some down time because they are my favorite series.

Kaniesha:

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo, Vicious by Victoria Schwab, Thornhill by Kathleen Peacock, Deception by C.J. Redwine, All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terril, The Distance Between Us by Kasie West, The End Games by Michael Martin, The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey, Unremembered by Jessica Brody, The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd, The Archived by Victoria Schwab, Never Fade by Alexandra Bracken and Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell.
Wow, that's a long list. It's just a lot of things I never got around to reading!

Any books on our lists you missed too?

Heather Reviews: Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

Kaniesha Reviews: Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

Title: Scarlet
Series: Scarlet #1
Author: A.C. Gaughen
Release date: February 12, 2012
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA
Genres: historical fiction, action, adventure, retellings
Goodreads, Amazon, Book Depository, abebooks, Barnes & Noble

The people of Nottinghamshire know Will Scarlet as Robin Hood’s shadow, a slip of a boy who throws daggers with deadly accuracy and an accomplished thief with an unerring eye for treasure. A select few know that Will is actually Scarlet, a young woman “recruited” by Robin two years earlier as he wandered the alleys of London. But no one knows who the real Scarlet is, what she was doing in London, and how she got that scar on her cheek. That is, no one but Gisbourne, the ruthless thief-taker just hired by the sheriff to capture Robin and his band.

Parajunkee created a New Year's Challenge for 2014. Deux Lectrices will participate! We realize we were supposed to start almost two weeks ago but life is hectic and we're doing this a bit late.

Day 2: Your Pros & Cons of Blogging

Heather:

- Pros: Getting to share thoughts about books and knowing that people are (possibly) reading. I don't get to talk to people too much about books.

- Cons: I'm scatterbrained and real life will kick my butt occasionally making it hard for me to be a regular blogger. =[ I feel bad but I am sincerely hoping to get on top of things this year.

Kaniesha:

- Pros: Keeping up with book releases is at the top of my list. I constantly get to see which books are being talked about the most and when arcs are going out and the like. I also get to see what's being liked and disliked by the majority pretty quickly too.

- Cons: Feeling like I need to keep up with the book bloggers that blog and tweet about books every day. It makes me feel a bit like a failure but books are not at the top of my interest list so I try to shrug it off.

Anyone have the same pros and cons?

Kaniesha Reviews: Silevethiel ARC by Andi O'Connor

Title: Silevethiel
Series: The Vaelinel Trilogy #1
Author: Andi O'Connor
Release date: December 24, 2013
Publisher: Purple Sun Press
Genres: high fantasy, romance
Goodreads, Amazon, Book Depository, abebooks, Barnes & Noble

«Come to me, Irewen. Follow me to the light.»
Following her father’s murder, Princess Irewen Donríel is betrayed and left for dead in the forests of Mistwood. Rescued by the elf prince, Laegon Elendell, Irewen awakes an exile with no home, no country, and no people. But as the horrific memories of murder and betrayal return, she realizes the nightmare is only beginning.

The world of Vaelinel is failing—its fate bound to her in ways no one fully understands. A mysterious elven prophecy may provide her with some answers, but continuously hunted and fighting for her life, Irewen quickly learns that unearthing the truth will be more difficult than she ever imagined. Can she accept Laegon’s love and the friendship of the Wood Elves, or will she stand alone against the terrifying evil now threatening to destroy the entire world?

Parajunkee created a New Year's Challenge for 2014. Deux Lectrices will participate! We realize we were supposed to start almost two weeks ago but life is hectic and we're starting today!

Day 1: Your Blogger Resolutions

Heather:

Review more. I wrote one and published it on DL. Granted, around the end of 2013 I started writing less and less reviews, but still.

Kaniesha:

Review more and make more book blogging friends! It's not a lot but it's difficult for me to make friends, especially in a fandom that I don't spend a majority of my time in.

Heather's Yearly Roundup: 2013

So, hello.  O_O

It's been a long time since I posted here and I'm so sorry.  One of my resolutions this year was to definitely begin posting regularly.  I have a few reviews on my other blog, but they're incomplete for the most part and I'd rather start 2014 fresh anyway.

But before I start 2014, I would like to talk about all of 2013's reads.  I'm borrowing Kan's formula for this post both because I really liked it and because I had no idea where to begin talking about this.

Kaniesha's Yearly Roundup #1: 2013

Goodbye forever, 2013!

2013 was an amazing, yet tragic year for me. I won a lot of books through blogs and websites and even got to buy some. I got my first desk, some video games, and we moved into a bigger house. Sadly, my aunt passed away November 18 and our dog - her dog - passed 16 days after that. My grandpa also lost his father and my grandma's sister lost her husband. My aunt's best friend's father passed a few days after my aunt did as well. But luckily there are always books, friends, video games, writing, music - all sorts of things to help us get through the dark times. (Since writing this paragraph, my grandfather also passed away on December 26. Things have been rough for my family). On to the good things, the books!