YA Crush Tourney: Vote Jace!

Hey, Guys! If you haven't heard, there's been a slew of YA events recently. It started off with YA Bachelor Awards, then a YA Scavenger Hunt, and now we are facing the final rounds of the YA Crush Tourney, and I'm here to encourage all those with a love for all things sexy to vote Jace Wayland, brought to us by the world of The Mortal Instruments. You can find the poll here, near the bottom:
http://ya-sisterhood.blogspot.com/2011/08/grande-finale-jace-vs-zachary-match-24.html

The Mortal Instruments is one of my all time favorite series, you can hear (see?) me gush (mostly intelligently, I may add) here: http://thebingereader.blogspot.com/2011/02/little-on-cassandra-clare.html

Happy Fantasizing!
The Binge Reader

The Vampire Stalker by Allison Van Diepen

So The Vampire Stalker is one of those books that's tailored for just about every fangirl ever. Including me. It's basically a girl living out my fantasy of living out my fantasy. Huzzah!

Amy is your typical fangirl, in love with a sexy vampire hunter that doesn't exist. Except that he does. Otherworld is basically 1920's Chicago-plus-vampires-with-a-vengeful-hot-hunter-on-the-loose. That was a mouthful. Anyway, your fictional Stephanie Meyer-type author is actually an empath looking into Otherworld from the real world and writing about it, without knowing it. And then our hot vampire hunter is "scientifically" transported into Amy's (our) world. Diepen incorporates some modern physics string theory that about 90% of people reading this book wouldn't understand in detail. I do because I'm ridiculously good a retaining information from physics class (hence my test average being more than double my homework average), but you get the idea from what she says.

Oh, and Amy is friends with her school librarian, who was a physics major getting her Ph.D. and got kicked out for believing in this "literary physics." I found that a little weird.

The book is very light, and reads super quick. I finished in a few hours reading the ebook version. I recommend it, though. 4/5.

Summer reading with ebooks!

Hey, all you bookworms!

Ebooks. They're awesome, right? Right.

A lot of libraries are offering more digital audiobooks and ebooks now, through programs like Overdrive Media Console (audiobooks) and Adobe Digital Editions and such. I've been getting books this way more and more recently. The great thing about library ebooks is that they expire automatically, which means no fees. Also, you can access them anywhere (it doesn't have to be AT the library), and some audiobooks can even get transferred to your ipod! I know some people are saying the print books are going to become defunct, but I don't believe this will happen for a long time yet. I really hope it doesn't. There's something really ominous about the thought of a world without paper books.

I like to listen to audiobooks before bed to wind me down. I can't focus enough on them when I'm doing anything else, so I lie down and listen with my eyes closed. Otherwise, they just end up as background noise and I can't follow. Can you tell I'm a great multi-tasker?

I also have an eReader tablet called the Entourage Pocket Edge that has both an e-ink screen and an android tablet screen, and opens and closes like a book. Unfortunately, they're hard to find now because the company shut down, but it works great for how I use it. I'm starting college in the fall and I'm thinking it will be great for that as well because you can record lectures and take notes with the stylus. The e-ink screen is also a touchscreen, which means you can write directly within your ebooks, a.k.a. awesome textbook note taking.

I like to download a whole series of books onto my tablet, so when I finish one book I can go right on to the next one, no hassle. Hey, that's why I'm called The Binge Reader. I may like the convenience, but I'm not such a fan of ebook interface. I don't care how thin it is, there's a certain pleasure in reading giant hardcover books, like Harry Potter 7 (speaking of which, who's excited for the movie this thursday?!).

I hope that manga starts becoming more available as ebooks. I feel there's some big business here waiting to happen. I know I'd rather buy manga ebooks than all those tiny paperbacks. I have a giant box of them waiting to get moved to my new apartment. Ugh. It's worse because I reread them, so I can't get rid of them. I, for one, would be a huge consumer if they started offering more manga ebooks.

Anyway, what's your thoughts on ebooks and audiobooks? Shoot me a comment below.

Love always,
The Binge Reader

Review: Vampire Academy series

I'd been laying off the vampire series for a while, but this one caught my eye. I read the 6 book series over a week. Hey, they don't call me the Binge Reader for nuthin'.

Rose is a really unique heroine. I've never really read anything like it. She was described by a different character as just being "full of fire." All too often these days we see the typical shygirl-develop-into-a-brave-heroine routine, and it was nice to see an already outgoing girl explore her own personality and mature. I also find her relationship with Dmitri quite unusual, and I'm not talking about the forbidden part. Usually, YA authors don't touch so much as the deeper feelings of love as much as the physical senses or the fluttering feeling, blood rush, etc. Dmitri and Rose's relationship is interesting because sometimes he feels like an older brother figure but you can also sense the deepness, and that it goes beyond friendship. I find their relationship closer to real love than the blood-rushing, heart-racing sensation that you hear about so often. Sometimes it does seem like Mead tries a little too hard to sell the "deeper love," though. It does seem like Rose narrates her feelings a little too much, saying cliche things like "I realized that while he's there for me, I'm also helping him." You get the idea.


The plotline is really well done as well. Richelle Mead successfully reformatted our whole world, splitting it into the "vampire world" (split into Moroi and Strigoi) and the "human world," plus the Alchemists that defend the line between them.

Overall, awesome series. I'm glad I revisited the vampire phenomenon. I think maybe I'd just had enough of Zoey Redbird's character from House of Night. Blah. 


Highly recommended. 4.5/5.


Sincerely,
The Binge Reader

Review: Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

Well, I just finished Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini 5 minutes ago and I have nothing better to do than blog about it, because I'm officially out for the summer! :D

Anyway.

I loved it. It was exactly what I'd been looking for recently. A genuine paranormal romance plus a pretty exciting plot. It was nice to see the great chemistry between Helen and Lucas. You really don't see that as often as you used to these days. It was as if their falling in love was only natural, but genuine and special all the same. Props to Josephine Angelini for that, and thank you for not putting a ton of unnecessary angst in there. Any other author might have tried to make Helen way more angst-y in an attempt to have girls connect with her. I personally found more satisfaction in the respect I developed for Helen's character than I would have if I had to suffer unnecessarily alongside her. It was really refreshing and I appreciated that.

My only critique would be that I wished there was a meeting-like scene where the characters reviewed everything they knew in an effort to plan. Different histories in the story line and tidbits about the past and the Houses kept getting mixed up in one another. Yeah, I get that it's supposed to be vague, but there were some big connections that I feel I was too confused to make. Overall, though, it was not really a hindrance to the reading and just a small critique, at that.

Hoping for a fast release on a sequel?

Fantastic! 4.5/5 stars!

Sincerely,
The Binge Reader

POTTERMORE! An Announcement by J.K. Rowling

Hey, all!

Guess what? Pottermore has finally been announced! A leaked article stated it was an online video game, but as it turns out, it's actually an interactive reading experience PLUS Ebooks! This is the very first time the Harry Potter books have been offered as ebooks, which is sure creating a huge hullabaloo.

Here is J.K. Rowling's announcement channel: http://www.youtube.com/JKRowlingAnnounces

Registration starts in October (happy birthday to me!), and there's a special chance for a few select people to get in early. That announcement will happen on July 31st.

Pottermore Website

Happy reading!
The Binge Reader

Review: Illusions (Wings #3) by Aprilynne Pike

Hi, all.

I just finished Illusions by Aprilynne Pike, book three in the Wings series. I have to say, I loved it. My favorite part was the unpredictability of the plot line. Usually, about halfway to the climax of a book I'll guess what's going to happen, but Illusions kept me going in circles, gaining and losing suspicions over and over. It was really refreshing. Yuki kept me guessing until the very end, and I'm all Team Tamani, but throughout the whole book I couldn't figure out who Laurel would end up choosing. I did wish Laurel would figure out that she loves Tamani right before some dramatic moment when she's interrupted by trolls stomping through the forest and Tam having to protect her with his life. Hey, it's the fangirl in me.

I do also wish Laurel would stop going in circles, though. David, Tamani, David, Tamani. Ok, seriously? Make up your mind, it's a little old. My only other criticism is how much Pike left open at the end. It was too much of a cliffhanger. I don't mind cliffhangers, but it's always more effective when there's only one major drama left unsolved at the end. What with the decision between Tam and David, Yuki, Clea, and the trolls, there was too much left unexplained.

Other than that, I loved it. I really like Chelsea's character in particular. She's pretty believable, yet undeniably cool. On a side note, I want parents like Laurel's. So awesome. Anyway, Team Tamani all the way!

My Rating: 4/5 stars! Highly recommended.

Until next time,
The Binge Reader

Chillax.

There's a bit o' drama in the YA book industry as of late.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303657404576357622592697038.html?mod=WSJ_Books_LS_Books_6

This here's an article posted from the Wall Street Journal criticizing some of the themes presented in modern young adult literature. It created a sort of uproar, and sparked one of those snazzy twitter theme/tag movements (#YA saves, I believe). It attacked several authors in particular, provoking more than a few die-hard fans to add their say, but most of all, it pissed off a lot of people.

Personally, I agree with SOME of what the author says. I mean, people take young adult literature way too seriously. Also, some authors are not only immature themselves, but it reflects in their writing. Of course, we're all human and not everyone is supposed to be perfect (I hope not, at least. I'd be screwed for life.), but I do agree that some writing does convey certain themes in a way that makes for bad influences.

I've said it before: I read for entertainment. In my humble opinion, if you read to "find meaning in your life," you've probably got to get a bit of social life, or at least get your head out of the young adult portion of the bookstore, because can't find meaning in your life if you're reading about someone else's issues. You might be able to gain some insight into your problems, but there's only so far that can go.

You can't take these things too seriously. And the author of that article DOES need a major attitude adjustment. Like it or not, kids are the future, thanks to something I like to call Biology.

Yours truly,
The Binge Reader

Hunger Games Review + What I've Been Up To...

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!

...Which means I've been reading. Lots.

**HUNGER GAMES SPOILERS**
Let's see. I finally ended up reading the Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins, and it was a little surprising. I don't usually anticipate books like that becoming such a huge hit with the girls. It kind of reminded me of Eragon by Christoper Paolini because there was a whole lot of action, and less intense romance than what you dominating the YA shelves these days. However, I feel the books themselves were way too intense and there was way too much brutality. There was weren't enough happy moments to make it enjoyable. The writing was awesome, though. It's why it was so intense. I could feel everything that Katniss did, and if you've read the books too, you'll probably understand when I say it wasn't that pleasant.
I really hated how Collins killed off Prim. I mean, she was just doing all this great characterization with her. Prim was becoming my favorite character, Finnick coming in a close second (whom Collins also killed -__-). It just seemed useless to me. I feel as if she was using Prim's death to determine that Katniss would end up with Peeta. It just seemed overdone, and I really hated the ending. It just sort of faded away, and there was no happy moment at all really. Katniss pretty much lost it, too. She could have taken the time to give Katniss one moment of true happiness and ended it there, but it had to be one of those "and the scars never went away, haunting us forever..." moments. Eh, sorry if it's harsh but once again, I read for entertainment, not overdone emotional stress (I get enough of that already, trust me.).
**End Spoilers**

I also read Wings and Spells by Aprilynne Pike. I really enjoyed this just as a light entertaining read. It wasn't too deep, but it wasn't bad either. I'll be starting Illusions soon. 3 1/2 stars.

One of my recent favorites would be Hex Hall and then Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins. Something about Sophie's characterization is just fantastic. This series isn't be any means a genuinely fresh and unique idea (I mean, school for witches...duh.), but I love Sophie. She's sarcastic, but it's light, and she's really a genuinely nice person. She doesn't fall for the whole popularity charade, and even when she ends up doubting a friend, it's not that extreme at all and she's still somehow super supportive of her. I love her witty one-liners, like how she accidentally broke the ice with her crush by making a dirty joke. I have actually done this before...in front of one of my favorite bands, too...anywho. Archer (resident hottie w/ evil girlfriend) is awesome n'stuff. Highly recommend. 4.5 stars, just because it's light, and not really emotionally deep.

I'll get back to this list soon, but I gotta sleep some.

Love,
The Binge Reader

Giveaway!

Heya.

Just wanted to let you know about Alice Marvels's SPRING GIVEAWAY. It basically is a bunch of awesome new books that you will love, and the grand prize is a KINDLE!

Check it out:

http://www.alicemarvels.com/spring-giveaway

Enter by June 20th.

All the lucky luck to you,
The Binge Reader

Inheritance Book Four!!

It's ALLLIIIVVVEEE!!!!

Inheritance book four has come back from the dead! Titled "Inheritance," (shocker, eh?) it is scheduled for release on November 8th, and it's available for preorder now. So much speculation has gone on about what is to happen (there's a whole book about it, literally: What Will Happen in Eragon IV: Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Becomes the Third Dragon Rider and How Will the Inheritance Cycle Finally End?), that I'm not even going to attempt to tackle that subject. In the meantime, we've got plenty to look forward to, such as:

-Lost in Time by Melissa De la Cruz (Blue Bloods series book 6) -->October 4th!
-Supernaturally by Kiersten White (Paranormalcy trilogy book 2) -->July 26th!
-Passion by Lauren Kate (Fallen series) -->June 14th!
-Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick (Hush, Hush) -->October 4th!
-Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini (A modern retelling of the Hades/Persephone myth) -->May 31st!
-Everlasting by Alyson Noël (Immortals) -->June 7th!

So exciting! And I'm sure I'll find a ton more to add to the list soon.

Until next time!
The Binge Reader

Road Trip!

Well, not really. More like hop on a plane for a  few hours, but that's ok, and it's easier to read on planes anyway. Yes! I am leaving to go to Kansas for a few weeks tomorrow evening. It's winter break here and I'm excited to go see my family there.

You can bet I'll be reading. No surprise there. I just picked up a copy of Paranormalcy by Kiersten White, and I'm going to finish up rereading Clockwork Angel. I might stop by Barnes and Noble before I leave, so if you have any suggestions for books to read please leave a comment here.

Woot! Security checkpoint #1, here I come!

Until next time,
The Binge Reader

Happy Valentine's Day!

So, GUESS WHAT? It's Valentine's Day! Yay! Spread the love, spread the excitement, spread the free candy(my favorite part), anything else you do "in the name of love," you know how it goes. Well, I'm going to spread the countdowns. Yes, these are the things I am looking forward to:

1. April 5th -- Number one on my list goes to City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare. Yah. If you haven't seen her new teasers and "chapter hunt" links check it out: http://mundiemoms.blogspot.com/

2. Feb. 18 -- This is not a book, but "I Am Number Four" comes out this Friday in IMAX. Just saying, I have free passes. :D

3. Is it bad to post two Alex Pettyfer movies? Heh. Beastly's scheduled for early March. It's based off of a twist on Beauty and the Beast. I'm going to read the book this week. The original book is by Alex Flinn: http://www.harpercollins.com/books/Beastly-Alex-Flinn/?isbn=9780060874162

4. The Vespertine. You can see the countdown widget on the right. -------->

5. And last but not least, I'm all for Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa. Not sure on release dates, but I really like these books. They're still great even though my guy "lost."

Love, Love, Love,
The Binge Reader

Coming Soon...

So I did end up winning a giveaway! :D
I won The Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon and her little swag pack, as well as $25 for some new books, which means more reviews and other tidbits. Lucky you! The swag pack is on it's way and I am deliberating on what books to buy. If you have a suggestion (or two), shoot me a comment below.

Prom and Paranormal Romance = Perfect

Hey, guys! Just wanted to let you know about another giveaway! This one here is for The Vespertine, by Saundra Mitchell. And it includes $300 for the perfect prom gown! Second and third place winners get some sweet swag. Check it out: http://dreamgown.thevespertine.com/

Review: Wicked Lovely

So after about 2 years of procrastination, I read Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr. I gotta say, I did not like it at all, really. It kind of made me depressed...the writing was too dark in my opinion and the story was boring. I did not like the main character. I'm blanking on her name. I really only liked Seth and Donia, sometimes. The character development was seriously lacking if I can't remember all the names (I read it last week, too). I mean, come on...

If anyone can tell me that the next books are better and back it up so I believe it, please do. I haven't hit a book I didn't enjoy this much in a long time. Honestly, I liked Twilight better.

Sorry to be so negative, but for me it was 1.5/5 stars.
The Binge Reader

The Mortal Instruments: Read on, and on, and on...You won't stop, trust me.

I love Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series. It's wonderful. 


What bothers me is that she quoted Stephanie Meyer's review on the front cover...for every book! Cassandra Clare is a much better writer in so many ways. She should not lower herself to that for publicity. And the quote says, "The Mortal Instruments series is a story world that I love to live in. Beautiful!" - Stephanie Meyer, Author of Twilight. What does that even mean? It's one thing to say "I'd love to live in" but who says "I love to live in?" Though she does not write about "human" (yes, I believe Bella is more of a monster than Edward...) characters, I don't see her living in Downworld. Just doesn't seem right...
Anyway.

I'm a sucker for forbidden romance. On the other hand, I like a unique book. I like books with real character development, and with all of the main characters. 

The character development in this series is superb. When I talk to other people who have read the series, I get lots of "I like Simon" and "I like Jace." That, to me, says original. A lot of forbidden romance series out there are pretty one-sided. Those really get annoying, I'm just sayin'. It doesn't hurt that Jace is literally my dream man. Honestly, he's everything I'd ever want. That aside, the chemistry between Clary and Jace is the best I've seen in awhile. And then she throws the "big whopper" in there, and puts a new meaning on the phrase "teenage angst." I loved it, and I hated it. Of course, I knew it had to turn around. Even expecting it, I was ecstatic when it did. The way it was done was so artfully arranged, that in that last scene by the lake I felt like I was there. I wished I was there. It's become one of my all-time favorite scenes. Cassandra Clare had my awe right there. It felt like she had wrote down emotion rather than words. Her writing style, with all of her sly metaphors, just made that scene.

If you haven't read the series, I highly (if you haven't figured it out yet) recommend it. This series sticks out. 5/5 Stars!

A Note on Clockwork Angel:

Clockwork Angel is the first book in a prequel series called the Infernal Devices. I read it as soon as it was out. I have to say, I was rather disappointed. The character development is good on its own, but after reading Mortal Instruments I was mixing up names. Will and Jace are so similar if not for a difference in history (but who knows, we haven't heard about Will's dad yet) and time period, they might as well be the same person. I felt like it was a rerun of City of Bones. It flows the same and you can relate the characters within each series almost immediately. It took away from the respect I had for Mortal Instruments, honestly. Not that it wasn't a good read, it just felt worn out by the end. I mean, you can't not read it, though, because there are tons of tie-ins within the series that you don't want to miss out on. I just hope Clare adds more depth and originality in the sequel Clockwork Prince. This is coming from a person who has read the Mortal Instruments series, what, 3 times now? I still recommend Clare's work, I'm just hoping for more in her future releases. Don't let me dissuade you, though, it is still addicting, trust me. 3/5 stars? 

Until next time!

The Binge Reader

The Silver Phoenix and Fury of the Phoenix

Hey! So I've heard tons of good things about The Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon. I haven't read it, but I'm planning on it, and a free copy does wonders for planning, don't you think? If you agree, I encourage you to head on over to this link and enter to get one:

http://www.malindalo.com/2011/02/silver-phoenix-fury-of-the-phoenix-giveaway/

Also included is a signed advanced reading copy of Fury of the Phoenix, which is super exciting for people like me, who read things all at once!

Until next time!
The Binge Reader

65% of Young Adult writers have not felt love...I pity them.

Warning. Excessive rambling and possible spoilers ahead.

- - -
I read a lot of paranormal romance. It's entertaining and it's a great escape. But, it's paranormal romance. I keep it within the pages of the book. Mostly, because it does not happen in real life. Well, let me correct that statement. You can't hope for it to happen in real life, because the chances are quite slim.

Anyhow.

Writers who pull the "I'm in love" line before the book is half over lose my respect almost instantaneously. Example: Twilight. "I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him." This was after about one half-a** conversation in which nothing was really accomplished except telling us he looks godly and is mysterious. The story then continues to reiterate this a million ways before ending in the most obvious way. That bothers me. I'm not going to get into it. I shall, however, recommend you visit the reader reviews on amazon.com. Click two stars, because that is where the sensible reviews are.

My next point: I positively hate reading about perfect people. I mean, what's the point? For this reason, I have to ask general details about paranormal romance books before I read them. If I find out there's a "perfect man" up against a human being and the perfect man inevitably wins (I might add, you can usually tell within the first 60 pages of the book, or 25 pages after meeting the guy), I don't read it. It's boring and generally makes me very angry. The whole I-have-no-emotions-except-eternal-adoration thing gets old real fast. I must point you to the most mainstream example again (Twilight, if you didn't figure that out...). I read paranormal romance because it lets me escape from cruel reality for a while, which makes me ask the question, if the guy I want to get the girl doesn't get the girl, why am I reading this in the first place? It's like my life, but with faeries (or other things...)!

This brings me back to the point I made in my title. Approximately 65% of young adult writers have not felt love. On a side note: This is not backed by scientific research, because you can't define love by science, and  if they ever try to, it better not be in my lifetime. You cannot define love in general, I believe, but I also believe those of us who have felt it would agree that approximately 65% of paranormal "romance" is not love. There is a line between shallow attraction and love. You can't say something is love just because you have an attraction to someone that you are not "supposed" to be with. Forbidden love does not happen because it is forbidden. That is shallow. Forbidden love is just supposed to make the plot more romantic. Many books have lost sight of this in the race to appeal to the teenage masses (which I am considered part of, I might add.) Stop trying to rip me off.

Sincerely,
The Binge Reader

P.S. I'm probably going to read this tomorrow and say "Man, I was in a bad mood. That sounds angry." For now, I'm just going to sleep because I obviously need it.

The Binge Reader

Hi!! I'm Sarah. I'm a typical college sophomore. Well, not really. My hair is pink in places and I have a sense of morality, but that's another story.

I've created this blog to hold some of my book-related ramblings. My friends got tired of them, so I'm making a blog. The internet is a big place...I figure maybe someone will want to listen. Either way, putting my ramblings here means I don't have to ramble in real life. Well, mostly.

Over time, I've realized that I read differently than other people. I don't know, maybe it's the tortured artist (who knows?) within me, or I just have a good imagination. When I read, time stops, and there is only the book world. I choose books carefully because I have to finish them. If I don't, I daydream in school (more than usual), and I actually get rather distant. Call me crazy, but that's what happens. It's also why I read books in a maximum of three days. I'm not some super fast speed reader, I admit. I don't usually read more than 100 pages an hour, depending on the book. But, on average, I take an evening to finish a book. I just keep reading and I don't take many breaks. I like reading because it is such an escape. When I said there is only the book world, I meant it. I can't talk while reading, and don't try because I won't hear you. If I do hear you, you just broke my trance and I will be pissed. So don't.

You can call me the Binge Reader.