TGIF (50)

There once was an awesome blogger named Ginger and she decided to create a super fun feature where fellow bloggers would answer fabulous questions via blog posts every Friday. TGIF was born and we all have Miss Ginger at GReads! to thank for that! This week’s question is:

Show Me Your Cover:

What are some of the worst book covers, but hold some of the best stories inside? Don’t be embarrassed, show us your cover!

I had a really hard time with this question! I went through all of my top rated books but as I was doing so, I realized something: I love almost all of their covers! Most people are very particular about covers but that just isn’t me. Sometimes I like people on the covers, sometimes I don’t. Sometimes I like the more artistic look and other times it just doesn’t work for me. After quite a bit of searching and even more nit-picking, I did come up with a few covers I was not a fan of (sort of. I still like most of the covers, just not for that particular book)

Ex-mas (A Love/Hate Story) by Kate Brian

It’s been a while since I’ve read this one but I remember finding it totally adorable! The cover is cute enough but it also has a little too much cheesiness.

Timeless by Alexandra Monir

Don’t get me wrong, this cover is very pretty HOWEVER I am not a giant fan of such a specific image of the main character. I had someone all dreamed up in my head and this cover made it a little hard to let my imagination run free.

Trade Secrets by Yvonne Collins and Sandy Rideout

My reasons for not liking this cover are very similar to the above one. I had the character all figured out in my head but then when you go and look at the cover it’s just not quite the same. This book is so full of quirkiness, adorableness, and music! There should be a guitar on the cover (just saying!)

Return To Paradise by Simone Elkeles

Are these real people or is that a drawing? Isn’t this the same two people on another YA book even though the other one has a different background? Why doesn’t this cover match the edginess of the first book’s cover? All these questions explain why I do not like this cover.

Lockdown by Alexander Gordon Smith

Holy freaking creep-fest, Batman! I had nightmares for weeks and weeks after looking at this book. The story inside is a bit scary yes, but I do not need to pee my pants every time I look at the book!

Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

This cover also creeped me out like no other. When my best friend suggested this as our next book club read, I almost smacked her. The story is just so great and really not all that creepy so I really wish the cover didn’t portray that! I love that Ransom used all these old, freaky photos throughout the whole book but using one on the cover may scare readers away, ones who would have loved the book!

This week on Kate’s Tales of Books and Bands (5/18-5/25):

TGIF (49)

Life As Kate (16)

Tune In Tuesday (60)

Elements by Kate Fuentes + Blog Tour + Review (kind of!)

Katelyn Visits GReads!!!!!!!!!

Book Review: Lockdown by Alexander Gordon Smith

Title: Lockdown

Author: Alexander Gordon Smith

Publisher: Square Fish

Pages: 273 paperback

My Rating: 4/5 stars

Source: I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest and thoughtful review

Beneath Heaven is Hell. Beneath Hell is Furnace.

Furnace Penitentiary: An underground hellhole. A place of pure evil with walls soaked in blood. Murderous gangs and vicious guards rule the darkness. Horrific creatures steal people away in the dead of night. And the impossible – escape – is the only hope.

“Hotter than Hell and twice as much fun.” -Darren Shan, author of the Cirque Du Freak series

“Fresh and ferocious.” -James Patterson

It is safe to say this is the creepiest book I read this year. In fact, it is safe to say it is one of the creepiest books I have read ever! Which is exactly why I am so baffled that I like this book…like a lot! It is no secret that I shy away from anything too scary but seriously guys, this book is the perfect amount of creepy. If I can handle it, there is no doubt that you will be able to as well.

The book starts off right with tons of action and a character that you won’t initially care for (I ask you again to trust me on this because he will grow on you!). As we first meet Alex he is breaking into a house with his friend Toby. See what I mean? You will not like him and all the stupid things he does. He has little respect for other people and their possessions. But you also get the feeling that he used to be a good kid and somehow got on the wrong track. On the night that they break into the house something absolutely terrible happens. It quickly turns into a nightmare and Alex is shipped off to Furnace.

This is where the freakiness really happens! I could picture every chilling, goosebump-inducing moment that Alex endured. Alexander’s attention to detail was impeccable. I really felt like I was there with him, living out this nightmare. Furnace is not your everyday prison. It is a place miles and miles in the ground with no way out. The guards are unhuman, nasty (skinless) dogs roam around with the evil warden, the living conditions are nearly unbearable, and there are gas mask crazies running around in the middle of the night marking people to kill. Yes, you read that all right. Dealing with having to spend the rest of your life in prison is hard enough but Furnace is like your own personal torture chamber that you get to live in day after day. Furnace includes all of your worst nightmares but this story is more than just a bone-chilling thriller.

We get to meet and eventually love not just the main character Alex, but also his cellmate Donovan. Alex is the fresh meat, and an obvious target from the boys who have survived the prison for the past few years. Donovan takes Alex under his wing, which in a place like Furnace, is a pretty brave thing. Like I said earlier, Alex is a character that grew on you. While he’s in Furnace he gets quite a bit of time to reflect on why he did all the bad things he did. He never fully comes to a conclusion which is okay. We all make mistakes and often times do it for no reason at all. What really struck me though is that he realizes he was wrong. He may not know why he did things like breaking into houses but he regrets it. He is sorry for the wrong choices that he made. Alex’s personality stays strong even though he is in a hellhole (almost literally). I love that he has this deep passion to escape. It is unheard of but Alex never looses faith that he will one day get out of there. He plans day and night on if, how, when he will be able to get out of Furnace. As for Donovan, I loved him! He has been in Furnace a LONG time so he’s built a tough exterior. However, Alex is the one kid who can kind of break through it. For the first time in a long time, Donovan starts to feel a little okay again and I love that! His friendship with Alex was realistic even for this crazy, out-of-this-world situation that they’re in. Donovan takes care of Alex and has his back no matter what and Alex inspires Donovan to hope again. It truly is a great thing to watch develop through a book.

This may not seem like the conventional “Katelyn” book but I am so glad I gave it a chance. The book itself ended up being a great surprise and that is somewhat due to the CRAZY ending! I was stunned with how things turned out so to say I am excited for Solitary is an understatement. I think it would be a perfect book to read around Halloween time when you are looking for a scary read!

TGIF (22)

There once was an awesome blogger named Ginger and she decided to create a super fun feature where fellow bloggers would answer fabulous questions via blog posts every Friday. TGIF was born and we all have Miss Ginger at GReads! to thank for that! This week’s question is:

Spooktacular Reads:

Which books do you consider festive Halloween reads? Which stories have chilled you to the bone?

I would like to think that I am a tough person who can handle scary books but in reality I am a big, big baby. However, I have managed to sneak in a few creepy books and by somewhat of a shock, I actually enjoyed them. The first couple are books that just really freaked me out. The rest are ones that have Halloween-ish elements in them (a.k.a. Paranormal books that I find to be totally, freaking awesome!!!)

Lockdown by Alexander Gordon Smith

I just read this one. HOLY FREAKING CREEPY!

The Dead of Summer by Camilla Way

I read this one over a year ago and I STILL think of how twisted that story is!

Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

Of course fighting off demons with swords can be considered a great Halloween read!

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

This is a book about a girl who can sense dead bodies, FREAKY!

Bone Dressing by Michelle Brooks

This book is more of a love story but the main characters do spend quite a bit of time in the cemetary which is ALWAYS good for freaking people out.

Beautiful Creatures + Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Both of these books a million times YES! Everything about them shouts great Halloween read! Plus Ethan and Lena…I <3 those two!

The Childe by C.A. Kunz

This is the PERFECT book for this time of year. It definitely makes me think of one of those cool made for TV movies that ABC Family always has this time of year. It could totally be right up there with Hocus Pocus!

The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade

I love me some Stacey Kade! You can’t have Halloween without a friendly little ghost (or in this case, a spoiled little ghost who wants things to go her way!)

Nevermore by Kelly Creagh

I was so surprised by how much I loved this book that is based so heavily on Edgar Allen Poe. This story is dark, creepy, and twisted, what more could you want?!?

Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

I don’t think this one has anything to do with this time of year but I think it is a phenomenal paranormal book!

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Oh yes, definitely a great paranormal book that is perfect for reading this time of year!

Released by Megan Duncan

Demon slaying people on the run? YES please!

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

Oh how I love this book! Another great paranormal book that has NOTHING to do with Halloween but you should read anyway!

So what do you think? Are any of these on your list of books to read during Halloween time?

This week on Katelyn’s Blog (10/21-10/28):

TGIF (21)

Life As Kate (4)

Past Perfect by Leila Sales

Tune In Tuesday (31)

Destined by P.C. & Kristin Cast Book Trailer + Giveaway!!!

In My Mailbox (24)

IMM is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren. It is a way for book bloggers to post what they have received for review, borrowed from a friend, bought at the bookstore, or picked up at the library. I have had a HUGE case of the lazies the past couple weeks so this IMM is actually three weeks in one (are you starting to sense a theme here?). I have got lots of great books so let’s check them out!

For Review:

Changing My Wardrobe by Deb Hanrahan

My Thoughts: This sounds like the perfect experience of every high school student. There are ups and downs and this wonderful book will explore it.

The Hidden Sun by J. Lloyd Morgan

My Thoughts: The time of kings, princesses, love, and lies. This one sounds so great PLUS it will be the first time I have ever participated in a legit blog tour! To say I am excited is a bit of an understatement gov’ner!

Lockdown: Escape From Furnace by Alexander Gordon Smith

My Thoughts: Creepy, creepy, and creepier are the three words I’d use to describe this book. I can’t wait!

The Hero Always Wins by Robert Eaton

My Thoughts: A book about fighting, heroes, and knights, count me in! It sounds interesting!

Gifted/Won:

Want to Go Private? by Sarah Darer Littman

My Thoughts: Thank you, thank you, thank you my darling Ashley @ Books From Bleh To Basically Amazing! This book is one I know I can share with my younger sister to (hopefully) help her make some better choices when she is online!

Beautiful Darkness poster signed by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

My Thoughts: Thanks Once Upon a Twilight for this awesome SIGNED poster! I didn’t even realize I had won it so it was a really pleasant surprise!

Bought:

The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg

My Thoughts: I have already read and adored, loved, obsessed about this book way too much so I just needed to get my own copy. I couldn’t pass up the sales at Borders! Read my review of this AWESOME book right here!

Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCafferty

My Thoughts: I read this. In less than 48 hours. And loved it! My review should be up later this week (possibly tomorrow) so be sure to stop by and check it out!

Fourth Comings by Megan McCafferty

My Thoughts: I am very much aware that I only have the 1st and 4th books of the series BUT Borders only had these two so I got them while they were so cheap. The guy at the checkout had some issues ringing this book up so he just tossed it in the bag without charging me for it. The awesome book-giver-awayers (<<< I am pretty sure that is not a real word but that is the best I could come up with) will be missed dearly.

On the Bright Side, I’m Now the Girlfriend of a Sex God by Louise Rennison

My Thoughts: I have not even picked up the first book in this series yet but come on, I’ve seen the movie and if I enjoyed it way more than any 18-year-old should, then there is no doubt I will love the book series!

Pemberley Ranch by Jack Caldwell

My Thoughts: 1) This was clearly an impulse buy 2) I got it because I thought it would be something I could read with my grandma 3) Does it make me a nerd that I look for books to read with my grandma? 4) Am I the only person who thinks this sounds like Pride and Prejudice meets Gone With The Wind?

Are You Going to Kiss Me Now? by Sloane Tanen

My Thoughts: So I was at Barnes and Noble the other night (sidenote: please be aware that I have a large distaste for Barnes and Noble but must now go there for book buying purposes because of the sudden and heart-breaking closure of Borders) and saw this cover, thought it looked cute, read the back cover, thought it sounded cute, and then proceeded to buy it even though I have placed a very strict, non-discussable book-buying-ban on myself (trying to save up for BEA next year, heck yeah!). Yes, I have major problems.

Not That Kind of Girl by Siobhan Vivian

My Thoughts: I want to read this RIGHT NOW! I am thinking of taking a “review break” for the month of October so I can catch up on some fun, stress-free books. This one will be at the top of my list for ones to get through during  that month!

Okay, that’s all the books I got from the past few weeks! Leave a link in the comments section and I’ll be sure to check out your IMM as well!

TGIF (13)

TGIF is a fun little feature hosted at GReads! Every week we re-cap what has happened on the blog plus Ginger asks a question for us to answer. This week’s question is:

Book Associations:

Which genre, authors, or particular books do you think people associate with your reading style?

Oh my goodness gracious, this is such a fun question and probably one of the easiest ones I have ever had to answer! Seriously, you guys were probably getting a bit tired of my super long lists that are also known as my TGIF posts. Anyway, when people think of me and my blog, it’s safe to assume they think about Young Adult books but more specifically Contemporary Fiction. I LOVE reading mystery, paranormal romance, historical fiction, etc. BUT my heart truly lies with Contemporary books. They are just so full of awesomesauce!

When people think of particular authors, I hope with all of my heart they think of the few that I ramble about week after week. Most importantly there is Sarah Dessen. She is my writing rock star and I really don’t know what I’d do without her books. Other loves of mine that everyone should read at least one book by are Diana Peterfreund, Jennifer Echols, Melina Marchetta, and Simone Elkeles. The Secret Society Girl series, Forget You, Jellicoe Road, and the How to Ruin series are books that fill my heart with happiness. (Notice how I threw book recommendations in there? I am just a sneaky ninja like that!)

Now for the books in particular! The Truth About Forever, Just Listen, and This Lullaby are my three favorite Sarah Dessen books so my smiling face should always come to mind when reading those! I would love to say Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta but my darling Ashley at Books From Bleh To Basically Amazing is the only person I picture when thinking of that book (Seriously, she will recommend that book to a ROCK, but at the end of the day she is still spreading the love for one of the best books ever written). For the people who know of my rocker girl-ish side (I REALLY love good music, if you didn’t know already!), I hope that books like Audrey, Wait! and Five Flavors of Dumb pop into your head when you think of Katelyn from Katelyn’s Blog!

Now let me know what you think! Did I guess what genres, authors, and books come to mind when you think of me?

This week on Katelyn’s Blog (8/19-8/26):

Instructions for an Inexperienced Lover by Amanda Leduc

A Potential Problem by Jennifer Groepl

Tune-In Tuesday (22)

Lockdown by Alexander Gordon Smith Book Trailer + Giveaway (ends 8/31)

Alex Charles: The Evening Oak by Kim Reynolds

Giveaway: Lockdown by Alexander Gordon Smith

The wonderful people of Macmillan Publishing have presented this awesome opportunity for you to not only watch the new book trailer for Lockdown by Alexander Gordon Smith but also enter for your chance to win the book! I would like to send out a BIG THANK YOU for Macmillan Publishing allowing me to do this. Here is a little bit about the book:

Title: Lockdown (Escape From The Furnace #1)

Author: Alexander Gordon Smith

Furnace Penitentiary: the world’s most secure prison for young offenders, buried a mile beneath the earth’s surface. Convicted of a murder he didn’t commit, sentenced to life without parole, “new fish” Alex Sawyer knows he has two choices: find a way out, or resign himself to a death behind bars, in the darkness at the bottom of the world. Except in Furnace, death is the least of his worries. Soon Alex discovers that the prison is a place of pure evil, where inhuman creatures in gas masks stalk the corridors at night, where giants in black suits drag screaming inmates into the shadows, where deformed beasts can be heard howling from the blood-drenched tunnels below. And behind everything is the mysterious, all-powerful warden, a man as cruel and dangerous as the devil himself, whose unthinkable acts have consequences that stretch far beyond the walls of the prison. Together with a bunch of inmates—some innocent kids who have been framed, others cold-blooded killers—Alex plans an escape. But as he starts to uncover the truth about Furnace’s deeper, darker purpose, Alex’s actions grow ever more dangerous, and he must risk everything to expose this nightmare that’s hidden from the eyes of the world. (Summary, courtesy of Goodreads.com)

Is that not the most unique, interesting premise for a book you have ever heard? Take a look at the book trailer below! It is wonderfully done and it looks so creep-tastic!

GIVEAWAY:

And now for the part you are all here for, the giveaway! Rules will be simple for this one:

-Must have U.S. or Canadian mailing address

-Must leave valid e-mail address in the comments section

-Must leave a comment telling me, Macmillan Publishing, and of course Alexander Gordon Smith what you think of the book trailer

-Must leave comment before 11:59 p.m. on 8/31/11

-Winner will have 24 hours to respond to an e-mail before another winner is chosen

I hope you guys enjoyed and don’t forget to add Lockdown on Goodreads!