Every Day by David Levithan

Every Day by David Levithan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Hardcover, 336 pages

Published August 28th 2012 by Knopf Books for Young Readers

In his New York Times bestselling novel, David Levithan introduces readers to what Entertainment Weekly calls a "wise, wildly unique" love story about A, a teen who wakes up every morning in a different body, living a different life.

Every day a different body. Every day a different life. Every day in love with the same girl.

There’s never any warning about where it will be or who it will be. A has made peace with that, even established guidelines by which to live: Never get too attached. Avoid being noticed. Do not interfere.

It’s all fine until the morning that A wakes up in the body of Justin and meets Justin’s girlfriend, Rhiannon. From that moment, the rules by which A has been living no longer apply. Because finally A has found someone he wants to be with—day in, day out, day after day.

With his new novel, David Levithan, bestselling co-author of Will Grayson, Will Grayson, and Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, has pushed himself to new creative heights. He has written a captivating story that will fascinate readers as they begin to comprehend the complexities of life and love in A’s world, as A and Rhiannon seek to discover if you can truly love someone who is destined to change every day.

“The moment you fall in love feels like it has centuries behind it, generations - all of them rearranging themselves so this precise, remarkable intersection could happen. In your heart, in your bones, no matter how silly you know it is, you feel that everything has been leading to this, all the secret arrows were pointing here, the universe and time itself crafted this long ago, and you are just now realizing it, you are just now arriving at the place you were always meant to be.”
― David Levithan, Every Day 

This is the first novel I've read by David Levithan, and after finishing it, I have to say that I will definitely check out more of his work.

GoodReads was advertising this book like CRAZY when this book first came out. I couldn't go anywhere on the website without it being shoved in my face, rather obnoxiously if I may add. So, upon one day stumbling upon the book on the shelf of my county library, I decided, "Why not?" GoodReads is obviously trying to get me to read this so it can't be all bad. And, it wasn't; I fell in love with the first few pages.

Every Day is about a character named A; A doesn't have a definitive gender, at least, not that A knows of. A wakes up in a different person's body everyday; sometimes as a girl, boy, thin, obese, straight, or homosexual; the possibilities are endless. This has been going on for as long as A can remember.

A pretty much accepts this life because there isn't any way to change it. It’s not something s/he can just turn on and off at will; it’s his/her reoccurring ailment. That is, s/he accepts this life, until s/he meets Rhiannon. And to make matters even more complicated, Rhiannon has a rather asinine boyfriend who basically treats her like dirt and she lets him.

I have to say, the whole concept of waking up as a different person everyday and being able to also access all their memories, is definitely a unique plotline. It is what I loved so much about this story. The characters also felt so real that is was hard not to love them or connect with them. Though, at one point, I was getting pretty annoyed with Rhiannon. At parts, she seems a tad judgmental when it came to A’s appearance. A specific example would be when he was a 3 or 400 pound boy. She kept looking at him oddly, and seemed ashamed to be seen with him in public. I guess I can sort of understand her situation; it must be hard to be with someone who is in a different person’s body every day, but A is still the same person inside. She seemed to have trouble seeing that at times when A was on the more unattractive side. For some reason it just irked me a bit.

Overall, the writing was wonderful! I didn’t expect to fall in love with this book like I did. Now, you are probably wondering why if I loved it so much, I only gave it 4 stars instead of 5. I can’t really explain why. Even though I thoroughly enjoyed the novel, I found I wasn’t as immersed in the story the closer I got to the end. The ending, don’t get me wrong, wasn’t bad. There probably wasn’t really any alternative to what happened that wouldn’t have completely changed the story. Another factor that could have paid tribute to me giving the book only 4 stars was the fact that A got a little creepy as the book went on. By creepy, I mean obsessed. He constantly thought of Rhiannon and wanted to see her, and would go see her, even if she didn’t want to meet; this interfered with the lives of the people s/he inhabited. I felt like that wasn’t really fair.

As I said, the book was good. I would recommend it to anybody. However, just a warning: the majority of the book is about romance. Yes, there is the sci-fi aspect, but the story itself pretty much revolves around A’s love of Rhiannon. So, if you are expecting some epic sci-fi novel, or are just not a huge fan of romance, then this is probably a book you should skip out on.

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

So I think the title of this post pretty much says it all.

Yep, it's my birthday! Today I turned 19 and have been listening to all my friends and family tell me that I am now old. That's just what every girl wants to hear on her birthday right? Haha, well anyway, it's been a great day. I opened my door early this morning to be pelted with balloons and party poppers...it was definitely an interesting way to wake up lol.

I wish I could do a giveaway for you guys, but I am currently lacking in the money department right now (the joys of being a college student). So, I hope you guys will be just as happy with me telling you I will definitely be more active on the blog in the upcoming weeks. I have some reviews I am working on right now for you guys (on my birthday :P). I figured I would take a break from studying today and do something productive, yet enjoyable. So look forward to the things to come :)

Breaking Dawn Part 2: WHY???

Well November 16th was the day "twihards" (unlike myself) have been waiting for: the final movie in Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Saga is released! I meant to post this the day I saw the movie, which was opening day, but just haven't had the time :(

To say I haven't been waiting for this movie, would be a small fib; I have been waiting for it, but not for the same reason most other girls my age are. I have just been waiting for it to be over. There, I said it! I am so tired of all the Twilight hype and am so glad it is coming to its end. If I ever have to look at Kristen Stewart's expressionless face, or hear Taylor Lautner's voice again, I will go insane!

Now, I may be a hypocrite; I am sitting here telling you all how much I don't like the movies, yet I see every one of them and own them all as well, so really, who am I to judge?

I do have to say that Breaking Dawn Part 2 was pretty awesome. However, that little twist they threw in there nearly gave me a heart attack. I won't go into detail about it because there may be some of you out there who have yet to see it, but for those of you who saw the movie and know what I am talking about, how did you feel about the twist? I HATED it!

My friend and I were freaking out! I have never been so emotional during a Twilight movie, and am quite ashamed at my reaction...it was pretty bad. The whole scene, I was just sitting there thinking, "What is this?! This didn't happen in the book!" My friend beside me was about ready to get up and leave; though it's a good thing we didn't.

Every other person thought that the twist was clever and brilliant. Well I disagree! And hopefully, I am not the only person out there who does. I think it was pretty cruel to trick us like that...but that's just me.

Waiting On Wednesday (#4)

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. This meme highlights some of the books whose releases bloggers are most anticipating this year.

The book whose release I am most excited for this week is...
  

The Originals

byCat Patrick

 
Expected publication: May 7th 2013

A riveting new story from Cat Patrick, author of Forgotten and Revived.

17-year-olds Lizzie, Ella, and Betsey Best grew up as identical triplets... until they discovered a shocking family secret. They're actually closer than sisters, they're clones. Hiding from a government agency that would expose them, the Best family appears to consist of a single mother with one daughter named Elizabeth. Lizzie, Ella, and Betsey take turns going to school, attending social engagements, and a group mindset has always been a de facto part of life...

Then Lizzie meets Sean Kelly, a guy who seems to see into her very soul. As their relationship develops, Lizzie realizes that she's not a carbon copy of her sisters; she's an individual with unique dreams and desires, and digging deeper into her background, Lizzie begins to dismantle the delicate balance of an unusual family that only science could have created.

Why am I waiting ever so desperately for the release of The Originals?

Well for starters, I have become a HUGE fan of Cat Patrick. She had be hooked from her first novel Forgotten, and having just finished her last novel Revived only just a few days ago, I cannot express how much I love this author. Cat Patrick is extremely talented in my eyes. It has been quite awhile since an author has made me fallen so hard for a story and its characters. Everything she writes is amazing, and the covers of her novels? Well, they are pretty darn awesome. I am always drawn in by the beautiful covers.

So basically, waiting until May for this book is going to be pretty tough; going to have to read a lot of good books in the meantime to distract me from the anticipation.

Book Haul (3)

 

These are some books I have picked up over the weekend. I went a tad crazy this weekend, raiding library sales and GoodWill. The three books on the top row are ones I have already read, but didn't own. I either bought them because I really liked them, or I had some books in the series and wanted to complete the set :)

I also bought two other books within the last month, and they are:

Upcoming Reviews + College Update

Hey guys! I came home from college for the long holiday weekend and have actually found some time to squeeze in some reading, which I am very happy about. So, you can look forward to reviews for the following books to be up within the next few days, once I get the time to write them up :)




















Also, just to give you a little update on college life...

I have decided Pre-Nursing is not for me. Instead, I changed my major to something that I believe will make me very happy in life: English. I love English; it has always been my best/favorite subject in school, and obviously, I love to read. I am also always noticing grammar and/or punctuation mistakes in books. I had originally wanted to do something with English but kept hearing how there isn't much you could do with an English degree. And while that may to true, I am confident with my decision, and am looking forward to earning a degree in something that, may not be practical, but makes me happy. My plans are to become a book editor. I am more excited now than ever for the future, though I am aware of the work it will take to get to where I want to be.

But yes, that is pretty much it. If any of you happen to be involved in the publishing business, or just have any advice to give to someone who aspires to become an editor, feel free to comment below. This is something I really want and am willing to work hard for, so I would appreciate any help I can receive.

Talk you all soon.
Happy Reading! ;D

Waiting On Wednesday (#3)

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. This meme highlights some of the books whose releases bloggers are most anticipating this year.

The book whose release I am most excited for this week is...



                                    Spellcaster

                                  by: Claudia Gray

 
Expected publication: March 5th 2013

When Nadia’s family moves to Captive’s Sound, she instantly realizes there’s more to it than meets the eye. Descended from witches, Nadia senses a dark and powerful magic at work in her new town. Mateo has lived in Captive’s Sound his entire life, trying to dodge the local legend that his family is cursed - and that curse will cause him to believe he’s seeing the future … until it drives him mad. When the strange dreams Mateo has been having of rescuing a beautiful girl—Nadia—from a car accident come true, he knows he’s doomed.

Despite the forces pulling them apart, Nadia and Mateo must work together to break the chains of his family’s terrible curse, and to prevent a disaster that threatens the lives of everyone around them. Shimmering with magic and mystery, New York Times bestselling author Claudia Gray’s new novel is sure to draw fans of the Hex Hall and Caster Chronicles series, and fans of the hit CW TV show The Secret Circle.

I am super stoked for this book! I am a big fan of Claudia Gray. Her Evernight series is one of my favorite series, and I really liked her other book Fateful. When I heard on GoodReads that she had a couple new projects she was working on, I got so excited! She is a talented author, and I look forward to reading anything she writes.

Spellcaster definitely sounds nothing like any of her other books, which is great! The cover and plotline instantly drew me in.

2012 Election

I just wanted to make a brief post on the 2012 US Presidential Election. It was a tough, and extremely close race and I often found myself in a panic whenever my candidate of choice was behind. Voting machines crashed, lines were long, and machines were also giving Romney votes in Pennslyvania when people were choosing Obama; not to mention that my state (Florida) is completely incompetent when it comes to these things. I mean serisously, 4 hours after polls closed, there were still people standing in line and holding up the count. We also can't make up our minds about whether we're going Democratic/Obama or Republican/Romney. I swear, everytime I saw Florida turn red, I had a mini panic attack lol. But in the end, it all comes down to who wins the most electoral votes. There are going to be those who are happy with the results, and those who are going to have a hard time accepting that their candidate lost, but hopefully everyone can learn to get along. I don't want to spark debate because I am so fed up with this political circus, but personally, I was estatic with the results; Obama gets another 4 years? YES!

So a quick congratulations to Obama on his re-election, and sorry that the Romney voters were let down. Hopefully everyone can look past their differences and do what is best for the country and its people. The job of the President is to look after us, whether they are Democratic or Republican; they are allowed their own beliefs, but it the end, their decisions should be based on what they believe is right for the country as a whole, not for themselves.

So America, welcome your 44th President of the United States of America: Barack Obama :D

Everneath (Everneath #1) by Brodi Ashton

Everneath by Brodi Ashton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath. Now she's returned--to her old life, her family, her boyfriend--before she's banished back to the underworld . . . this time forever. She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these precious months forgetting the Everneath and trying to reconnect with her boyfriend, Jack, the person most devastated by her disappearance--and the one person she loves more than anything. But there's just one problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who enticed her to the Everneath in the first place, has followed Nikki home. Cole wants to take over the throne in the underworld and is convinced Nikki is the key to making it happen. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back, this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time on the Surface draws to a close and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she is forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's queen.

"Everneath" is a captivating story of love, loss, and immortality from debut author Brodi Ashton

“I didnt tell him I'd thought of him every day. That even when every other memory had faded, he never left." - Nikki 

I had first picked up this book from the library, but didn't get around to reading it until about a month later. I was super busy at the time, and my roommate wanted to read it so I let her borrow it. While she read it, my roommate kept telling me how great it was and how I was "just going to LOVE it!" So, by the time I finally got aroud to reading Everneath, I had higher expectations than I had orignally had. Now, did the book live up to my sky-high expectations? ABSOLUTELY!

I loved this book from start to finish. I am so glad I read it, and think Ashton did an amazing job with this book. It had an extremely addicting storyline and went by at a fast pace. This book is espcially great for all those out there who love a new, modern take on Greek mythology because it was basically a retelling of the tragic love story of Orpheus and Eurydice.

The timing and pacing of the events in the book were just right; not too fast, or snail paced. The reader gets to know and love Nikki more as the story unravels. Each character involved in Nikki's life has a deep connection with her; one that will affect her in a way that will move the reader. The story isn't just a love story; it also shows thse importance of family and friends.

The world building was also quite excellent. The Everneath sounded dark, and mysterious; a place no one would ever want to be trapped in. Ashton also did a great job with research in the original myth. Nikki Beckett was a strong heroine and definitely likeable. She wasn't one of those annoying, whinny protagonists you so often come across in YA novels. She was never selfish and always thought about others, especially here family and friends.

Now, let's talk about the perfectly wonderful Jack Caputo.

“Stay with me, Becks. Dream of me. I am ever yours.”

Before they became romantically involved, Nikki and Jack were firends. He was the kind of guy who knows he is attractive but doesn't really seem to care, or use it to act like a jerk. He had the perfect blend of good looks, personality, and charisma. He never gave up on Nikki, and always had the hope that she would come back and everything would be alright again. He was willing to risk everything for her when she finally came back. He was loyal, and wiling to fight for her because, he loved her; that's all there is to it.

The ending was good as well. It was SO SAD and HEARTBREAKING, but leaves us with so many questions and dying to get our greddy little hands on the next book. All in all, everyone should read this book. It was amazing, and has a bit of everything for everyone's individual tastes.

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Glitch (Glitch #1) by Heather Anastasiu

Glitch by Heather Anastasiu

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

In the Community, there is no more pain or war. Implanted computer chips have wiped humanity clean of destructive emotions, and thoughts are replaced by a feed from the Link network.

When Zoe starts to malfunction (or “glitch”), she suddenly begins having her own thoughts, feelings, and identity. Any anomalies must be immediately reported and repaired, but Zoe has a secret so dark it will mean certain deactivation if she is caught: her glitches have given her uncontrollable telekinetic powers.

As Zoe struggles to control her abilities and stay hidden, she meets other glitchers including Max, who can disguise his appearance, and Adrien, who has visions of the future. Both boys introduce Zoe to feelings that are entirely new. Together, this growing band of glitchers must find a way to free themselves from the controlling hands of the Community before they’re caught and deactivated, or worse.

In this action-packed debut, Glitch begins an exciting new young adult trilogy.

For the longest time, I have been eager to get my hands on this book and read it. The cover itself was incentive enough, but like they say, you can't judge a book by its cover. However, though the book itself did not WOW me as much as the cover did, I was not disappointed.

In Glitch, we meet Zoel Q-24 (aka Zoe). Zoe has been experiencing glitches in her "programming" for a while now. Glitching is dangerous to do in the Community, therefore Zoe must do her best to conceal her "anomalous" behavior- a phrase that is used a lot throughout the book. AS if glitching weren't strange enough, Zoe also develops some sort of secret power.

The world itself where Zoe lives was completely messed up, in all honesty. People were pretty much walking computers; they lacked feelings, emotions, personality, uniqueness. Everyone walked around in the same uniform, drone-like state of mind, oblivious to how wrong the whole idea was. They also lived underground and never seen the surface because those above them say it's unsafe. Apparently, according to the government, humanity had faced some sort of D-Day that wiped out everything and nearly everybody. The cause of this supposed "D-Day" was because people had feelings, which apparently are a bad thing to have in their eyes. Yet, the government themselves are complete hypocrites and liars.

Zoe tends to blame herself a lot for things that happen during the book so she is always carrying around this heavy load of guilt which was annoying at times. However, she is also very determined to try to save everyone from the unjust lifestyle they have been forced to live. Adrien was sweet and caring, and an overall great guy. Max was quick tempered, and too obsessed with feeling "passion". He also only cared about what HE wanted, regardless of whether or not it was the right thing to do. I didn't like him all that much.

Now, onto the dreaded love triangle. I adored Adrien even though he was slightly cheesy at times, but there is nothing wrong with that. Max on the other hand...yeah, he was a bit of a creeper. At one point he asks to see her genitalia, and I was just like, "WHATT?!" I mean, I get that he has never experienced all the emotions running rampant in his mind before now, but that was just...just no. I don't know what to say to that. Though when it comes to Max's true feelings, I found it hard sometimes to figure out if he truly had genuine feelings for Zoe or if it was just more of a lust type thing because he was the only other Glitcher he knew.

Overall, the book wasn't bad. I'm very interested to see where the next book Override (planned for release in Feb 2013) takes us. I recommend this book to anyone who loves dystopia, and tense reads. Though some parts were a tad predictable, I did come across a few surprises as well :)

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