Apocalypse! Blog Hop Giveaway

Hop! I am participating in the Apocalypse! Blog Hop Giveaway hosted by Rainy Day Ramblings, Love of Books, and The Nocturnal Library. For this blog hop, I will be giving away...

A post-apocalyptic/dystopian book of your choice! 

(worth up to $20 CAD from The Book Depository)

(The above books are some of my favourite post-apocalyptic/dystopian books, but the winner can choose whichever book of the genre they want)

Rules:
1. To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter form below
2. Open Internationally as long as The Book Depository ships to you
3. Ends July 20 at 11:59 PM EST
4. Entrants must be at least 13 years old
5. The winner will be emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen

And may the odds be EVER in your favour!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Visit other blogs taking part in the giveaway hop!

Review: Vortex (Insignia #2) by S.J. Kincaid

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Published: July 2, 2013
Pages: 400
Source: For Review from HarperCollins Canada
Rating: 4 Stars

The impossible was just the beginning. Now in their second year as superhuman government weapons-in-training at the Pentagonal Spire, Tom Raines and his friends are mid-level cadets in the elite combat corps known as the Intrasolar Forces. But as training intensifies and a moment arrives that could make or break his entire career, Tom’s loyalties are again put to the test.
Encouraged to betray his ideals and friendships for the sake of his country, Tom is convinced there must be another way. And the more aware he becomes of the corruption surrounding him, the more determined he becomes to fight it, even if he sabotages his own future in the process.
Drawn into a power struggle more dramatic than he has ever faced before, Tom stays a hyperintelligent step ahead of everyone, like the exceptional gamer he is—or so he believes. But when he learns that he and his friends have unwittingly made the most grievous error imaginable, Tom must find a way to outwit an enemy so nefarious that victory seems hopeless. Will his idealism and bravado cost him everything—and everyone that matters to him?
Filled with action and intelligence, camaraderie and humor, the second book in S.J. Kincaid’s futuristic World War III Insignia trilogy continues to explore fascinating and timely questions about power, politics, technology, loyalty, and friendship.

In short: Vortex by S.J. Kincaid is an excellent sequel that ramps up the intensity in the plot while still maintaining the fun and hilarity of its predecessor.

I was incredibly eager to return to the incredibly cool and imaginative world of S.J. Kincaid's Insignia series after reading and loving the first book last year. And thankfully, I loved Vortex just as much as Insignia! For those who don't know, the Insignia series is about fifteen-year-old Tom Raines who is recruited by the Pentagon to fight in an intrasolar World War III thanks to the help of a chip that has been inserted in his brain that allows him to remotely control fighter ships in space. It's AWESOME.

In Vortex, things aren't very much different from Insignia. As with Insignia, there are plenty of seemingly pointless - but incredibly fun - scenes with the simulations. Tom and his friends get up to the same kind of hilarious shenanigans. S.J. Kincaid's signature clever humour and inside jokes are also present again, much to my pleasure. The main difference is Vortex is a bit darker and more political than Insignia. A more concrete villain has developed, Tom is having to be serious about his future, and a hint of rebellion is forming. And all this is managed without sacrificing the fun and hilarity of Insignia.

Possibly the thing I was most looking forward to in Vortex - even more than the highly imaginative and cool world building - was the return of the gang: protagonist Tom and his best friends Vik, Wyatt, and Yuri. THESE GUYS. They have got to be my favourite bookish group of friends ever (after the HP Trio, obvs). I love each of them individually, as well as part of the group. They are very loyal (though they do occasionally have disagreements) and are incredibly playful and teasing with one another. They feel like real life friends to me!

Tom is a hard person to love, considering his many, many faults, but I do like him overall. His arrogance and stubbornness often border on stupidity, but his intense loyalty to his friends and his refusal to play by corporate rules are truly admirable. His highly immature antics are equal parts exasperating and amusing; he is just a fifteen-year-old-boy after all and I think a very realistic one. One that has to face the music in Vortex and learn not to be an arrogant ass all the time. Tom is a very memorable character and I credit S.J. Kincaid with coming up with a non-stock protagonist.

I had the same issues with Vortex as I did with Insignia: The story was sometimes slowly paced and bogged down with exposition and technological jargon that made the reading a bit rough. But overall, Vortex was just as much fun as Insignia while also ramping up the intensity and seriousness of the plot. Dystopian and sci fi lovers who like male protagonists and plots that aren't super romance-heavy would love this series!

Previously, my review of Insignia.

Other Review:
Nose Graze

Author Links:
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Goodreads
HarperCollins Webpage

Review: Siege and Storm (The Grisha #2) by Leigh Bardugo

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Published: June 4, 2013
Pages: 435
Source: Purchased
Rating: 4.5 Stars

Darkness never dies.
Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land. She finds starting new is not easy while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. She can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long.
The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her–or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.

In short: Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo is a game-changing sequel that has everything we loved about Shadow and Bone and MORE.

Shadow and Bone seemed to have all you could want in a novel: a wonderfully developed and beautifully picturesque world, a creative and fascinating magic system, a sort of boarding school setting, an awesomely relatable and fierce heroine, a slow building and fantastically swoony romance, and an enigmatic and complex villain. Siege and Storm somehow has all this and MORE. Creepy shadow monsters, ship voyages with pirates, a mythical sea beast, a fantastical flying ship, and one very calculating and smarmy prince. Yes, it really is ALL THAT.

The Darkling was one of my favourite things from Shadow and Bone, but much to my dismay, the Darkling's presence was noticeably less in Siege and Storm. But, as if Leigh Bardugo knew that her readers would feel the hurt from less Darkling, a new equally as intriguing character is introduced in the form of one very cunning privateer. How does Leigh Bardugo do it, constantly come up with swoony new characters for us to obsess over? She seems to have a never-ending capacity of new secondary characters that interest us just as much as the main players.

Alina and Mal are as incredible as ever, both alone and together. I love their banter. We get to see them grow and endure and bear new roles that test them and their love. And they make it through remarkably well. But I did get a little frustrated at the cliched romantic feud designed to add drama to their relationship. Basically, one party deserts the other right when they're at their most desperate and in need of support. And that is not any kind of love that I know of or understand. Adding complexity to relationships is fine - even welcomed - but introducing drama for petty reasons that involves abandoning your loved one when they need you... not a fan. Still, this was a relatively minor quibble.

Siege and Storm was truly a fantastic sequel, rife with action and hooks and intrigue that held me ensnared from the very opening scene to the game-changer ending. I cannot possibly express my excitement for Ruin and Rising adequately enough!

Previously, my review of Shadow and Bone.

Other Reviews:
Ink Skies
Just Another Story
YA Book Queen

Author Links:
Website
Blog
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Goodreads

My Life in June: Pride, Loneliness, and Creepy Monkeys

Hihihi. So I have never done one of these monthly recaps before, but I was thinking I might start doing them as a means of keeping track of my life, blogging, and reading from month to month. As I will be returning to school in September, I will likely have less time for reading and so I thought I might introduce a more personal non-reading aspect to my blog... then again, maybe not if no one is interested. I guess this will be a trial run! Feel free to tell me if any of this is TMI. I can take it.

There are so many bloggers who do these monthly recap type features that I don't really know who to credit for my version. But it would probably be a safe bet to throw in Jamie at The Perpetual Page-Turner's name as she is frequently the originator of popular memes and features.

My Life in June: Pride, Loneliness, and Creepy Monkeys

The first big event of June for me was the 2013 Edmonton Pride Parade:

(photos from my Instagram)

This was actually my first time attending the pride parade and I have to say, it was kind of overwhelming! In a VERY good way. There were a ton of people who came out to support the LGBT community. It was such an uplifting experience. Definitely gave me the warm fuzzies!

After the excitement at the beginning of June, things quieted down for me for the rest of the month. My bf was away doing field work hunting for dinosaur fossils, so I spent a lot of time on my own and was consequently quite lonely. I know it might sound a bit pathetic to completely fall apart when your boyfriend goes away for a few weeks, but there it is. Can't change the way I feel.

And unfortunately, this really affected my reading habits! I am a total mood reader so if I am not in a good mood, I can't enjoy reading. I got so little reading done in June, it was sad! My mood also affected my blog commenting. I usually pride myself at returning comments to each and every person's blog for everyone who leaves a comment on one of my posts, but unfortch, this did not completely happen in June. And I felt SO guilty about it! Sorry guys, I hope to do better in July!

I did manage to occupy myself and keep my spirits up with a few good get togethers with family and friends, at least. My cousin from New Zealand was up visiting, which was nice because I rarely get to see her. She taught me the Maori word for "book"! There was also an Edmonton Book Bloggers meet-up this month and it's hard not to be happy surrounded by fellow book lovers! I also had a number of meaningful conversations with close friends this month and that did wonders for my psyche.

I also managed to keep myself entertained in June with a number of good TV Shows and Movies that I would highly recommend:

Sherlock is simply brilliant. It's a contemporary retelling of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes. I loooove Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman as Sherlock and Watson, respectively. Sherlock and Watson have the best bromance of all time!!

I also watched all 13 episodes of The Comeback starring Lisa Kudrow and it was pretty entertaining. But also uncomfortably awkward in that UK Version of The Office kind of way. It is a brutally honest satire on the making of sitcoms and a reality TV shows. And it's kind of brilliant.

Monster's Inc. is one of my all-time favourite movies, so I was stoked (and a little nervous) to see its prequel, Monster's University. While I don't think a new movie could ever live up to the original, I do think it was a pretty damn good effort. I really enjoyed all the inside jokes and references to the original. But I missed Boo!

I also re-watched 500 Days of Summer and somehow was able to love it even more after the second time. I love it alotalot.


Something else of significance this month: this absolute GEM was found in a thrift store:

O_O  I think my initial reaction was, "Holy shit." I don't know that I have ever seen anything creepier in my life. It appears to be a creepy-ass monkey in a bonnet and pearls. It also seems to be a salt shaker, but its pair was not in the store, alas. And it was only $3, so of course I had to have it. I figure it will make an excellent joke house warming present. But until then, I have to deal with it living in my house. I will be taking Jessica's advice and keeping it locked in my closet at all times lest it MURDERS ME IN THE NIGHT.

Blogging in June

In June, I joined Instagram finally and immediately became obsessed. You can find my profile here. Also, you can leave your username in the comments and I will look you up and give you a follow!

June was the last month of Google Reader, one of my other main obsessions. And of course, as the World's Biggest Procrastinator, I waited until the last possible moment to make the switch. But I still haven't decided which I prefer, Bloglovin' or Feedly. I will follow blogs on both platforms for a while until I make up my mind. Does anyone have a preference?

Posts in June:
Muggle Monday: New Chamber of Secrets Cover Reveal
Waiting On Wednesday: Simon & Schuster Summer 2013 Catalog
Waiting On Wednesday: Macmillan Summer 2013 Catalog
Top Ten Books At The Top Of My Summer TBR (Help Me Prioritize!)
Top Ten Books I've Read So Far In 2013
Review: Glimmer by Phoebe Kitanidis - 3.5 Stars
Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyer - 5 Stars
Review: When You Were Here by Daisy Whitney - 4 Stars
Review: The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater - 5 Stars

If anyone is interested in the results of my poll that people voted in to help me decide which books I should prioritize for my reading schedule this summer, here are the results:
1st Place: 38% said Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
2nd Place: 31% said The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
3rd Place (tied): 25% said City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare
3rd Place (tied): 25% said Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

And finally, the best book I read in June was...:

The Scorpio Races, of course! It's hard to put into words how much I loved this one. But with the most beautiful writing, characters to love, lots of pretty horses, and a sport that is more dangerous than Quidditch (and that's saying something), it was hard not to love The Scorpio Races. Highly recommended!

Alright, that's it for me. But I would love to receive any feedback with regards to this post, my first monthly recap. Too long? Too ramble-y? Too personal? Maybe less pictures of creepy-as-f*ck monkeys next time? Let me know!

Muggle Monday: Newly Redesigned Harry Potter Covers!

It's time for Muggle Monday, in which I highlight a significant piece of news from the Harry Potter franchise. This is somewhat inspired by the Mundane Monday posts by The Mundie Moms.

But let's be real as to why I made up this feature: I just want the opportunity to post something about Harry Potter.


There have been a whole ton of new Harry Potter cover redesign releases recently and I am LOVING it (obviously). And no, I don't think these redesigns will ever replace the originals in my mind, but it's still cool to see the covers in a new light:

New 15th Anniversary US Editions of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire:

J'ADORE! I love these covers as much as the first two Kazu Kibuishi covers for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. I love the animation and the attention to detail. I think they've done an excellent job so far at choosing the perfect scene to represent each book for the new covers. I also love how you can see Past Harry collapsed in the background of the new Prisoner of Azkaban cover. The new Goblet of Fire cover is pretty fantastic, too, though in my mind I still picture the Hungarian Horntail resembling the one from the UK/Canada Children's Edition, rather than this version.

I honestly couldn't say which of the four new US Edition covers I like best so far. Does anyone else have a favourite one so far?

EDITED TO ADD - New Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Also Released:

Of course, only a few hours after I had this post scheduled, the 15th Anniversary US Edition of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was released! And of course, it's GORGEOUS:

New UK Adult Editions of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chamber of Secrets, and Prisoner of Azkaban:

The UK Adult Editions of the books are also getting a makeover. The first three books have been redone and the next four are set to be released in the coming months. I love the woodcut style of these! They are very bright and graphic and eye-catching. Sigh, if only I were rich, I would buy ALL the editions of the books, new and old, domestic and foreign editions. And they would be my pretties.

What do you think of these new Harry Potter covers? Let me know in the comments!