The Bursting Bookshelf

Nara Collins is an average sixteen-year-old, with one exception: every night she dreams the events of the following day. Due to an incident in her past, Nara avoids using her special gift to change fate…until she dreams a future she can’t ignore.

After Nara prevents a bombing at Blue Ridge High, her ability to see the future starts to fade, while people at school are suddenly being injured at an unusually high rate.

Grappling with her diminishing powers and the need to prevent another disaster, Nara meets Ethan Harris, a mysterious loner who seems to understand her better than anyone. Ethan and Nara forge an irresistible connection, but as their relationship heats up, so do her questions about his dark past.

Review:

I will not lie, I have a large crush on Ethan. There, I said it. Now that that is off my chest, I really did enjoy the main characters for various reasons. The only characters I did not care for were most of the secondary characters because I felt they did not get enough attention throughout the book. My only other large problem with this book lies in the fact that the main characters fell in love too instantaneously for my tastes. I know I say this about a lot of books, but I find it really takes away from the strength of the characters and plot. My favourite character of this book was definitely Ethan, because I often agreed with his opinions, though Nara did find a place in my heart with how she was not afraid to save others.

The storyline of this book took the reader on a mysterious journey; one of unknown forces at work and gorgeous guys with dark secrets. I loved the fact that you were rooting for the 'good guys' even when you didn't know who/ what the 'bad guy' was. I loved all of the twists that came at all of the best times, throwing off any predictions the reader might have. The writing was also enjoyable, though it was simple. Saying that, it was not simple in a negative way, just not too complex. The end was good too, and I cannot wait for the second book to be released.

I would reccomend this book to anyone who enjoys mysterious paranormal books with some romance involved. Overall, I would give this book a 4/5 for having great aspects that overpowered the minor flaws.

So Follow my Blog Friday is a meme held by Parajunkee and it's where you answer the weekly question and then link yourself and you go and check out other blogs of your interest.

If you could pick one character in a book, movie or television show to swap places with, who would it be?

I would probably choose Elena from The Vampire Diaries on TV because she gets to hang out with both Salvatore brothers. On top of that though, she does stick to what she believes in and is never one to give up easily.

Where do you go when nowhere is safe?
 
Sixteen years after a deadly virus wiped out most of Earth’s population, the world is a perilous place. Eighteen-year-old Eve has never been beyond the heavily guarded perimeter of her school, where she and two hundred other orphaned girls have been promised a future as the teachers and artists of the New America. But the night before graduation, Eve learns the shocking truth about her school’s real purpose—and the horrifying fate that awaits her.

Fleeing the only home she’s ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Arden, her former rival from school, and Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust . . . and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.

In my opinion, good characters make you feel emotions for them and with them. The main character Eve made you feel for her, think about her and wonder what her life was like in comparison to your own. Eve also featured strong characteristics, she was able to adapt to different situations. Eve's love interest was intriguing because of just how different the world he came from was from Eve's. One of the most interesting aspects of this story was how the relationships formed so much differently from how they do for most books. I quite enjoyed how the relationships played out between all of the characters, whether romantically or just as friends. Altogether, reading about these characters was very entertaining and interesting to do.

The world built in Eve was believable and totally different at the same time. The writing described the setting in a way that made it understandable to the reader as well as keeping a bit of a foreign feel to it that is crucial to dystopian books. It was this balance that really made the setting really pop for me. The writing was very descriptive and informative, making sure that the reader knew all about the characters and their motives behind their actions. When it came to the plot of Eve, it kept moving at a swift pace, taking you from one event to another without delay.

How could I sum up my feelings about Eve? The first word that comes to mind is awesome. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes dystopian or someone who has yet to try out the genre. Without a doubt I would give Eve a 5/5.

In My Mailbox is a weekly feature done by The Story Siren. This week I was lucky enough to be able to attend an awesome author event. What event? Smart Chicks Kick It 2.0. On the stop I attended there were six awesome (and funny!) authors; Kelley Armstrong, Melissa Marr, Sara Zarr, Beth Revis, Jennifer Lynn Barnes and Margaret Stohl. Needless to say, I was starstruck the moment they entered the room. Though I may have bought a few more books than originally planned, I had an amazing time. If you get a chance, definitly go to one of the tour stops.

For Review:


Crossed by Ally Condie (Thanks to Penguin Group Canada)
Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi (Thanks to HarperCollins Canada)
Touch by Jus Accardo (Thanks to Entangled Publishing)

Bought:


Across the Universe by Beth Revis (SIGNED!)
Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl (SIGNED!)
Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (SIGNED!)
Darkest Mercy by Melissa Marr (SIGNED!)
Enthralled edited by Kelley Armstrong and Melissa Marr (SIGNED!)
Fateful by Claudia Gray
Sweethearts by Sara Zarr (SIGNED!)

So what did you guys get this week?