Book Review: We All Looked Up by Tommy Wallach

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We All Looked Up
Author: Tommy Wallach
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genres: Science Fiction | Realistic Fiction
Date Release: March 24th 2015
Review Source: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
 

Four high school seniors put their hopes, hearts, and humanity on the line as an asteroid hurtles toward Earth in this contemporary novel.

They always say that high school is the best time of your life.

Peter, the star basketball player at his school, is worried “they” might actually be right. Meanwhile Eliza can’t wait to escape Seattle—and her reputation—and perfect-on-paper Anita wonders if admission to Princeton is worth the price of abandoning her real dreams. Andy, for his part, doesn’t understand all the fuss about college and career—the future can wait.

Or can it? Because it turns out the future is hurtling through space with the potential to wipe out life on Earth. As these four seniors—along with the rest of the planet—wait to see what damage an asteroid will cause, they must abandon all thoughts of the future and decide how they’re going to spend what remains of the present.

The best books, they don’t talk about the things you never thought about before. They talk about things you’d always thought about, but that you didn’t think anyone else had thought about. You read them, and suddenly you’re a little bit less alone in the world

This story inspired me.

Weirdly enough, I’m not sure what it inspired me to do, but after I finished reading We All Looked Up, I closed the book and I just felt inspired. That, and a little blown away. The novel, the ending, everything just wasn’t as I expected and I’ll admit I loved every second.

I was expecting to read about a group of friends journey as the find out their days are more than likely numbered, but it wasn’t that at all. A group of people—people who’ve probably never had a full conversation with each other previously—are very loosely connected, yet somehow they all begin a journey together. Unlikely friendships form, and they take each other down roads they wouldn’t usually travel, and they all teach each other new things about life. All coming from different backgrounds and social statuses, they all have something new to inspire each other with.

We All Looked Up was real. If an asteroid was heading towards Earth and we had a 60% that it would hit and wipe out humanity, I bet people would react exactly the same as they did here. People quitting their jobs to spend their supposedly last days with their families, laws being broken because, hey, who cares, the world’s ending soon.

Well, a lot of people have just started thinking that they don’t have anything left to lose, and it’s our job to protect you from them. I don’t want to scare you, but history tells us that whenever there’s panic, there’s death. It’s the way of the world.

It was one of those books were I wish I could unread it just so I could feel all those feelings again the first time I read it. It inspired me, made me smile and think of things in a way I wouldn’t have before, broke my heart into little pieces, and it tripped up my mind up at the end. I want this book in paperback, I want it to be one of those books I often re-read, and I know it will always be a story I enjoy.

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Let's begin this reflection with how I received the book. It arrived in my mail box with a rock. Yes a rock! That alone right there grabbed my attention. Why would a book be sent with swag that resembles a rock. Well now after reading the book, I know it suppose to be the Asteroid Audor talked about in the book. Will get to Audor in a bit.

You can see the picture I've included in this review to see what I've been describing. And if your wondering, it's made out of foam, so it's squishy. The nice touch was adding the book title to the asteroid rock swag. Now on to the cover, it's simple yet intriguing. You wouldn't think a cover that mostly all black would capture your interest, but it does. You have the people sitting on the floor looking up to the sky and that leaves you wondering, why? The marketing team did a good job with this cover and swag. Of course I have an advance reader copy, so the cover might be tweaked after this review is posted.

We All Looked Up is a debut novel for author Tommy Wallach.

As you begin reading the book, you notice right away that each chapter is focused on one specific character important to the story. The characters are connected through different avenues. Since we are reading what they are seeing, living and feeling, you feel like your getting several stories at once in one single book. I really enjoyed that. And it's not jumping around back and forth, even though it's different folks, the time line's moving forward as you change characters per chapter. So no confusion whatsoever. Really easy to follow along. And just a great read in general.

Book Giveaway: Signed Copy of #Sentinel by Jennifer L. Armentrout

If you were on Twitter/Facebook yesterday you probably saw where I mentioned that today I would post this pretty awesome giveaway. The Houston Book Rave was this past Saturday and Jennifer L. Armentrout was in attendance. So I was able to purchased a copy of Sentinel for myself and one for a lucky follower of OUaT.

I asked Jennifer to write a special dedication in the book. You can see below:

So if you enter to win this copy of Sentinel your getting a special SNAP. CRACKLE. POP Dedication! How awesome is that?

One winner will win a signed paperback copy of Sentinel signed and dedicated by Jennifer L. Armentrout. This giveaway is international. Please read the terms and conditions in the rafflecopter below. One of the entries will be mandatory and the rest are optional. Good luck!

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It's Halloween so Author Julie Kramer explains Playing Dead!

If you have ever wondered how much detail an author puts into their work, then what you are about to read from author Julie Kramer will show you just how extreme one can get into their research.

About JULIE KRAMER

Julie Kramer is a journalist turned novelist. She writes a series of thrillers set in the desperate world of TV news. Julie has won the Daphne du Maurier Award for Mainstream Mystery/Suspense, RT Reviewer’s Choice for Best First Mystery as well as the Minnesota Book Award. Her book has also been nominated for the Anthony, Barry, Shamus, Mary Higgins Clark and RT Best Amateur Sleuth Awards. She formerly ran WCCO-TV’s investigative unit before becoming a freelance network news producer for NBC and CBS. She lives with her family in White Bear Lake, Minnesota.

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Playing Dead by Julie Kramer

I could have simply imagined a lid closing over my face as I lay still in cramped quarters. Or I could have searched the dimensions of a casket online. But I like to live my research, so I visited my friendly neighborhood funeral home: Mueller Lake Mortuary.

I waited until a day when the parking lot was empty so as not to interrupt a funeral. I didn’t want to cause a scene; I wanted to write one.

My upcoming thriller, Delivering Death, needed one more chase scene. And I would go to hell and back to get it right.

A woman greeted me in the lobby, asking how she could help. We appeared to be the only living souls in the building. “I’d like to look at caskets,” I said.

Apparently, it was a common request. She introduced herself as Taelor Johnson and led me back to the show room where caskets were displayed along the walls like the latest models of cars at nearby auto dealerships. She was gentle in her approach. “Tell me a little about what you’re looking for.”

“It’s not for me,” I answered. “Or anyone in particular. I’m a writer. I’m here for research.”

Taelor looked at me skeptically, so I fumbled for a bookmark with my author photo, as if that proved anything. I also name-dropped Lady Madeline, a tortured twin wrongly entombed in Edgar Allan Poe’s macabre “Fall of the House of Usher” – a favorite story of many funeral home employees. The approach worked and Taelor agreed to answer my questions. Within minutes, I learned that caskets were not airtight, so one of my characters could certainly hide inside without suffocating, but that claustrophobia would be the bigger challenge.

Then came the real reason for my visit: “Would you mind if I tried one out?”

Now she looked at me suspiciously, as if I harbored some dark fetish about being buried alive or this whole thing might be part of some creepy bucket list stunt. “I don’t think that would be such a good idea.” Taelor was worred the casket might tip and crash as I climbed inside. Their insurance probably wouldn’t cover that type of accident. At least that’s the excuse she gave.

“How about if we used a chair?” Trying to be helpful, I pulled one out of a corner. Prior to becoming an author, I was a journalist and asking pushy questions came naturally.

“Oh, all right.” She lifted the cover and helped me lower myself inside. “Stay calm now.”

“This requires a certain amount of trust on my part,” I said.

Taelor didn’t respond, so I felt some trepidation that she might not let me out. Life is full of risks, I told myself. My eyes automatically shut as she closed the lid; when I opened them, the interior wasn’t totally black. I could see a dim line of light around the middle. That kept me from panicking, but I was still anxious to finish my research and return to my desk job.

“Breathe slowly,” she advised.

And so I did. The satin padding actually made for a comfortable resting place. I pushed up, my hands against the lid, surprised it was so heavy. And this was without six feet of dirt.

“Would you mind walking around?” I asked. “I’m curious whether I can hear footsteps.” She did and I could. “How about talking? I want to see how much I can hear from inside.”

Taelor’s voice was clear, not at all muffled. “Are you done in there?” She sounded like she was looking at her watch, probably worried a paying customer might walk in on our experiment.

“Just a little bit longer.” I kicked off a shoe and reached for my foot to gauge the amount of wiggle room available.

The light startled me when she opened the lid. “Time to go now.”

I took a deep and welcome breath of fresh air and handed her my cell phone. “Would you mind taking a picture of me in here?”

“That’s not going to happen,” she said. “Enough is enough.”

So no new author photo for me. But I climbed out, energized to finish writing my scene, even if it meant staying up late, working the graveyard shift.

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From the author of Stalking Susan comes the latest installment in the “compulsively readable” (WCCO-TV) bestselling Riley Spartz thriller series, featuring a smart, sassy, and always entertaining TV reporter as she matches wits with a media-savvy killer.

The most appealing mystery heroine since Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum, TV reporter Riley Spartz is a star investigative journalist for Channel 3—and no stranger to the seedier side of her hometown. But when she receives a package of smelly human teeth in the mail at work, she’s quickly embroiled in a homicide investigation that spirals into one of the odder cases the Minneapolis police force has ever seen. Though the cops try to keep certain grisly details quiet, this murder has a strange twist—it seems that the killer wants the crime publicized.

Is it a revenge killing, or something more? Riley’s investigation takes her inside a lucrative identity theft ring that links low-life crooks like now-dead Leon Akume to white-collar opportunists like once-wealthy Jack Clemens. Despite a prime motive for murder, Jack also has the ultimate alibi: he's behind bars. While Riley pushes to keep the homicide in the news, her boss is convinced that coverage of the Mall of America’s unique version of a royal wedding is key to the station winning ratings. As the stakes continue to rise for her job and her life, Riley must outwit the killer in a trap that could leave yet another person dead...

An irresistible suspense novel that will keep readers turning pages until the stunning conclusion, Delivering Death brings the humor, intrigue, and twists and turns Julie Kramer’s fans have been waiting for.

Extra! Extra!: RCE's coverage of the #TMIMallTour in Miami!

Hey everyone! With the fast approaching release of The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones coming August 21st. The promotions have started and are in full effect. OUaT's sister site Literary Beginnings & Red Caret Endings sent 2 of staff members out to cover the mall tour stop in Miami, Fl at Dolphin Mall. Leydy and Andy were able to capture tons of pictures and even streamed live the Q & A. In case you missed any of it, you can check out a couple pictures below and then click on the link that will guide you RCE's page to view all the videos and pictures. Plus we will have a mega giveaway you will not want to miss. 

Coverage of The #TMIMallTour Stop in Miami via RedCarpetEndings.com

BEA 2013 Recap!

The 2013 Book Expo America has come and gone again. This was my 3rd year attending the expo and my first time attending without a structure plan or schedule. I truly enjoyed that and feel that it made my experience this year easier and happier. The first official day of BEA is when I downloaded the BEA app on my iPhone and would randomly check it to see what was happening that day. Like I said, no schedule whatsoever. So when the doors opened everyday, I would head over to the booths and see what books were being dropped and if I didn't have it at home, I would grab a copy. This year I concentrated more on meeting authors, I had yet to meet in person before and only knew via twitter or email.  So as soon as the morning drops died down, I would head toward the signing lines and see what line I could get in that wasn't a mile long. Then I would check the BEA app for In-booth signings too. This approach again I cant stress enough ho much I loved. I hardly became stressed out at BEA this year. 

So lets begin with my first day in New York. I arrived Tues afternoon in NYC and my buddy Damaris from Good Choice Reading picked me up at the airport. We went into the city to have a snack and a drink before we headed to the Simon Teen BEA blogger preview event that night. Once again Simon Teen did an amazing job. I had a ton of fun talking to the authors and Simon people. The foods and drinks were great. 

Simon Teen blogger party - slideshow

Then on Weds we headed back into the city to attend the Harper Collins party later that night. I took advantage of being around the Javitt and I went to pick up my badge and came across this:

This Allegiant banner was located by one of the main entrances onto the exhibit floors. This banner was HUGE. I was so excited to see it. 

Later that day it was time to finally head to the Harper Collins party that was combining for the first time the YA side and the adult side. This party was crazy, so many people to talk books with. The food and drinks once again were great. Got to meet new authors, publicist and editors. Got to see old faces. I also met the Team Time ladies in person, that was exciting. 

HarperCollins Party - slideshow

On to Thursday, the official first day of BEA. The day started off with attending Harlequin teen breakfast which consisted of a speed-dating type setting. Got to chat with Harlequin teen authors such as Julie Kagawa, Katie McGarry and Elizabeth Scott. Then just at 9am, doors opened. The usual happened we head to the booth and go see what books are being dropped. Then I headed to a few signing lines such as Gretchen McNeils, Veronica Rossi, Veronica Roth and many more. 

Then after BEA concluded that day, it was time to start getting ready for the The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones party that night. I was so excited for this party. Thursday was one of the busiest nights during BEA with several parties happening that night, but I knew once I got the TMI Invite, that's where I had to be. So a long cab ride later, I arrived at that Angel Orensanz Foundation for Contemporary Art building. Those attending got to mingle, enjoy cocktails, food an music. Plus get your own Rune airbrushed on you. I got the Fearless one of course. Here are the pictures I took that night.

Then Friday was upon us. Once again I head to as many signing lines as I could to meet or see again authors I have interacted with. Then at lunch time, I head to a Fire & Ice Luncheon from Penguin Teen that had Richelle Mead and Melissa de la Cruz in attendance. I was able to take some video that you can watch HERE and HERE. They talk a little about the movie and lifetime show. It was exciting. 

So that pretty much concluded BEA this year. It felt really good to not have a schedule and just browse the BEA app when needed. Another great thing was being able to go into the press area to charge cell, use computer and grab a refreshment while waiting. Next year BEA will be back again in NYC before it movies to Chicago the following year after that. I don't know what my plans are as of yet for BEA14. I do truly recommend that if you have yet to go to BEA and you are involved in the bookish world somehow or even if your a just a book reader, that you must attend at least once. 

To all old blogger friends, I was so happy to see and hang out with everyone here and there. To new blogger friends that I finally met in person, here is to many more years of friendship. To BEA thank you for a great conference again this year. To the publishers, you guys always make me feel welcomed and to the authors, THANK YOU, because if you didn't write books, none of this would be possible. 

Last but not least, a picture of my book haul. I limited myself big time this year. I only mailed home one box of books and the rest brought in suitcase. Most of the books pictured are from the signing lines I attended to meet the authors. 

Blog Tour: Phoenix | Elizabeth Richards | The Fleet Arrives | Giveaway

Welcome to our stop on the Phoenix blog tour for Elizabeth Richards. This tour is hosted by Good Choice Reading. 

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THE FLEET ARRIVES

I’ve always been fascinated (and somewhat terrified) by sharks, ever since I was a little girl. Not only are they beautiful and powerful, but they’re the perfect killing machine, and so when I stumbled across this picture of a shoal of sharks, backlit by the moonlight, it inspired this scene in PHOENIX, where a fleet of Destroyer Ships enter Black City…

(Source: N4 Nostradamus Experiment)

EXCERPT

“Well, this is a cause for celebration,” Dad says, going to the kitchen and returning with the bottle of Shine, which I know he stashes behind the boxes of cereal. “To new friends.”
      “To new friends,” we reply, raising our glasses.
      The liquid begins to vibrate.
      I don’t have much time to wonder about this before a low, terrifying rumble above us makes everyone freeze.
      “What is it?” Natalie asks.
      I stand up. “Only one way to find out.”
      We all rush outside to see what’s going on. The streets are already filled with citizens, their faces fearful as they stare up at the night sky. Unnatural shadows swim across the ocean of stars like a shiver of sharks, blocking out the moonlight.
      Destroyer Ships.

- from Phoenix (A Black City Novel), page 82

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Weeks after his crucifixion and rebirth as Phoenix, Ash Fisher believes his troubles are far behind him. He and Natalie are engaged and life seems good. But his happiness is short-lived when he receives a threatening visit from Purian Rose, who gives Ash an ultimatum: vote in favor of Rose’s Law permanently relegating Darklings to the wrong side of the wall or Natalie will be killed.

The decision seems obvious to Ash; he must save Natalie. But when Ash learns about The Tenth, a new and deadly concentration camp where the Darklings would be sent, the choice doesn’t seem so simple. Unable to ignore his conscience, Ash votes against Rose’s Law, signing Natalie’s death warrant and putting a troubled nation back into the throes of bloody battle.

Available on: Amazon| Barnes & Noble

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Friday Author Spotlight: Karen Ann Hopkins + Giveaway

Friday Author SPOTLIGHT! We will feature a Young Adult, New Adult or Adult Author. These post will contain interviews, author posts, book blasts, fill in the blanks, etc... This is just our way to get authors noticed and out there as much as possible. So we hope you enjoy and stay tuned Fridays to see who we have on and what they shared. To see previous posts click here.

Today we are happy to feature one of OUaT's favorite authors Karen Ann Hopkins. Karen Ann Hopkins is the author the the series Temptation which is centered around star-crossed lovers and the Amish community. The Temptation series contains Temptation (book 1) and Belonging (book 2). You can read OUaT's reviews HERE. Today Karen Ann answered some questions for us and also shared pictures of her Amish neighbors that inspired her stories. 

Author Karen Ann Hopkins

About this author: A native of New York State, Karen Ann Hopkins now lives with her family on a farm in northern Kentucky, where her neighbors in all directions are members of a strict Amish community. Her unique perspective became the inspiration for the story of star-crossed lovers Rose and Noah. When she’s not homeschooling her kids, giving riding lessons or tending to a menagerie of horses, goats, peacocks, chickens, ducks, rabbits, dogs and cats, she is dreaming up her next romantic novel.

Goodreads|Facebook|Temptation Facebook|Twitter

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OUaT: There are many elements in our lives that have a such a major impact,that for a writer, at times needs to find it's way onto paper. Did you have such a moment of inspiration when creating the lives of Noah and Rose?

Yes, there were two such happenings that created Noah and Rose's story. When I first moved into the sleepy Amish community in northern Kentucky about five years ago, I was surprised that the local Amish kids immediately began showing up at my riding stable. I watched them interact with the non-Amish kids who were taking riding lessons and participating on an equestrian drill team at my farm. Some of these kids were subtly flirting with each other and it got me thinking about what an impossible situation a romance would be. Once the seed was planted, I had to put it down on paper. At that point, the only writing experience I had was sending in articles to the local newspaper regarding the equestrian events at my farm and the 4H horse club I coached. I was also going through a divorce and having five children and a farm to take care of on my own, I desperately needed an escape for my mind...and Temptation became the therapy I needed to survive those difficult days.

OUaT: When writing young adult literature that is truly realistic fiction that comes to life, it is evident that much research has taken place regarding the Amish faith and way of life. What does your research process look like and how do you infuse your findings in such an awesome storyline?

Every bit of research I did I gained through experiential knowledge from my own conversations, interactions and observations within my Amish community. Since the rules and traditions change between Amish communities, I focused on the way things were done in the neighborhood around me and avoided any kind of Internet or book research. Over the years I've been to five Amish weddings, numerous church dinners, signings, benefit events, picnics and even went on vacation with an Amish family to the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. I've had Amish girls assist me in the riding lesson program and they babysit my younger children. The local teenage boys like to come to my place in the evenings to hang out with my teen boys and watch old western movies on Netflix or play a video game (forbidden of course). Several of the women in the community have become good friends of mine. My books reflect the realism of the Amish people I live among.

OUaT: Are there any scenes that you had second thoughts about including into your novels? For example, I know that you have an extreme love for horses. Did you find some scenes hard to write in Temptation?

The buggy wreck scene was incredibly difficult to write. In my own community there have been several serious accidents between buggies and cars on the local roadways. In all incidents, the people sustained fractured bones, but two of the horses had to be euthanized. In one incident the man refused to be air lifted to a Cincinnati hospital until he shot his horse himself. Going in a different type of uncomfortable direction, in Belonging, there were sexual themes that I strongly questioned myself on before I decided to include them. Again, an experience I had with a young Amish woman ultimately made the decision for me to include the subject matter.

OUaT: During your author visits to various schools, what advice do you offer to aspiring young writers?

I have visited all the local high schools in the area and I love discussing the Temptation series with the teens. Interestingly, there are always nearly as many boys attending as girls and since there are so many topics to go over from the cultural clash side of the story to feminism and and day to day issues that teens deal with, we never run out of subject material. I would advise aspiring young writers to work with mentors and be prepared to listen and learn from their suggestions. When writing, it's easy to become so tied up in your story that you can't see the problems with it. Being open to criticism is the first step to getting published.

OUaT: Finally, although, I'm already ready for book 3 (the arrival will be bittersweet), do you have some other ideas in the works that you can give us a glimpse of?

Forever will be available in early 2014 and although it sounds like a long way off, I'm sure the time will fly by. I hope to write at least one more Meadowview novel featuring secondary characters from the Temptation series. If you pay attention in Forever, you'll have a very good idea who I'm talking about. Also, I've written an adult Amish mystery and a YA fantasy that are in the works.

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The lovely Karen Ann Hopkins will be supplying a winner signed copies of her series that included Temptation and Belonging. This giveaway is open internationally. Enter below. 

Book Event: Opal Book Release Party Recap + Giveaway

Hi everyone! So this Saturday that just past was the celebration for the Opal Book Release with Jennifer L. Armentrout and Pepe Toth a.k.a. "Daemon Black". The event was held at Barnes & Noble in Humble, TX. Along with Jennifer and Pepe, a few staff members from Entangled Publishing also came to the event: Liz Pelletier, Stacey Morgan and Stacey O’Neale. The event was a great turn out. There were over 100 fans in attendance and a handful of authors also came out to support and meet Jennifer. 

Before the event began Jennifer was treated to a surprise which was The City of Humble, TX gave a proclamation that December 15th would be Jennifer L. Armentrout day in Humble, TX. Jennifer was excited to receive this honor. Then around 7pm the event began. Jennifer and Pepe answered question for over an hour than afterwards signed books followed by pictures. During the signing, Entangled Publishing held a raffle. Quite a few fans won some great items. Even I won a really nice bookmark. 

Trini from A Book Lovers-Review and I were so pleased with how everything turned out. Over 250 books were sold plus Entangled Publishing handed over 100 books to the first 100 and book bloggers. After the event we ahead to dinner for a after party mingle. That was a nice turn out as well. Trini and I handed the gifts we got for Jennifer and Pepe there.

So below you will see slideshow of the pictures from the event (100 pictures in slideshow) and a collage with a few favorites. I will also have all the pictures loaded in the blog's Facebook page. 

Trini and I would love to just say THANK YOU to everyone: Jennifer, Pepe, Liz, Stacey, Stacey and all the fans and authors that came out to the event. We know some of you came from far away and we are truly grateful for that. Until the next one!!!

Thanks to Entangled Publishing I have a few copies of Opal I can awarded from the party. These copies are NOT signed. 

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Book Review: Delirium & Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver + Dark Days stop in Miami

Delirium

Delirium #1

Author: Lauren Oliver

Reading Level: YA

Genre: Dystopian

Released: August 2nd 2011(Special Edition)

Review Source: Purchased

Available: Amazon

OUaT Reviews: Yara's / Deitre's / Jenny's

Summary: (from goodreads) Ninety-five days, and then I’ll be safe.

I wonder whether the procedure will hurt.

I want to get it over with.

It’s hard to be patient.

It’s hard not to be afraid while I’m still uncured, though so far the deliria hasn’t touched me yet.

Still, I worry.

They say that in the old days, love drove people to madness.

The deadliest of all deadly things: It kills you both when you have it and when you don’t.

Pandemonium
Delirium #2
Author: Lauren Oliver
Pages: 375 Hardcover
Reading Level: YA
Release Date: March 6th 2012
Review Source: Loaned
Available: Amazon
OUaT Reviews: Yara's 

Summary: (from goodreads) I’m pushing aside the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school,
push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.

Lauren Oliver delivers an electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller, delirium. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite.

DELIRIUM REVIEW: First I am going to say that the only thing I regret about this book is “taking so long to read it!!” It’s been out for a while now and I had heard only great things about it, but never really had gotten around to reading it. Then THE DARK DAYS Tour came to Books and Books in Coral Gables, Florida, which is about an hour drive from my house and I had heard that Lauren was going to be there. Well, my fellow reviewer Jenny and I drove there and had the pleasure of meeting Lauren. She is absolutely wonderful; funny, sweet and very down to earth. Jenny and I waited until everyone got their books signed so we could take our time chatting with Ms. Oliver. Here are some pictures Jenny and I took while at the signing.

Now on to the review, but first I want to talk about the cover. What can I say about the cover? It’s absolutely BEAUTIFUL!!! Lena is on the cover and she is so gorgeous. Delirium is one of those books that grab you from the very first sentence and takes you to another world - the world of Lauren Oliver, and what a wonderful and chaotic world that is. She is absolutely brilliant. This isn’t your normal love story. Actually, this is a book where love is viewed as something bad, repulsive and contagious – a disease.

Only a few months away until Lena is finally cured from Deliria Nervosa, in other words, love. She will be like every other person in this world without feelings. The zombies as they are sometimes referenced as. After the war and the rise of the Capital, the government started to convince everyone that the reason for the war and all the destruction was due to love. Then a scientist came up with a cure, a dangerous procedure where many have died and gone insane from, including Lena’s mother. Then one day Lena meets Alex and her whole world is turned upside down. Not in a bad way though. He makes her see things the way they really are. I am going to admit that I feel in love with Alex. Lena and Alex’s love was a true and genuine. It wasn’t a love at first sight kind of love. Lauren took her time to develop that love and to be honest; I think it was the best idea. I don’t think that love at first sight would have worked in this story. I don’t want to give too much away because I really want you all to read it. The ending was a heart breaker and I was sitting on my couch next to my husband reading the last few chapters when I just started crying. My husband was looking at me like I was going crazy.

If you haven’t read Delirium yet then I suggest you get up, go to your computer, kindle, Nook, or your local book store or library and pick it up. It has been a while since I read a book that I loved from beginning to end. Lauren’s writing style is amazing and she is definitely one of my favorite top 5 authors. Although I wanted to hate her for the way she ended it, I also wanted to hug her for writing such an amazing book.

PANDEMONIUM REVIEW: Lauren Oliver has done it again! Great sequel to an amazing series. The cover, like before is incredibly gorgeous and capturing. I think it goes perfect with the story. Lena is my girl and I absolutely love her. She is such a strong character. I don’t want to talk about the HUGE cliffhanger at the end of Delirium, but I will have to spill some info in order to do my review.

Pandemonium picks up right where Delirium left off. Lena has escaped is in the Wilds. Alone, scared and almost dead, she is rescued by the people who she was taught to despise – the Invalids. There she is introduced to a whole different world that she never thought or believed to exist. Realizing more and more how she was lied to her whole life about how the real world really is, she joins The Resistance. A group of invalids who plan on bringing down The Capital and all together, "the cure." Her mission is to follow the son of the DFA (Deliria-Free America) leader, Julian Fineman and the poster child of the DFA's Youth Division. When chaos breaks during a DFA convention, Julian and Lena end up together in an unusual place. Destiny has brought them together and slowly, of course they both start to feel for each other. The only problem is that Lena is still in love with the boy who saved her life and who she will never see again. He may not be there physically, but he is and will always be in her heart.

Pandemonium has a lot more action it in than Delirium and a little less romance, but the story was still incredibly awesome! Every time I turned a page I was in awe. Lauren has definitely give us a pager turner. And the ending….well O.M.G.!!! I cannot believe she did this to me again! How can she do this? Now, we have to wait a whole year to get the 3rd and final book. If you have read Delirium and haven't yet read Pandemonium, then you honestly have been missing out on an incredible story. And if you haven't read Delirium yet, well now is the time because you can read both books back to back. But I am warning you, once you start reading it, you will be totally hooked!

Book Review: Delirium by Lauren Oliver + Dark Days stop in Miami

Delirium
Delirium #1
Author: Lauren Oliver
Reading Level: YA
Genre: Dystopian
Released: August 2nd 2011(Special Edition)
Review Source: Purchased
Available: Amazon
OUaT Reviews: Yara's / Deitre's

Summary: (from goodreads) Ninety-five days, and then I’ll be safe.

I wonder whether the procedure will hurt.

I want to get it over with.

It’s hard to be patient.

It’s hard not to be afraid while I’m still uncured, though so far the deliria hasn’t touched me yet.

Still, I worry.

They say that in the old days, love drove people to madness.

The deadliest of all deadly things: It kills you both when you have it and when you don’t.

(6789465365468464 TREES!!! LOL)

Delirium by Lauren Oliver is by far the most over the top, buckle your seat belts and hold on roller coaster ride of your life. The intensity of this book leaves you breathless at the end. Again another book with the main character’s face on the page giving you the visualization of the person who’s world you are beginning to understand.

In a world where love is being stripped from your brain at the age of eighteen because it is said that it’s a disease. A world where the government not only monitors but controls every aspect of your life, your career, your financial stability and arranges the people who you are supposed to spend the rest of your life with simply by an evaluation scheduled right after your graduation. This is the world that Lena lives in. We begin with Lena who’s life we follow as she nears the time of her procedure. She’s a senior in high school and is about to graduate. She’s getting closer to the day of her evaluation and the suspense is killing her. She’s ready to have all of this behind her. But that’s until she meets Alex. Her entire world seems like it’s going to collapse one Lena finally opens her eyes and can see clearer. Her entire world begins to fall apart when she begins to doubt everything that has been instilled in her head since the day her mother died. And to make matter’s more confusing she meets Alex. Gets to know him, starts to like him and ends up falling in love with him.

The characters in this story make the story come alive. I instantly fell in love with Lena as I felt the emotions she felt. I felt as if I was living in her world and experiencing the same things she was. Lauren Oliver did a fascinating job with the descriptions of the people who have been cured and the ones who haven’t. The difference between the government and the people. She specified how and who controlled this world and the consequences should you deny your or in this case resist the procedure or their way of living. The most incriminating part was the Crypts. I couldn’t believe how descriptive it was and how I was able to imagine every single detail from there as if I was inside this story. Lauren Oliver is definitely in my favorite author’s list. The way she captivates you from the very first page and throws blow upon blow in every chapter leaves you like an addict wanting more. If you haven’t read Delirium, you HAVE to go a grab it. You will not regret it and if you have already, pick up the next book in the series called Pandemonium and stay tuned for my review of Pandemonium. If you have read Pandemonium already, pick up Hana’s which is a short novella ebook of Hana’s story in the book Delirium. And stay tuned for information on the third installment of this remarkable book Requiem later this year.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a great story! You will not be disappointed.

I have to admit. Books and Books in Coral Gables Florida is two and a half hours away from where I live in Port Saint Lucie Florida and I will go to any event they schedule because you have the best experience there. They have the nicest library you can imagine, everything is stocked nicely, they have a little section for children of all ages with little desks and spaces for them to do activities. The location is always so nice, clean and organized. Everyone there is just so nice and helpful. I just love the feeling of this place. have been to two author signings that they have sponsored. Both author signings has left me with an experience to remember for a lifetime.

On March 9, 2012 Pitch Dark Days with authors including Claudia Grey author of Balthazar, Lauren Oliver author of Pandemonium and Dan Wells author of Partials were the guest of honor at Books and Books. The atmosphere of the place once these authors took the stage was amazingly comical. These authors were all hilarious and really made everyone feel comfortable and happy as they each described the process of making the books, where the ideas came from and how they managed to put their ideas into pages. All the while laughing and cracking jokes.

Everyone in the audience had a chance to ask a question and to break the ice Debra (a Books and Books staff member) distributed chocolate candies to whom ever asked a question. The author’s all answered the questions directed to them and also managed to give some very good advice to all the aspiring writers in the audience. Dan Wells specifically suggested to join his pod cast which he shares with other authors as they give information and advise to all aspiring authors. For more information on Writing Excuses click HERE

At the end of the Q&A, a table was decorated with a black table cover and with each of the author’s books on top. Everyone formed a line in front of the table from which author they wanted signatures from. Everything was done in an organized and orderly fashion. Once in line Debra (Books and Books staff member) came by you and asked for you name, she then wrote your name on a sticky note and placed it on your book. This is so that when your turn arrives to get a signature the author can write your name on the book correctly. I just thought that was a great idea on behalf of Books and Books because who wants their favorite author’s signature on their book with their name spelled wrong? I sure don’t so good job to Books and Books. When you arrived to the author and gave them your book they each took about a 5 minute time period between each person to sign their books and have a short conversation with them. Everyone was able to tell their favorite author’s how much they loved their books, take pictures with them and get to know them a little better. I thought that was great!!! Although there was a lot of people there, three authors and not enough space, everyone seemed to understand and allow those 5 minute intervals for each person to gain their own personal experience with the author they loved. They signed everything from electronic readers, to book plates to books and all the time with a smile on their face and having a conversation with you.

There was food and drinks in the back for whom ever wanted, free of charge. All the books ever written by any of these authors were offered in the register area, so that you have it at the palm of your hands, paid of them and ran back to the line to get it signed. Very convenient strategy. No one was rushed, pushed or yelled at. Everyone was able to get their 5 minutes with their favorite authors and EVERYONE left extremely happy and satisfied from Books and Books. I personally will always go to Books and Books for author signings, It’s an experience to remember.
During the event I was able to tweet and take pictures for you all. If you want to see what I tweeted you can find it under the hashtag #pitchdarkdays or @twilightsdance. If you would like to find out if Books and Books has any signed books or swag left from the event, just visit their page HERE. We hope you liked this recap. It was such a great way to spend a Friday, got to see a few fellow blogger’s too.

Here are all my pictures from the event!