Review (4): Twelfth Grade Kills

Twelfth Grade Kills

by Heather Brewer

Release Date: September 21, 2010

Publisher: Dutton Children's Books

Pages: 325

Source: Library

Website: www.VladTod.com

It all comes down to this.

Vlad's running out of time. The Elysian Council has given him only weeks to live, and that's if the Slayer Society doesn't kill him--along with all the citizens of Bathory--first. Then there's the issue of Vlad's father, who may or may no still be alive after all these years. Oh yeah, and that tiny detail in the Pravus prophecy about Vlad enslaving Vampirekind and the human race. So much for college applications. 

This is the epic finale to Heather Brewer's heart-stopping Chronicles of Vladimir Tod.

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Why I Read This: My cousin told me about this series and I thought I'd give it a try. 

Characters: Vladimir Tod, the main character, is half vampire and half human and he struggles a lot with the fact that he does not fit perfectly into both worlds. His parents die in a house fire when he is very young and he blames himself for that. He is a very nice, smart and caring boy. My only complaint about him was the fact that, to me, he didn't seem like he was 18 in this book. I had a really hard time picturing him and his friends as seniors in high school and had to keep reminding myself that he was 18, not 13. My favorite character would probably have to be Henry, Vlad's bestfriend/drudge. He is very funny and entertaining and he is extremely loyal to Vlad which are great characteristics to have. Despite only being human, he does manage to kill a few vampires along the way. Overall, the characters were interesting and fun to read about. Each had its own distinct personality and together they made the book better. 

Relatability: Despite this being a vampire book, that is not all that it is about. It is about family, love and what a person will do in order to protect the people they care most about. Most people will do just about anything to save the people they love and that is the most relatable aspect of this book. 

Cover: I really like the covers for these books. The cover changes as the characters in the book change. The first book takes place during Vlad's eighth grade year and the boy on the cover represents that. This book takes place during his senior year of high school and that is represented by the older version of Vlad on this cover. Also, the smiley face with the fangs is pretty cool. I like how for each book the smiley face is a different color. 

Overall Impression: Not my favorite, but it concluded the series nicely. There were no unanswered questions and there was even a mini cliffhanger at the end!

Rating:  * * *

Waiting on Wednesday (4)

Waiting On Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine. This meme spotlights upcoming releases that we can not wait to read!
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Title: Slice of Cherry (Portero #2)
Author: Dia Reeves
Release Date: January 4, 2011
Publisher: Simon Pulse


Kit and Fancy Cordelle are sisters of the best kind: best friends, best confidantes, and best accomplices. Daughters of the infamous Bonesaw Killer, Kit and Fancy are used to feeling like outsiders, and that's just the way they like it. But in Portero, where the weird and wild run rampant, the Cordelle sisters are hardly the oddest of more dangerous creatures around.


It's no surprise when Kit and Fancy start to give in to their deepest desire -- the desire to kill. What starts as a fascination with slicing open and stitching up quickly spirals into a gratifying murder spree. Of course, the sisters aren't killing just anyone, only the people who truly deserve it. But the girls have learned from the mistakes of their father, and know that a shred of evidence could get them caught. So when Fancy stumbles upon a mysterious and invisible doorway to another world, she opens a door to endless possibilities...

Teaser Tuesday (4)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can join in, all you have to do is the following:

- Grab your current read

- Open to a random page

- Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page

- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)

- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!
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The Iron King (Iron Fey #1) by Julie Kagawa

"Well, if you're done playing with will-o'-the-wisps and kelpies, I think we should continue. Oh, but do tell me the next time you want to have tea with an ogre. I'll be sure to bring my club." - Puck, 86

Follow Friday (3)

Follow Friday is a meme hosted by Parajunkiee's View. Basically, it is a meme to help you get blog followers. Check out her blog and the Featured Blogger of the week!

This weeks question:

What are your plans for this fabulous day?

Christmas Eve will be spent with my mom and brother eating, opening presents and just being together. On Christmas Day we will be going to my cousins house and having a late lunch/early dinner with the rest of my family. I am very excited!

Waiting on Wednesday (3)

Waiting On Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine. This meme spotlights upcoming releases that we can not wait to read!
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Title: The Iron Queen (Iron Fey #3)
Author: Julie Kagawa
Release Date: January 25, 2011
Publisher: Harlequin TEEN


My name is Meaghan Chase. 


I thought it was over. That my time with the fey, the impossible choices I had to make, the sacrifices of those I loved, was behind me. But a storm is approaching, an army of Iron fey that will drag me back, kicking and screaming. Drag me away from the banished prince who's sworn to stay by my side. Drag me into the core of a conflict so powerful, I'm not sure anyone can survive it. 


This time, there will be no turning back. 

Teaser Tuesday (3)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can join in, all you have to do is the following:

- Grab your current read

- Open to a random page

- Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page

- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)

- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!
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Beautiful Stranger (A-List #9) by Zoey Dean

"Please, I've had two boyfriends and made out with an extremely handsome older gentleman at a loft party in SoHo since then. I'm kidding. Sort of." - Cyn, 83

New Releases: Dec 19 - Dec 25

December 21:

The Book of Spells (A Private Prequel) - Kate Brian

A Private prequel that tells the true origins of the Billings House!

(From Goodreads)

Tempestuous (Wondrous Strange #3) - Lesley Livingston

"I don't love Sonny Flannery."

That's the lie Kelley Winslow told to protect the boy she loves from a power he doesn't know he possesses. Devastated, Sonny retreats—to haven for Lost Fae that's hidden deep underneath New York City. 

But Kelley's not about to let things end in heartbreak. To get Sonny back, she's got to find out who's after his magick—and how to use her own. She's go to uncover who's recruiting Janus Guards to murderously hunt innocent Faerie. She's got to help rebuild the shattered theater company she called family. And she's got to do it all without getting dangerously distracted by the Fennrys Wolf, whose legendary heart of stone seems to melt whenever he's around Kelley.

(From BarnesandNoble.com)

Out for Blood (The Drake Chronicles #3) - Alyxandra Harvey

Hunter Wild is the youngest in a long line of elite vampire hunters, a legacy that is both a blessing and a curse at the secret Helios-Ra Academy, where she excels at just about everything. Thanks to her friendship with Kieran Black, Hunter receives a special invitation to attend the coronation of Helena Drake, and for the first time, she sees the difference between vampires that must be hunted and vampires that can become friends--

or even more. When students at the academy fall victim to a mysterious illness, Hunter suspects they are under attack from within. She will need someone she can trust to help her save the future of Helios-Ra . . . help that shockingly comes in the form of Quinn Drake, a drop-dead gorgeous vampire. Who said senior year would be easy?

(From Goodreads)

All You Get Is Me - Yvonne Prinz

A summer of love, loss, and justice. 

Things were complicated enough for Roar, even before her father decided to yank her out of the city and go organic. Suddenly, she's a farm girl, albeit a reluctant one, selling figs at the farmers' market and developing her photographs in a ramshackle shed. Caught between troublemaking sidekick named Storm, a brooding, easy-on-the-eyes L.A. boy, and a father on a human rights crusade that challenges the fabric of the farm community, Roar is going to have to tackle it all--

even with dirt under he fingernails and her hair pulled back with a rubber band meant for asparagus. 

(From Goodreads)

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If you see any incorrect dates or know of any other YA books being released this week, let me know and I will fix/include them in the post. 

Book Blogger Hop (3) & Follow Friday (2)

Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Jennifer at Crazy-for-Books every Friday-Monday. It's a great opportunity to network and visit other blogs and meet new bloggers.

This weeks question is:
"What do you consider the most important in a story: the plot of the characters?"

I consider them both very important. I will usually only read a book if the synopsis interests me, but once I'm already reading, if the characters are unrealistic, boring and just plain annoying, that ruins the book for me.

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Follow Friday is a meme hosted by Parajunkiee's View. Basically, it is a meme to help you get blog followers. Check out her blog and the Featured Blogger of the week!

This weeks question:
What did you study in college, or are currently studying and did it lead to your current 9 to 5 or are you doing something totally different?

I am still in high school so am unable to answer this question.

Review (3): Zombies vs. Unicorns

Zombies vs. Unicorns

Edited by Holly Black & Justine Larbalestier

Release Date: September 21, 2010

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Pages: 418

Source: Library

Author Website: http://www.blackholly.com/ 

& http://justinelarbalestier.com/

It's a question as old as time itself: which is better, the zombie or the unicorn? In this anthology, edited by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier (unicorn and zombie, respectively), strong arguments are made for both sides in the form of short stories. Half of the stories portray the strengths—for good and evil—of unicorns and half show the good (and really, really bad-ass) side of zombies. Contributors include many bestselling teen authors, including Cassandra Clare, Libba Bray, Maureen Johnson, Meg Cabot, Scott Westerfeld, and Margo Lanagan. This anthology will have everyone asking: Team Zombie or Team Unicorn?

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Why I Read This: It's a book about zombies & unicorns, who woudn't want to read it?

Stories: I really enjoyed reading all of the stories - some more than others - but overall they were pretty good and convincing. Even though they were all either about zombies or unicorns, they all showed the  different aspects of the two topics. Each unicorn story represented the unicorn in a different way; some unicorns were killers, others healers, some "rainbow-farting unicorns". The same thing goes for the zombies; some were man-eating monsters, others just people trapped in their own heads with no way out. Overall, they were all interesting and unique, but my favorites would definitely have to be Purity Test by Naomi Novik (Team Unicorn), The Children of the Revolution by Maureen Johnson (Team Zombie), The Care and Feeding of Your Baby Killer Unicorn by Diana Peterfreund (Team Unicorn), Cold Hands by Cassandra Clare (Team Zombie) and Prom Night by Libba Bray (Team Zombie).  There were also some (Inoculata, Cold Hands, Prom Night) that would be awesome if they were expanded into series or just into longer stories. These ones kept me wanting more and wondering what would happen next. 

Dialogue: The commentary before each story was hilarious and very useful. The information that was given really helped me understand the stories better or they were just fun, interesting facts about both of the topics. 

Cover: I love how the picture of the zombie and the unicorn are all you need to figure out what the title is and what the book is about. It basically says it all without really doing anything. 

Overall Impression: Team Zombie!

Rating: * * * 1/2

Waiting On Wednesday (2)

Waiting On Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine. This meme spotlights upcoming releases that we can not wait to read!
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Title: Tempestuous (Wondrous Strange #3)
Author: Lesley Livingston
Release Date: December 21, 2010
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers


"I don't love Sonny Flannery."
That's the lie Kelley Winslow told to protect the boy she loves from a power he doesn't know he possesses. Devastated, Sonny retreats—to haven for Lost Fae that's hidden deep underneath New York City. 
But Kelley's not about to let things end in heartbreak. To get Sonny back, she's got to find out who's after his magick—and how to use her own. She's go to uncover who's recruiting Janus Guards to murderously hunt innocent Faerie. She's got to help rebuild the shattered theater company she called family. And she's got to do it all without getting dangerously distracted by the Fennrys Wolf, whose legendary heart of stone seems to melt whenever he's around Kelley.
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I haven't read the first or the second book in this series, but I probably will now after finding out about this one. I love the cover too!

Teaser Tuesday (2)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can join in, all you have to do is the following:

- Grab your current read

- Open to a random page

- Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page

- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)

- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!
___________________________________________________

Zombies vs. Unicorns edited by Holly Black & Justine Larbalestier


"The correct name is actually the Land of Faerie. Only infants and idiots call it -- okay, you know what, just shut up and give me some more chocolate milk." - Belcazar, 67

Book Blogger Hop (2)

The Book Blogger Hop is hosted by Jennifer at Crazy-for-Books every Friday-Monday. It's a great opportunity to network and visit other blogs and meet new bloggers.

____________________________________________________________________

This weeks question:

"What is the thing you like most about reading book blogs? Is it the reviews, author guest posts, articles, giveaways or something else entirely?"

I read book blogs mostly for the reviews and information about new books that are coming out. Obviously, the giveaways are also another reason, but I don't go around signing up for the giveaways if I'm not a regular blog follower for that particular blog. I do enjoy the author guest posts as well, but usually I only read them if I know the author or the book they are talking about.

In My Mailbox (2)

In My Mailbox is a meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren and inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie. It is posted every Sunday and allows book bloggers to share any books they might have bought, received for review, traded or borrowed from the library that week.
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Bought:

1. Last Sacrifice (Vampire Academy #6) by Richelle Mead

2. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter #5) by J.K. Rowling

3. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Harry Potter #6) by J.K. Rowling

4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter #7) by J.K. Rowling

From Library: 

1. California Dreaming (A-List #10) by Zoey Dean

2. The Iron King (Iron Fey #1) by Julie Kagawa

3. The Iron Daughter (Iron Fey #2) by Julie Kagawa 

4. Twelfth Grade Kills (The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod #5) by Heather Brewer

For Review: 

1. The Iron Queen (Iron Fey #3) by Julie Kagawa (Release date: January 25, 2011)