Review: Halflings by Heather Burch

Halflings (Halflings #1)
by Heather Burch
Published by  Zonderkidz
Date publication : January 17th 2012
Rating : 1.5/5

Synopsis:After being inexplicably targeted by an evil intent on harming her at any cost, seventeen-year-old Nikki finds herself under the watchful guardianship of three mysterious young men who call themselves halflings. Sworn to defend her, misfits Mace, Raven, and Vine battle to keep Nikki safe while hiding their deepest secret—and the wings that come with. 
A growing attraction between Nikki and two of her protectors presents a whole other danger. While she risks a broken heart, Mace and Raven could lose everything, including their souls. As the mysteries behind the boys’ powers, as well as her role in a scientist’s dark plan, unfold, Nikki is faced with choices that will affect the future of an entire race of heavenly beings, as well as the precarious equilibrium of the earthly world.

my thoughts
Cover: A pretty decent cover.Are those wings? I loved the red hue

Book:I was in the mood for an angel book thus requested it on netgalley.Sad it was disappointing.The religious undertones were not a problem , the characters were.

I always try to finish a book and finishing this one was grueling.The love triangle was annoying. I tried not to be a cynic while reading the reading romance and ended up laughing.[ i'm rarely cynical] I tried to like it but sadly no success.

The MC is supposed to be an rocking kick butting heroine but was in fact one the whiny bunch. Which boy am i going to choose, which "brother".

Yeah falling in love is forbiden and  is dangerous for there souls . Gimme a break. I do have to say the youngest "brother" is the best of the bunch and the funniest.Really he is a Hoot.

The prologue was freaking amazing , exiting. A chase. Nikki is being chased by hell hounds.And then the "brothers" appear . The halflings. WHY,WHY,WHY could the rest not exceed the prologue.The rest felt like reading a textbook, the prologue excluded.Flat and boring

A couple of people loved.Sad i did not. I read raving reviews. If you are interested.Give it a try.Maybe you are the one that will love it.

thanks to Zonderkidz for approving my request of Halflings

Links to positive reviews

review 1

review2

a other  negative 

review 3

part of this challenge

Review: The Hunt by Andrew Fukada

The Hunt (The Hunt #1) [add to Goodreads]
by Andrew Fukuda
Published by St. Martin's Griffin
Date publication : May 8th 2012 [ uk edition May 10th 2012 by Simon & Schuster UK]

Rating : 4.5/5

Synopsis: Don’t Sweat.  Don’t Laugh.  Don’t draw attention to yourself.  And most of all, whatever you do, do not fall in love with one of them.   Gene is different from everyone else around him.  He can’t run with lightning speed, sunlight doesn’t hurt him and he doesn’t have an unquenchable lust for blood.  Gene is a human, and he knows the rules.  Keep the truth a secret.  It’s the only way to stay alive in a world of night—a world where humans are considered a delicacy and hunted for their blood.   When he’s chosen for a once in a lifetime opportunity to hunt the last remaining humans, Gene’s carefully constructed life begins to crumble around him.  He’s thrust into the path of a girl who makes him feel things he never thought possible—and into a ruthless pack of hunters whose suspicions about his true nature are growing. Now that Gene has finally found something worth fighting for, his need to survive is stronger than ever—but is it worth the cost of his humanity? 

Synopsis:Against all odds, 17-year-old Gene has survived in a world where humans have been eaten to near extinction by the general population. The only remaining humans, or hepers as they are known, are housed in domes on the savannah and studied at the nearby Heper Institute. Every decade there is a government sponsored hunt. When Gene is selected to be one of the combatants he must learn the art of the hunt but also elude his fellow competitors whose suspicions about his true nature are growing

my thoughts

Cover Honestly I don't know wich one I like better.the us orange cover to important caracters are shown in the backgrond and the hole in tin i think.[a Key point in the novel!?] or the UK in no way resemblence to but love the emotion of the cover model,the creatures in the backgrond, the color template and the bloody lettering of the title

Book: I was so happy to finnaly get approved by Sint martin's press

Imagine a world were humans are nearly extinc and hunted down to extinction .so a delicassy, so a ravishing delicious rare meat.imagine living in that soceity, being human and masking your humanity.Everything that is human, your emotion, your characteristics, your odor, your name.
all would make you un camouflaged fish in a sharktank.thats what gene life feels like.

"People are numbered in society, on the streets, in class.Gene has an different designation in different classes.All the activity is in the night hours till the break of dawn to dusk again.Why is that? You asked,cause the people'',these creatures are VAMPIRES.And not your lobby dubby vampires, no not your sparkly ones[lol how could i not let talk about pass me by,lol i'm laughing lol] They are somewhat like and still different from ages past.From the grey zones of the publishing world.[not really that long ago lol] these ones are gruesome[still looking hott ] bloodthirsty and deadly.

The ruler has an announcement ;the last hunt that there ever be will be held.A last batch is left,the previous hunt was 10 years ago and it was made clear they were extinct.But gossip spoke of a few hepers[humans] that were left.Now imagine the craze,the lust,the hunger when the hunt was announced .A lottery is held for whom will enter the hunt.Saliva dripping from fangs and forming puddles on tables in anticipation for of the numbers that will be picked.

Ashley June ; one of the lucky ones to be picked and a fellow schoolmate. She is mysterious, seductive, innocent and sweet,trusthworthy or not.and not really her name!?[capable of kicking any whiny YA 'heroine's butt] looking forward to reading more of her in book two.that is all i can say about her with out spoiling[intrigued?]

Gene is one of the best male protagonist I've read and on my list of favorite male protagonists.He's a dude and you get to know it, you can feel it see it his his toughs , feel his emotions and see it though his actions.L loved how he gets more human and starts to be more human trough out the book which is deadly even more in the hunt and waiting and preparations of it.

The other main characters who will play a huge part in further books are not even known by name or in fact really seen untill the second part of the book.I loved reading about the building of the relationships between them and gene. I have to mention the ending was an freaking i hate you but i love you and have to read more but why the year long wait cliffhanging.

There were some iffy parts about the world, like how did the world become like that.But don't let that deter you. the action was spot on. I kept reading, must read further even if it was 1 am in the morning. And no drag what so ever. The hunger games vibe was nice but has not a coppy cat feel to it.it is written in first person perspective, gene's perspective[ i love his narration]


Now that rest to ask is this:

Are you bored love triangles? the human falling for the paranormal creature?[ i have to say there are some books that are awesome with that i just listed] vampires that are ikickly sweet?Ding ding ding, the hunt is for you[ found in bookstores near you on release date/ in annoying commercial voice lol]


thanks to St. Martin's Griffin for approving my request of The HUNT

the trailer



songs that fits perfectly with this book and do generate a atmosphere. 

I've never posted all the songs from a playlist provided by the author/ it all fits perfectly / i so want book two now// 

virtual hangouts  
twitter

website 

To order
Amazon
Barnes & Noble  
Bookdepository [int free shipping] $13.49  / 25 % off

25% off

25% off

Crusade in Jeans by Thea Beckman, a childhood favorite

Crusade in Jeans by
Thea Beckman
Published by Lemniscaat
Date Published: November 1st 2011 [first published in 1973]
Rating: 4/5

Synopsis: Fifteen-year-old Dolf uses a prototype time machine and gets stuck in the Middle Ages. Trying to find his way back to the twentieth century, he joins a children's crusade of almost ten thousand children on their way to the Holy Land. Dolf helps the children defy the terrible mountains, conquer disease and fight evil knights. Slowly, Dolf begins to realize that the real danger does not lurk behind the next mountaintop, but rather within the crusade itself.

Crusade in Jeans was first published in 1973. It became an overnight success, making Thea Beckman one of the most popular authors of juvenile books in Europe. In 1974, Crusade in Jeans was awarded The Golden Pen (the most prestigious Dutch national award for children's books). In 1976, the Province of Trento, Italy, named it the Best European Historical Juvenile Book. In 2006, the book was turned in an award-winning movie picture featuring Emma Watson, Michael Culkin, Joe Flynn and Stephanie Leonidas. Awards included top honors at Toronto Sprockets (2008) and the Children’s Jury Award at the Chicago International Film Festival (2007).

the original Dutch Cover

My thoughts 

Cover: like the newly American better than the old nostalgic original version... [Correction the publication of 2003 by a imprint of is  lemniscaat s a favorite as well]

Book: This was one of the very first books I read when I was younger. Can you believe it’s almost 40 year old and published again this year in America. When I saw it on netgalley I had to request it , I had a rush of nostalgia.I Loved it in the past. My native tongue is Dutch by the way. Iwondered if I felt the same after 10 years later and in English. It’s a pretty decent translation and my growing up resulted in a 4 star rating.

2003 us cover

Rudolf Hefting, Dolf for short, our leading male from Holland. Who is smart, brave, courageous teenager and stand’s his ground which gets him in trouble in the 12th century.

When you begin to read the this novel, we find Dolf in the laboratory of the family friends , two loony ish professors after asking and persisting his parents to see the newly developed time machine. He persisted again while he was time with the Profs that he could be more useful than chimps, which they used for experiments.

Dolf is now in the 12 century france or so he thinks , but rather in germany. And meets a crusade formed completely by children ranging from the age of 4 to 14, 15, 16 to free Jerusalem from the Arabs.

He misses his ‘’ride back’’ to the present and is stuck in the 12th century. I would have panicked but he is calm and collected. And he takes part of the crusade.
Some secrets are being hidden , lies are being told in the whole [massa massa, local tongue,sranang tongo] congregation of the child crusade.

Liked Dolf interaction with the 12th era folk, everything is different for this 20th century teen. He is very skeptic of this religious area, Europe of that time period. This has no doubt Christian/religious influences but it’s not preachy. So not religious folk can enjoy it!! I hope

There’s no minor lead or secondary character I did not like.

A Couple of characters i really liked
Maria a 11 year old taking part in the crusade is from the beginning with Dolf and befriends him and sees her like a little sister.

Leonardo Fibonacci, 15, 16 or 17 I think is very first friend Dolf befriends

THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO ROMANCE IN THIS BOOK. SO BOYS BE NOT AFRAID TO READ A 300 PLUS PAGE NOVEL.lol

After the big reveal, the secrets have come to light. It dragged on a bit let say 40 ish pages but that’s a short amount of page space and quickly begins to exite again when Dolf finds a way to go home, to the present. Will say this it was emotional for Dolf to leave his friends behind after let say 3 to 4 months with them. Roro signing out.

 Limniscaat has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read a copy of this novel, via Netgalley,prior to its release on November 1st 2011


Virtual hangouts [ sad the author died in 04, so no virtual hangouts]

To order
Amazon
Barnes & noble
Indiebound
Bookdepository

Netgalley reading challenge, wrap up

''Basically, NetGalley Months are month long read-a-thons in which we all read as many NetGalley books as humanly possible.

For those of you that don't know, NetGalley is a service for people who read and recommend books. Publishers upload galleys to the site for NetGalley members to request.
One of my favorite things about NetGalley is that anyone who reads and recommends books can use it for free. If you haven't already, you can register here

Well, July and August and sempembr, I didn't read as much as I wanted to, but this time, I will read atleast 10  netgalley books. I just really need to read them!


So now I've declared myself. If you guys want to join in, here's the sign up post''

WEL I TRIED BUT ONLY READ 4 BOOKS. THREE DNF BOOKS AND 1 COMPLETED

DNF

finished 

 

maybe i'll partaken january's reading challenge

Netgalley reading challenge,

Basically, NetGalley Months are month long read-a-thons in which we all read as many NetGalley books as humanly possible.

For those of you that don't know, NetGalley is a service for people who read and recommend books. Publishers upload galleys to the site for NetGalley members to request.
One of my favorite things about NetGalley is that anyone who reads and recommends books can use it for free. If you haven't already, you can register here

Well, July and August and sempembr, I didn't read as much as I wanted to, but this time, I will read atleast 10  netgalley books. I just really need to read them!


So now I've declared myself. If you guys want to join in, here's the sign up post