Cover Catch-Up (30): Two Titles I'm Highly Anticipating!

In "Cover Catch-Up" I share some covers that have either been recently revealed, or that I've just found and really wanted to share. 

I've been procastinating with my Cover Catch-up posts lately, so now I'm a bit late to the party with these covers. I still couldn't help sharing them and gushing over them though!!

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The first cover that I have to share today is one that I'm sure you've all seen by now! It's the cover for Veronica Roth's CARVE THE MARK!

CARVE THE MARK (Untitled Duology #1 )by Veronica Roth
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Release Date: January 17, 2017

Description:

On a planet where violence and vengeance rule, in a galaxy where some are favored by fate, everyone develops a currentgift, a unique power meant to shape the future. While most benefit from their currentgifts, Akos and Cyra do not — their gifts make them vulnerable to others’ control. Can they reclaim their gifts, their fates, and their lives, and reset the balance of power in this world?

Cyra is the sister of the brutal tyrant who rules the Shotet people. Cyra’s currentgift gives her pain and power — something her brother exploits, using her to torture his enemies. But Cyra is much more than just a blade in her brother’s hand: she is resilient, quick on her feet, and smarter than he knows.

Akos is from the peace-loving nation of Thuve, and his loyalty to his family is limitless. Though protected by his unusual currentgift, once Akos and his brother are captured by enemy Shotet soldiers, Akos is desperate to get his brother out alive — no matter what the cost. When Akos is thrust into Cyra’s world, the enmity between their countries and families seems insurmountable. They must decide to help each other to survive — or to destroy one another.

 

While I wasn't as happy with the ending of the Divergent trilogy as I could've been, I still love Veronica Roth's writing style and her characters, so I'm EXTREMELY excited for this one! The story sounds intense, and I'm really eager to see Veronica write something new! As for the cover, I love it! It's eerie, a little spooky...and very foreboding!! And the description⎯wow! CARVE THE MARK sounds amazing! :D

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I'm sure the second cover that I have to share today is another one that you've likely seen. It's the cover for THE SUN IS ALSO A STAR by Nicola Yoon!

THE SUN IS ALSO A STAR by Nicola Yoon
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Release Date: November 1, 2016

Description:
Natasha: I’m a girl who believes in science and facts. Not fate. Not destiny. Or dreams that will never come true. I’m definitely not the kind of girl who meets a cute boy on a crowded New York City street and falls in love with him. Not when my family is twelve hours away from being deported to Jamaica. Falling in love with him won’t be my story.

Daniel: I’ve always been the good son, the good student, living up to my parents’ high expectations. Never the poet. Or the dreamer. But when I see her, I forget about all that. Something about Natasha makes me think that fate has something much more extraordinary in store—for both of us.

The Universe: Every moment in our lives has brought us to this single moment. A million futures lie before us. Which one will come true?

I borrowed EVERYTHING EVERYTHING from the library just shortly after its release, and it completely blew me away!! It was an amazing story, and I immediately became a Nicola Yoon fangirl. When I saw this cover, I was speechless! It's absolutely GORGEOUS...and the story, it sounds absolutely amaze-balls!! I can't wait to read THE SUN IS ALSO A STAR!

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What do you think?
Do you love these covers, too?

Fangirl Fridays(1): VERONICA MARS!!!!

"Fangirl Fridays" is pretty self-explanatory: you fangirl about something/someone on Fridays. :) It's a meme-of-sorts that's seen on a lot of tumblr blogs, and I thought it would be a fantastic idea to bring to my blog! I couldn't find someone specific to credit, so whoever first thought of "Fangirl Fridays"...you are awesome! :D I love to fangirl so I'm definitely excited for this!

And for my first "Fangirl Friday", I'm going to focus on VERONICA MARS! :D

I was a HUGE fan of the TV show, but unfortunately, I had basic cable and so once it changed channels after its first season, I didn't have access to it anymore! That means I didn't get to finish it until I asked for all three seasons for Christmas one year when I was in high school...and then I proceeded to watch the show nonstop over my Christmas break. My best friend and I even had a Veronica Mars marathon! 

Since I loved it so much, it shouldn't be too surprising that I was upset that it got cancelled, and when given the chance to be a part of the Veronica Mars Kickstarter...I jumped at the chance, and I absolutely CANNOT wait to watch the movie! I already have my ticket for the opening weekend, and am planning to see it multiple times...plus, I'll be getting a digital copy and hard copy thanks to the Kickstarter, too! :D 

Have you seen the EPIC (I had to!) movie poster yet?

There's also a really neat website called Veronica Mars - Race to the Box Office, which has a bunch of Veronica Mars extras that get unlocked the more its shared and the closer we get to the release date.

These awesome images are from the website (Source)! You can click on them and open them in a new page or tab to make them bigger, too. :)

I also made sure to get a copy of Entertainment Weekly last week because Kristen Bell and Jason Dohring were on the cover! Don't you just LoVe it? ;D

All of the info about Veronica Mars in the magazine was super interesting, too! I'm really glad that I made sure to get a copy! Entertainment Weekly also has some awesome Veronica Mars pictures on their website right now, and you can find them HERE! :D

I'm just ridiculously excited for this movie!! I'm also excited for the books they're making, which I'll be talking about on Monday because I have a cover to show off! :P And, there's even talk of continuing Veronica Mars somehow...and I am SO on-board with that, no matter how it happens! :D 

What about you?

Are you a Marshmallow?

Review: Allegiant (Divergent #3) by Veronica Roth (Spoiler Free!)

 

Source: Bought/Personal Library

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Release Date: Already Released.
Number of Pages: 526 (Hardcover)

(Goodreads Link.)

Blurb from Goodreads:

One choice will define you.

What if your whole world was a lie?
What if a single revelation—like a single choice—changed everything?
What if love and loyalty made you do things you never expected?

The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered—fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she’s known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories.

But Tris’s new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature—and of herself—while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.

Told from a riveting dual perspective, Allegiant, by #1 New York Times best-selling author Veronica Roth, brings the Divergent series to a powerful conclusion while revealing the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent.

I'm pretty sure that I have never felt more conflicted about a book than I feel about Allegiant. Even a week later, my feelings are still a mess, and I still can't quite figure out my feelings or tell you exactly how I felt about it.

I will say that I absolutely loved the first two books in this trilogy, and for the most part, I loved Allegiant, too...except for the end, if it could've ended another way I would have been so much happier. I don't think I will ever fully love Allegiant just because I'm still so crushed by the ending. Yes, I did understand Roth's reasons for heading in the direction that she did, and I did feel like it was true to the characters....but I still felt like it was completely unnecessary because the point that was being made was made without what actually happened happening...yes, I know that is completely convoluted and confusing, but I'm trying to avoid spoilers. Simply put, I felt that events right up until the moment I didn't like made the same point that the event did, that the actions and choices proved the point without something having to happen...all in all, I felt like my hope was raised and then crushed. Essentially, I felt betrayed as a reader, and I definitely didn't feel satisfied....although other parts of the book definitely satisfied me. :)

I'm a huge fan of this series as a whole, but I will say that this is one of those trilogies that really didn't end in a way that I was completely happy with. Allegiant was a lot like the first two books in the series for me...I couldn't put it down, I loved the characters, the action was intense, the chemistry and banter between Tobias and Tris was AMAZING, and the writing was fantastic and captivating. I still love Roth's writing and I am definitely looking forward to more of her work, but I do still feel betrayed by Allegiant, and I'm not sure if that feeling will ever go away. I'm just really sad that Roth chose to end such a fantastic trilogy the way that she did Maybe I'll try rereading the whole trilogy in a row...I'm heard that helps with the influx of conflicting emotions that is Allegiant.

While I wasn't completely happy with how Allegiant ended, I do still love the Divergent trilogy and I won't forget it any time soon! Also, the fact that I was conflicted over the ending will probably make it linger in my mind...and my heart even longer. I did really enjoy reading Allegiant, but that ending will forever keep me from loving it...I just can't. I do still recommend this trilogy though because Veronica Roth is a wonderful writer, her characters are fantastic, and it's one of the best dystopian trilogies that I've ever read...plus, some people really did love the ending of Allegiant...or maybe they're just less sensitive than I am. :P

I tried really hard to keep this review spoiler free, so please no spoilers in the comments...or if you do feel inclined to write something spoilerish, put "SPOILERS" before your comment. Or, you can email/message me! I'm definitely open to talking about this one...I NEED TO GET THE FEELINGS OUT!

AND just to keep you all entertained, here are a few of my reactions while reading Allegiant!

During some of it, I was internally squeeing sooooo much! (Sometimes it was out loud, too. :P)

At one point, I looked like this...and had to stop reading for a bit.

This followed the crying...

And when I finished, I just blinked like this and tried to figure out how I was feeling.

Anyway...have you started the Divergent trilogy yet? 

If you haven't, are you planning on reading it?

And if you have, have you finished Allegiant already?

What did you think? And how did it make you feel (I'm all about the feelings!)?

10 REASONS WHY I ABSOLUTELY CANNOT WAIT FOR ALLEGIANT! #Allegiant @HCCFrenzy

With less than a month to go, I'm getting extremely excited for the release of Allegiant, the last book in the Divergent trilogy by Veronica Roth!

Here are my 10 REASONS WHY I ABSOLUTELY CANNOT WAIT FOR ALLEGIANT! And yes, the CAPS are totally necessary! ;D

1. The world-building in the Divergent trilogy is amazing...it feels as if you're right there with Tris and all of the other characters! I definitely can't wait to be there with them again! This trilogy is one of my favourites, and I am so excited to see how it all wraps up...I'm also already excited for a trilogy reread, with no wait time between books!


2. The teasers Harper Collins has been sharing in anticipation of Allegiant's release have certainly teased me, and now I'm ready for a full dose of Allegiant! :D


3. The Transfer, the novella that was released in September from Four's point of view, made me even more eager for Allegiant! Allegiant is in both Tris and Four's points of view, and after getting more of Four's perspective, I'm excited to see how both of their parts fit into the story! :D


4.  Veronica Roth is awesome...seriously, she's awesome. She's one of my favourite authors, and even if this were a new series or a standalone, and not the conclusion to a trilogy that I was already desperately awaiting, I'd still be absolutely eager and dying to read it because I just love her writing and I think she's an amazing storyteller. She also has a really amazing Tumblr. Plus, I was lucky enough to meet her during the Smart Chicks Kick It Tour in 2012, and she's just as awesome in person, too! ;D


5.  I NEED TO FINISH THIS TRILOGY BEFORE THE MOVIE COMES OUT!!! Okay, so this one is just a crazy little book tendency that I have...and I just feel the intense urge to already have the book read by the time I see the movie for Divergent! The movie looks completely amazing, by the way...I was unsure at first, but I am so excited now that my excitement is starting to get ridiculous. :P


6. I've been wanting to read Allegiant since before it even had a title...yup, I was eagerly anticipating this book back when it was UNTITLED (Divergent #3)...you can even see that I was eagerly awaiting it in the book survey post I did for 2012, here. I also raved about Insurgent multiple times. Plus, I've had Allegiant preordered since I was able to preorder it...so I can't wait for my copy to FINALLY arrive!! :D


7.  Divergent was AMAZING! It was an amazing start to the trilogy, and I completely gushed about it (and about Tris & Four :P) in my review back when it was first released...and it's still one of my favourite books!


8. Insurgent was AMAZING, too!!! And just like Divergent, I totally raved about it in my review not long after reading it. It was one of my favourite books of 2012! Seriously, both books were amazing, and immediately after finishing Insurgent, I knew that the wait for Allegiant would feel far too long! :P


9. I NEED MORE FOURTRIS!!!! Yes, I've combined their names because they should not be separated. ;P Anyway, I need more...like now, or you know, when the book comes out, which thankfully is in less than a month!! Can we all just cheer for that right now!!! *insert fangirling here!*


10. And finally! After seeing the movie posters that were just released, and the new promo video I'm even more excited for the movie, which is making me even more excited for Allegiant!!! I can't wait to read the conclusion to this fantastic trilogy! I also am super excited to see Shaliene as Tris, and Theo as Four because in all of the promo movie stuff so far, they look and sound perfect!!! :D

If anyone hasn't seen the awesome movie posters featuring Four and Tris yet (or just wants to stare at them again, like I do :P), here they are!

Are you excited for Allegiant? 

What are some of the reasons that you can't wait for Allegiant?

Review: Insurgent (Divergent #2) by Veronica Roth

Source: Bought/Personal Library

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Release Date: Already Released.
Number of Pages: 525 (Hardcover)

(Goodreads Link.)

Blurb from Goodreads:

One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.

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I absolutely loved Divergent, so to say I've been waiting for Insurgent to come out would be a serious understatement! Thankfully its release day has come and passed, and all Divergent fans have probably already read and devoured Insurgent...and if you haven't yet, you really need to! It is amazing, and it's one of those sequels that definitely lives up to the first book! I don't have a single complaint about Insurgent...I absolutely loved it! It constantly kept me enthralled and had me constantly in anticipation about what would happen next, and I loved every single moment of it.

The plot of Insurgent is obviously a continuation of Divergent's since they're part of a trilogy, but it definitely intensified in Insurgent! There were secrets revealed, plot twists, and you also learn more about the other factions and the whole mystery surrounding the factions and the people in general. I really wasn't expecting to actually learn so much in Insurgent...but you figure out tonnes, which makes me so much more excited for the final book in the trilogy because I just know that it will be AMAZING! :D

I can't write this review and not mention Tobias/Four...seriously, I just can't! I can't even put into works how awesome I think he is...I'd probably just end up gushing for a couple of paragraphs, so I'm gonna stop now. :P haha And while I love Tobias, I'm glad that the love element doesn't completely take over the story. Yes, it's a big part, and I love that it is because I'm pretty much a romance fiend and I look for it in every book I read, but I love that this trilogy is about more than romance. It's about choices, and it's about fighting for what you believe in, which is exactly what Tris is all about. :) She's one of my favourite heroines because she uses her head, and while she sometimes let's her feelings take over, she always does the smart thing when it matters. She knows that sometimes sacrifices have to be made, and I think that's one thing that many heroines don't do. Tris will make a sacrifice every time if it means accomplishing or fighting for what she believes in, and I really admire her for that. I also love that Tobias and Tris make each other better people. They challenge each other, but they also don't let themselves be completely consumed by their relationship...although when they are together, they are fantastic. I just really love their dynamics. :)

Insurgent definitely goes down in my book as one of my favourite middle books in a trilogy! It quells your curiosity after reading Divergent and answers some important questions, but it also leaves you on your toes and makes you incredibly excited for the next book. It's gonna be a long wait for the next one (even if logistically it isn't a long wait---only about a year, it is gonna feel long :P haha), and masochistically I may just enjoy the wait by rereading the first two books before then. :P If you haven't started this trilogy yet, I completely urge you to...yes, I urge you because it is URGENT that you read this series! It's amazing, and I would recommend it to anyone. It's action-packed and character-driven in a way that I think it's pretty versatile for most readers. If you're going to take my advice about a trilogy only once...let it be able this one. Seriously, read it now. :D

Have you started this trilogy yet?
Have you finished Insurgent, too?
What did you think?
And if you haven't started the Divergent Trilogy yet, what's holding you back??

Purchase Links:
Book Depository: UK / US
Amazon: UK / US / Canada
Barnes and Noble

Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth

Source: received an ARC from HarperCollins Canada for an honest review.

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Release Date: Already Released

(Goodreads Link.)

I'm a huge dystopian fan, and I'd heard amazing things about Divergent before I read it, so I wasn't at all surprised when I read it and loved it! This is by far one of my favourite dystopian stories. It was so addictive and fast-paced! I seriously sat down to read a bit and didn't even notice that I'd already read through 200 pages, it was by far one of the most enjoyable books that I have read all year...strike that, ever!

The characters of Divergent were awesome. Tris was a fantastic main character, she was brave, smart, and self-sacrificing for the people she cared about. I absolutely loved reading from her point of view, she is definitely one of my favourite heroines. One of the things I loved was the fact that I never had one of those moments where I was like "What?! Why would she do that?!" with her, which is always nice, not all main characters are that believable. She was always in character, and I never felt like she strayed from who I as the reader thought she was. Four was another amazing character, I thought he was the bomb-freaking-diggity! I could gush about Four for a while, but I think he's one of those characters that everyone will like even more if he remains mysterious, so I'll let you all find out about him for yourselves. ;) Along with Tris and Four, was a cast of  amazing and interesting characters, like Will and Christina, and even the villainous characters like Peter and Eric were so well done. I may have hated them as characters, but I must admit they were fantastic at playing their roles.

Moving away from specific characters, I have to mention the factions! I loved learning about them, and I'm excited to learn even more about them in the next two books! There are five factions, each faction believes that a certain trait leads to a problems among humans and so they each oppose the trait they feel is responsible for conflict by dedicating their lives in favour of a helpful trait. The factions are Abnegation, Erudite, Dauntless, Amity and Candor. You can see their symbols in the image to the left.You can also see what they strive to be in the image, Abnegation=The Selfless, Erudite=The Intelligent, Dauntless=The Brave, Amity=The Peaceful, and Candor=The Honest. Like I said, I am so excited to learn more in the next two books. :)

I loved absolutely every moment of Divergent, and I will definitely be reading it again whenever I have the chance! I think that Divergent is one of those books that most people will love, especially fans of dystopia. I also think that if you're planning on getting into the dystopian genre, Divergent would be a fantastic first choice. And if you're not quite sure if you'll like it, or if you're super anxious to start it, you can read the first 100 pages of Divergent HERE.

I know not all people like book trailers, I like them sometimes, and sometimes I don't. I did like the Divergent one though, it was pretty exciting and it definitely makes you want to read the book, so here it is if you want to watch it. :)

Divergent Trailer:


Links:
Divergent's Facebook Page
The Divergent Trilogy Fansite
Tris' Twitter (From the Fansite)

Veronica Roth's Blog
Veronica's Twitter

So, if you couldn't tell by my review, I loved Divergent, and I definitely recommend it to pretty much anyone! What about you? Have you already read it, is it on your list, or are you not planning on reading it? I would love to hear your thoughts! :D