Saturday, November 30, 2013

Discussion: Dude...why do you give out so many 5 star ratings??


I don't know if many people would have noticed, but I give out a LOT of 5 star ratings. I also give out a lot of 4 stars. I know that some people don't "trust" reviewers who give out high ratings, so I thought I'd explain why I give out so many high ratings.

Friday, November 29, 2013

Review: Red Hill by Jamie McGuire

Title: Red Hill
Author: Jamie McGuire
Genre: Adult, Horror
Source: Simon & Schuster Australia. Thank you!

Goodreads rating: 4.05 out of 5.00 (2,000+ ratings)
Goodreads | The Reading Room

When the world ends, can love survive?

For Scarlet, raising her two daughters alone makes fighting for tomorrow an everyday battle. Nathan has a wife, but can’t remember what it’s like to be in love; only his young daughter Zoe makes coming home worthwhile. Miranda’s biggest concern is whether her new VW Bug is big enough to carry her sister and their boyfriends on a weekend escape from college finals.

When reports of a widespread, deadly “outbreak” begin to surface, these ordinary people face extraordinary circumstances and suddenly their fates are intertwined. Recognizing they can’t outrun the danger, Scarlet, Nathan, and Miranda desperately seek shelter at the same secluded ranch, Red Hill. Emotions run high while old and new relationships are tested in the face of a terrifying enemy—an enemy who no longer remembers what it’s like to be human.

Set against the backdrop of a brilliantly realized apocalyptic world, love somehow finds a way to survive. But what happens when the one you’d die for becomes the one who could destroy you?

Red Hill grabs you from page one and doesn’t let go until its stunning conclusion. This is #1 New York Times bestselling author Jamie McGuire at her unforgettable best.
Review by Nara

Thursday, November 28, 2013

Books that I can't seem to finish

My worst bookish habit would hands down have to be my inability to finish books that I'm not loving. If I'm reading a book and it isn't ticking my boxes, or I'm getting frustrated with characters or authors that drag out plot lines, or there's too much plot and not enough romance, or there's too much romance and not enough plot, or basically any out of a whole plethora of reasons that cause me to figuratively chuck my book at a wall, I'm terrible at persevering. I end up with a mound of books I partially start, such that the books I do end up finishing are usually 4 or 5 stars, and hence the ones I end up reviewing are usually 5 stars.

But today I thought I'd just feature some of the books that I've struggled with in the past few weeks, to see other people's opinions of them, and whether I've been a bit harsh and should give them another go!

By Chantelle

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

ARC Review: These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

Title: These Broken Stars (Starbound Trilogy #1)
Author: Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction
Release Date: November 20, 2013 (Aus); December 10, 2013 (US)
Source: Allen&Unwin Australia. Thank you!

Goodreads rating: 4.20 out of 5.00 (700+ ratings)
Goodreads | The Reading Room

The Starbound Trilogy: Three worlds. Three love stories. One enemy.

It's a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets to the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone.

Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they're worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help.

Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other's arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder - would they be better off staying in this place forever?

Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won't be the same people who landed on it.

The first in a sweeping science fiction trilogy, These Broken Stars is a timeless love story about hope and survival in the face of unthinkable odds.
Review by Nara

Monday, November 25, 2013

Review: Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

Title: Attachments
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Genre: Fiction, Romance, Humour

Goodreads rating: 3.95 out of 5.00 (9, 800+ ratings)
Goodreads | The Reading Room


"Hi, I'm the guy who reads your e-mail, and also, I love you . . . "

Beth Fremont and Jennifer Scribner-Snyder know that somebody is monitoring their work e-mail. (Everybody in the newsroom knows. It's company policy.) But they can't quite bring themselves to take it seriously. They go on sending each other endless and endlessly hilarious e-mails, discussing every aspect of their personal lives.

Meanwhile, Lincoln O'Neill can't believe this is his job now- reading other people's e-mail. When he applied to be "internet security officer," he pictured himself building firewalls and crushing hackers- not writing up a report every time a sports reporter forwards a dirty joke.

When Lincoln comes across Beth's and Jennifer's messages, he knows he should turn them in. But he can't help being entertained-and captivated-by their stories.

By the time Lincoln realizes he's falling for Beth, it's way too late to introduce himself.

What would he say . . . ?


Review by Chantelle

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Sci-Fi Month: Interview with Dan Wells


And on the fourth and final Saturday of Sci-Fi Month, we are featuring Dan Wells, author of the Partials Sequence. I feel like his books are pretty underhyped despite being absolutely incredible. And I seriously want me a copy of Ruins. So without further ado, here is the interview:

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Sci-Fi Month: Recommended Sci-Fi Reads for People Who Don't Read Sci-Fi


So, to those people who want to give Science Fiction a try, but aren't quite sure where to start, or to those people who want to find a particular type of sci-fi book, hopefully this post will give you a bit of help. Since I mostly read YA, a lot of the books featured in this post are going to be be YA novels. Don't know what else to write in this introduction, so let's get straight into it:

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Introducing: The Rainbow Rowell Read-a-Thon!



Hello everyone! I have a rather exciting event to announce. Probably obvious from the banner, but this December, we at Looking for the Panacea, along with Eve from PaperGrey and Em from Fluttereal Flight are hosting a Rainbow Rowell Read-a-Thon!

Saturday, November 16, 2013

Sci-Fi Month: Interview with Marissa Meyer + Giveaway


And on our third Saturday, we have an author who many people are obviously quite excited about: Marissa Meyer! Now I'm sure I'm one of the many people DYING for a copy of Cress, but while we pine for it, have a read of the interview and enter the giveaway for a swag pack! (I actually have one of these myself haha)

Thursday, November 14, 2013

ARC Review: Pawn by Aimee Carter

Title: Pawn (The Blackcoat Rebellion #1)
Author: Aimee Carter
Genre: Young Adult, Dystopia
Release Date: December 1, 2013 (Aus)
Source: Harlequin TEEN Australia via NetGalley

Goodreads rating: 3.93 out of 5.00 (290+ ratings)
Goodreads | The Reading Room



YOU CAN BE A VII. IF YOU GIVE UP EVERYTHING. 

For Kitty Doe, it seems like an easy choice. She can either spend her life as a III in misery, looked down upon by the higher ranks and forced to leave the people she loves, or she can become a VII and join the most powerful family in the country.

If she says yes, Kitty will be Masked—surgically transformed into Lila Hart, the Prime Minister's niece, who died under mysterious circumstances. As a member of the Hart family, she will be famous. She will be adored. And for the first time, she will matter.

There's only one catch. She must also stop the rebellion that Lila secretly fostered, the same one that got her killed …and one Kitty believes in. Faced with threats, conspiracies and a life that's not her own, she must decide which path to choose—and learn how to become more than a pawn in a twisted game she's only beginning to understand.
Review by Nara

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

ARC Review: Crash Into You by Katie McGarry

Title: Crash Into You (Pushing the Limits #3)
Author: Katie McGarry
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary Romance
Release Date: December 1, 2013 (Australia)
Source: Harlequin TEEN Australia. Thank you!

Goodreads rating: 4.33 out of 5.00 (750 ratings)
Goodreads | The Reading Room

From acclaimed author Katie McGarry comes an explosive new tale of a good girl with a reckless streak, a street-smart guy with nothing to lose, and a romance forged in the fast lane 

The girl with straight As, designer clothes and the perfect life-that's who people expect Rachel Young to be. So the private-school junior keeps secrets from her wealthy parents and overbearing brothers...and she's just added two more to the list. One involves racing strangers down dark country roads in her Mustang GT. The other? Seventeen-year-old Isaiah Walker-a guy she has no business even talking to. But when the foster kid with the tattoos and intense gray eyes comes to her rescue, she can't get him out of her mind.

Isaiah has secrets, too. About where he lives, and how he really feels about Rachel. The last thing he needs is to get tangled up with a rich girl who wants to slum it on the south side for kicks-no matter how angelic she might look.

But when their shared love of street racing puts both their lives in jeopardy, they have six weeks to come up with a way out. Six weeks to discover just how far they'll go to save each other.
Review by Nara

Saturday, November 9, 2013

Sci-Fi Month: Interview with Janet Edwards + Giveaway


EEEEEE! On this second Saturday of November, I have one of my ABSOLUTE favourite sci-fi authors: Janet Edwards! Janet is the author of the amazing Earth Girl- which has some of the most incredible world building ever (and being a world building nerd...*FLAIL*). Anyway, Janet has generously donated a signed copy of either Earth Girl or Earth Star, so read the interview (these answers seriously have to be some of my favourites EVER), then enter the giveaway!

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Quick Update: S.O.S. Drowning in Anatomy


So, it being November, THAT dreaded period has come upon us. That's right, the horror of the exam period! *dun dun dun*

Chantelle and I both do the same course at the same uni, and we have exams from the 9th until the 22nd. We'll therefore be unable to comment and reply and such as much as we usually do. In terms of blog posts, Chantelle won't be posting at all until late November (possibly), but because of Sci-Fi Month and things, I still have posts going up that I've already written and scheduled. So this post is just to let you know that replies to comments on our posts might be quite late- by which we mean we're probably going to be replying to them all on the 22nd.

Anyway, that's it for the update. Remember to look out for the sci-fi month giveaways- the other two giveaways (from Marissa Meyer and Janet Edwards) are international, so yes. Enter away.

p.s. I'll probably still be on Twitter because, yeah. Twitter. Tis a trap.



Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Waiting on Wednesday: November

Completely forgot about Waiting on Wednesday for a while there, so here we return after 3 months ish for another edition where I showcase the book from November for which I am most GIMME IT NOW.

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Review: Wild Cards by Simone Elkeles

Title: Wild Cards
Author: Simone Elkeles
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary Romance
Source: Bloomsbury Sydney via NetGalley (Thank you!)

Goodreads rating:
Goodreads | The Reading Room



After getting kicked out of boarding school, bad boy Derek Fitzpatrick has no choice but to live with his ditzy stepmother while his military dad is deployed. Things quickly go from bad to worse when he finds out she plans to move them back to her childhood home in Illinois. Derek’s counting the days before he can be on his own, and the last thing he needs is to get involved with someone else’s family drama.

Ashtyn Parker knows one thing for certain--people you care about leave without a backward glance. A football scholarship would finally give her the chance to leave. So she pours everything into winning a state championship, until her boyfriend and star quarterback betrays them all by joining their rival team. Ashtyn needs a new game plan, but it requires trusting Derek—someone she barely knows, someone born to break the rules. Is she willing to put her heart on the line to try and win it all?
Review by Nara

Saturday, November 2, 2013

Sci-Fi Month: Interview with S.J. Kincaid + Giveaway


Today is the first Saturday of November, so I introduce to you the first author up for interview: S.J. Kincaid! She is the author of Insignia, a book which, to be honest, I wanted to read because of the cover. But the actual book is rather amazing, so have a read of (and be sucked in by) the synopsis and get yourself a copy of the book. And we also have a giveaway. S.J. has generously agreed to give away personalised copies of both Insignia and its sequel Vortex! So, have a read of the interview and then enter the amazing giveaway.

Friday, November 1, 2013

Sci-Fi Month: Introductory Post


People! IT IS NOVEMBER. You know what that means? Yeah, okay, it's obvious from the banner. It is......
SCI-FI MONTH!! *throws confetti*
I don't know how well people know me, but I freaking LOVE sci-fi. So when I found out about this event I was pretty damn excited. For those who haven't heard about the event, basically, it's an event hosted by Rinn Reads celebrating all things sci-fi: books, movies, TV shows etc. etc. So, as part of the introductory post, Rinn would like us to answer a couple of questions. Without further ado, here they are!