Waiting on Wednesday: This Song Will Save Your Life (#3)

It's another Wednesday in September, but as I type this, I am currently melting in my chair.

For some reason, my part of Canada just happens to have 34 degree weather-and that's without the humidity! Now I know some of you guys are probably wondering why I'm complaining about nice summer weather, but to be honest with you heat + humidity + black uniform pants and a cotton polo shirt, then factor in a nearly thirty minute walk with a bag full of homework, 'summer weather' turns into a nightmare!

But other than that, I'm super excited for today's Waiting on Wednesday books, United We Spy by Ally Carter and This Song Will Save Your Life by Lelia Sales, both coming out on September 17th, 2013!




Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Making friends has never been Elise Dembowski’s strong suit. All throughout her life, she’s been the butt of every joke and the outsider in every conversation. When a final attempt at popularity fails, Elise nearly gives up. Then she stumbles upon a warehouse party where she meets Vicky, a girl in a band who accepts her; Char, a cute, yet mysterious disc jockey; Pippa, a carefree spirit from England; and most importantly, a love for DJing.

Told in a refreshingly genuine and laugh-out-loud funny voice, THIS SONG WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE is an exuberant novel about identity, friendship, and the power of music to bring people together








Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Cammie Morgan has lost her father and her memory, but in the heart-pounding conclusion to the best-selling Gallagher Girls series, she finds her greatest mission yet. Cammie and her friends finally know why the terrorist organization called the Circle of Cavan has been hunting her. Now the spy girls and Zach must track down the Circle’s elite members to stop them before they implement a master plan that will change Cammie—and her country—forever.



I've been picking up a lot of dysutopian and contemporary books lately that all tell a coming-of-age story. I guess it's because it sort of applies to what's going on in my life right now (aside from nearly DYING from the heat).

These two novels stand out for me. TSWSYL is a story that I can relate to in some ways, and while I found that my passion is more of the English than Music department, I find that using music to figure out who you are is inspirational, because I know people who found themselves in the Arts (or in other forms of expression) and they have just flourished and became their own.

And UWS is the 6th and final book in the Gallagher Girls series. *WAILS* I have been reading the Gallagher Girls since I was in the seventh grade, and now that the final book is coming out, the reality of me growing up is slowly hitting me (but not quite yet). I know very well that our Gallagher Girls in the UK have already gotten their paws on the book (I think) last week and have read the final book. There have been mixed reviews (you can't please everyone), but I have my faith in Ally. BUT IT'S THE LAST BOOK PART THAT MAKES ME SO UPSET! But in the words of the 11th Doctor:

Have a good Wednesday guys! :)

Belladonna by Fiona Paul

Venom

Author: Fiona Paul
Pages: 352
Status: 2nd Book of the Secrets of the Eternal Rose Trilogy
Release Date: July 16th, 2013

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

In Renaissance Italy, love, lust, intrigue and secret societies converge to stunning results!

In the second in the stunning Secrets of the Eternal Rose series, Cassandra Caravello is trying to forget Falco, the wild artist who ran off with her heart, as she grows closer to her strong, steady fiancé, Luca. But Luca seems to have his own secrets. When he’s arrested by soldiers in the middle of the night, Cass’s life is once again thrown into chaos. She must save Luca, and that means finding the Book of the Eternal Rose—the only evidence that will prove he’s innocent.

So begins her journey to Florence, a city haunted by whispers of vampirism, secret soirees and clandestine meetings of the Order of the Eternal Rose. And home to Falco, who is working for the Order’s eerily stunning leader, the Belladonna herself.

Can Cass trust her heart to lead her to the truth this time?
Nothing is as it seems in this seductive thriller, where the truth may be the deadliest poison of all.

Two reviews in ONE day! I'm getting really tired of typing, but alas, I still have an English essay to write for Monday. *Sighs*. I REALLY didn't expect my teachers to give so much homework the first week back.

But anyways, let's get on with that Belladonna review. And I'll try not to put many spoilers, but I can't guarantee anything. So if you don't like spoilers, don't read on, and don't read the Venom review below either.

Belladonna was a REALLY action-packed and was the complete opposite from the first book. Belladonna had all the qualities of an AMAZING and compelling book.

The book starts off with Luca getting arrested. It's really weird for everyone-and for Cass- that golden-boy Luca would be arrested for such a big crime against the Church.

He tells her that Joseph Dubois (from book 1) was probably behind his arrest and that he wants the Book of Eternal Rose, which Luca 'claimed' he had. Cass then goes on a trip to Florence where she tries to find the Book, but finds herself in a city obsessed with killing 'vampires'.

When I got to the part of the book where they were talking about Florence being full of vampires, I was really upset- I immediately thought the book was going to take a turn into the supernatural genre. Then I realized that it was during the time periods of the books that Europe was pretty obsessed with witch burnings and erradicating the supernatural in the name of the Church, so I calmed down.

I was really in love with the pace in the book! Book 1 was a little slow (like many book 1's) but Belladonna had a good pace and a complexity to it that you usually don't get from sequels, which, I find, are mostly used as a filler for the next book. This book was used to fill in the gaps and answered questions left from the first book (like what is the Order of the Eternal Rose, and why Joseph Dubois and creepy Angelo de Gradi are all connected). In addition to learning more about the Eternal Rose, we also learn about Belladonna, the namesake of the book. She is mysterious, eerie and creepy, but is described by everyone in the book to be the most beautiful and youthful person in Florence- at the age of forty. I imagine her like Kate Winslet with the timeless beauty, but personality wise, she's much more self-centred, vain and cruel (which is what Kate isn't).

But the action, the mystery and the character devlopment was beautifully written.

I loved how Cass went from the meek, naive noblewoman and slowly came out of her shell in Venom, but in Belladonna, you see her grow a lot. I think her development may stem from the fact that this book revovled AROUND Cass and her task, and not Cass and her boys. Yes, you do see sexy Falco and Luca the Gentleman in the book, and yes, they both play an important role in the book (Cass's mission DOES revolve around her fiance), but for the majority of the time Cass was either on her own or with Mada, Siena or Feliciana.

But going back to the boys...I know very well that fans of either Falco and Luca are probably at war with each other. Luca wasn't in the book much (he was heavily featured in the beginning and the very end), but his spirit was very present throughout the book. I really liked how Paul was able to keep him alive. As for Falco. Falco, Falco, Falco...That boy is such a handful. He was much more distant in the book and played a much symbolic role throughout Cass's time in Florence, but he ended up breaking a lot of hearts in the end. I know that, for anyone that read the book, it seems like Cass made up her mind due to Falco's compromising scene near the end of Belladonna, but let me remind you: the book goes missing. THE BOOK GOES MISSING AND NO ONE KNOWS WHO TOOK IT! Let that sink in guys.

The plot was beautifull written and everything flowed well. I loved everything about the book, even it's tragic ending and mysterious epilogue.

It's arguable to say that there are A LOT of loose ends, but we'll have to wait till March to see what happens.

I would have to give Belladonna 4.5 out of 5 stars! It's DEFINITELY worth the read.


Venom by Fiona Paul: Review

Venom

Pages: 435
Author: Fiona Paul
Status: 1st book in the Secrets of the Eternal Rose Trilogy
Release Date: October 30th 2012

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Cassandra Caravello is one of Renaissance Venice’s lucky elite: with elegant gowns, sparkling jewels, her own lady’s maid, and a wealthy fiancé, she has everything a girl could desire. Yet ever since her parents’ death, Cassandra has felt trapped, alone in a city of water, where the dark and labyrinthine canals whisper of escape.

When Cass stumbles upon a murdered woman—practically in her own backyard—she’s drawn into a dangerous world of courtesans, killers, and secret societies. Soon, she finds herself falling for Falco, a mysterious artist with a mischievous grin... and a spectacular skill for trouble. Can Cassandra find the murderer, before he finds her? And will she stay true to her fiancé, or succumb to her uncontrollable feelings for Falco?
Beauty, love, romance, and mystery weave together in a stunning novel that’s as seductive and surprising as the city of Venice itself

I fixed my blog guys! I'm so happy, you don't even understand. Now, I can fianlly review two of my favourite books that I (personally) think haven't been getting enough recognition: Venom and Belladonna by Fiona Paul. The books are the first and second book of the Eternal Rose trilogy, with the third and final instalment, Starling, coming out on March 2014. I am a huge fan of the series, and I have been waiting pretty much FOREVER to review them.

I read Venom back when it was first released last year, and recently got a hard copy of Belladonna last week. I finished Belladonna the same day I got it, but my laptop broke, I had no access to a computer for DAYS (posting on mobile is TERRIBLE), and my blog had a few glitches. So, I decided to do a double review on the books. And I'll try my best to steer clear of any spoilers.

This book was pretty...steamy, to say the least.

As the first book of the series, I wasn't expecting it to be full of action or anything, since most first books in series (ESPECIALLY trilogies) do a lot of world-building book 1. I knew that there was going to be romance (as hinted by the book), and that it would either be a hit or a miss.

The beginning was a little slow with the funeral, and I found myself flipping through the pages and a little upset that there was so much description that I nearly put the book down. Then BAM! The romance that I said that would either be a hit or miss just made me want to read more.

We are immediately introduced to Cass, our protagonist, at her friends funeral, and throughout the ceremony we get a lot of description of how her life is, the people around her, etc., and her love interest, Falco da Padova, the swoon-worthy bad-boy artist from Padua. While sneaking out one night to the graveyard beside her aunt's place (very Haunted Mansion like) and discovers a dead person in her friend's grave. She and Falco go around Venice looking for the killer and her friend's dead body. They discover that not everyone is who they seem, and it's the last people they would ever expect to be behind the deaths of numerous girls floating up in the canals of Venice.

I liked the suspense that came with trying to solve the murders, but I found that the mystery behind Livi (Cass's dead best friend) and her missing body to be predictable. I like how we got to see Cass slowly come out of her shell and realize that serene Venice isn't as serene as she thought it would be, and I liked the historical accuracy that came with how some households (mainly Dubois's estate) did function (I'm a history geek).

I found it enjoyable, but I felt like I was reading to see where Cass and Falco would end up. Since I already had a good idea as to what happened to Livi's body and who stole it, I really did stick around to see who WAS the murderer and how the two would end up when all the secrets of the book exploded in their faces.

What I didn't expect though, was the return of Cass's long awaited fiance, Luca da Peraga, and I enjoyed that alot. And near the end of the book, when we got to learn about his family history, yeah, that threw me off! I was left wondering how it would affect the last two books in the series.

Overall, the book was enjoyable, but there were times (mostly in the beginning) that I found a little slow. But the book picked up pretty fast and I couldn't stop reading till I finished the book. There was a lot of romance and relationship in this book, but there was also a lot of development with these relationships as well, something that I found very interesting (most book 1's don't change relationships as drastically as Venom), but I know that it will lead to more devlopment in the future books of the trilogy.

There was mention of the Order of Eternal Rose in the book, and it did play a sneaky, background role. It wasn't the centre of it, and there was a lot of holes pertaining as to what it was, and what they did exactly but I guess that's what's going to make the other books very enjoyable.

I'll have to rate this book a 4.3 out of 5 stars. There's a lot of action, a lot of romance, a lot of suspense and mystery that WILL hook you and make you want to continue the trilogy!

Waiting on Wednesday: Fangirl (#1)

It's Wednesday! And today I'm (eagerly) awaiting Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell (the awesome and fabulous author of Eleanor and Park) and The Chaos of Stars by Kiersten White! (Coming out September 10th, 2013)

Synopsis:

A coming-of-age tale of fan fiction, family and first love.Cath is a Simon Snow fan.

Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan . . .

But for Cath, being a fan is her life — and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.

Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words . . . And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this?

Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories?

And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

Synopsis:

Isadora’s family is seriously screwed up.

Of course, as the human daughter of Egyptian gods, that pretty much comes with the territory. She’s also stuck with parents who barely notice her, and a house full of relatives who can’t be bothered to remember her name. After all, they are going to be around forever—and she’s a mere mortal.

Isadora’s sick of living a life where she’s only worthy of a passing glance, and when she has the chance to move to San Diego with her brother, she jumps on it. But Isadora’s quickly finding that a “normal” life comes with plenty of its own epic complications—and that there’s no such thing as a clean break when it comes to family. Much as she wants to leave her past behind, she can’t shake the ominous dreams that foretell destruction for her entire family. When it turns out there may be truth in her nightmares, Isadora has to decide whether she can abandon her divine heritage after all

I seriously can't wait for these books to come out! I'm a huge fan of Egyptian mythology and had a whole ancient Egyptian phase back in the fifth grade! I really can't wait to see how Kiersten mixes ancient mythology with modern day San Diego...this ought to be interesting!

And Fangirl. O-M-G! When I first read the synopsis, I was like "this is almost 85% like my life" and then I thought "Rainbow is a GENIUS!". I haven't read any of her books yet, but I heard that they're amazing (my library has a LONG wait list...sighs). You don't know how bad I'm fangirling over fangirl!

Happy Book Birthday

With school starting today and msot of us starting a new chapter of our lives, authors Marlene Perez and Holly Black are celebrating book birthdays today with the release of their novels Dead is Just a Dream (from the Dead Is.. Series) and The Coldest Girl in Coldtown. What a great way to start off the school year, huh?

Synopsis:

The people of Nightshade, California, are dying in their sleep, and fifteen-year-old warrior Jessica Walsh is determined to find the killer . . . or killers. Justice isn’t the only thing on Jessica’s mind, however. In fact, some days she’s not sure which is worse—having a creepy clown lurking outside her window or having her rock star boyfriend’s hot ex-girlfriend back in town. Nightshade is crawling with paranormal people like Jessica . . . and it’s possible that the anti-paranormal group the Scourge is back to get rid of them. Or are the disturbing works of a strange painter somehow at the heart of the mystery? Jessica is losing sleep—but she’s got to figure it out before the night terrors strike again

Synopsis:

Tana lives in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. The only problem is, once you pass through Coldtown’s gates, you can never leave.

One morning, after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses. The only other survivors of this massacre are her exasperatingly endearing ex-boyfriend, infected and on the edge, and a mysterious boy burdened with a terrible secret. Shaken and determined, Tana enters a race against the clock to save the three of them the only way she knows how: by going straight to the wicked, opulent heart of Coldtown itself.

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown is a wholly original story of rage and revenge, of guilt and horror, and of love and loathing from bestselling and acclaimed author Holly Black

Can't wait to get my hands on these books!

Music Monday

IT'S LONG WEEKEND and school starts tomorrow (cue hysterically crying).

I feel really bad for not updating yesterday and Saturday, but you know, LONG WEEKEND, final days of summer vacay...I deserve some last minute freedom.

Today, no book talk yet. I'm currently waiting for my four books in the library which I'm currently on the waitlist for. I may do I book review on Wednesday or Thursday in honour of my special news coming very, VERY soon, so stay tuned.

So I've been working out (sorta...I really don't know what counts as working out anymore) this summer to stay fit, stay healthy and to fit back into my uniform pants (they're VERY pricey, may I add), and sorta devised a workout playlist of sorts. I've been listening to a lot of British and French artists because, well, I can. So here it is!

From Conor's YTV Filming...his drummer, Mike, was
pretty hot too. I couldn't get a picture of him though,
there was this tall girl in front of me.

1. R U Crazy by Conor Maynard: I get A LOT of commentary when I say I actually like Conor Maynard, but to be honest with you, I shared a lot of the same opinions like most haters out there once upon a time. I met Conor last year when he was filming for a YTV special (thanks to Vervegirl :D) and he is the most sweetest, humble, and charming person I have ever met! He even gave me a hug! (after two minutes of embarrassingly trying to get his attention but, whatever, I GOT A HUG :D). So aside from my love for him, the vibe from his newest single is what puts him on top. His first album, Contrast, had nice beats but came off more player to me and even after I went to the filming, it took me awhile to get into the vibe of the album. What sold me completely was the song Mary Go Round-- GAHH, that ruined my emotions! R U Crazy got me from the get go. There was still that Mary Go Round vibe, but this single had that cliché 'BAM! I'm back, but I never really left effect' and to me was very Justin Timberlake-esque. And so did the video. Well done Conor. But what really sold me was the fact that it was that song that you can request on the radio for an ex and it fit in my 'non-conventional' break up songs with Paramore's (One of Those) Crazy Girls. AND it helped me get through my lying hip lifts and my planks so yeah :)

 

2. Hero by Jessie J (from the Kick Ass 2 Soundtrack): I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Jessie J! Her voice is just TO DIE FOR! This song was my power song-- I channeled it to get through that one last rep before collapsing on my floor (I didn't really do that, don't worry. I usually just down a bottle of water and remember that I'm still alive). The lyrics of this song just got to me and gave me the power to finish my workout. And it's very badass. Very kick ass (although by the end of the song I feel as if I just got my assed kicked). I also listen to this song while reading some of my Vampire Academy books; to me, it's Rose's theme song.

 

3. Controle by Shy'm: Shy'm my English speaking friends, is a singer from France. I first discovered her last year while researching French songs for a performance I had to do. After continuously listening to Je Suis Moi (I Am Me) for what seemed like forever, I ventured and found some more of her amazing songs (Et Alors is totally my French Diva song). When I heard Controle for the first time I found it very clubby, but at the same time, dancing (terribly) along with the song. I always play this song for my warm ups :)

 

4. Danse by TAL and Flo Rida: Flo Rida isn't my favourite artist, rapper or person in the world, but TAL is mine, so this song is definitely on my list. This song is very pop-y and I love it. I dance very badly to this song as well. But it pumps me up for working out, and is another one of my warm up songs! :)

 

5. Magnetic by Jessie J: This song is from the City of Bones soundtrack. When I heard Demi was on it, I was like, "Oh gosh, why?" but when I listened to her song, I found out that I liked it a lot. So Googled the soundtrack and found Jessie was on it, that's when I got REALLY excited. When I heard this song, I was like CLACE FEELS! And then I just had to make it part of my workout playlist.

 

6. Sexy Back by Justin Timberlake: I think it's pretty obvious as to why this song is on my playlist. It's Justin Timberlake.

 

7. Applause by Lady Gaga: I could NOT help but put this on my playlist. A lot of people I know don't really like this song, but I just do. I don't know, the lyrics maybe? I know I love the chorus very much :)

 

8. Burn by Ellie Goulding: This is the song I use for my cool down stretches. I love the reggae vibe and it just gets me in a happy mood :)

 

Well, that's it for me this Monday! Hopefully I don't get lazy later on in the week and ACTUALLY post my first book review really soon. I hope this was a good post and you guys got a chance to add some more songs onto your iPods :)

 

And for my Canadian pals out there, did you here about that new talk show The Social? Usually I don't really update myself on those types of shows, but I'm a fan of ETalk and I'm actually really excited to watch the first episode and see what it's really about!

 

Follow me on twitter @VACanadaNews or @missyallydums97 and have a great long weekend guys! Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Fangirl Friday: Falco da Padova from The Secrets of Eternal Rose Series

Last week, I was lucky to get a reply from actor/dancer Nate Shaw who was willing to do an impromptu interview with me on twitter, but alas, my luck has run out and unfortunately I wasn't able to get a reply from anyone! (Conor Maynard, Dominic Sherwood, Ed Holcroft, and Michael Fjordbak, I'm looking at you!).

Falco da Padova (portrayed in the book trailer)

Instead, I decided to feature Falco da Padova, a character from one of my new favourite YA Historical Trilogy, Secrets of the Eternal Rose! The trilogy currently consists of Venom and Belladonna, with the final book Starling coming out on March 20th, 2014.

The series revolves around Cassandra 'Cass' Caravello, a fifteen year old noble woman from Venice, Italy currently living on a tiny island outside of the famous city- surrounded by a graveyard. Her parents are dead, her fiancé Luca da Peraga is in France studying law, and her best friend Liviana Greco has just died. She meets Falco da Padova, a swoon-worthy artist with a knack for getting into trouble by chance.

Together, they embark in a series of adventures to solve Jack-the-Ripper like crimes while learning more about the real Venice and it's dirty and dark secrets. As the series continues, their relationship changes drastically as Cass seems destined to live her life putting her feelings aside and making decisions based on what's better for everyone else, and Falco is on his way to become a true artist.

The trilogy is currently on it's second book, Belladonna, right now and (without giving any spoilers) has left all the characters walking on a tight rope relationship wise. Although the trilogy is at its climax at the moment, one thing is for sure: Falco is a constant throughout all three books, and spices up the story line by bringing his Italian Renaissance mysterious-ness and hotness!

Michael Fjordbak as Falco da Padova
 

So here's a bit of info about Mr. Mysterious and Sexy himself, Falco da Padova!

• He is seventeen years old
• He has curly brown hair and eyes as blue as the Adriatic
• He is an artist; he loves to paint and draw
• He has a scar underneath his right eye
• He was born outside of Padua, Italy

What makes this fictional character worthy of today's Fangirl Friday? Well, other than his ability of being super hot, he's totally sarcastic and to the point!

He tells it like it is, and if you don't get it, he'll tease you relentlessly! Despite being born in the 1500s and fictional, he is totally down-to-earth and doesn't really think much for the luxurious life. He understands that no matter what social standing your from, there are pros and there are cons!

Falco also has a little bit of a bad boy side: he get's into fist fights, drinks and was once a tomb raider (yeah, he totally gives Laura Croft a run for her money!). But what makes his character so amazing is that all his layers (yes, even that annoying part of him that he keeps guarded) makes him a relatable and likable character (Luca fans, give me a sec here).

Sure, he's a bad boy that's too mysterious for his good; sure, he may pull at the heartstrings of all the women around him; sure, he may be annoying as hell sometimes; and sure, he may not be a stable guy. However all of those flaws make him real character and make him a real person. Cass may be the narrator of the trilogy, but Falco is definitely the heart. He's a guy with a shady past who tries his hardest to make things right. He may not be reliable and stable as Luca, but he is a hero in his own right.

FAVOURITE QUOTE:

 

"Let me go," she said. "Or I'll scream"

Falco released her. "Please, not that again. My head still hurts from the last time." (Venom)

 

FAVOURITE SCENE: When Falco and Cass see each other for the first time in Belladonna

 

FAVOURITE QUALITY: His sarcastic sense of humor. For example, the graveyeard conversation at the beginning of Venom:

 

"I discovered a dead body." Hearing the words brought back the true gravity of the situation, and panic shot through her all over again. She hugged her arms across her body to keep form trembling.

 

Falco laughed tersely. He made a sweeping motion with his hand. "Of course you have, my dear. We are literally surrounded by the dead."