Graduation Happiness Giveaway!!

YOU GUYS! I totally just had the last day of my interning life yesterday and I'm still not fully comprehending the fact that I'm a doctor now!! Ok, so not officially yet, cause I still need to have the ceremony and say 'I promise' after they recite the oath of Hippocrates and all that, but all that aside: I'm FINALLY done with my internships!! And now I will get to work as a real doctor and actually start getting paid and all that wonderful stuff :)

I'm very excited and it's both scary and wonderful and I feel like running around screaming YAYYYY!!! It did make me a little sad that in order to achieve my goal I had to finish my internship cause I was having a really good time working there! And now comes the REALLY scary part where I'll actually have to apply for a job....

But in honour of my graduation happiness I wanted to do a giveaway, cause you know, you guys have been reading my ramblings about being a medical intern and all that and I wanted to give a little something back.

Oh, and I'm gonna buy myself a bucketload of books to celebrate with (cause I celebrate every achievement by buying books :)), if you have any recommendations as to what I should order/pre-order, let me know!

Without further ado:

**GIVEAWAY!!**
-One book of your choice up to 15 euros sent via the Book Depository
-Open internationally, everywhere the Book Depository ships to (check out the list here)
-Required: be a blog follower
-If under 13 you have to have approval from a parent/legal guardian
-Open from March 31st to April 14th 2012
-The winner will be contacted through e-mail as well as announced on the blog
-The winner will have 48 hours to get back to me with the book of their choice, if there's no response after 48 hours I will pick another winner
-That's it, go enter! What are you waiting for?

Review of The International Kissing Club by Ivy Adams

Title/Author: The International Kissing Club by Ivy Adams
Publisher/Date published: Walker Books for Young Readers, January 17th 2012
How I got this book: received it from the publisher through NetGalley

Goodreads summary: "Piper, Cassidy, Mei, and Izzy have been best friends their whole lives. And they've always agreed on one goal: to get out of tiny Paris, Texas, and see the world. The school's foreign exchange program seems like the perfect escape: Piper will go to the original Paris; Mei will go to China; Cassidy will go to Australia; and Izzy, unable to afford the program, will stay at home. To add spice to their semester away, and to stay connected to their best friends, the girls start The International Kissing Club, a Facebook page where they can anonymously update one another and brag about all the amazing guys they're meeting. After all, these girls are traveling abroad: amazing guys abound at every turn! But sometimes fun, flirty vacation flings turn into more serious romances, and sometimes you don't return from abroad the same person you were. Will the girls' relationships - and their friendships - be able to survive?"

Did you know Ivy Adams is a pseudonym for the writing team Emily McKay, Shellee Roberts and Tracy Deebs? Cause it is. And these 3 lovely ladies have written an absolutely cute novel together!

I totally had a smile on my face the whole time I was reading The International Kissing Club! And seriously, just knowing I was reading a book called The International Kissing Club totally made my day! Cause how awesome would it be to have a club like that?? I would have LOVED that as a teen!
Before starting this one I had been reading a couple of books that weren't really working out for me and this one brought my fun back :)

I LOVED reading about the friendship between these 4 girls! Probably because my group of girl friends from college also consists of 4 girls and it's so recognizable! The dynamics were wonderful to read about and I loved that these girls know each other so well.
Also, there are four different point of views we're reading from, but it was always perfectly clear whose chapter it was because they had really well defined voices! Definitely brownie points to the authors for that cause it's not always the case with these kinds of books!

Of course there is a lot going on that I was expecting to happen, because of course all four girls are going to be having a love interest. And I could see the mistakes the girls made coming from miles away. But none of this made me enjoy The International Kissing Club any less! All four of the lovestories were incredibly sweet and I only wish we didn't have to switch POV all the time cause I enjoyed each of the stories and just wanted to spend more time with the characters and their boys.

Also, I'm BEGGING the authors to write a sequel because I am So not done spending time with these girls and I'm DYING to find out what's going to happen with these mostly holiday romances!
This was such a cute read and it was exactly what I needed at the moment. Definitely recommended when you need something light to just relax with!

My rating: 4,5 stars

Review of A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

Title/Author: A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
Publisher/Date published: Bloomsbury, first published in 2007
How I got this book: bought it 3 years ago (it almost made the Top Ten Tuesday list of books collecting dust on my shelf)
Why I read this book: it fit nicely into a challenge from the College Students group and I always meant to read it anyway.

Goodreads summary: "Set like its predecessor in war-torn Afghanistan, A Thousand Splendid Suns uses that tumultuous backdrop to render the heroic plight of two women of different generations married to the same savagely abusive male. Born out of wedlock, Mariam was forced to marry 40-year-old Rasheed when she was only 15. Then, 18 years later, her still childless husband angrily takes an even younger wife. Hosseini renders the story of Mariam and her "sister/daughter," Laila, with persuasive detail and consummate humanity. Their abject situation leaves them no emotional space for idle philosophizing; their resistance is from the very core of their being."

I've heard people rave about Hosseini's books, both the Kite Runner and this one. And while I haven't read the Kite Runner, I can honestly say that this one deserves the praise. My copy had 387 pages and the story never once seemed to drag. I immediatley felt connected to Mariam.

From a young age, she hasn't had an easy life. And it doesn't really get better for her. I was SOO rooting for her to find happiness and someone to love who she wouldn't be taken away from. I felt she had such a big heart and so much love to give, but was never given the chance. Mariam is a really strong woman, she's faced every hardship coming her way and she really is someone to look up to.
***SPOILER ALERT, light up to read***
OMG, I cried when she was executed! She was so brave and such a beautiful person. I so wanted her and Laila's escape to work and for Mariam to finally get a break.
**END of spoiler***

I don't know very much about Afghanistan as a country. I know about the war and I know what's shown on television, but that's not what makes a country the way it is. This book has shown me its history and the daily life of someone who lives there and I really appreciate the view from this point.

The romance between Laila and Tariq was beautiful. I also really enjoyed the slowly developing friendship between Laila and Mariam, both brave women that find a way to make a life together, even with an abusive husband.

I loved the quote the book's title refers to:
"One could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs, or the thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls."
Beautiful.

I absolutely loved this book, for me it lived up to the hype and I immediately passed it on to my mother, who I'm sure will enjoy it as well.

My rating: 5 stars

Review of My Ruthless Prince by Gaelen Foley

Title/Author: My Ruthless Prince (The Inferno Club #4) by Gaelen Foley
Publisher/Date published: Avon Books, January 1st 2012
How I got this book: received it from the publisher through NetGalley

Goodreads summary: "The Inferno Club: To London Society, they’re notorious for their scandalous pursuits. In private, these warriors would risk their lives for king and country.
His brother warriors fear the Earl of Westwood has turned traitor, but Emily Harper knows this is impossible for the man she has loved since childhood... as impossible as a marriage between them could ever be — she, the gamekeeper’s daughter and he, a bold and adventurous nobleman.
Driven by hatred and revenge, Westwood is playing a deadly game of deception, bent on destroying the enemy’s dark conspiracy from the inside, and he’s furious when Emily plunges herself into danger for his sake. Forced into close quarters, their long-suppressed desire explodes into all-consuming passion.
Emily knows her love can save him... but Westwood is a man who doesn’t want to be saved."

I enjoyed the previous book in this series, My Irresistible Earl, though I did have some moments when I thought WTF??? And I really liked seeing the characters I had met in the that book again in My Ruthless Prince.

While I was reading this book I was considering DNF-ing it a lot of the time, cause for some reason, the story just didn't grab me. I wasn't really excited for Emily and Drake and their romance. And I think what bothered me the most that in all reality both of them would probably have been killed cause they had some serious too-stupid-to-live moments. I get SO annoyed when that happens!

I mean, sure Emily is being brave by going after Drake after he's disappeared, but really, she's a woman going into a whole castle full of dangerous men. Of course this is a brilliant idea... And Drake doesn't seem to grasp the fact that maybe he should put aside this whole save-the-world-on-my-own complex he has and just stop acting stupid.

I know I sound really negative, but I was just annoyed by a lot of what was going on. I mean, I liked that both Emily and Drake are hugely loyal, both to each other and to other people, but sometimes loyalty isn't the be all that ends all, you know?
I also liked that they had history together and this was definitely NOT a case of insta-love, it's been coming for years. I really liked that and I enjoyed reading about those moments in their past.

Also, a slight warning to people just looking for a sweet romance novel, there is also some violence going on and some blood being shed. Just to give you a heads up.

There was enough in this book to like for me to finish it, but just barely.
My rating: 2 stars

TGIF at GReads! (4)

TGIF is an original meme hosted by the lovely Ginger @ GReads!
Each week she posts another fun question for the blogosphere to ponder over :)

This Friday's Question:
Bookish Trends: What are some bookish trends you are noticing in the literature world today? Is there a particular trend you'd like to see more of?

A trend I've been noticing in YA is the appearance of mermaids and sirens. Mermaids and sirens are the new vampires and werewolves ;) I LOVE this trend, I've been fascinated with mermaids ever since I watched The Little Mermaid as a kid (I SO wanted to be Ariel!).

Also, as my buddy Alexa mentioned in her post: strong female characters. Of course I am loving this trend as well! I like my characters wellrounded and while I also appreciate the pure kickbutting thing that some have going on, the characters that I really love are the ones that also have a sensitive side.

What I'd really like to see more of is main characters in their late teens/early twenties, more college-aged characters. It's not really a trend, but I would like to see more of it ;)

What are things that have caught your attention? Or anything you're wishing to appear in books more often?
Happy Friday! :D

Review of The Invisible Tower by Nils Johnson-Shelton

Title/Author: The Invisible Tower (Otherworld Chronicles #1) by Nils Johnson-Shelton
Publisher/Date published: HarperCollins, January 3rd 2012
How I got this book: received it from the publisher through NetGalley

Goodreads summary: "Part of the spell has already been broken.
The first stones have begun to crumble.
In Artie Kingfisher’s world, wizards named Merlin, fire-breathing dragons, and swords called Excalibur exist only in legends and lore — until the day his video game Otherworld springs to life.
You are special, Arthur,
Says the mysterious message in his game.
In one week’s time you will come to me at the it.
Cryptic clues lead Artie to a strange place called the Invisible Tower, where he discovers that nothing in his life is as it seems. Artie is none other than King Arthur, brought to life in the twenty-first century. Artie has won the battle in the virtual Otherworld — now the key to saving the real Otherworld lies in his hands as well.
Green dragons, hungry wolves, powerful sorcerers — suddenly Artie must battle them all as he wields Excalibur and embarks on a quest worthy of the Knights of the Round Table. With his sister, Kay, by his side, Artie steps into the Otherworld — straight toward his destiny."

This was a pretty sweet book. I was really interested in reading this one because I LOVE everything about the Arthurian legend. I'll admit it, I'm an Arthur junkie. And a modern twist with a video game entering into it sounded really exciting :)

And it was a sweet book and I thought how Johnson-Shelton incorporated the myth into The Invisible Tower was pretty good in my opinion. It had enough of the original thing and also a definite touch from the author.

Things happen with enough speed to keep me interested but it wasn't so fast it felt rushed. I was however a bit shocked at some of the stuff happening, I mean, I thought this was a children's book and it had some pretty gruesome stuff in it that would have scared me as a kid. I mean, I know the original story is not without major shedding of blood, but I hadn't expected it in The Invisible Tower so much.

The characters were nice, I really liked that Kay, Artie's sister, was a major part of the action and not just a sidekick. I really liked the familybonds! There's some real love between the siblings and their father and I loved it! And I really liked the supporting characters, they were so cute! I am sort of questioning one major characters motives, but I can't tell you who because I might spoil something...

While there The Invisible Tower definitely had some really good qualities, I didn't feel very excited while reading it. I'm not exactly sure why that is, but I didn't really feel the urge to keep reading. I do think this is a fun way for kids to learn about the Arthurian legend, though I'm still partial to the original tale (which scared the crap out of me as a kid, good times).

My rating: 3 stars

Top Ten Books On My Spring TBR List!

As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and that's me you see being featured there this week :)

You guys! It's the first day of spring today!! And what better way to kick off this season which means bye-bye to the nasty cold (a girl can hope right?) than to break out a list with the exciting books coming out between March 20th and June 21st 2012??

I'm doing new releases, but of course it can also be books that are already out, cause a TBR list is just the books you're wanting/hoping to read.

To give you fair warning: you guys know I can never seem to play by the rules right?

1. Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin: the cover for this one is absolutely gorgeous and I've heard people who've been lucky enough to get an ARC gush about it so much I can't wait to read it!

2. Grave Mercy by R.L. LaFevers: it's about NUNS who are ASSASSINS! Enough said really.

3. A Breath of Eyre by Eve Marie Mont: I LOVE Jane Eyre, so this girl falling right into the story is my dream!

4. Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore: I know, I still need to read Fire, but I couldn't resist pre-ordering the shiny new book that will be Bitterblue! I adored Cashore's writing in Graceling and I'm sure I'll love this one as well, I've been hearing nothing but wonderful things about Bitterblue!

5. Until I Die by Amy Plum: the second book in the Revenant series, I absolutely LOVED Die For Me when I read it last year and I can't wait to see what happens next for Kate and Vincent. And the cover is just gorgeous!

6. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo: YAY NEW FANTASY AUTHOR! I'm really excited about this one, it's supposed to be really good, I can't wait to read it! :) The main character sounds like she'll kick some major behind and I love it when my heroines do that!

7. Of Poseidon by Anna Banks: MERMAIDS! I have a thing for mermaids. And this book sounds amazing!

8. Revived by Cat Patrick: cause really, how could I resist a book that has a main character called Daisy? And one that doesn't sound like she's simpering in a corner for a change?!

9. Struck by Jennifer Bosworth: a girl who is struck by lightning all the time and survives and has strange powers and such. Call me fascinated!

10. The sequels I couldn't all fit into this Top Ten (see, told you I cheat): AKA Black Heart by Holly White (this series is THE awesome!), Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter (I really enjoyed the Goddess Test, yay Greek Mythology!), Dreamless by Josephine Angelini (I was DEVASTATED at the end of Starcrossed! And again: YAY MYTHOLOGY!)

So that's my list, I actually went a little crazy and pre-ordered almost all of these... :) What are you all planning to read this spring? Any exciting books I should know about? I'm always looking to add books to my TBR list, so let me know what I forgot/should definitely order as well!