"Kindred" by Tammar Stein

"Miriam is an unassuming college freshman stuck on campus after her spring break plans fall through. She's not a religious girl--when pressed she admits reluctantly to believing in a higher power. Truth be told, she's about as comfortable speaking about her faith as she is about her love life, which is to say, not at all. And then the archangel Raphael pays Miriam a visit, and she finds herself on a desperate mission to save two of her contemporaries. To top it all off, her twin brother, Mo, has also had a visitation, but from the opposite end of the good-evil spectrum, which leaves Miriam to wonder--has she been blessed and her brother cursed or vice versa? And what is the real purpose behind her mission" (Actual Description)

This book sure was interesting. I did like it pretty well. I think it gets, hm... 3.75 stars? I think I'll just get over myself and round that to four stars!! It was good! I can definitely say I've never read a book with a story and plot quite like this one. Miriam's journey and life after her visit from Raphael is a complex, good one. Although, on that note, the book I think is really like Miriam's personal journey in life (after her visit from the angels), and struggle with her faith and relationships, not quite just about visits from the angels and her brother and such. That said, it's also a very religious book, which was interesting, I'd never really read a YA book with a lot of religious focus, so that was kind of new, I didn't mind though. Anyway, this is a good one. I would recommend this if you're into books with a theme of religion, angels, and also if you like a good book where the protagonist overcomes a personal struggle- which I do. Also, this book is probably more for the older end of YA, just because I don't think younger less mature readers would even really get what's going on...

To learn more about "Kindred" go to it's bit on the Random House website here, and Tammar Stein's website here.

Thank you very much Random House/Knopf for the review copy. Also, readers, receiving a review copy does not cause my to alter my review, I am unbiased, these are my real opinions people!

Books to look forward too in 2011 - Cat

Yesterday, on Twitter I posted some titles of book releases coming later this year that I'm looking forward too- whether they're part of a series, or simply because they look interesting. I also know that a lot of book blogs post books they're waiting for to come out every Wednesday, but I like keeping this site to (mainly) reviews- and I'm not sure if I'd have enough books to cover every Wednesday- so I think one post here will be sufficient.

The Book Releases for 2011 (The ones I'm looking forward too)
This list is by no means all inclusive, as the year goes by and as I think about it I'll surely have more :)
(In order of Release Date)


"Between Shades of Gray" by Ruta Sepetys
Release: March 22nd, 2011, Pre-Order on Amazon
Lina's your average 15-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941, until the Soviet officers barge into her home one night and take her dad away. Lina and her family thus embark on a journey to the coldest parts of Siberia to work in under cruel conditions in a work-camp under Stalin's order. She finds hope in art and hopes that the message of her art can reach her father in prison camp- letting him know that she and her family are still alive.
This one looks good! I'm not even completely sure why I'm drawn to it- I like historical YA stuff, but it's not my top genre or anything. It just sounds like a good book!

"Scorpia Rising: An Alex Rider Novel" by Anthony Horowitz 
Release: March  22nd, 2011, Pre-Order on Amazon
Scorpia has been after Alex his whole life, from killing his parents, to trying to make him a traitor. Now they're back- trying to mess with the middle-east."
I've been reading the Alex Rider series, starting with "Stormbreaker" since... a while ago. I think I was probably nine when I started, haha. I really like this series, and look forward to what's going to be the 9th in the series. Honestly, I didn't like "Crocodile Tears" much, however, I really think this series has time to recover (unlike, say, Maximum Ride. Favorite series, turning to fail-whale-ness :( )

"Divergent" by Veronica Roth
Release: May 3rd, 2011, Pre-Order on Amazon
In a dystopian society set in Chicago, people are divided into five factions: Candor (the honest), Dauntless (the brave), Abnegation (the self-less), Erudite (the intelligent), and Amity (the peaceful). All sixteen-year-olds are to chose their factions, that they will follow for the rest of their lives, on a certain day. Beatrice makes a decision that surprises everyone. She also harbors a secret, one that might save the one's she loves, or everyone else, while society begins to seemingly unravel- or it could destroy her.
I'm starting to really enjoy Dystopias. It's kind of alarming that it's becoming such a big trend in YA Fiction, but still, I really enjoy Dystopias. (Example: "Matched" by Ally Condie, "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins) This book also looks impressive, the cover's cool, it sounds really exciting. There's also loads of reviews on the internet already for it from people that got their hands on ARCs of it and they all seem to think it's amazing. The author sounds really cool to- this is her first published book and she's only 23. She managed to write this almost 500-page book, in college people!!!

 
"CROSSED" by Ally Condie (sequel to "Matched")
Release: November 1st, 2011, Pre-Order on Amazon
No official summary for me to paraphrase yet, and the cover isn't final, but I can't wait for this book! I really loved "Matched" and can't wait to read more about Cassia and if she finds... well actually, I shouldn't say, because if you haven't read the amazing book that is "Matched" then I don't want to spoil it for you!

Anyway, can't wait for these books to come out, and as soon as I can, I'll read and review them for you guys, our readers!