Review: Pity Isn't An Option - Jessica Brooks

Pity Isn't An Option by Jessica Brooks
Series: Cozenage (#1)

Publication Date: February 5th, 2013

Pages: 334

Age Group: Young Adult

Source: Got it from the Making Connections group on Goodreads in exchange for an honest review

Synopsis

Seventeen year-old Jonas Norton is trying to come to terms with what his blood disorder has robbed from him, including his two most favorite things: basketball, and competing in Hatchet Racket, Wanless’ annual hatchet-throwing contest. The facts that his father works constantly to pay for his blood tests and Jonas can actually see the disappointment in his eyes for being such a failure only make matters worse. And even worse than all of that? Jonas' own twin brother, Micah, is perfectly healthy and becoming quite the basketball player. Also, Hattie, the girl Jonas has loved for forever? She has no idea how he feels.

Sixteen year-old Hattie Akerman lives down the hill from Jonas. Though her father, Heath, tries to hide his lack of mental clarity behind the bottle and she's pretty much given up on having any kind of relationship with him, she would still rather her younger sister, Lucy, not have to deal with the consequences of his behavior. Hattie helps her mother by baking food to sell at Market and looking out for Lucy. No matter what the rest of the town says about her crazy father, Jonas sticks up for them. He is, by far, her very best friend.

As if things aren’t complicated enough already, Heath and Micah are unexpectedly drafted into President Kendrick's army (an army from which no one ever returns) just days before Thanksgiving. When Heath disappears instead of arriving at the Meeting Place to check in, Hattie and Jonas decide they’ve had enough, and take matters into their own hands. And though nothing could have prepared them for what happens next, Hattie and Jonas learn that hope can be seen in every situation. You just have to know where to look.

One of the things I liked the most about this book were the main characters! They were beautifully written, they sounded real and were very likeable! The secondary characters were also very unique and they all had distinguishable traits and interesting back stories.

I also think that the world was very believable and so was the way people reacted to the government.

In my opinion the story moves really slow and only in the last quarter of the book something really exciting happens! The rest of the book shows more the daily life of the people and their struggles (especially the main characters) so when Heath disappears after he was drafted, Jonas and Hattie come up with a plan that was quite entertaining and I found myself rooting for them to be successful! 

The ending isn't very happy but even though it is a bit of an open ending it leaves you with a sense of closure. I would still love to read a sequel and perhaps get to know the characters even more.

All in all, I think this is a great contribution to the dystopian genre. The world and the characters are very well thought out but the pace can be extremely slow in the beginning.

Where you can find it:

Amazon (this is an affiliate link which means that if you buy anything from here, I get a small comission without any extra charges for you)
Smashwords

Feature and Follow Friday #2

This meme is hosted by Alison Can Read and Parajunkee's View and the idea is to gain new followers and make new friends! :)

This week's featured blogs are The Whimsical Mama and I Read, Ergo I Write. Go check them out!

If you could only have ONE – one book – for the rest of your life. Don’t cheat…what would it be?

Okay, this is a tough one...I'm a very indecisive person and it's hard for me to commit to a book forever!! But if I really have to choose I'll have to go with Harry Potter! Now, which one? I'm thinking Deathly Hallows. I like when we find out things from some characters past and I just adore the epilogue! Yes, it would definitely be Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows! :)

But really, anyway you follow is good! :)

It's GIVEAWAY time!!

I was inspired by Book Hounds and I Am A Reader, Not a Writer!'s giveaway hop...unfortunately I didn't get to sign up...

So I decided to do my little Book To Movie Giveaway! :)

I'll be giving away an e-copy (epub or mobi) of a book that will be turned into a movie in 2014! You can choose from the options below:

                                 
                                 

If the book is part of a series you can choose one of the other books from that series (if it's already been published)

Rules:

• Prize: One (1) ebook copy of one of the books above;
• Open internationally;
• Fill the rafflecopter below (or click the link of the rafflecopter doesn't show up);
• This giveaway ends on September 4th, at 12 a.m (WEST - Western European Summer Time);
• I will contact the winner by email, if I don't get a reply in 48 hours, another winner will be picked (don't forget to check the spam folder!);

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Top Ten Tuesday #5

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme in which we make lists about a certain topic. This meme is hosted at The Broke and the Brokish

This week's topic is Top Ten Favourite Secondary Characters! So, in order of preference (I know, it's usually in no particular order, but oh well...)

10) Isaac from The Fault in Our Stars: I loved his character! And the relationship he had with Gus and Hazel was amazing! He made me laugh and he made me cry...

9) Steve from Eleanor & Park: Okay, I probably need to explain this one a little bit...I don't think he was mean on purpose, I think that he just didn't understand how what he said could hurt someone. Besides, he did help Eleanor in the end. 

8) The Colonel from Looking for Alaska: What can I say...I love that little firecracker! He was loyal to his friends and really smart!

7) Park's parents from Eleanor & Park: I thought their relationship was adorable and how after all those years they were still completely in love! And I really liked how worried they were about Eleanor and how they tried to help her.

6) Patrick from The Perks of Being a Wallflower: I loved how he seemed to genuinely care about Charlie and hung out with him even if there was quite an age difference (it was just 3 or 4 years, but since they were teenagers...3 or 4 years makes a huge difference). I also thought he was really entertaining. Plus, I think Ezra did a great job on the movie!

5) Candy from Call Me Crazy: That crazy old lady is probably one of the funniest characters ever written! She was witty, inappropriate and really crazy! Besides, she did care about Tally!

4) Rue from The Hunger Games: She was so sweet and really brave! Her friendship with Katniss was really adorable and the flowers scene made me so emotional!

3) Hagrid from Harry Potter: That lovely half-giant! He was so loyal to Harry and Dumbledore. He was also very misunderstood by a lot of people...especially when they found out about the giant thing but he was always nice to people. 

2) Cinna from The Hunger Games: He was always there for Katniss and he was a great friend. Besides I loved how he used every opportunity he had fight the Capitol. He also seemed really smart!

And finally...

1) Dobby from Harry Potter: I know that a lot of people might be shocked about this being my all-time favourite secondary character but I just love him! He was loyal, he always tried to help Harry and his friends and was just adorable! His death is probably one of the saddest things ever and it was the one I had the hardest time accepting!

What are your favourite secondary characters? :)

Cover Wars #5: Warm Bodies (US vs. Portugal)

Cover Wars is a feature where I'll show different covers for the same book and choose the one I like the most. I got this idea from Sammee at I Want To Read That, you should definitely check her cover wars! :)

I didn't realize it had been so long since my last cover war! So, to celebrate my return from the dead (figuratively speaking!!) this week's war is going to be about Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion. :)

I know that the Portuguese cover is also used in America! I still like the first one way better! It's simpler and it would get my attention much faster than the Portuguese one.

What do you guys think? :)

A-Z Bookish Survey

I got this idea from Jamie at The Perpetual Page-Turner

Author you’ve read the most books from:

Apparently the author I read the most is João Aguiar. I read his entire series of "O Bando dos Quatro" which is kind of a Portuguese version of The Famous Five by Enid Blyton

Best Sequel Ever:

Does The Chamber of Secrets count? Yes, I am going to go with Harry Potter!

Currently Reading:

Right now I am reading The Seven Gifts by John Mellor and Pity Isn't An Option by Jessica Brooks.

Drink of Choice While Reading:

I actually don't like drinking anything while I read, so the answer is nothing.

E-reader or Physical Book?

I am a huge fan of physical books! Although I can see the benefits of e-readers I will always choose a physical copy of possible.

Fictional Character You Probably Would Have Actually Dated In High School:

Considering that I finished high school about a year ago I can very well say that I couldn't (and still can't) get a boyfriend even if my life depended on it so there's no character that would have been attracted to my total lack of appeal...but I would have probably had a crush on Augustus Waters! :)

             Glad You Gave This Book A Chance:

My Best Friend's Girl by Dorothy Koomson. I was in a vampire phase at the time and this book opened my horizons to other genres :)

Hidden Gem Book:

The Art Kids by Kate Spofford

Important Moment in your Reading Life:

I've always been an avid reader ever since I learned how to read but when I was about 15/16 I discovered Tumblr and I started reading considerably less. In the beginning of this school year I started reading a lot again! :)

Just Finished:

The last book I finished was The Art Kids too.

Kinds of Books You Won’t Read:

I refuse to read erotica. I just don't feel comfortable at all.

Longest Book You’ve Read:

Definitely Brisingr by Christopher Paolini.

Major book hangover because of:

Either Harry Potter or The Hunger Games!

Number of Bookcases You Own:

I own only one bookcase with three big shelves and then I have several stacks of books piled around the house (I am not a very organised person haha) 

One Book You Have Read Multiple Times:

Death in Venice by Thomas Mann. Ironically, I don't think I've ever read the whole book. I usually skip the first chapters, other times I skip chapters in the middle :3

Preferred Place To Read:

I really love reading in bed. It's so comfy and warm in the winter and not too warm in the summer!

Quote that inspires you/gives you all the feels from a book you’ve read: 

There's this quote on my Portuguese copy of Death In Venice that says "E, recostado, com os braços pendentes, subjugado e percorrido por frequentes calafrios, murmurou num sussurro a fórmula eterna do desejo - impossível aqui, absurda, abjecta, ridícula e, contudo, sagrada e, apesar de tudo, venerável: «Amo-te!»". In English it means "He leaned back, with hanging arms, quivering from head to foot, and quite unmanned he whispered the hackneyed phrase of love and longing-impossible in these circumstances, absurd, abject, ridiculous enough, yet sacred too, and not unworthy of honour even here: «I love you!»"

Reading Regret:

I regret how little I read between the ages of 16 and 18...

Series You Started And Need To Finish(all books are out in series):

There aren't any series that I need to finish right now...

Three of your All-Time Favorite Books:

Choose any three from the Harry Potter series and you'll have my favourites! 

Unapologetic Fangirl For:

Not very surprisingly...Harry Potter. :)

Very Excited For This Release More Than All The Others:

I think it might be To All The Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

Worst Bookish Habit:

I have a bit of a tendency to let my eyes dart to the end of the page, especially when something exciting is happening. I'm also a bit lazy sometimes and I get in these laziness-driven reading slumps...

X Marks The Spot: Start at the top left of your shelf and pick the 27th book

Paper Towns by John Green :)

Your latest book purchase:

Going Vintage by Lindsey Leavitt

ZZZ-snatcher book (last book that kept you up WAY late): 

I think it might have been Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins! :)

P.S: Everything seems to be finally working well! 

Sorry guys!!

This is just a quick post to apologize to you for the lack of posts. I have been trying to post in the last couple of days but blogger has been glitching! 

I will try to find out what is wrong with this and I'll try to get it fixed as soon as possible! :)

Waiting on Wednesday #5

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event  hosted at Breaking The Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating!

My pick this week is Hurt by Tabitha Suzuma (September 5, 2013)

Why? is the burning question on everyone’s lips. Why would a guy like Mathéo Walsh want to die? At seventeen, he is Britain’s most promising diving champion. He is a heartthrob, a straight A student and lives in one of the wealthiest areas of London. He has great mates and is the envy of everyone around him. And most importantly of all, he is deeply in love with his girlfriend, Lola. He has always been a stable, well-adjusted guy...

Until one weekend. A weekend he cannot seem to remember. All he knows is that he has come back a changed person. One who no longer knows how to have fun, no longer wants to spend time with his friends, no longer enjoys diving. Something terrible happened that weekend – something violent and bloody and twisted. He no longer knows who he is. He no longer trusts himself around people: he only wants to hurt, wound and destroy. Slowly, he begins to piece back the buried, fragmented memories, and finds himself staring at the reflection of a monster.

Tormented, Mathéo suddenly finds himself faced with the most devastating choice of his life. Keep his secret, and put those closest to him in terrible danger. Or confess, and lose Lola forever...


I think this sounds quite intersting and I'm rather intrigued about what happened on that weekend! Besides, look at that face! I have said it before and I'll say it again...don't you just want to hug him? I know I do! (Again, if someone has nay idea who this majestic creature is, please let me know :3)

What do you guys think? And what are you waiting for this week? :)

Top Ten Tuesday #4

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme in which we make lists about a certain topic. This meme is hosted at The Broke and the Brokish

This week's topic is "Top Ten Favorite Books With X Setting". I decided to do my top ten favourite books set in Europe! In no particular order:

 

1) The Harry Potter series - J.K. Rowling: Even though this magical world doesn't exist (or does it?) it is technically located somewhere in the UK! And besides no list is complete without Harry Potter!

2) The Cherub series - Robert Muchamore: I have to admit that I haven't read them all (even though one my flat mates has the whole collection in our flat...). I think that the idea that the British secret services has a team of children spies quite original.

3) The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson: I haven't gotten around to read the rest of the books in the series but I just loved this one! It takes place in Sweden and it's full of action and mystery. Plus, the main female character is such a badass!

4) Twisted Wing - Ruth Newman: This one takes place in England (it says Ariel College in Cambridge...I am assuming it's in England). It's very dark and full of really unexpected plot twists! It is my go-to book when I want to exemplify a book with a somewhat "not completely true" blurb that actually works in favour of the story.

 5) Goodnight, Beautiful - Dorothy Koomson: This one is set in England (and the author mentions Portugal a couple of times! ^_^). It's heartbreakingly beautiful. Dorothy Koomson is really good at making me cry...

6) My Best Friend's Girl - Dorothy Koomson: This one is also set in England and just like the previos one makes me sob and cry like a 3-year-old who was denied candy...

7) The Fault In Our Stars - John Green: Okay, I am cheating a little bit on this one...it is mainly set on the US but they do go to Amsterdam! This is at the same time cute and heartbreaking. I just love it!

8) Death in Venice - Thomas Mann: This one is set mainly in Venice (not surprising). It's weird how I have read this book several of times but I never read it all, I always skip some pages...ususally the first couple of chapters. There's this quote that I just adore but it sounds better on my old Portuguese (I think it's actually Brazilian...) copy of this book.

9) A Lua de Joana - Maria Teresa Maia Gonzalez: There isn't a version of this book in english...the title can be translated to "Joana's moon". It is refering to this swing that the main character, Joana, had on her bedroom that was shaped like a moon and you could change it so that it would represent all its different phases. I read this book when I was about 10 or 11 and it was very shocking. It takes place in Portugal (if I remember correctly) and the story is told through letters that Joana writes to her friend Marta, who had recently died from a drug overdose. Apparently the teenagers are a bit cliché (according to people who read the book when they were a bit older), but I didn't know that at 11. The ending was one of the biggest plot twists ever and it made me cry.

10) The Maias - Eça de Queirós: This one is a Portuguese classic that I had to read for class a couple of years ago. At first I was a bit scared because there's this joke saying how the author spends the first 100 pages describing just the house! (No, but really, he does spend about 3 pages describing the house...). It takes place in Lisbon on the second half of the 19th century. It is interesting, amusing and a great critique of the rich Portuguese society at that time

What do you think of my picks? What is your list about?

Cover Wars #4: Thirteen Reasons Why (US vs. Portugal)

Cover Wars is a feature where I'll show different covers for the same book and choose the one I like the most. I got this idea from Sammee at I Want To Read That, you should definitely check her cover wars! :)

In honor of me finding a library that apparently has the kind of books that I want to read in the city where I study (Yay!!) this week's cover war is going to be about Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. And why that book, do you ask? Well, I found the library's website and I randomly selected a book to search for on their catalog. That book happened to be Thirteen Reasons Why (and they also happened to have that book...there's only one copy though...)

                  

I think that, in this case, I do like the US one best. Even though the Portuguese one has something more to do with the story, I think the US one is prettier and more mysterious! :)

What do you guys think? Which one do you like the best?

Stacking the Shelves #5

Stacking The Shelves was originally created by Tynga's Reviews. The idea is for everyone to show the books they are adding to their shelves (physical copies or virtual) 

I haven't done a Stacking the Shelves in the last 2 months! O.O So this one is probably going to be huge!!

Won in giveaways:

     
My Review

Got from Netgalley:




Got from Edelweiss:



Got for review from the author:

   
My Review

Free ebooks from Amazon:



Have you read any of these books? What do you think? And what is in your shelves this week? :)

Random Acts of Kindness - July Wrap-Up

This is a monthly feature created by the lovely ladies at  Book Soulmates. The idea is to share some happiness around the bookish community by offering (and possibly receiving) books from our wishlists or other book-related gifts! :)

This month I didn't get anything but I did send one book to Becky @ Somewhere Between The Pages. I hope you liked it! :)

How did your R.A.K go?

Feature and Follow Friday #1

This meme is hosted by Alison Can Read and Parajunkee's View and the idea is to gain new followers and make new friends! :)

This week's featured blogs are The Mile Long Bookshelf and Hardcore Heroines. Go check them out!

How do you handle a book you don't like? Do you DNF or do you power through?

I don't like not finishing books so I usually try to power through it. I feel bad about not finishing something that I spent money on and I feel really guilty when I don't finish a book that I was offered, whether I was offered by the author or by someone else.

In case there is a book that I am really hating I usually put it aside and try to get back to it some time later (it can weeks, onths or years but I'll get back to it...eventually! haha)

But really, anyway you follow is good! :)

What about you? What do you do if you hate a certain book?