Close Ups answer - #7

We had a few busy family days and I've been away from the blogging world. I'm a little behind with the answer here.

Did you guess what this was?

 

Answer:  a daisy! 

 

 A point goes to:

bermudaonion, Lenore Webb and Kaye

Close Ups #7

Here's another close up from one of my photos. Join in by adding your guess in the comments below. Don't be afraid to try! Comments will be hidden until I reveal the answer Sunday. What do you think this is?

Close Up #7

Teaser Tuesdays

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme hosted by Miz B of Should Be Reading and asks you to :
1. Grab your current read
2. Open to a random page
3 . Share 2 "teaser" sentences also citing the title of the book and the author and in that way people can have great recommendations if they like the "teaser".
4. Please avoid spoilers!

 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
"The patch of white hairs, the stubble on my legs, the heels in need of exfoliating...nothing goes unnoticed by my lovely children. At the end of the day, as I read the boys bedtime stories, Evan inevitably focuses on my face. "What's that dot?" he will ask, pointing to the tiniest pore or a  birthmark or a chicken pox scar. One by one, he counts them like he's counting sheep, falling asleep to the comfort of my imperfections."

~page 66
Motherhood Comes Naturally (and other vicious lies) by Jill Smokler

Close Ups #6 - answer

Sorry for the delay. We had a busy weekend and the days got away from me!

Did you guess what this was?

Answer: My hammock!! The Princess and Monkey Boy are sharing a snack in my precious hammock. I don't let just anybody relax here! (Although no one ever asks either)

Thanks for the suggestion stacybuckeye!
"You know I'm hoping one of these is your hammock ;) "

A point goes to:
bermudaonion, Kaye, Allison and stacybuckeye

Close Ups #6

Here's another close up from one of my photos. Join in by adding your guess in the comments below. Don't be afraid to try! Comments will be hidden until I reveal the answer Sunday. What do you think this is?

Close Up #6

Review: Special Dead by Patrick Freivald

Surviving high school has never been so hard.

Shackled to her desk, Ani Romero has a hard time concentrating on her studies. One of eight zombie survivors of the Prompocalypse, she's back at school, but this time it's no secret. Locked in their room, flamethrower-toting soldiers watching their every move, they're tasked with homework and classes during the week, and macabre experiments on the weekend.

When the courts rule they're not human, only an appeal keeps them alive long enough to discover a cure. College applications and SATs pale under the threat of incineration, and desperation turns them into lab rats... ...but the scientists helping them have ulterior motives, and the promised cure destroys more than the virus.
(Goodreads.com)
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Review
Wow! I didn't know where this book could go after the ending of the first book but great job! I'm so curious if there could be more. I really liked the direction of the story. It gave a different take on the traditional zombie story. The scientific explanation and legal issues were interesting but not too complicated for the reader. The writing is very well done and I found it hard to believe this was a male author. The protagonist was female and very believable.

I liked the characters and empathized with them. The people that were infected weren't "monsters" or hopeless cases but had a horrible medical condition. The different relationships was also complicated and interesting. Some people were torn between how they felt about those who were infected and how they are told to feel. Obviously there is extreme danger but the undead maintained their personalities, feelings and ambitions. How can they just written off so easily by those who love them? I was very impressed by the relationship between Ani and her mother Sarah. They had a fierce, unconditional love and would do anything to protect each other.  As the leading authority on ZV (Zombie Virus), Sarah has made it her life's work to cure and save her daughter and holds many secrets.  There are authorities happy to exploit them and their very life hangs in the balance.

As in the first book I loved recognizing real places near where I live. It was creepy but exciting! This story also had plenty of action that led to another great cliff-hanger ending. Freivald has a talent for leaving the reader hungry for more. :D (Get it? I HAD to do it!)

Thank you to LibraryThing Early Reviewers for an arc ebook in exchange for my honest review.

Release date: 7/12/13
Publisher: JournalStone
Pages: 260 (paperback)
Type: YA

Review: The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau

Keep your friends close 
and your enemies closer. 

Isn’t that what they say? But how close is too close when they may be one in the same?
 The Seven Stages War left much of the planet a charred wasteland. The future belongs to the next generation’s chosen few who must rebuild it. But to enter this elite group, candidates must first pass The Testing—their one chance at a college education and a rewarding career.
Cia Vale is honored to be chosen as a Testing candidate; eager to prove her worthiness as a University student and future leader of the United Commonwealth. But on the eve of her departure, her father’s advice hints at a darker side to her upcoming studies--trust no one.
But surely she can trust Tomas, her handsome childhood friend who offers an alliance? Tomas, who seems to care more about her with the passing of every grueling (and deadly) day of the Testing. To survive, Cia must choose: love without truth or life without trust.
(Goodreads.com)
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Review
I've been enjoying the dystopian genre for awhile but I wasn't sure what could be different about this story. I was pleasantly surprised. There were many parallels to other YA titles that are popular now (The Hunger Games, Maze Runner, Divergent) but I liked those books and that's what interested me in this one. The idea of young people competing through a variety of tests is a common element but this still had twists that kept it interesting. There was plenty of action and suspense that helped the story flow and made it easy to read.

The characters were diverse although a bit predictable. Some of them appear to be "bad" people but is it their true nature or just their circumstances? Most of them are desperate to succeed, some at any expense, but failure could cost them their life. My feelings about many of the characters shifted throughout the story but I liked their mysterious nature and I'm curious to see what will happen to them throughout the series. 

Cia is the main character, a strong and mature young woman who learns from others but doesn't depend on them for everything. She loves her family and friends, has developed good morals, but everything she's always believed in is suddenly turned upside down. She has quickly learned she must keep an open mind and doubt everything and everyone. Her very life depends on it. Although at times she is almost too perfect she is still very likable. Of course there is potential romance thrown in and huge conflicts they must overcome as well. 

 I enjoyed the writer's style and look forward to the rest of the trilogy. These Testing candidates have the potential to change their world and face enormous obstacles. This won't be an easy fix! 

Independent Study (book 2) coming 1/14
Graduation Day (book 3) coming 6/14
Author
The Testing Trilogy

Thank you to Houghton Mifflin Books for Children and NetGalley (ebook) for an arc in exchange for my honest review.

Release date: 6/4/13
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
Pages: 336 (hardcover)
Type: YA dystopian