DEVVOUR BOOK REVIEW: "Devoured" by Amanda Marrone!

200 Book Challenge In 2011!

I will update more on this soon! but I thought I'd post it :)

I'll be reading 200 books in 2011! :D
I'm so freaking excited about this challenge!! OMG! <3

-Richard

Entering The Debut Author Challenge Of 2011!!

I'm excited so I hope all goes well!!! :D
I have never entered anything like this before since I barley started my blog in october but I'm excited!

The Story Siren Debut Author 2011 Challenge CLICK HERE!!

- Richard

2011 DEVVOUR New Look! YOU PICK! (CONTEST CLOSED)

I WOULD LOVE FOR YOU ALL TO VOTE ON WHICH LOGO AND LOOK YOU WANT THE NEW AND IMPROVED DEVVOUR BLOG/DEVVOURBOOKREVIEWS TO HAVE!!! PICK THE NUMBER OF THE ONE YOU LOVE AND COMMENT AT THE BOTTOM WITH THE NUMBER! I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THE MOST VOTED AND START A NEW ADVENTURE WITH MY BLOG! - RICHARD.

Top 11 Reading List For 2011!

Top 11 reading list for 2011

1. Red Riding Hood - Sarah Blakely Cartwright
2. The Vampire Diaries (Stefan’s Diaries) Volume 2: Bloodlust - L.J. Smith
3. Nightshade- Andrea Cremer
4. Wings - Aprilynne Pike
5. Infinite Days - Rebecca Maizel
6. Dead is just a rumor- Marlene Perez
7.  Dead is not an option- Marlene Perez
8. Switched - Amanda Hocking
9. Elixir - Hilary Duff
10.Reckless - Cornelia Funke
11. The Time Travelers- Lisa Buckley-Archer

DEVVOUR BOOK REVIEW: "Sisters Red" by Jackson Pearce!

I was very excited to pick this book up at the library and I couldn't wait to get home and read it like crazy and that's exactly what I did! I loved the whole fairytale retelling concept and really liked the style of writing that Jackson did with this book. The chapters being from the sisters point of views was neat because you knew what both of them thought of a situation and what they thought of each other. Silas was a very interesting character as well and the fenris were awesome! the fight scenes were executed well and I think boys would enjoy this book even though it is told by two very different girls :) the action will keep you on edge and the retelling is simply awesome! I don't understand why this book is NOT on the NYT Bestseller List like it should be compared to other un-awesome books are on the list as of now! I can't wait to read "Sweetly" by Jackson Pearce in the future but will not be picking up "As you wish" because that book is not my style of reading.I give this book 4 V's (VVVV)

SYNOPSIS:  For Scarlett and Rosie March, the world is not what it seems. Werewolves, called Fenris, live among them in the form of good-looking men who prey on pretty young girls. When a Fenris attacked the March girls, it killed their grandmother and left them emotionally and, for Scarlett, physically scarred. Since then, they have taken action and revenge. With the help of a friend, Silas, the girls are on a mission—to destroy as many Fenris as they can. This goal becomes more complicated when they try to unravel the mystery behind the pack and prevent the next "Potential" from transforming fully into a soulless, evil monster. Pearce is on the mark with this modern-day retelling of Little Red Riding Hood. Told by the sisters in alternating chapters, this well-written, high-action adventure grabs readers and never lets go.

DEVVOUR BOOK REVIEW: "Beautiful Creatures" by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl!

I heard of this novel from youtube and it's many, many... and many book reviewers. I wanted to try it out and surprisingly I was glad that I did. This was a good departure from the typical YA paranormal book. The main character "Ethan" was boring to me, but the whole storyline was decent and pretty good. I like the south-like feel and the darkness of it, and it was an ok read for me. I won't go into deep detail because of *Spoilers* but I really would have loved to LOVE this novel, but it just didn't make me go gaga and that bugs me, but there is nothing that I can do. Love Kami & Margaret but the book didn't do it for me, sadly. ** I gave this book 2 V's (VV) A book better than this: "Dream Date" by Sinclair Smith!

SYNOPSIS:  Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power, and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever. Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

1st December Giveaway! (CONTEST IS CLOSED!)

Hey everyone! I'm so happy to announce that I have a DECEMBER GIVEAWAY ready! this is the FIRST giveaway this month out of 3 this December.  

all this contest requires is a comment BELOW or on my youtube channel (Click Here!) what the comment needs to include is one number between 1-100! then I'll pick a number and if your comment has the correct number or close to it I will send you...

"Beautiful Creatures" (AUDIO BOOK) by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl!

[This is an audio book that I will send through email in MP3 format!]

CONTEST ENDS DECEMBER 8TH!!!! I WILL ANNOUNCE THE WINNER DECEMBER 9TH!

DEVVOUR BOOK REVIEW: "The Iron King" by Julie Kagawa!

Ok so I had heard all the hype surrounding this book & decided to check it out (from my library!) I liked it until I got to page 92 then It got a little dumb and unrealistic for me and I put the book down & didn't pick it up again. I personally though the storyline had been done before *the spiderwick chronicles*(which is one of my favorite series!) and it just didn't appeal to me any longer. The teenage formula used is overdone and quite insulting because not all teens act the way a couple of the mean kids act and its used every single time over and over in teen literature like it's all we know, and that sucks. I would have loved to enjoy this book but I just couldn't. sorry. I give this book 2 V's (VV) ** A book better than this: "The Spiderwick Chronicles" by Tony Deterlizzi & Holly Black!

SYNOPSIS:  Meghan Chase has a secret destiny—one she could never have imagined…

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school…or at home.

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.

But she could never have guessed the truth—that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face…and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

DEVVOUR: Black Friday Haul!

Black Friday Haul CLICK HERE!

Today was BLACK FRIDAY so I went out with my mother for a day of shopping & togetherness & found some great deals, as well as a really interesting book! CHECK OUT THE VIDEO ABOVE TO FIND OUT WHAT I GOT! - Richard

DEVVOUR: Winter Reads! Contests! & John Bellairs!

I'd just like to take time out from my busy & holiday schedule to wish everyone a happy thanksgiving!

This upcoming month of DECEMBER for Devvour is a chance to read winter-ish books! so december will be devoted to book reviews that have to do with winter-ish books & excerpt wednesdays that deal with the same! I'm really excited to also announce that DEVVOUR will have it's first CONTEST! in december as well! (more about the contest coming up soon!). I also dedicate this season of winter to the author of my favorite books JOHN BELLAIRS!

I will be doing book reviews on his books as well as an excerpt wednesday dedicated to him this december!  

I urge everyone who watches my reviews & reads my blog to pick up one of his books from your local library or simply purchase one online for cheap! they are wonderful spooky novels that will stay with you long after your done reading them as well as wanting desperately to find out what happens at the end of the books! One that I recommend for this winter is "The Lamp From The Warlock's Tomb"!

SYNOPSIS: Anthony Monday couldn't see why Miss Eells was so excited about a curious-looking oil lamp with pictures painted on the base. Little did the two of them know that the lamp they bought was stolen from the underground tomb of Willis Nightwood--a dabbler in the occult and black arts. When Anthony lights the lamp, monstrous forces are unleashed. Can Anthony and Miss Eells stop this satanic power before it destroys the world?

 

Click Here To Purchase The Book!

DEVVOUR BOOK REVIEW: "The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries" Volume 1 by L.J. Smith!

Once I heard that the CW was releasing a trio of NEW vampire diaries books I can say that I was a little wary, but after picking the first volume "Origins" up @ my local Barnes & Noble I was interested to see if it worked since I'm a huge vampire diaries fan I've been since I was 13 and I'm 22 now :D turns out! that I loved the entire book, there wasn't a dull moment & the storyline just flowed so beautifully! It is from STEFAN SALVATORE'S point of view & I'm team stefan & I freaked when I heard it was from his POV. I really hope they include the stuff used the first volume in the show such as Rosalyn Cartwright (Stefan's Fiance). I recommend it to everyone even if your not a full fan of the TV show, this is a lovely tale & I can't wait to read the second volume coming in January 2011! I gave this book 5 V's (VVVVV).

SYNOPOSIS: Set during the Civil War, against a backdrop of grand estates, unimaginable riches, and deadly secrets, three teenagers in Mystic Falls, Virginia enter a torrid love triangle that will span eternity.

Brothers Stefan and Damon Salvatore are inseparable until they meet Katherine, a stunning, mysterious woman who turns their world upside down. Siblings turned rivals, the Salvatores compete for Katherine's affection, only to discover that her sumptuous silk dresses and glittering gems hide a terrible secret: Katherine is a vampire. And she is intent on turning them into vampires so they can live together-forever.

Based on the popular CW TV show inspired by the bestselling novels, Stefan's Diaries reveals the truth about what really happened between Stefan, Damon, and Katherine—and how the Vampire Diaries love triangle began.

DEVVOUR: Barnes & Noble HAUL!

So after hearing that they were releasing a new trilogy in the "The Vampire Diaries" series based more off of the crazy popular TV show I was ecstatic on reading it! "The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries" Volume One- Origins was released November 2nd 2010 in paperback only for $9.99 everywhere! & I knew I it was a MUST to own! While @ Barnes & Noble I picked up a cute owl bookmark for $2.95 as well. I can't wait to do my review on this new & awesome book! - Richard <3

BOOK REVVIEW: "The Devouring" by Simon Holt!

I heard about this book via internet & went to my local Barnes & Noble to purchase it right away & from the first page to the end I was taken by the book! The storyline was original & fresh & the characters were realistic & believable. I loved that the author had made the story fun & spooky with adding the book's title in the book as a book they use to figure everything out. It was awesome. I recommend it to everyone & I can't wait to read the sequel "Soulstice" & "Fearscape" when I can get it! I give this book 5 V's (VVVVV)

SYNOPSIS: Reggie is a horror junkie who can't get enough of creepy movies, stories, and books, so she is naturally thrilled to stumble upon a mysterious old journal that describes the Vours, demonic beings that can enter fearful human bodies once a year. Although Reggie initially assumes the journal to be fiction, it quickly becomes clear that her timid younger brother, Henry, has actually been possessed by a Vour. Suddenly, Reggie is faced with a brother who kills his own beloved hamster and threatens her life, but she is certain that the Henry she loves is still there underneath. Although the diary gives few clues about how to actually exorcise demons, Reggie is determined to save her brother, even if it means facing unberable fears of her own. The fear-created world where Henry is stuck is remarkably creepy, built out of the most alarming imaginings of a young boy (murderous clowns, abandoning mothers, grotesquely dying children make up a few of the obstacles through which Reggie must travel to get to her brother). In addition, the intriguing local roots of the Vours, presented mostly through snippets of the desperate journal entries, add a layer of historical depth to this otherwise straightforward, modern novel. Horror fans will likely find the crsip writing, effectively relentless pacing, and haunting concept irresistible.

BOOK REVVIEW: "Vampire Academy" By Richelle Mead!

I honestly do not understand how this became a new york times bestseller! After hearing all the good reviews about it I decided to give it a try & after 58 pages It fell FLAT for me. The storyline was okay & the characters were well developed but the story telling was dragging & annoying. It's like you wanted it to hurry & get to the point & it didn't for me because I stopped reading it & took it back to the library. I didn't even speed read it like I have done with other bad novels & that's something. I had high hopes for this book & thought that I was going to love it but sadly I did not. Richelle Mead is a good writer but this book simply didn't do it for me. Also I really didn't like the main character "Rose" there was just something missing for me. I give this book 1 V (V) ***A book better than this: "The Devouring" by Simon Holt!

SYNOPSIS: Lissa Dragomir is a Moroi princess: a mortal vampire with an unbreakable bond to the earth's magic. She must be protected at all times from Strigoi; the fiercest and most dangerous vampires--the ones who never die. The powerful blend of human and vampire blood that flows through Rose Hathaway, Lissa's best friend, makes her a Dhampir; she is dedicated to a dangerous life of protecting Lissa from the Strigoi, who are hell-bent on making her one of them.

BOOK REVVIEW: "The Short Second Life Of Bree Tanner" By Stephenie Meyer!

So I actually OWN this book & I'm currently trying to rid it from my book shelf. Not because it was awful but because I don't want it anymore. I began watching the "Twilight" movies when the first came out on DVD & liked it. I knew there was a series of books and I was interested to see if I would like them. So I headed over to my local library & snatched "Twilight" off the shelf & sat at a near table to begin my adventure (Short adventure!). After the second chapter I had to put the book down & walk away. The storyline for the opposite sex characters had been done before "The Vampire Diaries" by L.J. Smith & I had read the first vampire diaries book in the 7th grade & adored it since. I stayed liking the movies (for some odd reason!) but the books I could not handle UNTIL!!!!!! "The short second life of bree tanner" hit shelves at my local walmart. I was very curious to see if this new take on the twilight story would change my mind (It did not.) but I bought the book & took it home to read. I finished it in a day & a half & actually ENJOYED it. I liked the storyline because it wasn't overused & it was from the POV of "Bree Tanner" who meets her early demise in the third installment "Eclipse". I thoroughly enjoyed the book & if Stephenie were to release further novellas from other characters POV's then I'd be on board to read. The reason I did not like the the SAGA was because of "Bella Swan" just her character alone annoyed me & made me dislike the book more than I already had. Bree's character was pretty well developed for it being such a short tale but I liked her & cannot stand Bella. I recommend this book to people who love vampires & who love the Twilight saga. I give this book 4 V's (VVVV).

SYNOPSIS: Bree Tanner, who first appeared briefly as a newborn vampire in Meyer’s Eclipse (2007), is the star of this slim partner to the megamillion-selling Twilight series. A self-described “vampire nerd,” Bree recounts her adventures as she roams Seattle fulfilling her thirst for blood (and Meyer fans’ thirst for more books). In a passionate introduction, Meyer reiterates what Eclipse readers already know: Bree has few nights left on Earth. As she joins her red-eyed coven in battle against yellow-eyed adversaries that, while foreign to Bree, will be instantly recognizable to millions of human readers, she finds her first (kissable) friend and discovers a truth about daylight. Formatted as one long, breathless chapter, this novella includes the same casual language and elements of suspense and romance found in the Twilight quartet, and interlocking characters and dialogue fit it easily into Bree and Bella’s scene in Eclipse. While Twilight fans will appreciate the story as an expansion of Bella’s world, this rapid read also stands satisfyingly alone.

BOOK REVVIEW: "Jessicas Guide To Dating On The Dark Side" By Beth Fantaskey!

So I had seen this book many times when passing the teen zone at my local Library and thought it looks and sounds lame but who knew two months later I'd be reading it. Well to make this short & easy IT SUCKED (& I tell it like it is no matter what!). The storyline was ok but the overall book was just bad. I read up to page 15 & was bored so I decided to speed read the rest just so I could say I read it... & it sucked. lol if you like fast paced (though it was fast paced it was decent for fast paced) & a storyline that sounds like a horrible B movie or a badly made abc family movie then go on and read it but I suggest not to. I give this book 2 V's (VV) ***A Book that is better than this book: "The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening" By L.J. Smith!

synopsis:  Marrying a vampire definitely doesnt fit into Jessica Packwood s senior year get-a-life plan. But then a bizarre (and incredibly hot) new exchange student named Lucius Vladescu shows up, claiming that Jessica is a Romanian vampire princess by birth and he s her long-lost fiancé. Armed with newfound confidence and a copy of Growing Up Undead: A Teen Vampire s Guide to Dating, Health, and Emotions, Jessica makes a dramatic transition from average American teenager to glam European vampire princess. But when a devious cheerleader sets her sights on Lucius, Jess finds herself fighting to win back her wayward prince, stop a global vampire war and save Lucius s soul from eternal destruction.

BOOK REVVIEW: "Beastly" By Alex Flinn!

This has to be one of my favorite books! the storyline is awesome & the characters are great. I heard about this book in 2008 when I first heard about the movie being made & quickly sped off to Barnes & Noble to pick it up a few months after I heard about the book being available in my city. I bought the paperback and fell in love with it, the cover was simple yet beautiful and the POV (point of view) of Kyle was great. besides that the Disney version which is one of my ultimate favorite movies! <3 though after reading it I searched the web for the movie details and came upon it's IMDB page & found that Vanessa Hudgens was officially cast as "Linda" & I was like wait..... "Lindy" is a dorky, pale, freckled girl. Vanessa is beautiful and brunette so I was skeptic about her playing Linda. But I ended up liking the way she was portraying her on the teaser trailer. I was happy that Mary-Kate Olsen and Neil Patrick Harris were taking on the roles of "Kendra" & "Will". What I was sort of angry about was that they changed the maids name and appearance from a Mexican woman to an African woman that goes by the name of "Zola" in the movie and the fact that "KYLE" was no longer a BEAST he just looked like a guy with a load of tattoos and scars so I was pretty angry about that. Oh and they changed Kyle's alternative name in the book from "Adrian" to "Hunter" when "Adrian" in the book means "Dark one" so I didn't get that at all. I'm hoping the movie tells the story right without kyle being a beast and all. I recommend the BOOK to everyone!!! people say if you love "Twilight" read this but seriously it's not like twilight & has nothing to do with Vampires, so that's no reason to read it. it's simply an updated version of the fairytale told in a high society's teenage way. I give this book five V's (VVVVV) ***The V's are for the deVVour name of my blog which is why it says book reVViews. I use the V's instead of stars to add a little uniqueness <3

SYNOPSIS: A beast. Not quite wolf or bear, gorilla or dog but a horrible new creature who walks upright—a creature with fangs and claws and hair springing from every pore. I am a monster. You think I'm talking fairy tales? No way. The place is New York City. The time is now. It's no deformity, no disease. And I'll stay this way forever—ruined—unless I can break the spell. Yes, the spell, the one the witch in my English class cast on me. Why did she turn me into a beast who hides by day and prowls by night? I'll tell you. I'll tell you how I used to be Kyle Kingsbury, the guy you wished you were, with money, perfect looks, and the perfect life. And then, I'll tell you how I became perfectly . . . beastly

BOOK REVVIEW: "Uninvited" By Amanda Marrone!

So one day at the Library I picked up the novel "Uninvited" By Amanda Marrone & thought HEY! this seems interesting since I LOVE vampires & all. But after the first few chapters I got super bored & skimmed through most of it just to save myself from chucking the book across the room (Though I hate damaging books!). The characters were decent but the plot had huge holes and the story was too quick and the subject of teen drinking was overdone and super un-needed and could have survived from my eyes with a stronger storyline. Since this was Amanda's debut I will not hold anything against her because my debut happens to come out soon but it could have been way better. I give this book 1 V (V) **A Book better than this: "The Dead Girlfriend" By R.L. Stine!

Synopsis: Jordan's life sucks. Her boyfriend, Michael, dumped her, slept his way through half the student body, and then killed himself. But now, somehow, he appears at her window every night, begging her to let him in. Jordan can't understand why he wants her, but she feels her resistance wearing down. After all, her life -- once a broken record of boring parties, meaningless hookups, and friends she couldn't relate to -- now consists of her drinking alone in her room as she waits for the sun to go down. Michael needs to be invited in before he can enter. All Jordan has to do is say the words... ("Uninvited" - Amanda Marrone)