The pledge by Kimberly Derting

Today I will review The Pledge by Kimberly Derting. The book is published by McElderry Books and in Spanish you can find it with the name "El Juramento" (Editorial La Galera).

The pledge was a story that I wanted to read after a chat with Meli from Lee. Sueña. Vuela and Leonel from Sueños y Palabras (both blogs are in Spanish). What was the main reason? They told me about the plot and I was like: ¡OMG I need to read it NOW!

Think about this: different segments of society, each one with a different language that noone else can know or they would die. A main character who can read, listen and not only that but UNDERSTAND every language. Perfect!

This is a dystopian book that I have found something rare...Instead of the futuristic look that I have seen in others (The hunger games, Divergent, Maze Runner, etc), in this I thought I was reading something more or less epic fantasy, and that sooner or later they would appear Lords, dragons or similars (don't worry, there are no dragons). So I decided to call this an "epic distopyan fantasy" (and I created that because I love creating things).

I really loved this story, I read it in a day, I couldn't stop reading, reading and more reading. I think Kimberly writes really fluenty and that the story really gets on you, you can't stop reading! I couldn't be more happy of reading this book. I really recommend it a lot. Sadly, on spanish we only have first book (and the rest it seems that won't be published), but I have already adquired my second book in hardcover in english (and autographed, OMG), because I really want to continue this series.

I love this book, and the cover...is perfect.

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|| Buy this book on Bookdepository. Editions: Hardcover or Paperback. ||

Series: Pledge
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books (November 15, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1442422017
ISBN-13: 978-1442422018
Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.7 x 1.3 inches

In the violent country of Ludania, the language you speak determines what class you are, and there are harsh punishments if you forget your place—looking a member of a higher class in the eye can result in immediate execution. Seventeen-year-old Charlaina (Charlie for short) can understand all languages, a dangerous ability she’s been hiding her whole life. Her only place of release is the drug-filled underground club scene, where people go to shake off the oppressive rules of the world they live in. There, she meets a beautiful and mysterious boy who speaks a language she’s never heard, and her secret is almost exposed. Through a series of violent upheavals, it becomes clear that Charlie herself is the key to forcing out the oppressive power structure of her kingdom….

Original Review: El juramento de Kimberly Derting

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Fangirl is a book from Rainbow Rowell published by St. Martin's Griffin. For all the ones who don’t live in the USA and want to buy it, you can get it on Amazon and Bookdepository. The author has also published books such as 'Eleanor & Park' and 'Attachments'

It took me a little longer than usual to finish it, because I was reading from my iPad and the light bothers the hell out of me. Anyway, I’ve read Eleanor & Park (Soon I’ll be posting my review of that one too) and that’s why Fangirl got my attention.

Even if you don’t need to be a genius to write a story like this, someone needed to take the leap and do it. It felt really close and it got to me in every way, because of the obvious and constant references to the Harry Potter’s phenomenon, how it explores the “nerd-world” and how a fandom means a refuge for all of us (Yes, I consider myself a nerd and I’m happy to live in a time when you don’t need to be ashamed to admit it).

The author gives a lot of importance to Cath’s (our main character) family, which was a detail I liked a lot. Also, this is the second time I’ve fallen in love with a male character from a book and the love story wasn’t too cheesy, Rainbow kept it real, simple and cute. The message I got from the book it was something that we all fangirls and fanboys should have in mind: You won’t always find people like you, but there’s gonna be people who will respect your little quirks because of what they mean to you.

If you’re expecting a lot of climax, you’re going to be disappointed, because what keeps you reading is how related you feel to Cath and the curiosity about the ending. I didn’t like how slow it got almost at the end, a lot of pages were used to develop useless stuff, instead of resolving some inconclusive business.

I recommend it if you liked Eleanor & Park, if you were a Potterhead, if you love Fanfiction or if you’re looking for an atypical love story.

|| Buy this book on Amazon. Editions: Hardcover, Paperback. ||

|| Buy this book on Bookdepository. Editions: Hardcover or Paperback. ||

Hardcover: 448 pages

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin; First Edition edition (September 10, 2013)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1250030951

ISBN-13: 978-1250030955

Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 1.4 inches

In Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl, Cath is a Simon Snow fan. Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan, but for Cath, being a fan is her life--and she's really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it's what got them through their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath's sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can't let go. She doesn't want to.

Now that they're going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn't want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She's got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words . . . And she can't stop worrying about her dad, who's loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this?

Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories?

And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

BookTrailer #2: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Hey there! This is Carolina speaking for the first time here. Welcome to our beautiful new blog!

Today we are bringing you the booktrailer of "Fangirl", a beautiful story that I finished last week. I had a great time reading it, I hope you guys feel the same if you take my recommendation.

Don't miss the review on Tuesday, March 25th!

|| Buy this book on Amazon. Editions: Hardcover, Paperback. ||

|| Buy this book on Bookdepository. Editions: Hardcover or Paperback. ||

Hardcover: 448 pages

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin; First Edition edition (September 10, 2013)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1250030951

ISBN-13: 978-1250030955

Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 1.4 inches

In Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl, Cath is a Simon Snow fan. Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan, but for Cath, being a fan is her life--and she's really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it's what got them through their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath's sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can't let go. She doesn't want to.

Now that they're going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn't want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She's got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words . . . And she can't stop worrying about her dad, who's loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this?

Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories?

And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?

Ascendant by Rebecca Taylor

Ascendant is a book from Rebecca Taylor published by Crescent Moon Press. For all the ones who don’t live in the USA and want to buy it, you can get it on Amazon.

Although the book has some editing mistakes (the Font is too short and the line spacing was too small), I can’t say that the book was bad.

The book has a really good story, but on some moments it gets a bit confusing (maybe because I am not used to read in English). I think that this book would have more star rating if those editing mistakes wouldn’t be there. The reason why I say this, is because on some moments it gets too hard to read it.

About the story, we don’t see this kind of stories everyday, which I think is unique. The book is open-ended, so (and confirmed by the author) it will have a second part.

We see Charlotte as a girl who tries to get everything she wants to know more about her mother, and, although she is a great character, I would her to be more determined when we refer to Hayden and Caleb. I can’t deny that on some moments this love triangle is great, but on some other moments it gets too tiring.

On this story we will see a lot of mystery, and all the hints that Charlotte gets, and all the symbols that this book has, give this book extra points. In this I have to congrats the author, because the symbols are easy to remember because they are named a lot.

In conclusion, I think that this book should get a re-edition with some readjustments related to the editing process I said before, and it could be a great book, and why not, translate it to other languages.

Thanks to Rebecca Taylor for sending me her book to Argentina.

|| Buy this book on Amazon. Editions: Paperback or E-Book . ||

• Paperback: 316 pages
• Publisher: Crescent Moon Press (June 14, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1939173337
• ISBN-13: 978-1939173331
• Product Dimensions: 0.7 x 5.4 x 8.4 inches

When I was twelve, my mother disappeared. I was the first person to never find her.
I’m sixteen now and she has never been found, alive or dead. I’m not the girl I should have been.
When Charlotte Stevens, bright but failing, is sent to stay at her mother’s childhood home in Somerset England her life is changed forever. While exploring the lavish family manor, Gaersum Aern, Charlotte discovers a stone puzzle box that contains apentagram necklace and a note from her mother—clues to her family’s strange past and her mother’s disappearance. Charlotte must try to solve the puzzle box, decipher her mother’s old journals, and figure out who is working to derail her efforts—and why. The family manor contains many secrets and hidden histories, keys to the elegant mystery Charlotte called mom and hopefully, a trail to finding her.

BookTrailer #1: Legend by Marie Lu

Welcome, welcome! (Stop Fede, this is not The Hunger Games and you are not Effie). Today we will give the opening to this blog, ¡with a booktrailer! We will have two posts a week (at least for now). We will post book trailers every saturday, and book reviews every Tuesday.

It's time for Legend. I have read this book in english, because I bought the box-set on Amazon, and OMG it's amazing! If you want a review of this book, tell me and I will translate my review (that I have posted in Spanish on my other blog).

Get this book:

Amazon Paperback, Amazon Hardback, Amazon Kindle

BookDepository Paperback, Bookdepository Hardback

Series: Legend (Book 1)

Paperback: 336 pages

Publisher: Speak; Reprint edition (April 16, 2013)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 014242207X

ISBN-13: 978-0142422076

Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

What is 'The Reading Pals?'

If this is your first time you come to our blog, you might be wondering: 'What is The Reading Pals?'. I don't want to get you bored with a long explanation, so here is a short one:

I'm Federico and I'm from Argentina (South America). I have a blog like this, but in Spanish called 'Atrapado en la lectura'. I love reading books and reviewing them, and for my studies, I have to practice a lot of english. So, I talked to Carolina, who is a great friend of mine. She is 24 and she lives in Chile (also South America), she loves books too, and she is even an author! (She is published but on spanish, not in english).

As the Warning says: This blog is created to share our opinion about books, and also for news about books. This blog is a chance for us to practice the language while we share our thoughts.

When will we start posting reviews, cover reveals and book trailers? If everything goes on well... March 15th. We will post book trailers every saturday, and book reviews every Tuesday. I hope you all stay tuned!