YouTube Change for the good or bad?

Ive been a participate of youtube for around 2 years. The booktubing community was very welcoming when I started and I was pleasantly suprised and inspired by a few really great youtubers such as "The ChapterChicks", "MrRichardDenny" and a few others. But, I have been noticeing that, youtube, itself has been changing and I guess this is will be a little rant but anways here it goes.

 

A while back, you were able to veiw your subscriptions and see who posted a new video which you may enjoy watching, was one of my favorite features of youtube. Right, in front of me I was given a list of new videos and I can chose which ones to watch and which ones to skip. But, lately either I am losing my savvy technology touch or YouTube has taken that feature away and add a feature which allows you to see what other people have liked, uploaded or commented on all in one long list. Which in my opinion is almost like a facebook news feed. Although, it can be quite useful, my compliant is that it is slightly disorganized. And I feel I am discouraged to watch videos of the people I am subscribed to because I have to physically go on to there page to see if they have posted anything new. It may just be me being lazy, but I sure miss that subscription feature without any of the extra stuff.

 

Secondly, I think that the book community is slowly dying out, which is really unfortunate. I have been noticing that not many people are filming new videos, or like I said before I may just be having a hard time finding them. I personally think I am going to switch to the writing method of reviews and hauls, which will be available on this blog. I may even film and video or two that can be found here as well.

 

What are your thoughts on this new improvement or fail of youtube??

 

 

In Your Dreams review- Amy Martin

Wow, I am still in shock from this book. After I finished it, it took me a couple of days to really think about it and absorb it, for all its worth.
Synopsis: "In Your Dreams", tells the story of a highschool basketball ball star Zip Mckee who befriends a new student named Keiran Lanier, soon she finds out that Keiran has a dark secert that goes along with a dark past. Keiran catches glimpses of the furture through a sleeping disorder called Narcolepsy. And when Zip start getting weird dreams about the future it is up to her to save Keiran from his dark past that is much closer than anyone thinks.
My Thoughts: This was a beautiful novel. It was nothing like anything that I have before. I thought that there was alot of character growth in the book, which is something that I find is really important. You can see the characters mature as the book progresses as well as how unexpected the relationships that form in the book are.
This book always kept me on my toes, I never could predict what would happen next. The many predictions that I had predicted as I was reading were far from what actually happened in the book. Which made me want to come back and read the book. It was almost as if it was drawing me to it.
I loved the novels plot, the idea of a boy with narcolepsy (sleeping disorder) being able to see glimpses of the future was mind blowing, I have never heard of such idea and it was very nice to have a new twist in paranormal romance. I also loved that although the plot explored romance between the two characters, it was also completely 100% action packed, which in most paranormal romances there isn't a huge portion of action. I enjoyed it that it wasn't your regular paranormal romance either, their wasn't some vampire waiting to come out it, and it was defiantly a new take on the genre. I loved the crime aspect of the book as well, I thought it was very thought out and kept me on my toes the whole time. The predictions that I made about the antagonists in this book were alot of the times false and the reality was alot more intense than my prediction.
Overall, I give this novel a 5/5. It was amazing and it got me out of my reading slump. I would defiantly pick up the rest of the series.

Marina's Rating Scale

5/5 Simply Amazing, Kept Jumping Up and Down
4/5 It was alright but, there was some spark that was missing
3/5 It was okay, but something was bring it down ( Characters,Plot, Writing Style)
2/5 Started out promising but something was missing ( Characters,Plot, Writing Style)
1/5 Terrible, Just wanted to Run Away Screaming

I promise to give you my complete honest opinion on whethere I thought the book was amazing in which I would probably ramble on and on about how great it is. Or if it was completely terrible I will explain as to why I found this book bad and give reasons to back it up.
Disclaimer: This are my honest opinions, I will not be playing favorites or trying to hurt anyones feelings.

Betrayed By P.c. Cast and Kristin Cast

Title: Betrayed
Author:P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
Pages:320
Publishing: St. Martins Press
Date: October 2, 2007

Betrayed, the second installment in the bestselling House of Night series, is dark and sexy, and as thrilling as it is utterly shocking.
Fledgling vampyre Zoey Redbird has managed to settle in at the House of Night.  She’s come to terms with the vast powers the vampyre goddess, Nyx, has given her, and is getting a handle on being the new Leader of the Dark Daughters, the school’s most elite group. Best of all, Zoey’s made some new friends and she finally feels like she belongs--like she really fits in. She actually has a boyfriend…or two.  And despite the best efforts of her mother and step-loser John to humiliate her publically during parent visitation, she’s earned the respect of her professors and High Priestess, Neferet.
Then the unthinkable happens: human teenagers are being killed, and all the evidence points to the House of Night, straining human-vamp tensions in Tulsa to a breaking point.  While danger stalks the humans from Zoey’s old life, she finds herself drawn into an intoxicating forbidden flirtation that threatens to distract her from the growing crisis.  Then, when she needs her new friends the most, death strikes the House of Night.  Too late, Zoey begins to realize that the very powers that make her so unique might also threaten those she loves, and she must find the courage to face a betrayal that could break her heart, her soul, and jeopardize the very fabric of her world. 

Infromation from Amazon.com

Review:                                                                                                                                               

In the second book of the house of night series, Zoey Redbird who is now that leader of the dark daughters feels that she truly belongs at the House of Night. She has a goal to make the dark daughter a respectable group without repeating any of the mistake the previous leader Aphordite had made. A way Zoey decides her group is going to differ is by having a perfect council, formed out of her friends and a fledging from Aphordites group.
As Zoey prepares for her leadership role, human students are dropping dead like flies and all fingers are pointed at the House of Night. To add to her stress she has found out that after tasting her ex-boyfriends Heaths blood that they have now started to form an imprint: a strong bond has been formed between them, which isn't easy to break.
When a shocking death occurs in the walls of the House of Night, Zoey begins to have a strange feeling like something isn't right in her new home. She also, begins to have questioning thoughts about the High Priestess and her mentor Neferet. It's up to her to protect her friends and learn a few lessons about trust in this page turning chapter of Zoey's Story.
When I read Marked, which is the 1st book in this series I had high expectations for the 2nd book. But, I am saddened that I felt that the plot wasn't as good and exciting as it was in Marked. This book is alot more darker than the first, with tension and answered questions along the way. But, it did leave me wanting more.
http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/5006497-marina%22%3EView

Chosen by P.C. Cast

Title: Chosen
Author: P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
Pages:320
Publisher: St. Martins Press
Date: March 04, 2008

Dark forces are at work at the House of Night and fledgling vampyre Zoey Redbird’s adventures at the school take a mysterious turn.  Those who appear to be friends are turning out to be enemies.  And oddly enough, sworn enemies are also turning into friends.  So begins the gripping third installment of this “highly addictive series” (Romantic Times), in which Zoey’s mettle will be tested like never before.  Her best friend, Stevie Rae, is undead and struggling to maintain a grip on her humanity. Zoey doesn’t have a clue how to help her, but she does know that anything she and Stevie Rae discover must be kept secret from everyone else at the House of Night, where trust has become a rare commodity.  Speaking of rare: Zoey finds herself in the very unexpected and rare position of havingthreeboyfriends. Mix a little bloodlust into the equation and the situation has the potential to spell social disaster.  Just when it seems things couldn’t get any tougher, vampyres start turning up dead. Really dead. It looks like the People of Faith, and Zoey’s horrid step-father in particular, are tired of living side-by-side with vampyres.  But, as Zoey and her friends so often find out, how things appear rarely reflects the truth…

Review                                                                                                                                                

This is the 3rd book in the House of Night Series, and after reading Betrayed the 2nd book I was craving to finding out more,about the events in Zoey's life. I know that many people have become upset with the writing of the book or the plott, which I do agree had weakened in the 2nd book, but had made a complete comeback in this page turning novel.
Zoey returns to face new adventures and some of those adventures may have their consequences. As Z struggles to bring some humanity into her dead undead best friend Stevie Rae, she looks for help in her once enemy Aphordite, putting the friendships between her friends the Twins, Damien and Erik at stake.
Z is also is captured in the imprint she has with human ex-boyfriend as her vampire senses develope out of control for  the craving of his blood. Also, she risks her friendship with her friends and her fledging boyfriend Erik when she becomes attracted to a Vampire teacher Loren Blake. Their relationship leads down a slippery slope when their attraction becomes physical making Zoey think that Blake is falling in love with her. As she craves for Blake's attention she risks the relationship between Erik and her.
Zoey also, continues to question  Nefert and  her ways. As she and Aphordite take care of the undead dead Stevie Rae who had changed into something no one has heard of.
Then when adult vampires begin to get murdered Nefert decides to start a war on the humans, which can mean the end to everything.
I loved this book, I enjoyed the suspence between Zoey, Erik and Blake. It was almost like it formed a love triangle but, Heath was also somewhat involved but on a different level as in he and Zoey could never have a future togather other than him being her meal .Also, I liked the worry feeling you got when you read about Zoey's friends being upset with her, it made you wonder what will they go through and still come out supporting their friend Zoey. I loved this book alot more than betrayed. When you read the books one after the other I find that some of the events kind of get all jumbled up togather. But, I still find them an enjoyable summer read.
http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/5006497-marina%22%3EView

Crazy Beautiful By Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Title: Crazy Beautiful
Author: Lauren Baratz- Logsted
Pages: 204
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Date: January 03, 2011
In an explosion of his own making, Lucius blew his arms off. Now he has hooks. He chose hooks because they were cheaper. He chose hooks because he wouldn’t outgrow them so quickly. He chose hooks so that everyone would know he was different, so he would scare even himself.
Then he meets Aurora. The hooks don’t scare her. They don’t keep her away. In fact, they don’t make any difference at all to her.
But to Lucius, they mean everything. They remind him of the beast he is inside. Perhaps Aurora is his Beauty, destined to set his soul free from its suffering.
Or maybe she’s just a girl who needs love just like he does.
 In the novel, "Crazy Beautiful" by Lauren Baratz- Logsted tells a captivating story of a boy who blows of his hands when performing a personal science experiment. His parents decide the the best thing for him is to change schools, and put the past behind. At his new school he meets a girl named Aurora who is also new but dealing with a darkness that covers her life. Aurora has a very gentle and warm personality, quickly climbs the socail ladder of highschool and soon becomes popular. But Popularity doesn't change the type of heart she has. The unlikely couple of new students become friends even though there are circumstance that stand in their way the pair begin to a friendship beyond "just friends".
Pros: I love Aurora's personality, it isn't often that you see a charcter that is genuine and nice. She is very polite and understanding. For a teen character in a young adult book she is very mature and nurturing. It was a great read, really fast and kept me on the edge of my seat.
Cons: The con's of this book is that the POV jumps around quite a bit. But, other than that it was a good read.There wasn't any OMG moments.
My Thoughts: I felt like this book didn't really have any memorable moments. It was a cute teen story read but it wasn't something that a year from now I will remember what I read. I thought it was interesting story and very risk taking because it talked about a sensitive subject such as a person missing their hands. Another thing that bothered me in this book was that their wasn't any "I can't believe this happened" moments. But, I feel that for this book because of its context they may not have been needed.
http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/5006497-marina%22%3EView