Katie's Amazing Book Reviews

Gimme a Call by Sarah Mlynowski

2012-02-23T07:00:00.000-06:00

Title: Gimme a Call
Author: Sarah Mlynowski
Publisher: Ember
Publication Date: April 27, 2012
Source: Borrowed from a friend
Add to your shelves

Summary: A new life is just a phone call away!

Devi's life isn't turning out at all like she wanted. She wasted the past three years going out with Bryan—cute, adorable, break-your-heart Bryan. Devi let her friendships fade, blew off studying, didn't join any clubs . . . and now that Bryan has broken up with her, she has nothing left.

Not even her stupid cell phone—she dropped it in the mall fountain. Now it only calls one number . . . hers. At age fourteen, three years ago!

Once Devi gets over the shock—and convinces her younger self that she isn't some wacko—she realizes that she's been given an awesome gift. She can tell herself all the right things to do . . . because she's already done all the wrong ones! Who better to take advice from than your future self?

Except . . .what if getting what you think you want changes everything?

Review: Gimme a Call is a fun, and sometimes quite silly read, that really examines the question: If you could would you go back and change your life?

When Devi drops her phone in the water fountain at the mall she picks up the phone and calls her freshman self. (The Devi that drops the phone into the fountain will be referred to as IVY and the Devi that picks up the phone that is a freshman will by DEVI--this is how it is in the book.)

I was instantly enamored by the idea of telling your younger self what to do better. Though, if I got the chance I'm not sure I would because some major stuff goes down because of Ivy's meddling. Mlynowski handles the concept brilliantly. I really was never confused about what was going on in the lives of the two girls, mostly because Mlynowski is such a great writer. I was so surprised by the writing style. It was just so much fun!

Devi was definitely my favorite of the "two girls" despite them being the same. She was just a lot more fun and younger and definitely not as emotionally traumatized as Ivy. Ivy was still a good character, but she used Devi so much and it just mean! Devi and Ivy are two totally different characters with very different narrations. I was so happy that the switching narrations didn't sounds the same.

Gimme a Call is very fast-paced and there is almost never a dull moment. It was just a very enjoyable read that had a great pace. I especially liked the end. It gave hints of what happened but it's quite opened ended.

Gimme a Call is a great read, especially if you're looking for a book that has a unique concept that's handled really well. It was just a pretty fantastic read. I can't wait to read more from Mlynowski!

Rating:

Waiting on Wednesday (71)

2012-02-22T07:00:00.000-06:00

Hi everyone! Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine!

This week's pick is:

The Unquiet by Jeannine Garsee
July 17, 2012

Sixteen-year-old Rinn Jacobs has secrets: One, she’s bipolar. Two, she killed her grandmother.

After a suicide attempt, and now her parents' separation, Rinn and her mom move from California to the rural Ohio town where her mother grew up. Back on her medications (again!) and hoping to stay well, Rinn settles into her new home and school. She refuses to be daunted by the fact that the previous owner hanged herself in Rinn's bedroom, or that her classmates believe the school pool is haunted by Annaliese, a girl who drowned there. But when a reckless séance goes awry, and terrible things start happening to her new friends—yet not to her—Rinn is determined to find out why she can’t be "touched" by Annaliese...or if Annaliese even exists.

With the help of Nate Brenner, the hunky “farmer boy” she’s rapidly falling for, Rinn devises a dangerous plan to uncover the truth. Soon reality and fantasy meld into one, till Rinn finds it nearly impossible to tell the difference. When a malevolent force threatens the lives of everyone she cares about--not to mention her own--she can't help wondering: who should she really be afraid of?

Annaliese? Or herself?

This sounds so intense. I've really developed I liking for psychological thrillers over the past year and this one seems to fit that bill perfectly! I love not knowing whether what's going on is actually real or not. And who is this Nate Brenner, the farmer boy?!

Mini Review: The Season by Sarah MacLean

2012-02-20T07:00:00.000-06:00

Hi everyone-
I just wanted to do a really fun, mini review of one of my favorite books from a long time ago!

The Season by Sarah MacLean

Published on March 1, 2009 by Scholastic

My Source: Bought

Seventeen-year-old Lady Alexandra Stafford is strong-willed and sharp-tongued and not interested in marriage. Unfortunately, her mother is determined to marry her off to someone safe, respectable, wealthy, and almost certainly boring. But Alex is much more interested in adventure than romance.

Between ball gown fittings, dances, and dinner parties, Alex, along with her two best friends, Ella and Vivi, manages to get entangled in her biggest scrape yet. When the Earl of Blackmoor's father is mysteriously killed in a riding accident, Alex helps his son, the devilishly handsome Gavin, to discover the truth. It's a mystery brimming with espionage, murder, suspicion, and true love. Romance and danger fill the air, as this year's Season begins!

Review:

The Season is a fantastic historical fiction book. It combines both that and mystery making this book a fast-paced and ultimately a very fun book.

One of my favorite things about The Season is the characters. I'm always enamored with main characters that are supposed to be all prim and proper but would rather be doing some a little bit more dangerous and fun. This is exactly what Alex, the main character, is like. She's a ton of fun and quite the witty girl. She and her friends really made me smile with their escapades.

The mystery, at times, could be a bit predictable. This really doesn't detract at all from the quality of The Season. I was still intrigued by the mystery and there are a couple of curve balls in the book. Plus, there are chapters from the killer's point of view--in third person.

Of course The Season has a very, very nice romance. Gavin, the love interest, and Alex made such a cute couple. They're kind of friends but at the same time love to tease each other and give each other a bad time. This, of course, develops into a romance. Yay!

Overall, The Season just about has it all. If you're looking for a book with mystery and a swoon-worthy love interest then you might want to give this one a try. I sure wish MacLean would write more YA!

Rating: 5 stars

In My Mailbox (66)

2012-02-19T07:00:00.000-06:00

Hi everyone and happy Sunday! In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren to share books we got during the week!

This week I only got one book, but it looks fantastic!

From Netgalley:

Unbreak My Heart by Melissa Walker

I think this one sounds absolutely adorable! This book comes out in May but I hope to get to it very, very soon!

What did you get this week?

Blog Happenings (67)

2012-02-18T09:55:00.002-06:00

Happy Saturday everyone!

READING:

Partials by Dan Wells-I've just started to read this one but it seems to be off to a great start!

Gimme a Call by Sarah Mlynowski-I just need a really fun, short read and this looks perfect. I'm a few chapters in.

READ:

Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

All of those were fantastic books!

TO READ:

Slide by Jill Hathaway

Pretty Crooked by Elisa Ludwig

Stolen Away by Alyxandra Harvey

I really need to read these books soon. They're about to expire off my Nook! I absolutely hate it when that happens.

I'm getting so behind on new releases. There are just so many great books coming out and I cannot keep up with all of them.

Have you read any of these? If you have, please tell me if they are worth the read?!

Plus, have you seen this?

I'm not sure if this is the final cover but I'm really excited! This comes out in August! Embers & Echoes is the second book in the Wildefire series!

Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

2012-02-17T07:17:00.001-06:00

Title: Born Wicked
Author: Jessica Spotswood
Publisher: Putnam
Publication Date: February 7, 2012
Source: Bought
Add to your shelf

Summary: Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they're witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship—or an early grave.

Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word . . . especially after she finds her mother's diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family's destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.

If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren't safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood—not even from each other.

Review: Born Wicked is a truly fantastic book. I was so in love with it from the moment I started reading it to the last second I closed there book. Theres almost nothing not to love about this one!

Cate Cahill is our main character in Born Wicked. Oh, Cate. What a girl she was! It took me awhile to get warmed up to Cate but one I did I really enjoyed her character. Cate will do anything to protect her younger sisters, Maura and Tess. I could understand Cates feelings of protectiveness towards her sisters but it wasn't a full understanding. (possibly because I don't have any siblings of my one.) But still, this was an admirable trait. But other than that her character was so much fun!

I loved Cate's sisters! Both Maura and Tess can be such sweet girls but at the same time really scary. I'm not sure if I trust either one. They made great characters, though.

The plot of Born Wicked was fabulous! There is never a dull moment and if something huge and revealing wasn't going on, we were learning about Cate's crazy world. And about witches and magic. I definitely loved that!

I don't think that I can end this review without touching on the romance. Can I just say that I love Finn, a love interest. He definitely earns a happy sigh from me. He's a bookworm and a sweetheart to boot!

Born Wicked is such a fun book. I was drawn in by the promise of witches and magic but I stayed because of the characters, main and supporting. Especially Finn.

Rating: 4.5ish stars

What to Read (15)

2012-02-16T07:00:00.000-06:00

What to Read is just a little thing I like to do that features a slew of books from a certain genre. Sometimes I don't exactly do genres, but you get the gist! I planned to have a review up of Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood but unfortunately I'm not quite done with that one yet! Hopefully a review will go up tomorrow and if not there will be another post of some sorts. But here is "Friday's" post!

Today I'm featuring:

LOVE

Tuesday was Valentine's Day and I thought it would be fun to highlight some of my favorite romances. These are not very current releases, some are but I'm trying to highlight older books that I loved.

The Season by Sarah MacLean~I am SO in love with this book. I read it way before I started by blog so I never did a review on it---maybe I'll do that for tommorrow--but this book has it all. Romance, mystery and a historical setting. I think I'm just about ready to die of happiness already. The romance is adorable and really sweet, as well.

The Boston Jane series by Jennifer L. Holm~ Like The Season, I read the Boston Jane series way before I started blogging. It was really before I read any YA. Truth be told when I read these I was still in elementary school and I was scandalized by all the kissing. But oh my goodness was I obsessed with the romance. If you want a sweet romance in historical times then this is the one for you. Just because I read this when I was younger doesn't mean it isn't in the genre of YA. I think I'm going to give this series a re-read to see if I still love them.

Newer romances that I love:

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi: This is so spectacular. Both the book and the romance.

Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally: READ THIS ONE NOW! I'm so in love with this book and the characters. And of course, the romance.

Blood Red Road by Moira Young: Jack and Saba are so great. Seriously, read this one soon!!

Waiting on Wednesday (70)

2012-02-15T07:00:00.000-06:00

Hi and happy Wednesday! Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine to show books we can't wait for!

This week's pick is:

The Selection by Kiera Cass
April 24, 2012

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself- and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

This sounds like a really great book. I'm loving the actual idea of having a Selection. (It sounds horrible but really cool!) And with a main character by the name of American Singer this better be good! I loving the cover, too!

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

2012-02-14T07:00:00.000-06:00

Title: Hallowed
Author: Cynthia Hand
Publisher: Harper Teen
Publication Date: January 17, 2012
Source: Bought
Add to your shelves

Summary: For months Clara Gardner trained to face the fire from her visions, but she wasn't prepared for the choice she had to make that day. And in the aftermath, she discovered that nothing about being part angel is as straightforward as she thought.

Now, torn between her love for Tucker and her complicated feelings about the roles she and Christian seem destined to play in a world that is both dangerous and beautiful, Clara struggles with a shocking revelation: Someone she loves will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.

In this compelling sequel to "Unearthly," Cynthia Hand captures the joy of first love, the anguish of loss, and the confusion of becoming who you are.

Review: Hallowed is the sequel to probably one of my absolute favorite books of 2011, Unearthly. While Hallowed was good and really enjoyable it didn't quite live up to Unearthly.

Clara is going through so much emotional turmoil in this book and I felt for her so much. Clara is just always trying to do what is right and get through her purpose. Of course, she does all of this with such great humor. That's what I could always count on during the book. Clara's humor. But mostly I just felt really bad for her.

Hallowed has a great love triangle. I was firmly and I mean firmly on Tucker's side in Unearthly. I pretty much thought Christian was a scumbag. But now...I like Christian and he's kind of sweet and really cute. He'll never be Tucker but I wouldn't mind if Clara ended up with Christian. During Hallowed I felt SO bad for Tucker. That poor guy.

Hallowed was a little slow at times but Hand's gorgeous writing carried me through that. I was happy that most of my questions were answered from the first book but of course now I have even more questions. Hallowed pretty much made me cry, as well. It could just get so sad during some moments and my heart totally went out to Clara.

Overall, Hallowed was an enjoyable read. I'll admit that I was expecting more but I'm just really excited for the next book!!

Rating:

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

2012-02-13T07:00:00.000-06:00

Title: Incarnate
Author: Jodi Meadows
Publisher: Katherine Tegen
Publication Date: January 31, 2012
Source: Bought
Add to your shelves

Summary: New soul

Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.

No soul

Even Ana's own mother thinks she's a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she'll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?

Heart

Sam believes Ana's new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana's enemies--human and creature alike--let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else's life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?

Jodi Meadows expertly weaves soul-deep romance, fantasy, and danger into an extraordinary tale of new life.

Review: Incarnate is a beautiful book with equally beautiful writing. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't impressed but I have so many questions!

Incarnate starts off with introducing us to Ana, the new soul. I loved Ana. She has lived with her mother, Li, for so long that she constantly feels the need to defend herself. I'm pretty sure I would have crumpled and just given up if I was in Ana's situation. I'd admire her so much because she really becomes strong and intelligent throughout the book. I just really admired her for pushing through all her problems.

Sam, the love interest, was a little disappointing to me. He's really sweet, plays the piano and thinks Ana is amazing but there was just something off about him. I wish I could have liked him more, but sadly I didn't. He and Ana did have a cute romance but something just wasn't there. Maybe I'll feel more comfortable about him in a different books. One thing I did love was all of Sam's friends!

Meadows introduces a wholly different book to the genre of fantasy. There are so many unique and somewhat new concepts. Incarnate is filled with reincarnation, dragons, weird temples and a ton of other great aspects. But all I had was questions. And then a ton more questions. I'm so excited to see if all my questions are answered in the next book!

I was totally captivated with Incarnate. Even though I sometimes wanted more I loved Ana and Meadows' beautiful writing. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!

Rating:

In My Mailbox (65)

2012-02-12T09:02:00.001-06:00

Hi everyone and happy Sunday! In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren to share books we got during the week!

This week was awesome!!

Incarnate by Jodi Meadows: This has such a beautiful cover and the writing is just as stunning! I'm really liking this one and I only have 60 pages left.
Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood: I was SO excited to get this one in the mail. I've heard such great things about it and the cover is gorgeous and really soft...
Truth by Julia Karr: For some reason I didn't realize this one was out yet but when I saw it I had to get it! Hopefully I can get started on this one soon.

For Review:

Masters of the Veil by Daniel A. Cohen: I'm very excited to get started on this one! Thanks for sending it to me, Kate!

That's all for me! What did you get?

Blog Happenings (66)

2012-02-11T10:36:00.001-06:00

Hi everyone! I haven't been active on the blog for the past two days. Mainly, because I've been really busy with school and dealing with all those problems! But I'm back, for quite awhile now. I'll try not to leave everyone again!

READING:

I'm almost done with Hallowed! I have about 50 pages left and, truthfully, I'm very sad. I picked up Incarnate and I'm about a half of the way through. I'm really liking it!

I haven't read too much this past week which is why I am still reading Hallowed.

READ:

Uhhh....nothing

TO READ:

The Butterfly Clues by Kate Ellison

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

According to Goodreads I'm three books behind in my challenge and somehow I don't think that I'll ever get caught up. This sucks. Actually I'll probably make it up in the summer but not right now.

Progress in Other Challenges:

Debut Author Challenge: 6 out of 12 (Actually there's about 44 but...)

TBR Reading Challenge: 0 out of a minimum of 11 books

I'm not doing too bad on the debuts but on old books I have on my shelves? Not so much.

I'm going to leave everyone with that because I have some great books to finish reading and some commenting to do!

Waiting on Wednesday (69)

2012-02-08T07:00:00.000-06:00

Hi and Happy Wednesday! Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine to share books we can't wait for!!

This week's pick is:

A Midsummer's Nightmare by Kody Keplinger
June 5, 2012

Whitley Johnson's dream summer with her divorce dad has turned into a nightmare. She's just met his new fiancee and her kids. The fiancee's son? Whitley's one-night stand from graduation night. Just freakin' great.

Worse, she totally doesn't fit in with her dad's perfect new country-club family. So Whitley acts out. She parties. Hard. So hard she doesn't even notice the good things right under her nose: a sweet little future stepsister who is just about the only person she's ever liked, a best friend (even though Whitley swears she doesn't "do" friends), and a smoking-hot guy who isn't her stepbrother...at least, not yet. It will take all three of them to help Whitley get through her anger and begin to put the pieces of her family together.

Filled with authenticity and raw emotion, Whitley is Kody Keplinger's most compelling character to date: a cynical Holden Caulfield-esque girl you will wholly care about.

I recently read Keplinger's Shut Out and absolutely loved it and I've been planning on reading The DUFF for awhile. But I know I'm going to have to pick this one up immediately! Whitley sounds like such a great character. I'm sure the romance will be just as fantastic as it has been in her other books. Plus, I'm loving the cover and the title! It's perfect!

Guest Review: Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

2012-02-07T07:00:00.000-06:00

Today I have something a little special for everyone! I happen to have a little obsession with the Unearthly series by Cynthia Hand. And so does my friend, Saba. Today Saba is here to do a review on Hallowed, the second book in the series. Let's just say things are going to get a little crazy here at the blog today! :) Hallowed has got some mixed reviews but...let's just see what Saba has to say!

In this compelling sequel to "Unearthly," Cynthia Hand captures the joy of first love, the anguish of loss, and the confusion of becoming who you are.

Saba's Review: WOW.

WOW WOW WOW. Wow times a million.

I love this book so much. I don't think I can fit how much I loved this book into a tiny review. I could write a book about how much I loved this book. As you can see, I'm a little obsessed, and you should be too.

I have been hotly anticipating Hallowed for just about a year now, and I had the greatest expectations. Well, I have to say then that my expectations were met. I'm so happy they were. I hate it when sequels don't do as good as their previous books. But don't worry, Hallowed wasn't one of those books!

As usual, Cynthia Hand manages to deliver a spectacularly beautiful and charming book that fills up every aspect of a good read (Scratch that, an AMAZING READ). Clara was and still is one of my favorite main characters. She's insanely smart and always manages to make me smile, she's pretty much hilarious. That's one of my favorite things about Cynthia Hand's books, they are hilarious. Like make you crack up out loud in a quiet room hilarious. I adore those kinds of books.

Oh and of course, there's another character I need to talk about. TUCKER. Tucker Avery, the most amazing, awesome, adorable, main character you will ever read about. Tucker was just as great in this book as the previous, and not to mention he was HOT! Sorry I sort of have a thing for cowboys. The only thing that nagged me was that we didn't get to know him as well as we did in the previous book, we didn't get to read as much about him. Instead we learned about a different character, who's name is not to be mentioned. But still, Tucker was amazing <3. Katie: Oh, who doesn't have a thing for cowboys?!

Hallowed had a great plot line, one that made you think one thing but then a whole another thing happened. It was filled with great twists. I loved the depth of each one of the characters, it made you feel what they're feeling and actually care about them. I loved that. It made the book feel very real.

One of the best parts of this book was the beautiful writing, the oh so beautiful writing. Not only in describing but just the tone and the things said. I actually cried a lot in this book because of that. Cynthia Hand manages to touch your heart with this book all the while keeping you intrigued and laughing along, and crying along too I guess. The pace of the book was just perfect, it was equally balanced and I felt as though everything in the book had a reason and it wasn't just the author blabbing on. Everything in this book was just great, and the ending was killer, I don't know if I can make it until next year.

Overall, Hallowed exceeded Unearthly and I LOVED it. It was amazing!!! So if you're hesitating to read this book, I say, don't! Go read it now because you are missing out on a truly, truly amazing book!

Saba's Rating:

Thanks for the review, Saba!! It was great!

Ravenstoke by August Blythe

2012-02-06T07:00:00.000-06:00

Title: Ravenstoke
Author: August Blythe
Publication Date: December 4, 2011
Source: Author: Thanks Augusta!
Add to your shelves

Summary: In Winterborne, Loie and Mia's seventeenth birthdays brought more drama and surprises than they ever expected. Now, in Ravenstoke, they are adjusting to the aftermath and struggling to keep those newfound powers in check. When Andreas is called away to England under mysterious circumstances, a new guy is sent to Salcey Ridge in his place. Cian is smarmy and cocksure and Loie wants nothing more than to unleash a hellhound on him. Unfortunately, Cian isn't the only complication in their lives as the girls must also contend with the reappearance of Mr. Winterborne himself and Loie's most dreaded fear of all - a part in the school musical. Can the girls survive the rest of junior year unscathed?

Review: Ravenstoke is such a fun read. I was so glad to be back in this world that I got to visit in the first book, Winterborne.

Loie, the main character, has such a distinctive voice. That was definitely one of my favorite parts of the book. She's really admirable, too. She has tons of awesome powers but she never once becomes conceited or annoying. Loie is just a very down to earth character. Plus, she was always making me smile with her memorable narration.

We're introduced to a new character in Ravenstoke. His name is Cian and I was definitely enthralled with him. He and Loie don't have much of a romance, they don't see each other that much, but when they did meet I was definitely rooting for them. Hopefully something more will happen in later books!

I was very intrigued by the plot of this one. Loie is growing into her powers, powers that are very powerful and very cool to read about. I loved reading about her training sessions! The plot could be a little bit slow in times but I could get through those parts because of Loie! Loie and her friend Mia take a trip overseas that I absolutely loved!

Overall, Ravenstoke is a fantastic sequel. I'm definitely looking forward to more form Blythe.

Rating:

Blog Happenings (65)

2012-02-04T14:54:00.000-06:00

Well hello everyone! Happy Saturday!!

READING:

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand-This one was some mixed reviews but I'm just loving it! I'm on page 160 something but it is just so sad already!

READ:

Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen-Loved how Robin Hood was incorporated!

Ravenstoke by August Blythe-Such a fun read!

TO READ:

Gimme a Call by Sarah Mlynowski

The Butterfly Clues by Kate Ellison

I can't believe it's already February! January moved so fast and so did all the releases that came out. Now February has some great new releases! I'm SO excited.

One of my favorite mystery series is going to have a new book!

The Traitor in the Tunnel by Y.S. Lee comes out on the 28! Same day as Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver. I've heard that both of these are amazing books.

Has anyone every read anything by John Steinbeck? I have a new English Class this semester and we read an excerpt from his memoir: Travels with Charley. In the part that we read he was in a room where he observed all the things the previous occupant have left behind. And for a writing assignment? We have to do the same thing with items like a luggage tag, a broken pen, a crossword puzzle, etc. It sounds like fun and a little challenging, too. Hopefully I can pull off something decent!

Have a great weekend everyone! I hope to see everyone tomorrow with and IMM but I haven't got any books this week!

What to Read (14)

2012-02-03T07:00:00.000-06:00

What to Read is just a little thing I like to do that features a slew of books from a certain genre. Sometimes I don't exactly do genres, but you get the gist!

Today I'm featuring:

MY FAVORITES OF JANUARY BUT WHAT ABOUT FEBRUARY??

These are two of my favorites from the books I read in January. I only read about 6 books but I read some great books. I still want to read Incarnate and Article 5 which I'm sure are going to be fantastic!

Tempest by Julie Cross

Tempest is a fantastic read that manages to incorporate time travel and the sweetest romance. Plus there is a male protagonist! Jackson is such a real character and I immediately identified with him.

My Review

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Cinder is one of the best books I've read it a long time. It could be predictable at times but that was totally made up by the setting of New Beijing, the characters and just the overall awesomeness of the book!

My Review

Books for February:

Fever by Lauren DeStefano (Febuary 21)

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver (February 28)

Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood (February 7)

Dead to You by Lisa McMann (February 7)

I'm so excited for all of these!

Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

2012-02-02T07:00:00.000-06:00

Title: Scarlet
Author: A.C. Gaughen
Publisher: Walker
Publication Date: February 14, 2012
Source: Thanks Netgalley and Walker!
Add to your shelves

Summary: Many readers know the tale of Robin Hood, but they will be swept away by this new version full of action, secrets, and romance.

Posing as one of Robin Hood’s thieves to avoid the wrath of the evil Thief Taker Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire. Only the Hood and his band know the truth: the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. Helping the people of Nottingham outwit the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham could cost Scarlet her life as Gisbourne closes in. It’s only her fierce loyalty to Robin—whose quick smiles and sharp temper have the rare power to unsettle her—that keeps Scarlet going and makes this fight worth dying for.

Review: Wow! Scarlet is an action-packed book that takes the tale of Robin Hood and twists into something wholly new and exciting.

I loved how Gaughen incorporated the original legend of Robin Hood into the story. She did it in subtle ways buts mostly the story was hers. It was so unique!

Scarlet, the main character, poses as a boy. I have always been so intrigued by stories where the main character is a girl but dressing up as a boy. Scarlet definitely fits the bill for that item. Scarlet also really surprised me, too. She is truly a brave character and is willing to risk anything for the people of Nottingham.

While there is tons of action and tricky escapades there is also a lot of romance. It never overpowered the story and other events but it was actually pretty intense. Scarlet and Rob have the cutest little love-hate relationship that I've seen in awhile. For some reason I love seeing two people fight/banter with each other but then realize how much they care about each other!

Overall, Scarlet is a great tale full of dangerous adventures. It could be a little confusing at times, keeping track of all the characters and names but it ended up being a great book from the usual YA fare.

Rating:

Waiting on Wednesday (68)

2012-02-01T17:08:00.000-06:00

Hello everyone and happy Wednesday! Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine to show books that we can't wait for!

This week's pick is:

Embrace by Jessica Shirvington
March 1, 2012

I slowly opened my eyes. The sun speared its first bright rays of golden orange into the sky and I leapt from the cliff, with the sorrowful knowledge that no matter what the outcome, at least part of me would die that day...

Violet Eden is dreading her seventeenth birthday dinner. After all, it’s hard to get too excited about the day that marks the anniversary of your mother’s death. The one bright spot is that Lincoln will be there. Sexy, mature and aloof, he is Violet’s idea of perfection. But why does he seem so reluctant to be anything more than a friend?

After he gives her the world’s most incredible kiss – and then abandons her on her front doorstep – Violet is determined to get some answers. But nothing could have prepared her for Lincoln’s explanation: he is Grigori – part angel and part human – and Violet is his eternal partner.

Without warning, Violet’s world is turned upside down. She never believed in God, let alone angels. But there’s no denying the strange changes in her body ... and her feelings for Lincoln. Suddenly, she can’t stand to be around him. Luckily, Phoenix, an exiled angel, has come into her life. He’s intense and enigmatic, but at least he never lied to her.

As Violet gets caught up in an ancient battle between dark and light, she must choose her path. The wrong choice could cost not only her life, but her eternity...

Personally, I just think this book sounds really exciting and just a lot of fun! I've always been a huge fan of angels, if they are well done, so I can't wait to see Shirvington's take on them! Though there does sound like there is a love triangle brewing, hopefully I'll be able to put up with it! :) But otherwise it sounds great!

Mini Review: Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter

2012-01-31T07:00:00.000-06:00

Today I'm doing a little "mini review" on a book I read recently and really liked!

Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter

Publishing on March 27, 2012 by Harlequin Teen

My Source: Harlequin Teen Panel

Kate Winters has won immortality.

But if she wants a life in the Underworld with Henry, she’ll have to fight for it.

Becoming immortal wasn’t supposed to be the easy part. Though Kate is about to be crowned Queen of the Underworld, she’s as isolated as ever. And despite her growing love for Henry, ruler of the Underworld, he’s becoming ever more distant and secretive. Then, in the midst of Kate’s coronation, Henry is abducted by the only being powerful enough to kill him: the King of the Titans.

As the other gods prepare for a war that could end them all, it is up to Kate to save Henry from the depths of Tartarus. But in order to navigate the endless caverns of the Underworld, Kate must enlist the help of the one person who is the greatest threat to her future.

Henry’s first wife, Persephone.

Mini Review: Goddess Interrupted, the second book in The Goddess Test series, is a must read for fans of the first book.

I loved The Goddess Test so I was more then a little excited to read this one! My only complainant about this one is the slow start. It took me awhile to get back into the book and into the character's minds again. But other than that minor complainant this turned out to be a great read!

Kate, the main character, is as feisty as ever. There were a few moments when I really wanted to slap some sense into her but she surprised me quite a few times during the book. Kate is such a strong character.

That ENDING was so intense and it really just blew me away. The ending of Goddess Interrupted almost makes up for the slow start in the beginning.

Goddess Interrupted is a fun, sometimes deep, read that is definitely worth picking up!

A Million Suns by Beth Revis

2012-01-30T07:00:00.000-06:00

Title: A Million Suns
Author: Beth Revis
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication Date: January 10, 2012
Source: Bought
Add to your shelf

Summary: Godspeed was fueled by lies. Now it is ruled by chaos.

It's been three months since Amy was unplugged. The life she always knew is over. And everywhere she looks, she sees the walls of the spaceship Godspeed. But there may just be hope: Elder has assumed leadership of the ship. He's finally free to enact his vision - no more Phydus, no more lies.

But when Elder discovers shocking news about the ship, he and Amy race to discover the truth behind life on Godspeed. They must work together to unlock a puzzle that was set in motion hundreds of years earlier, unable to fight the romance that's growing between them and the chaos that threatens to tear them apart.

In book two of the Across the Universe trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Beth Revis mesmerizes us again with a brilliantly crafted mystery filled with action, suspense, romance, and deep philosophical questions. And this time it all builds to one mind-bending conclusion: They have to get off this ship.

Review: A Millions Suns is a book that I was dying to read ever since I read Across the Universe back in March of last year. A Millions Suns is a book that I absolutely love.

I'm amazed by Revis' writing style. It just keeps getting better and better. Not only is is beautiful, but it carries the story in so many amazing places. There was never a moment that I was bored with the writing or the plot, for that matter.

I'm so in love with the characters of Amy and Elder. Just everything about them makes me so happy. I thought that I loved them in Across the Universe but they have just grown so much. Elder was having such a hard time ruling the Godspeed and my heart just went out to him. He definitely went through some hard times. Amy was just as special to me! She is just a great main character.

But the thing that really grabbed me about A Million Suns is the mystery and the questions that were answered!!! The mystery in this book was so clever and Beth Revis has got to be a genius! So many new things were revealed in this installment. You are going to be shocked. I know I was.

A Million Suns is an intense and amazing book. I'm so excited for next book, Shades of Earth, even if it will be the last one and I will have to tell these beautiful characters goodbye. If you haven't had a chance to read this series, do it now. You are definitely missing out on a great series.

Rating:

In My Mailbox (64)

2012-01-29T09:10:00.001-06:00

Hello everyone and happy Sunday! In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren to share all the books we got during the week!

I got a few releases this week that I've just been dying for!!

Everneath by Brodi Ashton: I've seen so many great things on this book and I'm SO happy to finally get it!

Article 5 by Kristen Simmons: This one doesn't come out till Tuesday so I was so excited when I saw it on the shelves! It definitely looks like a great read!

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand: I loved Unearthly, the first book, and I'm hoping Hallowed will be just as good. I've seen some mixed reviews so far but I'm hoping I'll like it!

From the library: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green: I've seen nothing but great reviews for this book. I've never read anything John Green, so why not start now!?

That's it for me! What did you get it your mailbox?

Blog Happenings (64)

2012-01-28T18:24:00.002-06:00

Hi everyone! I hope everyone is enjoying their evening!

READING:

Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen-I'm really enjoying this one right now!!

I kind of reading All Unquiet Things right now, but not really.

READ:

Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter-I enjoyed this one so much more than I thought I would. The ending was amazing!

TO READ:

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

Ravenstroke by August Blythe

Everneath by Brodi Ashton

I've hardly read anything and I feel so awful! But this week has just been so busy for me; I had a huge Russia project due!

I've worked most of the day on my homework and studying. So, I hope to devote most of the day tomorrow to reading. I'm having such a hard time finding time to actually get some reading done!

I'm going to leave you with that because I have an Edgar Allen Poe assignment to finish up and tons of reading to do!

I'll see everyone tomorrow for IMM!

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

2012-01-26T07:00:00.000-06:00

Title: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight
Author: Jennifer E. Smith
Publisher: Poppy
Publication Date: Janurary 2, 2012
Source: Bought

Summary: Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. She's stuck at JFK, late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's in seat 18C. Hadley's in 18A.

Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.

Review: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight is an adorable read that will absolutely make your heart melt.

When we're first introduced to the main character, Hadley, I wasn't sure if I was going to like her. But I ended up loving her character. She's hurt by her father's new marriage to a women she doesn't know. She's just a very lost girl at the beginning of the book. Hadley grows so much during this short book. She really becomes someone that's admirable.

Oliver, the love interest, is just as sweet. Oliver, too, is broken. He also has this adorable air about him that I loved. Hadley's and Oliver's conversations were amazing. Some were deep, some were silly and all were magical.

The plot of this one was adorable. Who doesn't like a romance that starts on an airplane? Smith definitely did this aspect well. Even though The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight takes place over 24 hours it never feels rushed in any aspect. The story line of this one couldn't be better!

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight is a must-read for fans of contemporary that are looking for something different that will most definitely make them smile.

Rating:

Waiting on Wednesday (67)

2012-01-25T07:00:00.000-06:00

Happy Wednesday! Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine to show books we can't wait to read!

This week's pick is:

Glitch by Heather Anastasiu
August 7, 2012

In the Community, there is no more pain or war. Implanted computer chips have wiped humanity clean of destructive emotions, and thoughts are replaced by a feed from the Link network.

When Zoe starts to malfunction (or "glitch"), she suddenly begins having her own thoughts, feelings, and identity. Any anomalies must be immediately reported and repaired, but Zoe has a secret so dark it will mean certain deactivation if she is caught: her glitches have given her uncontrollable telekinetic powers.

As Zoe struggles to control her abilities and stay hidden, she meets other glitchers including Max, who can disguise his appearance, and Adrien, who has visions of the future. Both boys introduce Zoe to feelings that are entirely new. Together, this growing band of glitchers must find a way to free themselves from the controlling hands of the Community before they’re caught and deactivated, or worse.

In this action-packed debut, Glitch begins an exciting new young adult trilogy.

Glitch sounds fantastic! I absolutely love the idea of a glitch suddenly making the character experience her own emotions. It sounds like a great idea. Max and Adrien sounds interesting enough. Though, I'm not really welcoming the sound of a love triangle... but you never know! I think this is going to be a great debut! Hurry up August!

Everything You Need to Survive the Apocalypse

2012-01-24T07:00:00.000-06:00

Title: Everything You Need to Survive the Apocalypse
Author: Lucas Klauss
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: January 3, 2012
Source: Galley Grab
Add to your shelf

Summary: Phillip's sophomore year is off to a rough start. One of his best friends ditches him for a group of douchebags. His track coach singles him out for personalized, torturous training sessions. And his dad decides to clean out all of the emergency supplies from the basement, even though the world could end in disaster at any moment...and even though those supplies are all Phillip has left of his dead mom. Not that he wants to talk about that.

But then Phillip meets Rebekah. Not only is she unconventionally hot and smart, but she has seriously great boobs. And she might like him back.

As Phillip gets closer to Rebekah, he tries harder and harder to turn himself into the kind of person he thinks she wants him to be. But the question is, can he become that person? And does he really want to?

Review: Everything You Need to Survive the Apocalypse sports a long title, but it also has some fun moments that are wholly enjoyable.

On a whole, I enjoyed this book but it was just "meh" in some aspects. This book is over 400 pages long and after the first 200 I knew this was going to be a long read. It does have those fun moments that I said but most of the book is filled with questioning religion and just about everything there is to question.

If you aren't comfortable with religion in books don't be put off by it. I felt that the religion aspect of this book was very real. Phillip doesn't believe anything before he meets Rebekah. He starts going to church with her and trying to be a better Christian for her. I loved that Klauss didn't glorify or condemn Christianity but let Phillip make his own decisions regarding it, like any teen would.

Phillip is just a tad bit weird. I liked him and he had great narration but he just isn't lovable. He gave off all the wrong vibes as a character.

Another thing that I really liked was the writing. Even though the story could get long the writing instantly made up more that. Klauss has a great style that I would love to read again!

Overall, Everything You Need to Survive the Apocalypse is a decent read that realistically deals with religion.

Rating:

The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges

2012-01-23T07:00:00.000-06:00

Title: The Gathering Storm
Author: Robin Bridges
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: January 10, 2012
Source: Thank you Netgalley and Delacorte!

Summary: St. Petersburg, Russia, 1888. As she attends a whirl of glittering balls, royal debutante Katerina Alexandrovna, Duchess of Oldenburg, tries to hide a dark secret: she can raise the dead. No one knows. Not her family. Not the girls at her finishing school. Not the tsar or anyone in her aristocratic circle. Katerina considers her talent a curse, not a gift. But when she uses her special skill to protect a member of the Imperial Family, she finds herself caught in a web of intrigue.

An evil presence is growing within Europe's royal bloodlines—and those aligned with the darkness threaten to topple the tsar. Suddenly Katerina's strength as a necromancer attracts attention from unwelcome sources . . . including two young men—George Alexandrovich, the tsar's standoffish middle son, who needs Katerina's help to safeguard Russia, even if he's repelled by her secret, and the dashing Prince Danilo, heir to the throne of Montenegro, to whom Katerina feels inexplicably drawn.

The time has come for Katerina to embrace her power, but which side will she choose—and to whom will she give her heart?

Review: The Gathering Storm is an intense historical read that incorporates many paranormal elements into a fantastic story.

The Gathering Storm has an amazing setting. Russia in 1888? I don't think it gets much better than that. I loved being alongside Katerina as she went to various social events and balls. I totally wish that I lived back then. Bridges makes St. Petersburg come alive with Katerina's voice.

Katerina is an admirable character but she did have her moments. At times she could bug me but I liked her character as a whole. She definitely wasn't afraid to figure out the mysteries that are present in this book. There are quite a few people and quite a few names to keep track of in the book. Once you get used to all the people it isn't confusing anymore.

There are some seriously evil characters in this book. I won't say who they were but they were so easy to dislike. But there is also quite a few lovable side characters, from Katerina's somewhat crazy mother to Grand Duke George. I think I'm partial to the Grand Duke, though. Romance is part of the book but it never overwhelms the story line.

The only thing that detracts from this story is all the paranormal story lines. The Gathering Storm has a lot going for it in the paranormal department but there is so much of it. I was constantly learning new things and it is more than a little hard to keep things straight. After awhile I just went with it instead of trying to keep up. Then it all started to make sense!

The Gathering Storm is a win on the character and historical setting elements but it could get confusing at times. But, overall, The Gathering Storm is a must read for fans of historical fiction.

Rating:

The Grand Duke....

He's not too shabby for a guy that lived that long ago. His older bother was Nicholas II, who was the last tsar of Russia. Apparently, Grand Duke George died out on his motorcycle with blood coming out of his mouth. Um, OK?! I hope this has no role in the story. My grand duke does not die. Though, during the story he is around 17 and he doesn't die till 28 so I doubt it will come up.

In My Mailbox (63)

2012-01-22T07:00:00.000-06:00

Hi everyone and welcome to In My Mailbox hosted by The Story Siren! The purpose of IMM is share books we got during the week!

The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie: I'm not quite sure why I got this book other than I love Agatha Christie. I probably won't have time to read it but I'll try!

All Unquiet Things by Anna Jarzab: I've started the first couple of pages and I'm liking it so far!

Review:

Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter-I'm almost done with this one and I'm enjoying it. I don't think that I like it as much as the first one. That could change, though!

Thank you Harlequin Teen Panel!

That's it for me! What did you get this week?

Blog Happenings (53)

2012-01-21T14:48:00.002-06:00

Hi everyone! I hope you are having a great Saturday afternoon!

READING:

Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter-I'm about halfway through this book and I'm really enjoying it.

All Unquiet Things by Anna Jarzab-I've read the first few pages but once Goddess Interrupted came in the mail I went straight to it!

TO READ:

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

Ravenstroke by Augusta Blythe

READ:

The Iron Maiden by Resa Nelson-Great fantasy!

The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges-This proved to be a fantastic read!

A Million Suns by Beth Revis-AHH! I'm in love with this one!

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith-So adorable and cute. A must read!

I've actually got a lot of reading done and while I still have tons to do, I'm feeling a little bit more caught up!

I haven't read Hallowed yet. I would be reading it and probably almost done if I could get it. I called my local bookstore on Tuesday, when it came out. They said: sorry we don't have it. I called again on Thursday and they said: YES! we do. Naturally, I was very excited and went to buy it later that night. I get to the spot where it's supposed to be and they don't have it. I ask around and we look and look and look. They have ten copies that we can't seem to find. They took my name and number and told me they'd call me when they found it. They haven't called. I'm very upset about this! But I've been waiting this long so I guess I can wait another few days.

Sorry for my long and drawn out story but it sucks when you wait so long and then nothing happens. Hopefully, they'll find it by Tuesday.

That's it more me today! I'll be back tomorrow to show you what I got in my mailbox this week!

Have you read any good books this week?

Interview with Resa Nelson

2012-01-20T07:00:00.000-06:00

Visiting the blog today is Resa Nelson, author of a couple of books, including The Iron Maiden. Down at the bottom of the post I have some great information about giveaways!

1. Tell us about your book in 2 short sentences.

Book 1 (The Dragonslayer’s Sword) is about Astrid, a female blacksmith who lives in a world of ghosts, shapeshifters, and dragons, and who makes swords for dragonslayers. In Book 2 (The Iron Maiden) Astrid discovers that a rumor mentioned in Book 1 is real and that a much deeper danger exists in the world beyond her front door.

2. Is there anything in particular that draws you to fantasy, the genre of The Dragonslayer's Sword and The Iron Maiden?

When I was a little girl, I practically lived in the children’s section of the public library. I loved fairy tales. That led me to explore folktales. Because I constantly wanted to read more, more, more, I was thrilled to discover a section in the library with folktales from all over the world. That led me to mythology. All of it, eventually, led me to science fiction and then to fantasy. When I write short stories, I write science fiction, fantasy, and horror, and I often blend one or more of those genres with mystery or historical fiction. But for some reason I seem to be sticking to fantasy when I write novels. To me, genres are like crayons. Some genres feel very limiting to me, like your basic package of 8 crayons in basic, popular colors. When I was a kid I received a gift of a gigantic array of crayons – there must have been 70 or so. The range of colors was fantastic! That’s what writing fantasy feels like to me. It’s like having a wonderful array of colored crayons at hand, like peach and brick red and silver. I never know how many colors I’m going to want or need, but I like the idea of having so many at hand.

3.Your main character, Astrid, is very strong and brave in her quests. Is she in anyway based on anyone?

At the risk of having a complete lack of humility, she’s based on me. (When I create any character, good or bad, I try to tap into some aspect of my personality or to find something within myself that will help me understand someone who’s different than me.) When I think of Astrid, I think of times in my life when I’ve been terrified to do something and I’ve just pushed my way through the fear to do it anyway. For example, I love to travel. When I went on my first trip, I had no one to travel with and felt like such a loser. I live in the U.S., and I’d always wanted to go to Egypt. I found a local group to travel with, which meant we met up at the airport and took the same flight. Taking a shuttle to the airport was one of the scariest things I’d ever done. I kept thinking that I’d have no one to talk to or eat with during the tour in Egypt. The only way I could get myself to the airport was to tell myself that if I wanted to change my mind it was OK and that I could always go home. Of course, as soon as I got to the airport and met up with my group I was fine – and I had an amazing trip and spent time with some really wonderful people. But I’ve found that every time I push through my fear, there’s less of it the next time. I think that’s what Astrid does – she pushes through her fear.

4.When did you first start writing? Have you always wanted to write?

I started writing fiction as soon as I learned how to write. Before I could write, I was making up stories in my head to entertain myself, so it seemed like the natural thing to do to put them on paper. By the time I was 8 or 9 years old I knew I wanted to be a writer.

5. What are you working on currently?

A couple of things. I’m writing the final chapters of the last book (Book 4) in my Dragonslayer series. I’m also in the planning stages of my next series, which I hope to start writing sometime this year. The new series will be fantasy, but right now it looks like it’s going to be present-day fantasy…although that could change at any moment!

Thanks so much for letting me stop at your blog!

Anyone who would like to sample my work for free can download a free “mini” ebook called “Dragonslayer Stories” from my website athttp://www.resanelson.com/files. No cost, no obligation, nothing to sign up for, no information gathering. I like giving away samples of my work so you can decide for yourself whether you like it or not. If you do, you can enter to win a copy of the first two books in my series, which I’ll give away at the end of this tour on Feb. 14. To enter, just send email to ResaBonusGifts@aol.com – people from all countries are welcome to enter. (I won’t keep your email address – this just makes it easier for me to keep track of entries.) I’m also doing a book giveaway on GoodReads (open to U.S. residents only), so you can enter to win there, too.

For a link to the Goodreads giveaway, click HERE.

About Resa:

Resa Nelson has been selling fictionprofessionally since 1988. She is a longtime member of SFWA (Science Fictionand Fantasy Writers of America) and is a graduate of the Clarion SF Workshop.
Resa was also the TV/Movie Columnist for Realmsof Fantasy magazine for 13 years and was a contributor to SCI FI magazine. She hassold over 200 articles to magazines in the United States and the UnitedKingdom.

Her first novel, The Dragonslayer’s Sword, wasnominated for the Nebula Award, the highest honor in science fiction andfantasy. It was also a Finalist for the EPPIE Award. This medieval fantasynovel is based on a short story first published in the premiere issue of Science Fiction Agemagazine and ranked 2nd in that magazine's first Readers Top Ten Poll. The Dragonslayer's Swordis Book 1 in a 4-book series. Book 2, TheIron Maiden, was recently published. Book 3 is scheduled forpublication in Summer 2012.

Resa's standalone novel, Our Lady of the Absolute,is a fantasy/mystery/thriller about a modern-day society based on ancientEgypt. Midwest Book Review gave this book a 5-star review, calling it "ariveting fantasy, very highly recommended."

In real life, Resa is a fan ofchocolate, travel, summer, museums, ballet, movies, and Broadway musicals (herfavorites are Les Miserables and Wicked). She lives in Massachusetts.

Links:

Resa’s website: http://www.resanelson.com

Free “mini” ebook of Dragonslayer short stories: http://www.resanelson.com/files

Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Resa-Nelson-The-Dragonslayers-Sword/122200661871

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/ResaNelson

My review of both books: The Dragonslayer's Sword and The Iron Maiden. Click the titles for links!

Thanks for stopping by Resa!

The Iron Maiden by Resa Nelson

2012-01-19T07:00:00.000-06:00

Title: The Iron Maiden
Author: Resa Nelson
Publisher: Mundania Press LLC
Publication Date: December 13, 2011
Source: Author

Summary: Astrid isreluctant to travel the winter route beyond the Northlands, even though it’sher duty. She’d rather stay home in her village, surrounded by friends andneighbors. Ignoring the bonds of tradition, she decides to spend the coldwinter months in the warmth of her blacksmithing shop. Why should she leave thecomfort of her cottage to serve and protect foreigners who might raid and harmher native Northlands?

Everythingchanges when a traveling merchant steals Starlight, the first dragonslayer’ssword Astrid forged and her last link to her sweetheart DiStephan. Having notime to alert her friends, Astrid races in pursuit of the merchant, determinedto reclaim Starlight as her own and return home in time for dinner. Instead,her quest leads her to new lands, unexpected friendships with foreigners, and aharrowing encounter with the damage done by the followers of a new god thatconsiders women as nothing more than servants to men. All the while, she mustbe ready to face any dragon traveling the winter route.

Review: The Iron Maiden is the second book in The Dragonslayer's series and I have to say, I think I enjoyed this one a lot more than the first.

The thing that I liked the most about this installment was the travel. Astrid and some friends she gathers along the way travel a long way to get their "quests" done. It was so great to see all the different places in the fantasy lands and learn all the different ways people thought.

Astrid is back and even more likable. For some reason I was able to follow her story a lot easier than before and I just plain enjoyed her character. Astrid also meets a young woman named Margeet who I really enjoyed. She was a strong character and definitely grew a lot through the book.

The plot could be a little slow and meandering at times but otherwise it was full of action and new developments.

Overall, I enjoyed this new installment quite a bit. I 'm also quite curious to see where this series goes. So far, it's off to a great start!

Rating: 3.5 stars

Don't forget to check out the giveaway for the first book on Goodreads! Click HERE. I'll have more information about giveaways tomorrow, along with an interview!

Waiting on Wednesday (66)

2012-01-18T07:00:00.000-06:00

Hi everyone and happy Wednesday! Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine to show books we can't wait for!

This week's pick:

The Vicious Deep by Zoraida Córdova
May 1, 2012

When an unnatural riptide sweeps lifeguard Tristan Hart out to sea for three days and then dumps him back on the shore of Coney Island, it’s the start of the Sea Court claiming its own. Suddenly, Tristan’s girlfriend dramas and swimming championship seem like distant worries as he discovers the truth: he’s a Merman. Now Tristan must fight for his life, the lives of his friends, and his humanity (if he still wants it), while competing in a race for a throne as ancient as the gods.

Seductive, duplicitous, and with an agenda of their own, these are not the mermaids you know.

I love that last line: these are not the mermaids you know. I'm always up for a book that involves mermen, mermaids or other creatures of the sea. Plus, we have another male main character! Yay! I'm not a fan of the cover but it'll do.

Fracture by Megan Miranda

2012-01-17T07:00:00.000-06:00

Title: Fracture
Author: Megan Miranda
Publisher: Walker & Company
Publication Date: Januaray 17, 2012
Source: Thanks Netgalley and Walker!
Add to your shelf!

Summary: Eleven minutes passed before Delaney Maxwell was pulled from the icy waters of a Maine lake by her best friend Decker Phillips. By then her heart had stopped beating. Her brain had stopped working. She was dead. And yet she somehow defied medical precedent to come back seemingly fine

—despite the scans that showed significant brain damage. Everyone wants Delaney to be all right, but she knows she's far from normal. Pulled by strange sensations she can't control or explain, Delaney finds herself drawn to the dying. Is her altered brain now predicting death, or causing it?

Then Delaney meets Troy Varga, who recently emerged from a coma with similar abilities. At first she's reassured to find someone who understands the strangeness of her new existence, but Delaney soon discovers that Troy's motives aren't quite what she thought. Is their gift a miracle, a freak of nature-or something much more frightening?

For fans of best-sellers like Before I Fall and If I Stay, this is a fascinating and heart-rending story about love and friendship and the fine line between life and death.

Review: Fracture is both stunning and intriguing. There's a mix of both light and dark moments in the book but my favorite was the one that occurred most often. The dark.

Delaney has been under the water for 11 minutes. Just the fact that she could have survived surprised me. There is a little bit of science to Fracture making it more scientific than a paranormal read. This was an aspect that I loved.

Delaney, herself, is an admirable character. She has been through more than I can even imagine. Her ability is what really drew me to her, though. Delaney definitely wants to do good with it and I admire that. Decker is such a sweet guy! Decker is not perfect in anyway but that just made him even more realistic. Troy, in my mind, is an enigma. He was so dang mysterious and I was constantly trying to figure him out.

The only thing that I disliked, well I hardly disliked it, was the lack of closure in Delaney's relationships. I think I just wanted a little bit more.

Lastly, I want to note on the cover. I'm so in love with it. I think that it captures the book perfectly. The snowy forest in the back for a harsh Maine winter, down to Delaney's red jacket.

Fracture definitely managed to surprise me. The plot and the science involved kept me hooked the entire time. This is the perfect read if you're looking for something new in YA. I know that I'm definitely looking forward to more from Miranda!

Rating: 4.5 stars

Tempest by Julie Cross

2012-01-16T07:00:00.000-06:00

Title: Tempest
Author: Julie Cross
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Publication Date: January 17, 2012
Source: Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's Griffin!
Add to your shelf!

Summary: The year is 2009. Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun.

That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future.

Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.

But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler. Recruit… or kill him.

Piecing together the clues about his father, the Enemies of Time, and himself, Jackson must decide how far he’s willing to go to save Holly… and possibly the entire world.

Review: Tempest is the ultimate time travel book.

The time travel in Tempest is unique to this book. Yet, the time travel aspect of the book left me with so many questions. I devoured everything there was to know about time travel. I can't wait for more information to be revealed in later books. Cross really outdid herself with the time travel. It was pure genius!

In Tempest there's a male narrator. Jackson has one of the most realistic male voices that I have read in along time. There was nothing about him that didn't seem real. He was a great character that grew up a ton during the story, mostly because of time travel misfortunes. Jackson is such a sweetheart, too!

There are a couple of great supporting characters. From Jackson's girlfriend Holly to his nerdy friend, Adam . I enjoyed both of the characters. They were an amazing addition to the story.

The plot of Tempest is fast-paced and frankly, stunning. Like I said before, time travel plays a huge role in this book which then leads to a lot of dangerous scenes. Those scenes were action packed and written well.

The ending of Tempest is emotional, sad and makes you want to read the next installment right away. The ending of Tempest is a little hard to read, just because of some things that happen. Don't worry, I won't spoil it for you!

Tempest surprised me in all aspects. I can't wait to get my hands on the next book but for now a finished copy of this book will have to do!

Rating:

In My Mailbox (62)

2012-01-15T07:00:00.000-06:00

Hello everyone and happy Sunday In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren to share books we received during the week!

I decided to do a vlog today! Enjoy!

Books Mentioned:

Netgalley:

Partials by Dan Wells

Slide by Jill Hathaway

Pretty Crooked by Elisa Ludwig

Bought:

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

A Million Suns by Beth Revis

Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler

Pictures, as promised!

Blog Happenings (52)

2012-01-14T10:24:00.001-06:00

Hi everyone! So nice to see you on this Saturday!

READING:

The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges- I like this one but it has been really hard for me to get into! I'm also very confused by all the characters and what they believe!

I tried reading The International Kissing Club by Ivy Adams but it's just a little stupid. I'm going to try to get back to it later.

READ:

Fracture by Megan Miranda- This one was pretty great!

TO READ:

A Million Suns by Beth Revis

The Iron Maiden by Resa Nelson

I finally got A Million Suns and I'm just dying to read it already!

I'm in the process of cleaning my bookshelves. I'm not getting rid of any books but I really hate having books on top of books. I need to find a solution! Or maybe I just need to stop buying books. But that is never going to happen, sadly. I guess I have a need to help the economy! :)

In other words, I watched Water for Elephants last night! I thought it was a great movie, mainly because of how well done the circus aspect was. The acting wasn't bad, either! Now I really want to read the book. Rosie, the elephant, was amazing!!

Thanks for reading everyone! I'll see you tomorrow!

What to Read (13)

2012-01-13T10:15:00.000-06:00

Hi everyone! I have not been active in the blogosphere too much this week but that is changing! I have a four day weekend starting today and I hope to get a lot of reading and relaxing done.

What to Read is just a little thing I like to do that features a slew of books from a certain genre. Sometimes I don't exactly do genres, but you get the gist!

Today I'm featuring:

SEQUELS OF 2012!

There are tons of sequels that I'm just dying to get my hands on....

Hallowed by Cynthia Hand-This one come out on the 17 of this month! I just want to read it SO much. I need Tucker!

Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer- This one is already out but I have yet to read it. I've seen such amazing reviews of this one and I just can't wait to read this emotional conclusion to the series.

A Million Suns by Beth Revis-Again, this one is already out, but no one has taken me to the bookstore to buy it. We've had some iffy weather recently, so that is partly the problem but....! I NEED this book. I've heard it is so awesome.

A Want So Wicked by Suzanne Young-This one comes out June 26 of this year. I'm in love with A Need so Beautiful! I can't wait to see where Young goes with the series!

Fever by Lauren DeStefano-I really liked Wither. I'm so curious to see what happened to Rhine! This one comes out February 21!

Rebel Heart by Moira Young- Apparently this one comes out October 30.....NO! I do not think I can wait that long for Saba and Jack!

There are so many other sequels coming out this year but these are just a few of my top picks! What sequel are you waiting for?

The Dragonslayer's Sword by Resa Nelson

2012-01-12T07:00:00.000-06:00

Title: The Dragonslayer's Sword
Author: Resa Nelson
Publisher: Mundania Press LLC
Publication Date: June 1, 2008
Source: Author
Add to you shelf!

Summary: For Astrid, a blacksmith who makes swords for dragonslayers, the emergence of a strange gemstone from her body sets in motion a chain of events that threaten to destroy her life. Her happiness is shattered when her lover-the dragonslayer-disappears without a trace, and the life that she knows and loves implodes without warning. Astrid lives in a world of shapeshifters whose thoughts have the power to change not only themselves but others. Everything Astrid knows to be true is called into question when she learns the truth about her past and the mysterious family from which she was separated as a child. Reality turns inside out as Astrid gradually learns the truth about the people she loves as well as those she disdains. With the fate of dragons, ghosts, and slaves in foreign lands resting on her shoulders, Astrid faces the challenge of deciding who she is and how she will stand up inside her own skin. Will she withdraw and hide from the world that has disappointed her so much...or will she rise to lead others to freedom and peace?

Review: The Dragonslayer's Sword is a nicely done fantasy that's filled with lots of revelations and twists along the way.

One of the things that I liked best about The Dragonslayer's Sword was the plot. I was very interested in the plot, mainly because Nelson incorporates a lot of fantasy that I've never seen before! She definitely did a great job with that. The shape-shifting part was easily my favorite. There are some slow parts in the middle of the book but after you get over that hump the reading was easy and interesting.

Astrid was a good character and a likable one, too. She is definitely different from your usually heroine. Astrid is scarred, both mentally and physically, and I think that's what made me like her so much.

There were a couple of times during the book where I had a, "What?" moment. Some of Astrid's choices were a little hard for me to understand. There are quite a few supporting characters that I enjoyed but some seemed a little unnecessary.

The writing was fairly good and simple most of the time, but it was easy for me to get caught up in the story!

The Dragonslayer's Sword is definitely worth a read, especially if you love a different types of fantasy!

Stay tuned for an interview next week!

Rating: 3.5 stars

Waiting on Wednesday (65)

2012-01-11T07:00:00.000-06:00

Hi all and happy Wednesday! Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine to showcase books we can't wait for!

This week's pick is:

Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock
May 8, 2012

Mackenzie and Amy were best friends. Until Amy was brutally murdered.

Since then, Mac’s life has been turned upside down. She is being haunted by Amy in her dreams, and an extremist group called the Trackers has come to Mac’s hometown of Hemlock to hunt down Amy’s killer: A white werewolf.

Lupine syndrome—also known as the werewolf virus—is on the rise across the country. Many of the infected try to hide their symptoms, but bloodlust is not easy to control.

Wanting desperately to put an end to her nightmares, Mac decides to investigate Amy’s murder herself. She discovers secrets lurking in the shadows of Hemlock, secrets about Amy’s boyfriend, Jason, her good pal Kyle, and especially her late best friend. Mac is thrown into a maelstrom of violence and betrayal that puts her life at risk.

Kathleen Peacock’s thrilling novel is the first in the Hemlock trilogy, a spellbinding urban fantasy series filled with provocative questions about prejudice, trust, lies, and love.

First off, I really like the cover! The elaborate vines and flowers at the top are beautiful! But this is a mystery! A murder mystery! Those are my very favorite things. Plus, it sounds like there's a werewolf thing going on. I really don't think it can get any cooler than that!

Possess by Gretchen McNeil

2012-01-10T07:00:00.000-06:00

Title: Possess
Author: Gretchen McNeil
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: August 23, 2011
Source: Bought
Add to your shelf

Summary: Fifteen-year-old Bridget Liu just wants to be left alone: by her mom, by the cute son of a local police sergeant, and by the eerie voices she can suddenly and inexplicably hear. Unfortunately for Bridget, it turns out the voices are demons – and Bridget has the rare ability to banish them back to whatever hell they came from.

Terrified to tell people about her new power, Bridget confides in a local priest who enlists her help in increasingly dangerous cases of demonic possession. But just as she is starting to come to terms with her new power, Bridget receives a startling message from one of the demons. Now Bridget must unlock the secret to the demons' plan before someone close to her winds up dead – or worse, the human vessel of a demon king.

Review: Possess is a great debut that has some absolutely amazing writing!

My one complainant about this book was Bridget's character in the beginning. I can't confess to liking her or hating her for the first quarter of the book. She was just there. I'm not quite sure why I had no feelings about her character, though. Thankfully, as the book went on I could relate to her more and she became a great, strong heroine.

Possess has one of the cutest romances ever! Bridget and Matt Quinn are, frankly, just plain adorable. Matt is the cute, jock guy that isn't a jerk but it so sweet and there's steel-toed boot wearing Bridget. Together, the two were just amazing. I think I could go on for a long time about how well written their romance was.

Speaking of the writing, I just loved it! McNeil has a great, hilarious writing style that always had me smiling. Some of the lines in the book almost had me laughing out loud!

The story line of Possess managed to surprise me, too. Possess is filled with scary banishment scenes and some awesome demon lore. It was so nice to have a fresh take on this aspect of the paranormal genre.

Overall, Possess is an exciting debut that has some great writing and terrifying scenes.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Blood Red Road by Moira Young

2012-01-09T07:00:00.000-06:00

Title: Blood Red Road
Author: Moira Young
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Publication Date: June 7, 2011
Source: Bought
Add to your shelf

Summary: Saba has spent her whole life in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland ravaged by constant sandstorms. The Wrecker civilization has long been destroyed, leaving only landfills for Saba and her family to scavenge from. That's fine by her, as long as her beloved twin brother Lugh is around. But when a monster sandstorm arrives, along with four cloaked horsemen, Saba's world is shattered. Lugh is captured, and Saba embarks on an epic quest to get him back.

Suddenly thrown into the lawless, ugly reality of the world outside of desolate Silverlake, Saba is lost without Lugh to guide her. So perhaps the most surprising thing of all is what Saba learns about herself: she's a fierce fighter, an unbeatable survivor, and a cunning opponent. And she has the power to take down a corrupt society from the inside. Teamed up with a handsome daredevil named Jack and a gang of girl revolutionaries called the Free Hawks, Saba stages a showdown that will change the course of her own civilization.

Blood Red Road has a searing pace, a poetically minimal writing style, violent action, and an epic love story. Moira Young is one of the most promising and startling new voices in teen fiction.

Review: Blood Red Road is more than a just book. This book has me going crazy; I just love it SO much.

Saba, the main character, is this strong and sassy heroine who is stubborner than the day is long. I just loved her so much. Saba has so much determination and during the book I was always rooting for her. Saba puts all other strong heroines to shame because what she goes through it so intense and so scary that only someone like Saba could survive it.

There are so many other characters that I came to love just as much as I love our main character. There's Emmi, Saba's younger sister, who starts the book off a barely there girl but becomes so much stronger and braver as the book progresses. There's also Jack. Jack is a super sweet guy, though, I doubt he'd want to be called sweet. He and Saba make such a great team. Jack just melts my heart. I can't wait to see more of him in the upcoming books in this series.

The plot of this book is what had be hooked from the beginning. Blood Red Road never has a dull moment. Every single page is filled to the brim with excitement and danger. For being a lengthy book, Blood Red Road never slows, but just keeps picking up pace as Saba's story unfolds.

Blood Red Road has the uniquest style of writing I've seen in a long time. There are no quotations marks, no grammar and just about every word is spelled wrong. I LOVED it! It takes a little while to adjust to but after awhile the writing becomes just one more amazing thing in a great book.

Blood Red Road is most definitely epic. If you haven't read this one, do it now because there is nothing about this book that I didn't like. Blood Red Road succeeded in becoming a new favorite for me to obsess over.

Rating: Way more than 5 stars!

In My Mailbox (61)

2012-01-08T07:00:00.000-06:00

Hi everyone and happy Sunday! In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren to share all the books we got during the week!

This week was great!

Rosebush by Michele Jaffe-This one looks mysterious, plus I love the cover!

Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer-I love this series! I'm so sad it's the last book, too!

Lie by Caroline Block-I really don't have a clue what this one is about. It just looks good.

Charmfall by Chloe Neill-I've read the previous books in this series and enjoyed them. I hope this one is just as great!

For my Nook:

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi-I'm very curious about this book because I've heard such great things about it!

That's it for me! What did you get?

Blog Happenings (51)

2012-01-07T09:53:00.000-06:00

This is going to be an important blog happenings. I'll tell you why in the paragraphs below.

READING:

Everything you Need to Survive the Apocalypse by Lucas Klauss-I like this book but it isn't an amazing book. I have about 50 pages left.

TO READ:

The Iron Maiden by Resa Nelson

The International Kissing Club by Ivy Adams

Fracture by Megan Miranda

READ:

The Dragon Slayer's Sword by Resa Nelson-This was a good fantasy!

I haven't had much time to read this week, maybe because the book above is over 400 pages long!

But then there's also the other reason:

Finals!!

That's right, those icky end of the semester tests that you have to take. My finals are in the upcoming week and I'd be lying if I said they weren't hard. I'm sure you can all imagine just how stressed out I am.

But this is what I'm going to do: I'm going to get all my posts ready for next week. BUT I don't think I'm going to have much time to comment on other blogs or even read.

I hope everyone understands this. I'll be back Thursday afternoon and ready to read and comment a lot!

Thank you so much!

Still Waters by Emma Carlson Berne

2012-01-05T07:00:00.000-06:00

Title: Still Waters
Author: Emma Carlson Berne
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: December 20, 2011
Source: Bought
Add to your shelf

Summary: Hannah can't wait to sneak off for a romantic weekend with her boyfriend, Colin. He’s leaving for college soon, and Hannah wants their trip to the lake house to be one they’ll never forget.

But once Hannah and Colin get there, things start to seem a bit...off. They can't find the town on any map. The house they are staying in looks as if someone's been living there, even though it's been deserted for years. And Colin doesn’t seem quite himself. As he grows more unstable, Hannah worries about Colin’s dark side, and her own safety.

Nothing is as perfect as it seems, and what lies beneath may haunt her forever.

Review: Still Waters is definitely a creepy book. It manages to be creepy but at the same time was fascinating.

Hannah was a character that I really liked. It took me a while to warm up to her but after awhile I was rooting her own, hoping that she could get out of her situation alive. Yes, there are tons of life and death situations in Still Waters. Colin was a crazy character. I think that's all I'm going to say about him. He and Hannah make a great couple when he wasn't acting really weird.

At first I thought Still Waters was going to be a lot like Frost by Marianna Baer. Mainly because both characters are living in a creepy old house. But, thankfully, Still Waters has nothing to do with the house, well mostly.

This book is really addictive. I found by self racing through the pages of this very short book because, well, I had to know what happened to the characters. There were some moments in Still Waters where just the plain creepiness drove me to read. It could be a little scary at times, but only a mild scary. It was just creepy.

The only thing I didn't like was the ending. It was just really abrupt. Something happens and then its just over. One of the characters, not a main one, has this crazy reaction to what happened and it is never explained. The books just ends a few pages later. An epilogue might have been helpful, too. It was just very frustrating because I didn't feel like all the important questions had been answered.

Still Waters is a fascinating read, mainly because it offers a real reason for the craziness of a character and no supernatural aspect is even mentioned. If you want a creepy read that isn't too scary than this is the one for you. I can't wait to see what else Berne does!

Rating: 4 stars

Waiting on Wednesday (64)

2012-01-04T07:00:00.000-06:00

Hi and Happy Wednesday! Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine to showcase books we can't wait for!

This week's pick is:

Something Like Normal by Trish Doller
June 19, 2012

A powerful debut novel about a young Marine's return home from Afghanistan and the new life and love he finds while fending off the ghosts of war.

When Travis Stephenson returns home from Afghanistan, his parents are on the brink of divorce, his brother has stolen his girlfriend and his car, and nightmares of his best friend getting killed keep him completely spooked. But when he runs into Harper Gray, a girl who despises him for trashing her reputation with a middle school lie, life actually starts looking up. As Travis and Harper see more of each other, he starts falling for her and a way through the family meltdown, the post-traumatic stress, and the possibility of an interesting future begins to emerge.

His sense of humor, sense of his own strength, and incredible sense of honor make Travis an irresistible and eminently lovable hero in this fantastic and timely debut novel.

Other than the fact that I'm not a fan of the cover, I'm so excited for this book! First of all we have a male main character! Even if he isn't the narrator he's still a guy. I love it when authors go for the male perspective. Plus a guy that's a marine? Yes, please! You don't see many contemporaries about people returning home in YA.

Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs

2012-01-03T07:00:00.000-06:00

Title: Sweet Venom
Author: Tera Lynn Childs
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Publication Date: September 6, 2011
Source: Bought
Add to your shelf!

Summary: Grace just moved to San Francisco and is excited to start over at a new school. The change is full of fresh possibilities, but it’s also a tiny bit scary. It gets scarier when a minotaur walks in the door. And even more shocking when a girl who looks just like her shows up to fight the monster.

Gretchen is tired of monsters pulling her out into the wee hours, especially on a school night, but what can she do? Sending the minotaur back to his bleak home is just another notch on her combat belt. She never expected to run into this girl who could be her double, though.

Greer has her life pretty well put together, thank you very much. But that all tilts sideways when two girls who look eerily like her appear on her doorstep and claim they're triplets, supernatural descendants of some hideous creature from Greek myth, destined to spend their lives hunting monsters.

These three teenage descendants of Medusa, the once-beautiful gorgon maligned by myth, must reunite and embrace their fates in this unique paranormal world where monsters lurk in plain sight.
Review: Sweet Venom is an adorable read. But the thing that grabbed me was the monsters and the revamped mythology!

Grace, Gretchen and Greer are three very different girls, despite being triplets. They all have their different perspectives which I liked but then sometimes disliked. I loved how I got into each different head because the girls are just so different. But I did not like how similar the perspectives were but how different the characters were, if that makes any sense. I like books with one or two perspectives. Three is pushing it a little because it is so hard to differentiate between the writing and the voice. Childs did a good job, though.

What I did like was the love interests. They don't play a huge role in the book but I'm super curious about all of them! I liked how Sweet Venom just didn't focus on the romance. The subject was just broached. And then there's Grace's brother, Thane. That boy is intriguing!

The mythology was, by far, the best part of the book for me. I loved how Childs made it her own and totally rethought it. That aspect of the book was definitely awesome. Plus, there's all different kinds of monsters!

The plot was a little hard to get into in the beginning but after awhile I got into the flow of things and polished this book off in no time. Once the action starts, it really doesn't stop.

Sweet Venom exceeded in being a cute, fun read with some great new mythology. I'd recommend this, especially if you love new takes on mythology!

Rating:

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

2012-01-02T07:00:00.000-06:00

Title: Cinder
Author: Marissa Meyer
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Publication Date: January 3, 2012
Source: Thanks Netgalley and Publisher!
Add to your shelf

Summary: Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

In this thrilling debut young adult novel, the first of a quartet, Marissa Meyer introduces readers to an unforgettable heroine and a masterfully crafted new world that’s enthralling.
Review: Cinder is a book that you will want to race through to see what happens to the beloved characters, but at the same time you absolutely want to savor Cinder because: oh my goodness, this book is awesome!

Cinder, the character, was a girl that I immediately loved. She's been through a ton in her life time and yet she is such a sweet girl. Cinder has such a kind heart and it really shows through in her actions. She can also be brave, though, and ready to sacrifice herself for her world.

The other side characters were nicely written, too. I have to admit that I really liked Prince Kai. Sometimes he could be a little frustrating, mostly at the end, but he was just a really cute guy. All of his and Cinder's interactions were such fun and had this cute, little awkward thing going on. Other characters, such as Iko, an android, and Peony, Cinder's sister, really pulled on my heart strings. Both characters were so amazing.

Oh, but then there's the plot! Some of Cinder was a tad bit predictable, truthfully. This hardly affected my reading experience. Cinder is very fast-paced and you almost have to know what happens next. I flew this book but I never wanted it to end, It was just that good! There's also the fact that this is a Cinderella re-imagining where Cinder is a cyborg. I think that makes it even more awesome.

Cinder is a stunning debut. I loved the writing, the characters and the plot.I just love, love, loved it! Add this one to your wishlist, if you haven't already. I said this last year with Unearthly: If all debuts are going to be as awesome and wonderful as this then this is going to be on heck of a year!

Rating:

In My Mailbox (61)

2012-01-01T11:26:00.001-06:00

Hi and happy In My Mailbox. IMM is hosted by the Story Siren to show books we got during the week!

This week was pretty awesome!

Winter Town by Stephen Emond
Still Waters by Emma Carlson Berne
Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep
Kiss of Frost by Jennifer Estep

I've already read Still Waters, and thought it was great! I'm very excited to start Touch of Frost and then Wintertown! Both look great.

I scored some great deals for my Nook:

Happy New Year! May 2012 be the best year yet!

2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge

2012-01-01T09:00:00.000-06:00

Hi everyone, I'm joined The 2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge!

These are the hosts:Evie from Bookish - http://www.evie-bookish.blogspot.com @SeoEvie
Nicole from All I Ever Read - http://www.nicoleabouttown.com/ @Nicoleabouttown
Bonnie from Hands and Home - http://www.handsandhome.ca/ @HandsHomeBlog
Donna from Book Passion For Life - http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.com/ @BookPforLife
Caitlin from WatchYA Reading - http://whatchyareading.net @caitlingss
Rie from Mission To Read - http://missiontoread.com/ @missiontoread
Vicky from Books, Biscuits & Tea -http://booksbiscuitsandtea.blogspot.com/ @alouetteuette
Christa from Hooked On Books - http://christashookedonbooks.blogspot.com @ChristasBooks
Jenna from Fans Of Fiction - http://fansoffiction.blogspot.com/ @fansoffiction
Angel from Mermaids Vision - http://mermaidvision.wordpress.com @mermaidvisions
There are the rules:

This challenge will run from Jan 1, 2012 - Dec 31, 2012.
As we would like to see quality reviews linked up to our monthly wrap-ups, only bloggers can enter. Sorry about that!
Any genre, length or format of book counts, as long as it is a book that's been sitting on your shelf for some time now. Only books released in 2011 and earlier! NO ARCs and 2012 fresh-off-the-press releases allowed!
You can list your books in advance or just put them in a wrap-up post. If you list them, feel free to change them as the mood takes you.
When you sign up in the linky, put the direct link to your post about joining the 2012 TBR PILE Reading Challenge (You need to include the info + host list + challenge button. You can also grab the button code and add it to your sidebar!)
You can move up levels, but no moving down.
Sign-ups will be open until Dec 15, 2012, so feel free to join at any time throughout the year.
At the end of each month one of the hosts will post a wrap-up. Every wrap-up will have it's unique theme, a mini-challenge, a giveaway and place for you to link up your reviews from this month. For each review you link up, you will get one entry in a drawing of one book of choice from Book Depository. It's open to INTERNATIONALS. For participating in the mini-challenge you will get +1 entry.
If you miss a wrap-up post + giveaway, you can link up your reviews next month. Do not, however, try to link up one review twice - we will be checking ;)
December is a wrap-up for the whole year. All the book reviews you linked up January-November + the ones you'll link up in December will be entered into a HUGE giveaway - 12 books, 12 winners, INTERNATIONAL.
You don't have to follow all the hosts to join the challenge, but you do have to follow all of us to be entered in giveaways!

There are a couple of levels:1-10 - A Firm Handshake
11-20 - A Friendly Hug
21-30 - A Sweet Kiss
31-40 - Love At First Sight
41-50 - Married With Children
I am going for a Friendly Hug meaning that I'm reading 11-20 books!
Here are just a couple of the books that I hope to read during the challenge! I will update this list as I read books!

Legend by Marie Lu
Gimme A Call by Sarah Mlynowski
Timeless by Alexandra Monir
Fateful by Claudia Gray
Afterlife by Claudia Gray
After Obsession by Carrie Jones and Stephen E. Wedel
Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan
Matched by Ally Condie
Wake Unto Me by Lisa Cach
Forgiven by Janey Fox
Playing Hurt by Holly Schindler
Between by Jessica Warman
All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin
Forever by Maggie Stiefvater
Cascade by Lisa T. Bergren
Wintertown by Stephen Emond
Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep

I'm going to stop there for now! Hopefully I can finish these and more!

2011 Debut Author Challenge Wrap-Up

2011-12-31T15:13:00.004-06:00

This is my wrap-up for the 2011 Debut Author Challenge, hosted by The Story Siren!
All these books are listed, without review, here.
These titles will have links, so if you missed the review you can read it now! If you want to know why I need this, let's just say it's a de-stresser! That isn't a word!
Ones with stars are my favorites. Yes, most of them were amazing so there are a lot of stars!

I think I did pretty good this year! 46 debuts is pretty impressive! Want to know what I'm reading next year? Go HERE.

Blog Happenings (50)

2011-12-31T10:46:00.002-06:00

Happy New Year's Eve! It's very hard to believe that the year is coming to a close. There will be some wrap up post that I need to do as far as challenges go later in the day. I think I failed my historical challenge..oops!

READING:

This is a book I have for a blog tour, I'm not too far into it. I hope to finish it by today, though!

TO READ:

I hoped to finish Daughter of Smoke & Bone this year but that obviously isn't going to happen! Maybe I'll get a little bit of it read.

Otherwise, I have tons of Netgally books that I need to read. The end of the year makes you (and me!) realize how badly you've been slacking!

I envy people that can just go from one book to a time and not worry about how they didn't quite make it to this book and such. I, obviously, can't do that. I stress out about all the books I have on my shelves that I haven't got to. Which, frankly, is a little silly!

READ:

Cinder by Marissa Meyer-I loved this one, expect a review on Monday!

Blood Red Road by Moira Young-This one was fantastic! Go read it now!!

Possess by Gretchen McNeil-This one was a great read, definitely loved the banishment parts.

Still Waters by Emma Carlson Berne-Pleasantly surprised by how creepy this one was!

I've read 185 books this year, I hope to make that 186 by midnight! For a list of those: Books Read

I hope to get some housecleaning done on the blog this afternoon so it's prepped for the new year!

Stayed tuned for my Challenge updates!

Top Ten Books of 2011

2011-12-30T07:00:00.000-06:00

It's finally come. New Year's Eve is tomorrow. A whole new year full of great things and bad things is going to start. Yes, I realize how weird I'm sounding. But there will be new books in 2012. Oh, yes! We are still in 2011 so here are my favorite books of 2011. This is a post that I've spent hours laboring over. It was very hard and there are many that couldn't get mentioned. I'm linking my Goodreads so you can check out other books I've rated 5 stars. Link to my Goodreads.

Top Ten of 2011: The Final List

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

If you want a book that's filled to the brim with characters that have an adorable romance. This is the one for you. Lola, the book and the character, is so remarkable. This book makes you want to hug it, it's just that good.

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

I'd be lying if I said this wasn't THE favorite book of 2011. Because it kind of is. I love all these other books but there is just something special about Unearthly. It has almost nothing to do with my love for a certain cowboy but just everything to do with the book. For some reason this book was just a really powerful read for me.

Blood Red Road by Moira Young

Blood Red Road is my new obsession, as I read it just a few days ago. I'm so in love with the characters and the writing, which is so unique. The characters also have a very special spot in my heart. Blood Red Road is an incredible book.

Divergent by Veronica Roth

When I first read this I was amazed. It's hard for me to believe that I'm still amazed by this book. Just everything about this book makes me love it. It's fast-paced and Tris was so Dauntless...!

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Across the Universe has one of the best dual perspectives I have seen in a long time. The setting was intense, the characters great and the mystery? Well, that was just a little heart-stopping.

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Shatter Me is totally amazing! This book makes me want to jump out and down it was SO good. The characters, the supernatural elements all were combined with the most gorgeous writing.

Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez

Virtuosity is a stunning tale that shocked me. I never thought that I'd have so much love for a contemporary that dealt with issues. But this one is truly a stand out in the contemporary genre.

Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins

Demonglass is an amazing sequel to Hex Hall. Demonglass is so filled with twists and turns that everything is a surprise. Plus the love interest(s) aren't too shabby.

The Eternal Sea by Angie Frazier

The Eternal Sea is a gem in a sea of historical fantasy. I love the writing, I love all the characters and I just love the historical setting.

Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey

Haunting Violet managed to surprise me with its lovable characters and mystery. Not to mention the historical setting and the ghosts. It's a must read for mystery fans.

That's my list! What are some of your favorite books?

Top Ten Love Interests of 2011

2011-12-29T07:00:00.000-06:00

Hello everyone and welcome to the second to last top ten list! This top ten list features one of my favorite things in books, other than the main characters, and that is

THE LOVE INTEREST

Some of these will be the love interest of my favorite main characters but I'm switching up here a little. Mainly because I have way more than 10 favorite love interests. (In no particular order) There are too many good boys in YA!

Tucker from Unearthly by Cynthia Hand~First of all Tucker is a cowboy and an adorable sweet one, too! There is nothing not to love about Tucker, he and Clara make the best couple. Even though he's part of a love triangle I think we all know who is going to be the winner of this one. (Hopefully, *crosses fingers for luck*) I am in love with Tucker.
Adam from Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi~Adam is spectacular love interest. He is always there to comfort and be with Juliette. I love their relationship just because it's so real.
Jeremy from Virtousity by Jessica Martinez~Jeremy is like a lot of other guys on this list, cocky but so sweet and adorable. He and Carmen have an amazing relationship. I just love both of them. Plus Jeremy has an accent!
Rieker from The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton~The thing I love about Rieker is that he is a perfect gentlemen. He's always willing to help Tiki and to tell her when she's being a little stubborn. Plus, he and Tiki have a real romance.
Tyler from Moonglass by Jessi Kirby~The romance in Moonglass definitely doesn't take center stage in the book but the the realness of Anna and Tyler's relationship does. Tyler is cute, cocky and likes adventure. He was adorable.
Cole from The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab~Cole is a total mystery at first but eventually we get to see how much of a sweetheart he is. So adorable....
Four from Divergent by Veronica Roth~I don't think you need much explaining on this one. Tris and Four equal pure awesome. Four is a character that you won't forget soon!
Cricket from Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins~Cricket is a guy who makes me absolutely smile! He's adorable and super caring, do we see a pattern forming? He's there for Lola and isn't some jerk.
Dan from Past Perfect by Leila Sales~I really, really like Dan. He's just plain adorable. He and Chelsea have so much fun together that it's hard not to like them. I love a couple that has tons of fun with each other!
Colin from Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey~Colin is a great historical love interest and he's my absolute favorite thing, a friend that's been there since childhood. He's caring, sweet, adorable, funny. Oh my, the list goes on and on. I think I need to give Haunting Violet another read.
Jack from Blood Red Road by Moira Young~I'm cheating a little here but Jack just had to be on this list with all these other guys). Jack is such a cocky yet sweet guy! Now he isn't really sweet but he and Saba just made my heart melt a little. Their relationship is amazing! Jack will definitely make the girls swoon!

There are SO many other guys that I could name off, but sadly I can't name them all. There are way too many out there! (ex: Asher from The Probability of Miracles, I LOVE him. Or the Fuentes brothers for that matter, they need a whole list! What about Archer from Demonglass, pure love right there!) They just can't make it on the list, even if they are deserving. I'm very sad I can't include every boy.

What are some of your favorite love interests, and do you agree or disagree with mine?

Waiting on Wednesday (51)

2011-12-28T07:00:00.000-06:00

Hi everyone and happy Wednesday! Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine to showcase books we can't wait for!

This week's pick is:

Dangerous Boy by Mandy Hubbard
August 30, 2012

Harper’s new boyfriend Logan Townsend is everything she never knew she always wanted—tall, muscular, with tousled brown hair that falls effortlessly around his face. But what’s most exciting about Logan is that he’s exhilaratingly dangerous, and dating him allows Harper to say, “buh bye” to her good-girl past and “hello” to newfound adventure.

There’s only one problem with Harper’s otherwise heart-stopping romance: Logan’s twin brother Daemon. Harper knows he’s a bad seed, but she tries to look past his dark, icy stare and his chilling demeanor. After all, he and Logan are a package deal.

Then cow bones start appearing in people’s mailboxes, a flock of birds show up dead, and all of the cars in the senior parking lot are given flat tires—and covered with blood-red handprints. Logan insists that Daemon isn’t involved—sure, he’s had some trouble in the past, but they moved to Harper’s quiet northwest Washington town so that they could both start over.

Harper desperately wants to believe Logan, but the more he tries to protect his brother, the more she wonders what she isn’t being told. Now, Harper must unearth the hidden secrets of the mysterious Townsend brothers’ history if she and Logan are to have any hope of a future. But learning what brought Logan and Daemon to town won’t put just her heart in jeopardy... She’s playing with her life.

Truthfully, this one sounds a little creepy. Cow bones in mailboxes? Usually I would say count me out but it's Mandy Hubbard. I love all her other books. Logan and Daemon sound like two interesting characters, in other words a little creepy sounding. I can't wait to see how they're written!

Favorite Main Characters of 2011

2011-12-27T12:20:00.001-06:00

I was originally going to do a review today but then I decided to do something special because it is the last week of 2011. Tomorrow will be a Waiting on Wednesday and Thursday will be another top ten list. Friday will be a What to Read. On the second the blog will go back to regular programming. I apologize that this is so late, I couldn't get the internet to work...

Top Ten Main Characters of 2011

Saba from Blood Red Road by Moira Young- Saba is a strong (aka stubborn) heroine who can hold her own in a fight. She's flawed but in a lovable way. She definitely amazes me.
Camille from The Eternal Sea by Angie Frazier-Camille has a lot on her plate, she has to undo some ancient curses, but she always manages to stay strong. She's a very relatable character for being in a historical time period.
Clara from Unearthly by Cynthia Hand-Clara is just an amazing character. She isn't afraid to do what she thinks is right and she blew me away in Unearthly. She makes you love her.
Tris from Divergent by Veronica Roth-Tris is one word: amazing. She's a lot of other things too but I just admire her for her strength and for being so brave.
Juliette from Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi-Juliette has some serious guts. She's lovable plus she's been through so much and still manages to survive.
Carmen from Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez-Carmen is so amazing. What she did in Virtuosity blew me away. She's an incredible character.
Emerson from Hourglass by Myra McEntire-Em is so snarky and funny and just a lot of fun. Like all my favorite main characters she's been through a lot but still manges to come out on top.
Violet from Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey-First of all, Violet can see ghosts and lives in the past. She's also sweet but gets into a lot of trouble. Which I love!
Lola from Lola and the Boy Next Door-I almost forgot Lola! Lola is a crazy dresser that manages to steal your heart from page one. She and Cricket are amazing.
Cam from The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder-Cam is a fantastic main character. She's a great girl that has a protective shell around her but really is as awesome as can be.

The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder

2011-12-26T07:00:00.000-06:00

Title:The Probability of Miracles
Author: Wendy Wunder
Publisher:Razorbill
Publication Date:December 8, 2011
Source:Bought
Add to your shelf

Summary:Dry, sarcastic, sixteen-year-old Cam Cooper has spent the last seven years in and out hospitals. The last thing she wants to do in the short life she has left is move 1,500 miles away to Promise, Maine - a place known for the miraculous events that occur there. But it's undeniable that strange things happen in Promise: everlasting sunsets; purple dandelions; flamingoes in the frigid Atlantic; an elusive boy named Asher; and finally, a mysterious envelope containing a list of things for Cam to do before she dies. As Cam checks each item off the list, she finally learns to believe - in love, in herself, and even in miracles.

A debut novel from an immensely talented new writer, The Probability of Miracles crackles with wit, romance and humor and will leave readers laughing and crying with each turn of the page.

Review:The Probability of Miracles is a beautiful book. It's a book that makes you cry but also makes you laugh and smile.

Cam was a fantastic main character. From the moment she appeared on the page she captured my heart. Cam has been through a lot and I doubt she'd want sympathy from people. She doesn't get mine, she gets my support. Cam was everything that I needed my main character to be. She was strong, relatable and she could make me smile.

The supporting characters were just as real as Cam was. Asher was just an amazing character. I don't think an author could have created a better love interest. Cam's Mom and sister and even her Grandma touched my heart and made me want to know them.

On top of the great characters there's the writing. Wunder has a way of putting things that was just so beautiful. I am in love with her writing. I don't even want to get started on how much I loved the concept of the book.

The Probability of Miracles will amaze you with its writing and concept, but it's the characters that will make you want to stay in the world of Promise, Maine.

Rating:

Blog Happenings (49) and Happy Holidays!!

2011-12-24T15:13:00.000-06:00

Hello everyone!
I'm coming to you today for a special edition of Blog Happenings-a very short one, at that. I'm just going to update you on what's going on and that's it.

READING:

Cinder by Marissa Meyer-I'm loving this book! Cinder is such a great character. I have about a 100 pages left so I hope to finish it sometime after the holidays.

READ:

Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs-This was super cute and lots of fun!

Shut Out by Kody Keplinger-This one was amazing!

Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout-Armentrout never fails to disappoint!

The Probabilty of Miracles by Wendy Wunder-I LOVE this book, expect a review next Monday.

TO READ:

Possess by Gretchen McNeil

Daughter of Smoke and Bone

Blood Red Road by Moira Young

I think I can manage to read all those books before the end of the year!

There will not be an IMM tomorrow because I haven't received any books and it is Christmas!

I wish you all the happiest of holidays! See everyone on Monday!

P.S. Don't forget to check out Google, it's amazing!

What to Read (12)

2011-12-23T07:00:00.000-06:00

Hi everyone!

What to Read is just a little thing I like to do that features a slew of books from a certain genre. Sometimes I don't exactly do genres, but you get the gist!

Today I'm featuring:

What to Read before 2011 is over!

This video is pretty long so don't feel bad if you don't watch it all, I totally understand. I feel like on video I sound funny and have a lisp. Plus my head looks huge. This video included phones ringing and squirrel sightings because I'm too stupid to edit it.

Shut Out by Kody Keplinger

2011-12-22T07:00:00.000-06:00

Title: Shut Out
Author: Kody Keplinger
Publisher: Poppy
Publication Date: September 6, 2011
Source: Bought
Add to your shelf

Summary: Most high school sports teams have rivalries with other schools. At Hamilton High, it's a civil war: the football team versus the soccer team. And for her part,Lissa is sick of it. Her quarterback boyfriend, Randy, is always ditching her to go pick a fight with the soccer team or to prank their locker room. And on three separate occasions Randy's car has been egged while he and Lissa were inside, making out. She is done competing with a bunch of sweaty boys for her own boyfriend's attention

Then Lissa decides to end the rivalry once and for all: She and the other players' girlfriends go on a hookup strike. The boys won't get any action from them until the football and soccer teams make peace. What they don't count on is a new sort of rivalry: an impossible girls-against-boys showdown that hinges on who will cave to their libidos first. But what Lissa never sees coming is her own sexual tension with the leader of the boys, Cash Sterling...

Review: Shut Out managed to amaze me in so many ways. This book is a gem, especially to high school girls.

In Shut Out the main character is an admirable one. Lissa is definitely a strong heroine who thinks she knows what she wants. At times Lissa could be a little too shifty with her actions but she still proves herself as a girl who can make her own decisions.

There's a ton of great supporting characters in Shut Out, from Lissa's Dad to her friends to Cash. Cash is such a sweet boy. Basically, he's everything you'd ever want in a guy. He likes books and can make intelligent conversation...Cash is the opposite of Lissa's boyfriend, Randy. I liked Randy a bit in the beginning but in my mind he turned out to be a bad egg. Lissa's Dad was such a good guy, she was so lucky to have him.

But what's this war? Shut Out has the best concept I've seen in awhile for a fun contemporary book. The girls of Hamilton High are going on a hook up strike, as I'm sure most of you already know. I really loved this idea and I had a such a great time reading about all the escapades that went down during the war.

Shut Out is an awesome book that manages to stay fun but broaches some issues with brutal honesty. I will definitely be looking forward to many more books from Keplinger!

Rating: 4.5 stars

Waiting on Wednesday (50)

2011-12-21T07:00:00.000-06:00

Hi and Happy Wednesday! Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine to show books we can't wait to read!

This week's pick is:

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick
June 14, 2012

"One thing my mother never knew, and would disapprove of most of all, was that I watched the Garretts. All the time."

The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, numerous, messy. And every day from her balcony perch, seventeen year old Samantha wishes she was one of them… until the day Jase Garrett climbs her terrace and changes everything.

Jase can sense that his beautiful neighbor is missing something in her sterile home, and as the two fall fiercely in love, his family makes her one of their own.

But when the bottom drops out of Sam's world, which perfect family will save her–and will her perfect love survive?

Set among the haves and have-nots of a coastal New England town, My LIFE NEXT DOOR captures the angst, the heartache, and the raw-nerve emotions of first time love—and biting loss.

I'm always in the mood for a good contemporary read, and My Life Next Door looks like it could ease my craving a little. Plus, who doesn't like romance that involves the next door neighbor boys? But other than that, the setting of New England and the biting loss described in the summary make this sound like a really good read!

Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

2011-12-20T07:00:00.000-06:00

Title: Obsidian
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Publication Date: December 6, 2011
Source: Bought
Add To Your Shelf (new feature, links to Goodreads)

Summary: Starting over sucks.

When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring…. until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.

And then he opened his mouth.

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something…unexpected happens.

The hot alien living next door marks me.

You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon’s touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I’m getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades.

If I don’t kill him first, that is.

Review: Obsidian will have you hooked from the first page. It's fast-paced with good characters and something we haven't seen too much in YA, aliens!

Katy, the main character, whose name is not mentioned in the summary has one heck of a voice. Katy is so spunky and so snarky that she almost jumps off the page. Katy is a very strong girl, she definitely isn't afraid to stand up to her alien buddies. She was a tad two-dimensional at times but hopefully in the next book she'll make her way to full character.

But who is this hot Daemon guy that you've heard so much about before this review? Well, Daemon is a jerk. But you will find him being a lovable jerk who has his sweet moments where he turns into a caring alien. The tension between Katy and Daemon was so tangible and real that it makes you shift in your seat wondering when you'll see them together again. Armentrout definitely knows how to make a book steamy.

Obsidian also sports some great side characters. There's Daemon's sister, Dee, who is almost too peppy for her own good yet still manages to steal reader's heart. Katy also meets some interesting characters at school.

The alien aspect was much more engaging and interesting than I expected. You'll definitely want to know more about the different types of aliens, yes there are more than one kind. Hopefully all those secrets will be revealed in later books. Books that have more hot covers.

Obsidian will have you absolutely yearning for the next book. I know that I absolutely can't wait for Onyx, the next book in this amazing alien series.

Rating: 4.5 stars

The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton

2011-12-19T07:00:00.000-06:00

Title: The Faerie Ring
Author: Kiki Hamilton
Publisher: Tor Teen
Publication Date: September 27, 2011
Source: Bought

Summary: Debut novelist Kiki Hamilton takes readers from the gritty slums and glittering ballrooms of Victorian London to the beguiling but menacing Otherworld of the Fey in this spellbinding tale of romance, suspense, and danger.

The year is 1871, and Tiki has been making a home for herself and her family of orphans in a deserted hideaway adjoining Charing Cross Station in central London. Their only means of survival is by picking pockets. One December night, Tiki steals a ring, and sets off a chain of events that could lead to all-out war with the Fey. For the ring belongs to Queen Victoria, and it binds the rulers of England and the realm of Faerie to peace. With the ring missing, a rebel group of faeries hopes to break the treaty with dark magic and blood—Tiki’s blood.

Unbeknownst to Tiki, she is being watched—and protected—by Rieker, a fellow thief who suspects she is involved in the disappearance of the ring. Rieker has secrets of his own, and Tiki is not all that she appears to be. Her very existence haunts Prince Leopold, the Queen’s son, who is driven to know more about the mysterious mark that encircles her wrist.

Prince, pauper, and thief—all must work together to secure the treaty…

Review: I'd heard some pretty good things about The Faerie Ring. But I had no idea that I would be absolutely blown away by this book.

Tiki, I find it funny that her name is so similar to the author's, instantly captured my heart. She did so from the moment she appeared on the first page, trying to pick a man's pocket. There is nothing not to love about Tiki. She literally takes care of a bunch of orphans and will do anything to help them have better lives. Plus, she is one spunky girl!

Tiki's makeshift family pulled on my heartstrings. I felt so much for them. They were truly an admirable group of kids. Rieker, the love interest, will definitely have you swooning. I know he had me doing just that.

I loved all the secrets that were revealed in this. Hamilton keeps you in the dark for awhile about the characters but she doesn't leave you hanging. She makes sure that you have all the information you need to know to have a pleasurable reading experience.

The historical world that Hamilton creates is believable and fantastic. Her descriptions made me feel like I was really there with Tiki and Rieker on their heart-pounding adventures that pop up through the entire book.

Even though The Faerie Ring is first in a four book series, it could easily be a standalone that isn't quite complete. I'm sure that after reading this, you and myself included, will be more than overjoyed that there are many sequels to The Faerie Ring. The Faerie Ring is one fantastic book.

Rating:

In My Mailbox (60)

2011-12-18T07:00:00.000-06:00

Hi and welcome to In My Mailbox! IMM is hosted by The Story Siren to show all the books we got during the week!

Bought:

Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick-I'm super curious about this one, it sounds thrilling!
Why we Broke Up by Daniel Handler-I haven't heard all the much about this one. I DO know the book weighs about 10 pounds and has really pretty pictures. Maybe not ten but quite a few!
Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey-I really like the sound of this one!
The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder-I 'm SO happy to finally have this book!!!

I got Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout for my Nook. I've already read and loved this one!

That's it for me! What about you?

Blog Happenings (48)

2011-12-17T10:08:00.002-06:00

Hi and happy weekend!

READING:

I'm almost done with Obsidian, and I'm loving it. I just started Shut Out yesterday but it's off to a great start!

TO READ:

The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder

Blood Red Road by Moira Young

READ:

The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton-I really loved this one!

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin-Just read my review...

I'm officially out of school! Do you know what that means?

That I'll get to read SO much more. Its been really hard for me these past few months to have enough reviews to publish each week. So, I'm hoping that I can catch up with some books and get some reviews done ahead of time.

Plus, I have so many debuts from this year that I want to read before the year is over. It almost is, too. I can hardly believe it.

Last night I went and saw Footloose. I thought it was pretty good, but then again I haven't seen the original. I hope to soon! But why am I telling you this? I'm sure that you're thinking, "Katie, why in the world are you telling us. We don't really care." Well, some of you might but there is a reason. Is there a book for Footloose? I'm sure it's a movie to book adaptation instead of the other way around. But still, I'm curious. I'll have to go check it out!

That's it for me today. I hope you have a fabulous Saturday and Sunday! Sorry for the semi-random post!

What to Read (12)

2011-12-16T07:00:00.000-06:00

Hi everyone!
What to Read is just a little thing I like to do that features a slew of books from a certain genre. Sometimes I don't exactly do genres, but you get the gist!

Today I'm featuring:

FANTASY!

Fantasy is a very interesting genre. Idon't think I read much of what you would consider high fantasy or evenfantasy. But these are my favorite fantasy books. So, faerie books!

The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton:WOW!I just finished this book last night and I was absoluetly blown away. Hamiltonhas such a awesome writing style. But obviously this isn't about writing so theyare faeries. These faeries are evil and just impressive. Expect a review onMonday!

The Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa:This series is one of my favorites. After reading all the books, they are justabout my favorite books in the fantasy genre. The faeries in this series areabsouletely amazing. Other than the faeries the characters and the plot line arestunning.

The Wonderous Strange series: I'veonly read the first one but I really liked it at the time I read it, about ayear ago. I've been meaning to read the rest of the series, just because thefaerie lore is so unique.

The Wings Series by Aprilynne Pike:Sometimes these books can be a little iffy in terms of characters but thefaeries are suberbly done. I just love the faery world in these books!

Honorable Mentions: Paranormalcyseries by Kiersten White, I LOVE this series. It does have faeries in it just Iconsider is more paranormal, obviously.

What are some of YOUR favorite fantasybooks? Leave a comment, I need some new recommendations! :)

Waiting on Wednesday (49)

2011-12-14T07:00:00.000-06:00

Hi all and happy Wednesday! Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine!

This week's pick is:

Body and Soul by Stacey Kade
May 29, 2012

The Ghost
I’ve been trapped in the body of Lily “Ally” Turner for a month now. Talk about a fashion crisis on an epic scale. What worries me more, though, is sometimes I catch Will looking at me like he thinks I’m Lily...or that he wishes I were. Without the good looks of my former self, I don’t know who I am, or if who that is is good enough. I need out of this mess. Now.

Will and I have been looking for a solution, one that would separate me from Lily without killing her. But it’s not going well. Then, when it seems like things couldn’t get any worse, we run into Misty, my former best friend and boyfriend-stealer extraordinaire, who claims she’s being haunted...by me. Seriously?

I’m determined to get to the bottom of who’s pretending to be the spirit of Alona Dare (while I’m pretending to be someone else) and then get the heck out of this body. Or die trying...

The Goth
I’ll admit it. It’s really weird to look at Alona but see Lily. I do know the difference, though, contrary to what Alona might be saying. And Alona is more than a pretty face to me, not that she would believe that.

Our one lead for some help in this messed up situation might be a page torn from the yellow pages-—the “Psychics” section-—I found in my dad’s stuff. One of the “fakes” seems a bit more real-—and odd-—than the others. Before I can investigate further, though, Alona is off and chasing a ghost that’s probably nothing more than a figment of Misty’s guilty imagination. Now Lily’s family is freaking out because she didn’t come home, my mom is ordering me to stay out of it, and something is definitely wrong with the person formerly known as Lily “Ally” Turner...

I love this series. I love, love, LOVE it! It has all my favorite things: ghosts, romance and two awesome main characters. But what I really want is a happy ending, though I'm not sure that I'll ever get it. Will and Alona always surprise me and I know that this book will be no different.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

2011-12-13T07:00:00.000-06:00

Title: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer
Author: Michelle Hodkin
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Publication Date: September 27, 2011
Source: Bought

Summary: Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.

She's wrong.

Review: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer is a startling tale that's filled with mystery, intrigue and quite a bit of quirkiness.

But I wasn't blown away like I expected to be. To me The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer is a good book, but one that just didn't live up to all the hype. I know many, many people love this book, so don't hate me when I say that it just wasn't my favorite book.

The thing that irked me the most was the plot, it was also my favorite part of the book. The plot is fast-paced and addicting. It was filled with so many twists and turns that I could hardly wrap my head around them all. But there was just so much craziness and so much random stuff. Somethings just rubbed me the wrong way.

Mara was definitely a character I could sympathize with. She'd gone through so much and just the thought that she was still standing amazed me. Mara was definitely a plus to the story. But Noah, dear Noah sort of creeped me out. He was one interesting character, and that's all I'm going to say. I guess I just didn't fall for his charms. He and Mara did have a nice romance, though.

The ending blew me away. The cliffhanger is so major that it literally redefines cliffhangers. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't excited for the next one, no matter how weird it is.

Even though I didn't love this one as much as others it was still a good read that definitely managed to surprise and enchant me.

Rating: 3-4 stars. Vague, I know.

Soul Thief by Jana Oliver

2011-12-12T07:00:00.000-06:00

Title: Soul Thief
Author: Jana Oliver
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Publication Date: August 30, 2011
Source: Bought

Summary: Riley Blackthorne is beginning to learn that there are worse things than death by demon. And love is just one of them…

Seventeen-year-old Riley has about had it up to here. After the devastating battle at the Tabernacle, trappers are dead and injured, her boyfriend Simon is gravely injured, and now her beloved late father’s been illegally poached from his grave by a very powerful necromancer. As if that’s not enough, there's Ori, one sizzling hot freelance demon hunter who’s made himself Riley’s unofficial body guard, and Beck, a super over-protective “friend” who acts more like a grouchy granddad. With all the hassles, Riley’s almost ready to leave Atlanta altogether.

But as Atlanta’s demon count increases, the Vatican finally sends its own Demon Hunters to take care of the city’s “little” problem, and pandemonium breaks loose. Only Riley knows that she might be the center of Hell’s attention: an extremely powerful Grade 5 demon is stalking her, and her luck can't last forever…

Review: Oh, my. Soul Thief absolutely blew me away. Riley is back and is better than ever. I don't think I could want anymore out of this series!

Riley is such a strong heroine. I admit there were a couple of times where I would have loved to slap some sense into her, figuratively of course. But she continues to weave her way into her mind. Not many YA girls can top the awesome character of Riley Blackthorne.

Then there's my Beck. Yes, my Beck. I didn't think my love for Beck could grow anymore but this demon trapper is just one spectacular guy. Beck is such a realistically flawed character, just like Riley. Backwoods Boy just needs to stop beating around the bush and get together with Riley. I hope that aspect will come soon. Hopefully...

I don't even want to talk about Simon or Ori. All they want to make me do is literally slap them. I guess I've firmly put my feet on the ground with Team Beck.

Oliver never ceases to surprise me. Everything left me guessing and I, for the life of me could, not fit together the pieces of the puzzle until they were right in my face.

Soul Thief is one heck of a second book. It had all the twists and turns that I needed and it made me love its characters a little bit more.

Rating: 4.5 stars

In My Mailbox (59)

2011-12-11T13:29:00.001-06:00

Hi everyone! In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren to show all the books we got during the week!

This week was a pretty awesome one!

Bought:

Legend by Marie Lu-This one looks excellent!

From Harlequin Teen:

The Goddess Test, sadly I already have this book! But it is one my my favorites. They also included a little picture frame thing!

Then the SWAG! I got to go to an author event featuring Jana Oliver. I got some temporary tattoos, a sticker, an iron on patch and this really cute little drawing!

Here are my signed books! It was a lot of fun. I wish I'd taken more pictures but sadly the camera was forgotten.

That's all I got this week! What about you?