Saturday, June 30, 2012

Review: Sleeping Handsome

Sleeping Handsome

By: Jean Haus
Release Date: December 20, 2011
Description:
Paige should have never agreed to do her best friend’s project. Reading to a boy in a coma is just plain creepy, but her English teacher somehow thinks her acting skills make it the perfect community service match. But when she finds the boy’s journal hidden among his books, things turn from creepy to interesting.

Review:
This was a super short, quick and happy ending type of read for me. I liked the main character Paige. The way she examined herself and learned that she could be a better person she just needed a little extra push from a boy in a coma.

While Zach is in a coma, Paige is ordered to read to him. When she finds his personal journal on his shelf she begins reading it to him and realizes that they have a lot in common. They both are not satisfied with their lives and feel as if they are in a prison trying to scratch their way out, but they are too afraid.

Through reading Zach’s words aloud to him Paige starts to grow that backbone that Zach talks about in his journal and she frees herself from all the non good things in her life and begins to do the things she's always wanted to do. At the same time just like sleeping beauty she kisses him on that last day and he wakes up, but she's rushed out of the room. Does he remember her, will they be together? You'll have to read the book to find out.

Overall it was a good quick read and even though the ending seemed a little rushed I wouldn't mind seeing this story told through Zach’s point of view. I think it would make for a much longer story and interesting at that.

Friday, June 29, 2012

Blog Tour: Coexist - Review/Excerpt/Giveaway

Coexist
By: Julia Crane
Release Date June 10, 2011
Series: Keegan's Chronicles

Description:
Sixteen-year-old Keegan is struggling to keep her huge secret from her friends--she's an elf, descended from a long line of elves that live in secrecy alongside humans. In elfin society, mates are predetermined but not allowed to meet until they are eighteen. Against tradition, Keegan's brother Thaddeus told her Rourk's name because his visions warned him she'd need Rourk's protection, especially since Keegan will play a key role in the coming war between the dark and light elves.

Rourk finds himself drawn to Keegan's side every time she thinks his name. He wants to talk to her but remains in the shadows, silently guarding her every time she mentally beckons him. A twist of fate thrusts the two of them together when Rourk is forced to step up his protection and make his presence known. An ancient prophecy deeply entwines Keegan's family and the future of their society. Somehow they must find a way to thwart fate and win the battle...without losing Keegan. With war brewing, and dark forces aligning, will Keegan and Rourk ever have the life together that they both desire?

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Review:

This book was interesting.  Again I'm reading about elves - nothing wrong with that :-)

Imagine having a chosen one, someone you are going to be with your whole life.  All you can do is think about him now that your elf seer brother told you who it was, but then on top of that now you've met him early and you weren't supposed to meet until you're 18, what would you do?  On top of that the day of your seventeenth birthday is also the day of the great battle between the light elves and the dark elves.  That's a lot to put onto one persons shoulders.   How would you react to this whole situation?

Keegan is trying to live her everyday life as a normal person, even though she is an elf and because of this they are very secretive so no one knows about it, at least that's what Keegan believes.  There are other supernatural creatures out there and especially when Keegan goes people watching she likes to fantasize about what someone might be.  That is until one day she runs into a dark elf.  That's when her world is split open.  There is a war coming, and it will be the light against the dark elves.  Who will prevail? 

Throughout the whole beginning of the book I've noticed that Keegan is just slightly self absorbed where as if it doesn't have anything to do with her she doesn't really pay it any mind, such as this great battle.  All she can think about is her warrior Rourk, who will be fighting in this battle and who she was able to meet even for a brief time.  But her actions during the war will decide the outcome of the battle, but of course she doesn't realize that because to her the battle hasn't really hit her yet.  That is until it literally hits her. 

What happened to Keegan, has her seer brother's prophecy came true?  I will have to go on and read the next book now just so I know what happens next because my heart goes out to Rourk.  He's lived his whole life for this battle and for Keegan.  But he feels completely lost.  If you haven't read this book you should give it a shot. 

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Excerpt:
Keegan was terrified.

Her eyes glanced frantically around trying to think a way out of this situation. How could this be happening, even with all my training? She was sure she could not defend herself against four guys. A drop of sweat fell from her face, and her heart was racing.

The biggest one pushed her up against the wall. She could smell the alcohol on his breath.

“Well, aren’t you a fine piece of meat?”

Glaring at him, she said, “Get your hands off me.”

“A feisty one, eh?” he laughed.

Without thinking, she drove her knee into his groin. He groaned and doubled over. The others advanced, and the big one yelled, “She’s mine.”

She felt like she was going to throw up when his hands groped her chest. Please don’t do this, she thought. I belong to Rourk.

When she thought his name, it pierced through Rourk’s heart. Nothing mattered to him except keeping her safe. How dare anyone else lay their hands on her? He would make them pay.

Out of nowhere, Keegan felt her attacker pulled off of her. She looked up just as a flash of light went off, and what she saw made her heart drop; she felt as if she were in a free fall as she stared into the most beautiful face she’d ever seen. His grey eyes met hers and he tipped his head, giving her a slight nod.

Keegan whispered, Rourk? It was only a matter of seconds, but it felt like a lifetime.

He yelled over the crowd, “Go to the exit and text your friends to meet you.” His voice sounded like music to her ears; it was deep, but not too deep, and filled with authority.

As much as she hated to leave, she didn’t dare ignore him. She ran away.

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About the Author:
Julia Crane is the author of the young adult paranormal fiction novels: Keegan's Chronicles, Mesmerized and Eternal Youth. Julia was greatly encouraged by her mother to read and use her imagination, and she’s believed in magical creatures since the day her grandmother first told her an Irish tale. Julia has traveled far and wide to all the places her grandmother told her about and more, gaining inspiration from her journeys to places like Nepal, Cyprus, Sri Lanka, Italy, France and many more. And who knows? Maybe the magical creatures she writes about are people she met along the way.


Julia Crane has a bachelors degree in criminal justice. Although she's spent most of her life on the US east coast, she currently lives in Dubai with her husband and three children.

Contact her through:
Website

Links to purchase:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Smashwords

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Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
*Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of Reading Addiction Blog Tours and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by Reading Addiction Blog Tours, no payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorcements and Testimonials in Advertising*

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Review: Throne of Glass

Throne of Glass

By: Sarah J Maas
Release Date: August 7, 2012
Series: Throne of Glass

Description:
After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.

Her opponents are men—thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the kings council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she’ll serve the kingdom for three years and then be granted her freedom.

Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilarating. But she’s bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her... but it’s the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.

Review:
Captivating, smart, magical and an all out cheer for this book and the characters! I loved it, every minute of it. I was hooked the second Celaena opened her mouth. She is a very strong female character and will definitely give other heroines a run for their money.

We meet Celaena in a prison mining salts, when the crown prince comes to acquire her to be his champion. The king has put together a competition and the winner will earn their freedom. This is all Celaena really wants is her freedom. She is known and very much feared by all because she is known as the greatest assassin in the world. Mind you, she’s only 18 years old. So she’s off to the castle with the Captain of the Guard – Chaol (who I have a crush on for real, think Mr. Darcy stereotype) and the crown prince Dorian, who is known as being a playboy of sorts.

Throughout her training with Chaol a bond is formed, but at the same time Dorian is now showing an interest in Celaena as well and who is she to deny the crown prince. But with that comes complications, as she is an assassin and he is a prince, it would never really work out but Dorian thinks otherwise. Celaena also befriends the Princess of Ellywle, with a friendship that grows quickly and at one point trust is almost lost, but regained and as strong as it should be. There is much the two can learn from each other if they would just stop lying to each other.

There is much that happens throughout the book that I really don’t want to say because you really should read this, its worth it believe me. Celaena’s wit and her banter with all the other characters alone are worth the read. This book had me laughing, gasping, sighing, and cheering the champion on. It’s actually just really hard to review this book because there is just so much to say but I just can’t give it away. I don’t want to spoil your experience reading it for the first time. I think I rewrote this review several times already and it’s just been that hard to put into words.

To sum it up quickly, go read the book! It comes out in August and it should be on the top of your TBR lists. The characters were great, the plot was great, everything was just amazing and fit perfectly. It will make you want to read the whole book through in one sitting because it’s that good. There are even amazing fight sequences in this book and the whole time I’m trying to picture 18 year old Assassin Celaena kicking but all over the place. I recently learned that there are also novella’s that are available as ebooks that show Celaena’s experiences before she got into the salt mines. I think I’m about to go purchase them because I want to know as much about the Kings new assassin as I possibly can.

The Assassin and the Pirate Lord: A Throne of Glass Novella

The Assassin and the Underworld (Throne of Glass)

The Assassin and the Desert

Disclaimer:
I received this book from NetGalley and Bloomsbury Children's Books, so that I may give my honest opinion and a review. Whether it is good or not please do not let it discourage you from purchasing/reading the book yourself and forming your own opinion. What might be good for me may not be good for you and vice versa. With that said, Happy Reading Everyone!!!

Booking Through Thursday

A weekly meme about (mostly) books and reading. Hosted at Booking Through Thursday. BTT interviewed their readers for a change, and their final question was, “What question have they NOT asked at BTT that you’d love them to ask?” They got some great responses and will be picking out some of the questions from time to time to ask the rest of you. Like now.
Margaret asks:
Who taught you to read?

That's a really good question and for the life of me I can't remember.  I don't remember my mom teaching me any of that stuff, but she says she did so I will believe her lol.  School for the most part.  My love of books came through my boredom really.  Growing up surrounded by only boys and I wasn't too much of a tomboy sometimes I just wanted to escape and I did so by reading books.  But even then I didn't start reading as thoroughly as I do now until I got older and just need a break from my reality.  Which sometimes I still do.  I actually started out reading romance novels with a friend, but the harlequin suspense or books along those nature.  Then I got into YA, started reading books from the library now I'm addicted.

I think somehow I got off track from the question, ha! But honestly I can't remember who taught me to read it's not a specific memory that sticks out, so I will say parents and school.

From the Review Pile



From the Review Pile is a meme hosted by Stepping Out of the Page every Thursday.

The aim of this meme is to showcase books that you've received for review, but haven't yet got around to reading, in order to give the book some extra publicity.

This week from my Review Pile:

Love and Other Perishable Items
By: Laura Buzo
Release Date: December 11, 2012

Description:
A wonderful, coming-of-age love story from a fresh new voice in YA fiction.

'Miss Amelia Hayes, welcome to The Land of Dreams. I am the staff trainer. I will call you grasshopper and you will call me sensei and I will give you the good oil. Right? And just so you know, I'm open to all kinds of bribery.'

From the moment 15-year-old Amelia begins work on the checkout at Woolworths she is sunk, gone, lost...head-over-heels in love with Chris. Chris is the funny, charming, man-about-Woolies, but he's 21, and the 6-year difference in their ages may as well be 100. Chris and Amelia talk about everything from Second Wave Feminism to Great Expectations and Alien but will he ever look at her in the way she wants him to? And if he does, will it be everything she hopes?


Velveteen
By: Daniel Marks
Release Date: October 9, 2012
Series: Velveteen #1

Description:
Velveteen Monroe is dead. At 16, she was kidnapped and murdered by a madman named Bonesaw. But that’s not the problem.

The problem is she landed in purgatory. And while it’s not a fiery inferno, it’s certainly no heaven. It’s gray, ashen, and crumbling more and more by the day, and everyone has a job to do. Which doesn’t leave Velveteen much time to do anything about what’s really on her mind.

Bonesaw.

Velveteen aches to deliver the bloody punishment her killer deserves. And she’s figured out just how to do it. She’ll haunt him for the rest of his days.

It’ll be brutal... and awesome.

But crossing the divide between the living and the dead has devastating consequences. Velveteen’s obsessive haunting cracks the foundations of purgatory and jeopardizes her very soul. A risk she’s willing to take—except fate has just given her reason to stick around: an unreasonably hot and completely off-limits coworker.

Velveteen can’t help herself when it comes to breaking rules... or getting revenge. And she just might be angry enough to take everyone down with her.


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This book doesn't come out for a while but I'm really excited to be reading it early.  Hopefully soon until there buzz on with these new books comeing out soon!

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week I'm "Waiting on":

Butter
By:
Release Date: September 18, 2012

Description:
A lonely obese boy everyone calls "Butter" is about to make history. He is going to eat himself to death—live on the Internet—and everyone is invited to watch. When he first makes the announcement online to his classmates, Butter expects pity, insults, and possibly sheer indifference. What he gets are morbid cheerleaders rallying around his deadly plan. Yet as their dark encouragement grows, it begins to feel a lot like popularity. And that feels good. But what happens when Butter reaches his suicide deadline? Can he live with the fallout if he doesn’t go through with his plans? With a deft hand, E.J. Lange allows readers to identify with both the bullies and the bullied in this all-consuming look at one teen’s battle with himself.

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Why I'm waiting for it:
Because doesn't it sound kind of weird but it's like something you just can't turn your head from.  It sounds too interesting not to be curious about this read.  Not a dystopian or love story this would def be out of the norm for me but I'm intrigued.  How about you what are you waiting for?

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: •Grab your current read •Open to a random page •Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page •BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) •Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Here's my teaser for the week:


"Then I apologize, my lady! How terrible it must be to condescend to answer! Next time, I'll try to think of something more stimulating to say."

Chapter 4, Page 23
Throne of Glass
By Sarah J. Maas

Monday, June 25, 2012

Musing Monday

MUSING MONDAYS… is a weekly event where MizB at Should be Reading will ask a book/reading-related question, and you answer with your own thoughts on the topic.

This week’s musing asks…
Do you set goals for yourself, while reading? For example, “I want to get this book finished this weekend“, or “I will read __ pages today“, etc. Why, or why not?


Yeah, I totally do this ALL the time.  Then there are those few books that I just happen to read in a day because they are that good.  But usually I'll be like I'm going to start reading this next week and I'll give myself two days to finish it.  Some books even if they drag if I tell myself I have to finish it tonight then I will finish it.  It's not necessarily that I have to but I want to because I'm ready to move on to the next one.  After all I'm addicted to Books, can't get enough of them and there are just too many to read and too little time.

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Review: Scars

Scars
By: Cheryl Rainfield
Release Date: March 24, 2010

Description:
Kendra, fifteen, hasn't felt safe since she began to recall devastating memories of childhood sexual abuse, especially because she still can't remember the most important detail-- her abuser's identity. Frightened, Kendra believes someone is always watching and following her, leaving menacing messages only she understands. If she lets her guard down even for a minute, it could cost Kendra her life. To relieve the pressure, Kendra cuts; aside from her brilliantly expressive artwork, it's her only way of coping. Since her own mother is too self-absorbed to hear her cries for help, Kendra finds support in others instead: from her therapist and her art teacher, from Sandy, the close family friend who encourages her artwork, and from Meghan, the classmate who's becoming a friend and maybe more. But the truth about Kendra's abuse is just waiting to explode, with startling unforeseen consequences. Scars is the unforgettable story of one girl's frightening path to the truth.

Review:
This was a very raw story about a girl who was abused as a child who chooses to cut to deal with the horrible memories that begin to flood through her mind.  The story was very raw and eye opening about the different ways some people deal with the after affects of abuse.

Paranoia has overtaken Kendra as every day she remembers a little more about him.  The man who abused her when she was a child.  Every time she feels it's getting out of control she begins to cut herself to deal with the pain, to gain control of the situation.  Currently she's in therapy trying to help her with everything that has gone on.  She can't remember who raped her but knows it was someone close to her family.  Every man she sees she wonders if it's him, the only thing she remembers is his hands.  With that in mind she's sure that her abuser is stalking her because she keeps getting left threatening messages about what will happen to her if she tells.  She is terrified and continues to cut more.

At school she meets Meghan a girl who is being abused by her mother constantly.  They both find that they are kindred spirits and begin to spend more time together.  Kendra begins to fall for her and they turn into an item.  Together they help each other out with both their situations, they have completely bonded.  Kendra's mother of course is in denial, she just criticizes and turns a blind eye to the situation not really wanting to deal with it face on. 

By the end of the book we find out who her abuser is and it's just beyond wrong.  I personally don't comprehend pedophiles at all but it's a sickness that much I know.  Their victims are so innocent and it changes their lives completely, there's fear and children that will never get to be children again.  It's heart breaking reading stories like this, but sometimes you have to so you can see the signs and recognize and react the correct way.

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If you know a child that is being abused, please check out this website for help.
http://www.childhelp.org/pages/hotline-home
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Disclaimer:
I received this book from NetGalley and WestSide Books, so that I may give my honest opinion and a review. Whether it is good or not please do not let it discourage you from purchasing/reading the book yourself and forming your own opinion. What might be good for me may not be good for you and vice versa. With that said, Happy Reading Everyone!!!

Review: Where She Went

Where She Went
By Gayle Forman
Release Date: April 5, 2011
Series: If I Stay

Description:
It's been three years since the devastating accident . . . three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life forever.

Now living on opposite coasts, Mia is Juilliard's rising star and Adam is LA tabloid fodder, thanks to his new rock star status and celebrity girlfriend. When Adam gets stuck in New York by himself, chance brings the couple together again, for one last night. As they explore the city that has become Mia's home, Adam and Mia revisit the past and open their hearts to the future-and each other.

Told from Adam's point of view in the spare, lyrical prose that defined If I Stay, Where She Went explores the devastation of grief, the promise of new hope, and the flame of rekindled romance.

Review:
I didn't think it would be possible for this story to be better than the forest book but it succeeded. The story told through Adams point of view was perfect.  We meet up with Adam three years after the accident and the heartache he has been through is breathtaking.

Mia left him at the airport on her way to ny and never came back and he just couldn't understand why.  The love they shared was so strong, it was the forever kind of love.  During his devastation he left the group to work a regular job and one year later he just broke, something inside him just broke out, he started writing songs bought it back to the group.  They got back together got signed and became famous, but still he was not happy. He was just going through the motions and alienating himself from his bandmates. 

Two days before he was to leave to London a reporter sets him off asking questions about the past, all things he hadn't gotten over yet. He decides to stay in ny longer. Walking the streets he sees a poster for a concert starring mia decides to go just to hear her.

They end up meeting after and all emotions break out by the end of the night. Truths come out and they realize they were both angry about a lot of things.

This book was am emotional rollercoaster I felt for them both through out the whole book. The first book was super sad but this one had heart and story behind it.  It was beautiful. Sometimes that saying about letting things hi and it coming back to you if it was meant to be is.do very true sometimes and it is a beautiful thing.

Cover:
It's pretty, it really is but I would not have minded being able to see the authors vision of what Adam looked like.  That would have been a really interesting cover.  We need more with men on them not just pretty girls, in pretty dresses which is the norm now (I know a lot of bloggers are out there saying that and I completely agree maybe the more people who say it the more people in the book industry will listen).

Friday, June 22, 2012

Review: If I Stay

If I Stay
By: Gayle Forman
Release Date:

Description:
In a single moment, everything changes. Seventeen-year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall riding along the snow-wet Oregon road with her family. Then, in a blink, she finds herself watching as her own damaged body is taken from the wreck...

A sophisticated, layered, and heart-achingly beautiful story about the power of family and friends, the choices we all make, and the ultimate choice Mia commands.

Review:
This story was heart breaking, sweet, and made you think about life and how things can change at the drop of a hat.  Very emotional read, that is for sure.

Mia and her family are an eclectic bunch, all are musicians in one way or another.  The parents are cool hip parents who love music and have that different style about them.  Her younger brother Teddy is just a great brother overall.  There is also her best friend Kim who will be there for her no matter what and her boyfriend Adam.  The unexpected couple who just get each other.

One snow covered day (everything in town closes) the family decides to take a drive out to see Mia's grandparents.  Something happens along the way and there is a huge accident.  Mia is now experiencing everything outside of her body.  She is watching as the paramedics take her to the ER, the surgeons do surgery on her.  And now as the family she has left come to visit her.

Throughout the book she reminisces about things that have happened in the past.  How she feels about her friends and family and I'm not going to lie I'm tearing up just thinking about the whole situation right now.  It was a really good book. So much has happened in such a short span of time, how do you deal with that?

So I have to ask you would you stay or would you go?

You still have family.

Review: A Midsummer's Nightmare

A Midsummer's Nightmare
By: Kody Keplinger
Release Date: June 5, 2012

Description:
Whitley Johnson's dream summer with her divorcé dad has turned into a nightmare. She's just met his new fiancée and her kids. The fiancée'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
 
Review:
There are no words that can begin to express how much I absolutely loved this new book by Kody Keplinger.  There is something special about her and her writing, I think I would read the phone book if she wrote it, you know.  This book was amazing and I can't wait to share it with anyone who will listen.  The characters in her books are always so real and raw, I can relate to each and everyone of them and always get attached.  Hers are some of the best contemporary books I've ever read, much praise for her and I can't wait to read her next book Goldfish which comes out next year, obviously not soon enough.
 
We immediately meet Whitley after a drunken night, hungover and in bed with someone she can't remember his name.  She gently lets him down saying that she will not give him her number because really they don't ever need to see each other again.  This sets off the book and I'm automatically hooked. 
 
Her parents are divorced but during the summer she spends time with her father, they hang out drink, grill just like friends.  She looks forward to these summers and this is the last one before she starts college.  In her mind this will be epic, well it was but not in the way she expected.  Turns out her dad is about to get married, his fiance has two kids, and yup you've guessed it one of the kids is the guy she hooked up with.  Oh the trouble this will bring about everyone. Whitley tries very hard to dislike everyone but eventually they break her down and begin to feel as if they are more family then her own family is.
 
There are so many different relationships described throughout this book and all are so very different.  There is the relationship between Whitley and her mother, where she doesn't seem to care but still extremely hurt about her husband leaving her.  Whitley and her dad, he doesnt' know how to be  father with her anymore, he's not sure he ever did.  Whitley and Sylvia where she tries so hard to get Whitley to like her.  Then there's Bailey the soon to be stepsister who I think Whitley would do anything for.  Harrison, the new gay best friend, Whitley has never had a friend before, ever, so this is all new to her.  And last but not lease Nathan, the one night stand turned soon to be step brother. 
 
The different dynamic relationships in this book alone are relateable to many people, there is at least one relationship in this book that you have to feel a pull towards and can relate to, it's inevitable.  Moving to a small town and being thrown a huge surprise as all of this is a lot for Whitley and the way she handles it at first is just her acting out of anger.  But by the end of the book she begins to discover who she is and what she needs to do to make all her mistakes right again.
 
This book again I can't say enough was amazing.  I literally finished it in one sitting and the book stayed on my mind all night that I had to write this asap.  If you haven't read it yet, you need to!  Seriously, go buy it!
 
Quotes:
Fun? Fun was not the word I would have chosen. Unbearable, awkward, torturous… Anything but fun. This was a nightmare.
..............

I guess I just needed someone or something to shake me up. You taught me a lesson, Whit. And sometimes I hate you for it, but… but I’m trying not to.
..............

“Screw nightmares. I was waking up.”

Thursday, June 21, 2012

From The Review Pile: Scars and the Goddess Legacy



From the Review Pile is a meme hosted by Stepping Out of the Page every Thursday.

The aim of this meme is to showcase books that you've received for review, but haven't yet got around to reading, in order to give the book some extra publicity.

This week from my Review Pile:

Scars
By:
Release Date: March 24, 2010

Description:
Kendra, fifteen, hasn't felt safe since she began to recall devastating memories of childhood sexual abuse, especially because she still can't remember the most important detail-- her abuser's identity. Frightened, Kendra believes someone is always watching and following her, leaving menacing messages only she understands. If she lets her guard down even for a minute, it could cost Kendra her life. To relieve the pressure, Kendra cuts; aside from her brilliantly expressive artwork, it's her only way of coping. Since her own mother is too self-absorbed to hear her cries for help, Kendra finds support in others instead: from her therapist and her art teacher, from Sandy, the close family friend who encourages her artwork, and from Meghan, the classmate who's becoming a friend and maybe more. But the truth about Kendra's abuse is just waiting to explode, with startling unforeseen consequences. Scars is the unforgettable story of one girl's frightening path to the truth.

The Goddess Legacy
By: Aimee Carter
Release Date: July 31, 2012
Series: The Goddess Test

Description:
For millennia we've caught only glimpses of the lives and loves of the gods and goddesses on Olympus. Now Aimé e Carter pulls back the curtain on how they became the powerful, petty, loving and dangerous immortals that Kate Winters knows.


Calliope/Hera represented constancy and yet had a husband who never matched her faithfulness...

Ava/Aphrodite was the goddess of love and yet commitment was a totally different deal...

Persephone was urged to marry one man, yet longed for another...

James/Hermes loved to make trouble for others-but never knew true loss before...

Henry/Hades's solitary existence had grown too wearisome to continue. But meeting Kate Winters gave him a new hope...
Five original novellas of love, loss and longing and the will to survive throughout the ages




Review: Timepiece

Timepiece
By:
Release Date: June 12, 2012
Series: Hourglass

Description:
A threat from the past could destroy the future. And the clock is ticking...


Kaleb Ballard's relentless flirting is interrupted when Jack Landers, the man who tried to murder his father, timeslips in and attacks before disappearing just as quickly. But Kaleb has never before been able to see time travelers, unlike many of his friends associated with the mysterious Hourglass organization. Are Kaleb's powers expanding, or is something very wrong?

Then the Hourglass is issued an ultimatum. Either they find Jack and the research he's stolen on the time gene, or time will be altered with devastating results.

Now Kaleb, Emerson, Michael, and the other Hourglass recruits have no choice but to use their unusual powers to find Jack. But where do they even start? And when? And even if they succeed, it may not be enough...

Review:
We are back in the world of Time.  Where some can see forward some can see in the past and all you have to do is touch the rip to make it dissolve.  I faintly remember what happened in the first book but as I read further into this I remembered more details.  This was an interesting read and it's an interesting concept with the time line continuum going out of sorts.

This time the main character is not Emerson but Kaleb and I have always loved when I'm reading from a male perspective because it's not something you get to do too often.  He is a flirt with a love of liquor to numb his pain.  His mother is in a coma, his father just came back from being dead and still he trusts Michael more than him.  He's wallowing in his own sorrows and that's when he meets Lily.  The same night he meets her Poe comes back and gives him an ultimatum.  Find Jack or pretty much everyone dies. 

Meanwhile Jack keeps appearing in the most random places seconds at a time.  They have tried time and time again to catch him but they have yet to be successful.  The hourglass goes into full discovery mode as they go to Jack's original location to find more information on him, if he hasn't wiped every one's memory that is.  But here is where they learn more truths about Chronos and the hourglass.  What's really going on?  Can they save the world from being one giant time rip?

Lily is finally comfortable using her special abilities and the bond between her and Kaleb grow quite strong.  It's all actually very sweet, I want to pull for them to be together where as Emerson and Michael I just want them to I don't know they are just to blah for me, maybe it's because they are tooo lovey dovey and it annoys me.  But Kaleb and Lily they are like you know I don't like you but I'm sorta in love with you.  I love that. 

There is a lot of growth in this book for Kaleb.  With his family and his personal life, emotions are explored and dealt with.  He learns more and more about himself with each chance meeting he has with Jack.  They are more similar than Kaleb ever thought they could be.  He already knew he could take people's pain away but now he realizes thanks to Jack that he can also put memories back.  Will his family finally be back together the way they are supposed to be?

So now they continue on this mission to find the infinity glass which they believe can fix everything the way it's supposed to be, but they still don't know what the consequences of that will be or who will find it first. 

The next book in the series comes out next year and I don't know who's POV it will be but I hope it's someone good, maybe it will be Jack, could you imagine!

Disclaimer:

I received this book from NetGalley and Egmont USA, so that I may give my honest opinion and a review. Whether it is good or not please do not let it discourage you from purchasing/reading the book yourself and forming your own opinion. What might be good for me may not be good for you and vice versa. With that said, Happy Reading Everyone!!!

Booking Through Thursday: Quotes

A weekly meme about (mostly) books and reading. Hosted at Booking Through Thursday. BTT interviewed their readers for a change, and their final question was, “What question have they NOT asked at BTT that you’d love them to ask?” They got some great responses and will be picking out some of the questions from time to time to ask the rest of you. Like now.
Valentina asks:

Do you have a favorite quote from a book?

I think every book has that one line that I always think about.  Do I have an outright favorite quote from a book.  No I can't think of any right this moment, or can I?  But I do get goodreads quotes sent to me daily and there are a lot that I keep and then there are some I don't.  Of course there are the famous quotes that I will never forget and technically they are from books (or plays) by Shakespeare.
What’s in a name? That which we call a rose

By any other name would smell as sweet.

And my all time favorite which I constantly think about in my mind usually when people surprise me lol.
Et tu Brute?
heheh so yeah I guess you can say those are my favorite quotes then.  what are yours?

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Have you ever wanted .... Superpowers

Sometimes I must admit I get frustrated with things. 

Like right now. 

There are just tooooo many books out there and I want to read them all but I can't read them all at the same time and I am in no way near close to a speed reader.  I definitely take my time reading and it doesn't help that I have constant interruptions all day long.  Whether it's work, kids, driving, errands, etc something is always interrupting me.  So today (only today because I'm sure tomorrow or next week I will change my mind) I wish I had the power to simply lay my hand on top of a book and poof the whole thing is in my memory and I have completely read the book through and through and can remember everything about it.  How amazing would that be?  How many books would you touch, oh toooo many out there.  Hmm and I'm going to kick it up a notch because in my super power world I will be at the book store running my fingers through the whole thing.  So when someone talks about a book I can say - oh yeah I've read that book and it was blah blah blah.  Ha could you imagine.  Am I being a little weird today - probably.  It's just this whole waiting on Wednesday it's making me crazy today (probably cause I don't really have anything to do here either-at work, well not much) and there are all these great books that people are waiting on and I actually have some of them but I can't get around to reading it because I have all these netgalley books, bea books, etc etc and books that I have been waiting for to personally read for myself and not enough time to read them all.

I think I just rambled - just a little bit.

just a little hehe.

So if you could have one super power RIGHT NOW for today only (or a week whatever because remember it might change next time) what would it be and why?  Do you wish you could read someones mind because they are troubling you?  Do you wish you could snap your fingers and appear somewhere else because you need a vacation THAT much? (I kind of like the sound of that one can I choose it for my next one lol)  What super power do you want right now?

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week I'm "Waiting on":

Wilde's Army
By: Krystal Wade
Release Date: July 4, 2012
Series: Darkness Falls

Desription:
“Hello, Katriona.”


Those two words spark fear in Katriona Wilde and give way to an unlikely partnership with Perth, the man she’s been traded to marry for a favor. Saving her true love and protector Arland, her family, and their soldiers keeps her motivated, but the at-odds duo soon realizes trust is something that comes and goes with each breath of Encardia’s rotting, stagnant air. The moment when concern for her missing sister spirals out of control, all thoughts of trust are pushed aside and she finds herself trapped by the daemon tricks Perth warned her of.

However, rescuing those she loves is only half the problem.

Kate still must get to Willow Falls, unite her clashing people, and form an army prepared to fight in order to defeat Darkness. When so many she’s grown fond of die along the journey, her ability to play by the gods’ rules is tested.

How will she make allies when the world appears stacked against her? And will she still be Katriona Wilde, the girl with fire?

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: •Grab your current read •Open to a random page •Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page •BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) •Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Here's my teaser for the week:


His hands gripped the bar tightly as he tried to ignore the pull of her thoughts. He focused on training, on the cold steel, on the smell of sweat in the room—anything to clear his mind of the girl who possessed him.

~First Chapter
Coexist
By Julia Crane

Monday, June 18, 2012

Review: Wilde's Fire

Wilde's Fire
By: Krystal Wade
Release Date: May 13, 2012
Series: Darkness Falls

Description:
“There is no pain in this death, only peace, knowing I am going to die with the one I love the most.”—Katriona Wilde.
Katriona Wilde has never wondered what it would feel like to have everything she’s ever known and loved ripped away, but she is about to find out. When she inadvertently leads her sister and best friend through a portal into a world she’s dreamed of for six years, she finds herself faced with more than just the frightening creatures in front of her.

Kate’s forced to accept a new truth: her entire life has been a lie, and those closest to her have betrayed her. What’s worse, she has no control over her new future, and it’s full of magic and horrors from which nightmares are made.

Will Kate discover and learn to control who she really is in time to save the ones she loves, or will all be lost?

Review:

I was immediately hooked on this book.  Could not keep myself from reading it.  From the strength and love of the heroine to the painfully obsessiveness of her best friend, the story intrigued me.  I haven't read any books previously about elves or should I say specifically about elves but I will say that I will look for more, especially the next book in this series.

We meet the main character, Kate, as she is going on camping trip with her best friend Brad and her younger sister.  This is where she sees a yellow light and decides to follow it into a secret underwater cave, only to be portalled in to a different world.  One where Kate feels a strong attachment and sense of belongingness.  After stepping through they are immediately met by demons who are ready to attack.  Kate pushes her sister back through the portal, while her best friend Brad gets attacked and injured by the demon.  This is where the adventure begins.

Kate meets Arland the guy who is literally from her dreams. Their connection is immediate.  They begin training for the war that has been prophesied to be won by Kate leading the army, she is the key, she is light and Arland is the Keeper of the Light.  Of course she doesn't believe in any of this at first, how can she if she's just had a normal lifestyle and her mother never bothered to introduce her to her original world and secrets.  She doubts herself greatly but with Arland's ever growing love, she begins to feel more confident and gain more courage than she could have thought she ever would have had.  There's still guilt there over her best friend Brad, he loved her too much, but she doesn't feel the same.  This will come back to her in the end.
From some unknown place, a tiny bit of courage makes its way into my soul.  I stand, ready to take this on.
The cover of this book was beautiful because she really does come ablaze with blue light as if she was on fire.  It was the perfect picture to depict the story as she is running through a strange world lighting the way as she goes through. 

The story was magical  and beautiful all at once.  The worlds created by Krystal Wade sound amazingly  beautiful at least before darkness got a hold of it, but goodness and light will prevail, they just have to.  The bath alone sounds like an enchanting place full of nature and ambiance.  I can't wait to see what happens in the next book and to see what new evil creatures the author will create.  Very much recommended.

Disclaimer:

I received this book from NetGalley and Curiosity Quills Press, so that I may give my honest opinion and a review. Whether it is good or not please do not let it discourage you from purchasing/reading the book yourself and forming your own opinion. What might be good for me may not be good for you and vice versa. With that said, Happy Reading Everyone!!!

Musing Monday

MUSING MONDAYS… is a weekly event where MizB at Should be Reading will ask a book/reading-related question, and you answer with your own thoughts on the topic.

This week’s musing asks…
MizB read an article, this past week, about book covers, and the difference between print; digital covers; about how the digital covers have almost disappeared entirely, while publishers decide to just skip right to the content.

What do you think about this? Do you think the book cover is “dead”? Do you care whether the “covers” on digital books exist or not?

If you have the time, read the article and then share your thoughts!

If not, here are a few quotes from the article:
“…every time you set down a physical book, the cover is staring up at you. And every time you pick it back up, you have to go “through” the cover to get to the text. Do that five times and you’ll never forget the title or author.”


“There is a tremendous opportunity for book designers and software engineers to figure out what our digital book procession should be.”

“…with the present digital inflection, the role of the cover is changing radically; disappearing in some cases. It doesn’t need to shout anymore because it doesn’t serve the same purpose.”

“Covers meant to ease the reader into the story. To help establish a tone (but not have final say).”

“If so much of what book cover design has evolved into is largely a brick-and-mortar marketing tool, then what place does a ‘cover’ hold in digital books? Especially after you purchase it? But, more tellingly, even before you purchase it?”

“If the cover is no longer a visual marketing tool, why not leverage these digital distribution systems and make the cover a notification tool?”

“What do we now hunt when buying books? Data.”

“This user experience flow isn’t a product of any hardware limitation. It’s a set of decisions clearly designed around efficiency (and, possibly, data) — gets us into the text as quickly as possible. Of course, this efficiency comes at the expense of intimacy.”

“In iBooks and the iPad Kindle app, covers are reduced to thumbnails barely 200 pixels high. Most typography is rendered nearly illegible. And as certain books become applications, their covers become icons.”

“… the vast and artificial digital distance between authors and their audience on a platform like Kindle or iBooks. As an author you would think these platforms would do a better job at fostering community between writers and their audience. Or between fellow readers. Perhaps, someday.”
So, what do you think?

I think the cover is one of the most important things about a book because it's the very first thing you see.  Obviously if you are going to read an ebook you still need to purchase it, and when you purchase it what is the first thing you notice ... the cover, not the "data" although that is important after you look at the cover.  People are very fickle creatures.  We need stimulation to purchase something and although we enjoy reading this does not mean that all we want on a cover is a title and the author's name.  I need some visual stimulation as well.  I know there are some readers out there that are not color, just black and white and I agree with MixB that they need to make specific covers for them as well.  Just like there are different covers for different countries, why not have different covers for physical books and one for digital books.  Cater to the people please, thanks lol.  OMG I can't believe it's Monday I'm so ready for it to be Friday!

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Cover Reveal/Excerpt: When Silver Moons Rise

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When Silver Moons Rise
By Kosonndra Leigh
Release Date: November 2012
Series: The Lost Immortals Book #2 

Description:
Facing an unstable future, Chela Prizeon leaves Castle Hayne and crosses over to enemy territory in pursuit of Faris--the boy of royal blood who is cursed by a bitter rival. But soon Chela learns that he has been taken deep into the treacherous frozen prisons--a majestic, but deadly place where people enter and are never seen again. To find the boy she loves and his lost sister, Chela must join forces with one of her greatest enemies. And even though she pulls strength from the good in her powers, she finds herself drawn to the dark side's temptation as well.


Narrated from both Chela's and Faris's point of view, this enchanting sequel to When Copper Suns Fall will take them on a voyage into unknown lands, where the dark, twisted, and revengeful wait to make this their most dangerous journey ever.

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Excerpt:
Faris

The shackles tightened on my wrists and ankles, digging deep in my flesh. Dark magic eased its way through to my skin. I sucked my breath and held it, waiting for the fiery feeling to pass. Curse it. I could hardly move, let alone think. A small band of light eased in through the windows above me, giving the metal chamber a touch of softness.

"I ask you again, Faris Toulan. Is this girl worth your life? Your immortality? Or what's left of it anyway," Olivia hissed into my ear, a sneer on her face. I stayed silent, refusing to give in. She grasped my chin and forced me to look at her face.

I glanced deep in her empty eyes, and said: "Yes. Chela is everything to me. She’s all that you could never be. Your tricks can't remove what I feel for her."

Dark eyes glared at me. Her harsh laugh ripped through my soul. The kindness she showed me earlier disappeared at once. I didn't care. All I hoped for, all I ached for was a chance to see Chela again. I promised to return as the protector she needed me to be. I refused to go back as the thing she was cursed to destroy. That would only hurt her more than I had already done. I intended to keep my word.

"I do hope you understand what you've agreed to do," Olivia said in a low, but deadly voice, her breath on my ear, her cold fingers stroking my face. "By the time I’m done with you, there won't be any other name you'll call except mine. Because that's how long you'll beg for mercy."


She moved closer to my face and kissed my lips. I wanted to gag. Inside, I was already screaming. But her torture, or whatever she planned for me, was nothing compared to facing a life without Chela. By thinking of her face, her laugh, even the way she sometimes annoyed me, I could handle anything Olivia did.

Hell most definitely existed. I was about to experience it in full force.

And then I heard Chela call my name…

Chela


In my dream, I felt his suffering as if it were my own. Every burn, each tingle, the agonizing way he screamed from inside that awful dark chamber. Lying in my bed, I thought of the kiss we shared the last time I saw him. My eyes flew open as I grasped at the air around me, reaching for him, but finding emptiness instead. And then the tears fell, and kept falling.

My mind was shutting down one cell at a time. Even breathing took effort. It was as if my lungs were a balloon, and his breath was magical helium; something that only the luckiest girl could find…and lose.

"Faris." I called his name out loud, hoping with all my faith that he heard me. Was it possible for us to connect even with so much distance between us? I had to try. If he can hear me, then our link will pull him through whatever they were doing to him.

I can't just sit around and wait to hear news about his death. I had to do something.

"Chela. Can I come in?" My best friend, Alexa, stood in the doorway to my room. I didn't even hear her open it. She walked over to the edge of the bed and sat down. Her kind eyes filled me with warmth after so many cold nightmares had left me shivering.

"Baby, you've been in this room almost a week. Jalen and I miss you. Come back to us." She stroked my hair and laced her fingers with mine. Those small gestures were just enough to make me sit up and bury my face in her shoulders. "You got snot on my school uniform. Well, at least that's a start." I pulled back, glancing at Alexa's face as she studied her shirt. Looking up at me, she wrinkled her nose.

"Eew, gross," we both said at the same time. And then we both burst out laughing, covering our mouths as we giggled. She was right. Smiling was a good start. And then I heard a boy's voice speak in my mind.

"Chela, I heard you. By the lights, I heard you," Faris said.

***************************************************


Author Bio:

KaSonndra Leigh was born in Charlotte, North Carolina. She now lives in the City of Alchemy and Medicine, North Carolina. She likes to write about people doing fantastical things in magical worlds. Her two sons have made her promise to write a boy book next.

She holds the MFA in creative writing, and loves to play CLUE, Monopoly (the Indiana Jones version), and Pandora's Box (good writer's block therapy). She lives in an L-shaped house with a garden dedicated to her grandmother. It has a secret library complete with fairies, Venetian plastered walls, and a desk made out of clear blue glass.

Website
Twitter: @kasonndraleigh
Blog
Facebook

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If you haven't checked it out here's the first book in the series:

When Copper Suns Fall




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Friday, June 15, 2012

Promo Blitz: T.G. Ayer - Dead Radiance Excerpt

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Dead Radiance
By: T.G. Ayer
Release Date: February 25, 2012
Series: Valkyrie

Description:
Bryn Halbrook had always seen the glow. But it is only when her best friend dies that she discovers the meaning of those beautiful golden auras — Death. Alone, lost in the foster system, she struggles to understand who she is and why she was cursed with the ability to see the soon-to-be-dead.

The new foster kid, Aidan, isn’t helping any. Mr. Perfect seems to fit in no matter what, making her feel even more pathetic. But when his affections turn to her, Bryn finds him hard to resist. Impossible actually. A mystery himself, Aidan disappears, leaving behind a broken heart and a mysterious book that suggests Bryn might not be entirely human.

Bryn stands at the threshold of a journey of discovery. Will destiny help her find herself, find her purpose and her place in a world in which she’d never belonged
 
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Excerpt:
Chapter 1

I was cold, like the roses on Joshua’s casket, like the muddy dark-brown soil waiting to embrace the lifeless remains of the boy who was my friend.

My fingers curled around the stem of a butter-yellow rose, knuckles tight. I blinked away the liquid burn stabbing my eyelids. I had to get out. Give him the rose. Then get the hell away.

I tried to squeeze past the old woman who guarded my route to the center aisle, glaring. Her stares slithered down my neck as I passed. I shuffled by, careful not to touch her. But she huffed, her shoulders stiff and unimpressed with my rudeness. Her disapproval slid down my back.

I straightened my pencil skirt and short coat, scraped my wet hands on my hips. I knew the cool black silk wouldn't dry my sticky palms, but I did it anyway, needing to do something with my hands other than clutch the dead flower.

The slim heels of my pumps sank deep into wet ground. I jerked them free and swallowed, my throat aching with tears.. My best friend would soon be entombed within this sodden mush, to lie beneath Craven forever. Until his flesh fell off his bones and he turned to dust.

A cool hand tapped my shoulder.

"Bryn Halbrook. " She spat my name, each syllable harsh, and dripping venom to match the tiny emerald flecks in her hazel eyes. "You've got some nerve coming here." Cherise Barnes knew she looked good, even in drab funerary garb. She stood, a bony hip jutting out, one foot forward. The Cherise pose.

The last thing I needed was a bitch-match. Not here. I straightened, pulling my jacket closer in the face of this poisonous storm. Her eyes widened as I drew to my full height. Guess Cherise forgot it wasn't easy to intimidate a person who was a full head taller. I stared down at her.

Waiting.

"Perhaps you should leave." She tapped the foot. "Now."

"I am leaving, as soon as I pay my respects. You are holding me up."

A streak of red colored her cheeks. She avoided my eyes, then addressed my ear. "You shouldn't have come in the first place. You aren't welcome here."

She wasn't backing off and I knew why. Cherise was The Body here in Craven. Not the body to die for, though, as most guys didn't need to go that far to sample Cherise. Joshua had belonged to her, and she'd lost him. Lost him to me. Or so she thought.

I brushed past Cherise, had no patience for her any more. I fingered the bandage on my temple, touched the braid tied at my nape so my deep red hair wouldn't tangle in the stitches on my scalp. The slight movement shifted my hair and the wound stung, releasing a flash of memory.

White light, blinding, sears my eyes.

Brighter now. Bright enough to hurt.

Tires squeal, harsh screams rip at my eardrums.

I swallowed a gasp, shoving the memory out of my head.

I had to get a grip.

I'd survived and he hadn't. It didn't matter anymore. The only person who'd supported me had died on me.

I'd known he would die. And I'd done nothing to stop it.

As I neared Joshua's parents, they threw me weak and teary smiles, which made the dam of tears inside my own heart yearn to burst free. Even in their time of grief, they'd been so concerned about me, asking if I'd recovered enough to get out of the hospital, if I'd grieved enough, let it all out.

No one shared their concern, not last week and not today. Claws of ice scraped up and down my back. Again. More accusing stares. Too many eyes. More heads turning. Whispers. I ignored them. Concentrated on anything else but those voices. Cars passing by at the bottom of the hill. People going about their daily lives, neither knowing nor caring that a friend and a son and a brother was about to be consigned to the dead earth of Craven.

Stepping closer to the coffin I sucked in a sob; the hollow in my gut grew harder, more painful, as I stared at the shining black casket.

Roses trailed the ebony lid, droplets of color scattered across its gleaming surface by a careless yet artful hand. Eternity crept by while the box descended into the dark mouth of the grave.

The rainbow of color shivered, slim green stems entangled on the curve of the lid. One rose, bright, blood red, slid off, as the coffin moved deeper and deeper.

Ice sliced through my veins.

Piercing to the bone and to the soul.

Blank, grey afternoon skies shed occasional tears for Joshua O'Connell. The casket lurched, then continued its descent. I gave in. Better give him the rose, a little piece of me to take with him.

I choked on a breath, swallowing a wave of nausea.

Metal shrieks, grating in a lurid embrace. Deafening.

Sparks spit, ozone coats the back of my throat.

Gasoline fumes creep up my nostrils, burning, suffocating.

I stopped at the edge of the gaping wound in the earth. Something felt wrong. Inside the grave, the black box came to rest within deep grasping shadows. Darkness simmered, broken by a line of glimmering, golden light that seeped through the edges of the casket.

He still glowed and I was still helpless.

My fingers uncurled their desperate grip on the rose and it fell, tilting, to drop head first onto the coffin, twirling as it descended into the eerie depths. It hit the lid and shattered. Petals flew in all directions and everywhere yellow scraps of the dismembered flower reflected Joshua's iridescent light.

I turned, eager to flee.

Not possible. Not in heels, which sank into the mushy soil as if the soft earth itself yearned to claim me. Not when mourners had risen from their seats and were lining up to toss soil and tributes onto the casket. I struggled for breath, my heart knocking double, triple time like an angry jackhammer abandoned in my chest.

I steered a path through the crowd. Ignored a young man in the middle row whose skin held the first yellow specks of iridescence. Who was he? Did it even matter who he was? I sighed. It wouldn't be much longer for him anyway. I ignored the woman with the red-rimmed eyes, holding onto his arm. I didn't want to see him patting her pale hand and giving her that watery smile.

Will she be alone, like me, when he's gone? Who will pat her hand then?

Turning away, I kept walking. Didn't want to look anymore. Didn't want to see any more glowing people.

I breached the throng and paused to breathe.

To wait for my erratic heartbeat to slow down.

To forget I left my friend behind, alone in the unforgiving ground.

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Author Bio:
 
I have been a writer from the time I was old enough to recognise that reading was a doorway into my imagination. Poetry was my first foray into the art of the written word. Books were my best friends, my escape, my haven. I am essentially a recluse but this part of my personality is impossible to practise given I have two teenage daughters, who are actually my friends, my tea-makers, my confidantes… I am blessed with a husband who has left me for golf. It’s a fair trade as I have left him for writing. We are both passionate supporters of each other's loves – it works wonderfully…


My heart is currently broken in two. One half resides in South Africa where my old roots still remain, and my heart still longs for the endless beaches and the smell of moist soil after a summer downpour. My love for Ma Afrika will never fade. The other half of me has been transplanted to the Land of the Long White Cloud. The land of the Taniwha, beautiful Maraes, and volcanoes. The land of green, pure beauty that truly inspires. And because I am so torn between these two lands – I shall forever remain cross-eyed.

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Purchase Link
Amazon

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Thursday, June 14, 2012

Booking Through Thursday: Deja Vu

A weekly meme about (mostly) books and reading. Hosted at Booking Through Thursday. BTT interviewed their readers for a change, and their final question was, “What question have they NOT asked at BTT that you’d love them to ask?” They got some great responses and will be picking out some of the questions from time to time to ask the rest of you. Like now.
Sally asks:

Have you ever bought a book, started reading it and then realised you have already read it? If so, how far did you get? (Can you tell this happened to me for the first time ever this week!?!)

Ha - that is tooo funny.  I think it actually did happen to me just once though.  I was reading some YA Contemporary I can't remember which book it was but I swear I had read it before.  There are times where I will have to look up a book to make sure I haven't read it.  If I have a rating I know I've read it unless it was before my rating started them I'm just going to have to read through it and be like oh yeah I did read this book lol.  It's a major Homer Simpson D'oh moment lol. 

Ah it happens to the best of us, sometimes we read so much we forget what we read until we are reading it and bam yup I've read this ha.  I'm still laughing over here because I know the feeling and it's just too funny.