Wednesday, February 29, 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":

The Unquiet
By Jeannine Garsee
Release Date: July 17, 2012

Description:
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?

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Review: Sean Griswold's Head

Sean Griswold's Head
By Lindsey Leavitt
Release Date: March 1, 2011

Description:
According to her guidance counselor, fifteen-year-old Payton Gritas needs a focus object-an item to concentrate her emotions on. It's supposed to be something inanimate, but Payton decides to use the thing she stares at during class: Sean Griswold's head. They've been linked since third grade (Griswold-Gritas-it's an alphabetical order thing), but she's never really known him.

The focus object is intended to help Payton deal with her father's newly diagnosed multiple sclerosis. And it's working. With the help of her boy-crazy best friend Jac, Payton starts stalking-er, focusing on-Sean Griswold . . . all of him! He's cute, he shares her Seinfeld obsession (nobody else gets it!) and he may have a secret or two of his own.

In this sweet story of first love, Lindsey Leavitt seamlessly balances heartfelt family moments, spot-on sarcastic humor, and a budding young romance.

Review:
How adorable was this book.  I would have finished it all in one day if I hadn't started reading it so late in the day.  I couldn't put it down, Payton was such a great character and completely relateable.  I know when I have to face things I don't want to, sometimes I will choose to be angry or run in the other direction, which is exactly what she did. (Sometimes I just take it out on other people too, she did that as well)

Payton has just accidentally walked in on her mom giving her father a shot in the buttocks, of course she's shocked and confused as to what could be going on.  Turns out her father has MS (Multiple Sclerosis -which affects the ability of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord to communicate with each other, effectively.) This of course is a very serious disease as it is very degenerative to the person, making them tired and run down.  Payton is scared.  She runs.  She starts doing bad in school and starts seeing the school counselor.  Which gives her one task to help her cope with the mess that is her life - find a focus object.

That focus object is - Sean Griswalds Head!

They've been in the same classes forever and anytime they have to sit alphabetically chances are he is always in front of her.  But she's never really noticed him, until he becomes her focus object.  It gets to the point where even her best friend Jac is on a mission to try and find out more about Sean for the sake of Payton's mission of a focal object.  Every day they learn a little more about Sean, and his habits.

He's a big rider, and because of this Payton decides that she can bike ride to.  She starts out just for fun to be around him (after all he's her focus object and she needs something to focus herself off of thinking about her father).  Turns out that Sean is probably the best thing that could have happened to her.  She learns things about herself that she didn't know she could do.  She feels comfortable with Sean and feels that he's easy to open up to.  Even talking about her father.  They even decide to do an MS Bikeathon in honor of her father.

It's all a very great story about discovering yourself, what you are capable of and of course learning to deal with tough situations when you just aren't ready to.  Really great read and very much recommended.

NORTHANGER ALIBI LAUNCH PARTY!

So right about now I'm wishing I lived in Utah so I can go to this book launch, there's never anything good by me hehe (Sad Face).

If you are in Utah and close by and have the time make sure you check out this Launch Party.  It's for a Book that I know I have been Waiting to read.  Make sure to check it out!


Northanger Alibi
By Jenni James
Release Date: January 15, 2012

Description:
The Russo family and Seattle, WA are no match for Claire Hart and her savvy knowledge of all things vampire related. Thanks to her obsession with the Twilight series, if there is anyone who would know a vampire when she saw one, it's Claire. And she's positive totally hot Tony Russo is a vampire--she just has to prove it. In this modern retelling of Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey, follow Claire's hilarious journey on her first summer adventure away from home, where she learns everything isn't what it seems, and that in some instances, reality is way better than anything she'd ever find in a book.

Monday, February 27, 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:

I clenched my jaw against chattering teeth.  Tremors wracked trhough me as I searched for escape, but he was blocking the only path.  I could try beating him up, or swimming to another shore where he couldn't follow.  Both were unlikely to work, especially since getting back in the freezing lake was the last thing I wanted.  He'd probably just save me again.

Incarnate
by Jodi Meadows
Release Date: January 31, 2012

Musing Monday: Series Books

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 read books that are part of a series?
• Do you collect all the books in the series before starting? What if the series is brand new, and the only book that’s been published so far is Book one? As subsequent books in the series are published, do you go back and re-read the preceding books?

First of all I love series books because I really hate when books are over.  I always want to know what happens next, which is a perfect reason to read series books.  Do I collect them all before I start reading them, if it's an old series yes because I'll want to start the next one right away so I'd rather have them all in my possession before starting the first one.  In regards to new series, I definitely read the first one and highly anticipate the following books in the series.  Do I go back and reread the first one when the next one comes out.  No.  I don't have time for that, usually when I start reading the second or next book it completely jogs my memory and I know where we left off.  If I really really don't remember then I'll check out a review or just anything I can, but I have never reread a book to remind me what's going on. 

Favorite Series Books just because I want to :-)
The Mortal Instruments
The Infernal Devices
Hunger Games
Anna Dressed in Blood (I can't wait to see what happens next)
The Chicagoland Vampires

That's just to name a few, but there are way too many out there that are just good.  I think more and more most books are becoming part of series instead of stand alones.  But I don't know is that a good thing or not?  Sometimes I like to read stand alones too. 



Friday, February 24, 2012

Review: Destiny's Fire

Destiny's Fire
by Trisha Wolfe
Release Date: January 10, 2012
Series: Kythan Guardians

Description:
It’s the year 2040, and sixteen-year-old Dez Harkly is one of the last of her kind—part of a nearly extinct race of shape-shifters descended from guardians to the Egyptian pharaohs. Her home and her secret are threatened when the Council lowers the barrier, allowing the enemy race to enter the Shythe haven.


As the Narcolym airships approach, Dez and her friends rebel against their Council and secretly train for battle. Not only is Dez wary of war and her growing affection for her best friend Jace, but she fears the change her birthday will bring. When Dez’s newfound power rockets out of control, it’s a Narcolym who could change her fate… if she can trust him.

Dez’s guarded world crumbles when she discovers why the Narcos have really come to Haven Falls, and she's forced to choose between the race who raised her and the enemy she's feared her whole life.

Review:
Dez is a very strong willed girl; her and her three best friends who happen to be triplets are training in secret for an impending war that is sure to come. You have Nick who is the care free guy who everyone can’t help but love and want to protect. Then there is Lana who is stylish and lovable who is into Devon (who runs the club/bar Cogs). And lets not forget Jace, he’s hot headed, loyal and a leader. All four of them together make a really great team. They are all Shythe (except for Dez who is keeping a secret from the other three, as she is part Narcolym, their enemy).


Before they experience the change, where they will gain their power and tats, which is on their Birthday they decide to go out and have fun. Dez is first, so they go out to Cogs and try and have a good time, that’s when the Narco’s come and disrupt their perfect little group. Especially the main distraction – Reese. He begins to dance with Dez, which makes Jace jealous as if he doesn’t already hate the Narco race this just adds fuel to the fire, because even if she doesn’t realize it, Jace is in love with Dez. There’s something about Reese that attracts Dez even if she hates him at first, and then he did the one thing that would make her want to speak to him more. But you will have to learn that on your own.

Reese and Dez get closer throughout the whole book, but especially during the time right after her change. This is where he helps her to control her power. The following week the triplets turn and everything has changed between her and Jace, they decide to go out and he kisses her. She’s confused and just stuck between two guys. Who doesn’t love a story like that?

They are all about to get into the Academy where they will learn more about their powers and what their future will hold. Seems the Shythe Council has seen to it that the Narco be allowed back into their Haven because the Shythe race is dying down and they want to try and bring the two together with a Peace Treaty. The adventure starts from there.

Loving the Steam punk Genre this book was really well written and had me hooked from the minute I started the book. It really was good, the relationships that were developed throughout, even the surprising shock towards the end (my heart dropped), and this book had it all: Love, Loyalty, Betrayal, and Action. There were some really great intense moments in there and you should definitely pick it up.

Final Transcend Time Novel Title Hunt!

Welcome to the Transcend Time Saga Title Hunt! The title hunt is the reveal of the title for the final novel in the Transcend Time Saga. Each of the bloggers participating in the hunt have been given a letter. Hop around to the blogs participating to hunt for the letters. (And remember that two of the letters are used twice, so the title is eight letters long.)

Once you've unscrambled the title, go to Michelle Madow's blog and use the title name to enter the giveaway for a voucher for an advanced e-copy of the final Transcend Time novel! (She is giving away a voucher because the novel is planned to be released at the end of the year, and she hasn't finished writing it yet! This voucher will ensure that you will receive an advance e-copy once they are available).

My Letter is .....

After reading Remembrance (my review) and then checking out what happened in Vengeance (my review), I just know something bad is a brewin!  Last we left off Chelsea drank a potion that is supposed to put everything they way it ended up the first time between herself, Drew and Lizzie.  If you've read the book (which you really should) you know that things didn't end well for some of the characters.  So now in this final book all I wonder is what is going to happen to Lizzie, Drew and Chelsea?  I also wonder if the witch is really something else, because why would she help someone do something that shouldn't be done in the first place.  Oh there are endless possibilities. 

The e-version of Remembrance and Vengeance is on sale for $0.99 now through April, make sure to check it out!

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Booking Through Thursday: Bloggers

A weekly meme about (mostly) books and reading. Hosted at Booking Through Thursday.

Today's question is:
What do you look for when reading a book blog? Does the blogger have to read the same genre? Do you like reviews? Personal posts? Memes? Giveaways? What attracts you to a book blog?


At first when I was starting out I would have to admit yes it was because of giveaways.  But now usually it's meme's which attract me to blogs and then if I like what I see I try and get the email or become a follower.  I love reading other bloggers reviews especially if it's something I myself have read.  If it's something I want to read sometimes I'll check it out if I don't mind possible spoilers.  If someone has a personal post especially someone I actually follow I will always read it because it's nice to see something more than just reviews etc on their pages, after all we are all human and stuff happens.  In regards to genre, yeah usually someone who reads the same but a meme is a meme regardles of your genre so I'll always check those out. 

Sometimes I wonder if anyone ever reads my reviews but I write them anyway because that's what I like to do, hehe.  I blog because I like to blog and I wish I could do more but I do as much as I can. 

How about you?

Tuesday, February 21, 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":


Keep Holding On
By Susane Colasanti
Release Date: June 14, 2012

Description:
Between Noelle’s difficult home life and the bullying she endures at school, all she wants is to get out of her small town. Noelle would give anything to be with Julian Porter. But staying with her emotionally distant boyfriend is safer. When things heat up between Noelle and Julian, she has to decide whether she can be her true self with him.


Review: Vengeance

Vengeance
By Michelle Madow
Release date: December 8, 2011
Series: Transcend Time Saga

Description:
How far would you go to get revenge?

When Chelsea Givens discovered that her ex-boyfriend Drew dumped her to be with her former best friend Lizzie, she'd never felt so betrayed in her life. Then her new friend Shannon tells her she can help set things right. Chelsea's willing to listen, but what Shannon wants her to believe -- that she shared a past life with Drew -- is impossible. And what she wants her to do to get him back … well, it's downright crazy.

Could Shannon be telling the truth? And if she is, what lengths will Chelsea go if it means making Lizzie pay?

Find out in Vengeance, the second part of the Transcend Time Saga.

*Vengeance is the short story that bridges the events in Remembrance and the final novel in the Saga

Review:
This is definitely a bridge that needed to be made.  I love how the author is tying the two books together with what happens in between and getting us all excited about what might happen in the final book.  It's the teasiest of teasers.

We left off the first book with Lizzie and Drew getting together and leaving Chelsea behind, so we start of this book with Chelsea's point of view.  She has a nagging feeling that things did not turn out the way they were supposed to.  She is absolutely sure that she is the one that belongs with Drew. 

Of all the people to help her through this it's Shannon, the person who you would least expect it from.  Shannon takes Chelsea to the mall to talk to her aunt, but in secret of course as her aunt owns the specialty store that deals with magic and who has psychic abilities according to Shannon.  Chelsea is unsure but has no other choice and so she goes to meet the psychic and with that she learns a great deal of things and even a way to make things right.  At least the way she believes them to be.

Can't wait to see how we start off the next and final book, will it be told through Drew's point of view?

Review: Angelfire

Angelfire
By Courtney Allison Moulton
Release Date: February 15, 2011
Series: Angelfire

Description:
First there are nightmares.
Every night Ellie is haunted by terrifying dreams of monstrous creatures that are hunting her, killing her.

Then come the memories.
When Ellie meets Will, she feels on the verge of remembering something just beyond her grasp. His attention is intense and romantic, and Ellie feels like her soul has known him for centuries. On her seventeenth birthday, on a dark street at midnight, Will awakens Ellie's power, and she knows that she can fight the creatures that stalk her in the grim darkness. Only Will holds the key to Ellie's memories, whole lifetimes of them, and when she looks at him, she can no longer pretend anything was just a dream.

Now she must hunt.
Ellie has power that no one can match, and her role is to hunt and kill the reapers that prey on human souls. But in order to survive the dangerous and ancient battle of the angels and the Fallen, she must also hunt for the secrets of her past lives and truths that may be too frightening to remember

Review:
Ellie is a normal teenage girl who just wants to live her life and have fun with her friends. She's not extraordinary in school, pretty average in everything. Then she notices someone watching her, an older guy, it's almost as if she recognizes him from somewhere but she can't quite place it. They have another change meeting in the middle of the night while she's out for a jog so of course she thinks he's some kind of stalker. When all of a sudden there are thunderous steps and a loud snarl that makes her jump. On instinct she begins to react. Enter the world of the Grim and reapers, in her first case it's a gigantic lupine creature the size of a pick up truck. Her dreams are becoming reality.

Will has the ability to snap Ellie's memory back, reminding her of what she is and all the things she does. Will was chosen to be her Guardian in the fight against the reapers. All this is for the purpose of saving humans and avoiding the apocalypse. While trying to maintain a normal life Ellie and Will start training at night while she attends school during the day. She even drags Will to the movies and a party. Throughout this entire attempt at normalcy there are still reapers who are out to get Ellie. She is the Preliator and they are trying to destroy her.

Sebastian the head of this very bad group of reapers has a plan to rid the Preliator for good, as currently every time she dies she comes back to life. They are on a mission to get the Enshi who is the devourer of souls so that he can eat her soul and she cannot return. Ever. I don't really want to give too much away but this was a really great book and I have to get my hands on the second book, like ASAP! I need to know what happens next and what is the deal with Caden (he's not mentioned much in the book but he's such a mystery that I know he's going to play a good role in the next book).

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. This feature is great because everyone loves lists, including me.

This week's Top Ten is:

Top Ten Books I'd Quickly Save If My House Was Going To Be Abducted By Aliens (or any other natural disaster...you get the drift. )

1. All my books by Jennifer Echols (sorry I cheat).
2. Something Maybe by Elizabeth Scott
3. The Mortal Instrument series by Cassandra Clare
4. The Collected works of William Shakespeare
5. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
6. The DUFF by Kody Keplinger
7. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
8. The Host by Stephanie Meyer (it is about aliens after all lol)
9. Twilight by Stephanie Meyer (it got me back into reading)
10. Summer Series by Jenny Han

What's on your list?

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:


The next morning, I literally lose myself in my closet looking for a sock.  Which leads me to the question - where do lost socks go?

Sean Griswold's Head
By Lindsey Leavitt
Release Date: March 1, 2011

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Booking Through Thursday: Fan Fiction

A weekly meme about (mostly) books and reading. Hosted at Booking Through Thursday.

Today's question is:

Have you every written any fan-fiction? If yes, why and for which book(s)? If no, would you like to and for which books(s)? For that matter, do you ever READ fan-fiction??

I've personally never read any fan fiction, nor have I gone looking for it.  Not that I don't think it's great to continue a great story with great characters.  I think the closest to anything fan related is I've checked out fan art.  I have nothing against fan fiction, it's just that I can barely get through the books on my shelf/kindle let alone add more stuff to it.  I've literally stopped adding/buying books to my kindle so that I can attempt to read what I have available.  (It's not going too great lol). 

So I've never read anything, at least I don't remember reading anything even for TV shows etc.  In regards to writing fan fiction - maybe not physically but really who doesn't continue a story in their mind or change it up a bit in their mind lol.  I know that I've done that plenty of times.  I'll continue the story in my mind but I've never written anything down on the web or on paper. 

Now you have me curious about fan fiction lol I'm going to go on a search for some when I have time!

Wednesday, February 15, 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":
Forgiven
By Jana Oliver
Release Date: March 27, 2012
Series: The Demon Trappers

Jana Oliver's third spellbinding Demon Trappers novel - following The Demon Trapper's Daughter and Soul Thief - brings all new thrills, as Riley Blackthorne takes on demons, love... and the future of the human race.

The days are growing darker for 17-year-old demon trapper Riley Blackthorne. With her father’s reanimated body back safely, Beck barely speaking to her because of a certain hunky Fallen angel, and a freshly-made deal with Lucifer, she has enough on her hands to last a normal teenage lifetime. Though she bargained with Heaven to save his life, her ex-boyfriend Simon has told the Vatican’s Demon Hunters that she’s working with Hell. So now she’s in hiding, at the top of everyone’s most-wanted list.

But it’s becoming clear that this is bigger than Riley, and rapidly getting out of control: something sinister is happening in Atlanta… or someone. The demons are working together for the first time ever and refusing to die, putting civilians in harm’s way. Riley thinks she might know who’s behind it all, but who’s going to believe her? Caught between her bargain with Heaven and her promise to Lucifer, Riley fears the final war is coming – and it may be closer than anyone thinks…

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. This feature is great because everyone loves lists, including me.

This week's Top Ten is:



Top Ten Books .....

That Broke My Heart A Little




1.  A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks - did you see the movie and cry well I cried throughout the whole book.  It was just too too much.

2. The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks - what does he do seriously does he find a formula to make sure the reader cries during the book.  So good.

3.  The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - yes this too broke my heart several times and I cannot wait to see the movie!  I will cry then too.

4.  The Summer I Turned Pretty Series by Jenny Han - It's always a tearjerker when things happen and you don't want them to happen.  It was a good trilogy to go through these peoples lives every summer. 

5. The Duff by Kody Keplinger - it broke my heart to see her think so low of herself throughout the book and her problems with her father.

6. Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare - if you've read it you know what I mean.

7. The Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare - because their relationship broke me throughout the entire first book, second book etc etc etc...

8. Peaches Series by Jodi Lynn Anderson - the story of three very different girls becoming friends and living through their lives.  Some points sad some points happy, but still it broke my heart at some points.

9.  The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky - I read this in high school many many years ago and everyone should read it.

10. The Host by Stephanie Meyer - if you haven't read this book you should read it, it is definitely NOT Twilight, I hear there is a second book in the making.

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 hot breath fanned my neck as his lips parted against my skin. A tremor rocked my body, and I fought to free my hands. His teeth grazed my skin. I froze. I felt pressure, heat, and the slide of his tongue. I shivered and reminded myself this was Jace…

Destiny's Fire
By Trisha Wolfe
Release Date: January 10, 2012

I love YA Giveaway Hop


This awesome event is hosted by For Those About to Read, Fictional Distraction, & Michelle Madow.

The giveaway hop will run from Feb. 14 – Feb. 20. One person will win a brand new copy of The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith in honor of Valentine;s Day!  All you have to do is fill out the Rafflecopter below and good luck!  I will contact the winner within 48 hours.

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

Description:
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

You can check out my review here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Make sure to check out the other participants in the I Heart YA Giveaway Hop

1. For Those About to Read
2. Fictional Distraction
3. Michelle Madow
4. Whispering Words
5. The Busy Bibliophile
6. Madison Louise
7. Michelle @ Book Briefs
8. Cathy @ Addicted to Books
9. Mary @Sweeping Me
10. Snowdrop Dreams of Books
11. Words Escape Me
12. Jen Ryland/YA Romantics
13. RADesilets
14. Patricia's Particularity (NO REVIEW)
15. KatOfDiamonds
16. Patricia Lynne's Journey Through the Pages
17. MB @ Keystrokes and Word Counts
18. Hannah @ In the Best Worlds
19. Alysha @ My Heart Hearts Books
20. Benji @ The Non Reluctant Reader
21.Liza @ Reading with ABc   
22. Marie Landry @ Ramblings of a Daydreamer
23. Inspired Kathy @ I Am A Reader, Not A Writer
24. Fall Into Books
25. Obscured Vixen
26 Lorena Angell
27. Taryn Browning
28. Word Crushes
29. Owl Read It
30. Sandra @ Waiting For Wentworth
31. Potato Chip Cats


Monday, February 13, 2012

Review: Getting Over Garrett

Getting over Garrett Delaney
By Abby McDonald
Release Date: January 24, 2012

Description:
Can a twelve-step program help Sadie kick her unrequited crush for good? Abby McDonald serves up her trademark wit and wisdom in a hilarious new novel.

Seventeen-year-old Sadie is in love: epic, heartfelt, and utterly one-sided. The object of her obsession - ahem, affection - is her best friend, Garrett Delaney, who has been oblivious to Sadie's feelings ever since he sauntered into her life and wowed her with his passion for Proust (not to mention his deep-blue eyes). For two long, painful years, Sadie has been Garrett's constant companion, sharing his taste in everything from tragic Russian literature to art films to '80s indie rock -

all to no avail. But when Garrett leaves for a summer literary retreat, Sadie is sure that the absence will make his heart grow fonder - until he calls to say he's fallen in love. With some other girl! A heartbroken Sadie realizes that she's finally had enough. It's time for total Garrett detox! Aided by a barista job, an eclectic crew of new friends (including the hunky chef, Josh), and a customized self help guide, Sadie embarks on a summer of personal reinvention full of laughter, mortifying meltdowns, and a double shot of love.

Review:
Sadie is in love with her best friend Garrett, she would do anything for him, even listen to him go on and on about his girlfriends, or even mope around with him about his breakups. But Garrett doesn't see Sadie in the same way that she sees him. That is until the end of the school year party and Sadie is so POSITIVE that Garrett is about to tell her how he really felt about her but a cluster of mishaps prevent that from happening. Before you know it, Garrett is off to Literary Camp for the summer (that Sadie didn't get into because she didn't meet the age requirements) and Sadie is left alone to fend for herself, pining after Garrett and the constant thought of what was he going to say?

Eventually Sadie has to get a job, so she starts working at Totally Wired the coffee shop that she and Garrett usually hang out at. Here we meet a really great cast of characters that I can one hundred percent picture in my mind. You have Dominique the French girl who is studying to be a lawyer and is very all high and mighty about herself. Then there is Lu Ann who is the carefree spirit with her own style. Aiko the artist who doesn't know where she wants to go or what to do. Josh the cook in the back who everyone loves. And let's not forget Kayla who doesn't work at the shop but is Sadie's next door neighbor, and they used to be really great friends pre-Garrett.

After a few conversations with Garrett, Sadie finally realizes he's just not into her like that, now she needs to come up with a plan. 12 steps to get over Garrett. With the help of her coworkers (now really great friends), she knows she can over come this. Throughout her whole 12 step program she realizes the things she has done and the way she has lost the person she used to be. It amazes me to see how much woman change for the person they love. It gets so bad we can lose our own identity and this is what happened to Sadie. Slowly she is learning new things about her self, things she thought she didn't like and she's just willing to try anything new.

It's a very girl empowering book in that it shows you how much you do not need to change for a guy. You may be doing it and not even realize it. This is a really great book.

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…
What is your favorite romantic book –or book that includes a love story? (an adult romance, young adult, kids’ story, anything)


My favorite Young Adult book that includes a love story would have to be Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols.  That's my fall back book, I can always read it and get butterflies.  I love the way their relationship develops and the way they interact with each other it will always get me.

If I were to choose a classic - it would have to be Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.  I've just been thinking a lot about that book lately and how so many of the books I just love and the movies for that matter are based off of that book.  It's just a classic story line and something that can be seen and read in many different ways, that's why we have all these great adaptions out there. 

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Booking Through Thursday

A weekly meme about (mostly) books and reading. Hosted at Booking Through Thursday.

A while ago, I interviewed my readers for a change, and my final question was, “What question have I NOT asked at BTT that you’d love me to ask?” I 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.


shelovestoread asks:
If you had to pick only 5 books to read ever again, what would they be and why?’
(Such a cruel question!)

Answer:
This is really difficult.  How do you even choose, you can't read another book forever.  Hmm...


  

I'd have to say this is a really difficult question but I picked five and you know what I'm sticking with them even though I will probably change my mind later, this is my list for now.

1. Going to Far by Jennifer Echols - This book has just always stayed for me every time I see a cop I think of John After and how Meg with her Manga style belong together.

2. The Duff by Kody Keplinger - this book was just too good the first time I read it, I had to reread it a couple times right away because it was just so real.

3. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins- It was just simply cute.  Gets you all excited about them getting together, and it's in PARIS.

4. Endless Summer by Jennifer Echols - The trouble these three friends get themselves into and throw in there two older siblings it's just hilarious.  But then it has it's sweet parts but really why would you think sneaking around dating someone else will make everything okay?

5. City of Bones by Cassandra Clare - This book just stuck with me the tortured souls of Jace and Clary trying to be together only to discover they're related but then they're not it's just chaos and I like it.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Review: Remembrance

Remembrance
by Michelle Madow
Release Date: July 27, 2011
Series: Transcend Time Saga

Description:
Lizzie Davenport has been reincarnated from Regency Era, England ... but she doesn't know it yet.

Then Drew Carmichael transfers into Lizzie's high school at the beginning of the year, and she feels a connection to him, almost like she knows him. She can't stop thinking about him, but whenever she tries talking with him about the mysteries behind her feelings, he makes it clear that he wants nothing to do with her. Reaching him is even more difficult because she has a boyfriend, Jeremy, who has started to become full of himself after being elected co-captain of the varsity soccer team, and her flirtatious best friend Chelsea starts dating Drew soon after his arrival. So why can't she get him out of her mind?

Even though Lizzie knows she should let go of her fascination with Drew, fighting fate isn't going to be easy.

Review:
So I've been looking around the blog world and there's been tons of sites that feature this book and how the author is trying to get Taylor Swift to tweet about her book as it's based off of her music video. I thought that was a cool idea and there was so much hype that I just had to read the book. So I picked it up and I was not disappointed.

Lizzie is a junior in high school who is happy with her long time best friend Chelsea, and her equally long time boyfriend Jeremy. Everything is just right, that is until someone new comes to the school. Drew walks in and Lizzie gets a huge sense of Deja Vu. She feels as if she knows him from either before or in another life.

Drew senses the same thing although his memories of their past life has surfaced for a while now, even before he came to this small town in the middle of no where.  He knows that Lizzie is the one for him and that they are meant to be, fate bought them back together for a second chance.  But for the sake of not repeating history he gets together with her best friend Chelsea.  Which was NOT a good idea to begin with.  Because now not only are you breaking Lizzie's heart he is also stringing along Chelsea for no reason.

Lizzie and Jeremy break up eventually because she can't stop thinking about Drew and it doesn't help that her and Jeremy are completely growing apart.  They don't like the same things anymore and it just doesn't feel the same to her, but he is still in love with her till the very end.  Lizzie learns more about transcending time from Alastair who is the man that owns the shop she made her mask at, he says he's been waiting for just the right person for all the things he gives her.  There is a lot of mention of Pride and Prejudice in the book and he gives her original copies.  Lizzie compares herself to Elizabeth and Drew to Mr. Darcy in the books.  Everyone in her life resembles a different character in Pride and Prejudice.  (I'm telling you I just cannot get enough of that book)

After the Halloween party where Lizzie swears she danced with Drew even though he was supposedly out of town according to Chelsea she starts getting more and more flashbacks of her past life.  Of her experiences with Drew, but still she can't quite catch all of them.  Drew eventually breaks up with Chelsea because he can't stand not being with Lizzie anymore, he's tried but he can't live without her.  He believes that he can rewrite history and things will turn out the way the should have turned out the first time.

By the end of the book Chelsea is devastated, Jeremy is still in denial or just wants to be and Lizzie and Drew finally work through some things, but the story doesn't end here.  Now that history has been rewritten what's to happen next as there was no next in the past. 

It's a very sweet love story between two people who transcend time to correct their mistakes and finally be together.  It was a good read, now I have to go in search for Vengeance by Michelle Madow, which a short story that bridges the gap between the first book and the final book.  It also continues the story with Chelsea as the main character, can't wait to check it out.  Make sure to check out the link below.  Very cool contest!

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I'm not a part of this tour but I really love the idea of this tour, you can check it out by clicking on the banner below.  PROJECT TELL TAYLOR Giveaway: Help @MichelleMadow tell @TaylorSwift13 about Remembrance!


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":
Such A Rush
By Jennifer Echols
Release Date: July 10, 2012

Description:
A sexy and poignant romantic tale of a young daredevil pilot caught between two brothers.

High school senior Leah Jones loves nothing more than flying. While she’s in the air, it’s easy to forget life with her absentee mother at the low-rent end of a South Carolina beach town. When her flight instructor, Mr. Hall, hires her to fly for his banner advertising business, she sees it as her ticket out of the trailer park. And when he dies suddenly, she’s afraid her flying career is gone forever.

But Mr. Hall’s teenage sons, golden boy Alec and adrenaline junkie Grayson, are determined to keep the banner planes flying. Though Leah has crushed on Grayson for years, she’s leery of getting involved in what now seems like a doomed business--until Grayson betrays her by digging up her most damning secret. Holding it over her head, he forces her to fly for secret reasons of his own, reasons involving Alec. Now Leah finds herself drawn into a battle between brothers--and the consequences could be deadly.



Tuesday, February 7, 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:

Getting over Garrett Delaney
By Abby McDonald
Release Date: January 24, 2012

“Garrett! What happened? Did she cheat on you? Did you finally get sick of her reading Cosmo all the time? Did she throw one tantrum too many?” Garrett has a thing for redheads, and drama club girls at that. I’ve thought about dyeing my hair and nearly auditioned for the spring play, but somehow, I don’t think even that would make the difference. “Wait. I’m sorry,” I say, reminding myself that I’m supposed to be the supportive friend here — rather than, you know, filled with wild hope and rapturous expectation. “The most important thing is, are you OK?”

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I know it's longer than usual but I couldn't resist putting in a paragraph.

Monday, February 6, 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…

Did you do any reading in lieu of watching the football game, yesterday, or were you foregoing reading to watch the game? If you read a book (or books) what did you choose?

OK so I actually went to a Superbowl party (get together, or whatever you want to call it).  It was with family so it was no big deal to me.  I don't really follow sports at all, I think the only thing I really enjoy is the Olympics, and I cannot wait to see Micheal Phelps kick some ass again.  Anyway, during the Superbowl yes I was there, yes I glanced up during the commercials because they are kind of funny sometimes, yes I watched the halftime show because I love music and yes I was reading a book during the entire football game.  Ha. What book?  Well I keep hearing about this Taylor Swift project trying to get her to tweet about Remembrance, so I finally picked the book up to check it out.  If I didn't have to sleep I would probably have finished it last night ha ha.  It has been addicting so far, what about you?


Being a New Yorker I had to at least put a picture up to support lol. Congrats to the Giants!

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Review: Sweet Venom

Sweet Venom
By Tera Lynn Childs
Release Date: September 6, 2011
Series: Medusa Girls

Description:
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:
We got it all wrong, Medusa was not a beautiful woman with snakes as hair who with one look would turn men to stone.  No, Medusa was the protector of the gate.  The gate that would let in mythical creatures into the real world, it was Medusa's job to protect humans from these creatures. But Athena being angry at Medusa for trying to steal Poseidon turned her story all around.

First we meet Gretchen who already knows she is a direct descendant of Medusa and has the sight.  With the help of Ursala she trains and learns where and how to bite the mythical creatures to send them back to where they belong before they can hurt any humans.  Gretchen is tough and strong, a take no kind of crap kind of girl.  I really love the confidence she has and she is not afraid to show it.  Nick is a boy from school who despite Gretchen constantly tell him to go away he will just not give up on her.  It's kind of sweet really. 

Grace just moved to San Francisco and is completely lost.  She's very innocent and Green in that she is a vegetarian and very earthy.  She's the sweet one who just wants everyone to get along.  She doesn't have as much confidence which is evident in the beginning when she starts at Alpha and Miranda (the mean girl at school) starts to bully her she just can't find it in her to stand up for herself.  Thane is her brother, he too is adopted, he comes home one day with his friend Milo.  Immediately Grace falls head over heels for him, it's a cute side romance in the book.  One night they decide to go to a club and that is where she accidentally meets Gretchen.  They discover at the end of the night that they were both adopted and are indeed sisters, how can you deny it when they are identical.  With this meeting Grace now sees the mythological creatures too and she begins to train with Gretchen.  During this training she starts to study about themselves in the library that Gretchen has in her loft.  In one particular book she reads that there are always three sisters, they are really triplets.  She hacks into the adoption site and find Greer.

Greer is as perfect as can be, with parents who are always working or going to charity parties, either way they are never around.  She has her fancy clothes and shoes and her snobby attitude, that is until Greer and Gretchen show up on her doorstep and announce that they are triplets and direct descendants from Medusa destined to fight the mythological creatures that come into their realm.  Well first of all Greer didn't even know she was adopted, and of course didn't realize she had sisters or that she could see monsters.  She did have one experience when she was younger, but dismissed it.  Now she sees them everywhere.

The girls have a fight because Greer doesn't want to ruin her life with this responsibility, Gretchen is just pig headed and stubborn and Grace is trying hard to get everyone together.  In the end they are all attacked separately and this brings them all together as right now there is a bounty on them, any huntress that is caught (dead or alive) that monster will receive their freedom to run around their realm as they wish.

The end of the book leads you with many questions, such as who bombed Gretchen place, who planned the simultaneous attach on all three of them and of course who called Gretchen to warn her to get out of her loft in time before it exploded.  I have my suspicions but I guess I will have to wait for the next book to find out.  Loved this book!

I think this excerpt from the book describes them the best (this is Grace's thoughts taken from Chapter 22)
Looking around the table, though, I can't help but worry that maybe we are.  One is gruff, tough commando chick, who dresses in black and drab and prefers to fight alone.  Another is pretty, preppy, popular girl, who wears the finest fashions and prefers to keep her social calendar intact.
And then there's me.  What type am I exactly?  The eco-conscious computer geek who'd rather be comfortable than fashionable and who is still learning how to stand up for herself.  On the surface we don't have much to bond about.

Review: The Rising Moon

The Rising Moon
By Nilsa Rodriguez
Release Date: September 12, 2011

Description:
How many lives do you have to live to realize that love is stronger than time and death?

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
Orphaned at the age of five, Angelia (Lia) Lafosse was left with questions about whom and what she truly was. One thing was clear. Lia was different. Some might even say cursed.

With the help of her best friend, Ryan Woodruff, she begins to unlock the secrets of her families past and discover answers that prove more startling than she ever imagined. Not only was she a werewolf, but a reincarnation of the immortal werewolf, a werewolf with immense powers beyond any of her kind. A werewolf that if discovered by the Lobison’s to have returned, can jeopardize both Lia and those she love.

As destiny finds her love does too…and they couldn’t be more different. Torn between Lyle Ulric, the charming werewolf whose bloodline is as ancient and powerful as her own. And Adam Ambrose, the mysterious and alluring vampire who’s determined not to allow fate or anyone tear their love apart again.

Lia has to make a choice… Destiny or Love…Run or Fight…Live or Die

Review:
Lia is a loner, or at least that's how she starts out in the book.  She doesn't bother talking to anyone because her eyes are different and she feels as if no one would understand her, being adopted and an outsider.  That is until Ryan who is from the Rez tries to befriend her.  He falls for her but she doesn't feel the same way about him.  With Ryan as her new best friend she now has a large group of friends who are just like her (shifters).  Her adopted mother recently died before the book began and she didn't know much about her family.  But with Ryan as her friend he takes her to his aunt who senses and sees things.  She tells Lia about her being a shifter because she has the mark on her eyes (a crescent moon), Ryan and his whole family and friends have the same mark and they too are all shifters.  But Lia is different because she is not only a shifter but an immortal wolf who is destined to live her life all over again with the same ending, unless she can change it. 

Emi and her family own the ranch that Lia's stepfather and her live at.  At first they are the best of friends but as Lia learns more about herself and her background Emi also inherits powers from her grandmother who dies near the beginning of the book.  She then turns on Lia because Emi believes that Lia will lead Adam (a vampire) to Emi and her family.  She doesn't want Adam close to them because her ancestors once tried to kill him and this cause Lia's past life to also end her own life.

So here we have Lia an immortal wolf and Ryan and his family all shape shifters, Ryan is very overprotective of Lia.  Emi is trying to kill Lia, Lyle who is Emi's brother is in love with Lia and wants some of her blood so that he too can become immortal.  Adam has finally showed himself and being that Lia is Adam's love reincarnated they automatically fall for each other all over again.  Lyle and Emi try to lure Lia to him by harming her stepfather and bringing Lia out of hiding.  Once they have her in their presence they attempt to destroy her, thinking that Lia would not fight back.  Adam comes out and battles Lyle and his sister to finally end this cycle.

This book was enjoyable to read, but I wish it was a little bit longer or there was more depth to each characters, but overall it was good.  It was a quick and easy read.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Booking Through Thursday: Random Pick Up

A weekly meme about (mostly) books and reading. Hosted at Booking Through Thursday.

Today's question is:

Have you ever read a random book left in a waiting room or on a park bench, etc., and did you like it?

I don't think I've ever picked up a book randomly from the airport, bench etc anywhere really. Because honestly some people you should just not touch their things because you just don't know where they have been. That's not to say that I won't glance at the cover and the title from a distance or take a picture of it with my phone to maybe check it out later. That's what I do when I go to the store, I'll take a picture of the new books just to remind myself to check them out at a later time. But to touch something randomly in public (I'm not a germaphobe) but unless it's money I'm not there lol.