Book of the Week { 07 }

It's been a while since I've done one, but I'm back now! I've had one hell of a sick week so it was nice to be able to lie down and read the whole time. Well, it would've been nice had it been without the pain of a hideous ear infection, but that's life. Thank gawd for Extra Strength Tylenol.

Anyways, for the last week, I read 14 books :0) Only a few were really ... "worthy" enough to recommend I suppose. I know one series really stuck out and that's what I'm choosing for this week's pick.

Book of the week for week 07 is....

Afterlife saga by Stephanie Hudson
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Afterlife Saga { 01 }

Afterlife… just some gothic nightclub where gossip is fuelled by the presence of a rich and unearthly, handsome family or Afterlife…the strange place where time seems to stand still and guests feel the presence of something more powerful held within the confines of the VIP.

Keira is new to this small, cold town and is running from a past that seems to feast on her darkest memories. She finds living with her sister away from English soil to be just the ticket to the new life she is trying desperately to find. So when the offer of a job at the infamous Gothic nightclub Afterlife comes along she thinks that lady luck has finally found her. That is until its seductively dark and forbidding owner Dominic Draven sets eyes on her. All at once she is captivated and plunged into a world she never knew existed but the deeper her obsession with Draven becomes, the harder it is to decide…should she stay and continue to work within the shadows of the supernatural or should she run from a madness she thinks may consume her?

Warning: This book is amazingly addictive, with its dark mystery, haunting horror, seductive twists and one sexy dark lord that has the reader drooling every time the name Draven appears on the page!

I don't know why this book stuck with me so much. It could be because when I first got back into reading, I started out with all the good adult PNR/UF stuff like Karen Marie Moning, Richelle Mead, Gena Showalter, Kresley Cole, Lora Leigh, Patricia Briggs, Rachel Vincent, etc. etc. I could go on and on. It just feels like whatever great adult PNR/UF there are out there, I've read them all. The only new books that are released are continuations of all these old series so to pick up a new book/author/series from this genre is...exhilarating. Brings me back.

It's very reminiscent of 50 Shades except with the addition of a paranormal world. The concept is nothing new (demons, angels, half-breeds, etc. & forbidden love with humans), but the story is! It's a nice, easy, romantic read.

{ Characters } I love most of the characters in this series. Keira, though, is very annoying. She's the typical weak girl character where she has to depend on others to save her. She does have certain strengths... and she is a strong person because she overcame a situation in which most women would never be able to move on from. But to go through that and try to move on, she gets very insecure and just immature at times. It's understandable and it's not. Really, it just annoys me. Draven and his brother and sister, I love them! Their personalities fit for what their characters are (demons, angels, etc.) It works. I like it.

{ Plot } Eh, like I said, the plot is nothing new, but the story is interesting. If you're not the type to like PNR/UF adult romance then, this is nothing you'd like because there's nothing special to it. But if you're usually into this genre, then sure. You're not missing anything, but I thoroughly enjoyed it! The story was a bit drawn out, but at least it wasn't rushed! There were just some aspects where it's been overdone in tons of other books that this plot was predictable. There were some aspects that were new and interesting... and I really like some concepts of the supernatural powers in this book so that was a nice tidbit. The plot is getting very interesting now that I'm awaiting the third book in the series. Honestly, not much has happened until now so... there's that info. for you.

{ Overall } Nothing amazing, special, nor does it have a "must-read" feeling to it. I honestly think it really stuck with me because I like the story and that it brings me back to the old days when I would fill up on adult romance & PNR/UF stuff. It seems like I've read everything in that genre so to come across something new was nice. If this is something you like, I really do think you'd enjoy this. I really liked it. I know this review wasn't thorough (I blame it on my meds) and that it seems like I'm saying over and over that it's an okay read... but I really, really enjoyed this book & it stuck with me & I'm definitely finishing the whole series - however many books it will end up being. I enjoyed it THAT much. That is why I'm recommending it. So there :0)

Other books I've read & rated from October 7 - October 13 2012
The Two Kings by Stephanie Hudson - 4/5
Down for the Count by Christine Bell - 3/5
Saving Grace by Christine Zolendz - 4/5
Hotter after Midnight by Cynthia Eden - 3.5/5
Devoured by Emily Snow - 3.5/5
Redemption by Susannah Sandlin - 3/5
The Mayfair Moon by J.A. Redmerski - 3/5
Kindred by J.A. Redmerski - 3/5
Moonsong by Lisa Olsen - 2/5
Malice Striker by Jianne Carlo - 3/5
The Bear and the Bride by Jianne Carlo - 3/5
Trained for Seduction by Mia Downing - 4/5
The Dragon Slayer by Jianne Carlo - 3/5

I definitely recommend Saving Grace, The Mayfair Moon, and Trained for Seduction. I think those are all around great books for most readers. Of course, check out the rest on GoodReads & if they sound great to you... definitely check them out! I certainly enjoyed most of them.

Until next week :0) Happy readings!

Happy Oct & I'm Back! & BotW? ...

Ah, it's good to be back. With school starting and my little one having to stay home with me without big brother, it took a while to get a schedule going. It's still not going well for us >_< Eh, what are you going to do?

Though I've been gone, I've still gotten loads of reading done. I've caught up more on my reading and have been on a roll lately. So many new books are out today & I'm so glad that I've been able to get my hands on them & I've promptly loaded several books on to my Kindle already. Squee! Lots of new books to read this week plus others that I haven't read yet that were previously released, plus all the indie releases. I will never be caught up, but that's okay.

Have I mentioned that I love new releases Tuesday? LOVE it! My kids were driving me so crazy last night. All I could think of was that it would be okay eventually because Tuesday will have to come sooner or later. All those sweet new releases will be safely waiting to be read on my Kindle. Whatever gets me through the day.

Now, let's get started on current reads, September wrap-ups, October to be reads and the continuation of my Book of the Week!

I am currently 24% (39 of 154) into Ballroom Blitz by Lorelei James. She is one of my favorite authors. I really love her cowboy stuff - the Rough Rider series - amazing reads. Especially if you are a fan of small towns, cowboy/ranching men, and contemporary romance :0) Ballroom Blitz is an interesting read so far. I see the tie-in to the Rough Rider series, but this is a standalone. Well, it's a companion novella to be read with the other Two to Tango books/line. I will finish this probably within an hour since it's a short book & move on to the next :0)

In the month of September, I read 44 books. Few were short stories. Honorable mentions that I think were worth reading are:
Never Seduce a Scot by Maya Banks
Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff
Hard Core by Jennifer Lowery
Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama
Degrees of Wrong by Anna Scarlett
Archangel's Storm by Nalini Singh
On Dublin Street by by Samantha Young
&
Evelyn Vine be Mine by Chelle Michiter

I've rated most of those books 4 to 5 stars out of 5. Some were inducted into my favorites shelf on Goodreads. I would suggest checking them out at least :0) Or checking out my GR account if you'd like to see what other books I've recently read & rated. I read a lot of Highland series recently that I think are definitely worth reading, but too many to mention at once. Mostly were Pamela Clare & Lynsay Sands' works. Good stuff!

So many new releases today! There were loads of new releases in the past few weeks that I've been hoping to read, but haven't gotten a chance yet either. Some older and indie releases that I was hoping to get to as well. I will try to list them from older to newer releases, but I'm hoping to get to these in October:
Behind Closed Doors by Shannon McKenna
Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake
Lost Girl by Sangu Mandanna
Carnival of Souls by Melissa Mar  *started and quite a bit in, but put it down for a spell.
Burn for Burn by Jenny Han
Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling
Run the Risk by Lori Foster
The Diviners by Libba Bray
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter
Reflected in You by Sylvia Day
Undeniable by Alison Kent
Breathe by Sarah Crossan
Death and the Girl Next Door by Darinda Jones
Poison Princess by Kresley Cole
& etc. etc.

Those are the main ones I hope to read by the end of October. Sometimes I just veer off what I hope to read because I'm not in the right mood to enjoy the books I've previously picked out. Oh well, reading is reading. I don't mind as long as I enjoy whatever I do happen to read :0) I may pick up a few scary books as well since it is October!

I will continue with my Book of the Week next week so hopefully everyone is looking forward to that. Happy readings until then :0) Let me know what you are looking forward to reading that just recently released OR is coming up this month!

Feature & Follow { 10 }

Feature & Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee & Alison Can Read. The two blogs they are featuring this week: The Book Reaper & Ed and Em's Reviews.

 

Q:What blogger inspires you? It can be any kind, it doesn't have to be a book-blog.

A lot of book bloggers inspire me, especially ones who aren't super popular yet (less than 500 followers), but have some type of original content and a unique layout.

Having original content is important to me because there are tons of book blogs out there; you really have to find a niche to stand out. And a unique layout shows that the blogger is somewhat investing their time and effort into their blog. It doesn't just look nice, but it's professional, easy to navigate and read your content, etc. Those things inspire me besides the awesome content....

So, of course I'll start out with Parajunkee because she is one of the first book bloggers I was inspired by. I've read her blog for years before deciding to jump into my own.

Also, Dazzling Reads is one of my favorite bloggers. She started out a little while before I did, but then I went MIA. But boy, did she blow up in popularity! It's much deserved :0) Love her content & she finds the best books for Waiting on Wednesday, lol.

Smexy Books. Love. Love. Love. Sometimes I feel a lot of bloggers & booktubers are all about YA content. It's great; I love YA, but I also love my adult books too & Smexy Books covers that for me. They're hilarious bloggers too.

& lastly, Lexie Reads. Okay, so I'm a little biased about this blog because she's a great friend, lol. But when you're friends with a fellow blogger, it's so nice to be able to compare & discuss books with each other... especially if the reason you started a book blog was because you have no one in real life to "talk book" with :0)

So that's it! Of course I can go on and on because there are tons of great book bloggers out there & I could add some booktubers who inspire me too, lol, but these are my top faves.

I can't wait to find out who inspired whom. I love finding new book bloggers! Let me know if you are a new/old follower & please give me some time to comment back :0)

Book of the Week { 06 }

I didn't post one last week so I will make up for it by posting two picks for this week :0) The 7th book pick will be up later this week.

It has been awesome when it comes to what I've read two weeks ago. For week six, I picked one that I thought would be different from the rest of what I recently read. Something that stuck out for a reason.

My pick for Book of the Week 06 is:
  

Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone by Kat Rosenfield
Genre: Contemporary

An arresting un-coming-of-age story, from a breathtaking talent

Becca has always longed to break free from her small, backwater hometown. But the discovery of an unidentified dead girl on the side of a dirt road sends the town--and Becca--into a tailspin. Unable to make sense of the violence of the outside world creeping into her backyard, Becca finds herself retreating inward, paralyzed from moving forward for the first time in her life.

Short chapters detailing the last days of Amelia Anne Richardson's life are intercut with Becca's own summer as the parallel stories of two young women struggling with self-identity and relationships on the edge twist the reader closer and closer to the truth about Amelia's death.

I know, I know, another contemporary! In my defense, this story is not entirely based on romance. It has romance in it, it revolves around it, but it's not based on it. I don't even know if I can honestly tell you why I chose this as the book of the week. I can try, but I'm just not articulate enough to write about how beautiful and haunting this book was for me. The writing is what drew me in. The story itself was fantastic, but the writing just brought me in. Holy hell can Kat Rosenfield write!  She spews frakin' poetry. The narration is very similar to Desperate Housewives or that's what I envisioned. The narration gets inside your head and renders you speechless with it's manifestation. It gets you to think truth and outside the box. It's just beautiful. That's it. That is all.

{ Characters } Becca, I'm not in love with 100%, but I love her as a person. She has a good head on her shoulders. She's prone to make mistakes just like her peers, but I love how she strives for that success she wants and does it by entirely relying on herself. Not some boy, not her parents, their money or whatever. She's responsible and she knows she's responsible for herself. I love that. For me, her biggest mistake is her boyfriend, but you know, personally, I'm not into his character and how he was portrayed. Nothing wrong with him per se. Well, read the story and you'll see.

I wasn't expecting it to be written in two different POVs. I know that both Amelia Anne and Becca's lives intersect and collide, but I didn't realize it was a before-and-after POV from both girls. It was interesting this way! Absolutely enthralling. Sometimes when books switch POVs, you get to this interesting part in one person's life and it's the end of the chapter. You then jump to another person's POV and you're completely NOT interested because the previous person's situation is a bit more interesting. That doesn't happen here. Becca & Amelia Anne both had beautiful things going on for them. And Kat Rosenfield is a mastermind. Obviously.

I didn't completely read the synopsis when I picked up this book. I had rec's from two people who thought the world of this book (both rated this 5 out of 5!) So that was my ultimate reason in picking it up.

{ Plot } The way this book was written, besides being damn good, is absolutely chilling and absolutely captivating. Like I mentioned, it's very reminiscent of Desperate Housewives (yes, the t.v. show). The narration in the t.v. show is what I envision the narration of the novel to be like. It has other similarities such as a small town full of people who are close-knit like most small towns are and how a death, especially a death of an "outsider" rocked this small town. Kat Rosenfield writes what we all think or notice without us being aware of it... whether it's socially correct or not.. .and she writes it in this tantalizing lyrical way. And that insight is just mind-blowing and that's the lovely writing that really drew me in.

You get the POV from Becca and Amelia Anne while they are living their lives. They are going somewhere, doing something, planning their future, etc. Of course, Amelia Anne's are flashbacks because Amelia Anne is... well... dead and gone. You get the "after" POV from Becca. They don't know each other. Becca has lived in this small town and she's one of those, "must get out and live in a real city" type of person. Amelia Anne's death rocks Becca to her soul making her re-evaluate what she truly wants out of life and how to get to where she wants to be (emotionally, physically, financially, etc.)

{ Overall } If this doesn't seem like your type of book because you're into paranormal, romance, or whatever else, I would still suggest trying it because it is definitely an interesting, captivating and haunting read. The story is so good and the writing, well you've heard enough about the writing. One or the other has to draw you in and if both the writing and story does, as it did for me, then it will definitely be a great read for you!

Other books I've read & rated during the week: July 29 - August 4 2012.
To Honor by D.F. Krieger - 3/5
Hourglass by Myra McEntire - 3.5/5
What a Boy Wants by Nyrae Dawn - 3/5
Dragon Hunts by Lizzie Lynn Lee - 2.5/5
Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry - 5/5
Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard - 3.5/5
The Assassin and the Pirate Lord by Sarah J. Maas - 4/5
The Assassin and the Desert by Sarah J. Maas - 4/5
The Assassin and the Underworld by Sarah J. Maas - 4/5
The Assassin and the Empire by Sarah J. Maas - 4/5
12 Rounds by Lauren Hammond - 3/5
Avoiding Commitment by K.A. Linde - 4.5/5
Avoiding Responsibility by K.A. Linde - 3.5/5

My short, short reviews on books previously mentioned that I think are worth reading:
The prequel novellas to Throne of Glass were all amazing for being short as they are. I believe they are a great insight into Celaena's character. Pushing the Limits lived up to the hype for me. I was not disappointed with this great read at all. I wasn't in love with Hourglass as many people are, but I do believe that I will continue to like this series more and more. It has the potential. Something Strange and Deadly had some great dystopian, historical and steampunk aspects to it. I enjoyed it. The series, Avoiding, is a doozy. I, personally, loved it. I love the frustration, the angst, the drama that comes along with it. Some of my friends did not like it due to that. The characters are so immature and you don't want to deal with their stupidity, but ugh, it reels you in. It's reminiscent of Thoughtless by S.C. Stephens & Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire, uh, but without the awesome men/characters. The second book in this series is just the same, but much better ending in my opinion.

So that's it :0) Until later this week!

Follow & Feature { 09 }

Feature & Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee & Alison Can Read. The two blogs they are featuring this week: Compelled By Words & The Bookshelf Review.

 

Q: What would you do over if you were to start your blog again from scratch?

I think I would've networked more & I would've started out with wordpress. Then the change to host my own blog (once I got to that point) would've been easier. Now that most of my followers are via GFC rather than linky or whatever else, it's a hassle for me to want to change it & host my own blog via wordpress.

Other than that, I actually redid my blog a while ago since I wasn't happy with my content before. Now that I've changed it to my liking, I'm quite happy. More things are coming down the line of course, but since my blog is relatively new, I wouldn't do anything too drastically different if I were to restart.

Wonder how everyone's answer will differ from this question :0) Leave a link & let me know if you are a new follower or old.

Follow & Feature { 08 }

Feature & Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee & Alison Can Read. The two blogs they are featuring this week: Reading Between Classes & Read it, Read it, Loved it.

 

Q: Do your reading habits change based on your mood? Do you read a certain genre if you are feeling depressed or happy?

A: Yes, it does. I always choose my books and what genre they are in based on what I'm in the mood for at that time vs. something I've been wanting to read for months or have to read or what have you. If I'm not in the mood for it, I just don't find myself getting involved in the story at all. It's no longer fun for me.

Sometimes I want the light, fluffy, quick read that requires no emotional investment on my part. Sometimes I want more drama and angst in a book that requires a lot of emotional investment on my part (makes me cry, mad, sad, frustrated, etc.) Sometimes I want something epic so I go for dystopians, paranormal or urban fantasy. Sometimes I just want normal so I go for contemporary. Something mind "blowingly" romantic? Historical romance. And sometimes.... sometimes I just want some freakin adult content in my books :0)

What about you guys? Let me know if you're a new follower or not. I will eventually get back to you!

Book of the Week { 05 }

Sorry I'm late. I had 3 birthdays this past week: a family member's, the hubby's, AND our baby boy's. Then I found out some bad news just yesterday. Just a crazy, crazy weekend.

I didn't get much reading done as I wanted to because of that (do I ever?) But I got some great reads in. I knew right away, with this particular new release, that it was going to be my Book of the Week pick no matter what. Why? Because she is simply awesome and anything she writes is liquid gold (or crack... whatever your preference.)

This week's pick for Book of the Week is:

Breathe by Kristen Ashley
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Colorado Mountain { 04 }

In order to protect a father he does not respect, in Lady Luck, we learned that good cop Chace Keaton went bad, sacrificing his career and his future. But when the local police department's secrets are revealed and the wife he's forced to marry is murdered, Chace finds himself the town of Carnal's hero. Knowing how deep in the mud he was forced to sink, Chace feels he'll never get clean. The quiet, content future he envisioned of the love a good woman with whom he could build a family was now beyond his reach. The only thing he can do is find his wife's murderer.

But he isn't the only one looking.

While searching for new leads, he runs into Faye Goodknight, the town's quiet, shy, pretty librarian. Chace has long since had his eye on what could possibly be the town's last remaining virgin but he has also long since given up hope he could make her his. Faye is pure and clean and Chace refuses to dirty her with his sordid past.

Pure and clean Faye may be, but when the shy librarian is forced to go head to head with the man who she's had a crush on since he hit her hometown, Chace finds Faye is full of surprises. And he doesn't know what to do with her.

Yes, a novel by Kristen Ashley who is one of my favorite authors. Her stuff is amazing and if you haven't read anything by her yet - get off my blog and do so now! She's an indie author with an amazing fan base. Her works are so addicting. If you love contemporary romance, her shiz is the ideal stuff for you to get hooked on. Any of her stuff. It's all great. Every. One. Of. Them. Of course, some are better. My personal favorite is the Rock Chick series, but you know, pick whichever one up. I recommend them all.

{ Characters } The characters are one of the best, if not, the best, things about Kristen Ashley's writing. Her alpha men... holy hell. No words to explain them. There's a group dedicated to her works because those woman are in love with her alpha men. Need I say more? It's not just that. The women characters, the supporting characters... all of them are just as great. You just fall in love with them. She writes them as if they really exist... in the real world, I mean. You want a chance to be any of them, love all them, become their best friends, become a part of their crazy lives, etc. It's so frakin addicting. You can't get enough of them.

Every book is based off of one set of characters and their mate & HEA. It's so delicious this way because every time she introduces a new characters, all of us (members of her fan base) scream for an encore and that new character's own story.

What I love about this book's characters is that some are from the same series, but past books or from different series altogether. K.A. finds a way to overlap her series so you always get a taste of old and new characters that you love. Also, Chace and Faye are so damn cute together. K.A.'s characters always have some quality that sucks you in. The alpha men ...well.. just their alphaness sucks you in. Chace being his bad boy self... AND a cop on top of that. I love how Faye is a nerdy librarian & her word usage of: Frak.

{ Plot } You got the cop who's seen, done, and participated in dirty activities (undercover to report to Internal Affairs) so he feels he has no redeeming qualities as a human being after mucking through that filth. Then you got the geeky librarian (who us female book lovers can relate to!) who the cop holds in high esteem falling in love with said cop and... helping him see himself as she sees him: a hero. You got shiz going down left and right, relationship problems, love scenes, comedy, other drama, etc. I mean, it's a typical K.A. novel so... it just... rocks.

{ Overall } K.A.'s books always manages to be in my favorite shelf on GR. Always. I don't know how to explain it. I love her writing style; it just speaks to me. I love her epigrammatic usage. Her books are always 4 stars or more for me. I mean, there's not much to say about this book because I'm trying to highlight all of K.A.'s books rather than just this one. Do try out any of her series: the Rock Chick, Colorado Mountain, Dream Man, The 'Burg... all of those are great!

Let me know if you've read any of her works, plan to, or whatever else!

Other books I've read & rated during the week: July 22 - July 28 2012.
Darkhouse by Karina Halle - 3/5
Crash by Nicole Williams - 3/5
Seducing Cinderella by Gina L. Maxwell - 3.5/5
After Ever by Jillian Eaton - 2.5/5
Wrong Bed, Right Guy by Katee Robert - 3/5
Mothership by Martin Leicht - 3/5
Sticky Fingers by Nicky Burnham - 2.5/5
Lies Beneath by Anne Greenwood Brown - 3.5/5
Twenty Weeks by Melisa M. Hamling - 2.5/5
Significance by Shelly Crane - 3/5

Until next week :0) Since I started this post a bit late, I've already read a bit for next week's pick. Let me tell you, next week is going to be tough because Pushing the Limits and Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone were both absolutely fantastic.

Feature & Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee & Alison Can Read. The two blogs they are featuring this week:  Books are my reality . & Concise Book Reviews.

Woot! I made FF feature this week :0) I'm so excited! Be sure to drop by Parajunkee to check out her interview questions with me. Thank you Parajunkee & Alison Can Read!

Q: Summer Reading. What was your favorite book that you were REQUIRED to read when you were in school?

Geez, can I remember that far back? LOL.

Well, I remember four that I really liked: The Iliad, To Kill a Mockingbird, And Then There Were None and Great Expectations. Between those four, I think my favorite would have to be And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie. I loved the whole setting, the plot, the characters, the mystery and ooh, the creepiness. I read it back in 7th grade and I still remember it... to this day.

So that's it for this week! Let me know if you're a new follower or old. Please be patient with me, I will respond back to everyone :0) And be sure to sign up & participate in #FF!

What's Next { 01 }

A meme, hosted by Iceybooks, in which every Thursday, I select three to five books that I want to read, but can't decide which to read first. I post the cover & synopsis of each book and ask readers and participators to vote on which of my three to five book selections to read first!

I've picked up tons of books lately and I'm so confused on where to start. They all sound so good; hence, I picked them up. Here are my picks:

Maggie is a seventeen year old girl who's had a bad year. She was smart and on track but then her mom left, her dad is depressed, she's graduating, barely, and her boyfriend of almost three years dumped her for a college football scholarship. Lately she thinks life is all about hanging on by a thread and is gripping tight with everything she has.

Then she meets Caleb. She saves his life and instantly knows there's something about him that's intriguing but she is supposed to be on her way to a date with his cousin. But things change when they touch, sparks ignite. Literally.

They imprint with each other and she sees their future life together flash before her eyes. She learns that not only is she his soul mate, and can feel his heartbeat in her chest, but there is a whole other world of people with gifts and abilities that she never knew existed. She herself is experiencing supernatural changes unlike anything she's ever felt before and she needs the touch of his skin to survive.

Now, not only has her dad come out of his depression to be a father again, and a pain as well, but Caleb's enemies know he's imprinted and are after Maggie to stop them both from gaining their abilities and take her from him.

Can Caleb save her or will they be forced to live without each other after just finding one another?

One hour to rewrite the past . . .

For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn't there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents' death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She's tried everything, but the visions keep coming back. So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson's willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.

Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he's around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

"'What are you thinking, Amy? The question I've asked most often during our marriage, if not out loud, if not to the person who could answer. I suppose these questions stormcloud over every marriage: What are you thinking? How are you feeling? Who are you? What have we done to each other? What will we do?'"

Just how well can you ever know the person you love? This is the question that Nick Dunne must ask himself on the morning of his fifth wedding anniversary, when his wife Amy suddenly disappears. The police immediately suspect Nick. Amy's friends reveal that she was afraid of him, that she kept secrets from him. He swears it isn't true. A police examination of his computer shows strange searches. He says they aren't his. And then there are the persistent calls on his mobile phone. So what did really did happen to Nick's beautiful wife? And what was left in that half-wrapped box left so casually on their marital bed? In this novel, marriage truly is the art of war...

(Formerly titled The Spirit-Hunters)

The year is 1876, and there’s something strange and deadly loose in Philadelphia…

Eleanor Fitt has a lot to worry about. Her brother has gone missing, her family has fallen on hard times, and her mother is determined to marry her off to any rich young man who walks by. But this is nothing compared to what she’s just read in the newspaper—

The Dead are rising in Philadelphia.

And then, in a frightening attack, a zombie delivers a letter to Eleanor…from her brother.

Whoever is controlling the Dead army has taken her brother as well. If Eleanor is going to find him, she’ll have to venture into the lab of the notorious Spirit-Hunters, who protect the city from supernatural forces. But as Eleanor spends more time with the Spirit-Hunters, including their maddeningly stubborn yet handsome inventor, Daniel, the situation becomes dire. And now, not only is her reputation on the line, but her very life may hang in the balance.

An arresting un-coming-of-age story, from a breathtaking talent

Becca has always longed to break free from her small, backwater hometown. But the discovery of an unidentified dead girl on the side of a dirt road sends the town--and Becca--into a tailspin. Unable to make sense of the violence of the outside world creeping into her backyard, Becca finds herself retreating inward, paralyzed from moving forward for the first time in her life.

Short chapters detailing the last days of Amelia Anne Richardson's life are intercut with Becca's own summer as the parallel stories of two young women struggling with self-identity and relationships on the edge twist the reader closer and closer to the truth about Amelia's death.

I've heard many great things about these books. I'm looking forward to all of them, just don't know which one to read first! Yes, I do have the sequels for Insignificance & Hourglass, if that makes a difference.. lol.

Happy reading everyone :0)

Versatile Blogger Award

I've been nominated for another blog award! Thank you Hannah from Book Haven Extraordinaire for nominating me! I'm flattered & honored from all the nominations :0)

The Award Rules:

1. Nominate 15 fellow bloggers who are relatively new to blogging
2. Let the nominees know that they've been nominated
3. Share 7 random facts about yourself
4. Thank the blogger who nominated you
5. Add the Versatile Blogger award picture to your post

{ My 7 Facts }

1.  I have two older half-brothers whom I love lots but I don't get to see often enough. One lives an hour up north and the other is serving overseas.
2. I don't drink water. At all. I drink juice, coffee, Powerade, bubble tea... but never just plain old water. Yes, I worry about diabetes one day.
3. I love bothering cats. I love them so much I can't help but be that annoying person to them, lol. I love to squeeze them and smell that spot right in front of their ears... and I love to softy tug on their fur. Yes, *nods my head* I was that little girl who dresses up her cat and shoves it in a little dolly stroller.
4. I'm aggressive and competitive. I was never one of those girls who wouldn't play or give my all during gym in school.
5. I'm shy and an introvert in real life. Online I come across differently.. maybe aloof at times, but I'm different in real life. Unless I'm super close to you!
6. I'm a stay-at-home mom and it suits me because I'm a total hermit. TOTAL hermit. I go out (socially, errands, family stuff, etc) maybe 2-3 times per week. Otherwise, I'm at home all week!
7. I love open space. LOVE it. Not necessarily just open space - it could be a forest of trees. I just love having my privacy to... IDK... lose myself? Appreciate nature? I'm okay with the hub-bub of the city, just need my bubble space.

{ My 15 Nominees }

1. Lexie from Lexie Reads...
2. Blog of a Bookaholic
3. Lisa from Shatterbooks
4. Karen from Cheerful Book Reviews
5. Escapism
6. Ashley from #BookNerd
7. Lucy from What The Bookk
8. Lyra from Defiantly Deviant
9. Kim from Kim Reads.
10. Angie from Pinkindle
11. Beth from Beth Art from the Heart
12. Jennifer from A Librarian's Library
13. Suzanne from YA Nation
14. The 3 ladies from The Cozy Armchair
15. Abby from Wintry Words

So that's it! Thanks again for the nominations. Congrats to all the newly nominated that I chose. Happy reading everyone :0)

Liebster Blog Award!

A good friend of mine, Lexie from Lexie Reads, nominated me for the Liebster Blog Award! Thank you so much babe! This award is for new bloggers with less than 200 followers.

Basically what the award is about:

Award winners share 11 facts about themselves, answer the 11 questions asked by the blogger who tagged them, come up with 11 of their own questions and tag 11 more bloggers with the award.

Eesh, so difficult.

{ 11 Self - Facts }

1. I used to be a dancer & a cheerleader.
2. I get obsessive about hobbies pretty easily. I totally immerse myself in it (such as photography & scrapbooking).
3. I love felines. Big and small. I was going to be a vet/zoo keeper one day just to work with big cats such as tigers and lions.
4. I can't stand to watch t.v. shows and/or movies most of the time now because I find myself wanting to read instead.
5. I love to goof around. My hubby is my best friend because he goofs around with me. My kids love it too.
6. I'm a city girl, but I have dreams of living in a small town one day (though I'd miss having quick access to the Mall of America like I do now, lol)
7. I'm a huge computer nerd. Well, I'm a tech nerd in general.
8. I rarely play games, but if I do, I prefer to play PC games vs. PS3 or Xbox 360.
9. I've never been on an airplane...ever, but I would love to travel one day.
10. I hate having short hair. My hair has been long most of my life.
11. I love to drive. It's really relaxing and I love the sense of going somewhere that's worth traveling to (even if it's just to the grocery store around the corner, haha). 

{ 11 Questions to be Answered }

1. If you could choose a book outside your genre, what would it be and why?
   A: An autobiography from anyone I admire as a person. I'm not much of a non-fiction person though.
2. E-books or Physical Books? Why?
   A: Both. E-books is my preference now because I read so much and it's more convenient & space efficient. Physical books because no book lover can hate physical books. The smell, the feel of a good story in your hands, etc.
3. What one book you'll recommend to a person who has never read fictional books?
   A: Well it would have to depend on the person. I suppose I would choose something contemporary so it's not a total 180 degrees from non-fiction. A great contemporary: On The Island by Tracey Garvis Graves.
4. If you could buy only 5 books for the entire year, what would it be?
   A: Eesh. That's tough. Any of Kristen Ashley's new releases throughout the rest of the year, lol. And whatever sequel comes out that is a sequel to one of my favorite books. Whichever 5 comes out first, that would be it. I'm not patient to wait around.
5. What is your all-time favorite book? Just ONE. Okay, unfair, TWO then.
   A: Ooh, that's really tough! I'm just going to go with whatever made me cry a lot or the hardest since I'm all about the angst. Deeper by Megan Hart & Thoughtless by S.C. Stephens.
6. What is the title of the book you haven't finished because you couldn't get into it? Explain.
   A: Once I start a book, I always try to finish it. I don't know why, but it's just something I have to do. One that I haven't "continued" yet is Shattered Souls by Mary Lindsey. I just couldn't get into it. It wasn't emotionally connecting with me so I stopped reading it for something else. I hear great things about it so I will try to finish it again one day... when I'm in the mood for it.
7. Paranormal or Dystopian?
   A: Lex! Why the tough questions?! A year ago, I would've said paranormal with no hesitations, but there has been some good dystopians lately. I'm a romance reader though so... I will have to say paranormal just because romance is a bit more romantic when, you know, you're not surviving & fighting for your life.
8. If you only have three questions you could ask your favorite author, what would it be?
   A: How did you come up with the premise of the story? What was your inspiration? How does the story come to you while you write each scene with its' changes and whatnot?
9. Most Memorable book for you.
   A: Any of my favorite books, but Deeper by Megan Hart is still haunting to me even though I've read it ages ago.
10. What is your habit when reading a book?
    A: Habit? I don't think I have one? I'm usually lying down on the couch, floor or bed when reading. I'm not always drinking or eating, but 90% of the time when I'm reading at home, I'm lying down.
11. What movie based from books are you religiously waiting for?
    A: The rest of the Hunger Games Trilogy. 50 Shades of Grey. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. The Mortal Instruments series... I'm not a movie person so I'm the last person to ask about movies. I'm terrible at knowing what's turning into a movie adaptation ...until some person asks if I'm going to see it because it's been out in theaters for a while, lol. But those are the ones I can think of. 

{  My 11 Questions }

1. Is it due to a someone(s) or a certain book(s) that instilled your love of reading in you?
2. Is there a certain "reading nook" you find yourself reading at most of the time?
3. Whom do you love sharing your love of books with most?
4. Reading is synonymous with writing. Do you write? If so, what?
5. You're already a book blogger, are you a book tuber as well (youtube book vlogger)?
6. Has a book ever made you cry? If so, which book(s)?
7. Do you have your own library at home?
8. What's your favorite snack & drink during reading time?
9. If you had to choose between the two: paperback or hardback?
10. Do you ever listen to audiobooks or text-to-speech on an e-reader? If so, do you like it?
11. Can you listen to music or have a movie/t.v. show on while reading?

{ My Nominations }

1. Dee from Well Pin a Rose on your Nose.
2. Lee, Ally & Melissa from Rally The Readers.
3. Sophie from The Dreaming Reader
4. Ashley from Quixotically Uncharted.
5. Rain & Dina from Reading Infection.

Technically that's 8 people :0) Thanks again Lexie for nominating me. To those I've tagged, have fun!

BotW { 04 }

What an interesting week it's been! I've been doing a lot of read along with my online friends so I got a good amount of books done last week, I think. I'm happy that I came across a book that I for sure knew would be a good candidate for my Book of the Week pick.

I've had this book for a while - ever since it came out. It seems like a lot of people had it, but I never really came across any hype about it. I think a lot of people did what I did - putting it aside for another more popular book because the premise wasn't all that. A vampire queen going to high school? Seems like a shallow/immature/too teen-ish read for me.

Uh...

I absolutely love this book! And I'm so glad my friends made me do the read along with them, LOL. There's so much more to it than just vampires, humans & their "forbidden" love.

My pick for Book of the Week { 04 } is... not a contemporary romance for once:


Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel
Genre: Paranormal romance, YA
Series: Vampire Queen { 01 }
Amazon.

"Throughout all my histories, I found no one I loved more than you...no one."

Those were some of Rhode's last words to me. The last time he would pronounce his love. The last time I would see his face.

It was the first time in 592 years I could take a breath. Lie in the sun. Taste.

Rhode sacrificed himself so I, Lenah Beaudonte, could be human again. So I could stop the blood lust.

I never expected to fall in love with someone else that wasn't Rhode.


But Justin was...daring. Exciting. More beautiful than I could dream.


I never expected to be sixteen again...then again, I never expected my past to come back and haunt me...

I initially picked this up because it was new, it was a vampire book, it had romance, etc. When it came down to cracking it open (or rather since it's an e-book, picking it on the Kindle) and reading it.... ehh it didn't sound so interesting compared to the other books I had. In my defense, it was a different synopsis that I came across than from the one I posted above! The one posted above sounds good, doesn't it? The other synopsis I came across, well, I just didn't think there would be that much depth to it; just another shallow YA/vampire read.

But it wasn't. Uh, to the contrary, it actually had an amazing depth to it. It was well written and well thought out because it brought out the empathy in me while Lenah was experiencing sympathy for the first time. *Sighs* It was awesomesauce. That is all.

{ Characters } The female protagonist is centuries old and she did come across that way. Certainly she still had that "young age" feel to her, but at the same time, she seemed a world older than her peers in school. She wasn't silly, idiotic, or this light, carefree, giddy character. She's known death and pain. For centuries, that's all she was. It was what defined her. So she comes across as this very somber and dark girl and I loved it. I love the darkness; I love the grittiness, the reality of high school age promiscuity, just everything.

She's a very needy character. She always needs someone there to love her, make her feel unconditionally wanted, etc. But you go through her thought process and you see why she is that way. It seems as if she's eternally stuck in a 16 year old girl's mind frame of always wanting a boy to take care of her. She does come from that century where it's a man's duty to take care of his wife. She knows what she wants and she knows how to pick her men for the characteristics they have that she in fact is looking for.

Her coven was hand-picked by her. They became one of the strongest covens ever - unbeatable. She is smart. She is also beautiful because this handsome male vampire, Rhode, picks her out of all the centuries he's lived, to fall in love with. I love Rhode. Justin & Vicken are two other characters who have been or becomes enamored with her. She's a great character to love. Her thoughts, her being, who she was and who she becomes is all in line with being a teen girl who's also centuries old. It all fits.

{ Plot } She's in this tough spot where she loses the love of her life, but finally gains what she wishes for most. Her love sacrifices himself to ensure her happiness, but the concept of sacrifice is foreign to them because vampires are such selfish creatures. For him to do that... speaks of their love. She really does try to move on and regain that sense of living that she lost, but it's hard to. When she finally comes close to finally letting go of the past and to start living, her livelihood and new mortal friends are threatened by her past. Her coven finds out she is missing and since she is their creator and a part of their coven, they search for her in their need for her. Well, that's where things get hectic. All the sacrifices, death, hurt, heartache in this story... ah, so good!

{ Overall } Throughout this whole book, she grows as a character and she does it so well (or rather, Maizel wrote it so well!) I love it, did I mention that? I gave it 4.5 stars. I've read the second book in the series already - Stolen Nights. I also rated that 4.5 stars. I can't wait for the third book. It's going to take forever... ugh.

I'm just glad there was deaths in the book (how can you have a dark vampire book with no deaths?) and the vampire aspect in this series does have a real dark side. I know there are good and bad vampire versions written out there, but this just has this real side to it such as... they're just beings. Neither good or evil, but beings who kill because that's a part of who they are and what they do. I love the world building or rather seeing how Lenah was a vampire queen through her eyes. How she and Rhode did all these things in the past. It was emotional at times without having that frustrating angst to it...

It's such a good series so I definitely recommend checking it out!

Here are the other books I've read & rated during the week: July 15 - July 21 2012.
Captive Fantasy by Ann Mayburn - 3/5
Skin Truth by Em Petrova - 3/5
The Quickie by Kitty Fine - 2/5
Legally Hot by Lora Leigh - 3/5
Not the Marrying Kind by Nicola Marsh - 4/5
In the Shadow of Vesuvius by Liz Carmichael - 3/5
Insignia by S.J. Kincaid - 3.5/5
Seraphina by Racehl Hartman - 3.5/5
A Need so Beautiful by Suzanne Young - 3.5/5
Last Summer by Rebecca A. Rogers - 2.5/5
Stolen Nights by Rebecca Maizel - 4.5/5

Until next week :0)

Feature & Follow { 06 }

Feature & Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee & Alison Can Read. The two blogs they are featuring this week: Booktastic Reviews & Glass of Wine.

 

Q: Christmas in July! Someone gives you a gift card for two books (whatever that costs). What two books will you buy?

A: Wow. Just two? LOL! Not that I'm ungrateful, but it's so hard being that I am a book lover. It makes me hyperventilate just thinking on trying to choose two books. Well, I'm an e-reader, so I don't get many physical books anymore.. or at all really. With that said, I would take my gift money & buy me two hardcover copies of my favorite books. Yes, I definitely have more than 2 favorites, so... eep this is so hard! I would go with...

Fever by Karen Marie Moning 

&

Rock Chick by Kristen Ashley

Why do I feel like I'm on a game show and I'm frightened on whether I should lock in my answer or not? Haha. 

Can't wait to read what everyone else picked! I'm sure we all struggled a bit on this question... "Just two?" LOL. By the way, make sure to check out my GIVEAWAY; it's ending soon :0)

I'm in a reading rut! I have all these great books to read; I have 30 pages on my Kindle of books TBR! Nothing feels like the right book to read at this time. I don't know why.

My pick for my 3rd week's BotW is a tough one because I didn't really come across a 5-star book. I've got 3 great ones, but all were 4-stars.

This week, it is:

 Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Amazon. Book Depository.

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.

Yes, another contemporary read from me. I can't help it! They're just so.. contemporary and that's what I love about them. It's so realistic and easy to imagine yourself as the protagonist.

{ Characters } I almost dislike them all. Even the beautiful Grayson. Leah, the protagonist, is such a weak character. She's strong by surviving what she had to with no father and a very unreliable mother, but you don't go through daddy/mommy issues without walking away with some emotional baggage of your own. That's what Leah is - emotionally weak with lots of baggage. She has this fortress built around her where she doesn't connect with her friends because she feels that will make her vulnerable and she's too emotionally weak to handle all that. She's right, but it's so frustrating when you read how others roughshod over her and she doesn't ever stand up for herself. Ever. It makes me scream with frustration.  Just her character and how she avoids everything that could be remotely sentimental or friendly .... bah.

Her best friend - She needs to dump. Alec ... I mean I sort of like him, but everyone was playing their own game including him and I didn't like that. Grayson just made me so mad with what he was pushing her to do one minute and then fighting (sometimes NOT fighting) his connection with Leah the next.

{ Plot } It was a steady pace at least. The plot was good from beginning to end. I never felt that there was a slow pace to it. It got really interesting once Mr. Hall dies of course. Once he died, the son(s) take over the business. You don't get a sense of how they do it, why they do it, etc. but it's from Leah's POV so, since she's emotionally distant to anything with a heartbeat, of course, you wouldn't know the details. The "secret" that Grayson holds over her head, I felt it was not well done at all. Considering her position and her living situation, it wasn't well done at all. I felt like if she could easily brush off anything else (like the whole school thinking she's easy!) why is this such a big deal? That didn't make sense.

{ Overall } So if I have so many negatives about it such as not liking a major part of the plot or most, if not all, the characters, why did I choose it as my BotW? It's still a great book about a girl who's trying everything in her power to be in control of her life. She really does know what's important in life. I don't agree with her methods. I don't agree with her not being able to emotionally connect or stand up for herself in certain situations, but she grew up labeled as trailer trash. She took that label and said, "Yes, that's my place now, and I'll never forget where I used to come from. But that's not who I am." How awesome is that? Through all the frustrations, I really enjoyed the book. When Mr. Hall died, I felt bad because ... you felt how important to her success he really was. How important he was because he gave her a chance when no one else did. You realize how vulnerable a position she is in - a minor with no one to help her get out of the path she could easily fall into. After I finished the book, I just sighed and thought, "that's a good book." No greatness, no putting it on the favorites shelf, but still an enjoyable read that I would recommend to everyone who's a big fan of Jennifer Echols and/or contemporary romance. I gave it 4/5 stars.

Here are the other books I've read & rated during the week: July 08 - July 14 2012.
Deadly Memories by P.M. Richter - 3/5
Team Human by Justine Larbalestier & Sarah Rees Brennan - 3/5
The Forsaken by Lisa M. Staase - 4/5
Lonely Alpha by Ranae Rose - 2/5
Origins by Jessa L. Gilbert - 4/5 * Review here.

Until next week :0)

On the Island by Tracey Garvis Graves Giveaway!

A couple of days ago, I received my signed copy of On The Island from Tracey Garvis Graves herself. *Fan-girl squeal* I received it in the mail last Friday. It's. So. Awesome. *Pets the book lovingly* Thank you Tracey!

So now I have two paperback copies of On The Island. I read the e-book first and decided to get a paperback copy because I loved it that much. Found out later that day that Tracey was willing to send me a signed one. She then suggested I give away the non-signed paperback I bought earlier & I agree. It's brand new people. I haven't even cracked the spine to read it!

Yes, that's the giveaway copy above my signed copy :0)

It's such a lovely book. One of my favorites and I reviewed it as my first BotW pick. It's definitely a book you want to check out.  If you've been living under a rock and have no idea about what book I'm talking about or maybe you're forgetful and need a refresher:

On the Island by Tracey Garvis Graves
Genre: Contemporary Romance

When thirty-year-old English teacher Anna Emerson is offered a job tutoring T.J. Callahan at his family's summer rental in the Maldives, she accepts without hesitation; a working vacation on a tropical island trumps the library any day.
T.J. Callahan has no desire to leave town, not that anyone asked him. He's almost seventeen and if having cancer wasn't bad enough, now he has to spend his first summer in remission with his family - and a stack of overdue assignments - instead of his friends.

Anna and T.J. are en route to join T.J.'s family in the Maldives when the pilot of their seaplane suffers a fatal heart attack and crash-lands in the Indian Ocean. Adrift in shark-infested waters, their life jackets keep them afloat until they make it to the shore of an uninhabited island. Now Anna and T.J. just want to survive and they must work together to obtain water, food, fire, and shelter. Their basic needs might be met but as the days turn to weeks, and then months, the castaways encounter plenty of other obstacles, including violent tropical storms, the many dangers lurking in the sea, and the possibility that T.J.'s cancer could return. As T.J. celebrates yet another birthday on the island, Anna begins to wonder if the biggest challenge of all might be living with a boy who is gradually becoming a man.

CA and US only. Sorry for the international people! I will be hosting an international giveaway soon so do check back!

Good luck everyone & to the future winner: Hope you enjoy/love the book as much as I do.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Stacking the Shelves { 01 }

 Stacking The Shelves hosted by Tynga's Reviews. 

I never really do these because I'm primarily an e-reader. I don't think e-book hauls are as fun, but *shrugs* who knows? Let me know if you think they're just as good as regular book hauls.

So this last week and yesterday was a ton of fun because I won a book from Tynga, I received a signed book from Tracey Garvis Graves, and I went to a thrift store and found a whole bundle of books priced 2.99 or lower. I didn't buy any novels for myself except one. The Series of Unfortunate Events & Pendragon books are for my son. I'm going back to clean out the store soon, lol.

So here is my crack haul:

Won

Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter

Received Signed Copy

On the Island by Tracey Garvis Graves

Bought

Merchant of Death by D.J. MacHale

The Never War by D.J. MacHale

The Reality Bug by D.J. MacHale

Black Water by D.J. MacHale

The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket

The Ersatz Elevator by Lemony Snicket

The Vile Vilage by Lemony Snicket

The Penultimate Peril by Lemony Snicket

The End by Lemony Snicket 

&

Phoenix Rising by Karen Hesse

I also bought one of those touch & feel books for my youngest. He begged for it because it was a cat version and it looked like our orange cat ... hence him wanting it. I didn't understand why he wanted to pet the book vs. petting our REAL LIVE cat from home... FOR FREE. Whatever. 3 year old logic for you.

I bought Phoenix Rising for myself because I remember reading it back in 8th grade and I LOVED it. It made me cry! Brings back memories of school times & reading it.

So that's my stash. I'm starting to build my library of books. E-books are awesome, but I miss having a library. What's better than a library carefully cultivated to be filled with nothing but my most favorite books?

Do post a link back so I can check out your meme post as well :0) I'll be posting a giveaway tomorrow so make sure I'm on your radar!

{ Review } Origins by Jessa L. Gilbert

Origins by Jessa L. Gilbert
Genre: YA, Paranormal
Series: Black 01
* ARC was provided by author

Red pain, Red desire, Red need, Red hunger…

I have been plagued by the same dream for months now. A nightmare filled with red, dripping with death, where I am the hunter. There is no escape, no end in sight…. The nightmare has become a reality and I am forced with a choice – I can become one with the darkness that lives within that is clamoring, clawing to escape, or I can bury the demon, and the nightmares, once and for all.

It may seem like an easy choice, but not when I also have to choose between the father who has raised me or a mother whom I have thought was dead. Not when the choice is my humanity or Immortality….

Aided by a dark mysterious stranger, a hidden world is opened up to Adelin - a world full of bloodlust and death - the Black world of Immortals. Torn between the two, she faces the hardest decision she's ever had to make. Will she choose the safe, familiar life she has always known? Or will she let the darkness consume her?

When I first received the ARC by the author, I was surprised and a little worried about the length. I'm going to say it: I am not a fan of short stories & novels. Remember, short is relative - anything less than 300 pages is short to me. Most of the time, the short length of the novel(s) doesn't allow me to really lose myself in the story nor does it allow me to fall in love with the characters. Everything is just so rushed. Well, I mean, of course it is. It is a short story/novel. I have trouble with that concept so that's why I was initially worried about this book length. And yes, it is a part of a trilogy so I knew there was more to come, but still my worry wouldn't dissipate. Well, my worry was for naught.

You see, the length is just right. Would I have loved it if it was a bit longer so certain parts were more drawn out and detailed? Yes, I personally would, but the story is damn good being the length that it is. Everything that needed to be included was included. Nothing was rushed; I still fell in love with the story and the characters. At least it wasn't overly drawn out and it was riveting from beginning to end. I read it in one sitting.

{ Character } Awesome characters. Adelin is such a unique name. I like her. I'm not totally in love with her yet, but I could be in the future installments because she's not a weak or ditzy character. She has a good head on her shoulders. I like where she is going. Like I said, the story could've been a bit longer so I would've liked her experience of leaving her dad and re-connecting with her mother be more in depth. That way I can connect with her more, but maybe it's not all-important in the grand scheme of things. Who knows what's going to happen in throughout the series?! What I did get from her throughout the book though - I'm satisfied with.

Her relationship with Vraiden was really nice. And hallelujah, it wasn't insta-love. It was believable, it wasn't rushed, and I really liked the hate/like relationship they had in the beginning. Luc... ah, what can I say about Luc? He's exactly what he's supposed to be: charismatic, loveable, and hotness embodied. I love that he is Vraiden's brother because what is more hot than two boys who are hot? Oh yeah, two hot boys who happens to be two hot brothers.

We didn't get much insight to Adelin's dad, but I'm sure we'll be seeing more of her mother and ... the evil one.

{ Story } When you read a lot of paranormal books, the story changes, but it seems like the world never does. What Jessa did was original. I loved the fact that there was a dark side to this story; loved the grittiness of it all. You have murderers that kill for the pleasure, who love the chase, who lures innocent, beautiful girls to their death and laugh in their face while these girls are begging and crying. It's not all sunshine, rainbows, perfect loves and perkiness.

I love the aspects of what their immortality means, what they do to gain it, how they gain it, the difference in being born and made, etc. It's a nice twist to things and like I said, when you read a lot of the same genre, no matter how small the twists are, it make a big difference. It excites me as a reader because it's bringing a new aspect into this paranormal world.

The story had a nice pace from beginning to end. I never felt like it was getting slow or boring at some parts. It was engaging and it was interesting.

{ Overall } I really enjoyed the book. I really liked the book. I am really proud of Jessa. Okay, so I didn't give it 5/5. I wished it was a bit longer. I wish things were more detailed and in-depth. There could've been more to the re-connection with her mother, more heartbreak & drama from when she had to leave her dad, more time to build a commitment between her and Vraiden. That's just all my personal preference. When you take away my personal preferences, it's still a damn good book! It's definitely worth it for me to go out and buy a paperback copy or two. And I think it's definitely worth your time reading! So flock out and buy it guys.

E-book is now released & available here. Paperback copies will be available at the end of July 2012.

Do check back because sometime in the future, I will be doing a giveaway for a copy of Origins!

Feature & Follow { 5}

Feature & Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee & Alison Can Read. The two blogs they are featuring this week: Vivaciously, Vivian & a GREAT Read.

Q: What drove you to start book blogging in the first place?

Oh, that's quite easy to answer. I read a lot of books. We're talking about a book to two per day. After a couple of weeks (or months), I sort of get fuzzy on the details and it all starts blending in together. So I use GR along with this blog to keep track of the books I've read and liked, disliked, and all that stuff. Plus, it's a place for me to discuss books with other book lovers and to become a part of a book blogging community :0) I love it!

 I'm sure most of us are pretty much the same - we just started so we could have our own little corner in the big net place to discuss books, but still, I'd like to hear YOUR specific answer :0)

Once Upon a Read-a-Thon {Day 03}

{ Day 03 }

Deadly Memories by P.M. Richter

The Forsaken by Lisa M. Stasse
Team Human by Justine Larbalestier & Sarah Rees Brennan
Lonley Alpha by Ranae Rose

Current Progress @ 60 hours:
Finished Lonely Alpha @ 130 pages
Starting Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols


Current Progess @ 68 hours:
Reading Such a Rush @ page 127

Current Progress @ 72 hours:
Finished Such a Rush @ 325 pages (finished it with 8 minutes to spare *happy dance*)

* Total pages read: 1517
* Total books read: 5


Mini Challenges:
The Reader Bee:

Q: What is your most anticipated book for 2012?

A: Oh, that's a toughie. My most anticipated book? I would say The Evolution of Mara Dyer:

The ending of The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer was such a cliffhanger! I'm dying to know what happened. What this whole series is about specifically is still a mystery to me. And I'm such a predictor-face (or so my hubby tells me)

Other books I'm looking forward to: anything by Kristen Ashley. She's so addicting. Secondly, Checkmate by R.L. Mathewson because I love the humor in this series; she's also very similar to Kristen Ashley's style of writing. And lastly, How to Drive a Dragon Crazy by by G.A. Aiken. I've been waiting for Izzy and Eibhear's book for...ev...er.

Magnet4Books: {Completed}

Experience:
Ugh. Wow. I didn't get as many books completed as I hoped I would. This is just average for me. Some book choices slowed me down as they weren't riveting enough for me to fly through. Also, my son broke out with contact dermatitis all over his face, ears, and arms. No fever, no sickness, just an allergic skin reaction. So that slowed me down a bit. Overall, at least I read an average number of books rather than read less than average during this read-a-thon. I'm glad I participated, it was fun reading other bloggers' progresses :0)

Let me know how you did on your goals! Did you do better/worse than you expected? How were the mini-challenges? Make sure you link back to your final update so I can comment back :0)