Sunday, April 29, 2012

Review: Spellbound (The Cara Lynn Shultz One!)

This is yet another book I've been wanting to read for a while, but just haven't gotten to it yet.  The idea just sounds so interesting and it had me hooked instantly.
Funny little tidbit here.  The two main characters of this book are Brendan and Emma.  They're this star-crossed pair that fall instantly in love.  I actually have a friend whose name is Brendan (spelt the same way) and he dated a girl named Emma.  They broke up, but I just found it very ironic and I told him about this book.  He just rolled his eyes, but I was cracking up.
Enough of this.  I have a review to do.

What's a girl to do when meeting The One means she's cursed to die a horrible death?Life hasn't been easy on sixteen-year-old Emma Conner, so a new start in New York may be just the change she needs. But the posh Upper East Side prep school she has to attend? Not so much. Friendly faces are few and far between, except for one that she's irresistibly drawn to—Brendan Salinger, the guy with the rock-star good looks and the richest kid in school, who might just be her very own white knight.
But even when Brendan inexplicably turns cold, Emma can't stop staring. Ever since she laid eyes on him, strange things have been happening. Streetlamps go out wherever she walks, and Emma's been having the oddest dreams: visions of herself in past lives—visions that warn her to stay away from Brendan. Or else.

This was a very good book. If there was any problem I had with the book, I'd say it was the fact that Emma practically drools all over Brendan in the beginning of the book. I mean, I get she's in high school and she's got raging hormones, but still. I thought it was a little shallow and all of Emma. But other than that, nothing about the characters ever grated against my nerves.
My favorite character had to be Angelique. She claims to be a witch and is shunned by everyone else at school. But because Emma is a nice and kind person, they become friends and discover some pretty weird stuff.
I give this book four stars.  It was a great and entertaining read that had me turning page after page.  I can't wait to get my hands on Spell Caster, the next in the series.  I was glad for Emma and Brenden, that they met and all.  It was truly one of those heart-warming love stories.  There wasn't a lot of action in Spellbound, but when I read those brief action moments, my heart was pounding and it was very exciting.
And congratulations to Melissa for winning my Sweet Evil giveaway!  You have been emailed and I will try my best to mail the goodies to you as soon as possible!

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Jack is Back and Badder than Ever

So, I saw this book on Amazon and my fingers just itched to click the To Cart button.  I didn't though.  I have to refrain sometime, you know?  But, I still wanted to read this book so badly.  Like, come on!  It takes place in ENGLAND and the main character, Rory, moved there from NEW ORLEANS.  Well, at least someplace very close to New Orleans.  Let's just say I have a huge geology crush on them, I guess you could say.  I've always wanted to go to England and I've been to New Orleans and absolutely love it there.  The energy there is unbelievable and welcoming.  There's a lot of talent there and it's always awesome to listen to the jazz bands playing on the streets. (Jazz band geek all the way.  I play the alto sax for it.)  But that's all besides the point when imagining the beautiful accents the characters have.  British people!  Eep!
The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it’s the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.
Soon “Rippermania” takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn’t notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities.

I was really excited to read this book and it did not let me down.  I liked how Rory was not one of those annoying new girls that comes in to the story.  She's clueless, but she tries to do the best she can on her own, but also recognizes help when she needs it.  She doesn't ask a bazillion stupid little questions and there's no insta-love here.  This was really one of my books.  And sometimes, it's good to grab a nice mystery/thriller off the shelf than the norm.
Jazza, Rory's roommate, has to be my favorite character out of the book.  She smart, quiet and shy, and loves to play the cello.  Oh, and she's got a bunch of books!  She doesn't like breaking the rules, but does like to rebel once in a while.  Also, she's got that cute English accent.  :)
The Name of the Star just starts off as it should have.  Rory moves into her new home, a boarding school, and meets everybody around.  She meets people that soon become her friends and some that become those annoying, pesky characters that seem to sometimes get in the way.  And the imagery was very vivid.  I could imagine the cobblestone streets and the older-looking buildings perfectly.
Then things start to get interesting.  There's this 'invisible' man prowling the streets at night killing people on the same exact dates and times as the murders of the infamous Jack the Ripper from Autumn of 1888.  Okay, so this book also gave me a bit of a history lesson about Jack, but I already knew a bunch about him.
Things start to get scary when Rory actually sees the murderer and the murders get closer to her school.  I was a bit creeped out about all of this, but it was a good creeped out.  A whole bunch of things happen and Rory finds herself as a wanted victim from the Jack the Ripper copycat.  With help from some weird people she meets, they help her get down to the bottom of it all and nearly escape death.
This book gets four stars, which mean I really liked this book.  The only problem I had with it was the pacing.  In the middle things started getting a bit slow, but not slow enough to deter me.  I loved and I can't wait to see what happens next for Rory and her band of English friends.
Happy reading, everyone!

Monday, April 23, 2012

The Fallen Persevere

I've been waiting to read this book impatiently after I finished reading Torment earlier this year.  I had to wait for it to come out on paperback, though, since the two other books in the series are paperback.  Too bad when I went to the library, I couldn't resist picking it up and reading it as soon as I got home.  I like to think of myself as a patient person since I have to wait a year--sometimes years!--for the next installment in a series to come out.  But, for this series, my patience went out the window, along with my sleep and a minor incident where I fell asleep with my contacts in and my nose was pressed all the way into the book itself. 
Let me just complain a little and say that the library copy of this book STUNK so bad.  It smelt like smoke and almost every other chapter had a dogeared page.  But, as long as the book wasn't mine, I was fine with it.  This was, after all, an amazing and epic romance that couldn't be put down.
Enough of this; it's not like you want to hear all of this, anyway.
Luce would die for Daniel.
And she has. Over and over again. Throughout time, Luce and Daniel have found each other, only to be painfully torn apart: Luce dead, Daniel left broken and alone. But perhaps it doesn’t need to be that way…
Luce is certain that something—or someone—in a past life can help her in her present one. So she begins the most important journey of this lifetime… going back eternities to witness firsthand her romances with Daniel . . . and finally unlock the key to making their love last.
Cam and the legions of angels and Outcasts are desperate to catch Luce, but none are as frantic as Daniel. He chases Luce through their shared pasts, terrified of what might happen if she rewrites history.
Because their romance for the ages could go up in flames… forever.

In Torment, readers were left in total chaos.  The Outcasts had attacked Luce and her Fallen friends in her backyard on Thanksgiving.  In complete confusion and desperation, Luce had summoned an Announcer and stepped through it, traveling to who knows where back in time.  Daniel follows after her, using a different Announcer, having no idea where he's going, but knowing that his journey will be a dangerous one.
A hair-tugging-and-screaming cliffhanger, right?
Passion starts off with Luce stepping out of the Announcer and ends up in Moscow, Russia during an air raid.  The ground rumbles with the bombs that are not so far in the distance and Luce has no idea what she is doing.  And just as Luce steps through another Announcer, traveling even further back in time, Daniel steps out of his in Moscow, Russia during an air raid, looking for her.
That's pretty how much the book goes on for the rest of it.  Although I wanted all of this game of tag to end, I knew that what Lauren Kate had to write was vital to the story, so I read on, no matter how bleary eyed I got.  I knew there had to be a stop to all of this madness.
I really appreciated all of the accurate history that was used throughout the story.  I could really tell that Miss Kate really did her research while writing this book.  Luce and Daniel travel all over the world, going further and further back in time.  So, it was kind of important that an accurate setting was given for each one of the places they traveled to.  And I was not let down by that.  I had the best history lesson from this book.  Of course some of it was altered to fit the needs of the book, but it was pretty darn close to the truth.
I give this book four stars, mostly because I wanted to strangle Passion just so I could figure out what happens in the end.  But, where would be my good book-reading spirit be with that?  I was frustrated by the mystery that was just out of reach for not only Luce, but the readers.  Nothing was predictable about this book.  There were many, many twists and turns that I did not expect and one I wish had never happened, but they made the book.  Every small detail completed this book, and I'm glad that everything that happened took place.
And as a surprising little sidenote, the whole book seems to cover days and days, but in reality, it only covers about a few hours!  My socks were knocked off when I found that out.  Waah!  How is that even possible??  Anything is possible, Millie.
I can't wait to read Rapture, the final book to the series.  I need all of my worries to be smoothed over as soon as possible.  It's too much for me to handle to just sit and wait around.  I'm extremely happy I read this series.  I know it'll always be that series I will always remember.
Here's a question!  Does anybody else think that A Thousand Years by Christina Perri would suit this song perfectly?  Everytime I hear that song, I think of Daniel and how he will always love Luce, through every bump in the road.

Sunday, April 22, 2012

IMM (3)



I probably should have done this a few days ago, but oh well.  So, I have this serious problem of buying books on the spot.  BIG PROBLEM.  I can't go anywhere without buying a book or two.  Anyway, this meme was created by The Story Siren and bloggers are able to post about all the books they've received as of late.

From authors:
 <---- Got an email from E.M Tippetts herself!  She'd love for me to review it and I can't wait to read it; it sounds so cute!












<---- Won this one in a giveaway and it's signed!
Borrowed:





Bought:
 <--- Thought I might as well get with the program with this book.  Everybody raves about how good it was so I thought maybe it was time for me to read it.














I can't wait to read all of these lovelies on my shelf!  They all look so good.  What does everybody else have to read?  Leave a nice little comment telling me what's everybody got for their IMM.  Don't forget to leave a link to their blog so I can check out all of those glorious books you have!
P.S Don't forget to enter in the awesome giveaway I'm doing!  Who wouldn't want to win a Sweet Evil ARC by Wendy Higgins along with a signed bookmark?

Friday, April 20, 2012

Steampunk Strikes Again!

This lovely darling popped up in my accepted galley list on NetGalley and smiled at me. I read The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross as soon as I could because I have very grabby hands. It's quite unbecoming of me when I think of it in the long run, but the reward of reading awesome books just outweighs it. So as soon as I could, I downloaded the galley and delved deep into Cross' alternate Victorian world. I'll give you a little rundown of what steampunk means to me because anywhere you go, you can guarantee there will be a different interpretation of it out there. To me, steampunk is an alternate world that brings you back in time. It doesn't need to absolutely need to be in England, but it's an imagined Victorian era. To make it that imagined Victorian era, there must be some modern-ish technology thrown in there. There doesn't have to be computers in there, but the technology has to be advanced for the time period, but not far-fetched. In Kady Cross' steampunk world, it does take place in London, England. Girls wear trousers and have dread locks. How awesome! Plus, they're not as ladylike as would be expected of during the Victorian age. There are a bunch of gadgets and gizmos plus plenty of action. Automatons roam around the world, serving humans with their needs, but they have learned that they have a dark side.
Sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne and her "strange band of misfits" have journeyed from London to America to rescue their friend Jasper, hauled off by bounty hunters. But Jasper is in the clutches of a devious former friend demanding a trade—the dangerous device Jasper stole from him…for the life of the girl Jasper loves. One false move from Jasper and the strange clockwork collar around Mei's neck tightens. And tightens. From the rough streets of lower Manhattan to elegant Fifth Avenue, the motley crew of teens with supernatural abilities is on Jasper's elusive trail. And they're about to discover how far they'll go for friendship. More than ever, Finley Jayne will rely on powerful English duke Griffin King to balance her dark magic with her good side. Yet Griffin is at war with himself over his secret attraction to Finley…and will risk his life and reputation to save her. Sam, more machine than man, finds his moody heart tested by Irish lass Emily—whose own special abilities are no match for the darkness she discovers on the streets. Now, to help those she's come to care for so deeply, Finley Jayne must infiltrate a criminal gang. Only problem is, she might like the dark side a little too much…

I had no doubt in my mind that I would absolutely love this book. As mentioned before somewhere on this blog, The Girl in the Steel Corset holds a small part of my heart. The world imagined is just amazing and I was left to the brink of insanity as I waited for The Girl in the Clockwork Collar to come out. What happened to Jasper? Please, please, please make Griffin and Finley kiss! Sam and Emily? How cute! What is Jasper up to? What did he do? Did he really kill somebody? WHY?!?! I must know know! The Girl in the Clockwork Collar starts off with Finley, Griffin and the traveling on a dirigible on their way to New York to hopefully help their friend. They arrive there in New York with intentions of finding Jasper at the local jail and somehow come up with a way to get him out. But things aren't what they seem and it creates problems for all of them. Jasper will have to face his past while Griffin battles with himself to control the Aether. Emily does her best as Finley's sidekick while Finley does her best to discover who she truly is now with both her evil and innocent sides fused together. It's all a fuddled mess that Cross' audience was left with and it continues until the end of The Girl in the Clockwork Collar. We meet our new and completely evil super villain, Dalton. He's the big, bad guy who's got the hugest grudge on Jasper. With great and talented writing, we never do figure out why Jasper was the problem. Was Jasper even the problem, I would ask myself? Dalton truly was an evil gang leader. He wasn't afraid to kill people in cold blood and went after what he wanted, not caring of the consequences and not getting his hands dirty. He was nowhere near as dangerous as Jack Dandy was. Not at all . . . Not only was the main issue of the book having to find Jasper, but it was also how they would get out of New York. It kept me at the edge of my seat and I practically had to pry my eyes off the screen to get on my life. It was hard. There were moments where I felt as if I was going through book detox. Too long away from The Girl in the Clockwork Collar and I got twitchy. It was not a good time away. I give this awesome book 5 stars, because it deserved it in its' own right. I still feel as if the first book was better, but that could just be me favoring one plot over the other. The pacing was great and so was the imagery. I loved the tender and heated moments between Finley and Griffin and the intense fighting scenes. In all, it was just the best and a highly recommended book from me. It comes out in June, so watch out, people! And please, don't mess with Finley. She doesn't want to have to hurt you. ;)

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Will You Embrace Your Halo or Your Horns? Pssst! A Giveaway, too!

You might not have noticed, but in recent times, I've had my little vacation from the Internet and it was not one I took pleasure in . . . for the most part.  The happy thing about it is that I've been reading nonstop and my TBR pile is becoming more than I can carry.  Overwhelmed?  Just a teeny bit.  Excited?  Absofreakinglutely!  Happy it's 80 degrees in April?  Happier than you can ever imagine . . .
Thanks to this awesome book blogger and constant tweeting buddy, I received an ARC of Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins from her.  Her name is Michelle.  You should go check out her blog now, like, right NOW.  She's doing a giveaway for Sweet Evil!  Join the fun!
And guess what? I'm going a giveaway myself! (If you haven't already figured that out by the title of this post.)  But first, I must do the review and sell this book will all my heart and soul.  Not literally, of course.
Isn't this cover all intense?  Love her dress.
What if there were teens whose lives depended on being bad influences? This is life for sons and daughters of fallen angels in Sweet Evil.
Tenderhearted Southern girl, Anna Whitt, was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She’s aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but it isn’t until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage, and her will-power is put to the test. He’s the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.
A cross-country trip to meet her father forces Anna to face the reality that hope and love are not options for her kind. When she confronts her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns?

I've heard a whole bunch of talk about this book long before I got the book in my hands.  So, once I was able to get my greedy little hands on it, I opened the book and read every little letter on each page, loving the opportunity of reading my first ARC.
Sweet Evil was not bad at all.  It was grand.  I loved it.  The beginning at first was a bit slow for me and I thought it highly impossible for our main character, Anna, to be such a Goodie-Goodie.  But, I thought I should not judge her because I have been called a Goodie-Goodie throughout high school and much worse.  I decided to like our dear and fragile Anna.
Not to take words from my previous review, but this book was not what I expected it to be.  Surprisingly, a lot happened in Sweet Evil.  A trip across the country all the way to California, another to New York.  It all happened so fast.  Despite how fast paced it was, I liked it that way.  It kept me at the edge of my seat, craving to know what would happen next.  And at times, I was just as scared and nervous as Anna.  My heart would beat fast and my mind would spin with all the possibilities of what could happen next. 
And at other times, the pace would slow down.  But it was a good slow-down.  I treasured every moment Kaidan and Anna had, along with other moments between others.  It was sweet.  It wasn't the sappy and mushy kind of sweet, though.  It was intense and albeit, brief at times.
And then there was the evil.  Demons threaten the normalcy of humans, making them do sinful things.  Anna is torn between helping them all, sheltering them all from the evil that lurked around, and joining in with all the wrongdoings going on.  It was a constant struggle that had my heart torn.  Who wouldn't want to give in here and there?  How could others let all of these bad things happen to all those humans?  What could be done about it?
Switching the subject, I'll talk about Kaidan a bit.  Whoo.  He had my heart racing along with Anna's.  He was not sweet.  He was not innocent.  He was deadly.  He was scary.  But, there was something there that Anna saw in him.  It was other than his natural pull he gave off because of his Nephilim sexiness.  He was a true mystery that made me question everything he did and why. 
I'll make this quick!  Five stars!  No doubt about it.  Miss Higgins, I will be looking out for other books by you!  L-O-V-E-D Sweet Evil.  It was the right amount of wrong.

UPDATED:  Yes, the amount of time you have to enter has been significantly reduced.  Sorry for that, but hurry up and enter!
Giveaway time!

Friday, April 13, 2012

Blood, Vamps, and Love! Oh, My!

Oh.  My.  Gosh.  This book was fantabulous.  Everything about The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa was great!  I've been a huge fan of Julie's right from the start with The Iron Fey Series.  So, naturally, I aggressively attacked the request button for this book on NetGalley.  Just for kicks and giggles, my blood craved this book.  I could feel the need for it coursing through my veins.  It screamed for it.
Not to make you guess my rating for this book, I'll tell ya now.  FIVE STARS.  No doubt in my mind about it.  There was a lot of death, but that was to be expected when vampires rule the world and humans are 'bloodbags'.  It's not the main term used for the humans, but it is bandied about a few times.  This was nothing I expected this book to be.  Julie Kagawa, you are awesome!  I couldn't stop reading this book.  My eyes gulped down every word, wishing there was more when I was finished reading.  And let me tell ya, this was not your average vamp book.  Not at all . . .

In a future world, Vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity.
Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.
Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die… or become one of the monsters.
Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.
Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.
But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for.


This book had me at katana . . . I couldn't wait to see what would happen!  The Immortal Rules was a mix of I Am Legend and Priest.  Total loneliness with scary and illusive creatures and vampire domination with talented people who kill them.  Well, talented wouldn't exactly be the best word, but they're some pretty awesome vampire slayers, not by occupation, but by need of survival.
Allison Sekemoto starts off in the first part of the book as a human struggling to stay alive day by day.  It definitely isn't a pretty way to live, not on any body's terms.  But she manages without complaint and does her best, until she dies and becomes a vampire, the very kind she hates.  And thank you, Miss Kagawa, for not making Allie all self-loathing and mopey throughout the book!  I would have died if she did.  Allie, our main girl, persevered and did her best to maintain a life she once had.
Now don't think that she kept on trying to stay human and refrained from drinking human blood.  She didn't dwell on her human years and did drink human blood.  But, she tried to change the way people lived in this futuristic world.  Allie hated how the vampires mistreated humans and she hated how humans treated her when they found out she was a vampire.  She wasn't dumb and thought that things would happen over night, but she earned trust from a few humans.  And that begins the start of her adventures in The Blood of Eden Series
Part Two of the book is her as a vampire and how she escapes the city she once lived in, New Covington.  She travels the barren and broken roads, fighting Hunger and beating up some nasty rabids, once human slash vampire slash I Am Legend creatures.  They were scary and creepy and not something you would want skulking around your backyard.
There was something about this book that was incredible.  The romance with Zeke wasn't all passionate and lusty.  The pacing was great.  I couldn't help but mention in my head over and over again that the imagery was great.  I could practically feel Allie's katana in my hand as it sliced through rabids.  Awesome!
I was sad that the book actually had an end to it.  I didn't want it to; it was too good for it to end.  Luckily, there will be other books to tell Allison's story.  I want to know what will happen between her and Zeke!  Will she succeed in finding the key to saving humanity?  Where will she go next?  I NEED to know!
I hope that everybody will be able to read this book once it comes out.  It's too good to pass up.  I'm so glad I read this book!  Thanks NetGalley and Julie Kagawa!  Can't wait to know what happens next!

Monday, April 9, 2012

Bloodrose

DON'T READ THIS REVIEW IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE FIRST TWO BOOKS IN THE NIGHTSHADE SERIES!

Voila!  Another book in one car ride!  So here's how my experience with the book went:
Me: O_o
Bloodrose: -__-
Me: Fine!  You're amazing!  DEATH!  Action!  Scandal!  Love!  Amazingness!  Adventure!  Heartbreak!  Confusion!  Adrenaline-pumping!  Sad!  Amazing!  I'm sorry I didn't read you as soon as you came out! *hugs*
Bloodrose:  Squeezing--too tight.

That took just about an entire car ride to come up with.  The Nightshade Trilogy has--always will be--one of those series that has a small part reserved right next to my heart.  I fell in love with Nightshade as soon as I read the first sentence.  That adrenaline-inducing book continued in Wolfsbane, and also the love triangle.  Now, the series has come to an end and it had caused me great heartbreak.  I never wanted these books to end.  They were so good, I couldn't even come up with a witty title for this post.  That good.  And now I have to write a review for this book....
Calla has always welcomed war.
But now that the final battle is upon her, there's more at stake than fighting. There's saving Ren, even if it incurs Shay's wrath. There's keeping Ansel safe, even if he's been branded a traitor. There's proving herself as the pack's alpha, facing unnamable horrors, and ridding the world of the Keepers' magic once and for all. And then there's deciding what to do when the war ends. If Calla makes it out alive, that is.

Great hook on the back cover, right?  It's so dramatic.  But, the book was all dramatic.  Everything about it was action and tears and--overall, it was an emotional roller coaster, not only for the characters, but also for all the readers. 
The book starts off right where we were left off; at the Haldis pack's cul-de-sac, a developement that was specifically reserved for the Nighshades and Banes once Ren and Calla get hitched.  But things don't go as planned, blah-de-blah, you know the story (Refer to Wolfsbane if you don't) and the houses were never completed.
In this book, Ren proved himself worthy.  Not only to Calla, but to the others--Adne, Connor, Ethan, etc.  It was really surprising.  As you know, he's Adne's half-brother, and he took that role very seriously.  He genuinely loved somebody without all his smolder and jerkiness.  I almost fell for him, but since I'm Team Shay, I didn't.  His role in the book became big as things unraveled and adventures were taken. 
I've always loved Calla.  She's fearless, deadly, and strong.  But, emotionally speaking, she was a wreak in Bloodrose.  She was all over the place, and it drove me insane!  I haven't always minded love triangles, but the triangle in this book almost sent me to madness.  Calla never confided in her friends and I think that was the reason why she was in that predicament.  She didn't know how she felt herself; she didn't know what her heart wanted.  For me, the answer to her love triangle was obvious. (Dur!  Just choose one of the guys and get it over with!)  But, with the Searchers preparing for a big war and everything, she really couldn't choose right off the bat.  Understandable.  That still didn't mean it wasn't infuriating.
As the story progressed, Shay, Calla, and the rest of the gang travel all over the world in search for the remaining pieces of the Elemental Cross.  They face danger around every corner--which was beautifully written--and get to get each other more.  Silas came along!  Even though people hate him, I've always liked Silas's practicality.  We even get to know a bit more about Calla's father.  He was awesome.  And had great timing.
As you probably guessed, Shay succeeds and retrieves the last three pieces of the Elemental Cross.  There's an epic battle scene, but I won't go into that because that's for you to find out.
It took me a while to come up with a good rating for this book, believe it or not.  I agreed that it deserves 5 stars, just because I've always loved these books and I'm too nice.  Please keep in mind that this is my personal opinion!
I'm really sad that this book came to an end, and with it, the story of Calla and her troubles and triumph.  The ending irked me a bit, but that could just be me.  It was bittersweet and terribly good.  And, if Hey There Delilah by the Plain White Tees comes on anywhere around you while you're reading the last few pages of the book, STOP READING!  I didn't cry.  I think I would have if I wasn't cramped in a car with my family all around me, but the raw emotion of the book plus the song does not make a good mix. 

Sunday, April 8, 2012

In My Mailbox (2) And a Survey!

What, you might ask?  Well, I recently just did a IMM not even a week ago.  Why would I be doing another?  Don't you have all those other books to read?  Is she crazy?  Well, that possibly might be true, especially when it comes to books.  And yes, I do have all those other books to read.  But let me explain myself.
Yesterday, while having an awesome time with the fam in Indiana, I went to the mall.  Specifically, I wanted to go to Barnes and Noble because I've had a $25 gift card just sitting there in my wallet and I really wanted to go.  I practically force my mom to stop by the local BAM store we have in New Jersey, even if I'm not going to buy any books.
So, with gift card in hand, I just about ran though those B&N doors and looked for the YA section.  That had to be the hardest thing to find in my life.  I'm not used to a B&N layout and since that was the second time I've ever been in B&N, you can imagine my situation.  I felt as if I was drowning with all those books on the shelves, lost and craving to buy books.  But it was a good feeling.
What did I get??  I got:
The cover of Croak is so, so, sooooo shiny!  I've heard it's quite reflective, but I didn't think it was THAT reflective.  All of these covers are so awesome in their own ways.  Illuminate and A Temptation of Angles are so pretty and Croak just looks totally awesome and while Grave Mercy looks totally amazing.  It's breathtaking and just seems as if it's all kick ass and no joke. 
Which cover do you think is the prettiest?  And it doesn't have to be from this post; it's all the covers of 2012.  Tell me what you think in the comments box below and the book that gets the most Pretty Votes, I will read and do a wonderful review for, unless I've already done it!
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Friday, April 6, 2012

A Surprise Review!

So today, my family and I traveled the great, straight roads from New Jersey to Indiana.  About 12 hours long and only three pit stops to stretch our legs and stuff our faces with food.  I prepared myself with two books and one galley on my laptop.  Afraid that I'd let my laptop die on the way, I picked up A Temptation of Angels by Michelle Zink and read it all the way through.  I was so proud I didn't get carsick.  Now that was a feat.
Now, to the review!
Even angels make mistakes in this page-turning epic romance...

When her parents are murdered before her eyes, sixteen-year-old Helen Cartwright finds herself launched into an underground London where a mysterious organization called the Dictata controls the balance of good and evil. Helen learns that she is one of three remaining angelic descendants charged with protecting the world's past, present, and future. Unbeknownst to her, she has been trained her whole life to accept this responsibility. Now, as she finds herself torn between the angelic brothers protecting her and the devastatingly handsome childhood friend who wants to destroy her, she must prepare to be brave, to be hunted, and above all to be strong, because temptation will be hard to resist, even for an angel.

Michelle Zink masterfully weaves historical fantasy with paranormal romance to create a gripping tale of love and betrayal.


I was actually afraid to but this book, not sure whether I'd like it or not.  So, I got this book along with Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer at my local library.  It's not that I don't like the Nighshade Series, but I'm waiting for it to come out on paperback, since all my other books in the series are paperback.
I don't think the book right out tells you that it takes place in Victorian London and is steampunk-ish.  You find that out pretty fast.  It's not the happiest of all beginning, nor is it uneventful.  Bam!  As soon as you turn the first page, you're sent back in time to this house that is one fire.  It caught my attention right from the start. 
Helen, the main character, escapes the buring house and locates these two brothers using this letter her mother wrote for her before she died.  Ooooh.  Insert dreamy sigh here.  Griffin, one of the Channing brothers, is one of THOSE characters.  I'm still keeping Duncan from Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe as the swoony-worthy guy for the month, but man, was Griffin everything I could ever wish for in YA fiction.  I wish he were mine, but alas, he is fictional.
Continuing, this book was filled to the brim with action that had my heart racing.  If this were a Kick-Ass Character meme, Helen would so be my pick.  She was independent, especially so for someone that was raised to be semi-ladylike/trained fighter.  Her parents die, she finds out she's one of the last Keepers, decendants of angels essencially, and she's got some lovey feelings for Griffin...and someone else, but I won't tell!  A love triangle actually complimented this book than they do for most.  I was just CRAVING for them to kiss!  And when they did, I smiled, sighed, and read on because--whew--it was cute.
To Michelle Zink, you proved me wrong, and I'm glad you did.  You'd think I'd have learned my lesson about not juding a book by my first impression, but I haven't.  Proabably never will stop, but at least I read a whole bunch of books, including the ones I'm reluctant to read.  You are definitely an author to look out for, Miss Zink. 
I believe this is a standalone novel.  There really wasn't much left for readers to wonder about at the end.  Everything was resolved and said love triangle is resolved.  It pestered me because usually when the first guy is introduced as the love interest, I root for him rather than the other, unless the author doesn't want me to like said first guy.
I give this book a solid 5 stars.  It was perfection and a very entertaining read.  This is an angel and demon kind of book, in case you didn't figure that out.  I highly recommend this book, and hope that others like it, too!  A book review for Bloodrose and Immortal Rules soon to come in the next few weeks or so.  Be on the lookout!

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Something Different

Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe was another book that I had got on NetGalley.  It's not a book I'd initially pull off the shelf since it doesn't have any action, blood, sweat, and tears.  But this book was intriguing in its own unique ways.
The book starts off with Chloe getting back to school after winter break.  Her new guidance counselor persistently gets her attention just to tell her that she failed her JISP.  And, she finds out that her BF(NOT her boyfriend, but her BEST friend.  I was kind of confused in the beginning there when she introduced Brie.) hates her for some reason that she can't understand and doesn't know about. 
Chloe's attitude in the beginning really bothered me.  She was ignorant, kept on talking about her shoes, and complained how her life was terrible.  As the story progressed, though, I feel as if she opened herself to the world around her and learned that listening is sometimes better than talking--which she does a lot of.  But, that was how the story was supposed to go, so it was a good thing I didn't like her in the beginning.  It was a different twist to all the books we read nowadays.  This book was a perfect example of how a character learns their lesson and improves their attitude.
On a negative note, I felt as if the story at times moved too slow.  That could be just because I like my action books, but that's how I felt about it. 
I'd put Duncan, the steamy boy interest in this book, as the YA crush of the month.  I just loved his quiet personality and stubby scarves with the lopsided hearts!  You couldn't help but fall in love with him.  He was just adorable and he has quite a story to tell, even though he is a very quiet kid.
Then, for Chloe to get a good grade on her JISP, she joins the school's radio station, a small building that nobody really even knows exists.  At first, nobody likes her because she talks too much and isn't like them.  I totally got that.  The radio kids are a bunch of school misfits that find refuge in the quiet station.  And I loves all of those radio kids.  They all had different personalities, and they all meshed into this tiny community that brought together an entire radio station that nobody ever hears.
Lastly, I loved Chloe's connection with her grandmother.  Her grandmother, or Grams, is reaching her older years and has Parkinson's disease.  I personally know what it's like to what a family member you love go through the stages of Parkinson's, and trust me, it's not easy.  And no matter what, Chloe tries her best to be there for her grandmother, through the good and bad times.  It melted my heart every time Grams and Chloe interacted with each other.  They were so close, and Grams made a great character in the book.
This book was about hope and love and growing as a person.  I loved it, and I'll give it four stars.  Seems as if I'm on a four-start-streak here!

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

In My Mailbox


Yes!  It's that time where I happen to do my first IMM!  This terrible week in school has been muted by the excitement from all the goodies I got in the mail.  That's just how good my mail has been to me.
Sorry for the bad quality.  Camera died.  iPod only option.
No, your eyes are not deceiving you.  Here, I'll start from left to right.  There is a Sweet Evil ARC with a signed book mark hanging out in the front of it.  In front of the book is Hunger Games nail polish I had ordered.  It's Smoke and Ashes :) I can't wait for my nail polish I have on now to chip off so I have an excuse to put S&A on.  Continuing the picture tour, there on top of the book are two Born Wicked stickers I had won in a giveaway.  In the center are a few signed Born Wicked book plates and a Hunger Games tee shirt sitting there.  There's also a Born Wicked magnet there.  And finally, on the right, I have one iron on patch for the Demon Trappers Series and a sticker, too.
Now, for email, I also got some gifts.  I'm talking NetGalley gifts.

Isn't it all so beautiful?  Oh, and since I'm new to this all, I'm going to be doing a giveaway soon!  Stay tuned!  Also, a review for Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe is soon to come!
On a side note, I don't know why I waited so long to get some Hunger Games stuff for myself.  Anyway, glad I did get them!
Now, I have to read and review!
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