Reading, Writing and Waiting

The Devil of Jedburgh

2012-01-31T13:00:00.000-05:00

This would probabaly be closer to 4 1/2 stars. A hot love interest who wears a kilt and talks with a Scottish accent? Um, yes, please!!

I've been reading outside my YA genre lately, and since I love historical fiction, I decided to give historical romance a try. Since Breghan is only nineteen in the book, I guess that it isn't far disposed from YA!

I loved that Breghan was a sassy, spunky woman of the 17th century. Even though she'd heard horrible stories about Arran, she always stood her ground and stood up to him and the patriarchal society she found herself in. Their chemistry was red hot from the first moment they met(even though he didn't know who she was). Of course, her spunk sometimes drove her away from Arran and would have served her a few times to read things between them a little differently.

Arran's devil reputation was only the product of legends. Instead of being a beast, he's a hottie with a sad past in love that leaves him emotionally stunted when it comes to love. Sure, he wouldn't mind a roll in the hay with Breghan, but he doesn't want to marry her bc he totally separates marriage and love. Plus, he only wants a wife to give him heirs.

Would totally recommend this to anyone who loves historical romance, and even though I read the eARc, I'll probably buy this one when it comes out. Great steamy scenes, historical tidbits interspersed(had never heard of handfasting, which is where a man would take a woman for a year as a trial marriage. If he liked her, he'd marry her, if not, he'd send her back to her family), and swoonworthy hero....and a sweet romance!

The Demon Trapper's Daughter by Jana Oliver

2012-01-30T05:00:00.000-05:00

Hot damn, a book that takes place in Hot-lanta!!!

Demon Trapper Riley Blackthorne just needs a chance to prove herself—and that’s exactly what Lucifer is counting on…

It’s the year 2018, and with human society seriously disrupted by the economic upheavals of the previous decade, Lucifer has increased the number of demons in all major cities. Atlanta is no exception. Fortunately, humans are protected by Demon Trappers, who work to keep homes and streets safe from the things that go bump in the night. Seventeen-year-old Riley, only daughter of legendary Demon Trapper Paul Blackthorne, has always dreamed of following in her father’s footsteps. When she’s not keeping up with her homework or trying to manage her growing attraction to fellow Trapper apprentice, Simon, Riley’s out saving citizens from Grade One Hellspawn. Business as usual, really, for a demon-trapping teen. When a Grade Five Geo-Fiend crashes Riley’s routine assignment at a library, jeopardizing her life and her chosen livelihood, she realizes that she’s caught in the middle of a battle between Heaven and Hell.

So, I'm not much of a demon, YAUF kinda girl. But one of my students brought this book to my attention the other day. She'd gotten it for Christmas, already devoured it, and was reading the 2nd book. When I found out the author lived in Atlana and the sights and sounds of the city were highlighted(5 Points, Oakland Cemetery, and the Tabernacle), I thought, "Okay, I'll give it a chance!"

Yep, I gave it a chance by devouring it one night!! It was that good! It was a totally different take on demons and demon trapping. The opening scene in the library was so Ghostbusters almost, and I loved it...I also loved the usage of angels and the spiritual quest for belief/continuing belief that Riley found herself on.

As for Riley, I loved her. She was strong and tough and took no shit off anyone--especially Beck. I really loved Saint Simon(somepeople go for the bad boys, I love the goody boys!). At the same time, Beck was pretty hot and tormented and then surprisingly a father figure all rolled into one.

There was some great futristic bits like Necromancers that leased dead bodies to be slaves for rich people. Grieving familes who needed money could rent their deceased loved one! It was crazy!

Really looking forward to reading Book 2 and more by this author!!

The Vincent Boys by Abbi Glines

2012-01-28T13:10:00.004-05:00

Wow, gotta love me some hot, Southern YA! Trust me, The Vincent Boys sure does deliver on that note. But the cover could use some serious help to help deliver the note of steamy Southern summer nights.

Here's a quick summary:

Being the good girl isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Ashton Gray has grown weary of playing the part to please her parents, and to be worthy of the town’s prince charming, Sawyer Vincent. Maybe That’s why she’s found herself spending time with Sawyer’s cousin, Beau, while he’s away for the summer camping with his family. Beau is nothing like her perfect boyfriend. He’s the sexiest guy she’s ever seen, dangerous in ways she’s only day dreamed about, and the one guy she should stay away from.
Beau never envied Sawyer his loving parents, his big nice home, or his position as quarterback. He loves him like a brother. Which is why he's tried everything in his power to keep his distance from Sawyer’s girlfriend. Even if he has loved her since the age of five, Ashton is Sawyer’s girl, so therefore she’s off limits. But when Sawyer leaves for the summer, Ashton, the one girl Beau would move Heaven and Earth for, decides she wants to get into trouble. Stabbing the one person who’s always accepted him and stood by him in the back, is the cost of finally holding Ashton Gray in his arms. Is she worth losing his cousin over?.... Hell Yeah.

I'll admit that when I saw a typos/grammatical errors on the first page, I got a sinking feeling in my the pit of my stomach. You know the one that self pubbed books are crap? Yeah, that one.

Luckily, that feeling dissapated quickly, and I got completely and totally sucked into the book! I totally got Ashton's dilemma of always being what other people expected of her, but at the same time wanting to be a little rebellious. I didn't quite agree with one major rebellious thing she did(baby steps, Ashton!), but at the same time, she'd been so smothered in the small town and being a preacher's kid. She sees her entire life being lived for her by the expectations of her parents, her church family, and Sawyer--sometimes even her group of best friends since their friendships have run deep for many years.

I think the beauty of the book is that you fall in love with Beau as Ashton is recognizing her feelings for him. When we first meet Beau, he's your stereotypical drunken, manwhore player. But then we start seeing him differently--that he has a good heart and a caring spirit despite his unfortunate upbringing. There's a particular scene where he really comes through for Ashton that will make you go, "Aw, that's such love!" While a lot of his focus is on Ashton's looks, he's loved and cared about her since they were kids. He loves the fire she has within her--the sassiness that she doesn't show very much.

Didn't really root for Sawyer even though I always go for the good boy. He seemed to only want Ashton because she was a trophy girlfriend--what was expected of him. And then he let some not nice things happen that really, really mad me dislike him...not to mention we find out our Golden Boy is a little tarnished.

I can't wait to see what the sequel is like!!!

Pretty Crooked review

2012-01-01T22:12:00.004-05:00

Pretty Crooked by Elisa Ludwig

Katherine Tegan Books

March 13, 2012

368pgs.

Willa’s secret plan seems all too simple: take from therich kids at Valley Prep and give to the poor ones.

Yet Willa’s turn as Robin Hood at her ultra-exclusive high school is anythingbut. Bilking her “friends”—known to everyone as the Glitterati—without themsuspecting a thing is far from easy. Learning how to pick pockets and breakinto lockers is as difficult as she’d thought it’d be. Delivering care packagesto the scholarship girls, who are ostracized just for being from the “wrong”side of town, is way more fun than she’d expected.

The complication Willa didn’t expect, though, is Aidan Murphy, Valley Prep’smost notorious (and gorgeous) ace-degenerate. His mere existence is distractingWilla from what matters most to her: evening the social playing field betweenthe haves and have-nots. There’s no time for crushes and flirting with boys,especially conceited and obnoxious trust-funders like Aidan.

But when the cops start investigating the string of thefts at Valley Prep andthe Glitterati begin to seek revenge, could Aidan wind up being the person thatWilla trusts most?

First of all, love, love the cover!!! Second, I’ve been a fan of the Robin Hood story since I was a childand watched the animated Disney version. So I was really excited about thestory being set in high school. Pretty Crooked was a totally fast and fun read!

I loved the fact that Willa is a strong female character witha great sense of humor. Her voice really brings the story to life. She’s also led a different life than most MC’s. Her momis artist, kinda flighty, they’ve moved around a lot, etc. It kinda reminded meof the mom in Mermaids with Cher and Winona Ryder.Then the mom sells some paintings for a lot of moola, and that’s when they moveto Arizona.

Willa gets enrolled in Valley Prep, which has the usualsuspects of spoiled rich kids and Mean Girls in Kellie, Nikki, andCherise—although Cherise does have a heart and a conscious compared to theother two girls. She gets sucked into their Mean Girl world as well as drainingsome of her mom’s newly acquired money on fashion. She totally morphs intosomeone she isn’t, and fortuantely, she gets a wake-up call and realizes what's going on(plus her mom is superpissed about her spending!). That’s when she has the epiphany to stand up to the Mean Girls by becoming a modern dayRobin Hood. She especially wants to help out the scholarship girls, Sierra and Mary, that Kellie andNikki are making fun of because of their poverty through a malicious online blog.

As for the characters, I totally loved the LI Aidan! He was your typical rich, popular kid,but at the same time, he wanted to break out the mold. And for him, breakingout of the mold meant doing crazy stuff to get kicked out of school! I loved how his usual charms didn't work on Willa and that made him work even harder! He kindareminded me of Logan from VeronicaMars! I also loved the character of Tre—the bad boy turning good who givesWilla some Robin Hood lessons! Her training sessions with him were great.

I did wish there had been more of the Robin Hood scenes and a little less of Willa getting settled into Valley Prep and life with the Mean Girls. It was really not until the second half of the book that we got to see the premise acted out in all of its fun mayhem! I'll be interested to see what happens in the second book since there's several lose ends left that I want to see tied up.

Overall, a really enjoyable read! 4 Stars!

The Jersey Shore Version of Twilight

2012-01-01T18:55:00.000-05:00

Okay, I died laughing at this because it combines two of my guilty pleasures. Twilight and Jersey Shore. Check It out!

Our 5 Star Book List of 2011

2012-01-01T11:01:00.000-05:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

It's time for us here at Reading, Writing and Waiting to round up all the novels we've reviewed during 2011 that received the coveted five star rating. I want to thank all of my review partners for their hardwork this year! I am so glad you came on board with me. I couldn't have got through all the reviews without you!! So, without further ado, here's the Young Adult novels we went Gah-Gah over last year:

Clarity by Kim Harrington
"First off, um, WOW!! This book has easily pushed its way to one of my favorite novels. True crime mysteries in YA are few and far between, and Clarity helps fill that void. This novel totally reminds me of a psychic Veronica Mars, and those of you who know me know how much I loooooooooove Veronica Mars. I know I'm not alone on that one. :)"--Annie

Demon Glass by Rachel Hawkins
"I loved every second of this book and it's so hard not to spill the beans because I could go on and on about the plot. There are so many things that happen in this book that make me think WTF, and OMG what's gonna happen next. This book is a must read for the Sophie Mercer fans out there."--Annie

Wither by Lauren Destefano
"There's just something about a forbidden love that hooks me every time. Rhine's relationship with Gabriel is risky. They'd be killed if anyone ever found out she liked anyone other than her husband, Liden, and that heightens the stakes tremendously. "--Annie

Vicious Little Darlings by Katherine Easer
"A good young adult contemporary novel, to me, is gritty and real, with a plot that is reasonable, yet has a great twist. A twist I can't guess by the second chapter of the novel. Well, my friends, I am so happy to tell you I found that in Vicious Little Darlings."--Annie

Secrets (The Ivy #2) by Lauren Kunze
"The drama kept me turning the pages. I just had to know what was going on, plus book one left off with a huge cliff hanger, so I was immediately hooked into book two."--Annie

Lure by Stephaine Jenkins
"The voice in the first paragraph hooked me right away and told me this was a girl I could totally be friends with. She isn't afraid to call someone out on their crap, which in my eyes makes for an awesome female lead character. She will keep you on your toes."--Annie

We'll Always Have Summer: Jenny Han
"OMG, you guys. That's all I have to say about the final book in this series. I liked the first book, really liked the second book and absolutely LOVED the third. The third book was so emotional."--Annie

The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa
"I literally carried this book around with me everywhere until I finished it. Not since Edward in Twilight has a love interest hooked me this way. He has so many inner demons and Meghan is the one person who can get beneath that frigid layer of ice that surrounds his heart. Love him!"--Annie

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini
"Gah! I love, love stories. Especially when the two people in the relationship want to kill each other all the time!"--Annie

Crush Control by Jennifer Jabaley
"I read through CRUSH CONTROL at lightning speed because I couldn't stop myself! I remember reading about this sale in Publisher's Marketplace and thinking how awesome it sounded, and it didn't disappoint. I loved it!"--Jamie

Hourglass by Myra McEntire

"I just finished this novel and it was AWESOME. This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2011 and I’m happy to report it didn’t disappoint. This time travel novel defiantly stood out among the sea of paranormal books out there on the YA shelf."--Annie

The Future of Us by Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler
"Added to the dual main characters are their two best friends--an on again, off again couple--who are fun and quirky. The ending is sweet and satisfying--not over-done or under-cooked. I give THE FUTURE OF US five stars! (Who didn't see that coming?) :)" --Jamie

Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally
"All I can say is wow. I absolutely adored this book, the cast of characters was well-rounded and not what I was expecting AT ALL. A girl who is not only the leading quarterback, but captain of her team, respected and loved by the team mates? Never would've thought it could be pulled off and with such talent."--Jenn

Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire
"This is one of those books, either you love it or you hate it. I've seen this novel referred to as literary crack before, and I have to say I agree. This novel grabbed me from the moment the bad boy love interest stepped on the scene. He was amazing. He did things that I didn't expect and I was shocked. SHOCKED and appalled by some of the things he did in this book, which in large part hooked me even more."--Annie

Everneath by Brodi Ashton
"I love it when a novel is so out in left field, it defies ever rational thought I have about what the underworld is suppose to be like. Plus, anything that can tie in Greek mythology and make you wonder if some things could actually be true…is a fantastic book. EVERNEATH grabbed me by the arms and yanked me into it’s world. I could not put it down. I read it in, like, two sittings. It’s that good!"--Annie

Lola and the Boy Next Door Stephanie Perkins

"What can I say? Stephanie Perkins creates contemporary magic. LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR was witty, and quite simply, irresistible. I couldn't put it down. "--Annie

You can find full reviews of our five star novels HERE.

We love bringing you book reviews and would like to thank all of our followers, commentors, and guests for an awesome year. 2012 is gonna rock!! Thank you all for checking us out! We love you all!

Cover Reveal: Chosen One's by Tiffany Truitt

2011-12-22T13:00:00.016-05:00

I love doing cover reveals! So without further ado, here is the upcoming novel by Entangled Publishing: Chose One's by Tiffany Truitt. The blurb sounds amazing and I am stoked to have a review copy coming! Mark this one down on your To Be Read list. It hits shelves in April 2012.

Plot:

What if you were mankind’s last chance at survival?

Sixteen-year-old Tess lives in a compound in what was once the Western United States, now decimated after a devastating fourth World War. But long before that, life as we knew it had been irrevocably changed, as women mysteriously lost the ability to bring forth life. Faced with the extinction of the human race, the government began the Council of Creators, meant to search out alternative methods of creating life. The resulting artificial human beings, or Chosen Ones, were extraordinarily beautiful, unbelievably strong, and unabashedly deadly.

Life is bleak, but uncomplicated for Tess as she follows the rigid rules of her dystopian society, until the day she begins work at Templeton, the training facility for newly created Chosen Ones. There, she meets James, a Chosen One whose odd love of music and reading rivals only her own. The attraction between the two is immediate in its intensity—and overwhelming in its danger.

But there is more to the goings-on at Templeton than Tess ever knew, and as the veil is lifted from her eyes, she uncovers a dark underground movement bent not on taking down the Chosen Ones, but the Council itself. Will Tess be able to stand up to those who would oppress her, even if it means giving up the only happiness in her life?

Find it here on GOODREADS!

Contest for Aspiring YA Writers‏

2011-12-20T22:45:00.000-05:00

The Book Wish Foundation asked me to pass this along, so here it is:

Win a literary agent or acclaimed author's feedback on your unpublished manuscript for young adult or middle grade readers. This rare opportunity is being offered to the six winners of an essay contest recently announced by the literacy charity Book Wish Foundation. See http://bookwish.org/contest for full details.

You could win a manuscript critique from:

Laura Langlie, literary agent for Meg Cabot

Nancy Gallt, literary agent for Jeanne DuPrau

Brenda Bowen, literary agent and editor of Karen Hesse's Newbery Medal winner Out of the Dust

Ann M. Martin, winner of the Newbery Honor for A Corner of the Universe

Francisco X. Stork, winner of the Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award for The Last Summer of the Death Warriors

Cynthia Voigt, winner of the Newbery Medal for Dicey's Song and the Newbery Honor for A Solitary Blue

All that separates you from this prize is a 500-word essay about a short story in Book Wish Foundation's new anthology, What You Wish For. Essays are due Feb. 1, 2012 and winners will be announced around Mar. 1, 2012. If you win, you will have six months to submit the first 50 pages of your manuscript for critique (which means you can enter the contest even if you haven't finished, or started, your manuscript). You can even enter multiple times, with essays about more than one of the contest stories, for a chance to win up to six critiques.

If you dream of being a published author, this is an opportunity you should not miss. To enter, follow the instructions at http://bookwish.org/contest.

Good luck and best wishes,

Logan Kleinwaks

President, Book Wish Foundation

What You Wish For (ISBN 9780399254543, Putnam Juvenile, Sep. 15, 2011) is a collection of short stories and poems about wishes from 18 all-star writers: Meg Cabot, Jeanne DuPrau, Cornelia Funke, Nikki Giovanni, John Green, Karen Hesse, Ann M. Martin, Alexander McCall Smith, Marilyn Nelson, Naomi Shihab Nye, Joyce Carol Oates, Nate Powell, Sofia Quintero, Gary Soto, R.L. Stine, Francisco X. Stork, Cynthia Voigt, Jane Yolen. With a Foreword by Mia Farrow. Book Wish Foundation is donating 100% of its proceeds from the book to the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, to fund the development of libraries in Darfuri refugee camps in eastern Chad.

Hushed by Kelley York

2011-12-20T22:04:00.001-05:00

Hushed

by Kelley York

Paperback, 260 pages

Published December 6th 2011 by Entangled Publishing
ARC courtesy of NetGalley

Plot:

He’s saved her. He’s loved her. He’s killed for her.

Eighteen-year-old Archer couldn’t protect his best friend, Vivian, from what happened when they were kids, so he’s never stopped trying to protect her from everything else. It doesn’t matter that Vivian only uses him when hopping from one toxic relationship to another—Archer is always there, waiting to be noticed.

Then along comes Evan, the only person who’s ever cared about Archer without a single string attached. The harder he falls for Evan, the more Archer sees Vivian for the manipulative hot-mess she really is.

But Viv has her hooks in deep, and when she finds out about the murders Archer’s committed and his relationship with Evan, she threatens to turn him in if she doesn’t get what she wants… And what she wants is Evan’s death, and for Archer to forfeit his last chance at redemption.

My Thoughts:

When I read the summary for this book I thought I wouldn't like it. The cover grabbed my attention because it looked creepy, but a possible love triangle between two guys and a girl didn't interest me. I don't know why I downloaded it, but am glad I did.

I like older MCs. This one takes place in college and he's a serial killer. The first chapter kept me reading, not because I liked it, but because I was shocked. I liked the voice, so I decided to see where the author went, but I had reservations. How does one write a sympathetic serial killer? How can it possibly end? And seriously, this boy LI doesn't look at the crazy killer in a bad light? By the end of the book I was hoping he wouldn't get caught and he could live happily-ever-after with the sweet boy he was falling for.

On to the technical stuff. Pace, plot, voice, character development-it was all great. I was hooked and really liked the book. I can't complain. I did have to suspend my belief with Evan, the LI, but not because the love story was a bad one. It was fantastic the way their love grew. Sweet and very realistic. I would've liked to have seen more into Evan and why he could accept someone like Archer, I just didn't buy it. However, I thought the ending fit the story.

This gets a four rating because it stayed with me and I want to reread it. It was different from other stuff I've read, which intrigued me. It doesn't get that high of a rating because it was the greatest book and I absolutely loved it. I kept wondering what could happen and how it could be pulled off. I used my brain with this book and wanted a serial killer to walk away free-I don't know how that makes me feel as a person.

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

2011-11-27T20:31:00.001-05:00

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What can I say? Stephanie Perkins creates contemporary magic. LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR was witty, and quite simply, irresistible. I couldn't put it down.

Perkins hooked me with the mystery on why the main character, Lola, had such built up anger at Cricket, the boy next door. Now I will say the name Cricket threw me off. It didn't exactly scream hot guy. BUT it fit the love interests character. Cricket was quirky, just like his name.

The narrative Perkins created with Lola felt authentic. I totally believed she was that rebellious chick from my high school who didn't give a damn about what people thought about her clothes. She was only concerned about pleasing her inner artist. So it was awesome to tap into a character like that. Lola was totally kick ass, and I loved her.

Lola's older boyfriend, Max was definitely a hot character. And let's face it, there's something alluring about older guys to teenage girls. Rebellion comes to mind. I loved reading about them. The last YA novels that come to mind with an older love interest was Vampire Academy and Going To Far. So it was great to read that same twist here. Added some spice. Plus he was a rocker. Who doesn't like reading about HOT rocker dudes?

Another thing I liked about this novel was the cameo appearance by Anna and St. Clair from ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS. I freakin' loved that book and was so happy to read a little more about them.

So if you are a YA contemporary fan, add this one to your list!

View all my reviews

Double Take Cover: Balthazar: An Evernight Novel by Claudia Gray

2011-11-23T13:32:00.000-05:00

Holy Crap guys, look what I found today!!! Balthazar makes my top five list of literary love interests that didn't get picked by the main character but should have. Can't wait for this! It hits shelves March 6th 2012.

Plot:
For hundreds of years, the vampire Balthazar has been alone—without allies, without love.
When Balthazar agrees to help Skye Tierney, a human girl who once attended Evernight Academy, he has no idea how dangerous it will be. Skye’s newfound psychic powers have caught the attention of Redgrave, the cruel, seductive master vampire responsible for murdering Balthazar and his family four centuries ago. Now Redgrave plans to use Skye’s powers for his own evil purposes.

Balthazar will do whatever it takes to stop Redgrave and exact his long-awaited revenge against his killer. As Skye and Balthazar stand together to fight him, they grow closer—first unwillingly, then undeniably. Balthazar realizes his lonely world could finally be changed by her. . . .

In a story filled with forbidden love and dark suspense, one of the most beloved characters in Claudia Gray’s New York Times bestselling Evernight series will captivate readers with his battle to overcome his past and follow his heart.

Anna Dressed in Blood (Anna #1) by Kendare Blake

2011-11-23T11:58:00.000-05:00

Anna Dressed in Blood (Anna #1)

by Kendare Blake

Hardcover, 316 pages

Published August 30th 2011 by Tor Teen

Source: Tor Teen provided Review Copy

Plot:

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.
So did his father before him, until he was gruesomely murdered by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.
When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn't expect anything outside of the ordinary: track, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, now stained red and dripping with blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.
But she, for whatever reason, spares Cas's life.

My Thoughts:

Anna Dressed in Blood isn’t your typical ghost story. More than anything it’s about the strange connection between Cas and Anna. Anna is unlike any other ghost Cas has encountered. And when we first open the novel we read all about Cas and his ghost killing family tradition, and how the next ghost on his list is Anna Dressed in Blood.

The first chapter hooked me. I was caught up in the moment with Cas and the hitch-hiking ghost he had in his car. There was so much action packed into chapter one, the rest of the chapters kinda felt like filler until our first encounter with Anna. That was a scene I wasn’t expecting, but I can’t say I felt bad about what happened in there…I won’t tell you what happens because it’ll totally ruin for you.

I loved the darkness in this YA Paranormal novel. I wish more authors would push the limits like what took place in some of the scenes in Anna Dressed in Blood. I really liked those scenes, but the ones where Cas is alone and just thinking or feeling I found a little monotonous.

Overall I found this novel to be engaging and I would recommend this book to anyone who likes dark and twisted paranormal stories. This one was a 3.5 for me.

Everneath (Everneath #1) by Brodi Ashton

2011-11-22T15:48:00.003-05:00

Everneath (Everneath #1)

by Brodi Ashton

Hardcover, 370 pages

Expected publication: January 24th 2012 by Harper Collins / Balzer + Bray

Source: Netgalley

Plot:

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's...

My Thoughts:

I just closed this book and felt compelled to write this review right away. There are so many paranormal books out there that sometimes they all seem to blend together. Then, when you least expect it, you begin a paranormal novel that is so different you can’t put it down. I love it when a novel is so out in left field, it defies ever rational thought I have about what the underworld is suppose to be like. Plus, anything that can tie in Greek mythology and make you wonder if some things could actually be true…is a fantastic book. EVERNEATH grabbed me by the arms and yanked me into it’s world. I could not put it down. I read it in, like, two sittings. It’s that good!

The Everneath is a place where immortals called Everlastings, take Forfeits, basically human sacrifices, to the Feed. They feed off emotions. And when we meet our main character she is just coming out of the Feed, and things are a little confusing, but so interesting you’ll find that you can’t turn the pages quick enough to find out what’s going on and how things got to the point they are. This was so different. This was a completely new description of hell and what is like. And I’ve never met an immortal like these.

Another interesting thing about this book is the transitions. Often times I find myself skimming parts of the story on how a character gets from one scene to the next. Everneath there wasn’t a need to do that. There will just be a short italicized line that says: In my room, in my car, at Cole’s condo. That was really refreshing. I liked it because it cut to the chase and kept me hooked.

I recommend this novel to ANY paranormal lover. I cannot wait for book #2. I gotta know what happens. Nik and Jack’s love story tore me apart and I want more. It’s so great. This novel makes my top ten best books I read in 2011 list! Mark this one on your TO BE READ list immediately.

Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire Review

2011-11-11T23:30:00.001-05:00

Title: Beautiful Disaster
Author: Jamie McGuire
Source: Amazon (self published)

Two Different Covers Available:

Plot:

The new Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn’t drink or swear, and she has the appropriate percentage of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance between her and the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend America, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University’s Walking One-Night Stand.

Travis Maddox, lean, cut, and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby needs—and wants—to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the charming college co-ed. Intrigued by Abby’s resistance to his charms, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in Travis’ apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match.

My Thoughts:

This is one of those books, either you love it or you hate it. I've seen this novel referred to as literary crack before, and I have to say I agree. This novel grabbed me from the moment the bad boy love interest stepped on the scene. He was amazing. He did things that I didn't expect and I was shocked. SHOCKED and appalled by some of the things he did in this book, which in large part hooked me even more. So many times I find myself predicting what's going to happen in a novel. Most of the time I'm spot on. I've read a ton of books and just about all YA books follow a certain formula ,so to speak, that make them predictable.I couldn't do that with this book.

The one thing about this novel is it's self published, so sure it had some things that maybe needed tweaked, but the main plot is about the relationship between the main character and the love interest and it's strong. It was hard to tell at times that this was self published! Not since Twilight have I read a novel formulated around the connection of two people that hooked me completely. I mean, I read this book twice in about a week because I missed the characters after the first go around.

I recommended this novel to my fellow reviewers here at READING, WRITING AND WAITING and there are a couple that are Team Travis right along with me and one other I know for sure didn't really like it. So, I recommend this book to be read with an open mind. Sure the love interest is a little heinous at times, and sure there are some parts that are unbelievable and could've been tweaked. But read it if you adore romances that are a little reminiscent of Harlequins with smokin' hot love interests.

---Annie

Catching Jordan by Miranda Keneally

2011-11-11T23:03:00.001-05:00

Title: Catching Jordan
Author: Miranda Keneally
Source: NetGalley
Published: December 1st 2011 by Sourcebooks Fire

Plot:

What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though-she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starting position... suddenly she's hoping he'll see her as more than just a teammate.

My Thoughts:
All I can say is wow. I absolutely adored this book, the cast of characters was well-rounded and not what I was expecting AT ALL. A girl who is not only the leading quarterback, but captain of her team, respected and loved by the team mates? Never would've thought it could be pulled off and with such talent. It was believable, partly because she wasn't just some girl who happened to be able to play football, she was from a football family with a pro father and brother on the way to the pros. The family complications were real, along with her flaws and insecurities. It had a great plot that didn't depend on a mean girl or guy to bring conflict to the main character, which is refreshing. Great voice, hooked me from the beginning and I ignored everything else in my life until I finished it. In the middle of the day! And the romance was hot, believable and so messy, just like real life. Add in a swoon-worthy cover and I give it five stars!

Dancergirl by Carol M. Tanzen --Review

2011-11-07T18:54:00.000-05:00

Title: Dancergirl
Author: Carol M. Tanzen

Pub date: November 15, 2011 Harlequin Teen
Source: NetGalley

Book description from Amazon:

Ever feel like someone's watching you? Me, too. But lately it's been happening in my room.
When I'm alone.
A friend posted a video of me dancing online, and now I'm no longer Alicia Ruffino. I'm dancergirl. And suddenly it's like me against the world—everyone's got opinions.
My admirers want more, the haters hate, my best friend Jacy—even he's acting weird. And some stalker isn't content to just watch anymore.
Ali. Dancergirl. Whatever you know me as, however you've seen me online, I've trained my whole life to be the best dancer I can be. But if someone watching has their way, I could lose way more than just my love of dancing. I could lose my life.

My rating: 3.5 out of 5

I found this to be an intriguing story. The idea of a stalker and the things that happen to Ali are very realistic. I can see them happening. I like the way Ali grew as a character and the ending was a satisfying one. Her character, along with best friend Jacy, were nicely developed. I was a little disappointed that the other characters weren't developed as well. Her friends were a mixed bunch, and there were some insights into their personalities, but they leaned toward the flat side.
The choice for the stalker was a great one. I figured it out when the first clue was given and waited to see if I was correct, or if it was one of the red herrings thrown in here and there. I devoured the book in one sitting which is why it got the extra half star. The writing was tight and a nice pace was achieved, however I didn't love any of the characters, nor root for them. It was extremely entertaining, it just didn't draw me in.

---Jenn

ARC courtesy or NetGalley

THE FUTURE OF US!

2011-10-19T14:29:00.002-04:00

How excited was I when I opened a package from my editor and this (THIS!) was inside?

YES! An ARC of the eagerly anticipated Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler collaboration! I happen to be a HUGE Jay Asher fan.

It came with the stipulation that I had to finish the draft of my revised manuscript before I read it - how's that for motivation?

Published by Razorbill, THE FUTURE OF US is set to release November 21 and is available for pre-order.

It's 1996, and less than half of all American high school students have ever used the Internet.

Emma just got her first computer and an America Online CD-ROM.

Josh is her best friend. They power up and log on--and discover themselves on Facebook, fifteen years in the future.

Everybody wonders what their Destiny will be. Josh and Emma are about to find out.

In alternating POV, Asher and Mackler take the reader on a journey with Emma and Josh into their future and also through their present and what this discovery means to both of them.

Romance complicates everything for Emma and Josh. Are they dating "the one"? If they find "the one" now, how will they keep "the one"? Are they too young to know what they want in the future for themselves or from a partner? Are they even the same people fifteen years from now (1996)? And what happens when they interfere with the future? Can it ever go back, or have they destroyed it forever?

Added to the dual main characters are their two best friends--an on again, off again couple--who are fun and quirky. The ending is sweet and satisfying--not over-done or under-cooked.

I give THE FUTURE OF US five stars! (Who didn't see that coming?) :)

---Jamie

Hourglass (Hourglass #1) by Myra McEntire

2011-09-20T15:34:00.000-04:00

Hourglass by Myra McEntire

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I just finished this novel and it was AWESOME. This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2011 and I’m happy to report it didn’t disappoint. This time travel novel defiantly stood out among the sea of paranormal books out there on the YA shelf.

Emerson is such a great character. She’s so flawed, which makes her seem real. She practically leaped off the pages. I loved how she was will to take risks. She wasn’t afraid to risk it all to go after what she wants. Her ability is amazing. It kept me hooked in the novel. I wanted to find out what she was capable of.

There are two boys in this book. Both totally swoon worthy. One guy, Michael, you meet at the beginning of the book and he has what I like to call the typical YA relationship with Emerson. She sees him and is totally smitten and talks about his hotness A LOT. I personally don’t mind a character being completely GA-GA over a boy, but I know it turns a lot of people off. Their relationship does grow, so hang in there for a little depth. The boy that stole the show for me was Kaleb. Let me just say, um, WOW. He’s hot. A little reckless, tattoos, muscles and totally into Emerson—my kind of guy. Kaleb wasn’t afraid to make it known that Emerson had another choice other than Michael. Kaleb was totally my pick. There’s a solid love triangle in this novel and I really want to see how it plays out.

The last ten chapters or so were the best in the book. I flew through them. My ereader could barely keep up. I love the twists and turns the story took. Myra did a great job weaving past, present and future together. I’m left with a ton of questions and what ifs after reading this novel. I can’t wait to get my hands on book 2 to get some answers!

www.youngadultbookworm.blogspot.com

View all my reviews

Populazzi by Elise Allen

2011-08-18T14:02:00.001-04:00

Title: Populazzi
Author: Elise Allen
Hardcover, 400 pages

Published August 1st 2011 by Harcourt Children's Books (first published July 20th 2011)

Plot:

Cara has never been one of those girls: confident, self-possessed, and always ready with the perfect thing to say. A girl at the very top of the popularity tower. One of the Populazzi.

Now, junior year could change everything. Cara’s moving to a new school, and her best friend urges her to seize the moment—with the help of the Ladder. Its rungs are relationships, and if Cara transforms into the perfect girlfriend for guys ever-higher on the tower, she’ll reach the ultimate goal: Supreme Populazzi.

The Ladder seems like a lighthearted social experiment, a straight climb up, but it quickly becomes gnarled and twisted. And when everything goes wrong, only the most audacious act Cara can think of has a chance of setting things even a little bit right.

My Thoughts:

I adored this novel. Cara was so fun to read about. She takes some major risks and at times I found myself biting my nails to see what she was going to do next. Cara and her best friend at times seem like they are only interested in climbing the social ladder and don't care who they hurt, but I was able to look past that because I was into the story.

There are so many deliciously steamy boys to read about in this novel. It really kept me hooked to watching Cara's climb to the upper hierarchy of popularity. There are some twists in this novel I didn't expect, but glad they were thrown in to make this novel stand out amongst the other YA contemporary novels out there.

All and all, I really liked it. I recommend this to any YA contemporary fan who likes plots centered around high school popularity and smexy time with guys.

Musical Mondays: Apocalyptica

2011-08-15T15:45:00.000-04:00

Apocalyptica is one of those bands who create such beautiful music it's easy to draw your own artisitc abilities from their infulence. Their songs can reach down into your soul and pull out an inner darkness that's buried so deep, you'll be surprised on the kinda of emotion you can create for your characters. Apocalyptica, along with a few other bands are my go-to source when I need a little writing inspiration. They can help me get into someone else's mind and emotion, which helps me flesh out my novel. I also love how they feature a new singer in every song! Keeps it fresh with the same errie beats. If you ever have a chance to see them live...DO IT! They are awesome! Here are a few videos that blew me away! Enjoy!!

End of Me:

Broken Pieces:

Not Strong Enough:

I Don't Care:

Double Take Covers: The Other Life

2011-08-10T12:30:00.000-04:00

I'm super excited to read this one!! The cover is creepy. I love it. Look for The Other Life May 2012 from author Susanne Winnacker!

Plot:
Sherry and her family have lived sealed in a bunker in the garden since things went wrong up above. Her grandfather has been in the freezer for the last three months, her parents are at each other’s throats and two minutes ago they ran out of food.

Sherry and her father leave the safety of the bunker and find a devastated and empty LA, smashed to pieces by bombs and haunted by ‘Weepers’ - rabid humans infected with a weaponized rabies virus.

While searching for food in a supermarket, Sherry’s father disappears and Sherry is saved by Joshua, a boy-hunter. He takes her to Safe-haven, a tumble-down vineyard in the hills outside LA, where a handful of other survivors are picking up the pieces of their ‘other lives’. As she falls in love for the first time, Sherry must save her father, stay alive and keep Joshua safe when his desire for vengeance threatens them all.

Tales of Summer Romance

2011-08-10T09:01:00.003-04:00

Plot:

Dip your toes into a collection of short stories that will warm your heart like a sunny day at the beach. Tales of falling in love and finding romance that mends the broken heart, romance that's just for fun, romance from days gone by and romance that lasts forever. Summertime is heating up, so grab a cool drink, kick back and get swept away by a flurry of summer romance.

Tales of Summer Romance: A Collection of Short Stories

Review:

Love this collection. The stories range from Contemp to Historical. Great mix! Plus it features Historical Romance writer Susan Gee Heino (Author of Mistress By Mistake, Damsel in Distress, Temptress in Training). Each author brings a fresh new voice to the collection and it's a book I will probably reread again because I liked it so much. This is the ideal novel to take the beach and read while you soak up some summer sun. Great book for a cheap price (2.99) to add to you ereader. A the profits goes to animal charity too!

Double Take Covers: Perception (Clarity #2) by Kim Harrington

2011-08-01T14:06:00.001-04:00

Clarity rocked! I'm super excited to meet up with Clare again in Perception (Clarity #2). Look for it March 1st 2012 by Scholastic Point.

Plot:

When you can see things others can't, what do you do when someone's watching you?

Everybody knows about Clarity "Clare" Fern. She's the psychic girl in school, the one who can place her hands on something and see hidden visions from the past.

Only Clare would rather not be a celebrity. She prefers hanging back, observing. Her gift is not a game to her.

But then someone starts playing with her head . . . and heart. Messages and gifts from a secret admirer crop up everywhere Clare turns. Could they be from Gabriel, the gorgeous boy who gets Clare's pulse racing? Or from Justin, Clare's hopeful ex-boyfriend who'd do anything to win her back?

One thing is certain. Clare needs to solve this mystery, and soon. Because the messages are becoming sinister, and a girl in town has suddenly disappeared.

Double Take Covers: Pandemonium (Delirium #2) by Lauren Oliver

2011-08-01T13:58:00.000-04:00

This Dystopian series left me wanting more. Fingers crossed book two will rock. Pandemonium is scheduled to release March 6th 2012 by HarperTeen (first published February 2012).

Plot:
Lauren Oliver captivated readers with Delirium, the first book in a thrilling dystopian trilogy in which Lena Haloway dared to fall in love with Alex and escape the cure, the government-mandated procedure that renders a person immune to the disease of love. Lena and Alex staked their lives on leaving their oppressive society, but only Lena broke free.

Pandemonium continues Lena’s gripping story. After escaping from Portland, Maine, Lena makes it to the Wilds and becomes part of an Invalid community, where she transforms herself into a warrior for the resistance. A future without Alex is unimaginable, but Lena pushes forward and fights, both for him and for a world in which love is no longer considered a disease. Swept up in a volatile mix of revolutionaries and counterinsurgents, Lena struggles to survive—and wonders if she may be falling in love again.

Full of danger, forbidden romance, and exquisite writing, Lauren Oliver’s sequel to Delirium races forward at a breathtaking pace and is sure to appeal to fans who crave the high-stakes action of The Hunger Games and the bittersweet love story of Romeo & Juliet.

Double Take Covers: Fever (The Chemical Garden #2) by Lauren DeStefano

2011-08-01T11:19:00.000-04:00

I cannot wait for this book! Wither left off with such a cliff hanger! Fever hits shelves February 21st 2012 by Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing.

Plot:
Running away brings Rhine and Gabriel right into a trap, in the form of a twisted carnival whose ringmistress keeps watch over a menagerie of girls. Just as Rhine uncovers what plans await her, her fortune turns again. With Gabriel at her side, Rhine travels through an environment as grim as the one she left a year ago - surroundings that mirror her own feelings of fear and hopelessness.

The two are determined to get to Manhattan, to relative safety with Rhine’s twin brother, Rowan. But the road there is long and perilous - and in a world where young women only live to age twenty and young men die at twenty-five, time is precious. Worse still, they can’t seem to elude Rhine’s father-in-law, Vaughn, who is determined to bring Rhine back to the mansion...by any means necessary.

In the sequel to Lauren DeStefano’s harrowing Wither, Rhine must decide if freedom is worth the price - now that she has more to lose than ever.

A Need So Beautiful (A Need So Beautiful #1) by Suzanne Young

2011-07-27T14:08:00.000-04:00

A Need So Beautiful (A Need So Beautiful #1) by Suzanne Young

Hardcover, 272 pages

Published June 21st 2011 by Balzer & Bray

Plot:
We all want to be remembered. Charlotte's destiny is to be Forgotten...

Charlotte’s best friend thinks Charlotte might be psychic. Her boyfriend thinks she’s cheating on him. But Charlotte knows what’s really wrong: She is one of the Forgotten, a kind of angel on earth, who feels the Need—a powerful, uncontrollable draw to help someone, usually a stranger.

But Charlotte never wanted this responsibility. What she wants is to help her best friend, whose life is spiraling out of control. She wants to lie in her boyfriend's arms forever. But as the Need grows stronger, it begins to take a dangerous toll on Charlotte. And who she was, is, and will become--her mark on this earth, her very existence--is in jeopardy of disappearing completely.

Charlotte will be forced to choose: Should she embrace her fate as a Forgotten, a fate that promises to rip her from the lives of those she loves forever? Or is she willing to fight against her destiny--no matter how dark the consequences.

My Thoughts:

A Need So Beautiful is a novel that will stay with you. It's different. The whole time I was trying to figure things out, and I have to say I was pretty close with my predictions, but the ending threw me for a loop. Harlin absolutely made the book for me. It was nice to go into a novel with the main character already in a stable relationship and watch her struggle to maintain it with Harlin.The Need forces Charlotte to do things she doesn't want to do. When she tries to fight it, the pain is overwhelming. Harlin stays with her, he fights to keep her with him even though he's clueless what he's fighting against.

The ending is where everything goes down. You'll see what choice Charlotte makes and how much of a sacrifice it is. I felt my heart strings tug a lot in the last few pages.

I cannot wait for book two! I have to see what happens next, because for once, I am clueless on what could happen. This really was tied up so nicely it could've been a stand alone book, so I am interested to see what Charlotte will be up to!

Read this one if you like stories about helping people, angels, supernatural stores and great romance.

WINNER!! Crush Control Arc!

2011-07-22T08:29:00.000-04:00

The winner of Jennifer Jabaley's CRUSH CONTROL arc is..... *drum roll*

Erin Millar!

Thanks to everyone who entered and don't forget to enter our other great giveaways!

Are You Going To Kiss Me Now? Giveaway

2011-07-19T16:25:00.001-04:00

Wanna Win It??? Just comment below with your email address! Contest closes July 31st 2011! Open to US Only!

See My Review Here!

FANTASTIC BOOK REVIEW: Win Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris!

2011-07-19T16:11:00.000-04:00

FANTASTIC BOOK REVIEW: Win Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris!

CRUSH CONTROL Review and Giveaway!!

2011-07-18T09:29:00.001-04:00

Title: Crush Control
Author: Jennifer Jabaley
Publisher: Razorbill
Source: ARC

Reading, Writing and Waiting is excited to be part of Jennifer Jabaley's CRUSH CONTROL blog tour!

I read through CRUSH CONTROL at lightning speed because I couldn't stop myself! I remember reading about this sale in Publisher's Marketplace and thinking how awesome it sounded, and it didn't disappoint. I loved it!

Here's the blurb:

Willow has spent most of her life as her mother's sidekick in a popular Las Vegas hypnotism show. So when she and her mom move back to their sleepy southern hometown to start over, she thinks she's in for a life of quiet normalcy. Except that her new life turns out to be anything but, when she kinda sorta hypnotizes Quinton, the hottest guy on the football team, to fall madly, deeply, head over heels in love with her. But what started out as an innocent way to make her best friend, Max, jealous soon gets way out of hand, and Willow begins to wonder if the mind - and more importantly, the heart - is something you can really control.

From the first chapter, I was a fan of Willow. She's quirky and funny and 100% relatable. When her dog starts humping hot guy, Quinton's leg at the park when they first meet, I was as humiliated for Willow as she was for herself.

Willow's BFF, Max, once chubby nice guy turned hottie, is swoon-worthy, but not above letting Willow know when he's disappointed in her for considering using hypnosis herself. But once the popularity takes hold and Willow can honestly say her hypnosis is helping others, it's hard to turn back...until it all goes very, very wrong.

Threaded through the story is a secondary plot about Willow's mom and grandma and what it takes to accept your child for who they are. It's equally well done and heart-warming.

This is a five star book that I plan to read again and again.

Do you want to own the Crush Control ARC?

All you need to do is leave a comment with your email address. Extra points for tweeting the contest - just make sure to @JamieMBlair me, so I know you tweeted! Winner will be picked at random on FRIDAY, July 22!

The Secret Society of the Pink Crystal Ball

2011-07-16T10:10:00.000-04:00

By Risa Green

Paperback, Published 2010 Sourcebooks
Source: Sourcebooks

In a world where nothing is certain, a little magic couldn't hurt...right?

Erin Channing is convinced that she’s the most boring, normal girl on the planet. But when her kooky aunt mysteriously dies and leaves Erin a pink crystal “answer ball” that really is magic, Erin’s boring, normal existence gets turned upside down. With the help of her two best friends, Lindsay and Samantha, Erin deciphers a set of cryptic rules for how to use the ball, while at the same time finds herself falling for a guy she thought she couldn’t stand. But when Lindsay and Samantha try to convince her to break one of the rules and use the ball to solve their own problems, the plan backfires on them, and Erin realizes that she must use her common sense and intelligence to get everything back to, well… normal.

My Thoughts:

This book was very enjoyable. I laughed a lot at the main characters and her friends. True to teenage form there is very definitely a moral to the story and the main trio, Erin, Lindsay and Samantha, go through some extreme character growth by the end. They get into several jambs, that upon further attempts to extricate themselves just land in more hot water. This book is a light, easy read, perfect for a day at the pool.----Michele

Are You Going to Kiss Me Now? by Sloane Tanen

2011-07-14T21:00:00.000-04:00

Are You Going to Kiss Me Now?

by Sloane Tanen

Paperback, 354 pages

Published May 1st 2011 by Sourcebooks Fire (first published April 27th 2011)

Source: Sourcebooks Fire

Plot:

High school junior Francesca Manning is an outsider, an aspiring writer and secret devourer of celebrity gossip mags. A fake essay to Seventeen wins her the celeb-schmoozing opportunity of a lifetime, but after the plane crashes, she's stranded on a desert island with five of the most clueless, self-involved headcases to escape Hollywood. Happily skewering their foibles in witty observations on her iPhone proves surprisingly educational for Francesca. The group must work together to survive-if they don't insult each other to death first.

My Thoughts:

I'm lovin' all the great summer reads I've been sent lately. Are You Going To Kiss Me Now? was the funniest novel I've read in a long time. It took me back to the day when Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie started The Simple Life. Posh celebrities and their lifestyles crack me up. If they only knew how the other half of us live, right? This novel had the same kind of humor. I literally wanted to reach in and smack some of the characters for being so dumb.

The plot wasn't terribly involved, so if you are looking for a light read to throw in your beach bag that will entertain you for a while, this is it. You'll be able to zip through this one fairly quick and maybe get a laugh or two.

Original Sin (Personal Demons #2) by Lisa Desrochers

2011-07-13T09:06:00.001-04:00

Original Sin (Personal Demons #2)

by Lisa Desrochers

Paperback, 398 pages

Published July 5th 2011 by Tor Teen

Source: Review Copy from Tor Teen

Plot:

Luc Cain was born and raised in Hell, but he isn’t feeling as demonic as usual lately—thanks to Frannie Cavanaugh and the unique power she never realized she had. But you can’t desert Hell without consequences, and suddenly Frannie and Luc find themselves targeted by the same demons who used to be Luc’s allies.

Left with few options, Frannie and Luc accept the protection of Heaven and one of its most powerful angels, Gabe. Unfortunately, Luc isn’t the only one affected by Frannie, and it isn’t long before Gabe realizes that being around her is too…tempting. Rather than risk losing his wings, he leaves Frannie and Luc under the protection of her recently-acquired guardian angel.

Which would be fine, but Gabe is barely out the door before an assortment of demons appears—and they’re not leaving without dragging Luc back to Hell with them. Hell won’t give up and Heaven won’t give in. Frannie’s guardian exercises all the power he has to keep them away, but the demons are willing to hurt anyone close to Frannie in order to get what they want. It will take everything she has and then some to stay out of Hell’s grasp.

And not everyone will get out of it alive.

My Thoughts:

Going into this novel I knew there was a new point of view coming, thanks to Lisa's twitter teasers, but I wasn't sure who it would be until I got into the the book. I was surprised to find out it was Matt, Frannie's twin brother, whom we met in Personal Demons. It took me a while to get into his perspective on things mainly because he came off a little too pissed off at Frannie and Luc's relationship. I've always been Team Luc. But after reading further, I discovered the view from his eyes was imperative to propel the story forward and possibly lead us into book three.

Luc is still Luc. Hot as ever and totally into Frannie, willing to do anything for her. And yes there are some smexy time scenes in this book. I can always count on Frannie to deliver those. That girl has some raging hormones.

Gabe is still in the picture too, but he really only appears in the first and last 3/4 of the book. He wasn't really vital in the meat of the plot line this time. Frannie's attraction to Gabe is still there even though she and Luc are an official couple now. Is is wrong to lust after an angel? Because Frannie seems like she's always ready to jump his bones, which doesn't bother me because I love the love triangle and tension it creates.

There's nothing like two guys jealous over a girl.

We meet some new demons this round as well. I like the spin Ms. Desrochers created on demons and biblical mythology. It was a cool twist. When you meet the villain, you'll want to punch them, or maybe that's just me.

This sequel is a must read for Personal Demons fans. If you haven't read book one and like demon vs angels stories, run out and get it. You won't be disappointed.

Double Take Covers: Tempest by Julie Cross

2011-07-12T10:00:00.000-04:00

The cover alone makes me want to read this one! I gotta find out about these people on the cover! Tempest hits shelves January 3rd 2012 by Thomas Dunne.

Plot:

Jackson thought he had all the time in the world with Holly. Until time took him away from her . . .

Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy . . . who just happens to be able to travel through time. It’s all just harmless fun until the day Jackson witnesses his girlfriend, Holly, get fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years, but it’s not long before the people who shot Holly come looking for him. And these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit (or kill) this powerful young time-traveler. Jackson must decide how far he is willing to go to save Holly . . . and the entire world.

Double Take Covers:

2011-07-12T09:54:00.000-04:00

OMG you guys look! Nightshade 3!! Expected publication: February 21st 2012 by Philomel. I can't wait!

Plot:
Is true love worth the ultimate sacrifice?

Double Take Covers: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

2011-07-12T09:46:00.000-04:00

This book looks awesome! The cover is a little creepy but I like it. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer hits shelves September 27th, 2011!

Plot:

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

It can.

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

There is.

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

She's wrong.

Double Take Covers: The Near Witch

2011-07-12T09:39:00.000-04:00

The Near Witch, release date August 2, 2011, has a stunning cover! Make sure to mark this one on your to be read list!

Plot:
The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children.

If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company.

And there are no strangers in the town of Near.

These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life.

But when an actual stranger—a boy who seems to fade like smoke—appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.

The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. Still, he insists on helping Lexi search for them. Something tells her she can trust him.

As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi’s need to know—about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.

Part fairy tale, part love story, Victoria Schwab’s debut novel is entirely original yet achingly familiar: a song you heard long ago, a whisper carried by the wind, and a dream you won’t soon forget.

Sometimes It Happens by Lauren Barnholdt

2011-07-12T09:07:00.000-04:00

Sometimes It Happens

by Lauren Barnholdt

Hardcover, 320 pages

Published July 12th 2011 by Simon Pulse

Source: Galley Grab

Plot:
On the last day of her junior year, Hannah's boyfriend Sebastian dumped her. Facing a summer of loneliness, Hannah turns to her best friend Ava for comfort. Ava does what BFFs do: she stays by Hannah's side...until it's time for Ava to head up to Maine for the summer. Also left behind is Ava's boyfriend, Noah, who's such a great guy he gets Hannah a job at the diner he waits tables at. Slowly, Hannah comes out of her funk thanks to Noah's good conversation and their fun times at the diner. But things get complicated when their friendship turns into attraction--and one night, into a passionate kiss.

The novel opens on the first day of senior year; the day Hannah is going to see Ava, Sebastian, and Noah all in one place. Over the course of the day secrets and betrayals are revealed, and alliances are broken and reformed. In the end, everyone is paired up once again, but not the way you might think...

My Thoughts:

There's nothing like a good contemporary in the summer. They can totally lift your mood because they are fun and the plots aren't super complicated, kind of like a romantic comedy. Ms. Barnholdt wrote TWO WAY STREET, another contemp novel that I feel in love with, so I was excited to review this novel.

The main character (MC) of Sometimes It Happens had such a great voice, as well as all of the secondary characters. If you've read any of my reviews before, you know the voice of the novels make or break a book for me. In young adult fiction, the teen voice has to ring true. If the MC sounds like an experienced adult or uses phrases that no teen would say I totally get turned off. YA is all about making mistakes and learning from them while you are coming of age and the voice needs to represent that.

I'm glad to say Hannah, our MC, pulled me in immediately. I loved how the novel switched from present time to past (over the summer) so we could watch things unfold. I understood why she liked Noah by reading the past parts of the story and then understood how guilty she felt by reading the present part of the story.

I would recommend this novel to any YA contemp fan. Readers who enjoyed novels like The Duff, Twenty Boy Summer, The Sky is Everywhere, Something Like Fate, Sarah Dessen novels, Anna and the French Kiss and Rachel Hawthorne novels will fall in love with this story.

The Book of Lost Souls by Michele Muto

2011-07-10T17:00:00.001-04:00

The Book of Lost Souls

by Michelle Muto

Kindle Edition, 324 pages

Published March 6th 2011
Source: Author Provided ARC

Plot:

When teen witch Ivy MacTavish changes a lizard into her date for a Halloween dance, everything turns to chaos. And when no one is powerful enough to transform him back except Ivy, it sparks the rumor: Like father, like daughter. Ivy has heard it all before - that her father, who left when she was seven – was involved with the darkest of magic.

Making the rumors worse, someone uses an evil spell book to bring back two of history's most nefarious killers. Ivy's got a simple plan to set things right: find the real dark spell caster, steal the book, and reverse the spell. No problem! But she’ll have to deal with something more dangerous than murderous spirits that want her and her friends dead: the school’s resident bad boy and hotter-than-brimstone demon, Nick Marcelli. Nick’s offering Ivy more than his help with recovering the missing book – he’s offering her a way to ditch her scaly reputation as a lizard-lover. Demons are about as hard to handle as black magic, and as Ivy soon discovers, it’s going to take more than a lot of luck and a little charm if she wants to survive long enough to clear her status as a dark witch, get a warm-blooded boyfriend, and have her former date back to eating meal worms before the week’s end.

My Thoughts:

I must say that this cover is quite alluring. It immediately drew my interest and I had to find out more. I was pleasantly surprised to find the story is a blessedly fresh new take on the supernatural world. There is lots of mystery, plotting, subterfuge and generous handfuls of comedy throughout the story. While there is a love triangle, it does not overwhelm and derail the plot line. I particularly liked the group of friends and their intra-dynamic.

The story itself is fast-paced, had me laughing out loud and rooting for bad-boy love interest Nick. This YA novel is definitely worth the wait.

----Michele

Love Story by Jennifer Echols ARC Review

2011-07-10T16:19:00.000-04:00

Love Story

by Jennifer Echols

Paperback, 256 pages

Expected publication: July 19th 2011 by MTV Books

http://jennifer-echols.com/lovestory.html

Source: Galley Grab

Plot:

She's writing about him. he's writing about her. And everybody is reading between the lines..

For Erin Blackwell, majoring in creative writing at the New York City college of her dreams is more than a chance to fulfill her ambitions--it's her ticket away from the tragic memories that shadow her family's racehorse farm in Kentucky. But when she refuses to major in business and take over the farm herself someday, her grandmother gives Erin's college tuition and promised inheritance to their maddeningly handsome stable boy, Hunter Allen. Now Erin has to win an internship and work late nights at a coffee shop to make her own dreams a reality. She should despise Hunter . . . so why does he sneak into her thoughts as the hero of her latest writing assignment?

Then, on the day she's sharing that assignment with her class, Hunter walks in. He's joining her class. And after he reads about himself in her story, her private fantasies about him must be painfully clear. She only hopes to persuade him not to reveal her secret to everyone else. But Hunter devises his own creative revenge, writing sexy stories that drive the whole class wild with curiosity and fill Erin's heart with longing. Now she's not just imagining what might have been. She's writing a whole new ending for her romance with Hunter . . . except this story could come true.

My Thoughts:

I love Jennifer Echols. Her contemporary YA stories hook me every time. I think I've read GOING TOO FAR at least three times. So, when I saw this book listed on Simon and Schuster Galley Grab I just had to read it.

This book is different than most YA contemp stories currently out there. Our main character (MC) Erin is a writer, just like many book worms out there. We follow along with Erin as she goes through her first critique session and watch as it doesn't go along as planned. We also get to read some of her work, including some steamy historical romance pieces that are based on events that have actually happened to her. No one would ever know this story is about her and the guy she used to lust after if said guy, Hunter, wouldn't happen to have joined her writing class on the second day.

I was embarrassed right along with Erin while Hunter read steamy scenes that obviously included him. I would've been mortified. I kept thinking OHMYGOD, OHMYGOD.

Another cool thing about this book is we get to read some of Hunter's writing, which obviously includes Erin. It was a way to get inside his head without the book having dual points of view. Let me just say, I don't know if I could've ever written about groping someone for my class. lol These two are very brave.

The only thing I didn't like about this book was it ended too quickly. I wanted more closure at the end. Sure it was implied what would happen, but I wanted to experience it with them. I wanted the showdown. For that reason I had to give this novel a 4/5 just because I felt a little gypped.

Read this one if you like a contemporary romances!

Dream Smashers by Angela Carlie -- Review

2011-07-01T11:33:00.001-04:00

Title: Dream Smashers
Author: Angela Carlie
Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 242 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace (March 30, 2011)

http://www.angelacarlie.com/
http://www.angelacarlie.blogspot.com/
http://www.darksidepublishing.com/

Available at Amazon.

Sixteen-year-old Autumn is a human heartache. Everywhere she turns people are stomping on her hopes and dreams. Her mom’s a tweaker. She’s lived with her chain-smoking grandmother for as long as she can remember. Even her best friend has issues. Autumn seems to be the only responsible person she knows and she’s sick of putting up with it all.

When she meets Evan, a hot guy without a worry in the world, she can only wonder if he’s for real or just another Dream Smasher.

A girl who no longer wants to care and a boy who cares enough for the both of them. Dream Smashers is a love story, but most of all, it’s about letting go.

I'll admit, I haven't read many Indie books. The ones I have read were written by friends, like fellow reviewer, Stephanie Jenkins. So, when Annie asked if I'd like to review Dream Smashers, I figured it would be a great way to jump into the Indie waters so-to-speak.

The jacket copy sounded right up my alley, and I dove right in. The first thing I noticed was how good of a writer Angela Carlie is. At times her similes and metaphors are reaching and overwrought, but her descriptions create a world we can walk through with the main character, Autumn, who is well fleshed out and three dimensional. Autumn's best friend, Rainy, is her total opposite and a riot to read. Most of the secondary characters were all written well, and I hated Autumn's meth addicted mother, Jacinda, like I think I was supposed to, but that's tricky because...

Dream Smashers is written in multiple points of view. While the bulk of the book is written from Autumn's first person perspective, the reader does get to spend some third-person time inside Jacinda's head and Evan, the eventual love interest, as well. Jacinda's chapters made me feel like I'm supposed to understand what she was going through and feel sorry for her. But, I didn't want to feel sorry for her, because this was Autumn's story, not Jacinda's. I'm not 100% convinced that the manuscript needed the point of view shifts, and that's where I'm conflicted.

Other than the point of view shifts, my conflict also came in the form of Evan, who is an absolute knight in shining armor. Because he had no flaws, he was a flat character. But, he was also something we never (or very rarely) see in mainstream young adult fiction: a "Jesus Freak" (as he's referred to in the book).

At first, this was a little bit off-putting, even thought I'm a Christian myself. But, I was put at ease because Autumn felt the same way I did. It felt a little awkward to Autumn, being around a guy that was as faithful as Evan. So, her reaction was real for her as someone who isn't a huge believer, which she wasn't at first.

I caught myself thinking at night about this aspect of Dream Smashers that is so different, and I found myself liking that Evan was a "Jesus Freak" (again, that term is used in the book), because that's who Evan is, and he owns it. It turns out that Evan is just what Autumn needs and shows her how to have faith and believe, which had always been something that was missing from her messed up childhood with a drug-addicted mom.

The book ends on a high note with Autumn growing into her own person and realizing she owns her dreams for the future, and they'll only be smashed if she lets them.

Overall, a distinct voice and different spin on what could've become a typical YA issue book, making Dream Smashers stand out from other gritty contemporary novels.

Tales of Summer Romance

2011-06-27T10:59:00.001-04:00

Tales of Summer Romance, A Collection of Short Stories by Fiction Flurry

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Love this collection. The stories range from Contemp to Historical. Great mix! Plus it features Historical Romance writer Susan Gee Heino (Author of Mistress By Mistake, Damsel in Distress, Temptress in Training). Great book for a cheap price to add to you ereader. A portion of the profits goes to charity too!

View all my reviews

Die For Me by Amy Plum--Review

2011-06-20T11:39:00.000-04:00

Title: Die For Me
Author: Amy Plum
Hardcover, 341 pages

Published May 10th 2011 by HarperTeen
Author Website: http://www.amyplumbooks.com/
Series: Revenants #1
Setting: Paris, 2010 (France)

Plot:

In the City of Lights, two star-crossed lovers battle a fate that is destined to tear them apart again and again for eternity.

When Kate Mercier's parents die in a tragic car accident, she leaves her life--and memories--behind to live with her grandparents in Paris. For Kate, the only way to survive her pain is escaping into the world of books and Parisian art. Until she meets Vincent.

Mysterious, charming, and devastatingly handsome, Vincent threatens to melt the ice around Kate's guarded heart with just his smile. As she begins to fall in love with Vincent, Kate discovers that he's a revenant--an undead being whose fate forces him to sacrifice himself over and over again to save the lives of others. Vincent and those like him are bound in a centuries-old war against a group of evil revenants who exist only to murder and betray. Kate soon realizes that if she follows her heart, she may never be safe again.

My Thoughts:

The story of Kate and Vincent hooked me. I like a good old fashioned romance, matter of fact, that's what I liked best about this book--the romance. The mystery of where the relationship of Kate and Vincent was going sucked me in. I rooted for them to get together. They had great chemistry.

The premise was different. I hadn't read a spin on zombies like this before. It kept me reading on because I wanted to know more about the Revenants. Ms. Plum did a great job creating the world and explaining the world's rules in this novel.

Read this one if you like paranormal romance with a zombie twist.

Guest Post by Katherine Easer Author of Vicious Little Darlings

2011-06-06T10:00:00.000-04:00

DISCOVERING SARAH

By Katherine Easer

Before I began writing Vicious Little Darlings, I thought I had a pretty good idea of who my narrator was. Her name was Sarah Weaver, and she was a brown-eyed, raven-haired seventeen-year-old from California. I knew Sarah’s religious beliefs, past experiences, fears, weaknesses, and talents. I even knew her thoughts on Justin Timberlake. Feeling fairly prepared, I began to write.

Thirty pages into my first draft, I realized I didn’t know Sarah at all. The pages were lifeless; her voice was flat. Sarah said what I wanted her to say, and she did what the plot required her to do, but she didn’t feel like a real person. She existed solely in the left hemisphere of my brain—though I didn’t know that at the time—and hadn’t yet come to life. I threw away my pages and spent the rest of the day trying to get to know her. Frantic brainstorming ensued. I interviewed Sarah, free wrote, drank a lot of coffee, free wrote some more. Still, she eluded me. Maybe what I needed was to relax, I thought, and to let my mind wander. I ran a bath. I lit candles and waited for inspiration to strike. Nothing happened. Frustrated, I decided to sit at my desk and try writing again, but three dull paragraphs and an hour later, I was exhausted. It was midnight, and I needed sleep.

When my head hit the pillow, a strange and magical thing occurred. I heard a voice in my head. It was a voice I didn’t recognize, but I knew that it belonged to Sarah. Though I had heard about this kind of thing from other writers, I’d never experienced it firsthand. My subconscious was now engaged, and Sarah, in her own words, was telling me about her life. She was sassy, snarky, and a little bit angry, and she wouldn’t stop talking. I turned on the light and wrote down everything she said.

Writing didn’t exactly become easy after that, but it became easier. I realized that it was when I stopped trying to define, control, judge, or even think about Sarah that she sprang to life. I learned that I didn’t have to force the writing; I just had to let go and trust my narrator. And when I did that, interesting things began to happen. --Katherine Easer

Katherine Easer is the author of Vicious Little Darlings. You can visit her at: www.katherineeaser.com

THANK YOU Katherine for a brilliant guest post. Those are exactly the kinds of stories readers want to know. I wish you much success on the books release!

Be Sure and check out Katherine's novel VICIOUS LITTLE DARLINGS (Hits shelves June 21st 2011). It's one of my favorite novels this year! Put this one down on your to be read list IMMEDIATELY. You can read my review ->HERE<- and see how I gushed away about it even before I knew how awesome the author was. ;)

Submerge (Sequel to Lure) by Stephanie Jenkins

2011-06-03T07:35:00.000-04:00

Plot:
One month has passed since Charlotte revealed her world to Wyatt and now, she’s running out of time. The Winter Solstice is under three months away, and she’s still immortal. To complicate matters, she’s stuck with Lorelei’s old job of guiding bad souls—a curse that pulls her to the sea like a magnet she can’t possibly ignore. When Matt returns to town and the banished goddess of temptation shows up claiming she’s in charge of watching over Charlotte, it’s apparent that her senior year will blow.

The siren hunter is back, the gods are furious, and as the goddess of temptation toys with the male—and female—population of Gloucester, Charlotte can’t help but notice that Wyatt is pulling away from her. When her time is up, will Charlotte chose love and mortality or protecting the ones she loves from the gods she’s offended?

Expected publication July 1, 2011!!! So if you haven't read LURE (Siren's Call) you better get on it so you're ready to snap up book number two soon!

Lure's Book Trailer:

Breaking Dawn Teaser Trailer!

2011-06-02T19:11:00.000-04:00

So it begins...

Be sure to set your DVRs to MTV Sunday night at 9pm for the MTV movie awards where the full trailer will be revealed for The Twilight Saga Breaking Dawn Part One. I can't wait to see how they are going to film the "fade to black" scene from the book. LOL I swear through the ENTIRE series I was waiting for that one scene because of all the build up and what do we get? A freakin' fade to black scene with the aftermath revealed the next day. Let's hope film number four is a good one!

The Iron Thorn (Iron Codex #1) by Caitlin Kittredge

2011-05-28T17:12:00.001-04:00

Title: The Iron Thorn (Iron Codex #1)
by Caitlin Kittredge

Hardcover, 512 pages

Published February 22nd 2011 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers (first published February 20th 2011)

Plot:

In the city of Lovecraft, the Proctors rule and a great Engine turns below the streets, grinding any resistance to their order to dust. The necrovirus is blamed for Lovecraft's epidemic of madness, for the strange and eldritch creatures that roam the streets after dark, and for everything that the city leaders deem Heretical—born of the belief in magic and witchcraft. And for Aoife Grayson, her time is growing shorter by the day.

Aoife Grayson's family is unique, in the worst way—every one of them, including her mother and her elder brother Conrad, has gone mad on their 16th birthday. And now, a ward of the state, and one of the only female students at the School of Engines, she is trying to pretend that her fate can be different.

My Thoughts:

I'm lovin' all these dystopian novels that are out right now. This was one was so dark and twisted, which to me, made it stand out among some of the others. There is some very dark imagery in his novel, but I kind of expected that going in because I have read Ms. Kittredge's adult series. I very much appreciate a dark story. They really pull me into the world.

The main character is very caring and somewhat brainwashed in this novel, but she a little snark in there and isn't afraid to turn it on when it comes to her family. The journey this story takes you on is awesome! It will keep you on the edge of your seat and make you root for Aoife to succeed.

Read this one if you like dytopian, steam punk novels!

STARCROSSED by JOSEPHINE ANGELINI - Review

2011-05-28T16:54:00.001-04:00

Title: STARCROSSED
Author: Josephine Angelini
Hardcover, 496 pages

Expected publication: May 31st 2011 by HarperTeen

Plot:

How do you defy destiny?

Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.

As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart.

My Thoughts:

Gah! I love, love stories. Especially when the two people in the relationship want to kill each other all the time! LOL

This one was so good. I loved the spin on Greek mythology--very original. The first couple chapters really just help the reader get to know the main character and build repore with her, but then once we meet Lucas I was absolutely hooked. Romance makes or breaks a story for me and it definitely made the story here for me.
Read this one if you are a romance junkie!

Lost Voices by Sarah Porter

2011-05-28T16:40:00.000-04:00

Lost Voices (Lost Voices #1)

by Sarah Porter

Hardcover, 304 pages
Expected publication: July 4th 2011 by Harcourt Children's Books

Plot:
Fourteen-year-old Luce has had a tough life, but she reaches the depths of despair when she is assaulted and left on the cliffs outside of a grim, gray Alaskan fishing village. She expects to die when she tumbles into the icy waves below, but instead undergoes an astonishing transformation and becomes a mermaid. A tribe of mermaids finds Luce and welcomes her in—all of them, like her, lost girls who surrendered their humanity in the darkest moments of their lives. Luce is thrilled with her new life until she discovers the catch: the mermaids feel an uncontrollable desire to drown seafarers, using their enchanted voices to lure ships into the rocks. Luce possesses an extraordinary singing talent, which makes her important to the tribe—she may even have a shot at becoming their queen. However her struggle to retain her humanity puts her at odds with her new friends. Will Luce be pressured into committing mass murder?

My Thoughts:

This book has some pretty dark themes. There's abuse and neglect and a near rape scene, so even though the the protagonist in this story in only fourteen don't expect a fluffy story. I read this novel in one sitting and while I found some slow parts in the novel the main plot kept pulling me through. I just had to see how Luce was going to deal with the struggle and choice she was faced with. I loved the spin on the mermaid tale in this one, but this one isn't the typical type of book I like to read.

Read this one if you like novels like SPEAK and WINTERGIRLS with a supernatural twist.

Midnight Sun: Edward Attacks Bella In Bio Scene

2011-05-22T09:56:00.000-04:00

YouTube has opened my eyes to a few little informational nuggets this week. Today I want to share a YouTube I came across of Edward attacking Bella in Bio. I never knew this was ever shot for the film, but if you read Midnight Sun then you already know Edward thought intensely about killing Bella in this scene. I just love anything visual, so I'm glad I came across this because let's be honest, any new Twilight scenes are fun for us YA people.

What do you guys think? Was this one a keeper??

Musical Motivation: Evanescence VS We Are the Fallen

2011-05-21T10:08:00.001-04:00

Okay, so may I live under a rock and I totally didn't know there was a huge battle going one between Evanescence and their former band mates who have started We Are the Fallen. The fans are apparently very passionate about this subject. Like most YA writers, I love Evanescence. There's just something so inspiring about songs about dark, twisted love. After all, isn't that what the Young Adult genre is all about?

So when I was browsing youtube to watch some Evanescence for some writing motivation this popped up:

After I watched that, I immediately looked up the new band.

I mean, I love Amy Lee and her style, but great music is great music. As long as it sounds amazing and inspires me, I love it. I totally think there's room for both bands because there's been such a huge void in the female lead Gothic rock since Amy Lee's band Evanescence hasn't put out a full record since 2006. I wish I would've known about We Are the Fallen's album release back in 2010.

So here it is my fellow writers and Evanescence fans. What do you think? Do you rock out when you write?

Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma - Review

2011-05-16T23:18:00.000-04:00

Forbidden

by Tabitha Suzuma

Published Orginally: May 27th 2010 by Definitions
My Copy Info: This edition: Hardcover, 464 pages; Publication date: June 28, 2011
Ages: above 16
Source: Galley Grab

Plot:
Seventeen-year-old Lochan and sixteen-year-old Maya have always felt more like friends than siblings. Together they have stepped in for their alcoholic, wayward mother to take care of their three younger siblings. As defacto parents to the little ones, Lochan and Maya have had to grow up fast. And the stress of their lives--and the way they understand each other so completely--has also also brought them closer than two siblings would ordinarily be. So close, in fact, that they have fallen in love. Their clandestine romance quickly blooms into deep, desperate love. They know their relationship is wrong and cannot possibly continue. And yet, they cannot stop what feels so incredibly right. As the novel careens toward an explosive and shocking finale, only one thing is certain: a love this devastating has no happy ending.--Simon and Schuster

My Thoughts:

I go into every book with an open mind. Some books surprise me. I get into them and a fall in love with the characters even though the subject matter of the novel may be a little uncomfortable. That's exactly what happened with FORBIDDEN. Sure, I've heard of this one through the blogging community when it was released over in the UK, but never got the opportunity to read it for myself. Reviews vary for this novel. Some love it while others hate it. I'll admit it is hard to get over the fact that the love story in this novel is between brother and sister, and no, I don't mean step. I'm talkin' same momma and daddy here. Full on siblings.

Now I know what you're thinking, ewwww gross, how can people read something like that. It is pretty creepy. But I will say Ms. Suzuma did such an excellent job building the characters that it was easy to forget they were siblings. Their lives are just so messed up. Their dad wants nothing to do with them. Their mom is an alcoholic that stays gone most of the time, which leaves the two main characters alone, raising the younger kids in the family. The dynamics of the family are so crazy, it's believable that this incestuous love story could happen. It's like they are in their own little world and no one else can understand but each other.

For me the story really took off the last 3/4 of the book. That was where all the action was. It really hooked me in and I flew through the end. It was sooooooo sad. Be prepared for that. It was probably the saddest YA contemporary story I've ever read. Very realistic and I can totally see a situation like that happening in real life.

All in all I say read it with an open mind. This is not a book that I think is suitable for the younger YA crowd, best to stick with 16 and up for this one. There is a gritty sex scene in this one and the subject matter in general is best suited for a mature reader.

The Iron Daughter (Iron Fey #2) by Julie Kagawa

2011-05-16T22:33:00.000-04:00

The Iron Daughter (Iron Fey #2)

by Julie Kagawa

Paperback, 359 pages
Published August 1st 2010 by Harlequin Teen (first published July 27th 2010)

Plot:
Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey—ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her.

Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's stuck in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.

My Thoughts:

I'm a little late hoping on the Iron Fey ban wagon, but I love this series. Book #1 in this series totally hooked me in and this novel started off right where the first book left off. It was good to find out what was happening between Meghan and Ash. I'd missed them when I ended book one.

There's just something about a guy who tries to push the main character away because it's for his and her own good, but just can't fight his heart even though he knows the girl can throw his world off balance. This novel has that. In book one we really get to know Meghan and Ash and the short novella, Winter's Passage, that falls between books one and two is a MUST READ. It lets you in on what happened on the rest of their journey to the Winter Kingdom and draws you further into the love story.

Ash is such a well developed character. He makes the story so enthralling, I literally carried this book around with me everywhere until I finished it. Not since Edward in Twilight has a love interest hooked me this way. He has so many inner demons and Meghan is the one person who can get beneath that frigid layer of ice that surrounds his heart. Love him!

Bottom line, I love this series and can't wait to read more. I've already read The Iron Queen and will post my review soon. I'm super excited that Ms. Kagawa is releasing a story soon from Ash's point of view. If you haven't read this series, DO IT!!

EReader Review: After 7 Months of Use

2011-05-06T11:51:00.000-04:00

There are tons of people out there who are still resistant to the ereader. A lot of people I talk to have written ereaders off as a passing fad. To them books you can hold in your hand and smell are the ONLY way to read. I have to admit a year ago I was one of those people. I bucked the idea of losing my book case and all of the beautiful books it contained, but last year I took the ereader plunge. I felt like I really didn't have a choice because more and more advanced copy books were coming out as ebooks. Sites like NETGALLEY and GALLY GRAB allow more bloggers/book reviews to get their hands on advanced copies, but the catch is you have to read them on the computer, tablet or ereader.

At first, I felt like the Kobo ereader I purchased was just another screen to stare at and I would HATE it, but then as I started to cart the little thing around I noticed it had some advantages.

1.) It's smaller which also means lighter.

I am a pediatric special needs nurse, which means the children I care for go to school. Now, I'm only there for their medical needs, but their educational needs are met by the teaching staff. So, while I'm sitting with them in ART, MUSIC, GYM ect. I need something to do. Sure I help out, but I want them to be independent, so I have to make myself busy. What's great about the ereader in this situation is that I can take it everywhere! I have like 300 books on mine right now. If I open one and start to read it and it's just not holding my attention, I have 299 more to pick from in one tiny little machine. No more of taking only one book with you and then you hate it. Cool right?

2.) Nobody knows what you are reading.

ARC I'm currently reading

I kind of like that. If you've been to my site before you know I primarily read young adult books. Which I'm not embarrassed about at all, but sometimes it's hard to explain to snooty literary types that you're an adult reading a teen book. Some people think it's weird. *insert eye roll here* So to avoid literary arguments about what other people think I should read, I just don't tell them it's YA. I tell them the basic plot instead. Sneaky, I know.

3.) Advanced copies galore!

If you are a new book reviewer and you are wondering how I get so many ARCs (check this post here), I want you to know that 60% of what I read is now ebooks. A few of publishers, authors and publicist still send me actual printed books, but a lot of them are starting to branch out into ebooks. I really like digital galleys--retty much because of reason number one. When you get books sent to you, some of them may not necessarily be what you would pick to read on your own. You may find 20-50 pages into a novel that it just isn't for you.

4.) Self Published Works

This is a really big one for me right now. There are a TON of undiscovered jewels out there in self-published land. Several of these books have been agented before, which means it's not that they aren't wonderful novels, just means publishers didn't feel the book would sell in the current market. Look at authors like Amanda Hockings. She has a huge following and I've always wanted to read her series. With an ereader I can totally do that. I bought MY BLOOD APPROVES for only 99cents! Insane, right? You can't even buy a pack of gum for that price. I'm much more willing to gambleon an unhyped book for under 2 bucks! I think epublishing is going to change up the industry and allow more unknown authors to get discovered. Here are a few other kick ass ones I've found so far:

Lure by Stephanie Jenkins

The Book of Lost Souls by Michelle Muto

Ordained (The Immortal Archives) by Devon Ashley

(If you don't have a kindle you can buy self published novels from Smashwords with just about any ereader)

5.) Buying Digitally

Purchased Tuesday!

With crazy high gas prices and my nearest bookstore being 20 miles away, buying digitally is a big sell. If I want a book all I have to do is go to a site that sells ebooks (Borders, Barnes&Noble, Amazon and Books on Board) and purchase it from there. After a few clicks it's magically in my digital library. And I didn't even leave the house. Pretty awesome!! Can't beat shopping in your pajamas!

I think I'm pretty much a digital reader lover now. With all the perks I can overlook the fact that much book shelf may eventually be a thing of the past.

Thoughts? Questions? Comments? Shout them out!

Happy Reading!

Annie

The Goddess Test

2011-05-04T19:39:00.000-04:00

Synopsis:his novel was spot on. With so many authors jumping on the ePub bandwagon I've seen quite a distressing number of poorly edited novels. Which, even with a killer plot line and characters, the mistakes ruin the flow and kick me out of the story. I had no such troubles with this novel. I was fully suspended in Kate and Henry's world and loved every minute of it!

It's always been just Kate and her mo

m—and her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear her mother won't live past the fall.

Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld—and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.

Kate is sure he's crazy—until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride, and a goddess.

My Thoughts:

AMAZING!!!! A MUST READ! I DEVOURED IT IN 24 HOURS! From a reader stand point this novel pulled me in from the first page. I was fully engrossed and chasing the plot as fast as my eyes could scan the pages. A wonderful change of pace from the typical teenage angst novel. No annoying love triangle to contend with. Just a spectacular love story with a back drop of the Greek gods and goddesses. I loved the trials and tribulations the main character Kate had to face. The characters were fully developed, believable and most of all lovable.

From an editing standpoint t

I can't wait for the sequel!

by Aimee Carter

Paperback, 304 pages

Published April 19th 2011 by Harlequin Teen

ULTRAVIOLET by R.J. ANDERSON

2011-05-03T13:56:00.001-04:00

Title: Ultraviolet
Author: R.J. ANDERSON

Goodreads

Amazon purchase here

REVIEW

I read this book in 3 hours! Could NOT stop! Ignored my husband, kid, dishes etc...

Wonderfully written, enticing, poignant, soulful. I was deeply tethered to Alison from beginning to end. Her plight is written with such honesty you can't help but be emotionally drawn in. As a reader I shared her experiences, felt her confusion; the soaring highs and desolate lows. A difficult task for any writer.

Anderson does an exceptional job of putting the honest, raw emotion Alison, the main character, experiences on display. From the betrayal of her parents to the mental acuities in the institution. A bonus for me is when I can't decipher the ending until ... the ending, this book has that covered. I was left guessing until the very end about what was real and what was imaginary.

SYNOPSIS

Once upon a time there was a girl who was special.

This is not her story.

Unless you count the part where I killed her.

Sixteen-year-old Alison has been sectioned in a mental institute for teens, having murdered the most perfect and popular girl at school. But the case is a mystery: no body has been found, and Alison's condition is proving difficult to diagnose. Alison herself can't explain what happened: one minute she was fighting with Tori -- the next she disintegrated. Into nothing. But that's impossible. Right?

Paperback, UK , 416 pages
Expected publication: June 2nd 2011 by Orchard

The Undertakers: The Rise of the Corpses by Ty Drago

2011-05-03T13:49:00.000-04:00

Title: The Undertakers: The Rise of the Corpses
Author: Ty Drago

Published April 1st 2011 by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

Synopsis:
On a sunny Wednesday morning in October, a day that would mark the end of one life and the beginning of another, I found out my grouchy next door neighbor was the walking dead. When you turn around expecting to see something familiar, and instead see something else altogether, it takes a little while for your brain to catch up with your eyes. I call it the 'Holy Crap Factor.'A" Forced to flee his home and family, twelve-year-old Will Ritter falls in with the Undertakers--a rag-tag army of teenage resistance fighters, who've banded together to battle the corpses.

Do you see the living dead?
It's bad enough that Will Ritter discovers his next-door neighbor has become a walking, talking corpse. But when his assistant principal and math teacher also look like something from a horror flick, he begins to seriously questions his sanity --- until the Corpses attack.

Don't call them zombies. Zombies are slow and stupid. These things aren't To make matters worse, only a few people, like Will, can actually see them. Forced to join a ragtag army of teenage resistance fighters called the Undertakers, Will finds himself in the middle of a war against an invasion of the living dead. And in this war, the Undertakers aren't just the first line of defense --- they're the only line of defense.

Goodreads

My Thoughts:

My first reaction to reading the back cover of this novel was pure intrigue. This novel is such a deviation from the norm of what I read but, completely to my surprise, peaked my curiosity to such a point that I had to spend the afternoon reading it. I am surprised at how much I enjoyed the unique world created by Mr. Drago. I'm more of a romance and mystery kinda gal but I couldn't resist the creative unfolding of Will Ritter's unusual circumstances. While there is a very slight hint at possible romances in later books, our hero is after all only twelve years old. The natural chemistry between all the characters shines through. I was only a few chapters in when I realized I was emotionally invested in the plight of these rebel Undertakers.

Mr. Drago does an exemplary job of slowly unfolding the connections between past and present events. He doles out the information as a reader I am craving to know while simultaneously keeping our main chracters in the dark just long enough that I'm fairly screaming at them to catch on...There is a complexity to the story that strongly reminds me of the Pendragon Series by DJ McHale.

I thoroughly enjoyed jumping on board the hero train and going for a very long ride. I cannot wait for the sequel to find out how the rescue of our planet by a ragtag bunch of teens turns out.

----Michele----

Read the 1st 100 Pages of Divergent!

2011-05-02T09:26:00.001-04:00

Going stir crazy for tomorrows release of Divergent? Wanna check out the book that's been plastered everywhere? Well, my friends, today is your lucky day! Here's the link to read the 1st 100 pages of Divergent! You can get a jump start on that book you've been waiting for. Enjoy!!

Read 1st 100 pages of DIVERGENT!!

Humongo Blogaversary Giveaway!!!

2011-05-01T10:55:00.003-04:00

Reading, Writing and Waiting is almost TWO years old!! YAYAYAYAYA!!! So for my blog's birthday I'm giving away (To one lucky US follower) some of my favorite books!!! See Below What's Up For Grabs!!

The First Group of books is open to US only because I physically bought all of these books! Lure is Open Internationally since it is an ebook! If I gain a ton of new followers during this contest I may throw in a book of choice for international giveaway from Book Depository.

To Enter:

1. Follow this Blog via GFC
2. Leave your email address in the comments section and let me know if you are US or international!

Extra Entries:

+2 Tweet the giveaway!
+5 Post my giveaway button or blog button on your blog's sidebar (located at the bottom & left side of this blog---you can use which ever fits!)
+5 Do a Blog post about it!

(Just leave me the links in the comment section for your entries to count)

Contest Runs May 1st through May 31st @ 11:59pm

Good Luck!!!!!!!

If You are at my site for the Spring Carnival Hop enter HERE!!! (You can enter both giveaways!!)

Spring Blog Hop!

2011-05-01T10:09:00.007-04:00

Welcome To Our Stop on the Spring Blog Hop!!

Contest Runs May 1st throught May 8th @11:59pm

Please visit our hosts:
Candace’s Book Blog http://www.candacesbookblog/, Reading Angel http://www.readingangel.com/, Pure Imagination http://www.pureimaginationblog.com/, and The Book Swarm http://www.bookswarm.blogspot.com/)

Books up for grabs! Lure ebook (this one is open internationally), Paperbacks (Open to US Only): Never Cry Werewolf, Griffin Rising, Zan-Gah books, Wings, A Certain Slant of Light)

Rules: Paper Back giveaway is for US only followers, the ebook is open internationally!

To Enter:

1. Be a Follower on GFC on this blog

2. Leave a comment with your email address and tell me if you are US or international.

Number Randomizer Will Pick the winner. If the winner is an international follower, they will get the LURE ebook and a second winner will be drawn for the US package.

I will contact you if you win!

That's it!!!

Good Luck!! Happy Hopping!

Born At Midnight by C.C. Hunter - Review

2011-05-01T09:45:00.000-04:00

Title: Born at Midnight (Shadow Falls #1)

Author: C.C. Hunter

Paperback, 416 pages

Published March 29th 2011 by St. Martin's Griffin (first published March 17th 2011)
Source: ARC review

Plot:
One night Kylie Galen finds herself at the wrong party, with the wrong people, and it changes her life forever. Her mother ships her off to Shadow Falls—a camp for troubled teens, and within hours of arriving, it becomes painfully clear that her fellow campers aren’t just “troubled.” Here at Shadow Falls, vampires, werewolves, shapshifters, witches and fairies train side by side—learning to harness their powers, control their magic and live in the normal world.

Kylie’s never felt normal, but surely she doesn’t belong here with a bunch of paranormal freaks either. Or does she? They insist Kylie is one of them, and that she was brought here for a reason. As if life wasn’t complicated enough, enter Derek and Lucas. Derek’s a half-fae who’s determined to be her boyfriend, and Lucas is a smokin’ hot werewolf with whom Kylie shares a secret past. Both Derek and Lucas couldn’t be more different, but they both have a powerful hold on her heart.

Even though Kylie feels deeply uncertain about everything, one thing is becoming painfully clear Falls is exactly where she belongs…

My Thoughts:

This book started a little rocky for me, and at first I wasn't sure about it at all, but after I got into the novel (30-50 pages) I ended up loving it. This novel kind of puts me in mind of Hex Hall, which I absolutely LOVED, because of the camp of supernatural "freaks."

There were two things that kept me hooked in this one: Boys and the mystery of what kind of supernatural Kylie was.

Three potiental love interests in this book had me flipping the pages faster than I thought humanly possible. They all had likable quailties. Kylie could have easily picked any of the three as her main love interest and I would have still loved the possibilty that the other two were still on back-up. Such a great romance in there.

Kylie's supernatural ability makes her the freakiest freak at the school. Her power is as much a mystery to everyone else as it is to her. She didn't even really know she was gifted until she was shipped off to this camp. I love it when a main character is super special in some way.

Read this one if you like HAWT love interests and mutlitple supernatural creatures in one story.

We'll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han - Review

2011-04-26T12:17:00.001-04:00

Title: We'll Always Have Summer (Summer #3)

Author: Jenny Han

Series: Summer

Hardcover, 288 pages

Published April 26th 2011 by Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Source: Galley Grab

Plot:

It's been two years since Conrad told Belly to go with Jeremiah. She and Jeremiah have been inseparable ever since, even attending the same college-- only, their relationship hasn't exactly been the happily ever after Belly had hoped it would be. And when Jeremiah makes the worst mistake a boy can make, Belly is forced to question what she thought was true love. Does she really have a future with Jeremiah? Has she ever gotten over Conrad? It's time for Belly to decide, once and for all, who has her heart forever.

My Thoughts:

If you haven't read the first two books stop here!
OMG, you guys. That's all I have to say about the final book in this series. I liked the first book, really liked the second book and absolutely LOVED the third. The third book was so emotional. Jeremiah had moments where I wanted to punch him in the face (you'll find out why about 20-30 pages in), which took me off guard because I never thought I'd feel that way toward him based on the previous novels. Jeremiah was always sweet and caring, and I found what he did was totally out of character for him, but I think it was a necessary evil that had to be done to help the story along, even the best guys flubbed up some times. That being said I loved the drama this novel brought. It was very real. Struggles real couples go through all the time, which makes for an awesome contemporary novel in my eyes.

The ending was bitter sweet. I think Belly made the right choice in the end. The last 10 chapters were the best in the whole book. Gah! They were so good I re-read them three times. Loved them!

If you are a YA contemporary fan or YA romance fan you'll love this series, especially this book! Awesome read! It'll hook you.

Easter Blog Hop Winner!

2011-04-26T09:03:00.000-04:00

Congrats to Janelle!!

Random Number picked you as my Easter Blog Hop Winner! Congrats! Check your inbox for details.

Thanks to all who entered! Wish I had gifts for you all!

PS. My blog is about to have it's second birthday, so you know what that means...MASSIVE giveaway time! Check out the books that I am giving away:

I'll be throwing that post up May 1st and it will run through the entire month of may to give more people chances to enter to win some of my favorite books, so be sure to check back for that. Also I am listed on the Spring Carnival Blog Hop and that one runs May 1 through the 8th. I have a few goodies to hand out for that one as well.

Happy Reading! And Welcome new friends. :)

Hoppy Easter Eggstravaganza Blog Hop--Book Giveaway!

2011-04-19T21:07:00.001-04:00

Welcome to Reading, Writing & Waiting! I'll get right to the point because I know there are a TON of blogs to get through.

What's up for Grabs:

How to Enter:

Leave a Comment with your email address (entries valid during blog hop only: April 20th @ 12:00am through April 25th @ 11:59pm). I will contact the winner via email then announce it here once I have conformation from the winner. You DO NOT HAVE TO BE A BLOG FOLLOWER, however I can't tell you how much I love making new friends. Contest Ends April 25th at Midnight! US ONLY--No International entries please (I'm kinda poor at the moment). I'm doing two HUGE Giveaways in MAY (see the pic on the top left), so be sure to check back next month!!

GOOD LUCK!!!!

Bumped by Megan McCafferty -- Review

2011-04-17T14:56:00.000-04:00

Title: Bumped
Author: Megan McCafferty
Hardcover, 336 pages

Expected publication: April 26th 2011 by Balzer + Bray
Series: Bumped #1

Plot:

When a virus makes everyone over the age of eighteen infertile, would-be parents are forced to pay teen girls to conceive and give birth to their children, making teens the most prized members of society.

Sixteen-year-old identical twins Melody and Harmony were separated at birth and had never met until the day Harmony shows up on Melody’s doorstep. Until now, the twins have followed completely opposite paths. Melody has scored an enviable conception contract with a couple called the Jaydens. While they are searching for the perfect partner for Melody to bump with, she is fighting her attraction to her best friend Zen, who is way too short for the job.

Harmony has spent her whole life in religious Goodside, preparing to be a wife and mother. She believes her calling is to bring Melody back to Goodside and convince her that “pregging” for profit is a sin. But Harmony has secrets of her own that she is running from.

When Melody is finally matched with the world-famous, genetically flawless Jondoe, both girls’ lives are changed forever. A case of mistaken identity takes them on a journey neither could have ever imagined, one that makes Melody and Harmony realize they have so much more than just DNA in common.

My Thoughts:

I need the next book!! I really liked this one. So different! Preggin' For Profit!

This book took me a few pages to get into, but once I did I was hooked. I enjoyed Melody's voice far more than Harmony's, but I loved Harmony's story more. Each chapter alternated between Melody and Harmony, twins that couldn't be more different. I like books with different points of view like that. Keeps things interesting.

If you are looking for your next dystopian fix give Bumped a shot!

Darkest Mercy By Melissa Marr -- Review

2011-04-17T14:38:00.000-04:00

Title: Darkest Mercy
Author: Melissa Marr
Hardcover, 327 pages

Published February 22nd 2011 by HarperCollins
Series: Wicked Lovely
Source: ARC

Plot:

The Summer King is missing; the Dark Court is bleeding; and a stranger walks the streets of Huntsdale, his presence signifying the deaths of powerful fey.

Aislinn tends to the Summer Court, searching for her absent king and yearning for Seth. Torn between his new queen and his old love, Keenan works from afar to strengthen his court against the coming war. Donia longs for fiery passion even as she coolly readies the Winter Court for battle. And Seth, sworn brother of the Dark King and heir to the High Queen, is about to make a mistake that could cost his life.

Love, despair, and betrayal ignite the Faery Courts, and in the final conflict, some will win . . . and some will lose everything.

The thrilling conclusion to Melissa Marr's New York Times bestselling Wicked Lovely series will leave readers breathless.

My Thoughts:

Everything was tied up neatly at the end of this series and it left me feeling completely content. I finally got to know what Seth is and who Aislinn picked. The story of Nail completely captivated me. I couldn't asked for a better ending to this series, although I will miss it terribly. Thank you Ms. Marr for a breathtaking series.

Must Read for fans of Wicked Lovely!

FREE Amazon YA Kindle Books!!!

2011-04-16T10:40:00.001-04:00

Download ALL of these YA books for free right now on AMAZON!!! Thought I'd share my little discovery with you guys!!

Lure by Stephanie Jenkins

2011-04-15T19:51:00.001-04:00

Title: Lure
Author: Stephanie Jenkins
Source: Ebook
Kindle Edition
Published March 29th 2011
Series: Siren's Lure

Plot:

Charlotte Brewer is sure she's crazy when she hears singing drifting from the ocean-normal people don't have arias playing on repeat in their head. When she gets wasted at a party and investigates the ethereal tune, she almost drowns. Charlotte comes to with an overwhelming thirst for salt water, a new desire to eat fish, and a heartbeat of only seven beats a minute. She wakes up by the sea almost every day and dead men wash up hours later.

But then Charlotte meets Lorelei, a siren. Lorelei reveals she saved her from drowning with the "Siren's Kiss"-a curse that made Charlotte a soulless immortal. Her role as a siren is simple: guide the souls of the dead at sea. Too bad taking care of the dead means being stuck in the middle of a war between a fertility goddess and the sirens . . . and losing her soul. If Charlotte wants to regain her mortality, she must find love with a mortal. And if she fails to secure it, she risks becoming a puppet to the gods.

My Thoughts:

I've read a ton of books, and I have to say Lure surpasses a lot of the books I've read lately. Charlotte makes you root for her. Her story is so addictive. I literally couldn't put it down. The voice in the first paragraph hooked me right away and told me this was a girl I could totally be friends with. She isn't afraid to call someone out on their crap, which in my eyes makes for an awesome female lead character. She will keep you on your toes.

I was captivated by the first chapter. I just had to find out what/who was singing and putting Charlotte in a trace where time would literally be sucked away from her. The Siren's song that calls to her hypnotizes her and causes her to do some crazy things.

The other characters in the novel were also well written. It's so hard to make secondary characters lovable, but Jenkins has done an awesome job of making me care for them and interested in their stories as well.

If you want romance in a YA novel, this one is for you. Wyatt sizzles and I can see why Charlotte is attracted to him. Hooray for hot boys in YA!! LOL This really kept the read going too. I wanted to know more about him and I rooted for him and Charlotte to hook up.

There is plenty of mystery and suspense in this novel, so if your looking for a YA fantasy novel to read that rocks and still doesn't break the bank, give LURE a shot!! I love, love, loved it and would totally recommend!!

Get it Here for only 99cents!!!:

Shift by Jeri Smith-Ready Review

2011-04-13T16:30:00.002-04:00

Shift by Jeri Smith-Redi

4 out of 5 stars

Expected Publication Date: May 3rd, 2011 by Simon Pulse

My thoughts:

For all of you waiting to continue the journey with Aura, Logan and Zachary, have no fear! Your wait is almost over and well worth it! The sequel was simply awesome! I could not put this book down.

Favorite Quote from the novel:

Even as my cheeks flooded and my chest ached at the unfairness of it all, part of me wondered:

Had Zachary seen a ghost? Had the Shift made our parents sick?

Could a kiss really change the world?

Non-stop from beginning to end. This sequel filled in just as much information as it opened new avenues to explore. Such an eye opener to the real workings of the DMP. More revelations on the connection between the Last and the First as well as Aura's parentage.

I will say that the threesome love triangles popular in novels today has begun to wear pretty thin. The heroines are full of angst as they try to decide between love interests. This story takes that question to a whole different level with quite a new spin. So, hang on for an intoxicating ride!

Plus, an amazing CLIFF HANGAR!!!! I am so anxious for the next book!

Plot:
Aura’s life is anything but easy. Her boyfriend, Logan, died, and his slides between ghost and shade have left her reeling. Aura knows he needs her now more than ever. She loves Logan, but she can’t deny her connection with the totally supportive, totally gorgeous Zachary. And she’s not sure that she wants to.

Logan and Zachary will fight to be the one by her side, but Aura needs them both to uncover the mystery of her past—the mystery of the Shift.
As Aura’s search uncovers new truths, she must decide whom to trust with her secrets…and her heart.

Review By Michele

Griffin Rising by Darby Karchut - Review

2011-04-11T10:12:00.001-04:00

Quick Review:

Paperback, 174 pages

Expected publication: June 28th 2011 by Twilight Times Books
http://www.darbykarchut.com/
Setting: High Springs, Colorado, 2011

Griffin Rising by Darby Karchut

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

My Thoughts:

This novel really grew on me. I've read a lot of angel books this year, but GRIFFIN RISING was unlike any of the other angel YA novels I've read lately. The main character suffered throughout a lot of abuse from his first mentor Nicopolis in the beginning of the novel. Basil couldn't have come into the picture soon enough and saved Griffin from his current situation. It kind of reminded me of the 3rd Karate Kid movie for some reason, where the mentor was out to purposely hurt his pupil and the good mentor comes in and saves the kid.

The love story between Kate and Griffin was totally sweet. Romance makes or breaks a book for me and this adventurous story had just the right balance for this plot. The moments between Kate and Griffin were some of my favorite in the whole book.

The other thing I enjoyed about this novel was the presents of parents, which rarely happens in young adult stories. Most of the time the parents are non-existent.

Read this one if you want an angel book with a different spin.

More Reviews: Reading, Writing and Waiting

View all my reviews

Plot:

For Griffin, it's time to angel up.

For centuries, rumors have abounded of a lowly caste of supernatural beings known as the Terrae Angeli. Armed with the power to control Earth, Fire, Wind and Water, these warriors secretly serve as guardians for mortals in danger.

But for one young angel-in-training, Griffin, life is hell as a cruel master makes his apprenticeship a nightmare. On the verge of failing, a new mentor, Basil, enters his life and changes it forever. It is their father-and-son relationship, sometimes turbulent, often hilarious, always affectionate, that sings through the story like a pure note.

Masquerading as the average teen next door, Griffin struggles to learn his trade, navigate the ups and downs of modern life among humans (including falling in love with the girl next door), and prepare for the ancient trial-by-combat every apprentice must pass at sixteen or be forced to become mortal.

Zan-Gah and the Beautiful Country by Allan Richard Shickman - Review

2011-04-11T08:57:00.002-04:00

Quick Review:

Zan-Gah and the Beautiful Country by Allan Richard Shickman

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is the second novel in the ZAN-GAH Series. It picks up about three years after the first story, which means our characters are a little more mature in this one. I really liked the character growth in this one. It was much darker than the first book and geared toward, what I felt, was a higher audience. The emotional baggage the characters have resulting from the struggles they went through in book one and during the next three years really drew me into this book.

If you are looking for a quick read, be sure and pick up this prehistoric adventure.

For More reviews: Reading, Writing and Waiting

View all my reviews

Plot:
The prehistoric saga continues in Zan-Gah and the Beautiful Country, the sequel to the award winning Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure. In this story, Zan s troubled twin brother, Dael, having suffered greatly during his earlier captivity, receives a ruinous new shock when his wife suddenly dies. Disturbed and traumatized, all of his manic energies explode into acts of hostility and bloodshed. His obsession is the destruction of the wasp men, his first captors, who dwell in the Beautiful Country. When he, Zan-Gah, and a band of adventurers trek to their bountiful home, they find that all of the wasp people have died in war or of disease. The Beautiful Country is empty for the taking, and Zan s people, the Ba-Coro, decide to migrate and resettle there. But the Noi, Dael s cruelest enemies and former tormentors, make the same migration from their desert home, and the possibility develops of contention and war over this rich and lovely new land.

Zan-Gah by Allan Richard Shickman - Review

2011-04-11T08:49:00.000-04:00

Quick Review:

Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure by Allan Richard Shickman

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Fast paced read set in a prehistoric setting. This isn't the typical book I like to read, but I was surprised at how much I liked it. It kept me hooked. I put this one off for a while because, honestly I thought I wouldn't like it at all, but I'm glad I finally gave it a try. When I sat down with an open mind I flew through this book in about four hours. I would recommend this one to the younger YA audience, though--ages of 9-12. So if you are in the market for a fast read that is truly different from everything else out there in the YA market, give this novel a try.

More Reviews: Reading, Writing and Waiting

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Plot:

Zan-Gah, seeking his lost twin brother in a savage prehistoric world, encounters adventure, suffering, conflict, captivity, and final victory. In three years hero passes from an uncertain boyhood to a tried and proven manhood and a position of leadership among his people. Themes include survival, brotherhood, cultures, gender roles, psychological trauma, and nature's wonders and terrors. This is the electronic version of Zan-Gah: A Prehistoric Adventure, which has been awarded Mom's Choice Gold Medal for Series, the Eric Hoffer Notable Book Award, and was a finalist for ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year.

Stolen by Lucy Christopher - Review

2011-04-11T08:34:00.001-04:00

A quick review:

Stolen: A letter to my captor by Lucy Christopher

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

My Thoughts: Very Creepy, but it kept me hooked. It's crazy to think this could really happen...

View all my reviews

Plot:
Sixteen year old Gemma is kidnapped from Bangkok airport and taken to the Australian Outback. This wild and desolate landscape becomes almost a character in the book, so vividly is it described. Ty, her captor, is no stereotype. He is young, fit and completely gorgeous. This new life in the wilderness has been years in the planning. He loves only her, wants only her. Under the hot glare of the Australian sun, cut off from the world outside, can the force of his love make Gemma love him back? The story takes the form of a letter, written by Gemma to Ty, reflecting on those strange and disturbing months in the outback. Months when the lines between love and obsession, and love and dependency, blur until they don't exist - almost.

Queen of the Dead by Stacey Kade

2011-04-10T16:02:00.000-04:00

Title: Queen of the Dead
Author: Stacey Kade
Hardcover, 288 pages

Expected publication: June 7th 2011 by Hyperion Book CH (first published May 31st 2011)
Series: The Ghost and the Goth #2
Source: ARC Tour

Plot:
After being sent back from the light, Alona Dare - former homecoming queen, current Queen of the Dead - finds herself doing something she never expected: working. Instead of spending days perfecting her tan by the pool (her typical summer routine when she was, you know, alive), Alona must now cater to the needs of other lost spirits. By her side for all of this - ugh - “helping of others” is Will Killian: social outcast, seer of the dead, and someone Alona cares about more than she’d like.

Before Alona can make a final ruling on Will’s “friend” or “more” status, though, she discovers trouble at home. Her mom is tossing out Alona’s most valuable possessions, and her dad is expecting a new daughter with his wicked wife. Is it possible her family is already moving on? Hello! She’s only been dead for two months! Thankfully, Alona knows just the guy who can put a stop to this mess.

Unfortunately for Alona, Will has other stuff on his mind, and Mina, a young (and beautiful) seer, is at the top of the list. She’s the first ghost-talker Will’s ever met—aside from his father—and she may hold answers to Will’s troubled past. But can she be trusted? Alona immediately puts a check mark in the “clearly not” column. But Will is - ahem - willing to find out, even if it means leaving a hurt and angry Alona to her own devices, which is never a good idea.

Packed with romance, lovable characters, and a killer cliffhanger, Queen of the Dead is the out-of-this-world sequel to The Ghost and the Goth.

My Thoughts:

I really liked Ghost and the Goth--stories from mean girls points of view rock, but I have to say I think I actually enjoyed the sequel, QUEEN OF THE DEAD, more than the original story. Will's voice and personality made this story for me. Guy first person perspectives are rare, and when done well they can totally put a fresh spin on a story. Alona and Will's feelings really come through in this novel, which is so important to me because I am a romance junkie. If there's no romance in a story, it kinda fizzles for me.

Now I won't tell you what happens, but let's just say it'll be interesting to see how they deal with the outcome of the problem of the book in the next installment. Seriously, it was a brilliant twist. Hooked me and now I just have to know more. Kudos Ms. Kade for another rockin' book!

Casting Your Novel: My Cast

2011-04-05T13:16:00.001-04:00

I think I waste more time looking at pictures to draw inspiration for my characters than actually writing them. Same goes with playlists. All of that I like to call "character exercises." I just casted and did a little bio on the novel I'm currently working on and thought it'd be fun to share. Maybe it will encourage some of you to do the same on your blog. Link your blog post in the comments if you want to share your cast photos of novels you are working on or ideal casts for books that you are reading.

Name: Natalie Sugarman (Main Character)

Age: 17

Favorite Song: Rolling in the Deep by Adele

Home Town: Upper Arlington, Ohio

Biggest Fear: Demons

Quote: “Look, I’m not into worshipping the Devil or anything. Dressing in black has nothing to do with liking evil. It’s a personal choice, and believe me, befriending demons is the last thing on my mind.” I shudder, getting a tiny flash of the five-year-old soul stealer.

Name: Unknown, but referred to as Junior Demon a lot

Age: Creepily unaging, true age unknown

Biggest Fear: Losing a soul

Quote: “You don’t have a choice in this matter. Your soul is you, and I own it. This is how it is going to be.”

Name: Stewart Masterson

Age: 17

Favorite Song: If You Only Knew by Shinedown

Homtown: Upper Arlington, Ohio

Biggest Fear: His Father

Quote: “The guy (RICK) I’ve seen you hanging out with lately. Seriously, Nat, he’s weird and I don’t trust him.”

Name: Rick Steele

Age: 18

Home Town: From out west, but he doesn't go into specifics

Favorite Song: Far From Home by Five Finger Death Punch

Biggest Fear: If you're lucky he might tell you.

Quote: I hop into Rick’s car and he props his arm on the roof and leans in. “I’m glad to hear that, because I think it’s lame when a guy pursues another guy’s girl, plus Stewart Masterson doesn’t seem to trust worthy. There’s just something about him I don’t like.”

Name: Taylor Gee

Age: 17

Home Town: Upper Arlington, Ohio

Favorite Song: Born This Way by Lady GaGa

Biggest Fear: Being a Social Outcast and people knowing her secret

Quote: “Yes, my grandma.” She frowns. “Listen, Natalie. You can’t tell anyone about what she does here. If this got out, people would treat me like…” She looks me up and down.

Music Playlist at MixPod.com

Blogoversery Giveaway @21 Pages

2011-04-05T08:37:00.000-04:00

OMG You guys, you know you wanna win these kick ass ARCs!! Hurry and enter. Giveaway ends May 1, 2011!

http://21pages.muggle-born.net/2011/03/25/blogoversary-giveaway-win-cofa-divergent-where-she-went-and-more/

Good Luck!

Fool For Books Blog Hop Winner!

2011-04-04T08:34:00.000-04:00

Myspace Comments, Myspace Congratulations Comments at Funmunch.com

Our winner: LadyVampire

I just emailed you to let you know! Congrats! A big thank you to all who entered! I wish I was rich and could give you all a prize. :)

Free ebook for Review: LURE by Stephanie Jenkins

2011-04-03T13:13:00.003-04:00

When I find a great novel that no one knows about, I totally feel obligated to help spread the word about it so others can enjoy it as much as I have. Which brings me to the topic of the post today: LURE by Stephanie Jenkins. This novel was recently e-pubbed and I gotta say I'm in love with it. I mean, look at the cover! Gah so freakin' beautiful (makes me think of a dark Little Mermaid). It makes me wanna live in Charlotte's world. I would totally recommend this novel to anybody who is a fan of YA Urban Fantasy or Paranormal books.

To help show my support, I'm shouting out to all my blogging friends and fellow book reviewers. I have some ebooks of LURE to give out for review!! Interested in reviewing? Just leave your email and blog address and I will be in-touch with you about the novel!

Plot:

Seventeen-year-old Charlotte Brewer is sure she’s crazy when she hears singing drifting from the ocean—normal people don’t have arias playing on repeat in their head. When she gets wasted at a party and investigates the ethereal tune, she almost drowns. Charlotte comes to with an overwhelming fetish for salt water and a heartbeat of only seven beats a minute. She wakes up by the sea almost every day and dead men wash up hours later.

Then Charlotte meets Lorelei, a siren. Lorelei reveals she saved her from drowning with the “Siren’s Kiss”—a curse that made Charlotte a soulless immortal. Her role as a siren is simple: guide the souls of the dead at sea. But taking care of the dead is difficult after Charlotte discovers she’s stuck in the middle of a war between a fertility goddess and the sirens. If Charlotte wants to regain her mortality, she must find true love. And if she fails to secure it, she faces losing her existence to the gods.

About The Author:

Stephanie Jenkins lives in Tennessee with her husband and two small children. When she's not writing young adult fantasy or cleaning Crayola off walls, she enjoys going to the gym and over-indulging in old musicals. She may or may not be slightly addicted to Disney princess films and sour gummy worms.

Also available on Smashwords:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/50384

Add it to your Goodreads!

Fool For Books Giveaway Hop!!!

2011-03-31T21:24:00.001-04:00

Welcome to the Reading, Writing and Waiting stop #160 on the hop. I'll be brief and cut to the chase. The giveaway here is for the US only (sorry international peeps.) because I am giving away The Beatiful Dead series. There are two ARCs in this collection that I recieved from Sourcebooks Fire who rereleased this series and book one I bought and added so you'd get the all the books that are currently out. Here they are if you haven't seen them before:

To enter, just complete the entry form below. You don't have to follow my blog, but new friends make me very happy. lol Extra enteries are given for the following:
+1 extra entry for being buddies with me on Google Friend Connect on this blog.

Be sure to visit the rest of these stops on the Fool For Books Giveaway Hop!

Contest CLOSES April 2nd at midnight and I will pick a winner the following Monday. I will email them directly. Thanks for stopping by! :D

The Deathly Hallows Part 2

2011-03-31T18:04:00.001-04:00

More countdowns at Widgia.com

Secrets (Ivy 2) by Lauren Kunze and Rina Onur

2011-03-31T13:06:00.000-04:00

Title: Secrets (Ivy 2)
Authors: Lauren Kunze and Rina Onur
Hardcover, 336 pages

Expected publication: June 1st 2011 by Greenwillow Books
Series: Ivy
Source: ARC

Plot:
Gregory or Clint? Clint or Gregory? Matt, anyone? And what is Lexi up to . . .exactly? When we last saw Callie Andrews, she was caught on the horns of a dilemma. Lexi was threatening to expose all of her safely guarded, deeply buried secrets from high school, and Callie had just hooked up with bad-boy Gregory--despite the fact that she had a perfect (sort of) boyfriend and her BFF Vanessa had claimed (sort of) Gregory as her own. Yow. Entertaining, hilarious, addictive, scandalous, sexy, and smart, The Ivy series is an insider's look at freshman life at Harvard University. This isn't high school anymore!

My Thoughts:

This book reminded me of Gossip Girl. I'm a huge fan of the show and the books because there's just something about scandalous people that hook me every time. The drama kept me turning the pages. I just had to know what was going on, plus book one left off with a huge cliff hanger, so I was immediately hooked into book two. I think if you liked book one, you'll love the second one in this series. I think I liked it even better than the first one. I'm seriously chomping at the bit for book three, because yes this one left me wanting to know what happens next!

Read this series if you like Gossip Girl, Clique and those types of books. This one will hook you!

Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey

2011-03-31T12:40:00.000-04:00

Title: Haunting Violet
Author: Alyxandra Harvey
Hardcover, 352 pages

Expected publication: June 21st 2011 by Walker Books for Young Readers
Source: ARC

Plot:

Violet Willoughby doesn't believe in ghosts. But they believe in her. After spending years participating in her mother's elaborate ruse as a fraudulent medium, Violet is about as skeptical as they come in all matters supernatural. Now that she is being visited by a very persistent ghost, one who suffered a violent death, Violet can no longer ignore her unique ability. She must figure out what this ghost is trying to communicate, and quickly because the killer is still on the loose.

Afraid of ruining her chance to escape her mother's scheming through an advantageous marriage, Violet must keep her ability secret. The only person who can help her is Colin, a friend she's known since childhood, and whom she has grown to love. He understands the true Violet, but helping her on this path means they might never be together. Can Violet find a way to help this ghost without ruining her own chance at a future free of lies?

My Thoughts:

In the last year or so I've read a few books set in the late 1800s. That was a huge time period for people doing seances and talking to the dead. Haunting Violet takes place during this time and our main character, Violet, is wrapped into that world. Violet's mother leads fake seances in order to make a living and at the beginning of the novel we find Violet taking on a role in the family business.

Things go as planned until Violet actually starts seeing ghosts and discovers there is a murder that needs to be solved.

Historical paranormal novels aren't my favorite, but this one keep me interested. The pacing was good and the writing was fresh. I also enjoyed the romance that developes between Violet and her mother's assistant, Colin. Colin has been around Violet forever, so this isn't one of those novels where they lock eyes and things happen. Their romance is sweet and seems genuine.

Read this if you like ghosts, historical novels and paranormal in general.

Vicious Little Darlings by Katherine Easer - ARC Review

2011-03-24T19:32:00.001-04:00

Title: Vicious Little Darlings
Author: Katherine Easer

Hardcover, 320 pages

Expected publication: June 21st 2011 by Bloomsbury USA Children's Books
Source: ARC

Plot:
Sarah Weaver wasn't looking forward to starting at an all-girls school. But that was before she met Maddy. Maddy and her best friend, Agnes, are fun and rich and interesting—and for some reason, they seem to really like Sarah. Before long, Maddy and Agnes have moved Sarah into a big house off campus, where they cook together, buy each other presents, and share each other's secrets. So why does Sarah feel like something's bizarrely wrong? As more and more cracks start to show in Maddy's and Agnes's perfect veneers, Sarah notices some strange and disturbing things: Maddy's compulsive lying, Agnes's obsession with Maddy, and the deterioration of their friendship. And just when Sarah begins to question her own sanity, things turns deadly. Fans of Pretty Little Liars will devour this juicy debut novel.

My Thoughts:

A good young adult contemporary novel, to me, is gritty and real, with a plot that is reasonable, yet has a great twist. A twist I can't guess by the second chapter of the novel. Well, my friends, I am so happy to tell you I found that in Vicious Little Darlings.

I really didn't know what to expect when I started this ARC, but when I got into chapter one, I fell in love with the main character, Sarah. She was different, with tons of flaws, which makes a great character. I love how she had this internal struggle about her promiscuity. It made her seem real. She battled with making everyone else, but herself, happy. This of course only adds to her misery.

Sarah's two friends really stumped me. Maddie was sweet at times, but seemed crazy a majority of the time. Easer did a great job making Maddie come across as someone to watch closely. Agnes on the other hand, just seemed to be a raging bitch and a closet lesbian. She keeps a gun in her purse and isn't afraid to threaten random people with. Seriously, these two kept me on the edge of my seat. They kept me guessing until the end. :)

I love, love, loved this novel. It was so gritty. Easer let loose in this debut. She didn't hold back on the cursing, sexual description, or the sear violence in the novel. For that she is now on my favorite YA authors list and I will be anxious to read anything else she puts out.

Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton - ARC Review

2011-03-23T22:40:00.001-04:00

Title: Blood Magic
Author: Tessa Gratton
Hardcover, 416 pages

Expected publication: May 24th 2011 by Random House Books for Young Readers
Series:The Blood Journals #1
Characters: Nick Pardee, Silla Kennicot

Plot:

This page-turning debut novel will entice fans who like their paranormal romances dark and disturbing. It's a natural next-read for fans of Stephanie Meyer, Carrie Jones, and Becca Fitzpatrick. But instead of mythical creatures, blood magic has everything to do with primal human desires like power, wealth, and immortality. Everywhere Silla Kennicott turns she sees blood. She can't stop thinking about her parents alleged murder-suicide. She is consumed by a book filled with spells that arrives mysteriously in the mail. The spells share one common ingredient: blood, and Silla is more than willing to cast a few. What's a little spilled blood if she can uncover the truth? And then there's Nick—the new guy at school who makes her pulse race. He has a few secrets of his own and is all too familiar with the lure of blood magic. Drawn together by a combination of fate and chemistry, Silla and Nick must find out who else in their small Missouri town knows their secret and will do anything to take the book and magic from Silla.

My Thoughts:

I'm a sucker for a dark, gothic romance and I totally got that in this novel. I loved Silla and Nick. Blood Magic has alternating chapters from both character's point's of view, so you totally get inside their head and get to see how they tick. My favorite part of alternating chapters is having first person prospective from a different point of view. We get to dive into the internal thought that goes behind the dialog.

The plot twist was great!! There was a nice spin that kept me hooked. I will say things happened a little quick, so I had to re-read a couple scenes to make things click, but the description and emotion was enough to get me through those tiny little parts.

This one is a must read for paranormal romance junkies!

Double Take Covers: Supernaturally by Kiersten White

2011-03-20T20:45:00.001-04:00

Can't wait for this sequel!! I love how this cover sticks to the same beautiful pattern as Paranormalcy (Book One). This one hits shelves August 30, 2011!

Plot:
A lot has changed in the six months since Evie escaped from the International Paranormal Containment Agency with her shape-shifter boyfriend, Lend. She finally has the blissfully normal life she’s always dreamed of, including:

1) A real live high school

2) A perfectly ordinary after-school job

3) Her very own locker (and by the way, rusted metal is every bit as awesome as she imagined)

But Evie’s not-so-normal past keeps creeping up on her...and things get pretty complicated when you factor in:

1) A centuries-old, seriously decaying vampire stalker

2) A crazy faerie ex-boyfriend who is the perpetual bearer of really bad news

3) A major battle brewing between the faerie courts where the prize in question happens to be...Evie herself.

So much for normal

Fresh Face Contest!!

2011-03-20T14:25:00.000-04:00

My sister blog, Fiction Flurry, is giving away two books!! Be sure to check it out and enter!! They have some great writing tips and contests over there so be sure to follow them and become part of the storm!

http://fictionflurry.blogspot.com/2011/03/fiction-flurry-blog-make-over-giveaway.html

Betrayal by Lee Nichols - ARC Review (Haunting Emma Book #2)

2011-03-17T18:10:00.001-04:00

Title: Betrayal (Haunting Emma Book #2)
Author: Lee Nichols
Paperback, 304 pages
Published March 1st 2011 (first published February 21st 2011)
Source: ARC

**WARNING IF YOU HAVEN'T READ BOOK #1, STOP HERE**

Plot:

Emma Vaile is the most powerful ghostkeeper in centuries. Which is great when she's battling the wraith-master Neos, but terrible when she's flirting with fellow ghostkeeper (and soul mate) Bennett. When ghostkeepers fall in love, the weaker one loses all power, and that's not something Bennett can handle. Heartbroken and alone, Emma tries to lose herself in school with fellow ghostkeeper, Natalie. When a new team of ghostkeepers arrive—one a snarky teen

boy, the other a British scholar—Emma finds solace in training for the battle against Neos. But as the team grows stronger, they are threatened by an unknown force. One they thought was good.

As chilling and page-turning as Deception, this sequel will grab readers and hold them to the last page. No one is safe from suspicion as Emma closes in on the traitor.

My Thoughts:

I love the introduction of new characters into the story line. Emma's new friendships enrich what we started with in Deception and pushes her character to different levels. As in Deception, the characters are my favorite part of Betrayal as well.

Poor Cody. His story just makes me so sad. Even though he doesn't seem to be too pissed at Emma for his death and all, because he sticks around and helps her out a little in this one. I', really glad he was in the second book, because I just fell in love with his All-American boyness. He was one of my favorites in the last book.

Bennett is still around in book two, but it's almost like he pulls an Edward Cullin in New Moon for a bit. The longing Emma still has for him pushes the story along in this book.

Read this one if you liked Deception!

Deception by Lee Nichols - Review

2011-03-17T17:55:00.000-04:00

Title: Deception
Author: Lee Nichols
Hardcover, 310 pages

Published June 8th 2010 by Bloomsbury USA Children's Books (first published June 1st 2010)

Plot:
When Emma Vaile's parents leave on mysterious business trip, it gives her the perfect excuse to be a rebellious teen. Throw some parties, get a tattoo (or maybe just a piercing), and enjoy the first few weeks of her junior year. Then her best friend stops talking to her, the cops crash her party, and Emma finds herself in the hands of a new guardian—her college-age "knight in J.Crew armor," Bennett Stern—and on a plane to his museum-like mansion in New England.

After enrolling at Thatcher Academy, Emma settles in by making friends with the popular legacy crowd. But she can't shake the strange visions that are haunting her. She has memories of Thatcher she can't explain, as if she's returning home to a place she's never been. Emma doesn't trust anyone anymore—except maybe Bennett. But he's about to reveal a ghostly secret to Emma. One that will explain the visions . . . and make Emma fear for her life.

My Thoughts:

This one has a really good love story. It really hooked me into the book. I like how the love interest is an older guy, aged 20, and the girl is 17. I for one, don't think that's too big of a gap. Matter of fact, I think it adds to the realism that a girl would like an older guy.

The plot was pretty good, and the mystery of her missing parents was suspenseful, but Emma's internal thought process was the best part. She made me laugh a few times. That counts for a lot because that's pretty hard to do in YA paranormal and still make it work.

Read this one of you are looking for a creeptastic love-story with a great romance plot.

Real Mermaids Don't Wear Toe Rings by Helene Boudreau - Review

2011-03-17T17:40:00.000-04:00

Title: Real Mermaids Don't Wear Toe Rings

Author: Helene Boudreau
Paperback, 224 pages

Published December 1st 2010 by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky (first published November 9th 2010)

Plot:

Freak of nature takes on a whole new meaning...

If she hadn't been so clueless, she might have seen it coming. But really, who expects to get into a relaxing bathtub after a stressful day of shopping for tankinis and come out with scales and a tail?

Most. Embarrassing. Moment. Ever.

Jade soon discovers she inherited her mermaid tendencies from her mom. But if Mom was a mermaid, how did she drown?

Jade is determined to find out. So how does a plus-size, aqua-phobic mer-girl go about doing that exactly? And how will Jade ever be able to explain her secret to her best friend, Cori, and to her crush, Luke?

This summer is about to get a lot more interesting...

"Absolutely fresh and sweet, a quirky coming of age story."-The YA-5

My Thoughts:

Really cute book for tweens! This novel has just the right amount of sass to keep those tweens reading on. The voice is really fresh and the story is really cute, but is a little lower aged than what I perfer to read.

The Revenant by Sonia Gensler - ARC Review

2011-03-15T20:47:00.000-04:00

Title: The Revenant
Author: Sonia Gensler
Hardcover, 336 pages

Expected publication: June 14th 2011 by Knopf Books for Young Readers
Source: ARC

Plot:

When Willie arrives in Indian Territory, she knows only one thing: no one can find out who she really is. To escape a home she doesn't belong in anymore, she assumes the name of a former classmate and accepts a teaching job at the Cherokee Female Seminary.

Nothing prepares her for what she finds there. Her pupils are the daughters of the Cherokee elite—educated and more wealthy than she, and the school is cloaked in mystery. A student drowned in the river last year, and the girls whisper that she was killed by a jealous lover. Willie's room is the very room the dead girl slept in. The students say her spirit haunts it.

Willie doesn't believe in ghosts, but when strange things start happening at the school, she isn't sure anymore. She's also not sure what to make of a boy from the nearby boys' school who has taken an interest in her—his past is cloaked in secrets. Soon, even she has to admit that the revenant may be trying to tell her something. . . (from goodreads)

My Thoughts:

This was a breath of fresh air as far as settings go. A lot of this novel is based on factual events (not the ghost story part, although there are still rummors about it to this day at the school) which makes the setting very real for me. Ms. Gensler has done a wonderful job using slang and terminology used back in the late 1800's which also stays true to the story.

Read this one if you like historical romances and YA fiction!

The Anti-Prom by Abby McDonald - ARC Review

2011-03-15T20:37:00.001-04:00

Title: The Anti-Prom
Author: Abby McDonald
Hardcover, 288 pages

Expected publication: April 12th 2011 by Candlewick Press
Source: ARC

Plot:
They’ve spent years at the same high school without speaking a word to one another, but that’s all about to change. Popular Bliss was having the perfect prom until she found her BFF and boyfriend making out in the back of a limo. Bad girl Jolene wouldn’t be caught dead at the prom, yet here she is, trussed up in pink ruffles, risking her reputation for some guy - some guy who is forty minutes late. And shy, studious, über-planner Meg never counted on her date’s standing her up and leaving her idling in the parking lot outside the prom. Get ready for The Anti-Prom, Abby McDonald’s hilarious, heart-tugging tale about three girls and one unforgettable prom night.

Three unlikely allies team up for a night of rebellion, romance, and revenge in a high-stakes dramedy from acclaimed young author Abby McDonald. ---Candlewick

My Thoughts:

I loved the triple first person points of view in this story. It's really difficult to do more than one first person narrators, but Ms. McDonald has nailed it. She gave each one a very distinct voice and personality, which made me close to each girl in this story.

The beginning just broke my heart. Let me just say Bliss's boyfriend is a total jerk and I was rooting for the girls to serve up revenge on his ass.

Loved this one!

Read it if you are into contemporary pay-back stories.

iDrakula by Bekka Black - Review

2011-03-15T20:28:00.001-04:00

Title: iDrakula
Author: Bekka Black
Paperback, 150 pages

Published October 1st 2010 by Sourcebooks Fire

Plot:

18-year-old Jonathan Harker is diagnosed with a rare blood disorder after visiting a Romanian Count. His girlfriend Mina and a pre-med student named Van Helsing team up to investigate the source of the disease. The teenagers discover a horrifying truth: the Count is a vampire. The harrowing events unfold through emails, text messages, web pages, Twitter feeds, and instant messaging-the natural modernization of Bram Stoker's original Dracula, which was written in letters, diary entries, and news clippings.

My Thoughts:

This book wasn't like a regular book. It was more like snooping through someones emails and texts like a detective to solve a mystery. A+ for effort to be different, but the plot didn't pull me in as much as I would like. However, I did kind of like it because it was different and it only took me a couple of hours to read the entire book because of the way it was set up.

Read this one if you like vamp books! :)