Happy New Years!

Happy New Years everyone!  Hope 2012 was great and 2013 is even better.

Follow Friday (31)

Feature and Follow Friday is hosted by Alison Can Read and Parajunkee

Q:  What book do you think everyone should read? If you could gift the entire population with one book?

So far I've read three FF's and all have agreed with me:  The  Harry Potter Series.  Now, my personal favorite of the series is The Prisoner of Azkhaban, but if I could only give one book to the world I wuld give the first, so that they can start at the amazing beginning.

Still, there are so many amazing books out there. 

What about you?  Leave links.

Princess of the Silver Woods by Jessica Day George

When Petunia, the youngest of King Gregor's twelve dancing daughters, is invited to visit an elderly friend in the neighboring country of Westfalin, she welcomes the change of scenery. But in order to reach Westfalin, Petunia must pass through a forest where strange two-legged wolves are rumored to exist. Wolves intent on redistributing the wealth of the noble citizens who have entered their territory. But the bandit-wolves prove more rakishly handsome than truly dangerous, and it's not until Petunia reaches her destination that she realizes the kindly grandmother she has been summoned to visit is really an enemy bent on restoring an age-old curse. The stories of Red Riding Hood and Robin Hood get a twist as Petunia and her many sisters take on bandits, grannies, and the new King Under Stone to end their family curse once and for all.


The first book I ever read by Jessica Day George was Princess of the Midnight Ball, which I received for Christmas many years ago.  From that moment on I loved her books.  From the Dragon Series to East of the Sun, West of the Moon, I couldn't put her books down.  Still, the Princess series, of which Princess of the Silver Woods is the final, have always been my favorite.  And the last installment in the trilogy is no disappointment. 

Princess of the Silver Woods follows Princess Petunia, the youngest of twelve princesses once cursed to dance every night for the evil King Under Stone.  Nine years later, and six years after Poppy's story in Princess of Glass (my personal favorite of the installments), the new King Under Stone, Rionin, and his brothers are once again after "their" brides.

The story starts off with the accidental kidnapping of Petunia by Oliver, the forgotten Earl of a torn apart estate.  When he returns Petunia to her destination - A Grand Duchesses estate that just happened to be the one that once belonged to Oliver's family - he sees shadows on the estates grounds.  Shadows with substance.

The story launches into a tale filled with old fables and red cloaks.

One of my favorite things about the book was the continuity.  The book had all of the princesses in it, including major appearances of Galen, Heinrich, and minor ones by Christian and other of the Princesses present and future husbands.  They also continued the mythologies of King Under Stone and the Nine Princesses who fathered his sons. 

However, I did have a few complaints, ones I've seen talked about in other reviews also.  One of those being the fact that the princes and the new King Under Stone fell for many of the same tricks as they did in the first book.  Another being the rushed and short scene that was the only thing besides Petunia's red cloak that linked the story to Little Red Riding Hood.  The last being the fact that many things were repeated beyond necessary amounts of time.

Still, even with those faults, the book was amazing, and definitely a worthy end to one of my favorite trilogies.  You should definitely read this book, but I would recommend at least reading Princess of the Midnight Ball first.

Rating:  5/5

Language:  Mild
Violence:  Mild
Sensuality:  Mild

Merry Christmas!

Sorry I haven't posted in a while, but now that I have a whole new armada of books you should see some reviews!

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

“There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.”

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

From Maggie Stiefvater, the bestselling and acclaimed author of the Shiver trilogy and The Scorpio Races, comes a spellbinding new series where the inevitability of death and the nature of love lead us to a place we’ve never been before.

I picked up this book not expecting much. Of course, I knew that Maggie Stiefvater was an acclaimed author, but I have picked up several of her other books many times, and never likes them enough to read past the first page. This book though - this book was amazing. Beautiful, and creepy, and lyrical, I could hardly put it down.

The book follows a wide cast of characters, the main being Blue and the Raven Boys, Gansey, Ronan, Adam, and Noah. Every person in the book, from the major to the minor, was amazing, my favorite being Gansey. Each character had their own story that perfectly weaved itself in to the main story.

Blue has always been told that when she kisses her true love, he will die. So when she sees, for the first time, the spirit of a soon-to-be-dead on the corpse road, and her Aunt tells her that she has killed the boy, or that she was his true love, or both, she knows that her life has changed.

That boy is Gansey - that's all there is - and when she unknowingly meets him a few days later, she immediately doesn't like him - but she does like his friend Adam, a scholarship student at the prestigious, and snobby, boarding school that marks the boys as Ravens, Aglionby.

The story unfolds along over time as the five friends quest to unlock the secrets of the ley lines - the Corpse Road, the Spirit Road - that run through the world, and awake the legend Glendower.


The romance plot is subtle and barely there, but there were many hints towards Blue and both Gansey and Adam. I admire the way the romance took a backseat to the story but also was very substantial to it.

The story is full if deceit, mystery, murder, romance, and magic, and held me in the beautifully written world Mrs. Stiefvater crafted. The lyrical writing style was entirely unique and wonderful and only added to the story.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for an amazing read. I am waiting impatiently for the next installment of this series!

Rating: 5/5

Market: YA
Sensuality: mild
Violence: moderate
Language: not a lot, but when there pretty bad words

In My Mailbox (26): Crewel

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted at The Story Siren.

In My Mailbox I have:

Enter a tangled world of secrets and intrigue where a girl is in charge of other’s destinies, but not her own.

Sixteen-year-old Adelice Lewys has always been special. When her parents discover her gift—the ability to weave the very fabric of reality—they train her to hide it. For good reason, they don’t want her to become a Spinster — one of the elite, beautiful, and deadly women who determine what people eat, where they live, how many children they have, and even when they die.

Thrust into the opulent Western Coventry, Adelice will be tried, tested and tempted as she navigates the deadly politics at play behind its walls. Now caught in a web of lies and forbidden romance, she must unravel the sinister truth behind her own unspeakable power. Her world is hanging by a thread, and Adelice, alone, can decide to save it — or destroy it.

Thank you to BookHounds for the giveaway!

Starflower by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

When a cursed dragon-witch kidnaps the lovely Lady Gleamdren, Eanrin sets boldly forth on a rescue mission...and a race against his rival for Gleamdren's favor. Intent upon his quest, the last thing the immortal Faerie needs is to become mixed up with the troubles of an insignificant mortal.
But when he stumbles upon a maiden trapped in an enchanted sleep, he cannot leave her alone in the dangerous Wood Between. One waking kiss later, Eanrin suddenly finds his story entangled with that of young Starflower. A strange link exists between this mortal girl and the dragon-witch. Will Starflower prove the key to Lady Gleamdren's rescue? Or will the dark power from which she flees destroy both her and her rescuer

I have to say, I can't decide what part of this book I like the best.  It's a three-way tie between the plot, the characters, or the character development!  But whichever of the three does eventually win, this book was an amazing read I'd definitely recommend to any lover of fantasy.

The book starts off meeting Eanrin, the conceited and imminently dislike able fae.  Through a series of events - caused by Eanrin's ego -  Lady Gleamdren, off whom Eanrin and Glomar the Guard are both pining after, is (intentionally) kidnapped by a dewinged dragon-witch, Hri Sora.  Eanrin and Glomar set out to rescue the Lady Gleamdren, but cashing personalities lead them to split ways.  Along his journey, Eanrin finds a woman, whom he calls Imraldera, but whose name is truly Starflower, asleep and being dragged into the river, causing his first truly empathetic act of the book:  saving her.

Surprisingly, the plot on the back actually takes a lesser role in the actual book.  Half-way through, the perspective of the book is switched and you start to learn of Starflower's mysterious past.  The amazingly written story makes the book many times better.

Eanrin was an amazing character, prior to my first impression.  His character growth was one of the main enjoyments of this book for myself.  Looking at him on the first chapter of the book compared to the last, the character development is astounding.  However, when reading the book, his change is gradual.  plus, his moments with Starflower were to cute.

And then there was Starflower, the mute girl with a mysterious past, and whose back story was tear worthy.  This amazing character captured my heart even before she had a chance to speak.  And her amazing choices and sacrifices had me crying.  Hard.

The other amazing characters in this book, including Lady Gleamdren, Glomar, and most importantly, Hri Sora, were all also so amazing, from the bitter Dragon-witch, to the goodhearted guard, and finally to the vain Lady.

I do not know how this author is in continuity in her books, seeing as I have not had the chance to read her other books, but I very much hope that Eanrin and Imraldera's story is revisited in her future books.  The ending of Starflower left me wanting to know so much more!

All in all, this was an amazing book, full of action, romance, and amazing character growth.  I would recommend this to any fantasy lover looking for a good read.

Rating: 5/5

Market: YA
Language:  None
Sensuality:  None
Violence: Mild.

I recieved a copy to review from the amazing author and her publisher.

 

In My Mailbox (25): Sapphire Blue

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted at The Story Siren.

In My Mailbox I have:

Gwen’s life has been a rollercoaster since she discovered she was the Ruby, the final member of the secret time-traveling Circle of Twelve. In between searching through history for the other time-travelers and asking for a bit of their blood (gross!), she’s been trying to figure out what all the mysteries and prophecies surrounding the Circle really mean.

 

At least Gwen has plenty of help. Her best friend Lesley follows every lead diligently on the Internet. James the ghost teaches Gwen how to fit in at an eighteenth century party. And Xemerius, the gargoyle demon who has been following Gwen since he caught her kissing Gideon in a church, offers advice on everything. Oh, yes. And of course there is Gideon, the Diamond. One minute he’s very warm indeed; the next he’s freezing cold. Gwen’s not sure what’s going on there, but she’s pretty much destined to find out.

Follow Friday (30)

Feature and Follow Friday is hosted by Alison Can Read and Parajunkee

Q:What is a deal breaker for you in a book? For example, do you abhor love triangles? Or can’t deal with bad editing?

I'd say that the biggest deal-breaker for me is if the book is, besides of course just general dislike of a book, language or sensuality.  If their is too much of either I won't read the book.  Also, bad editing does come into affect on the rare chance I pick up a book with bad editing.

What about you?  leave links!

Amber House by Kelly Moore, Tucker Reed, and Larkin Reed

"I was sixteen the first time my grandmother died . . ."

Sarah Parsons has never seen Amber House, the grand Maryland estate that's been in her family for three centuries. She's never walked its hedge maze nor found its secret chambers; she's never glimpsed the shades that haunt it, nor hunted for lost diamonds in its walls.

But all of that is about to change. After her grandmother passes away, Sarah and her friend Jackson decide to search for the diamonds--and the house comes alive. She discovers that she can see visions of the house's past, like the eighteenth-century sea captain who hid the jewels, or the glamorous great-grandmother driven mad by grief. She grows closer to both Jackson and a young man named Richard Hathaway, whose family histories are each deeply entwined with her own. But when the visions start to threaten the person she holds most dear, Sarah must do everything she can to get to the bottom of the house's secrets, and stop the course of history before it is cemented forever.

This book officially marks my 200 book goal in the Goodreads challenge. And what a great book for that! Dark and lyrical, Amber House is a book I'll remember for a long time. The main character of this story is Sarah, a girl who is visiting her family's home for the first time, because of her Grandmothers sudden death, along with her is her mother, a cold woman who doesn't seem to ever open up, and her younger brother, Sam, and autistic kid who sees things as they should be, not as they are. At Am...moreThis book officially marks my 200 book goal in the Goodreads challenge. And what a great book for that! Dark and lyrical, Amber House is a book I'll remember for a long time. The main character of this story is Sarah, a girl who is visiting her family's home for the first time, because of her Grandmothers sudden death, along with her is her mother, a cold woman who doesn't seem to ever open up, and her younger brother, Sam, and autistic kid who sees things as they should be, not as they are. At Amber house she meets Jackson, a boy who seems to know to much about her to be possible, and who tells her of a treasure supposedly buried in the grounds of the house by her Great-something Grandfather, an evil man. As the story progresses it becomes less about the treasure and more about Sarah's mysterious new powers that lead her into unraveling some dark mysteries the house holds. The characters are amazing, and the writing style pulls you in. The twists and turns of this book will leave you wanting more, and the ending is heart-wrenchingly sad, leaving you feeling good for the characters brighter future, but still longing for their past adventures. I will certainly be picking up the next book, Neverwas, when it comes out, and would recomend this haunting tale to anyone who loves a good mystery. Rating: 5/5 Market:  YA Language:  So little I can't even remember if there was any. Sensuality:  Kissing, mentions of (past) rape. Violence:  Mild.

In My Mailbox (24): Starflower

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted at The Story Siren.

In My Mailbox I have:

I recieved a copy of this book for review, and will be starting it shortly!

Happy Halloween!

I reached my Goodreads Goal!

Whoo-hoo! 

So, I reached my goal with this book:

Which was AMAZING, by the way.

 

Also, I'd like to apologize for my lack-of-updating.  The new blogger layout had been giving me troubles, and I hadn't tried to write a post for so long because of that.  However, I came to write this post and was surprised (and happy!) to see they've made some adjustments!  I actually wrote a review of the book above over on Goodreads, so I will be posting that soon.

 

Hopefully I'll be getting back into the routine of updating.

In My Mailbox (23)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted at The Story Siren.

In My Mailbox I have:

I'm still working out how to use the new blogger look - trying to make a post is torture!  If you're wondering why this text isn't at the top or bottom, it's because I can't make - I'm REALLY frusturated...

Waiting On Wednesday (21): The Unfalling Light

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine.

This week I am waiting for:

Having had no choice but to use her power has a necromancer to save Russia from dark forces, Katerina Alexandrovna, Duchess of Oldenburg, now wants to forget that she ever used her special powers. She's about to set off to pursue her lifelong dream of attending medical school when she discovers that Russia's arch nemesis--who she thought she'd destroyed--is still alive. So on imperial orders, Katerina remains at her old finishing school. She'll be safe there, because the empress has cast a potent spell to protect it against the vampires and revenants who are bent on toppling the tsar and using Katerina for their own gains. But to Katerina's horror, the spell unleashes a vengeful ghost within the school, a ghost more dangerous than any creature trying to get in.

What are you Waiting for?  Leave links!

Eona by Alison Goodman

Read Alison Goodman's blogs and other content on the Penguin Community.

Eon has been revealed as Eona, the first female Dragoneye in hundreds of years. Along with fellow rebels Ryko and Lady Dela, she is on the run from High Lord Sethon's army. The renegades are on a quest for the black folio, stolen by the drug-riddled Dillon; they must also find Kygo, the young Pearl Emperor, who needs Eona's power and the black folio if he is to wrest back his throne from the selfstyled "Emperor" Sethon. Through it all, Eona must come to terms with her new Dragoneye identity and power - and learn to bear the anguish of the ten dragons whose Dragoneyes were murdered. As they focus their power through her, she becomes a dangerous conduit for their plans. . . .

Eona, with its pulse-pounding drama and romance, its unforgettable fight scenes, and its surprises, is the conclusion to an epic only Alison Goodman could create.

Eona starts shortly after the end of Eon.  And whereas Eon was filled with politics and explanations for the rich land inside the book, Eona is full of action and romance.

I have to say, after reading Eon I wasn't sure how much I'd like Eona.  Eon was a little - dare I say it? - boring.  If it had two hundred less pages, I may have enjoyed it more, but I felt like Eon was lacking in plot. In Eona, which is a whole hundred pages larger than Eon, I felt like every page was there for a reason.  I couldn't put Eona down!  I could have spent all day reading it (if it weren't for the pesky fact that my parents needed me...).

For one, lets start on the plot.  The plot of Eon seemed exciting, but had to much politics and world-building to override the exciting scenes.  In Eona, the world has already been set, and thus Alison Goodman wastes no time throwing you into a plot full of intrigue and political power.

Eona still does not have control of her powers, as the ten dragons whose Dragoneyes had been killed our trying to come to her.  She needs the help of her enemy, Lord Ido, to learn how to control the dragins and her powers.

Characters from the first book, such as Ryko, Lady Dela, and of course, the Pearl Emporer Kygo, come back in this novel.  This book flew by, and I can truthfully say I was quite sad to end it.

Romance, action, adventure, and fantasy.  I would definitely recommend picking up this book!

Rating: 5/5

Market: YA
Language: Moderate
Sensuality: Moderate
Violence: Moderate

Follow Friday (29)

Feature and Follow Friday is hosted by Alison Can Read and Parajunkee

Q:What are you reading right now? How do you like it?.

I'm currently reading Matched, by Ally Condie.  It's a book I've been wanting to read for a while, mostly in part to the awesome reviews it gets!  However, I've never really went out of my way to get.  I saw it at the library earlier this week and was pretty excited!  So far it's good.  I'm not far enough in to say definitely if I like it, love it, or hate it.  I guess I'll just have to find out!

What are you reading?  Leave links!

Waiting On Wednesday (20): Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine.

 

This week I am waiting for:



Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She's trying to break out of prison--even though if she succeeds, she'll be the Commonwealth's most wanted fugitive.

Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit's grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn't know about her grandmother or the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother's whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner.

Let me just start of by saying: Cinder was flawless.  So I'm obviously super excited about this book!  Is it February yet???

What are you Waiting for?  Leave links!

Follow Friday (28)

Feature and Follow Friday is hosted by Alison Can Read and Parajunkee

Q:  Best cover? What is the best cover of a book that you've read and loved?.
Are you seriously expecting me to choose?
I'll admit.  The first thing that draws me to a book is a beautiful cover.  There.  I said it! 
And I can't choose just one.  So maybe I will choose one from the most recent books I've read?
I've got to say, out of the last ten books I've read, this cover has to be my favorite:


What about you?  Leave links!

Enchanted by Alethea Kontis

It isn't easy being the rather overlooked and unhappy youngest sibling to sisters named for the other six days of the week. Sunday’s only comfort is writing stories, although what she writes has a terrible tendency to come true.

When Sunday meets an enchanted frog who asks about her stories, the two become friends. Soon that friendship deepens into something magical. One night Sunday kisses her frog goodbye and leaves, not realizing that her love has transformed him back into Rumbold, the crown prince of Arilland—and a man Sunday’s family despises.

The prince returns to his castle, intent on making Sunday fall in love with him as the man he is, not the frog he was. But Sunday is not so easy to woo. How can she feel such a strange, strong attraction for this prince she barely knows? And what twisted secrets lie hidden in his past - and hers?

Sunday Woodcutter's story starts off with her own words - and flows into the lyrical tale of Enchanted.

It all starts with Sundays love for writing and her frequent trips to the Woods.  There, beside a Fairy Well, she meets Grumble, an enchanted frog.  Their friendship grows as you learn the colorful history of Sunday's family, from the pirate queen Thursday, to the dead daughter of grace, Tuesday.

With a kiss - or, actually several, Grumble is turned from a frog to a man.  Prince Rumbold, to be exact - the man Sunday's family despises, for the very event that led to Rumbold's froggy transformation and the loss of the eldest Woodcutter.  What's a love-lorn Prince to do but set up a ball and try to woo Sunday, this time as a man?  To bad his Godmother and father keep getting in the way - and to bad Sunday's sisters may just have their own stories waiting to be told.

Many little, minor plot points are deftly weaved into the twisting plot.  What starts out as a love story between the Frog Prince and the Woodcutter's daughter soon becomes an amazing adventure including all of the Woodcutter children and many fairy tales that may seem familiar.

I can honestly say I felt immensely sad when I finished this book.  It was so good that letting it go was hard - but I do think it's a fairy take that I will be able to enjoy over and over again.

If you see this at the library - pick it up.  If you have some extra cash - I would strongly suggest buying this book up.  From the amazing cover to the beautifully told fairy take inside, this is not a book you want to miss.

Rating:  5/5

Market: YA
Language: Mild
Sensuality: Mild
Violence: Mild

In My Mailbox (22): The Selection & Fated

Follow Friday (27)

Feature and Follow Friday is hosted by Alison Can Read and Parajunkee

Q: Summer Break is upon us! What would be the perfect vacation spot for you to catch up on your reading & relax?

Where I usually catch up on my reading?  At home.
The ideal place?  Hilton Head.  Ah, Hilton Head.  How I wish we were visiting you again this year.  I've got nothing against where were going on vacation this year, Florida (BEACHES ROCK) but the HUMIDITY. 

What about you?  Leave links!

The Serpent's Shadow by Rick Riordan

He's b-a-a-ack! Despite their best efforts, Carter and Sade Kane can’t seem to keep Apophis, the chaos snake, down. Now Apophis is threatening to plunge the world into eternal darkness, and the Kanes are faced with the impossible task of having to destroy him once and for all. Unfortunately, the magicians of the House of Life are on the brink of civil war, the gods are divided, and the young initiates of Brooklyn House stand almost alone against the forces of chaos.

To find the answer they need, the Kanes must rely on the murderous ghost of a powerful magician who might be able to lead them to the serpent’s shadow... or might lead them to their deaths in the depths of the underworld...

I've been a big Riordan fan ever since Percy Jackson, and so it's pretty much fair for me to say that I will love any book he writes.  However, that being said, I never really liked the Kane Chronicles as much as his other books.  That is, until I read The Serpent's Shadow.

Let's start with the plot.  In the first two books I felt like the plot really didn't connect with eachother.  Of course, that may have been because of the gap in which I read the two books, but still.  Anyway, I found that this book really connected all the plots while having an amazing one of it's own.  Sadie, Carter, and their friends are still trying to stop Apophis, and they've found a pretty far fetched plan involving his Shadow that ay or may not stop the snake.  Of course, this plan is also the best chance they have.

The characters also seemed to progress alot in this book.  In the first book, I didn't really like any of the characters that much, becaus eof lack of character development.  I thought that every character developed a lot in this book, more than they did in any other.  Carter went from being the dorky push over to being a leader, and Sadie went from being a brat to being a really kind person.  Also, a minor character in this book had my name in it (which made me very happy), and my name doesn't pop up much in books.  Plus, when it does I usually don't like the character.  But how can I not like a little pre-schooler?

The twists and turns in this book, oh my.  I didn't know what was happenning (excluding two major details including Zia and Walt) until it happenned.  I love books that surprise me.  It makes reading them so much more fun!

Also, for those of you who wondered who Sadie ends up with, I think you'll be happy.  Riordan, in his usual fashion, found a way to make everyone happy.  Sure, the solution is a little wierd, but I think that that's the worst someone can say about it.  Also, Carter and Zia have a happy ending, which was also very nice.

As for the conclusion of the book, in some ways it was awful.  But more of a really sad awful.  I was crying, but I was also very happy.  The end of the book was certainly amazing, and I wasn't dissapointed in it at all.

The Serpent's Shadow was not lacking at all in Riordan's usual witty narrative, and had me devouring the book from the moment I opened it.

Rating: 5/5

Market: YA
Language: None
Sensuality: Mild (kissing)
Violence: Moderate, no gore

In My Mailbox (21): The Serpent's Shadow

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted at The Story Siren.

In My Mailbox I have:

He's b-a-a-ack! Despite their best efforts, Carter and Sade Kane can’t seem to keep Apophis, the chaos snake, down. Now Apophis is threatening to plunge the world into eternal darkness, and the Kanes are faced with the impossible task of having to destroy him once and for all. Unfortunately, the magicians of the House of Life are on the brink of civil war, the gods are divided, and the young initiates of Brooklyn House stand almost alone against the forces of chaos.

To find the answer they need, the Kanes must rely on the murderous ghost of a powerful magician who might be able to lead them to the serpent’s shadow... or might lead them to their deaths in the depths of the underworld...

In My Mailbox (20): Twice Upon A Time

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted at The Story Siren.

In My Mailbox I have:

Pirates and mermaids face off in this fractured-fairy tale sequel to Half Upon a Time!Jack and May are back for another adventure in the world of fairy tales with a twist. Now that they know about May’s grandmother’s real intentions, they’re on the hunt to learn May’s true identity. The search for answers leads Jack and May to the world of the Sea King, where they land right in the center of a battle between mermaids and the Pirate Bluebeard. The laughter and action are as nonstop as ever in this next book from new author James Riley!

Cover Reveal: Redheads Are Soulless

High School senior, Sofia Black, has had a very hard life. Since her father's death 7 years ago, she has had to look after her drug addicted, alcoholic mother. School isn't any better for her either. The other kids constantly tease, and ridicule her. All she wants is to get out of her small hometown in Alabama.

When new student, Jason, shows up, Sofia's world is              turned upside down. She doesn't understand why he wants to befriend her so badly... And, just when she thinks she can trust him, trouble appears.


Jason's twin brother, Robbie, moves into town, and              things go haywire. Sofia is now running for her life - and Jason is forced to share hidden secrets with her. She learns the truth about her father's death, and finds out that she may not be as "human" as she once thought. She struggles to accept her fate, while fighting for her life.

Add On Goodreads

Take A Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg

From the fantastic author of The Lonely Hearts Club and Prom & Prejudice comes a story of all the drama and comedy of four friends who grow into themselves at a performing arts high school.



Emme, Sophie, Ethan, and Carter are seniors at a performing arts school, getting ready for their Senior Showcase recital, where the pressure is on to appeal to colleges, dance academies, and professionals in show business. For Sophie, a singer, it's been great to be friends with Emme, who composes songs for her, and to date Carter, soap opera heartthrob who gets plenty of press coverage. Emme and Ethan have been in a band together through all four years of school, but wonder if they could be more than just friends and bandmates. Carter has been acting since he was a baby, and isn't sure how to admit that he'd rather paint than perform. The Senior Showcase is going to make or break each of the four, in a funny, touching, spectacular finale that only Elizabeth Eulberg could perform.

Emme is a talented singer, songwriter, and musician living in the shadows of her friend.  Sophie is a charismatic singer who will do anything to be famous - even if it means using the ones who trust her.  Ethan is a songwriter who hasn't always made the best decisions.  And Carter is a famous actor who suffers from the cliche problem:  Being himself, and finding out how to get there.

This book was great.  All of the characters were so real, from the main four to everyone else.  The friends in the band Teenage Kicks relationship was one of my favorite parts of the book.  Jack and Ben kept me laughing even with the sad plot.  There weren't that many extra characters that the story got bogged down, but there were enough that the story had some sub-plot.

As for the main characters, I hated Sophie.  But she was an awesome character.  You were supposed to hate her, and yet, you couldn't help but feel sorry for her.  Even when the book was over, she really had no character development, which was what made her such a hate able character.  Even when everyone was telling her she was wrong, she was doing the wrong things, she kept doing them.  In the process, she lost a lot.  I felt like Carters story was a bit cliche, but also fresh, in its own way.  I also love how his chapters dialogue was scripted, unlike any one else's dialogue.  And Emme and Ethans story was totally the main center of the book.

Even with all of those plots, and the varying POV's between the main four characters, the story was very organized and I never was wondering what was happening or confused.  Even though I felt that Emme and Ethan were the main characters, every one's story was delved into.

For a contemporary book, this novel was very original.  Don't be scared by the cover - what lies inside is amazing.

Rating: 5/5

Language: Minor
Sensuality: Minor - if you're little you wouldn't understand it.
Violence: None

Who Really Dislikes The New Blogger Look?

Follow Friday (26)

First off, let me apologize for my Hiatus...that i didn't even tell you about.  I'm back now!!!  I think...

Feature and Follow Friday is hosted by Alison Can Read and Parajunkee

Q: Fight! Fight! If you could have two fictional characters battle it out (preferably from books), who would they be and who do you think would win?

Um....Maybe one of the Cullen vampires versus a real vampire?  I mean, I'm not saying that I don't like Twilight, I do, but I just can't imagine Edward beating someone like...Pearl, or any other vampire from Drink, Slay, Love.  Or like, Dracula. 

What about you?  Leave links!

Hunger Games Movie + Movie's That Are Book Adaptions

First off, let me just tell you how amazing the Hunger Games movie was.

I was seriously afraid it would be another Twilight (which I hated.  Sorry to all that loved them!)

My favorite thing?  How to the book it was.  Seriously, there were direct lines out of the book!  I don't have any (big) complaints.  Plus, even though I know how it all happens, I was tense.  Really, really, tense. 

Oh, by the way my mom thinks Katniss should end up with Gale.  Actually, she thought she would until I told her she wouldn't.  And I didn't like Peeta that much, even though I liked him in the book.  But Katniss was awesome.  And so was Rue. (But she died.  And it's awful.)

Now, on to the discussion-y thing:

Okay, so when you get books that are turned into movies, there are pretty much three types:   The Good, The Bad, and The Ones That Don't Even Resemble The Book.

Hunger Games is what one might call The Good.  It's to the book, and just awesome.  Harry Potter is also The Good.  You have to admit, even though they mess things up, the HP movies are good, right?  Good acting, pretty much to the book, and enjoyable enough you'll watch it again.

Then there's the BAD.  For me, that's Twilight.  I get some people like them, but I admit that I find you slightly crazy.  Sorry, no hard feelings, the Twilights (movies) for me were just so bad I don't see how anyone could like them.  But some people do.  I get that. 

I liked the Twilight books.  They were good.  Really good.

Still, BAD ACTING and painful to watch.  That's what I think of when I think of the Twilight movies.

Then there's stuff like Ella Enchanted and How To Train You Dragon which are so not like the book (though still good) that if you changed the names of the characters it would almost be a completely different story.   These can be good or bad.  The two I listed I liked.  They just weren't anything like the book.

Anyway, that's my take on it.

Now, if you haven't already, go see the Hunger Games.

And may the odds ever be in your favor.

Follow Friday (25)

Feature and Follow Friday is hosted by Alison Can Read and Parajunkee

Q: What is the longest book you've read? What are your favorite 600+ page reads?

The longest book I've read is probably the seventh Harry Potter.  I'm not sure, though.  The books I read aren't that big, averaging between two-hundred and four-hundred, but HP was long-ish, I guess.

That one is also my favorite, obviously!!!

EDIT:  I've recently learned that I am a liar.  See, I didn't actually check out the lengths of the books.  Turns out Little Woman (I read it kindle version, so I do have an excuse) is 1000+ pages, the fifth HP is longer than the seventh, and some of the Twilight's are really long too.  My favorite(s) still stay the same, though.  Harry Potter rules!!!!!

What about you?  Leave links!

Waiting On Wednesday (19): Princess of the Silver Woods

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine.

This week I am waiting for:

The third and final book of the Princess of the Midnight Ball series by Jessica Day George. This book features Petunia, and is roughly based off of Little Red Riding Hood.











I had to do this one today:)  I have literally been waiting anxiously for a cover to do it.  As most of you know from my excessive babbling over this author, I love this authors books.  I'm dying for this one.  D-Y-I-N-G.

What are you Waiting for today?

Happy First Day Of Spring!!!!

Today is the first day of spring!

It's supposed to get up to the high seventies where I live today.

I don't live in a tropical place.  I live in Ohio.

Are we just skipping spring this year?  I'm not complaining, I do love the summer (though I missed the snow this year) but spring and fall are my favorite seasons.  My brothers birthday is soon (and shares the same day as a much anticipated movie release day) and there's sometimes snow on his birthday!  Obviously not this year.

Anyway, I started this post to say happy spring...

Tiger's Quest by Colleen Houck

Back in Oregon, Kelsey tries to pick up the pieces of her life and push aside her feelings for Ren. But danger lurks around the corner, forcing her to return to India where she embarks on a second quest--this time with Ren's dark, bad-boy brother Kishan, who has also fallen prey to the Tiger's Curse. Fraught with danger, spellbinding dreams, and choices of the heart, TIGER'S QUEST brings the trio one step closer to breaking the spell that binds them. Winner of a Parent's Choice Award!








At the end of Tiger's Curse I was screaming, "No!!!  Don't do it!!!" at Kelsey.  At the end of this book, I was screaming the exact same thing at Ren.

This book was good, I'll admit.  However, it wasn't anywhere near as good as the previous book.  I think it was because we saw more of Kishan than Ren.  I don't hate Kishan, i just don't love him.  I never really like the "bad boy" in books, and that's exactly how Kishan was described.  Plus, it seemed at times he was pushing himself at Kelsey.

Speaking of Kelsey, definitely not the best MC.  Once again, I do not hate her.  I just can't find it in me to love her.  She is sort of...weak, and whiny.  People who don't like Twilight say that Bella spends a lot of time pondering over which guy she likes best, and I feel that Kelsey is the same way.

Another thing I don't love about this book, or the series, is there are a few misplaced (or nonexistent) commas and quotation marks.  Now, I'll look past this, but it slows down the reading for me.

Anyway, on to what I liked.

My favorite thing about this series, besides the covers, is the mythology and folk lore.  I love mythology and fairy tales, and that is what this series is all about.  I'm learning mythology that I never knew, and that makes me extremely happy!

I also love the adventurous feel of this book.  It's like an Indian Indiana Jones.  I love romance, and contemporary, but my preferred genres are fantasy and action (with some sci-fi and/or romance).

Over all, I wasn't that impressed with this book, especially after how amazing Tiger's curse was.  My two favorite character, Ren and Mr. Kadam, were barely in it. and in Ren's case, they were a major let down.  I think my least favorite thing had to be the prospect that Kelsey could en up with Kishan [shudder].  Still, I am looking forward to getting my hand on the next book and reading the rest of the series.

Rating: 4/5 stars (almost 3/5).

Language: None
Sensuality: Mild
Violence: Moderate

Cover Reveal: Princess of the Silver Woods

Ok, so if you have visited my blog during Follow Friday you know I love Jessica Day George's books.  And so I'm happy to share with you all the cover of the final book in her Princess's series, Princess of the Silver Ball!
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The third and final book of the Princess of the Midnight Ball series by Jessica Day George. This book features Petunia, and is roughly based off of Little Red Riding Hood.

Amazing, right?  I simply love all of the covers in this series!

Ok, I feel the need to add that I don't know if this cover is final, I just saw it on Goodreads and needed to do this post.

Happy St. Patricks Day!

Happy St. Patricks day!
Wear green, dye your food green, and do whatever else you do on this day...

Follow Friday (24)

Feature and Follow Friday is hosted by Alison Can Read and Parajunkee

Q:  What is the best book you've read in the last month? What is the worst book you've read in the last month?.

Alright.  The Best:
By far.  However, it is followed by several books for the best.

The worst:  I really didn't have any that stood out as "the worst".  If it was this month, I would have to say Melody Burning (seriously, I gave it the lowest rating I ever have on Goodreads), but since its February, I can't really say.