Challenge Uncompleted--Failure

Here are the 2 challenges that I didn't complete this year.

I had 14 books left to read!

Description: 9 books in 9 different categories, all read in 2009.
For an added challenge, try completing your books by 9/9/09!
This group is to help you track your progress on the Paranormal 999 challenge.
You choose your own categories.... but you must have 9 categories and they must be paranormal....some examples are:
Vampires
Werewolves
GhostWitches
Wizards
Demons
Psychic

If you join, please leave a comment here with a link to your challenge page, and click on the image above to leave a comment on the original page as well.

So, here's my list:

Vampires

1. Undead and Unworthy by MaryJanice Davidson
2. Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith (can also be used as were-animals)
3. Dead End Dating by Kimberly Raye
4. Dead and Dateless by Kimberly Raye
5. Your Coffin or Mine? by Kimberly Raye
6. Just One Bite by Kimberly Raye
7. Revelations by Melissa De La Cruz
8. Accidentally Dead by Dakota Cassidy
9. Real Vampires Get Lucky by Gerry Bartlett (can also be used as shape-shifters)

Witches/Wizards/Sorcerers/Magicians/Mages

1. Competition's A Witch by Kelly McClymer
2. She's A Witch Girl by Kelly McClymer
3. Modern Magic by Anner Cordwainer
4. 50 Ways to Hex Your Lover by Linda Wisdom (can also be used for vampires, ghosts)
5. Mysteria Lane by MaryJanice Davidson, Susan Grant, Gena Showalter, and P.C. Cast (can also be used as demons, fairy, vampires)
6. Thirteenth Child by Patricia C. Wrede
7. Laced With Magic by Barbara Bretton (can also be used for Fae)
8. Red-Headed Stepchild by Jaye Wells (can also be used for Vampires, demons, fairy)
9. Witch High edited by Denise Little

Demons

1. The Accidental Demon Slayer by Angie Fox
2. Demons Are Forever by Julie Kenner
3. Deja Demon by Julie Kenner
4. Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead
5. Succubus On Top by Richelle Mead
6. Succubus Dreams by Richelle Mead
7. Jennifer's Body by Audrey Nixon
8. Speed Demon by Erin Lynn
9. Awakening by K. Lippi

Were-animals/ Shapeshifters/ Mermaids

1. The Accidental Werewolf by Dakota Cassidy
2. In Over Her Head by Judi Fennell
3. Real Vampires Don't Diet by Gerry Bartlett (can also be used as vampires)
4. Wild Blue Under by Judi Fennell
5. The Accidental Human by Dakota Cassidy
6. Hex Appeal by Linda Wisdom (can also be used as witch, vampire, ghosts)
7. Barbie & the Beast by Linda Thomas-Sundstrom
8. Last Vampire Standing by Nancy Haddock (can also be used as vampires)
   

Fae/Fairy

1. How to Ditch Your Fairy by Justine Larbalestier

Psychics/Sensitives

1. Another One Bites the Dust by Jennifer Rardin (can also be used as vampires)
2. Biting the Bullet by Jennifer Rardin (can also be used as vampires)
3. Countdown by Michelle Maddox
4. Bitten to Death by Jennifer Rardin
5. Fade by Lisa McMann
6. Gone with the Witch by Annette Blair (could also be used as witches)
7. Never Been Witched by Annette Blair (could also be used as witches, ghosts)
8. One More Bite by Jennifer Rardin
9. La Vida Vampire by Nancy Haddock (can also be used as vampire, shape-shifters)
   

Ghosts/Angels

1. Demon's Delight by MaryJanice Davidson, Emma Holly, Vickie Taylor, & Catherine Spangler (can also be used as witch, vampire, demon)
2. Shadowed Summer by Saundra Mitchell
3. First Night by Tom Weston
4. The Hollow by Jessica Verday
5. What's A Ghoul To Do? by Victoria Laurie (could also be used as Psychics/Sensitives)
6. Demons Are A Ghoul's Best Friend by Victoria Laurie (could also be used as Psychics/Sensitives)
7. The Splendor Falls by Rosemary Clement-Moore
8. Sex and the Psychic Witch by Annette Blair
9. Swoon by Nina Malkin (could also be used as Demon)

Dragons

1. Jennifer Scales and the Ancient Furnace by MaryJanice Davidson and Anthony Alongi (can also be used as were-animals)
2. Jennifer Scales and the Messenger of Light by MaryJanice Davidson and Anthony Alongi (can also be used as were-animals)
3. The Silver Moon Elm by MaryJanice Davidson and Anthony Alongi (can also be used as were-animals)
4. Wait Till Your Vampire Gets Home by Michele Bardsley (can also be used as vampires, were-animals)
5. Playing With Fire by Katie MacAlister
6. Up in Smoke by Katie MacAlister

Misc (doesn't fit into a category:)

1. Oh My Goth by Gena Showalter (alternate reality)
2. Untamed by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast ( Gods/Goddesses)
3. My Soul To Take by Rachel Vincent (bean sidhes)
4. The Demon King and I by Candace Havens (Guardians)
5. My Soul to Save by Rachel Vincent (bean sidhes)
6. Road Trip of the Living Dead by Mark Henry (Zombies)
7. Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves (Alternate Reality)

AND

Chick-lit Challenge 2

I had 2 books left to read

I am participating in another Chick-lit Challenge on Paperback Swap. So of course I have to blog about it here!

1) Pick a Chic Lit book that's been on your TBR for a year or more.-- Queen of Babble by Meg Cabot

2)Pick a book that hasn't had a movie made from it. --The Agency by Ally O'Brien

3)Read a new to you author--American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld

4)Read a book with a hair color in the title example: Bergdorf Blondes

5)Start a series! (you don't need to finish it) The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs

6)Read a book with some kind of beverage in the title (i.e.:Cocktails for Three, Milk Run)

Book Review- Bleeding Violet

I just finished reading Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves for an Around the World Tour.

From the back cover:

Love... can be a dangerous thing.

Hanna simply wants to be loved. With a head plagued by hallucinations, a medicine cabinet full of pills, and a closet stuffed with frilly, violet dresses, Hanna's tired of being the outcast, the weird girl, the freak. So she runs away to Portero, Texas in search of a new home.

But Portero is a stranger town than Hanna expects. As she tries to make a place for herself, she discovers dark secrets that would terrify any normal soul. Good thing for Hanna, she's far from normal. As this crazy girl meets an even crazier town, only two things are certain: Anything can happen and no one is safe.

Wow.  I think that might be the weirdest book I have ever read.  I'm not sure what to think or write about it.  And I'm not sure if I liked it or not.  I do know that it was extremely gory.  I do know that there were a bunch of times were I was confused as to what things were and what was happening.  I do know that I liked the two main characters- Hanna and Wyatt.  But I'm not sure if I liked the book.

I felt bad for Hanna.  She so wanted to be loved by her mother but she was one messed up girl.  And I liked Wyatt.  I felt like he did care about Hanna, although there were times when I wanted to ring his neck for his obviously still-there feelings for Petra. 

As for the plot, there was just too much weirdness going on for me to really enjoy it.  I did read it quicker than I thought I would, but I just couldn't really get into it.  I dunno...if you're looking for a unique, off-the-wall book, then this would be it.

I gave this book a rating of 2.5/5.

This book fulfilled an item in the following challenge:
Paranormal 999 Challenge: Misc (alternate reality)
 
*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.

Book Review- Road Trip of the Living Dead

I just finished reading Road Trip of the Living Dead by Mark Henry.

From the back cover:

Celebrity party girl Amanda Feral is back from the dead, and hungrier than ever for a good time. With her zombie gal pal Wendy and vampy gay sidekick Gil, this stone cold fox is dressed to kill, on the prowl, and ready to take a big juicy bite out of Seattle's supernatural nightlife. But what's a zombie chick to do when her 'Mommie Dearest' gets sick? If you're Amanda Feral, you can either ignore the wicked old witch - or bury the past by visiting Ethel before she kicks it. Amanda's not thrilled about the idea of crossing three states just to be criticized. But Wendy, who's always looking for fresh meat, is up for the adventure. And Gil, who just launched his 'luxury' resurrection business, needs to disappear because a pissed-off client is out for his blood.

First, they pack their stiletto pumps and plasma into a skeevy rattrap on wheels that used to be a Winnebago. Then, with a little help from a Korean-ghost hood ornament, a masochist named Fishhook, and a slew of 'moderately accurate' psychics, they hit the highway - their way. Of course, they'll have to navigate past some neo-Nazi skinheads, a horny dust devil, a hunky werewolf cop (who could pass for an underwear model) and an unsightly horde of Kmart shoppers. But for this glamorous gang of ghouls this trip is about to take a dangerous detour that could give road kill a brand new meaning...

Ok, this book just didn't do it for me.  Yes, some of it was humourous, but most of it was just disgusting.  It was too gory and skeezy for me.  And a lot of the jokes were too dirty, either sexual or toilet humor, even for me.  I didn't like the characters either.  Blah.  The only reason it got a 2 rating because if you break it down into the basic plot, it was okay.  This is not one book that I would recommend.

I gave this book a rating of 2/5.

This book fulfilled an item in the following challenge:
Paranormal 999 Challenge: Misc (Zombies)

*FTC Disclosure: I traded this book with a friend

Book Review- Last Vampire Standing

I just finished reading Last Vampire Standing by Nancy Haddock.

From the back cover:

I know.  A vampire princess would have to be nuts to live in the Sunshine State, what with all that sun shining.  But, hey, St. Augustine is beautiful and it's my home.  Plus, I have good friends, nice new digs, and no major problems-- until a stranger from the Atlanta nest crashes my party, looking for sanctuary.

A budding stand-up comin, Jo-Jo's running from an undead superior who's eager to drive a stake through the heart of his dream job.  But Jo-Jo's bad jokes aren't the only dark clouds on the horizon.

A psychotic vampire with a murderous agenda has followed Jo-Jo to Florida, putting everyone close to me in danger.  I might be a lousy vampire, but I'm determined to find out what it all has to do with an energy-sapping plague that's knocking off the country's head vamps.  Even if it kills me.  Again.

This was a second great novel in the series by Nancy Haddock.  I once again enjoyed reading about an area where I grew up in (and the Florida Gators were acutally mentioned in this story!).

The characters were the same that I loved in the first book in the series, La Vida Vampire, but a lovable Jo-Jo was added this go round.  You couldn't help but laugh at his jokes, even if they were corny.  And the plot was fun and had me guessing until the end.  But I want to know more about Triton.  I haven't seen where there is going to be another book in the series, but I sure hope there is going to be one!

I gave this book a rating of 4/5.

This book fulfilled an item in the following challenge:
Paranormal 999 Challenge: Shape-shifters (can also be used as vampires)

*FTC Disclosure: I traded this book with a friend

Book Review- La Vida Vampire

I just finished reading La Vida Vampire by Nancy Haddock.

From the back cover:

Sometimes being a vampire isn't all it's cracked up to be.

Take it from me, Francesca Marinelli.  I was trapped underground for more than two hundred years and unearthed during the renovation of a Victorian mansion in historic St. Augustine. Being something of a  tourist attraction myself, I'm well suited for a job as a ghost tour guide.  A vampire telling ghost stories.  Is that a kick or what?  Hey, I'm 227 years old.  I want to learn things, do things, see things!   With enough sunblock, I can have a new lease on afterlife.  But...

Getting used to being a vampire in the twenty-first century is tough.  First, everything I learned about men is a little dated. Then a woman from my tour group turns up dead.  Naturally the police think I'm responsible, and it's not so easy to prove I didn't do it.   To top it all off, a crazed  vigilante squad called the Covenant is out to get me. Between the dead bodies, the stalkers, and my seriously nonexistent love life, I'm starting to think it was easier being a vampire when I was undead and buried.
 
First of all, I really enjoyed reading the story since it was set in St. Augustine.  I grew up in Orange Park, a little city right outside of Jacksonville, so we went to St. Augustine all of the time.  I loved reading about the streets and loved recognizng other city names (and the author talked about Gainesville--where I went to college!) 
 
I also really loved Cesca.  She was so down to earth--the total opposite of the typical vampire stereotype.  And she proved how off the stereotype could be.  She is someone, that if she were real, I would wnat to be friends with!  And Saber, the preternatural crimes special investigator hired investigate the crimes, and then to protect her just sounded hot!
 
This was a fun story that definitely leaves you hanging at the end.  There is a lot more to happen, and I'm very glad that I have the next book, Last Vampire Standing, to read next!
 
I gave this book a rating of 4/5.
 
This book fulfilled an item in the following challenge:
Paranormal 999 Challenge: Psychics

*FTC Disclosure: I traded this book with a friend

Book Review- Barbie & the Beast

I just finished reading Barbie & the Beast by Linda Thomas-Sundstrom.

From the back cover:

A Hairy Situation
Barbie Bradley was swept off her feet - literally. One moment the twenty-something was traversing Forest Lawn Cemetery in the dead of night with her best friend, the next she was thrown like a sack of potatoes over a man's shoulder. True, she and Angie had come to this odd locale for a singles party, but this wasn't quite how she'd planned to get picked up.

Hello Dolly!
Darin Russell found "Ms. Right" at work, which was suprising because girls in the cemetery were usually a tad, in a word, stiff. Not that this one couldn't stand to loosen up. She seemed particularly sensitive about being named after the Mattel toy, and before he popped the question he had to know how she'd react to his furry little secret. You see, though he had a tuxedo and a Porsche, he had more in common with the residents of the Miami Zoo than Ken. And if things went according to plan, Barbie was going to see his animal side.

This book was just plain fun.  There was nothing deep or serious about the book--just a light-hearted, silly (in a good way!) romance with a paranormal side.  I read it in one day!  The main characters, Barbie and Darin, were endearing and I felt myself rooting for them to get together.  If you're looking for a charming, easy-to-read love story, then I recommend this one.

I gave this book a rating of 3.5/5.

This book fulfilled an item in the following challenge:
Paranormal 999 Challenge: Were-animals

*FTC Disclosure: I traded this book with a friend

Book Review- How to Ditch Your Fairy

I just finished reading How to Ditch Your Fairy by Justine Larbalestier.

From the inside cover:

Welcome to New Avalon, where everyone has a personal fairy. Though invisible to the naked eye, a personal fairy-- like a specialized good luck charm-- is vital to a person's success.  It might determine whether you make a sports team, pass a class, or   find that perfect outfit. But for fourteen-year-old Charlie, having a Parking Fairy is worse than having nothing at all--especially when the school bully carts her around like his own personal parking pass.

Enter: The Plan. At first, teaming up with arch-enemy Fiorenze (who has an all-the-boys-like-you fairy), seems like a great idea. But when Charlie unexpectedly gets her heart's desire, it isn't at all what she thought it would be, and she'll have resort to extraordinary measures to set things right.

From the author of the award-winning Magic or Madness trilogy, How to Ditch Your Fairy is a delightful story of  friendship, fairies, and figuring out how to make your own magic.

It took me quite awhile to get into this story.  The made-up language was hard for me to enjoy at first and I didn't like having to guess what some words meant (Clue--the back of the book has a glossary, which I only found out about when I got to the end of the book.  I wish I had known this sooner).  But about halfway through the book, it became easier to read, and I enjoyed it more.

I liked the characters and I liked the setting.  Charlie seemed like a normal teenager--well as normal as one can be in such a strict setting with fairies.  I thought Rochelle seemed sweet (and I would love her shopping fairy!) And I just plain felt bad for Fiorenze.  She seemed to have the best fairy of all, but it was really a curse.  And the idea of a sports school where everything is so strict in a city where everyone believes they live in the best city in the world is intriguing yet creepy at the same time. 

I enjoyed the plot of the story.  The idea of almost everyone having their own personal fairy is a new one, and wouldn't that be great if it happened in real life?!?! (I would love a book reading fairy where I could fly through books). 

I gave this book a rating of 3.5/5.

This book fulfilled an item in the following challenge:
Paranormal 999 Challenge: Fae/Fairy

*FTC Disclosure: I traded this book with a friend

Book Review- Swoon

I just finished reading Swoon by Nina Malkin.

From the back cover:

Torn from her native New York City and dumped in the land of cookie-cutter preps, Candice is resigned to accept her posh, dull fate. Nothing ever happens in Swoon, Connecticut...until Dice's perfect, privileged cousin Penelope nearly dies in a fall from an old tree, and her spirit intertwines with that of a ghost. His name? Sinclair Youngblood Powers. His mission? Revenge. And while Pen is oblivious to the possession, Dice is all too aware of Sin. She's intensely drawn to him--but not at all crazy about the havoc he's wreaking. Determined to exorcise the demon, Dice accidentally sets Sin loose, gives him flesh, makes him formidable. Now she must destroy an even more potent--and irresistible--adversary, before the whole town succumbs to Sin's will. Only trouble is, she's in love with him.

I am honestly not sure what I think of this book.  At times I think I liked and enjoyed it and at other times, I had to force myself to read it. 

First of all, I think there was way too much sex and drugs in the book.  I'm definitely not one of those people who thinks that those elements shouldn't be in YA novels, but I guess I just wasn't prepared for it.  For some reason, it made me uncomfortable, which normally doesn't happen.

As for the characters, I was conflicted there as well.  Dice, the narrator of the story, was for me at times not interesting, while at other times I felt for her conflicting emotions about Sin.  And as for Sin--I wanted to hate him.  I surely hated what he was doing.  But for some reason, I liked the way he was with Dice and the way he was protective of her.  And while I knew that Pen was under Sin's spell, her actions were just too promiscuous for my liking.  I think my favorite character was a secondary character named Marsh.  I felt for her home life and I loved how she fell in love toward the end of the story.

Overall, I thought the premise of the story was a good idea, but I just couldn't get into it.

I gave this book a rating of 3/5.

This book fulfilled an item in the following challenge:
Paranormal 999 Challenge: Ghosts
 
*FTC Disclosure: I traded for the copy of this book with a friend.

Book Review- One More Bite

I just finished reading One More Bite by Jennifer Rardin.

From Jennifer Rardin's website:

Jaz and Vayl have been assigned to travel to Inverness to prevent an assassination that has the potential to upset the balance between the west coast vampire nests and allow another Raptor to emerge. In the power vacuum left by Edward “the Raptor” Samos’ death, a struggle for supremacy has begun between his former allies: The Coven of Inverness, the Valencian Weres and The Flock. The struggle takes on a new twist when Pete learns that the Valencians have hired an assassin to take out the Coven’s leader, a powerful witch named Floraidh Halsey. Jaz and Vayl must stalk a killer as wily and Gifted as themselves as they travel through the wild, stark beauty of the Highlands. Their travels also bring new heights to their romance, a new depth to their passion, and a bond they are both, at last, willing to seal.

The 5th book in the Jaz Parks series was just okay for me.  While I really like all of the characters, I'm not such a fan of the plot.  I love all of the characters in this series.  I like that Jaz is a kick-butt girl, but still has this soft side of her that love Vayl.  And I like her humor.  And I find Vayl intriguing and Cole is just plain cute (and his feelings for Jaz are so sweet!)  I really liked the new character that was in this story, Viv, although throughout the whole book I couldn't decide if she was a good guy (or rather girl) or bad guy. 

But the plot just doesn't do it for me.  I find myself often confused and trying to think back to figure out what is going on.  And a lot of it  I just plain don't get.  But maybe that's me.  But I will still continue to read this series and look forward to the next book, Bite Marks.

I gave this book a rating of 3/5.

This book fulfilled an item in the following challenge:
Paranormal 999 Challenge: Psychics/Sensitives

*FTC Disclosure:  I traded for the copy of this book with a friend.

Paranormal 999 Challenege- December Update

Description: 9 books in 9 different categories, all read in 2009.
For an added challenge, try completing your books by 9/9/09!
This group is to help you track your progress on the Paranormal 999 challenge.
You choose your own categories.... but you must have 9 categories and they must be paranormal....some examples are:
Vampires
Werewolves
GhostWitches
Wizards
Demons
Psychic

If you join, please leave a comment here with a link to your challenge page, and click on the image above to leave a comment on the original page as well.
Here is a link to my original post: Paranormal 999 Challenge

So, here's my list:

Vampires

1. Undead and Unworthy by MaryJanice Davidson
2. Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith (can also be used as were-animals)
3. Dead End Dating by Kimberly Raye
4. Dead and Dateless by Kimberly Raye
5. Your Coffin or Mine? by Kimberly Raye
6. Just One Bite by Kimberly Raye
7. Revelations by Melissa De La Cruz
8. Accidentally Dead by Dakota Cassidy
9. Real Vampires Get Lucky by Gerry Bartlett (can also be used as shape-shifters)

Witches/Wizards/Sorcerers/Magicians/Mages

1. Competition's A Witch by Kelly McClymer
2. She's A Witch Girl by Kelly McClymer
3. Modern Magic by Anner Cordwainer
4. 50 Ways to Hex Your Lover by Linda Wisdom (can also be used for vampires, ghosts)
5. Mysteria Lane by MaryJanice Davidson, Susan Grant, Gena Showalter, and P.C. Cast (can also be used as demons, fairy, vampires)
6. Thirteenth Child by Patricia C. Wrede
7. Laced With Magic by Barbara Bretton (can also be used for Fae)
8. Red-Headed Stepchild by Jaye Wells (can also be used for Vampires, demons, fairy)
9. Witch High edited by Denise Little

Demons

1. The Accidental Demon Slayer by Angie Fox
2. Demons Are Forever by Julie Kenner
3. Deja Demon by Julie Kenner
4. Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead
5. Succubus On Top by Richelle Mead
6. Succubus Dreams by Richelle Mead
7. Jennifer's Body by Audrey Nixon
8. Speed Demon by Erin Lynn
9. Awakening by K. Lippi

Were-animals/ Shapeshifters/ Mermaids

1. The Accidental Werewolf by Dakota Cassidy
2. In Over Her Head by Judi Fennell
3. Real Vampires Don't Diet by Gerry Bartlett (can also be used as vampires)
4. Wild Blue Under by Judi Fennell
5. The Accidental Human by Dakota Cassidy

Fae/Fairy

Psychics/Sensitives

1. Another One Bites the Dust by Jennifer Rardin (can also be used as vampires)
2. Biting the Bullet by Jennifer Rardin (can also be used as vampires)
3. Countdown by Michelle Maddox
4. Bitten to Death by Jennifer Rardin
5. Fade by Lisa McMann
6. Gone with the Witch by Annette Blair (could also be used as witches)
7. Never Been Witched by Annette Blair (could also be used as witches, ghosts)
   

Ghosts/Angels

1. Demon's Delight by MaryJanice Davidson, Emma Holly, Vickie Taylor, & Catherine Spangler (can also be used as witch, vampire, demon)
2. Shadowed Summer by Saundra Mitchell
3. First Night by Tom Weston
4. The Hollow by Jessica Verday
5. What's A Ghoul To Do? by Victoria Laurie (could also be used as Psychics/Sensitives)
6. Demons Are A Ghoul's Best Friend by Victoria Laurie (could also be used as Psychics/Sensitives)
7. Hex Appeal by Linda Wisdom (can also be used as witch, vampire, were-animal)
8. The Splendor Falls by Rosemary Clement-Moore
9. Sex and the Psychic Witch by Annette Blair

Dragons

1. Jennifer Scales and the Ancient Furnace by MaryJanice Davidson and Anthony Alongi (can also be used as were-animals)
2. Jennifer Scales and the Messenger of Light by MaryJanice Davidson and Anthony Alongi (can also be used as were-animals)
3. The Silver Moon Elm by MaryJanice Davidson and Anthony Alongi (can also be used as were-animals)
4. Wait Till Your Vampire Gets Home by Michele Bardsley (can also be used as vampires, were-animals)
5. Playing With Fire by Katie MacAlister
6. Up in Smoke by Katie MacAlister

Misc (doesn't fit into a category:)

1. Oh My Goth by Gena Showalter (alternate reality)
2. Untamed by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast ( Gods/Goddesses)
3. My Soul To Take by Rachel Vincent (bean sidhes)
4. The Demon King and I by Candace Havens (Guardians)
5. My Soul to Save by Rachel Vincent (bean sidhes)

Book Review- Never Been Witched

I just finished reading Never Been Witched by Annette Blair.

From the back cover:

Three's a charm, and the third Cartwright sister, Destiny, is certainly not lacking.  However, she is troubled by her attraction to paranormal debunker Morgan Jarvis.  Destiny opts out of a week in his company, hoping a meditative stay alone at her sister's lighthouse will shed some light on her contrary feelings and her psychic gifts.

Unbeknownst to Destiny, her sly sister also left keys with the unsuspecting Morgan.  Late one night, they literally stumble upon each other-- and the lighthouse's ghostly inhabitants.  Destiny and Morgan have nothing in common other than the one bed they need to share and some crazy physical attraction.  Raising the dead might be easier than trying to make these two opposites work together, but Destiiny has experience--and love--on her side...

I think this was the best book in the Triplet Witches Trilogy.  I think that the plot was the best of all three books, and I liked the characters the best too.  Once again, I don't have too much to say about this book. There were still some elements thrown in that I thought could have had more thought put into, but overall, I enjoyed this one.

I gave this book a rating of 3/5.

This book fulfilled an item in the following challenge:
Paranormal 999 Challenge:Psychics/Sensitives (can also be used as witches, ghosts)
A to Z Reading Challenge: N
Read Your Name Challenge: N

*FTC Disclosure: I traded for the copy of this book with a friend.

Book Review- Gone with the Witch

I just finished reading Gone with the Witch by Annette Blair.

From the back cover:

Beautiful bad girl Storm Cartwright can be charming when she wants to be.  So when she hears the sound of a baby crying every time she's near Aiden McCloud, she turns on the charm. Because she's sure the weeping means a child is in need--and that the handsome antiques restorer is the key to finding that helpless child.

From the start, Aiden is attracted to Storm.  Yet this gorgeous got girl won't stop talking baby nonsense.  Then Storm sets up a seductive trap, kidnapping him in his very own RV!  While Storm follows the sound of the cries, something magical starts happening between her and Aiden.  But can they keep the magic alive once Storm finally finds what she's looking for?

This is the second book in The Triplet Witch Trilogy.  I really wasn't too fond of the first book, Sex and the Psychic so I was hoping this one would be better.  And it was.  Not a lot better, but I enjoyed it more.  The writing didn't seem as annoying to me.  And I liked the characters in this story more.  But I still felt like elements of the plot were just thrown into the story.  I mean, these elements would have worked if more background had been built up.  I have the third book in the series, Never Been Witched, to read next and hopefully it will be the best of the three.

I gave this book a rating of 3/5.

This book fulfilled an item in the following challenge:
Paranormal 999 Challenge:Psychics/Sensitives
A to Z Reading Challenge: G

*FTC Disclosure: I received this copy of the book from a friend.

Book Review- Sex and the Psychic Witch

I just finished reading Sex and the Psychic Witch by Annette Blair.

From the back cover:

Introducing the Cartwright sisters--Harmony, Destiny and Storm--triplets and unstoppable psychic seductresses.

She could touch the past...
As the buyer for her sisters' vintage curio shop, Harmony finds her job a challenge, since she has the ability to read objects and learn things about their former owners--even their deepest, darkest secrets. Now, a Celtic ring depicting a man's empty embrace has lead her to the Paxon castle on the coast of Salem, Massachusetts.

He needed her presence...
King Paxton has inherited a haunted money pit of a castle.  He must get rid of it before he's cursed with the same bad luck that has plauged his family for generations.  But out of nowhere, a leggy blonde walks in and stops construction, insisting that a witch haunts the place.  What Harmony finds is an angry ghost, a disgruntled renovation crew, and a man who could use a harmonic convergence...

I was very excited to start reading The Triplet Witch Trilogy by Annette Blair, but I was quickly disappointed. I expected a fun, light-hearted chick-litish paranormal, but all I got was a sex-filled, annoying book.  I don't really have too much to say except that I just didn't like it.  The writing got on my nerves, especially the dialogue.  And it felt like the plot was thrown together, with random events thrown in.  And with the exception of Jake, the two-year-old little boy, I didn't really care about any of the characters.  I have the next two books in the series to read, and since I am one of those people that has to follow through, I will read them next.  I can only hope that I like them more than this one.

I gave this book a rating of 2.5/5.

This book fulfilled an item in the following challenge:
Paranormal 999 Challenge: Ghosts (can also be used as witches)
What An Animal II Challenge: 6

*FTC Disclosure: I received this copy of the book from a friend. 

Book Review- My Soul to Save

I just finished reading My Soul to Save by Rachel Vincent.

From the back cover:

When Kaylee Cavanaugh screams, someone dies.

So when teen pop star Eden croaks onstage and Kaylee doesn't wail, she knows something is dead wrong.  She can't cry from someone who has no soul.

The last thing Kaylee needs right now is to be skipping school, breaking her dad's ironclad curfew and putting her too-hot-to-be-real boyfriend's loyalty to the test.  But starry-eyed teens are trading their souls for a flickering lifetime of fame and fortune in exchange for eternity in the Netherworld--a consequence they can't possibly understand.

Kyalee can't let that happen, even if trying to save their souls means putting her own at risk...

I was so excited when I got the ARC of My Soul to Save in the mail.  And it didn't let me down.  This was a second great installment of the Soul Screamers series by Rachel Vincent.  Just as in her last book, My Soul to Take, I loved all of the main characters in the book.  I love Kaylee and Nash together.  Aside from the fact that they are both bean sidhes, they seem like a very real in-love teenage couple.  And I like the fact that we get to see a softer, more real side of Tod in this story. 

We also get to see what the Netherworld is like.  And the creatures in that world gross me out!  They are the stuff of my nightmares!  But I like the concept of the alternate world and its relation to ours--its pretty neat.

The ending surprised me.  I expected it to go one way, and it only half went there.  But it fit and I liked it.  I can't wait to read My Soul to Keep!

I gave this book a rating of 4.5/5.

This book fulfilled an item in the following challenge:
Paranormal 999 Challenge: Misc (bean sidhes)

*FTC Disclosure: I received this copy of the book from the publisher for an honest review.

Book Review- The Splendor Falls

I just finished reading The Splendor Falls by Rosemary Clement-Moore.

Sylvie's world came crashing down the day she broke her leg on stage. She was the youngest-ever principal ballerina for the American Ballet and her dream career ended at the age of seventeen.  But her world is also changed by her mother's remarriage and since she has no reason to stay in New York, she's shipped off to Alabama to stay with her late father's cousin, Paula.  Paula is restoring a family home that has been passed down through the generations of the Davis family.  And with this home comes a history that is ghostly.  Sylvie must figure out the mystery of why she can suddenly see ghosts and why there seems to be magic in the air.  Add two guys who are both interested in her, and she gets one summer that she will never forget.

This book is really long--five hundred and thirteen pages long.  And it was too long, I think.  I think that there was too much filler in the story and that it could definitely be shortened.  There were times that I became confused.  How the past was relevant to the future, and the relationships between the characters had me flipping back through the book at some points.

I did like some of the main characters.  I liked Sylvie--a ballerina as a main character (although the ballet aspect is talked about too much) is new to me.  And she had a great, fiesty personality.  I liked a lot of her retorts to the guys and to her cousin.  I also really liked Rhys.  He had an air of mystery surrounding him that was appealing and intriguing.  I also liked Clara, the business partner of Paula.  She had such a caring air about her.    And I want a puppy like Gigi!
I didn't particularly like Shawn or Addie, although I don't think I was supposed to.  There was something eerie about Shawn and his ability to charm everyone.  And Addie was just plain mean. 

I did like the ending--it seemed to wrap everything up nicely and all of the many details throughout the book came together.   As long as you aren't looking for a speedy, easy read, I would reccommend this book.

I gave this book a rating of 3/5.

This book fullfilled an item in the following challenge:
Paranormal 999 Challenge: Ghosts

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free by Melyssa from Book Divas and Jen from TeensReadToo for an honest review.

Book Review- The Accidental Human

I just finished reading The Accidental Human by Dakota Cassidy.

From the back cover:

Wanda's sales are up.

Wanda Schwartz is raking in the dough selling Bobbie-Sue Cosmetics--and she's a pro at recruiting new saleswomen. So, she's shocked when a man comes to one of her in-home parties--a very hot man. Heath Jefferson is sure to put some extra spin into a lot of women's color wheels.

Her life expectancy, not so much.

When Wanda is diagnosed with a terminal illness, it doesn't have to be a death sentence. With a werewolf and a vampire for best friends, she has options that most ordinary people wouldn't. As Wanda ponders what to do about her mortality, Heath reveals he has secrets, too, and one of them is that his bloodlust has turned into an old-fashioned lust--for Wanda. And he's already given up too much to lose the love of his lifetimes...

This is the third book in the Accidental Friends series by Dakota Cassidy.  It was just okay for me.  I found that a lot of the writing got annoying.  The spelling of "whatever" as "whatevah" and other slang items like that.

As for the plot, I thought it was cute.  Part of the ending was predictable, while another part of it wasn't, so I enjoyed it. I found Heath really cute--although I didn't understand why he and his "manservant" seemed so out of touch with today.  He was a vampire living in today's world, so while even though most of his materials good came from magic, he was still in the present,so I feel that he would have known about the normal materialistic good of present day.

Overall, a quick cute-but slightly-annoying paranormal read.

I gave this a rating of 3/5.

This book fulfilled an item in the following challenge:
Paranormal 999 Challenge: Were-Animals

*FTC Disclosure: I received this copy of the book from a friend.

Book Review- Wild Blue Under

I just finished reading Wild Blue Under by Judi Fennell for a blog tour.

From Judi Fennell's website:

Rod Tritone, heir to the throne of the undersea world, needs a queen capable of ruling the oldest kingdom on earth. Someone regal, learned and of noble birth. Problem is, the only eligible noble-born Mer princess is half-Human - and she doesn't have a clue about the non-Human part.

Valerie Dumere has screwed up her life at every turn, so when her mother dies and leaves her the family business, Val realizes it's up to her to buckle down and get her life on track. No more excuses.

So when a guy shows up claiming to be her destiny, she scoffs. No way. She isn't running away from her responsibilities ever again - no matter how good the guy looks without a shirt.

But Rod isn't going away. He can't claim his inheritance without her - and Val will lose hers if she goes with him.

It's going to take one whale of a tale to get her to chuck it all and follow him off into the wild blue under...

This is the second book in the series by Judi Fennell, with In Over Her Head being the first, and once again I really enjoyed it.  For some reason, I had a hard time following what was happening in this book.  I think I was trying to remember what happened in the first one and relate it to this one, but it wasn't necessary to do that. 

I loved the characters.  Valerie seemed very real and down-to-earth, Rod seemed like a hot Mer, and Livingston, the seagull, cracked me up!  I once again loved the humor in the book and the way Judi Fennell played with everyday sayings and made them ocean-y.  Instead of "That's it in a nut shell" we got "That's it in a conch shell."  Instead of "Oh Lord", we get "Oh Hades" or "Oh Zeus" and many more.

I just love these books and their twist on a favorite fairy tale. I can't wait to read the next book, Catch of a Lifetime, when it comes out in February!

I gave this book a rating of 4/5.

This book fullfills items in the following challenges:

What An Animal II Challenge:  5

Paranormal 999 Challenge: Mermaids

Thanks to Danielle from Sourcebooks for setting this up!

Watch for a giveaway and guest blog by Judi Fennell tomorrow!

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free by Danielle from Sourcebooks for an honest review.

Paranormal 999 Challenge- November Update

Description: 9 books in 9 different categories, all read in 2009. For an added challenge, try completing your books by 9/9/09!This group is to help you track your progress on the Paranormal 999 challenge.You choose your own categories.... but you must have 9 categories and they must be paranormal....some examples are:

Vampires

Werewolves

Ghost

Witches

Wizards

Demons

Psychic

Vampires

If you join, please leave a comment here with a link to your challenge page, and click on the image above to leave a comment on the original page as well.

Here is a link to my original post: Paranormal 999 Challenge

 

Vampires

1. Undead and Unworthy by MaryJanice Davidson
2. Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith (can also be used as were-animals)
3. Dead End Dating by Kimberly Raye
4. Dead and Dateless by Kimberly Raye
5. Your Coffin or Mine? by Kimberly Raye
6. Just One Bite by Kimberly Raye
7. Revelations by Melissa De La Cruz
8. Accidentally Dead by Dakota Cassidy
9. Real Vampires Get Lucky by Gerry Bartlett (can also be used as shape-shifters)

Witches/Wizards/Sorcerers/Magicians/Mages

1. Competition's A Witch by Kelly McClymer
2. She's A Witch Girl by Kelly McClymer
3. Modern Magic by Anner Cordwainer
4. 50 Ways to Hex Your Lover by Linda Wisdom (can also be used for vampires, ghosts)
5. Mysteria Lane by MaryJanice Davidson, Susan Grant, Gena Showalter, and P.C. Cast (can also be used as demons, fairy, vampires)
6. Thirteenth Child by Patricia C. Wrede
7. Laced With Magic by Barbara Bretton (can also be used for Fae)
8. Red-Headed Stepchild by Jaye Wells (can also be used for Vampires, demons, fairy)
9. Witch High edited by Denise Little

Demons

1. The Accidental Demon Slayer by Angie Fox
2. Demons Are Forever by Julie Kenner
3. Deja Demon by Julie Kenner
4. Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead
5. Succubus On Top by Richelle Mead
6. Succubus Dreams by Richelle Mead
7. Jennifer's Body by Audrey Nixon
8. Speed Demon by Erin Lynn
9. Awakening by K. Lippi

Were-animals/ Shapeshifters/ Mermaids

1. The Accidental Werewolf by Dakota Cassidy
2. In Over Her Head by Judi Fennell
3. Real Vampires Don't Diet by Gerry Bartlett (can also be used as vampires)

 

Fae/Fairy

1. 
   
   My Soul To Take by Rachel Vincent
   
   
   

Psychics/Sensitives

1. Another One Bites the Dust by Jennifer Rardin (can also be used as vampires)
2. Biting the Bullet by Jennifer Rardin (can also be used as vampires)
3. Countdown by Michelle Maddox
4. Bitten to Death by Jennifer Rardin
5. Fade by Lisa McMann

Ghosts/Angels

1. Demon's Delight by MaryJanice Davidson, Emma Holly, Vickie Taylor, & Catherine Spangler (can also be used as witch, vampire, demon)
2. Shadowed Summer by Saundra Mitchell
3. First Night by Tom Weston
4. The Hollow by Jessica Verday
5. What's A Ghoul To Do? by Victoria Laurie (could also be used as Psychics/Sensitives)
6. Demons Are A Ghoul's Best Friend by Victoria Laurie (could also be used as Psychics/Sensitives)
7. Hex Appeal by Linda Wisdom (can also be used as witch, vampire, were-animal)

Dragons

1. Jennifer Scales and the Ancient Furnace by MaryJanice Davidson and Anthony Alongi (can also be used as were-animals)
2. Jennifer Scales and the Messenger of Light by MaryJanice Davidson and Anthony Alongi (can also be used as were-animals)
3. The Silver Moon Elm by MaryJanice Davidson and Anthony Alongi (can also be used as were-animals)
4. Wait Till Your Vampire Gets Home by Michele Bardsley (can also be used as vampires, were-animals)
5. Playing With Fire by Katie MacAlister
6. Up in Smoke by Katie MacAlister

Misc (doesn't fit into a category:)

1. Oh My Goth by Gena Showalter (alternate reality)
2. Untamed by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast ( Gods/Goddesses)
3. The Demon King and I by Candace Havens (Guardians)