Sunday, June 24, 2012
Hiatus
My blog will be going on a break for about a month. Tomorrow I fly to Asia for two weeks. We will be going to Hong Kong and Tokyo on a girls trip. Then I fly back here on Monday, July 9th. On Tuesday, July 10th, hubby and I take our puppy up to my parents house in Jacksonville (about a 2 1/2 hour drive) and then Wednesday morning, July 11th, we fly to Denver for a week! I am going to be exhausted! So the blog will pick back up on July 19th or 20th!
In My Mailbox- June 25, 2012
WEDNESDAY
SATURDAY
The Sunday Salon- June 24, 2012
I've spent the past week getting ready for my trip tomorrow. I'll be in Asia (Hong Kong and Tokyo) for two weeks. I'm so excited, but a little nervous. At least when I went to Europe, the letters looked the same and some of the words were similar. But now, nothing will be familiar! But we are going to have so much fun!
I finished and reviewed the following books in the past week:
Bite by Laurel K. Hamilton, Charlaine Harris, MaryJanice Davidson, Angela Knight, and Vickie Taylor
I fulfilled items in the following challenges in the past week:
Sookie Stackhouse Reading Challenge!: Bite
2012 Reading Challenge 150+: 50, 51
2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge: 3
2012 ARC Reading Challenge: 53
2012 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 47
I am currently reading Just Say Yes by Phillipa Ashley and up next is Once by Anna Carey.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Book Review- Flock
I finished reading Flock (Stork #3) by Wendy Delsol last night for an Around the World ARC Tour.
From Goodreads:
Having barely survived an eleventh grade of adventures rivaling any mythological tale, human Stork Katla Leblanc is hoping for an ordinary senior year. But when two Icelandic exchange students turn up at Norse Falls High, an uneventful school year seems out of the question.
Although tricked into the initial deal, Katla is constrained by a celestial bargain that puts everyone—including her boyfriend, Jack, and best friend, Penny—at risk. She’ll have to use her wits, her wit, her soul-delivering powers, and a few out-of-this-world colleagues to fend off a disaster of epic proportions.
I really enjoyed the first two books in the Stork trilogy so I was excited to read this last one. And while it wasn't my favorite of the trilogy, I definitely enjoyed it.
Once again, I just loved Kat. I still love her humor and kind of sarcastic streak. And I love that she does what she thinks is right, even if it's not exactly what she's supposed to be doing. And I still like her relationship with Jack (although we don't get too much of him in this book). I think it still seems like a real, teenage relationship. I didn't remember Penny from last book (oops) but I enjoyed her. And I loved the little secret we get about her at the end. I didn't remember Marik or Jinky either, but I can't forget them now! I love that everyone loved Marik. I too thought it was one of his special powers but it turned out that was just his personality. And spunky little Jinky was fun too. She had a soft side buried way down there.
I do have to say that the main action of the story towards the end got me a little confused. I had a hard time following what was happening and why but I think I got the gist of it by the end. And there's a surprise that happens at the end that I wasn't expecting but I like it. It ended the trilogy nicely and doesn't leave me wondering what was going to happen next. I liked that I got all the answers I need!
I enjoyed this trilogy. It was a great take on Norse fairy tales and while I'm sad to see it end, I was happy with it!
I gave this book a rating of 3.5/5.
Flock will be released on September 11, 2012.
This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2012 Reading Challenge 150+: 51
2012 ARC Reading Challenge: 53
2012 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 47
*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.
From Goodreads:
Although tricked into the initial deal, Katla is constrained by a celestial bargain that puts everyone—including her boyfriend, Jack, and best friend, Penny—at risk. She’ll have to use her wits, her wit, her soul-delivering powers, and a few out-of-this-world colleagues to fend off a disaster of epic proportions.
I really enjoyed the first two books in the Stork trilogy so I was excited to read this last one. And while it wasn't my favorite of the trilogy, I definitely enjoyed it.
Once again, I just loved Kat. I still love her humor and kind of sarcastic streak. And I love that she does what she thinks is right, even if it's not exactly what she's supposed to be doing. And I still like her relationship with Jack (although we don't get too much of him in this book). I think it still seems like a real, teenage relationship. I didn't remember Penny from last book (oops) but I enjoyed her. And I loved the little secret we get about her at the end. I didn't remember Marik or Jinky either, but I can't forget them now! I love that everyone loved Marik. I too thought it was one of his special powers but it turned out that was just his personality. And spunky little Jinky was fun too. She had a soft side buried way down there.
I do have to say that the main action of the story towards the end got me a little confused. I had a hard time following what was happening and why but I think I got the gist of it by the end. And there's a surprise that happens at the end that I wasn't expecting but I like it. It ended the trilogy nicely and doesn't leave me wondering what was going to happen next. I liked that I got all the answers I need!
I enjoyed this trilogy. It was a great take on Norse fairy tales and while I'm sad to see it end, I was happy with it!
I gave this book a rating of 3.5/5.
Flock will be released on September 11, 2012.
This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2012 Reading Challenge 150+: 51
2012 ARC Reading Challenge: 53
2012 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 47
*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Book Review- Bite
I just finished reading Bite by Laurel K. Hamilton, Charlaine Harris, MaryJanice Davidson, Angela Knight, and Vickie Taylor.
From Goodreads:
Feel the Touch of Darkness. . .
Follow a vampire who can be as deadly as her prey. Meet a down home southern girl who's found out, much to her chagrin, that vampires are her type. Feel the euphoria of fear in the shadow of a reluctant Queen of the Undead. Step closer to the hot-blooded edge of passion as a strange new mythology of the night is unveiled.
The bite is back in vampire fiction as today's most provocative authors of vampire fiction cast their irresistible spells on you . . .
The brightest and hottest authors—including New York Times best-selling authors Laurell K. Hamilton and Charlaine Harris—tell all-new tales featuring their best known and loved characters.
* From Laurell K. Hamilton, a never-before-published Anita Blake story in which Anita, temporarily separated from her vampire lover Jean-Claude, must go to him for help on a case. Where she finds herself once more falling under his erotic spell...
* A brand-new, Southern Vampire story by Charlaine Harris features Sookie Stackhouse and the vampires who have come to define her romantic life, and have ended her hope of a normal one...
* Newly crowned Vampire Queen Betsy Taylor reluctantly assumes her royal duties in MaryJanice Davidson's brand-new novella.
* Introduced in the anthology Hot Blooded and the romance Master of the Night, Angela Knight has created a fascinating universe melding Arthurian lore with erotic vampirism...
* Finally, in the romantic novella "Blood Lust", popular romance
author Vickie Taylor brings her own unique spin on vampires...
This is going to be a short review because it's always hard for to write about anthologies. It's hard for me to go deeper into short stories.
I've only ever read books by Charlaine Harris and MaryJanice Davidson before. So while the other short stories were interesting and fun, I wasn't completely into their world. I enjoyed reading MaryJanice Davidson's story. It took me a couple of pages to get where Queen Betsy came into play. But I so love her. She's the first paranormal character that I loved and got me into my paranormal phase. As for Charlaine Harris's story...it was interesting to read more about Sookie's cousin Hadley. I got a little bit more of a back story than we got in the novel.
Overall, fun stories to read!
I gave this book a rating of 3/5.
This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
Sookie Stackhouse Reading Challenge!: Bite
2012 Reading Challenge 150+: 50
2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge: 3
*FTC Disclosure: I traded this book with a friend.
From Goodreads:
Follow a vampire who can be as deadly as her prey. Meet a down home southern girl who's found out, much to her chagrin, that vampires are her type. Feel the euphoria of fear in the shadow of a reluctant Queen of the Undead. Step closer to the hot-blooded edge of passion as a strange new mythology of the night is unveiled.
The bite is back in vampire fiction as today's most provocative authors of vampire fiction cast their irresistible spells on you . . .
The brightest and hottest authors—including New York Times best-selling authors Laurell K. Hamilton and Charlaine Harris—tell all-new tales featuring their best known and loved characters.
* From Laurell K. Hamilton, a never-before-published Anita Blake story in which Anita, temporarily separated from her vampire lover Jean-Claude, must go to him for help on a case. Where she finds herself once more falling under his erotic spell...
* A brand-new, Southern Vampire story by Charlaine Harris features Sookie Stackhouse and the vampires who have come to define her romantic life, and have ended her hope of a normal one...
* Newly crowned Vampire Queen Betsy Taylor reluctantly assumes her royal duties in MaryJanice Davidson's brand-new novella.
* Introduced in the anthology Hot Blooded and the romance Master of the Night, Angela Knight has created a fascinating universe melding Arthurian lore with erotic vampirism...
* Finally, in the romantic novella "Blood Lust", popular romance
author Vickie Taylor brings her own unique spin on vampires...
This is going to be a short review because it's always hard for to write about anthologies. It's hard for me to go deeper into short stories.
I've only ever read books by Charlaine Harris and MaryJanice Davidson before. So while the other short stories were interesting and fun, I wasn't completely into their world. I enjoyed reading MaryJanice Davidson's story. It took me a couple of pages to get where Queen Betsy came into play. But I so love her. She's the first paranormal character that I loved and got me into my paranormal phase. As for Charlaine Harris's story...it was interesting to read more about Sookie's cousin Hadley. I got a little bit more of a back story than we got in the novel.
Overall, fun stories to read!
I gave this book a rating of 3/5.
This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
Sookie Stackhouse Reading Challenge!: Bite
2012 Reading Challenge 150+: 50
2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge: 3
*FTC Disclosure: I traded this book with a friend.
Waiting on Wednesday- June 20, 2012
Girl of Nightmares (Anna Dressed in Blood #2)
by Kendare Blake
Publication Release Date: August 7, 2012
From Goodreads:
His friends remind him that Anna sacrificed herself so that Cas could live—not walk around half dead. He knows they’re right, but in Cas’s eyes, no living girl he meets can compare to the dead girl he fell in love with.
Now he’s seeing Anna everywhere: sometimes when he’s asleep and sometimes in waking nightmares. But something is very wrong... these aren’t just daydreams. Anna seems tortured, torn apart in new and ever more gruesome ways every time she appears.
Cas doesn’t know what happened to Anna when she disappeared into Hell, but he knows she doesn’t deserve whatever is happening to her now. Anna saved Cas more than once, and it’s time for him to return the favor
Monday, June 18, 2012
In My Mailbox- June 18, 2012
In My Mailbox: Here's what came in my mailbox the past week
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
The Sunday Salon- June 17, 2012
On Monday, my hubby and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary! I can't believe the time has gone by so fast! We stayed the night at the concierge level at the Grand Floridian. We stayed there the night of our wedding last year too, but everything was so crazy that we didn't get to enjoy it. And we went to dinner at Victoria & Alberts, the most expensive restaurant on Disney property. They just got their 5 star rating again. The food was soooo good but I was so stuffed. There were 7 courses. I felt like I was on Top Chef. It was definitely a once in a life time experience!
I finished and reviewed the following books in the past week:
I fulfilled items in the following challenges in the past week:
2012 Reading Challenge 150+: 48, 49
2012 ARC Reading Challenge: 41, 42
2012 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 45, 46
Completely Contemp Challenge 2012: 2012-10
2012 Standalone Reading Challenge: 13
I am currently reading Flock by Wendy Delsol and if I don't get any tour books, then up next is Just Say Yes by Phillipa Ashley.
Book Review- Spark
I just finished reading Spark (Sky Chasers #2) by Amy Kathleen Ryan for an Around the World ARC Tour.
From Goodreads:
Waverly and Kieran are finally reunited on the Empyrean. Kieran has led the boys safely up to this point, and now that the girls are back, their mission seems slightly less impossible: to chase down the New Horizon, and save their parents from the enemy ship. But nothing is truly as it seems…Kieran’s leadership methods have raised Seth’s hackles— and Waverly’s suspicions. Is this really her fiancé? The handsome, loving boy she was torn from just a short time before? More and more, she finds her thoughts aligned with Seth’s. But if Seth is Kieran’s Enemy No. 1, what does that make her?
In one night, a strange explosion rocks the Empyrean—shooting them off course and delaying their pursuit of the New Horizon—and Seth is mysteriously released from the brig. Seth is the most obvious suspect for the explosion, and Waverly the most obvious suspect for releasing him. As the tension reaches a boiling point, will Seth be able to find the true culprit before Kieran locks them both away—or worse? Will Waverly follow her heart, even if it puts lives at risk? With the balance of power precarious and the clock ticking, every decision counts… every step brings them closer to a new beginning, or a sudden end...
I remember the first book in this series, Glow, reading like it would be a perfect movie. And I felt the same way about Spark. I could so easily see it being transferred to the big screen.
Once again, there was some religious stuff in this book. And it was like Kieran was leading a cult. But I think that was to show that he was slowly sort of becoming like Anne Mather, the leader on the New Horizon ship. And while I think I liked Kieran at least a little bit in the first book, I could not stand him in this book. Such a jerk and so cocky.
Now Seth on the other hand. I saw him become more real and I felt more sympathetic to him in this book than I did in the first one. And I wavered on Waverly (no pun intended). Some times I liked her and some times I felt she had become too hard and cold. I came to like some of the other kids as well. Arthur and Tobin among others. They had to grow up too quickly and even though they were sided with Kieran, they still seemed to have a heart and want to do what was best.
I think there definitely has to be another book in this series. There are too many questions left hanging (what happens to Seth? what happens to Waverly and the other kids?) I'll definitely be picking up the next book, if there is one.
I gave this book a rating of 3.5/5.
Spark will be released on July 17, 2012.
This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2012 Reading Challenge 150+: 49
2012 ARC Reading Challenge: 42
2012 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 46
*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.
From Goodreads:
In one night, a strange explosion rocks the Empyrean—shooting them off course and delaying their pursuit of the New Horizon—and Seth is mysteriously released from the brig. Seth is the most obvious suspect for the explosion, and Waverly the most obvious suspect for releasing him. As the tension reaches a boiling point, will Seth be able to find the true culprit before Kieran locks them both away—or worse? Will Waverly follow her heart, even if it puts lives at risk? With the balance of power precarious and the clock ticking, every decision counts… every step brings them closer to a new beginning, or a sudden end...
I remember the first book in this series, Glow, reading like it would be a perfect movie. And I felt the same way about Spark. I could so easily see it being transferred to the big screen.
Once again, there was some religious stuff in this book. And it was like Kieran was leading a cult. But I think that was to show that he was slowly sort of becoming like Anne Mather, the leader on the New Horizon ship. And while I think I liked Kieran at least a little bit in the first book, I could not stand him in this book. Such a jerk and so cocky.
Now Seth on the other hand. I saw him become more real and I felt more sympathetic to him in this book than I did in the first one. And I wavered on Waverly (no pun intended). Some times I liked her and some times I felt she had become too hard and cold. I came to like some of the other kids as well. Arthur and Tobin among others. They had to grow up too quickly and even though they were sided with Kieran, they still seemed to have a heart and want to do what was best.
I think there definitely has to be another book in this series. There are too many questions left hanging (what happens to Seth? what happens to Waverly and the other kids?) I'll definitely be picking up the next book, if there is one.
I gave this book a rating of 3.5/5.
Spark will be released on July 17, 2012.
This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2012 Reading Challenge 150+: 49
2012 ARC Reading Challenge: 42
2012 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 46
*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.
Sunday, June 17, 2012
New Contest Winner--Fated
According to Rafflecopter,
has won a signed copy of Fated by Alyson Noel! Please email your address to me at belle2211(at)yahoo(dot)com by Tuesday at 2pm and I'll have your book mailed out to you!
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