Book Review- Enthralled: Paranormal Diversions

I finished reading Enthralled: Paranormal Diversions early this morning for an Around the World ARC Tour.

From Goodreads:

A journey may take hundreds of miles, or it may cover the distance between duty and desire.


Sixteen of today’s hottest writers of paranormal tales weave stories on a common theme of journeying. Authors such as Kelley Armstrong, Rachel Caine, and Melissa Marr return to the beloved worlds of their bestselling series, while others, like Claudia Gray, Kami Garcia, and Margaret Stohl, create new land-scapes and characters. But whether they’re writing about vampires, faeries, angels, or other magical beings, each author explores the strength and resilience of the human heart.

Suspenseful, funny, or romantic, the stories in Enthralled will leave you moved.

Enthralled is jam packed with famous paranormal YA authors: Melissa Marr, Kelley Armstrong, Rachel Caine, Claudia Gray, Carrie Ryan, Kami Garcia, Margaret Stohl, Jackson Pearce, Rachel Vincent, Sarah Rees Brennan, Jeri Smith-Ready, Kimberly Derting, Ally Condie, Jessica Verday, Mary E. Pearson, and Jennifer Lynn Barnes.

And there were some great stories!  I don't want to go into detail about all of them because that would take too long, so I'll just hit some of them. 

First off, I enjoyed Niederwald by Rachel Vincent.  The Soul Screamers series is one of my favorites!  So I really loved this little side trip that Sabine took with Emma. I liked seeing things from her point of view (and normally I don't like Sabine!)

I also liked Red Run by Kami Garcia.  This was a ghost story with a twist.  I so thought that I knew what the ending was going to be, but I was totally wrong!

Bridge by Jeri Smith-Ready was good too!  I loved Shade so this additional story was interesting.  And sweet in a way.  I liked that the story was in verse too.

My least favorite book was I.V. League by Margaret Stohl.  It just didn't do anything for me and honestly, there was something annoying about it.

I gave this book a rating of 3.5/5.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 91
2011 ARC Reading Challenge: 72
2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 72

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.

Book Giveaway- After Obsession

Thanks to Bloomsbury, I have one ARC of After Obsession by Carrie Jones & Steven E. Wedel to give away! 

To enter, fill out the form HERE!

~U.S. street addresses only (no PO Boxes or international)
~contest ends on October 4th at 11:59pm EST
~ extra entries
    +1 blog follower
    +1 leave link to contest on twitter
    +2 leave link to contest on Facebook
    +3 leave link to contest on blog  

Want to watch the trailer for After Obsession?  Go here!

Mailbox Monday- September 26, 2011

Mailbox Monday: Here's what came in my mailbox this week

MONDAY

Second Grave on the Left- Darynda Jones--PaperbackSwap

Siren’s Storm- Lisa Papademetriou--PaperbackSwap

Cryptic Cravings (Vampire Kisses #8)- Ellen Schreiber--PaperbackSwap

TUESDAY

Eternal Kiss of Darkness (Night Huntress World #2)- Jeaniene Frost--PaperbackSwap

WEDNESDAY

What Came First- Carol Snow--for review from author request

Bloodlust (Nightshade #2)- Michelle Rowen--PaperbackSwap

Blameless (The Parasail Protectorate #3)- Gail Carriger--PaperbackSwap

THURSDAY

The Carrier of the Mark- Leigh Fallon--review for an Around the World ARC Tour










FRIDAY

Enthralled- Melissa Marr, Kelley Armstrong, Rachel Caine, Claudia Gray, Carrie Ryan, Kami Garcia, Margaret Stohl, Jackson Pearce, Rachel Vincent, Sarah Rees Brennan, Jeri Smith-Ready, Kimberly Derting, Ally Condie, Jessica Verday, Mary E. Pearson, Jennifer Lynn Barnes--review for an Around the World ARC Tour

The Book of Tomorrow- Cecelia Ahern--Bookmooch

Dear Bully- edited by Megan Kelley Hall & Carrie Jones--for review from Reviewer Rewards

Book Review- The Predicteds

I finished reading THe Predicteds by Christine Seifert for a Teen Book Scene tour.

From Goodreads:

"We wanted to know what makes a good kid good and a bad kid bad. Can you blame us for that? We found an astoundingly, marvelously simple answer: The brain isn't so much a complicated machine as it is a crystal ball. If you look into it, you will see everything you want to know."
-Dr. Mark Miliken, senior researcher at Utopia Laboratories


Who will it be?


Will the head cheerleader get pregnant?


Is the student council president a secret drug addict?


The whole school is freaking out about PROFILE, an experimental program that can predict students' future behavior.


The only question Daphne wants answered is whether Jesse will ask her out...but he's a Predicted, and there's something about his future he's not telling her.


Well, first of all, The Predicteds was, well, predictable.  The prologue pretty much tells you that something happens to Daphne.  And right from the first time we meet the character who is going to committ the crime, I knew who it would be.  I couldn't stand this character!

The other characters were okay.  Daphne never really grew on me.  Her relationship with her mom was weird:  calling her by her first name and her mom not really having any responsibility with her.  And then the friends she makes at the new school are horrible.  Yes, Dizzy can be nice sometimes, but she could be so mean to other kids.  And Brooklyn was just a straight up *itch.  I don't know why Daphne would put up with either of them.  I mean, Daphne seemed to have a mind of her own, so to want to be friends with either of these girls just to be popular just didn't sit right with me.  I think if I had to pick any of the girls to like, it would have been January.

As for the boys: Sam and Jesse were okay.  Nice enough but still not that great to me.  And I didn't like Josh at all.  I couldn't see why Dizzy wanted anything to do with him!

The plot was interesting, but bothersome.  Although I think it was supposed to be that way.  The idea of segregating kids based on what this computer program came up with is just so horrible!  But it kept my interest.  I wanted to know just what was going to happen and what was going to come of the predicteds.

I gave this book a rating of 3.5/5.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 89
2011 Debut Author Challenge: 24
2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 70

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Teen Book Scene.

The Sunday Salon- September 25, 2011

The Sunday Salon

Another busy week!  We had our Open House at school on Tuesday.  I had 12 out of 17 families show up.  Much better than the 6 I had last year!  And then on Friday my hubby and I went to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party.  I always love this event!  It's so fun to dress up and go trick or treating!  I went as Belle and hubby went as Robin Hood.  I also got a pic with a picture of Beast and Gaston proposed to me!  (I had to tell him that I hadn't changed my mind and my prince was taking the picture)  So fun!

I finished and reviewed the following book in the past week:

Jenna & Jonah's Fauxmance by Emily Franklin & Brendan Halpin

The Mark by Jen Nadol

The Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon











I fulfilled items in the following challenges in the past week:
2011 A to Z Challenge: F, N 
2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 86, 87, 90 
2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 67, 68, 71
2011 YA Contemporary Challenge: 15
2011 ARC Reading Challenge: 69, 71
2011 Debut Author Challenge: 25
 
I am currently reading Enthralled: Paranormal Diversions by Melissa Marr, Kelley Armstrong, Rachel Caine, Claudia Gray, Carrie Ryan, Kami Garcia, Margaret Stohl, Jackson Pearce, Rachel Vincent, Sarah Rees Brennan, Jeri Smith-Ready, Kimberly Derting, Ally Condie, Jessica Verday, Mary E. Pearson, and Jennifer Lynn Barnes and up next (if I don't get another blog tour book) is To the Moon and Back by Jill Mansell.

Book Review- Carrier of the Mark

I just finished reading The Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon for an Around the World ARC Tour.

From Goodreads:

Their love was meant to be.

When Megan Rosenberg moves to Ireland, everything in her life seems to fall into place. After growing up in America, she's surprised to find herself feeling at home in her new school. She connects with a group of friends, and she is instantly drawn to darkly handsome Adam DeRís.

But Megan is about to discover that her feelings for Adam are tied to a fate that was sealed long ago—and that the passion and power that brought them together could be their ultimate destruction.

I was absorbed into this book pretty quickly.  And I really liked all of the characters.  I loved Megan.  She seemed like such a real teen.  And the friends she met in Ireland were great.  They were nice and supportive and positive.  The boys were great too!

There were really only 2 things that I didn't like.  1) The history of the mark and the carrier of the mark left me confused.  I got so lost in what the bloodlines meant and who could have the mark, and so on.  And 2)  I think that Megan and Adam's relationship was a little too intense, too quickly.  I mean, I know that it explains why, but it still bothered me.

That being said, the plot was pretty interesting.  It had me hanging on and guessing and wanting to know what was going to happen next. I'm pretty sure that there is going to be a sequel (there's not a huge cliffhanger or anything, but you just get a feeling that the end of this book is not the end of the whole story) and I look forward to reading the next one!

I gave this book a rating of 3.5/5.

Carrier of the Mark will be released on October 4, 2011.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 90
2011 ARC Reading Challenge: 71
2011 Debut Author Challenge: 25
2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 71

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.

Mailbox Monday- September 19, 2011

Mailbox Monday: Here's what came in my mailbox this week

Sorry I'm a couple of days late!

MONDAY

Dead Reckoning (Sookie Stackhouse #11)- Charlaine Harris--bought

 

The Sookie Stackhouse Companion Novel- Charlaine Harris--bought

TUESDAY

The Vision (The Mark #2)- Jen Nadol--review for Teen Book Scene

WEDNESDAY

Triangles- Ellen Hopkins--Review for Crazy Book Tours











FRIDAY

Undercurrent- Tricia Rayburn--contest win from Melissa Walker

Book Review- The Mark

I just finished reading The Mark by Jen Nadol.

From Goodreads:

Sixteen year old Cassandra Renfield has seen the mark since forever: a glow around certain people as if a candle were held behind their back.

The one time she mentioned it to someone else, the mark was dismissed as a trick of the light. So Cassie has kept quiet, considering its rare appearances odd, but insignificant. Until the day she watches a man die. Mining her memories, Cassie realizes she can see a person's imminent death. Now how or where, only when: today.

Cassie searches her past, her philosophy lessons, even her new boyfriend for answers, answers, always careful to hide her secret. How does the mark work? Why her?

Most importantly: if you know today is someone's last, should you tell them?
 
I thought that I had read The Mark, but when I read the summary for the next book, The Vision, I realized that I hadn't and I went and found it right away.  And really enjoyed it!
 
Such an important question: if you knew that today was someone's last day, should you tell them?  I honestly don't know what I would do in that person's shoes.  I know that for me, personally, I would want to know.  I would want to call everyone I knew just to say goodbye and I would want to do a few more things on my bucket list.
 
But anyways.  Cassie.  I really liked her.  I thought she was a great and sympathetic character.  I can't imagine being in her shoes, both in the fact that she lost everyone in her family and seeing the mark and the responsibilty that came with it.  As for Lucas.  Blah!  I so liked him in the beginning but what a jerk!  He seemed so condescending and towards the end only into Cassie to feed his own interest in what she could see.
 
There were a few twists in the book, but I could see a few of them coming.  I don't feel like the premise of the book was new, but that didn't stop me from being fully interested in the book.
 
There were no cliffhangers in the book.  It could easily have been a stand alone book.  But I'm glad it's not and that's I've got the sequel, The Vision, to read next!
 
I gave this book a rating of 4/5.
 
This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2011 A to Z Challenge: N
2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 87
2011 ARC Reading Challenge: 69
2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 68
 
*FTC Disclosure: This book was given to me for free by Bloomsbury USA for a honest review.

Book Review- Jenna & Jonah's Fauxmance

I just finished reading Jenna & Jonah's Fauxmance by Emily Franklin & Brendan Halpin. 

From Goodreads:

Fans of romance don't need to look any further than the fauxmance brewing between teen idols Charlie Tracker and Fielding Withers-known on their hit TV show as Jenna and Jonah, next-door neighbors flush with the excitement of first love. But it's their off-screen relationship that has helped cement their fame, as passionate fans follow their every PDA. They grace the covers of magazines week after week. Their fan club has chapters all over the country. The only problem is their off-screen romance is one big publicity stunt, and Charlie and Fielding can't stand to be in the same room. Still, it's a great gig, so even when the cameras stop rolling, the show must go on, and on, and on. . . . Until the pesky paparazzi blow their cover, and Charlie and Fielding must disappear to weather the media storm. It's not until they're far off the grid of the Hollywood circuit that they realize that there's more to each of them than shiny hair and a winning smile.


This was a cute teeny-bopper type book.  For some reason I could totally see this being turned into a movie.  And for some reason, although I've only ever seen one episode of the show, it kept making me think of Hannah Montana.  I think maybe I enjoyed it because when I was a teen, I wanted to be an actor. 
 
This was definitely a light book--nothing heavy about it.  But I thought it was fun.  Predictable, yes, but I still enjoyed it. 
 
I gave this book a rating of 3.5/5.
 
This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2011 A to Z Challenge: F
2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 86
2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 67
2011 YA Contemporary Challenge: 15
 
*FTC Disclosure: This book was given to me for free Bloomsbury Children's Books/ Walker Books for Young Readers for a honest review.

The Teen Book Scene: Guest Blog: Kiki Hamilton

I am honored to host Kiki Hamilton, author of The Faerie Ring, on my blog today as part of a Teen Book Scene Blog Tour.

I asked her several questions about her beautiful cover!

1) What is your favorite part of the cover?


I love every part of my cover! I love the glowing ring, I love how vague Tiki’s face is, I love the swirling font of the title, I love the snowflakes, I love the mystery, I love the colors—I love it all!! But if I had to pick one thing, I think that I love that the very subtle design of Tiki’s birthmark on her wrist is braided like a Celtic knot. It’s one of those things you don’t notice until you read the story, then you can flip back and see it.

2) What kind of input did you have on the cover?

I actually got to have a lot of input of my cover – for which I am very grateful. Susan Chang, my awesome editor, asked me for my thoughts from the very beginning. I shared my ideas and she shared hers and then Seth Lerner, the oh-so-talented Art Director at Tor, put together this beautiful cover, which I think is perfection! There are things about the cover that you won’t necessarily notice until you read the story, then you can flip back and go ‘oh yeah – I see that now.’

3) Did you get to pick the model?

I did not pick the model, but I did give a description of what Tiki looked like, including the birthmark on her wrist and I think they nailed it perfectly.

4) How did you decide whether to have a real picture on the cover versus a drawing?

I didn’t have any input on real vs. drawn but I think they did a wonderful job of combining both elements to provide all the necessary details.

5) If you could change one thing about the cover, what would it be?

Honestly, I wouldn’t change a thing. I think it reflects the story perfectly!!

Thanks Kiki!

The Sunday Salon- September 18, 2011

The Sunday Salon

Another busy week!  Friday we went out to dinner at the Melting Pot for a belated birthday dinner.  I LOVE that place!  My hubby doesn't get it since he thinks we are paying a lot just to cook our own food.  But yum!  Then yesterday we went to the Journey concert in Tampa, which was Kory's bday present!

I finished and reviewed the following book in the past week:

Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris

Possession by Elana Johnson

Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey

After Obsession by Carrie Jones and Steven E. Wedel


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
I fulfilled items in the following challenges in the past week:
Sookie Stackhouse Reading Challenge: Dead in the Family2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 82, 83, 84, 85
2011 ARC Reading Challenge: 66, 67, 68
2011 Debut Author Challenge: 22, 23
2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 64, 65, 66

I am currently reading The Mark and up next is The Vision, both by Jen Nadol. 

The Teen Book Scene: Guest Blog: Christine Seifert

I am honored to host Christine Seifert, author of The Predicteds, on my blog today as part of a Teen Book Scene Blog Tour.

I asked Christine what her favorite books were favorite books were growing up.

Reading has always been an important part of my life; I can’t imagine what life must be like without books. What would you do on long car trips? Before bed? In the morning when you are eating breakfast or blow-drying your hair? Between appointments or in line at the post office? What do you do during the commercials? Or when you’re relaxing at the beach or on a hammock? Honestly, it’s an utter mystery to me. Books have been my constant companion since before I was old enough to actually read them. There were times in my life when I had less time for them, but I never forgot about them. And now, when I look back, most of my important memories are colored by the books I was reading at the team. 


When I was five, I was anxious, timid, and painfully shy. Curious George delighted me precisely because he had none of those problems. I also had severe asthma as a child and zillion allergies, so I spent much of my time at the doctor. George’s positive experiences at the hospital—and his fearlessness—made me less afraid. And, come one, that part where he swallows the jigsaw puzzle piece is riveting!


When I was eleven, I couldn’t get enough of Judy Blume’s books. I was especially fond of the Fudge series, probably because Peter and Fudge and the gang lived such different lives than I did. Living in an apartment building with a doorman in Manhattan is about as far from Fargo, North Dakota as you can get. Judy Blume helped me to understand that there was a big world out there, one that I wanted to experience.


At eleven, I was also a fan of books about camp, probably because I never went to a sleep-away camp (and wouldn’t have been brave enough, even if there had been one in the vicinity of where I lived). Laura’s Luck by Marilyn Sachs was my absolute favorite book about camp, followed closely by Love, Betrayal, and Hold the Mayo by Francine Pascal. I’m long past camp age, but I still secretly really want to go.


Eleven was also the year that I found the Sweet Valley High books. I was pretty convinced that high school was going to be just like it was for Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield. (It wasn’t). I should’ve savored sixth grade more. Once junior high started, there was no more SSR (sustained silent reading). What I wouldn’t give for my employer to implement SSR now! (Hmmm, must write proposal immediately.)


When I was sixteen, I discovered VC Andrews. I read Flowers in the Attic so many times, I practically had it memorized. And Heaven was a close second. Something about the melodrama of those books—the utter cruelty of the one-dimensional villains and the innocence of the victims—delighted me. I think sixteen is an age when we need to believe that there’s justice in the world. VC Andrews’ books might’ve been filled with gruesome (and, let’s be honest, pretty kinky) events, evil is always transparent and goodness always prevails (you know, after twenty-plus years of suffering).


When I was twenty, I was a junior in college, the year I decided to study literature. It was that year that I started reading the classics, not just because somebody made me do it (as in high school) but because I really wanted to. I loved Flannery O’Connor’s short stories, Fitzgerald, Wharton, and Steinbeck. That critical year propelled me toward advanced degrees in English (though I still snuck VC Andrews when nobody was looking).


It seems like there’s an explosion of great books now, especially YA books. When I was a kid, I would’ve adored all of these epic series we’re seeing. I also think I would have been a particular fan of Sarah Dessen’s books. I wish I could travel back in time and tell my younger self about the Kindle. It would totally blow my adolescent mind!


The beauty of YA books is that we’re never too old for them. The inner young adult lives in all of us, and I can still enjoy these great books now. And you know what’s even better about reading these books when you’re old? No more bedtimes. I can stay up as late as I want!


So what are your pivotal books from your childhood/teen years? Do they still resonate with you?

Wow!  We seem to have a lot of books in common that we read while growing up!  Sweet Valley was my go to choice.  I loved the Twin, High, Senior, Year and University (and I even read the new one that recently came out!)  And then I loved V.C. Andrews.  There was something so wrong about the books, but they were addicting.  And now I'm back to YA.  Love it!

Thanks for joining us Christine!

Book Review- After Obsession

I just finished reading After Obsession by Carrie Jones and Steven E. Wedel for a Bloomsbury blog tour.

From Goodreads:

Aimee and Alan have secrets. Both teens have unusual pasts and abilities they prefer to keep hidden. But when they meet each other, in a cold Maine town, they can't stop their secrets from spilling out. Strange things have been happening lately, and they both feel that something-or someone- is haunting them. They're wrong. Despite their unusual history and powers, it's neither Aimee nor Alan who is truly haunted. It's Alan's cousin Courtney who, in a desperate plea to find her missing father, has invited a demon into her life-and into her body. Only together can Aimee and Alan exorcise the ghost. And they have to move quickly, before it devours not just Courtney but everything around her.

Filled with heart-pounding romance, paranormal activity, and rich teen characters to love-and introducing an exciting new YA voice, Steven Wedel-this novel is exactly what Carrie Jones fans have been waiting for. Meet your next obsession.

I've read all of the Need series by Carrie Jones and really enjoyed them so I couldn't wait to read this book.  And while I enjoyed it, I didn't seem to get as into it as I did with the need series.  For some reason, the writing seemed different.  I don't know how to explain it.  I know that the Aimee's scenes were written by Carrie Jones but it didn't flow as well for me.  Sounds silly, but there were times where there could have been contractions but instead the two full words were written out and so it seemed almost a little formal to me.

That being said, I loved that we got to know the story from two points of view.  I liked seeing both Aimee's side and Alan's side. And I liked that while Alen and Aimee's relationship seemed to come together so quickly, they didn't jump into the physical aspect. And while the plot wasn't the most interesting to me (demon possession isn't my fav. topic), the story definitely had me hanging on and wondering what was going to happen next. 

This was a quick read--I read it in pretty much one sitting!  And I love the cover.  There's something just so intriguing about it!

I gave this book a rating of 3.5/5.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 85
2011 ARC Reading Challenge: 68
2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 66

*FTC Disclosure: This book was given to me for free by Bloomsbury USA for a honest review.

Go here to see the trailer for After Obsession

Book Review- Cold Kiss

I just finished reading Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey for an Around the World ARC Tour.

From Goodreads:

When her boyfriend, Danny, is killed in a car accident, Wren can’t imagine living without him. Wild with grief, she uses the untamed powers she’s inherited to bring him back. But the Danny who returns is just a shell of the boy she once loved.

Wren has spent four months keeping Danny hidden, while her life slowly unravels around her. Then Gabriel DeMarnes transfers to her school and somehow, inexplicably, he can sense her secret. Wren finds herself drawn to Gabriel, who is so much more alive than the ghost of the boy she loved. But Wren can’t turn her back on Danny or the choice she made for him—and she realizes she must find a way to make things right, even if it means breaking her own heart.

Amy Garvey’s transcendent teen debut is perfect for fans of Shiver and Beautiful Creatures. Wren’s unforgettable voice and story will stay with readers long after the last page is turned.
 
For some reason when I first saw the summary of this book, I skipped  past it, not really interested in reading it.  But then when I saw some reviews, I changed my mind.  And I'm glad I did!

Wren is such a real character!  I mean, yes, I know she has powers that aren't real.  But her emotions are real.  I so remember my first love and remember the pain of losing him just in a breakup.  And I remember thinking I would do anything to get him back.  So I could totally identify with Wren wanting to bring Danny back from the dead after he dies.  And all of the emotions that she went through.  The love she had for Danny.  The feelings of guilt for bringing him back solely for her own reasons.  Her curiosity about Gabriel and her new crush feelings for him.  All of this just made her such a real character to me.  A likeable one.
 
And the plot kept me hanging on.  It was by no means an action-driven story.  It was definitely character based.  Maybe that's why I liked it so much.  But there was still enough of a suspsense that kept me going.  I wanted to know just what was going to happen to Danny.  Was he going to turn into a violent zombie that I picture in my head?  Was anyone going to find out about him?  Would Wren keep him alive forever?  Then you have the whole romance with Wren and Gabriel going on.  And the questions about Wren's families' powers and just why her dad left.  The first couple of questions were answered, but the last ones weren't.  And I just check and there is a sequel to Cold Kiss, which I'm so glad about and can't wait to be able to read!
 
I gave this book a rating of 4/5.
 
Cold Kiss will be released on September 20, 2011.
 
This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 84
2011 ARC Reading Challenge: 67
2011 Debut Author Challenge: 23
2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 65
 
*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.

Book Review- Possession

I just finished reading Possession by Elana Johnson for an Around the World ARC Tour.

From Goodreads:

Vi knows the Rule: Girls don't walk with boys, and they never even think about kissing them. But no one makes Vi want to break the Rules more than Zenn...and since the Thinkers have chosen him as Vi's future match, how much trouble can one kiss cause? The Thinkers may have brainwashed the rest of the population, but Vi is determined to think for herself.

But the Thinkers are unusually persuasive, and they're set on convincing Vi to become one of them...starting by brainwashing Zenn. Vi can't leave Zenn in the Thinkers' hands, but she's wary of joining the rebellion, especially since that means teaming up with Jag. Jag is egotistical, charismatic, and dangerous--everything Zenn's not. Vi can't quite trust Jag and can't quite resist him, but she also can't give up on Zenn.

This is a game of control or be controlled. And Vi has no choice but to play.
 
Hmm...what to say about this book?  Well, the premise was good.  When I think of the main idea of the story, I liked it.  But it was the writing that made me question whether I enjoyed the book.
 
I was confused for a lot of the story.  I would go back and re-read paragraphs, thinking I had skipped over something, but no.  There was a lot that seemed to be jumped over.  Small little parts that you wonder just what happened.  I want to say the book was jumpy, but its not like it jumped from scene to scene or character to character.  It was almost like watching a movie and falling asleep for a minute and missing just that one little detail.  And Goodies versus Baddies.  And who was what and who was a spy for whom.  Huh?  I got confused on that too.
 
But then I was also hooked into the story.  I wanted to know what was going to happen to Vi and Jag.  And the ending definitely leaves you wondering just what's going to happen next.  I'm not sure I'll read the next book, but I think I'll wait to read reviews before I decide.  Maybe the writing will get better.
 
I gave this book a rating of 3/5.
 
This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 83
2011 ARC Reading Challenge: 66
2011 Debut Author Challenge: 22
2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 64
 
*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.

Mailbox Monday- September 12, 2011

Mailbox Monday: Here's what came in my mailbox this week


TUESDAY

Alpha (Shifters #6)- Rachel Vincent--PaperbackSwap

Cold Kiss- Amy Garvey--review for an Around the World ARC Tour

FRIDAY

The Reluctant Vampire (Argeneau Vampires #15)- Lynsay Sands--PaperbackSwap

SATURDAY

Second Hand Heart- Catherine Ryan Hyde--review for The Teen Book Scene

Book Review- Dead in the Family

I finished reading Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris today.

From Goodreads:

After enduring torture and the loss of loved ones during the brief but deadly Faery War, Sookie Stackhouse is hurt and she's angry. Just about the only bright spot in her life is the love she thinks she feels for vampire Eric Northman. But he's under scrutiny by the new Vampire King because of their relationship. And as the political implications of the Shifters coming out are beginning to be felt, Sookie's connection to the Shreveport pack draws her into the debate. Worst of all, though the door to Faery has been closed, there are still some Fae on the human side-and one of them is angry at Sookie. Very, very angry...

Part of this book was...disturbing I guess is the word.  There's a new character in this book.  Alexei.  Who was part of the Russian royal family and was killed when he was 13.  So while he was doing all of his vampire acts in the book, in  my head I was seeing this thirteen year old kid and it bothered me.

And this book seemed so much sadder than the ones before.  There is a lot of death and gore, of course, but there doesn't seem to be anything happy or hopeful in the book. 

And I wanted more Sookie/Eric action.  Eric isn't present all that much in the book, at least not in a romantic way. 

I did like Sookie's relationship development with her cousin, Hunter, who has the same ability that she does.  I thought it brought out the softer side of Sookie, and I liked it. 

I'm going to pick up the next book in the series, Dead Reckoning, tomorrow so we'll se where that book leads us!

I gave this book a rating of 3/5.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
Sookie Stackhouse Reading Challenge: Dead in the Family
2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 82 

*FTC Disclosure:  I received this book for free by trading with a friend.

The Sunday Salon- September 11, 2011

The Sunday Salon

Ten years ago today...we will never forget.

I remember walking into the bottom of the journalism building getting ready for my first day of news reporting on my own with a friend as a photographer.  I saw my best friend from high school, and former roomate (who I hadn't seen in over a year) so we were chatting to catch up.  In the building there were big tvs that were always turned to a national new station.  Well, as we were chatting we noticed that they were both showing a plane that had hit one of the twin towers.  I remember we were talking about how a pilot could miss a big building like that but we didn't think too much of it.  Then I went upstairs and it was like all hell had broken loose.  As we were watching the screens in the newsroom, we saw the second plane hit.  And everyone startied saying "Bin Laden".  I had no idea who that was but our news directors immediately had a theory (before it even came out that they were correct).  Our news director gave us quick directions on where each of us was reporting and pretty much threw us out there.  My friend and I were assigned the airport.  I remember as we were driving to the airport, we found out about the pentagon.  My boyfriend at the time called me upset because his uncle worked there.  I remember feeling so lost.  Not really understanding what was going on, scared to be at the airport, and nervous because our first day of reporting was going to be on such a huge topic.

I will never forget.

I finished and reviewed the following book in the past week:

Fury by Elizabeth Miles











I fulfilled items in the following challenges in the past week:
2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 81
2011 ARC Reading Challenge: 65
2011 Debut Author Challenge: 21
2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 63

I am currently reading Possession by Elana Johnson and up next is Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey.