Waiting on Wednesday- October 31, 2012

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:
Nameless: A Tale of Beauty and Madness
by Lili St. Crow
Publication Release Date: April 4, 2013

From Goodreads:

When Camille was six years old, she was discovered alone in the snow by Enrico Vultusino, godfather of the Seven—the powerful Families that rule magic-ridden New Haven. Papa Vultusino adopted the mute, scarred child, naming her after his dead wife and raising her in luxury on Haven Hill alongside his own son, Nico.

Now Cami is turning sixteen. She’s no longer mute, though she keeps her faded scars hidden under her school uniform, and though she opens up only to her two best friends, Ruby and Ellie, and to Nico, who has become more than a brother to her. But even though Cami is a pampered Vultusino heiress, she knows that she is not really Family. Unlike them, she is a mortal with a past that lies buried in trauma. And it’s not until she meets the mysterious Tor, who reveals scars of his own, that Cami begins to uncover the secrets of her birth…to find out where she comes from and why her past is threatening her now.

New York Times bestselling author Lili St. Crow thrilled legions of fans with her dark paranormal series Strange Angels. Now she has crafted an evocative update of Snow White, set in a vividly imagined world and populated by unforgettable new characters.

Book Review- Fifty Shades Freed

I just finished reading Fifty Shades Freed by E.L. James.

From Goodreads:

When unworldly student Ana Steele first encountered the driven, damaged young entrepreneur Christian Grey, it sparked a sensual affair that changed both their lives irrevocably. Shocked, intrigued, and ultimately repelled by Christian's singular sexual tastes, Ana demanded a deeper commitment; determined to keep her, Christian agreed. Now, together, they have more-love, passion, intimacy, wealth, and a world of infinite possibilities. But Ana always knew that loving her Fifty Shades would not be easy and being together poses challenges neither of them ever anticipated. Ana must somehow learn to share Christian's opulent lifestyle without sacrificing her own integrity, identity, or independence; Christian must somehow overcome his compulsion to control and lay to rest the horrors that blighted his past and haunt his present. Just when it seems that together their love can conquer any obstacle, tragedy, malice and fate combine to make Ana's worst nightmares come true.

I really enjoyed the first two book in this series and couldn't wait to read this one.  I had heard several people say this was the worst of the three but I went in with an open mind.  Unfortunately, I have to agree with them.

In the first two books, I was immediately engrossed in the story.  But in this book, there are a couple of flashbacks which I think just threw the book off.  And I never completely got into it.  Another thing I had heard people complain about was that Ana was so repetitive with all of her thoughts.  I never really was bothered by them until this book.  If I had to read one more "oh my poor Fifty", I might have screamed. 

A lot happened in this book.  I felt like the author was trying to cram a bunch of things in and wrap up the trilogy all in one.  Now don't get my wrong.  I still enjoyed reading the story.  But just nowhere as much as the other ones. 

I gave this book a rating of 3.5/5.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2012 Reading Challenge 150+: 78
Completely Contemp Challenge 2012: 2011-4
2012 Mammoth Book Challenge: 8

*FTC Disclosure: I bought this book.

In My Mailbox- October 29, 2012

In My Mailbox: Here's what I got in my mailbox last week

MONDAY

Life After Yes- Aidan Donnelley Rowley--Paperback Swap










THURSDAY

You Don’t Sweat Much For a Fat Girl- Celia Rivenbark--Bookmooch

Fairy Tales From the Brothers Grimm- Philip Pullman--for review (accepted publisher's pitch)

The Sunday Salon- October 28, 2012

The Sunday Salon
Rough day yesterday.  The Gators had their first loss.  Boo!  Here's hoping we win out the rest of the season! 

I didn't finish any books this week..yikes!

Waiting on Wednesday- October 24, 2012

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is: 

Middle Ground
by Katie Kacvinsky
Publication Release Date: November 20, 2012

From Katie Kacvinsky's website:

In this provocative cautionary tale for teens, the sequel to Awaken, seventeen-year-old Maddie’s rebellion against the digital-only life grows dangerous. Maddie is in Los Angeles, trying to stay out of trouble. But one night, a seemingly small act of defiance lands her in the place she fears the most: a detention center. Here, patients are reprogrammed to accept a digital existence. Maddie is now fighting for her mind, her soul, and her very life. Once again, Katie Kacvinsky paints a disturbing picture of our increasingly technology-based society.

In My Mailbox- October 22, 2012

In My Mailbox: Here's what I got in my mailbox last week

MONDAY
Valkyrie Rising- Ingrid Paulson--review for an Around the World ARC Tour











Nerve- Jeanne Ryan--review for an Around the World ARC Tour











TUESDAY
Nightshade- Michelle Rowen--PaperbackSwap











Magic Slays (Kate Daniels #5) –Ilona Andrews--PaperbackSwap











THURSDAY
The Peasant Prince- Stephen Cody (for review--accepted author pitch)











SATURDAY
Accidentally Catty (Accidentally Friends #5)- Dakota Cassidy--PaperbackSwap

The Sunday Salon- October 21, 2012

The Sunday Salon

This past week the hubby and I had a fancy dinner at Narcoossee's at the Grand Floridian.  It was so nice!  We got a window seat so we had prime viewing for the fireworks and we got free dessert!  Then yesterday we went to Food & Wine at Epcot with a bunch of friends then headed home to watch the Gators beat up on South Carolina!  Great weekend!

I finished and reviewed the following books last week:
A Fractured Light (A Beautiful Dark #2) by Jocelyn Davies











Poison Princess by Kresley Cole











Altered by Jennifer Rush











I fulfilled items in the following challenges last week:
2012 Reading Challenge 150+: 75, 76, 77
2012 ARC Reading Challenge: 62,63, 64
2012 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 65, 66, 67
2012 Sophomore Reading Challenge: 7
2012 Debut Author Challenge: 20

I am currently reading Fifty Shades Freed by E.L. James and up next (if I don't get a tour book first) is Invisible Girl by Mary Hanlon Stone.

Book Review- Altered

Early this morning I finished reading Altered by Jennifer Rush for an Around the World ARC Tour.

From Goodreads:

A story that starts with a girl and a boy. A girl who loves a boy so much , she'll risk anything for him. And a boy who knows only one thing--- kill anyone who stands in his way.

When you can’t trust yourself, who can you believe?

Everything about Anna’s life is a secret. Her father works for the Branch at the helm of its latest project: monitoring and administering treatments to the four genetically altered boys in the lab below their farmhouse. There’s Nick, Cas, Trev . . . and Sam, who’s stolen Anna’s heart. When the Branch decides it’s time to take the boys, Sam stages an escape, killing the agents sent to retrieve them.

Anna is torn between following Sam or staying behind in the safety of her everyday life. But her father pushes her to flee, making Sam promise to keep her away from the Branch, at all costs. There’s just one problem. Sam and the boys don’t remember anything before living in the lab—not even their true identities.

Now on the run, Anna soon discovers that she and Sam are connected in more ways than either of them expected. And if they’re both going to survive, they must piece together the clues of their past before the Branch catches up to them and steals it all away.

I really enjoyed this book.  I was sucked in right away reading about Anna and the four boys--each one so different from each other but tied to each other in some way.  The book was so easy to read and flowed so well.  I pretty much devoured it.

There were some definite twists and turns in the book.  And there were surprises that I didn't see coming.  I so love it when that happens.  After reading about these surprises, it made me think back to earlier in the book and go "oooohhhh." 

There was definitely a lot of action (and gory action, at that) but a lot of it was character-driven too.  Which, as I've said before, is my favorite kind of story.  I liked Anna.  She seemed so normal and down-to-earth yet kick-butt when she needed to be.  And  I really liked Trev and Cas.  Trev just seemed like a sweetheart and Cas was the class clown.  For most of the book, I didn't really get Anna's attraction to Sam.  I mean he wasn't bad or anything, just not as great as Trev and Cas.  Although I did get it after one of the surprises came out.  And I couldn't stand Nick (although we're not supposed to).  So yeah, just great characters. 

So what do you get when you combine awesome character with a captivating plot?  A great debut by Jennifer Rush!  My only complaint--having to wait so long for the next book to come out!

I gave this book a rating of 4.5/5.

Altered will be released on January 2, 2013.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2012 Reading Challenge 150+: 77
2012 ARC Reading Challenge: 64
2012 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 67

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

Book Review- Poison Princess

I just finished reading Poison Princess by Kresley Cole for an Around the World ARC Tour.

From Goodreads:

#1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole introduces The Arcana Chronicles, post-apocalyptic tales filled with riveting action, the dark mysticism of Tarot cards, and breathtaking romance.

She could save the world—or destroy it.

Sixteen year old Evangeline “Evie” Greene leads a charmed life, until she begins experiencing horrifying hallucinations. When an apocalyptic event decimates her Louisiana hometown, Evie realizes her hallucinations were actually visions of the future—and they’re still happening. Fighting for her life and desperate for answers, she must turn to her wrong-side-of-the-bayou classmate: Jack Deveaux.

But she can’t do either alone.

With his mile-long rap sheet, wicked grin, and bad attitude, Jack is like no boy Evie has ever known. Even though he once scorned her and everything she represented, he agrees to protect Evie on her quest. She knows she can’t totally depend on Jack. If he ever cast that wicked grin her way, could she possibly resist him?

Who can Evie trust?

As Jack and Evie race to find the source of her visions, they meet others who have gotten the same call. An ancient prophesy is being played out, and Evie is not the only one with special powers. A group of twenty-two teens has been chosen to reenact the ultimate battle between good and evil. But it’s not always clear who is on which side….

This book was dark.  Really dark.  Too dark for me.   I need at least a little light in my stories whether it be humor or a good romance or hope or something.  But this book didn't have any of those things.  And while that might be right up a bunch of readers' alleys, its not up mine.

The prologue started off really creepy and disturbing.  I was completely freaked out right away.  And the visions that Evie got didn't get any better.  Eek.  It was just too much for me.  I do have to say that the idea of the characters on Tarot cards coming to life was a new one to me.  And I enjoyed the idea of that.

Evie was okay.  I liked that she was so nice although I'm not sure it was really believable.  But I liked her for the most part.  Jackson on the other hand--I couldn't stand him.  I thought he was a jerk and condescending and I didn't get why Evie had any feeling for him at all.  Even his accent and the way it was written got on my nerves. 

The ending wasn't one I saw coming exactly.  I mean, I did think that Evie would eventually accept her powers but not the way it happened in the story.  And I think there's a lot left to come.  Only I'm not sure I'll be picking up the next one.  We'll see.

I gave this book a rating of 3/5.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2012 Reading Challenge 150+: 76
2012 ARC Reading Challenge: 63
2012 Debut Author Challenge: 20
2012 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 66

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

In My Mailbox- October 15, 2012

In My Mailbox: Here's what I got in my mailbox last week

TUESDAY
A Fractured Light (A Beautiful Dark #2)- Jocelyn Davies--review for an Around the World ARC Tour










The Death Cure (Maze Runner #3)- James Dashner--PaperbackSwap











Dreamland (Riley Bloom #3)- Alyson Noel--PaperbackSwap











Vanish (Firelight #2)- Sophie Jordan--PaperbackSwap











FRIDAY
Bitter Blood (The Morganville Vampires #13)- Rachel Caine--suprise copy from publisher for review

Book Review- A Fractured Light

I just finished reading A Fractured Light (A Beautiful Dark #2) by Jocelyn Davies for an Around the World ARC Tour.

From Goodreads:

When she wakes up in unfamiliar surroundings, Skye knows something terrible has happened to her. It's not until she hears Asher, the dark, rebellious angel she fell in love with, that the memories come flooding back. She tries to put the past behind her, but she knows she'll be forever haunted by the ruthless betrayal that almost took her life.

Skye returns home, but with the knowledge of who she really is, nothing can ever be the same. As she tests the limits of her newfound powers, Skye discovers that she's capable of far more than anyone could have imagined. Both the Order and the Rebellion want her for their side as war between the factions looms. She can't forget the terrifying truth she now knows about the Order, but something holds her back from embracing the Rebellion.

"A Fractured Light" picks up right after "A Beautiful Dark"'s shocking cliffhanger ending and is perfect for fans of Lauren Kate's "Fallen" and Becca Fitzpatrick's Hush, Hush saga.

I didn't remember too much of what happened from the first book, but I jumped right in to this one and was easily more than halfway through the book before I came up for air the first time. It just flew by and was so easy to get absorbed in.

Checking my review from the first book, I was more into Asher than Devin (for the whole love triangle thing) and while I'm still Team Asher, I wasn't as into him as before.  I feel like he really did love Skye but that he was trying too hard to get her to become part of the Rebellion.  Often times I wondered if just maybe he was tricking her a little so she would fall for him and be on his side.

I think the ending happened too fast. I would have liked a little more detail/explanation but I thought the outcome was interesting and something I didn't see happening.  It makes me look forward to the third book in the series!

I gave this book a rating of 3.5/5.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2012 Reading Challenge 150+: 75
2012 ARC Reading Challenge: 62
2012 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 65
2012 Sophomore Reading Challenge: 7

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

The Sunday Salon- October 14, 2012

The Sunday Salon

Pretty easy week at school.  Yesterday my friend and I ran 12.5 miles.  Ouch!  I didn't feel too bad at the end of the run but after relaxing for a while, I realized how sore I was!  Next week we have 14 miles!

I finished and reviewed the following books last week:

Let The Sky Fall by Shannon Messenger 

I fulfilled items in the following challenges last week:

2012 Reading Challenge 150+: 74
2012 ARC Reading Challenge: 61
2012 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 64

I am currently reading A Fractured Light by Jocelyn Davies and up next is Poison Princess by Kresley Cole.

Waiting on Wednesday- October 10, 2012

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:
Two and Twenty Dark Tales: Dark Retelling of Mother Goose Rhymes
edited by Georgia McBride and Michelle Zink
Publication Release Date: October 16, 2012

From Goodreads:

 In this anthology, 20 authors explore the dark and hidden meanings behind some of the most beloved Mother Goose nursery rhymes through short story retellings. The dark twists on classic tales range from exploring whether Jack truly fell or if Jill pushed him instead to why Humpty Dumpty, fragile and alone, sat atop so high of a wall. The authors include Nina Berry, Sarwat Chadda, Leigh Fallon, Gretchen McNeil, and Suzanne Young.

Book Review-Let the Sky Fall

I just finished reading Let The Sky Fall by Shannon Messenger for an Around the World ARC Tour.

From Goodreads:

A broken past and a divided future can’t stop the electric connection of two teens in this “charged and romantic” (Becca Fitzpatrick), lush novel. Seventeen-year-old Vane Weston has no idea how he survived the category five tornado that killed his parents. And he has no idea if the beautiful, dark-haired girl who’s swept through his dreams every night since the storm is real. But he
hopes she is.

Seventeen-year-old Audra is a sylph, an air elemental. She walks on the wind, can translate its alluring songs, and can even coax it into a weapon with a simple string of commands. She’s also a guardian—Vane’s guardian—and has sworn an oath to protect Vane at all costs. Even if it means sacrificing her own life.

When a hasty mistake reveals their location to the enemy who murdered both of their families, Audra’s forced to help Vane remember who he is. He has a power to claim—the secret language of the West Wind, which only he can understand. But unlocking his heritage will also unlock the memory Audra needs him to forget. And their greatest danger is not the warriors coming to destroy them—but the forbidden romance that’s grown between them.

I enjoyed this story about slyphs.  I thought it was a new take on something paranormal. And it was definitely more character driven than action driven, which I like.

The story was told from two viewpoints: Vane and Audra.  I liked Vane.  As I've stated before, a lot of times I find myself disliking or not really caring about the story if it's told from a male character's point of view.  But I really liked Vane.  I could totally see him thinking and acting the way he did, especially the completely "guy" thoughts but they weren't obnoxious at all.  And I liked how Audra was strong yet vulnerable (and I love her name!)

I do have to say that I thought the ending was pretty anti-climatic.  The whole story was leading up to this one fight and then it was over in just a couple of pages.  While I'm definitely a character person, I thought the action scene in this book could be done better.  I also felt that we didn't get a really good grasp on all the different winds.  I kind of felt confused about them and wished the book would have delved more into it.

But this is the first book in the series and I'll definitely be picking up the next one when it comes out.  I want to find out about what's in store for Vance and Audra!

Let the Sky Fall will be released on March 5, 2013.

I gave this book a rating of 4/5.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2012 Reading Challenge 150+: 74
2012 ARC Reading Challenge: 61
2012 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.

In My Mailbox- October 8, 2012

In My Mailbox: Here's what I got in my mailbox last week

TUESDAY
Who Loves You Best- Tess Stimson--Bookmooch











Altered- Jennifer Rush--review for an Around the World ARC Tour











Poison Princess (The Arcana Chronicles #1)- Kresley Cole--review for an Around the World ARC Tour










WEDNESDAY
Let the Sky Fall- Shannon Messenger--review for an Around the World ARC Tour

The Sunday Salon- October 7, 2012

The Sunday Salon
Nothing too exciting happened this past week.  Although the Gators did have a big win yesterday over LSU.  I thought we were going to lose big time but we came out on top!

I finished and reviewed the following books last week:
Fifty Shades Darker by E.L. James
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
34 Pieces of You by Carmen Rodrigues
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Beta by Rachel Cohn













I fulfilled items in the following challenges last week:
2012 Reading Challenge 150+: 71, 72, 73
Completely Contemp Challenge 2012: 2011-3, 2012-16
2012 Mammoth Book Challenge: 7
2012 ARC Reading Challenge: 59, 60
2012 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 62, 63
2012 Standalone Reading Challenge: 17
2012 Sophomore Reading Challenge: 6

 I am currently reading Let the Sky Fall by Shannon Messenger and up next is Altered by Jennifer Rush.