Review: Titan Magic by Jodi Lamm

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• Publisher: Jodi Lamm
• Publication date: 10/5/2011
• Sold by: Barnes & Noble
• Format: eBook 
• Source: Copy provided from author for reveiw

Purchase from B&N or Amazon.

Overview

Mute, heartless, and tormented by auditory hallucinations, Madeleine Lavoie never questions why her family has hidden her from the world. But the night her brother casts her out, she learns the mysterious voice she thought existed only in her mind is no delusion, and no matter how hard she tries, she can never disobey it.

Now Madeleine must find her own voice in a cacophony of powerful tyrants, monsters, and gods. If she fails, she will forfeit her life and the lives of everyone who loves her. But if she succeeds, she may finally gain the ability to love someone in return.

My Thoughts


The synopsis for this book sounded really interesting. I love fantasy so I was excited to read it. I found it to be a little weird, but still good. The story moved along nice and steady through most of the book. There was action, fantasy, and a bit of romance. The characters were interesting and the story was creative.There is a lot of mystery to what certain people's intentions really are. I was trying to figure out who was good and who was bad through most of the book. It wasn't until the end that things were a little clearer. I loved really trying to figure out the characters.


Madeline has been hidden away, literally not allowed to leave her own home. No one can hear her speak, and some people believe she is crazy. She hears a voice and even she thinks she is delusional. She has to listen to the voice no matter what, she can't disobey it. She ends up being tossed out on the street by her brother with nothing but her fathers coat. She figures out that she is not crazy, and she hasn't been just imagining the voice she hears. She ends up discovering surprising things about herself and her family and has to be strong and make the right choices. She knows that she has to find her voice, not just for herself, but for everyone around her. She has ended up the center of something bigger than she could have ever imagined. I really liked Madeline. She is really brave and strong. She is very scared of the things that are happening, and she is confused, but she still does what she believes she has to. 
 
Overall, I enjoyed this book. It is a hard book to review without giving anything away. It was interesting, and flowed well. The story was very centered on the characters more than events and surroundings, which I liked. I felt that we got to know the  characters well. I was confused about them for a while. There were a few I didn't know whether to like or dislike, but I feel like in the end we knew them pretty well. There are still things we are left wondering about, but it's not a huge cliffhanger or anything. I liked the book and I am interested to see what will happen next. 3 out of 5 stars.

Teaser Tuesday (15)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! You should too, it's really fun and a great way to find out about other awesome books, and blogs. Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My teaser this Tuesday is from Significance by Shelly Crane. It's a great book so far.

• Publisher: Shelly Crane
• Publication date: 9/18/2011
• Format: eBook 

My Teaser:

When I finally felt like I'd settled back into myself, I felt different; more lithe and womanly than I had in my previous awkward body. I felt more right and stronger, like I finally belonged and had purpose.


I am almost done reading this book now. I am really enjoying the story and the characters.

If you want me to check out your Teaser Tuesday post, or any other Tuesday post you do, leave me a link and I will be more than happy to check it out.

Incarnate Theater Treasure Hunt

Welcome to the INCARNATE Theater Treasure Hunt!
This week, 45 bloggers are celebrating the release of INCARNATE by Jodi Meadows by participating in a treasure hunt with clues, activities, and lots of prizes including signed books and handknit fingerless mitts. You've reached a CLUE blog, which means somewhere on this page is a clue to finding the hidden page and grand prize entry form on Jodi's website. Follow 26 clues to get there!
For more information on the INCARNATE Theater Treasure Hunt, check out Jodi's post. http://www.jodimeadows.com/?p=568

The prizes are awesome!!

Grand prize: Signed, annotated hardcover; fingerless mitts; a Jodi-made mask; character named after them in book 3 (could end up dead); swag

 

Two runners up: Signed hardcover; fingerless mitts; swag

Here's a cool knitted character picture for you, made by Jodi herself.

Just have to say, that is so awesome!! She is super talented and it think it's really entertaining. Dude! Put your pants on haha!


I also have a song from Jodi's Incarnate playlist. Take a minute to listen to it, it's really quite beautiful!

Butterflies and Hurricanes, by William Joseph

I decided to try to make a butterfly mask even though I am lacking in artistic skills. I used some of my daughters craft supplies. It is quite silly looking, but I will share with all of you. 

 You can laugh, it's okay! I want to laugh at it too. How awesome are those feathers though? I want to put them on everything! Okay so now onto what you really came here for. The clue!

My clue for the password is . . .

First word: a

Remember, there are no spaces in this password!

Thanks for stopping by to get your clue. If you are done here you can head on over to the next stop.(below are the next three stops for the CLUE blogs)

The Book Sisterhood Rachel's Book Reviews The Reading Geek

In My Mailbox 1/29/12

In My Mailbox is a weekly event hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren to show what bookish things you have gotten in the past week, or month, or however frequently you would like to do it.

I have been doing good about not buying too many books and I am proud of myself. This week I only bought 2 which is really good considering how many I really want.

Books I bought

• Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally
• The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter

I got both of the in ebook format for my nook. They were both only $4.99 too so it was a big surprise to me. I have been wanting to read The Goddess Test for a while, and I have heard nothing but awesomeness about Catching Jordan. I was so close to buying it so many times. It was finally Andrea from The Bookish Babes review that made me buy it. I just needed that one last push. Besides, with how much she loved it, I needed to get it.



From NetGalley for review

• Starters by Lissa Price (Random House Publishing)
• Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter (Harlequin)

I will start by doing a huge SQUEE!! I had requested Starters, but was denied almost instantly, and was so sad because it sounds awesome. I decided to try again a few days later and YES!!! They approved me! I usually don't request more than once because I figure that they denied me for a reason, but I really wanted to read this one. Also, since I finally bought myself The Goddess Test, I wanted to read and review Goddess Interrupted too.

For review from author

• In Leah's Wake by Terri Giulliano Long (request by Donna Brown of Novel Publicity)
• Winter of the Snowfox by Nik Heikkila

 These both sound like pretty interesting books in totally different ways. Winter of the Snowfox was actually written by someone who my friend works with. She had mentioned my blog to him. I thought that was pretty cool.










Bookish stuff that I won

• Some cool swag from  Keren @ Gothic Angel Book Reviews

 My camera didn't want to behave and kept being way too bright. There are signed postcards, a cd with a book playlist, signed magnet, signed bookmark, and a really cool little voodoo doll, that has to do with one of the books I had won from her giveaway in December.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House, Harlequin, Donna Brown, my friend Kat for mentioning me Nik Heikkila, Nik for wanting me to review his book, and Keren. I am looking forward to all these books and the swag is great. If you want me to check out your IMM leave me your link.

Review: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

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• Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers
• Publication date: 1/2/2012
• Pages: 236
• Source: Own

Buy from B&N, Amazon, or The Book Depository

Overview

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. She's stuck at JFK, late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's in seat 18C. Hadley's in 18A.

Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.

My Thoughts


I had been hearing nothing but amazing things about this book, so I knew I had to read it. It was just as fantastic as everyone said. I am not one of those people who is into the whole insta-love thing so I was nervous about this, but it isn't like that at all. It is done in such a beautiful sweet way. I know that you are probably thinking "How can it be done in 24 hours?" Well I will tell you, it is like the longest 24 hours ever for them. You can fit a lot into a 24 hour period with a flight and lack of sleep. This story is so sweet, and touching, and romantic, I couldn't help but love it. Besides that, it was very realistic in how things happen. The writing is so beautiful too. I was just melting at how amazing the writing was. The characters are very likable and believable too. I felt all of Hadley's emotions, and she spoke and acted the way a girl her age should. How can you not love a book that's first line is There are so many ways it could have all turned out differently. 

The story starts with Hadley's account on what happened to make her late and miss her flight. She is put on a new fight, but has to wait a while before it departs. Then she meets Oliver. He happens to be on the same flight that she is now on. They also discover that they are sitting in the same row, one person apart. Their conversations are fun and normal. Very comfortable. They end up sitting next to each other on the plane and get to know each other a bit. Hadley forgets about how much she is dreading going to her fathers wedding. It's as if her and Oliver are in their own little world. Once they get to London they part ways and that's that. Right? Wrong!

I don't want to spoil anything for anyone so I will just say that certain events happen. It is like fate is on their side and they are meant to be together. It's not all happy, fluffy romance. There are some very heartbreaking moments if you are a sensitive emotional nut like me, but in the end you can't help but smile. The writing, I can't even explain how great it is. I wanted to hug and cuddle the book with a smile. The book is beautiful inside and out. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a great romantic read. 5 out of 5 stars.

Friendly Friday Fun with some Q&A.

I know I have done a few of these lately. This is the last one, for now at least. I really have enjoyed doing Q&A's with some of my friends. Today I have Mo from Way of the eInk Reader She is an awesome person and I enjoy chatting with her on twitter. Now onto the Q&A so you can get to know her too. :)

What made you want to start a blog, and how did you come up with the name for it?

I have had a few other blogs, but nothing stuck. I chose to start blogging about reading because it combined two of my favorite things – reading and writing. The name of my blog – Way of the eInk Reader, was my not so subtle way of celebrating the fact that I finally got an eReader.

What has been one of your favorite things about having a blog? What has been your least favorite?

My favorite thing about having a blog so far has been posting books. While I have always enjoyed reading, I’m really enjoying writing about the books I’ve read and sharing my thoughts about the books. 

My least favorite thing about having a blog is designing the blog. There are so many fantastic sites out there, I find I spend an inordinate amount of time fidgeting with my widgets, as I try to perfect the appearance of my blog. It’s a loosing battle of course, because every time I visit some new blog, I’m blown away by how awesome the blogs look compared to mine

Is there anything that you have learned since having your blog that was surprising to you?

That blogging about what you love is truly a hobby in itself.  Maintaining a good blog requires time, discipline, foresight, diligence, practice – all characteristics of honing a craft.  A good blog doesn’t just happen, it’s crafted and if done right, can be appealing and a reflection of it’s creator. I realized very quickly that I could have a blog site or I could be a blogger and there’s a difference between the two.

Where is your favorite place to read?

My recliner. I love sitting with my feet up, wrapped in a blanket and generally eating something that’s not good for me

Do you schedule the books you read or do you read whatever sounds good at the time?

Lately I have been trying to schedule what I read. I read through other people’s blogs to see what sounds good to read. I’ve been trying to patronize my local library in an attempt to curtail my book-buying habit which means I have to dig around a little for books that I would like to read based on recommendations and place them on hold.  Then I scour the booksellers trying to find cheap reads as well.

Do you write your reviews right away, or do you need time for your mind to settle after?

Lately, I have been taking notes as I read – nothing earth shattering, just jotting down little moments of my emotional responses to events and characters in the book. When I’m done, I read over my notes and begin to craft my review right away. I never publish it at once, I always wait a day to read it again and fine-tune it. 

Now that we know a bit about your blogging experience, let's learn more about you.

What is your favorite color?

Yellow.

What is your favorite movie?

I’m an avid movie watcher – This is a hard one.  Today, my favorite movie is The Chronicles of Riddick, tomorrow it may be Love Actually.  Depends on the day.

What is your favorite band/singer?

More of a genre – love Jazz (Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Billy Holiday)

Ok time for some this or that questions.

Coffee or Tea? - Coffee

Chips or Candy? – neither, love cake

Oranges or Apples? - oranges

Cats or Dogs? - dogs

Forest or Mountains? - mountains

Travel: Fly or Drive? - Fly

Chocolate or Vanilla? - vanilla

Night in or Night out? – Night in. 

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer some questions. 

New covers for Possession and Surrender by Elana Johnson

I will start by saying that I absolutely loved Possession by Elana Johnson and I am really looking forward to Surrender. The paperback of Possession will be getting a new cover and the Hardcover of Surrender will be different than it was originally. I personally love the new covers!! Let's see what you think. :)

This is the original cover for Possession on the left. It is really great.

Now on the right is the new cover!!! LOVE!! I think the blue cover really makes the image pop out and it's absolutely fabulous!!!

This is the original cover for Surrender on the left. Like the original for Possession, it's very pretty and I really like it.

On the right is the newly designed cover for Surrender. Again, I love how the color of the cover really makes the image pop! I think that the new covers are awesome!!








So what do you think? I personally LOVE the new covers. I love the new font and the pretty color! I also like how they weren't changed much. That way if you have the original cover for Possession, it will still go with the new cover for Surrender, just not as well as the new one.

Review: Shift (Protector #2) by M.R. Merrick

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• Publish date: February 1, 2012
• Format: ebook
• Source: eBook from author for review

Overview

Devastated by the loss of his mother, Chase is trying to balance the life he’s been left with, a family he’s still getting to know, and power he never thought he’d have. He doesn’t understand why the Goddess has named him the Protector and granted him two gifts: the Mark, a tattoo that now covers his back, and the ring. But between getting interrogated by the Circle and psychic attacks from Riley, the Mark is the least of his concern. There’s a demon inside Rayna that’s fighting to be released, and it’s not her inner witch. It’s something else–a monster threatening to tear her apart.

As Chase struggles to control his magic, his enemies are closing in. Everyone has staked a claim on his ring, and destroying it may be his only chance to stop Riley. But Chase must decide if stopping him is worth risking the lives of everyone he cares about, or if protecting the ring will be enough to save his world.

My Thoughts

To say this book is incredibly amazing is an understatement. This book was so absolutely beyond amazing, that there are no words to describe it! I have made a few attempts at this review actually, and the first few were just incoherent babbling about my love for it. So now I will do a composed review that you can understand. From the first page it is intense, heart pumping action. It was like an adrenaline rush that I couldn't come down from. M.R. Merrick takes us back into Chase's world full force, and it blew me away! The fantasy is phenomenal! The story, the relationships, and the secrets and lies are all packaged into the most intense thrill ride you can imagine. Just when it starts to slow down enough for you to catch your breath, the action and excitement ramps right back up!

Chase is hurting. He has just lost his mother, and his home. He is living with people he barely knows. He is still trying to figure out why he is the protector and what it means, all the while still fighting for his life, and the lives of those he cares about. He is trying to learn to control his magic, and now it is getting stronger. He knows that the ring is the key to something and he must guard it , but with everyone wanting to get their hands on it, especially Riley, it's not proving to be an easy task. Chase had major character growth in Exiled, and I think he had much more in this book. He is so broken and you really feel what he is feeling.

Rayna has her own struggles going on. She has a demon inside of her trying to find it's way out. Literally. She is trying to fight it with all that she has, but in the end everyone fears it will kill her. I love Rayna's character because she is so strong and brave. She is very defiant and stands her ground. With everything she is dealing with she still is concerned about Chase, and will do anything she can to help him.

In Shift, we discover more about the characters we already know, and meet some new ones. The writing is so fantastic that you feel that you truly are getting to know each and every person. I could really feel the emotions of the main characters, and I felt like I was part of their world. It was like I was inside the book with them, part of the story. I can't really write much more for fear of giving anything away to those who have not read Exiled yet. Reading Shift felt like a great roller coaster. Fast, a lot of big drops and twists, and barely enough time to catch my breath. It was amazing from the first page to the last, and I didn't want it to end. I am now going to be a mess and full of anticipation until the next book comes out! M.R Merrick has done it again! Fantastic book. It is a must read!! I would give it way more than 5 stars if I could!!!

Waiting on Wednesday/ WWW Wednesday 1-25-12

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine  to share what book you are highly anticipating the release of.

This week my WoW is Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver. As it gets closer to release I get more and more excited for it. I loved Delirium and can't wait to read this one!!

Add to Goodreads

 

• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Publication date: 2/28/2012
• Pages: 384

 Overview

I’m pushing aside the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school,
push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame. 

How amazing does that overview make the book sound?!! OMG! I need this book, like now! Fortunately it's only about a month away, and I have tons of books to read until it comes out, but I am still going crazy wanting to read it. 

WWW Wednesdays is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading  

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?

I am currently reading: Titan Magic by Jodi Lamm. It seems interesting so far.

I recently finished reading: Hallowed by Cynthia Hand, Shift by M.R. Merrick and The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith. Loved all of them!! I have been reading some incredible books this year so far.

Next I am going to read: I think it will be The Alchemy of Forever by Avery Willliams, and Significance by Shelly Crane. I pre-ordered Incarnate by Jodi Meadows, so I will definitely be reading that too! I want to try to get in Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally, but it may have to wait. I don't read that fast. 


That's my awesomeness for this Wednesday lol! I want to know what you are looking forward to reading, or are reading now. Leave me your link and I will check it out. Thanks. Much love!!

Terrific Tuesday Guest!!

Today on my blog I am doing another guest post with another great friend! My friend Lauren from Some Reading Required is here with us today. She has just recently started a book blog and it's really fantastic. We knew each other before blogging and she is really a fun and wonderful person! lease stop by her blog and check it out. I think you will enjoy it too. Now onto the interview!

Lauren thanks so much for being on the blog today! Lets get started.

Your blog is brand new (and I love it btw). What made you want to start a blog?

 

Well it’s sort of an idea I’ve been tossing around for a while. I already have a news blogging site for CW’s The Secret Circle so I’m not completely new to the “blogging” world. I thought that having an online book blog would be a great way of connecting with other readers who share my same taste and excitement for awesome books. I need to give some credit to Book Loving Mom though because all her talk and excitement regarding her own blog, gave me the extra nudge I needed!

So far, what has been your favorite thing about having a blog?

 

Hmm, I’d have to say participating in my first meme (teaser Tuesdays). It was really fun to pick a tease of my own and then go and checkout others. I’ve already added some more books to my to-read list!

Anything that you haven't liked about it so far?

 

Not really, at least not yet; I’m still a newborn book blog and I’m just starting to get into the swing of things.

Has there been anything surprising that you have learned since starting your blog?

 

I was little worried in the beginning that the book blogging network would be hard to get into. However I was completely wrong! Everyone I’m come across has been completely welcoming and kind.

Is there an order that you read you books in, like making a list and trying to stick to it, or do you just pick them as you go?

 

Hah! List. I wish. I’ve been collecting a to-read list for a couple of years now but I tend to read my favorite book series’ sequels before anything else. Following book sequels, the other books I read tend to be new and highly recommended books. For example, although I’ve had Bloodlines on my nook for a couple weeks now, I just had to start Unearthly because it’s gained a lot of buzz.

Do you take notes when you read to help you when you review a book, or do you just do it from memory?

 

I’ve tried both and I’ve quickly realized that notes are the way to go. For the last book I read (Unearthly) whenever there was a thought or excerpt that I knew I wanted to comment on I scribbled down page numbers in a notebook.

 

Let's get to know more about you now.

 

Well… I’m a 21-year old full time college student. Although as I currently type these responses I’m still home for winter vacation. I’ve recently decided to switch my major to Sociology although I’m not a hundred percent sure what I want my career to be; I knew it was the right decision. If I’m not attending classes, doing homework, or sleeping than I’m most-definitely reading.  This past Christmas I treated myself to a nook color (my first electronic reader) and I’m completely in love. I still plan to purchase physical forms of my all-time favorite books, but for the rest I’ve made the switch to electronic. I don’t know what else really to say… In person I tend to appear very shy and quiet, but as my friends know the real me is very quirky and fun, and maybe a bit weird. J

What is your favorite color? 

 

Purple!

What is your favorite food/beverage?

 

My favorite beverage is Arizona green tea with ginseng and honey. Yum! It’s kind of a wide spectrum, but my favorite food is “sandwiches”. I could probably eat a sandwich 3 times a day/7 days a week if I had to. I just love the unending yummy possibilities!

What is your favorite movie?

 

The Labyrinth - I can’t tell you have many pets I named “Sarah” when I was a child.

What is your favorite season, and why?

 

Fall, not only because it contains my favorite holiday (Halloween), but because of crisp air and the smell of leaves. Fall just holds a comforting feeling for me.

Any special talents that you have?

 

Not that I’m aware of. Haha.

If you had to choose one of your senses to lose, which would it be?

 

Speaking.  Although I’d rather not lose any, it’d be more important to me to be able to hear and see.

Lets have some fun now. This or that.

Chocolate or Vanilla?

 

Chocolate!

Cake or pie?

 

Mmm Pie.

Coffee or tea?

 

Tea!

Heels or sneakers?

 

Sneakers for sure. I’m more into comfort than style.

Quiet night in or night on the town?

 

Some find it boring, but I’m definitely quiet night in type of girl.

Eat in or eat out?

 

If I’m cooking – out! Haha.

Big breakfast or quick and easy?

 

Quick & easy

Black or white?

 

Grey

And that wraps it up. Thanks so much for being a guest on my blog and answering my questions.

 

 This was so much fun!! thank you for asking me to be a part of it :D

 

 Go check out Lauren's Blog Some Reading Required if you get a chance. 

 

Teaser Tuesday (14)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! You should too, it's really fun and a great way to find out about other awesome books, and blogs. Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

 My teaser this week is from The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight. I just finished this book, and I loved it! The writing is just so beautiful and fantastic.

Add to Goodreads

• Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers
• Publication date: 1/2/2012
• Pages: 236

My Teasers

She's spent so much energy dreading this trip that she hadn't been prepared for the possibility that something good might come out of it, something unexpected. (pg. 32)

 He's like a song that she can't get out of her head. Hard as she tries, the melody of their meeting runs through her mind on an endless loop, each time as surprisingly sweet as the last, like a lullaby, like a hymn, and she doesn't think she could ever get tired of hearing it. (pg. 110)


Okay so I cheated again and did more than the two teaser sentences, but I couldn't help it. The writing is so amazing! That is only a taste of the beauty this book is. I seriously just want to hug the book and cuddle it. It's truly beautiful inside and out. *sigh* (oh that's a good line, I think I will put that in my review)

Thanks for stopping by. I always love to read other teasers, so if you leave a link in my comments I will stop by and see what yours is. :)

Review: Hallowed (Unearthly #2) by Cynthia Hand

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• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Publication date: 1/17/2012
• Sold by: HARPERCOLLINS
• Format: eBook
• Pages: 416
• Source: Own

Purchase from B&N, Amazon, and The Book Depository

Overview

For months part-angel Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as straightforward as she thought.
Now, torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain, the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the beginning.

My Thoughts

After finishing Unearthly I was highly anticipating the release of Hallowed. I was counting down the days until I could dive back into Clara's head and have some of my questions answered. I completely devoured this book. It was hard to put down and had me strung out on emotions. I was instantly taken back into the story, and was eager to keep going and learn more. The story moved at a good steady pace. It is not action packed or anything like that, but there is just so much going on emotionally, that I was so tense throughout so much of the book. There are also some unexpected twists thrown in there too, as well as some major heartbreak, so grab your tissues!

Clara is still trying to come to terms with her purpose and what it means. I really feel like I am in Clara's head when I am reading. I could feel her happiness, and her sorrow. She is still a very strong character, and I love her humor. She is faced with many tough things in this book, so we see a bit of her weak side, but she is still much stronger and braver than I could ever be. What I love the most about her is how absolutely in love she is with Tucker. *Sigh* You can literally feel her love for him as you read.

Onto the love triangle. I am so solidly team Tucker so I really hate that there is a love triangle at all, but it is done so beautifully that I can't help but like it. Tucker and Clara are so freaking cute together. I mean honestly, he is like the picture perfect guy! He's hot, he's a cowboy who does rodeo's, and he is so in love with Clara you want to melt. Then there's Christian who is obviously undeniably gorgeous, and has more in common with Clara than we even know. He is really sweet, no doubt about that, and the whole purpose and destiny thing to go with it. I get it, really I do, but I don't have to like it. I still love Tucker and he will win every time in my book. Besides, I don't really like how Christian starts to act in this one sometimes. That's all I can say about that without spoiling anything.

We also finally get answers about Clara's mom, and about other things that we have been wanting to know. I really felt like we really got to know the characters a lot better in this one, and I can't wait to see where it goes from here. Along with a lot of burning questions being answered, we are left with new ones at the end too. We get to meet some new characters that will undoubtedly play a big part in the next book. With so much that changed in this book, I am curious to see how the next book will play out.

Hallowed has all the things a great book should. It made me laugh, it made me cry, (yes, tears and all), and it made me angry at some points. I felt like my emotions were supercharged. I was very on edge a lot of the book, but totally in a good way. It was one of those page turners you don't want to put down. Once again, I will be highly anticipating the next installment. Cynthia Hand has completely wrapped me up in this story. This is a wonderful series and I need more!! 4.5 out of 5 stars!!

In My Mailbox 1/22/12

In My Mailbox is a weekly event hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren to show what bookish things you have gotten in the past week, or month, or however frequently you would like to do it.

I bought

• Hallowed (Unearthly #2) by Cynthia Hand ebook
• Fated by Sarah Alderson
• Wither by Lauren Destefano

Aren't they pretty? I should have gotten a physical copy of Hallowed too.

For review

• Shift (Protector #2) by M.R. Merrick

 All I have to say is SQUEE!! AHHHHH OMG!! *Dies a little* Matt I friggin love you!!!  (In a completely non-creepy and professional way lol!)Yup that's how excited I was about this one. I am reading it now. (Well, by the time this posts I will probably be done.)

I won

• The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory 

I won this from the awesome Deanna at Paperback Daydreamer

That's all for this week. Special thanks to Matt Merrick! He seriously made my whole week! I have been dying to read Shift since finishing Exiled. I finished the book I was on and dove right in. :) Also big thanks to Deanna. You rock, and thanks again. And of course I forget most of the time to thank the hubs. My obsessive reading really annoys him, and he hates it when I talk about my blog, but he still supports my book buying habit. Not that he will know I thanked him, but it makes me feel better to throw it in there once in a while. ;)

I would love to see what awesome bookish things you got. Leave me a link in the comments and I will hop over to your blog as soon as I get a chance.

Special Guest Saturday!!

Hi everyone! I am so excited to be doing a guest post on my blog today with a really great friend, Crissy from The Princess of Storyland. One of the best things about starting my blog is the great friends I have made, so I wanted to do a few interviews / guest posts with some of my friends, and she was nice enough to participate. Crissy answered some questions about her blog, and about herself. I hope you enjoy getting to know her as much as I have. After the interview, don't forget to go check out her fantastic blog. I stalk visit it on a daily basis. Now for the interview.

Crissy thank you so much for taking the time to answer some questions for me.

What made you want to start a blog?

haha Is it terrible that I can't really remember why? I read constantly and always have! My mother taught me to read when I was really young. By 4 I could read entire books and even out of a bible.  My father always took me to the library every Friday when he got off of work. Books have always been a big part of my life! Books are a wonderful escape for me. I love how when I'm having a horrible day, I can always open up a book and start reading. Before I know it, I'm lost in the story and taken away to a whole other world, and I've forgotten all about what I was upset about to begin with! Blogging was a way to share my love of books with others and hopefully encourage them to read more! 

What has been your favorite thing about having your blog?

Being able to talk about books with other people who love to read them as well! I have met so many amazing people and bloggers and have developed some close friendships I cherish. I've also met some really amazing authors at various signings and events. They have been so down to earth and really sweet. It's been an amazing experience!

 Now that we know your favorite thing, what has been your least favorite thing about having your blog if anything?

My least favorite thing would have to be turning down a review book when it's something I'm not interested in reading. I always feel really bad about that, but I don't want to read a book that I don't think I would enjoy. The purpose of my blog is to encourage people to read, not to sway their opinion from potentially picking up a book.

What has been the most surprising thing you have learned since you have started your blog?

Having and running a blog is HARD work! I always envisioned it as being loads of fun, and it totally is! But there is a LOT of hardwork involved as well, that I suppose I never really thought about before. It's a struggle for me to juggle work, personal life and my responsabilities, as well as fitting in time to read more than one book a week and update my blog regularly for my readers. It's a constant battle of learning how to prioratize everything and being balanced as well. That's probably the hardest part!

Do you plan ahead what books you are going to read, or do you just read what feels right at the time?
 

In the begining I did. I'd put books on my shelf in the order I thought I should read them in, and then stick to it. This really didn't work for me. I've found your mood can really affect the way you feel about a book, and I really try to go into every book I read with an open mind. Sometimes I will finish reading 2 dystopians, and go into a third, and find myself being overly critical because I was really in the mood for something else. Now I make sure to switch it up so I don't get burnt out or overly critical of one genre. I may do a dystopian, and then a contemporary and then a fantasy or thriller. I also like to break up my review books and make sure  to squeeze in books just for ME! Otherwise it feels more like a job and less like a hobby. 

Do you take notes when you read, or do you review from memory?

A little of both actually! When I first started I would just write a review from memory. Now I actually take notes. I found this amazing form online for it that I print out and use every time I read a book. It has a spot for the name, author, publication date, main and supporting characters, conflicts in the book, pro's and con's and just general notes. I love using it and have noticed my reviews are much better since I've started using it. It also allows me to think about the book for a day or two after I've finished reading it. Usually by that point the book has really sunken in and I've figured out where exactly I want my review to go and what things to focus on. The notes really help me so I don't forget any main points or things I read along the way that I thought would be good points to share. 

Now we are going to do some fun questions. We want to get to know a little about you.

Do you have any special talents? Singing, dancing, painting...?

haha This is always a hard question for me, because in my mind, I have no talents. But other people always comment on how creative and talented I am. I love to crochet and I have become pretty awesome at it! ;)  I make all kinds of things, but my favorites are warm fuzzy blankets to curl up with! I make a lot of hemp braclette's for fun out of all kinds of cute and funky colors. I have TONS! Hmm...maybe that should be my next giveaway! lol I also love to embroider and cross stitch. I LOVE to cook and am an excellent cook. Baking and cooking are probably my specialties. I make a great homemade pizza from scratch that people pay me for as well as a to die for chocolate chip cookie dough cheesecake! I'm also an excellent shopper! Seriously, if shopping were a sport, I'd be a pro!

What's your favorite color?

Pink!!! I LOVE pink! It totally makes me smile! Especially hot pink. I always say I wish the sky were pink and the clouds were cotton candy. haha 

What's your favorite movie?

Breakfast at Tiffany's. My favorite movie of all time! Audrey Hepburn is stunning and an incredible actress. I <3 her!

What's your favorite food/beverage?

I love italian and greek food. Those are my faves, but my all time favorite food is pizza! I could eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner and never tire of it! My favorite beverage is Strawberry Vanilla Limeade's from Sonic. I am sooo addicted! I have to have my fix every day or I'm in foul mood.

If I were to look in your fridge right now what would I find?

You'd find a fridge full! I've got homemade fresh squeezed lemonade, homemade sourdough bread, homemade kolaches and calzone's. Leftovers: Grilled salmon, rice pilaf and steamed veggies. Freshly made lemon marmalade, first try and it came out yummy! Lots of fresh fruit and veggies, and all kinds of cheese! A huge jar of really good sour pickles . Yumm! And lots of juice! 

This or that:

Skirts or pants?

Skirts!


Heels or sneakers?

Definately heels! I actually don't wear sneakers. Is that weird?


Chips or candy?

That one is really hard. I love both, but if I had to pick one it'd probably be chips. I am a chocoholic tho! And I've recently become addicted to Sour Patch Kids!


Chocolate or Vanilla?

Vanilla

Coffee or Tea?

I like both but my favorite is tea!

Cake or Pie?

Which category do brownies fall under? lol Cheesecake is another fave! So I guess...that'd be cake


Eat in or out?

I actually prefer eating in, but it is nice to go out once in a while

Quiet night in or Night on the town?

Quiet night in!

Well that's all I have. Great answers, and I think that we have gotten to know a bit more about you. Thank you so much!! 

Thank you so much for interviewing me. It was such an honor, and I had a blast!

 

Review: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Add to Goodreads

• Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 9/27/2011
• Sold by: Hachette Digital, Inc.
• Format: eBook
• Pages: 432
• Source: Own

Purchase from B&N, Amazon, and The Book Depository

Overview

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

My Thoughts

Going into this book, I was expecting great things. I have heard so many awesome reviews on this book, that I knew I had to read it. The story is creative and original, and the writing style is fantastic. There are angels, and monsters, and some really awesome settings. The fantasy aspect of this story is wonderful. Laini Taylor is very descriptive, so you have an easy time imagining what you are reading. I was very drawn into the story. I enjoyed the different perspectives. It made me feel a little closer to the characters. There was a mix of different characters and personalities that I really enjoyed. It moved a little slow for me, but was still a fantastic read. 

Karou is the main character in the story, and while I liked her enough, I preferred some of the secondary characters over her. I didn't feel like we got to know her as well as we should have, although there are reasons for that too. I really wanted to have a stronger character connection with her. She is tough, smart, and determined, but I felt she was a little annoying at times too. She is not perfect and popular, or the outcast, or the typical main character of a storyline. She is unique. She has blue hair, she is amazing at drawing, and she lives by herself in a flat in Prague, and she can speak a ton of different languages. There is more to her than that though. She has no clue who she really is. She is surrounded by secrets.

I really enjoyed a lot of the other characters. First off there's Akiva. We get a lot of the story from his perspective.  At first I was a bit confused, but as the story progressed I understood what was happening. He is very much a mystery when we first meet him, but we get to know him quite well by the end of the book. Another character I really loved, she was probably my favorite, is Zuzana. She is so hilariously funny. The things that came out of her mouth had me literally laughing out loud. She is full of spunk and personality, and doesn't hold anything back. Brimstone is another one I liked. At first I didn't because we don't really know him at all. As I read more and more, I really had a new respect for him, and truly liked him. 

This book is very heavy with fantasy, so it is one that you really have to pay attention to. It took me longer to read this book than it typically takes me to read because I was really trying to absorb the details. At times I was confused and thought things were a bit over explained, but in the long run, I am glad that they were. I really felt like I was getting to know the areas, and the characters. This book had me tense with emotions at times, literally holding my breath. I loved being swept up into this fantasy world, and I am looking forward to what comes next. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Review: Everneath By Brodi Ashton

Add to goodreads

• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Publication date: 1/24/2012
• Pages: 384
• Source: ARC won from a fellow blogger

Purchase from B&N, Amazon, or The Book Depository.

Overview

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's.

My Thoughts


I was going into this book with really high expectations, and it lived up to the hype for me. Right from the beginning I was completely drawn into the story. I instantly wanted to know what was happening and knew I would not want to put this book down. I felt the connection to the characters, and I loved the progression of the story. It was a fantastic and heartbreaking book that kept me swept up in it the whole time. 

Nikki is the MC. I really felt the character connection with her. She is a strong and likable character. At first I felt that she was in her current situation because she was weak, but the more you learn the more you realize that she is not weak at all. She is stronger than I think I could faced with the same situation. I loved being able to get in her head. We get to know how things were before the feed, and then after the feed. She knows that no matter what she will be sucked back into the Everneath, and wants to leave the right way this time. As much as possible that is. She doesn't want to feel like she is running out on the people she loves. I also admire how she still wants to do what is right. She would rather be taken into the tunnels of the Everneath (a horrible place) than rule as queen and have to live off of other people's energy. (their emotions). The only way to avoid either, is to find a way out and get to stay in the real world. The whole time I was rooting for her to be able to find a way to cheat fate and not have to return. You will have to read it yourself to find out  what the outcome is. And believe me you want to read this.


The love story is so great, and just left my heart aching. From the start I really thought that she should be with Jack. It's easy to see how people would want her to be with Cole though. He is made of hotness, he plays a guitar, and rides a motorcycle.  But, for the record I am team Jack! This wasn't like your typical love triangle at all. It was actually a very complicated situation. There's no actual love triangle really going on, it's more of a life choice that Nikki needs to make. Cole is certainly steamy, but he is no good in my eyes. He is kinda creepy stalker-ish to me. Jack is just so genuinely nice, and a great person, and friend. He really tries to reconnect with Nikki, as much as she tries to stop from getting close to him again. He just has an undying love for her, and you can't help but want them to be together. 

This book just kept me so engaged throughout, and I didn't want to stop reading. I was so in tune with the characters, and really wanted the best for them. When they were happy, I was happy, when they were sad, I was sad. I am a very sensitive, so yes, I cried too. This book was just so beautifully written and I can't wait for more. The way it ended just left my heat aching and needing to know, "what happens now?" From the gorgeous cover, to the even more beautiful story inside, this is a must read. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Waiting on Wednesday / WWW Wednesday 1-18-12

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine  to share what book you are highly anticipating the release of.

I am really looking forward to M.R. Merrick's second book in his protectors series, Shift. The cover was just revealed last week, and it's amazing!! I am so excited to read the book!! 

Add to Goodreads

Expected publication date: February 1, 2012
Overview

Devastated by the loss of his mother, Chase is trying to balance the life he’s been left with, a family he’s still getting to know, and power he never thought he’d have. He doesn’t understand why the Goddess has named him the Protector and granted him two gifts: the Mark, a tattoo that now covers his back, and the ring. But between getting interrogated by the Circle and psychic attacks from Riley, the Mark is the least of his concern. There’s a demon inside Rayna that’s fighting to be released, and it’s not her inner witch. It’s something else–a monster threatening to tear her apart.


As Chase struggles to control his magic, his enemies are closing in. Everyone has staked a claim on his ring, and destroying it may be his only chance to stop Riley. But Chase must decide if stopping him is worth risking the lives of everyone he cares about, or if protecting the ring will be enough to save his world.




I absolutely loved Exiled and I can't wait to dive into Shift. Luckily it's not a very long wait until the book is available. And how absolutely amazing is that cover?! I can't get enough of it. 

WWW Wednesdays is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading  

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?

I am currently reading: Hallowed by Cynthia Hand. Since finishing Unearthly last month I have been dying to read this one. Also I am listening to the audio book of Lips Touch Three Times by Laini Taylor. It's great so far.

I recently finished reading: Everneath by Brodi Ashton (arc) and Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor. Both were really good books. Look for my reviews soon.

Next I think I will read: This is a tough one. I am going to read one of my review books. Probably Titan Magic. (Also if the arcs are ready, I will be reading Shift by M.R. Merrick. Obviously since it's my WoW Lol!) Definitely want to try to get to The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith too. I wish I could freeze time just for a little while so I could read some of the awesome books in my never ending TBR pile and get a little caught up before new ones come out. *sigh*

Leave me a link to your Wednesday posts and I will check them out.