Tabithas' Book Blog!

In My Mailbox (#1)

2012-03-11T17:37:00.002-07:00

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren

Purchased:

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

Bloodrose by Andrea Cremer

E-Books:

Because of Low by Abbi Glines

Touch of Frost (Mythos Academy #1) by Jennifer Estep

Kiss of Frost (Mythos Academy #2) by Jennifer Estep

Books for Review:

Night Sky by Jolene Perry

When Destiny Knocks by Heather M. White

Intangible by J. Meyers

What books did you get in your mailbox this week?

Book Review: Vengeance (Transcend Time #2) by Michelle Madow

2012-03-07T21:31:00.000-08:00

Title: Vengeance (Transcend Time #2)
Author: Michelle Madow
Series: Transcend Time #2
Year: 2011
Publisher: Dreamscape Publishing
Source: Bought for Kindle
Buy: Amazon
Add it: Goodreads
Author Info: Website | Blog | Twitter |
Rating: 4/5

When Chelsea Givens discovered that her ex-boyfriend Drew dumped her to be with her former best friend Lizzie, she'd never felt so betrayed in her life. Then her new friend Shannon tells her she can help set things right. Chelsea's willing to listen, but what Shannon wants her to believe -- that she shared a past life with Drew -- is impossible. And what she wants her to do to get him back … well, it's downright crazy.

Could Shannon be telling the truth? And if she is, what lengths will Chelsea go if it means making Lizzie pay?

Find out in Vengeance, the second part of the Transcend Time Saga

Check out my review of REMEMBRANCE (Transcend Time #1)

* If you haven't read Remembrance this review might contain info that might ruin the first book for you.. Just letting you know.*

VENGEANCE is a short story that takes place between the first book and last books of the Transcend Time series. Unlike the first book this novella is told in Chelsea's point of view instead of Lizzie's Chelsea learns about her past life and decides to take matters into her own hands to make sure she ends up with Drew no matter what.

This book was amazing! I was hesitant to read it at first because I wasn't a big fan of Chelsea's in REMEMBRANCE. Although this is a short story, I'm glad to say that it wasn't lacking in plot. Chelsea learns about her past life and with the help of Shannon and her great-aunt she comes to the conclusion that her and Drew belong together. I liked that Chelsea didn't suspect that she had a past life like Lizzie did, it made the whole reincarnation experience a little bit different. The thing I don't like about Chelsea is that she *loves* Drew on a purely superficial level, it's like she wanted to be with him because they looked good together.

Vengeance definitely gave me a better look at who Chelsea really was. At times I felt bad for her because what happened to her sucked, but the way she dealt with it wasn't the right way. What she did was insanely... I don't know CRAZY? I can't really judge her because I have no idea how I would react to something like what happened to her, but I can only hope I don't take it to such extremes.

Vengeance is a must read book for fans of the Transcend Time series! Since this book is in Chelsea's point of view you get to see some things that you probably won't get to see in the final book. The events that take place in this book are going to have a major impact in the next book, and I can't wait to see how everything turns out. I recommend this book to anyone that is a fan of YA novels with a hint of the paranormal. But you HAVE to read Remembrance first otherwise you won't understand what's happening.

Have you read Vengeance yet?

What did you think?

Any thoughts about what might happen in the next book?

Top Ten Favorite Book Covers

2012-03-06T15:25:00.000-08:00

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

This weeks topic is:

Top Ten Favorite Book Covers

What are your favorites?

Cover Reveal: Pretty Amy by Lisa Burstein

2012-03-05T07:56:00.000-08:00

Pretty Amy will be released on May 15, 2012 by Entangled Publishing!

Amy is fine living in the shadows of beautiful Lila and uber-cool Cassie, because at least she's? somewhat beautiful and uber-cool by association. But when their dates stand them up for prom, and the girls take matters into their own hands?earning them a night in jail outfitted in satin, stilettos, and Spanx?Amy discovers even a prom spent in handcuffs might be better than the humiliating ?rehabilitation techniques? now filling up her summer. Worse, with Lila and Cassie parentally banned, Amy feels like she has nothing?like she is nothing.

Navigating unlikely alliances with her new coworker, two very different boys, and possibly even her parents, Amy struggles to decide if it?s worth being a best friend when it makes you a public enemy. Bringing readers along on an often hilarious and heartwarming journey, Amy finds that maybe getting a life only happens once you think your life is over.

Message from Entangled Publishing: In addition to the PRETTY AMY cover reveal, we will be hosting a Worst Prom Photo contest in the weeks leading up to AMY's release on May 15. So make sure to dust off your old prom photos?the more tulle, bows, and big hair the better!?and watch Lisa's site, http://www.lisaburstein.com, for details on how to submit/enter to win a beauty package!

Find Pretty Amy

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble |

Find Lisa Burstein

Website | Twitter | Facebook

What do you think about this book?

The Summary?

The Cover?

Book Review: The One That I Want by Jennifer Echols

2012-03-04T09:19:00.000-08:00

Title: The One That I Want

Author: Jennifer Echols
Year: 2012
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Source: Won paperback in giveaway from Jen Ryland/ YA Romantics
Buy: Amazon
Add it: Goodreads
Author Info: Website | Twitter
Rating: 3/5

Gemma can’t believe her luck when the star football player starts flirting with her. Max is totally swoon-worthy, and even gets her quirky sense of humor. So when he asks out her so-called best friend Addison, Gemma’s heartbroken.

Then Addison pressures Gemma to join the date with one of Max’s friends. But the more time they all spend together, the harder Gemma falls for Max. She can’t help thinking that Max likes her back—it’s just too bad he’s already dating Addison. How can Gemma get the guy she wants without going after her best friend’s boyfriend?

For months now I've been debating on whether or not to read a Jennifer Echols book. I've heard a lot of mixed thoughts about her books, so I wasn't sure if I would be a fan of her writing. When I won this book in a giveaway I was beyond excited because I had the chance to read one of her books without actually buying one. So, I'm glad to say that after reading this book I am officially a fan of Jennifer Echols! This book was everything I expected it to be and then some. Sure it was a bit cliché at times, but it was the good kind of cliché.

Gemma and Addison have been best friends since their mothers stuck them together when they were ten years old. Both of their families were going through tough divorces so they both used the opportunity to confide in each other. Since then, they've been the best of friends, doing everything together. Well, more like they did everything Addison wanted to do.

Gemma was an amazing character. She's your typical high school girl who has her fair share of insecurities, but at the same time makes the best out of most situations. Her and Addison are best friends more out of a lack of there being anyone else, rather then actually liking each other. Gemma has a pretty low self esteem, but that's due to being put down her whole life about things like her weight and the clothes she wears. I really admire Gemme because she knows that the way her and Addison treat each other isn't right, but she respects Addison too much as a person to be mean about it. I'm not sure if that makes sense, but it's basically like a two wrongs don't make a right kind of deal.

I loved the relationship between Max and Gemma, it was so freaking adorable! There were all these signs where everything was obvious to the reader, but of course the two of them had NO idea what was going on! Most of this was due to the fact of Addison being there the whole time, but I guess she was a pretty important part of the story. I normally don't dislike characters in books because they always have some sort of redeemable quality, but that wasn't the case with Addison. I honestly hated her! It seemed like everything she did was to either embarrass or put down Gemma.

THE ONE THAT I WANT is definitely a book you need to add to your TBR pile. It's directed towards high schoolers, but I think that adults could easily get something from this book. I read this book in one sitting and was never bored while reading it! Normally I don't like the whole "love triangle" deal, but this book dealt with more of a "love square", so it was unique in that way. This was my first Jennifer Echols book and it definitely won't be the last!

Book Review: Shadows (Lux, #0.5) by Jennifer A. Armentrout

2012-02-29T20:53:00.003-08:00

Title: Shadows (Lux, #0.5)

Author: Jennifer A. Armentrout
Series: Obsidian (Lux #1)

Year: 2012

Publisher: Entangled Publishing

Source: Bought the Kindle Version

Buy: Amazon

Add it: Goodreads

Author Info: Website | Twitter | Blog

Rating: 4/5

The last thing Dawson Black expected was Bethany Williams. As a Luxen, an alien life form on Earth, human girls are...well, fun. But since the Luxen have to keep their true identities a secret, falling for one would be insane. Dangerous. Tempting. Undeniable. Bethany can’t deny the immediate connection between her and Dawson. And even though boys aren’t a complication she wants, she can’t stay away from him. Still, whenever they lock eyes, she’s drawn in. Captivated. Lured. Loved. Dawson is keeping a secret that will change her existence...and put her life in jeopardy. But even he can’t stop risking everything for one human girl. Or from a fate that is as unavoidable as love itself. (Goodreads Summary)

After reading Obsidian I thought that Jennifer A. Armentrout might become one of those authors who I read everything from and after reading Shadows I can confirm that. This novella is seriously amazing, and I can't wait to read the next book in the series, Onyx. Which doesn't come out until.... AUGUST! I guess I'll just have to hold myself together by reading every other thing this author has written.

As soon as I was finished reading Obsidian I wrote my review and then started reading Shadows immediately! This book is a prequel to the events that take place in Obsidian and focuses on Dee and Daemon's brother Dawson. Dawson is so much more normal then his siblings are. That might sound mean, but it's the truth. He's legitimately trying to fit in with the humans and I admire that about him. His and Bethany's relationship is so sweet and adorable, it's one of those relationships that makes you believe in love at first sight.

This book is a short story, but honestly it didn't feel that way. It was just as satisfying as a normal sized book would be and that's probably one of my favorite things about it. Another really great thing about this book was the background history we got on Obsidian. After reading it we're left with so many questions and this book answers almost all of them. Like why Daemon hates humans so much, or what happened to Dawson and Bethany! The ending of this book had me crying like a baby, well not literally, but you get what I'm trying to say.

I recommend this book to anyone who's already read Obsidian and is in desperate need for another fix of the characters. For those of you who haven't read Obsidian you NEED to go out and buy it now and then buy Shadows because trust me you won't be disappointed. Also, even though this is a prequel to the events in Obsidian, I would recommend reading Obsidian first otherwise the mysterious aspect will be missing. So, I have some theories about what may or may not have happened at the end of this book. Anyone care to discuss about them in the comments?

What do you think? Excited for this series yet?

Book Review: Obsidian (Lux, #1) by Jennifer A. Armentrout

2012-02-28T19:52:00.000-08:00

Title: Obsidian (Lux, #1)
Author: Jennifer A. Armentrout
Year: 2011
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Source: Bought the Kindle Version
Buy: Amazon
Add it: Goodreads
Author Info: Website | Twitter | Blog
Rating: 4/5

Jennifer A. Armentrout why haven't I read one of your books before now? She definitely knows how to write one amazing book! This book had everything you could want in a book - original plot, amazing characters, action packed scenes, and an adorable romance. I had a huge grin on my face the whole time while reading this book, so you need to read it!

Three years after her father died Katy and her mom move from their home in Florida to West Virginia. Although she wasn't impressed with her new home at first she soon finds herself liking it more with the help of her neighbors, twins Dee and Daemon. Katy and Dee instantly become friends, but Daemon doesn't seem to like her. He's always going out of his way to irritate Katy. As she gets to know her new neighbors she starts to notice that there isn't something right about them. It turns out they are aliens, and Katy knowing about them puts her in danger.

I haven't read many alien books or seen many movies for that matter, but in my opinion this book was pretty original. I won't say too much because I don't want to spoil the book for you, but I can say this. Even if you aren't a fan of sci-fi books you'll enjoy this book. Sure it has that sci-fi aspect, but it's not overwhelming. It's set at the perfect pace between the alien things and the more normal things. There's also an amazing amount of background history on the aliens which is refreshing because sometimes in books we don't get to know the background of a story.

Katy's character was amazing! She was so different from the other female characters I've been reading about! She's strong, funny, loyal, and sticks to her decisions. Also she's a BOOK BLOGGER who writes reviews! She's a great friend who will do whatever it takes to protect the people she cares about. Daemon is Katy's insanely hot neighbor who just so happens to be an alien. He's always treating Katy poorly to begin with but after a while you find out that he's just doing it to protect his sister. He always has some sort of comment about everything which proves to be hilarious most of the time. I love Katy and Daemon's characters individually, but together their EPIC! When they fight it's hilarious and you can tell that they're obviously enjoying themselves.

One thing that might have been confusing to some readers would be the blogging aspect. I really appreciated getting to read about a book blogger, but to someone who isn't familiar with the world of blogging would be confused. I know that if I didn't know what some of the memes were I would think they were made up instead of being real. This was really the only thing I didn't like about this book, and it was a pretty minor detail.

I recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of YA novels and is looking for a book with a unique plot, amazing characters, and an adorable romance.

If you haven't read this book you NEED to go buy it now so you can experience the amazingness that is Daemon. And if you have read this book are you excited for the sequel, Onyx. Personally, I can't wait!

What do you think? Are you going to give the whole alien book a chance, or if you have read it did you love it or hate it?

Book Review: The Vincent Boys by Abbi Glines

2012-02-25T20:31:00.000-08:00

Title: The Vincent Boys (The Vincent Boys #1)
Author: Abbi Glines
Year: 2011
Publisher: Abbi Glines
Buy: Amazon
Add it: Goodreads
Author Info: Website | Twitter
Rating: 4/5 stars

Abbi Glines sure does know how to write a good story! This is my first book of hers and I already have like three more waiting for me on my kindle! I put off this book for a long time because I thought that I wouldn't like, but boy was I wrong! This is probably one of my favorite contemporary YA books I've read in a long time.

Ever since Ashton Gray was a little girl she had two best friends - Beau and Sawyer. Ashton and Beau would cause all sorts of trouble and Sawyer would always be there to bail them out. When they got older Ashton started dating Sawyer and her friendship with Beau ended. As the years go on Ashton finds herself gradually changing to please Sawyer and her parents. When Sawyer goes on vacation for the summer Ashton and Beau start up their friendship again. But what happens when they start to develop feelings for one another?

I honestly have no idea why I waited so long to read this book! I think what turned me off for so long was the fact that I got this book free on Amazon. I don't know when I'm going to learn that free books are just as good as books that are priced. Abbi Glines is probably one of my favorite new authors and that's just after reading one of her books! Not only does this book deliver romance and heartbreak, but it jerks your emotions all over the place. It's also written in two different points of view which I am a complete sucker for!

Okay let's start with the three main characters of this book - Beau, Sawyer, and Ashton. I always love best friends turned relationship stories, so I instantly took a liking to this story. While growing up Ashton was always closer with Beau, but when Sawyer becomes interested in her they start dating effectively ending her relationship with Beau. After a few years of dating Ashton's changed everything about herself to please her parents and boyfriend. She thinks that she needs to be this perfect person to be worthy of dating Sawyer, which is completely ridiculous! When she starts to hangout with Beau again she finally realizes that she's not happy in her relationship and goes after what she wants. Sawyer and Beau are cousins and bring out two completely different sides of Ashton. Sawyer is the typical good guy and Beau is the ultimate bad boy. Personally I preferred Beau his characters was just so full of life and Sawyer was a bit flat.

At the end there was an unexpected twist in the story that just made me love this book even more! It was really well handled and it just made me respect Sawyer in a whole new way. Also if you're a bit hesitant on the whole love triangle aspect of this story DON'T! It was handled in the best way possible and the ending was just perfect.
I recommend this to anyone who is a fan of contemporary YA novels and if you're in the mood for a seriously swoon worthy story! There's also a sequel coming out this summer called The Vincent Brothers. Anyone else excited?!

What do you think? Have you read this book. If you have are you team Beau or Sawyer?

Book Review: Scary School by Derek the Ghost

2012-02-24T13:27:00.000-08:00

Title: Scary School
Author: Derek the Ghost
Year: 2011
Publisher: Harper Collins
Buy: Amazon
Add it: Goodreads
***I received this book to review from the author for an honest opinionated review.

Book Review:

Before I start to review this book I'd like to point out that this isn't the typical YA book I usually review. This books age group would probably range from elementary to middle schoolers.

You think your school's scary?

Get a load of these teachers:

"Ms. Fang," an 850-year-old vampire "Dr. Dragonbreath," who just might eat you before recess "Mr. Snakeskin"--science class is so much more fun when it's taught by someone who's half zombie "Mrs. T"--break the rules and spend your detention with a hungry "Tyrannosaurus rex"

Plus

Gargoyles, goblins, and Frankenstein's monster on the loose The world's most frighteningly delicious school lunch

And

The narrator's an eleven-year-old ghost

Join Charles "New Kid" Nukid as he makes some very Scary friends--including Petunia, Johnny, and Peter the Wolf--and figures out that Scary School can be just as funny as it is spooky

Scary School is definitely one of the funniest books I've read in a long time. I usually tend to read semi-depressing YA books, so this book was like a breath of fresh air. Even this book is titled Scary School it is the farthest thing from "scary" in my opinion. I guess if I was to think of this in an elementary school kids point of view it could very possibly be scary!

The writing in this book was amazing. It was simple and straight to the point, so younger readers would easily be able to read this book. Even though the writing was simple it didn't take away from the reading experience like you would expect it to. Another really cool thing about this book was the way it was written. The book has a main plot, but it's written in a series of short stories that tell about the teachers and students of Scary School. It's also narrated by Derek the Ghost which I really enjoyed. This writing style was really unique and I would definitely like to read more books like this.

The characters in this book were amazing. Although this books lead character was Charles NuKid, I couldn't find myself connecting to his character. I really enjoyed reading about Derek the Ghost. Derek is an eleven year old ghost who died the year before during a science experiment in Mr. Acidbath's class, but since he died at Scary School he was given the opportunity to stay there as a ghost.

This is the type of book I would buy my younger siblings to get them interested in reading. If I ever see this book in a bookstore I won't hesitate buying it for my little sister. I would recommend this book to anyone who knows elementary or middle schoolers that like to read, but I think that adults will enjoy this book just as much because of the funny aspects.

Overall I would give this book 5 out of 5 stars as a children's book.

The sequel to Scary School will be released later this year so be on the lookout for Scary School #2.

2012 Just Contemporary Reading Challenge

2012-02-24T10:07:00.001-08:00

I'm excited to do this challenge! I love reading YA contemporary books. They're the most realistic of any books I can read right now because I'm a young adult and they portray real life situations.

This challenge is hosted by Ashley @ Basically Amazing Books

There are two possible ways to participate:

The first is simple- Read Contemporary YA. Every single Contemporary counts. Challenge yourself to read more Contemporary YA than normal. If you never read it, add a few next year. If you are new to it, try for one a month. Or two a month. Or even more!

The second is the same basic idea (read more) but it adds variety to what you pick. Instead of reading any Contemporary, this gets you to mix-it up. There are so many sub-genres within Contemporary that I want to encourage people to try more of them. This is a good place for those who already read a lot of Contemporary.

Books must be read between January 1, 2012 and December 31st 2012.
Any Contemporary YA book will count toward this challenge regardless of publication date.How great is that?!

I'll be sure to keep you updated on my reads for this challenge. Have any of you entered this challenge or any others for 2012?

Book Review: The Fine Art of Truth or Dare by Melissa Jensen

2012-02-23T15:13:00.000-08:00

Title: The Fine Art of Truth or Dare
Author: Melissa Jensen
Year: 2012
Publisher: Speak
Buy: Amazon
Add it: Goodreads
Author Info: Website | Twitter

Ella is nearly invisible at the Willing School, and that's just fine by her. Still, it's hard being a nobody and having a crush on the biggest somebody in the school: Alex Bainbridge. Especially when he is her French tutor, and lessons have started becoming, well, certainly more interesting than French ever has been before (summary from goodreads)

Book Review:

To say that this book was one of my most anticipated contemporary novels for this year is an understatement. After hearing that this book was a mix between Anna and the French Kiss and Pretty in Pink I was automatically sold because those are two of my favorite books and movies of all time. After reading The Fine Art of Truth or Dare I was thoroughly disappointed. There was just something about this book that I didn't like. The writing was great, the characters were great, but the story just wasn't great.

Although I was disappointed by this book I wouldn't blame it on the story because I actually enjoyed reading it, but the fact it was compared to Anna and the French KIss. I don't know why, but when you compare one book to another book that so many people love it's a set up for some major comparisons. This book was good just in a slightly different way then Anna. The author did a great job at writing this story, but at times I felt like I had missed a whole portion of the book when I really hadn't.

The two main characters were probably one of the reasons why I didn't like this book. Ella was completely relatable and she was a great character, but she was a little weird. She's just the slightest bit obsessed with this famous artist Edward Willing and while that's okay it's just at a certain point it's weird. For the longest time I thought she was legitimately crazy because she would have conversations with him. I finally realized that it was her own way of speaking with her subconscious. Then there's Alex Bainbridge. Before reading this book I had heard about him and I was just expecting so much more. In my opinion he was complete jerk who had his nice moments, but just didn't do it for me. The romance between the two of them was sweet at times, but I just didn't like them as a couple.

The secondary characters in this book were by far my favorite part of the story. Ella's two best friends Frankie and Sadie are seriously amazing. I found my self reading faster just so I could get to a part with them in it. Actually it was more Frankie then Sadie. He was hilarious, and I would have much rather read a book about him then Ella. I guess that sound mean, but it's the truth.

It's not that I didn't enjoy this book, I just didn't love it. I'm definitely going to be reading more books by this author because I did enjoy the characters. I hope you like this book more then I did.

Overall I'd give this book 2 out of 5 stars.

One last thing before I finish this. Does anyone know what the plot of this story was meant to be because I hadn't the slightest clue?!

Favorite quote/scene:

"Frankie turned back and forth in front of the three-way mirror. "I have absolutely no ass whatsoever." A few feet away, a woman whose designer velour fit her like a sausage casing, gave an amused snort. "Honey," she said over a display of two-hundred-dollar T-shirts. "I have been waiting forty years to say those words." Frankie padded toward her in his socks and Alexander McQueen pants. He thrust his hands into the pockets, pulling the fabric tighter, and presented her with his outthrust bottom. "Honestly. This is what you want?" She lasted about five seconds before grinning- and sighing at the same time. "No, I guess not."

Remembrance (Transcend Time #1) by Michelle Madow

2012-02-21T15:44:00.003-08:00

Title: Remembrance (Transcend Time #1)
Author: Michelle Madow
Year: 2011
Publisher: Dreamscape Publishing
Buy: Amazon
Add it: Goodreads
Author Info: Website | Twitter |

Lizzie Davenport has been reincarnated from Regency Era, England ... but she doesn't know it yet.

Then Drew Carmichael transfers into Lizzie's high school at the beginning of the year, and she feels a connection to him, almost like she knows him. She can't stop thinking about him, but whenever she tries talking with him about the mysteries behind her feelings, he makes it clear that he wants nothing to do with her. Reaching him is even more difficult because she has a boyfriend, Jeremy, who has started to become full of himself after being elected co-captain of the varsity soccer team, and her flirtatious best friend Chelsea starts dating Drew soon after his arrival. So why can't she get him out of her mind?

Even though Lizzie knows she should let go of her fascination with Drew, fighting fate isn't going to be easy.

Book Review:

Remembrance is the first book in the Transcends Time series by Michelle Madow. The goodreads summary above sums the story up pretty well, so I won't go over that again. The cool thing about this book is that it's based on a Taylor Swift music video. If you have ever watched the Love Story music video you can see how one might be interested in this story. The author even wrote a letter to Taylor Swift telling her about how her music had inspired this book, but has yet to hear back. Thus creating Project Tell Taylor, which is basically the goal of having Taylor Swift tweet about Remembrance.

The characters in this book were one of the things that I enjoyed the most. They just seemed so real. Lizzie wasn't the strongest character in the beginning, but throughout the book she gradually became more confident in herself and stopped others from pushing her around. I didn't like Drew as much as I think I should have. He was distant and moody for most of book, so when it actually came down to him and Lizzie getting together I was a bit annoyed of him. But compared to the other characters in this book he was a relatively good character. Chelsea and Jeremy were probably two of the most annoying characters I've ever read about. They pretty much only ever thought about themselves, but I liked that about them. They were consistent throughout the whole book, and lightened the mood of the story!

This was a great book, but I did have a few problems with it. One of them being that there wasn't much of a plot. Right from the beginning the stories about how Lizzie is attracted to the new student at school, but she's still dating her boyfriend so she has to make a choice. Not that this type of book is bad because it isn't. It's just I was expecting more from this book. It's supposed to be about reincarnation, but there wasn't much of a focus on it. Another thing I didn't like was how once Lizzie found out about said reincarnation, she just goes online to research it. I was so frustrated at that point, it's like do something, anything else other then google reincarnation.

Overall, I'd give this book 3 out of 5 stars. The writing was really well done and flowed nicely, but I felt like the plot wasn't as strong as it could have been. This was a great debut novel, and I will definitely be reading the next book in the series; Vengeance.

What do you think? Was this review helpful, will you be reading this book anytime soon? Or if you have read this book. What did you think of it?

Book Review: Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey

2012-02-20T18:07:00.000-08:00

Title: Cold Kiss

Author: Amy Garvey

Year: 2011

Publisher: HarperTeen

Buy: Amazon

Add it: Goodreads

Author Info: Website | Twitter |

After her boyfriend is killed in a car accident, high school student Wren Darby uses her hidden powers to bring him back from the dead, never imagining the consequences that will result from her decision.

Book Review:

Wren's boyfriend Danny died in a car accident, and in a moment of sadness she brings him back from the dead. The thing is he's not the same Danny she remembers. He's confused, angry, and most of all cold.

Okay, you might be thinking "why would she bring him back from the dead.", but it was understandable. Think about it. What would you do if you had the power to bring back someone you loved? That's exactly what Wren did, but she didn't think of the consequences her actions would cause. The thing I loved about this book was that it didn't try and make what she did seem right. The main character Wren realizes that she made a huge mistake and that she had to fix it. I appreciated knowing the female lead wasn't well for lack of a better word- an idiot.

Wren's character was so frustrating at times. I just wanted to grab her out of the book and shake her until she realized what she needed to do. She was so stubborn and didn't realize that it was okay to ask for help with her problems.Then there was Danny, the boy Wren brought back from the dead. I felt so bad for him throughout the book. Not only was he brought back from the dead, but he didn't understand what was happening to him. I wish that I had gotten to know Danny before he died because I think I would have loved his character. The other character I feel is worth mentioning is Gabriel. He's the mysterious new guy who just so happens to know about Wrens powers. I didn't really understand Gabriel. In my opinion he was just a filler character that was in the book to show that there is life after your first love is gone.

The writing in this book was extremely descriptive. Maybe a little too descriptive. I felt like there wasn't enough dialogue between the characters. Don't get me wrong the writing was great, it's just I expected a little more action from this book. This is a standalone paranormal novel, which is something you don't find all that often. In case you haven't figured it out by now this book is about zombies. Yes, zombies! But don't let that discourage you from reading this book. It's all about the grieving process, and the different ways you can go about it.

Overall this was a great book that had it's fair share of high and low points. The high point had to be the way the story was told. You got to get to know Wren and Danny through a series of flashbacks which was just amazing. Sure there was a bit of romance after the whole zombify Danny thing, but the best parts were told in flashbacks. The low point of this story was probably how there were so many loose ends at the end of the book. As a reader I was left wondering about so many things that I couldn't thoroughly enjoy the book.

I'd give this book 3 out of 5 stars! I recommend this to anyone who is the mood for a different kind of paranormal romance book.

Favorite Quote:

"It wasn't love right away, because nothing ever is no matter what the songs say, but it was the start of it. A beginning in one way, and the end in another. I think that might always be true of love."

Feature & Follow Friday # 8

2012-02-17T15:21:00.000-08:00

Feature & Follow Friday is a blog hop that expands your blog following by a joint effort between bloggers.

This meme is hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read.

Featured Bloggers this week:

Le Grande Codex

Beef Cakes and Babes

Q: I like unique names for characters and am looking forward to coming up with some when I start writing. What's the most unique character name you've come across?

A: Hmm. I've come across a lot of unique names while reading, but the strangest one was probably Renesmee from Breaking Dawn. Also pretty much all of the names from the Harry Potter series; Hermoine, Neville, Sirius Black, Dumbledore....

What is the most unique name you've come across while reading?

Book Review: Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

2012-02-17T15:02:00.000-08:00

Before I Fall. Lauren Oliver. 2010. HarperCollins

Buy this book: Amazon

Goodreads Description:

What if you only had one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?

Samantha Kingston has it all: looks, popularity, the perfect boyfriend. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life. Instead, it turns out to be her last.

The catch: Samantha still wakes up the next morning. Living the last day of her life seven times during one miraculous week, she will untangle the mystery surrounding her death--and discover the true value of everything she is in danger of losing.

Book Review:

Before I Fall is the debut novel of author Lauren Oliver. The book follows the life of Samantha Kingston, your typical mean girl on the last day of her life. After Samantha dies she gets the amazing chance to relive her last day; seven times to be exact and during the time she finally learns what is important in life and tries to fix the mistakes she has made.

Samantha Kingston is your typical mean girl. When the book starts she pretty much only cares about how many roses she gets on Cupid Day. Sam and her three best friends make up a group much like the group of girls in the movie Mean Girls. They get everything they want and don't have to face the consequences of anything that they do. Throughout the last day of her life, you get to see how bad of a person she really is. She's mean to people and justifies it by saying that she was once made fun of, so it's only fair that now that she is popular that she does that same thing. So when she dies in a car accident I didn't feel the least bit bad. I know that's a bad thing to say, but it's the truth.

Over the course of seven days, Sam gets the chance to relive the last day of her life and fix a few things. At first Sam has no idea that she has died, and thinks the whole things a dream. Once she realizes that she is dead she goes on a bit of a downward spiral which includes - lashing out at her best friend, hooking up with her math teacher and stealing from her parents. After this she finally realizes that she's being given these do overs so she can fix something. By the end of the book Sam is a completely different character then the one we met in the beginning. She's finally starting to see that when you treat someone badly that there are consequences. I'm glad that by the end of the book Sam finally realizes that life isn't just about "how many roses you get on Cupid Day".

The one thing I didn't like about this book was the ending. Sure, Sam now knows that what she's done is wrong, but is anything really going to change? That's question is completely up to what the reader is thinking. I felt like by the end of the book she was more focused on doing the right thing so she would feel better about herself, not because she wanted to do the right thing. I don't know, that might just be me.

Overall, I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars. And I recommend it to anyone that wants to read a book that is highly realistic when it comes to what high school students act like.

Favorite Quote:
Maybe you can afford to wait. Maybe for you there's a tomorrow. Maybe for you there's one thousand tomorrows, or three thousand, or ten, so much time you can bathe in it, roll around it, let it slide like coins through you fingers. So much time you can waste it.
But for some of us there's only today. And the truth is, you never really know

What do you think? Will you be giving this book a chance if you haven't already read it.

Cover Reveal: Taste by Kate Evangelista

2012-02-16T20:25:00.000-08:00

Taste will be released later this year by Crescent Moon Press.

At Barinkoff Academy, there's only one rule: no students on campus after curfew. Phoenix McKay soon finds out why when she is left behind at sunset. A group calling themselves night students threaten to taste her flesh until she is saved by a mysterious, alluring boy. With his pale skin, dark eyes, and mesmerizing voice, Demitri is both irresistible and impenetrable. He warns her to stay away from his dangerous world of flesh eaters. Unfortunately, the gorgeous and playful Luka has other plans.

When Phoenix is caught between her physical and her emotion attraction, she becomes the keeper of a deadly secret that will rock the foundations of an ancient civilization living beneath Barinkoff Academy. Phoenix doesn't realize until it is too late that the closer she gets to both Demitri and Luka the more she is plunging them all into a centuries old feud.

What do you think about this book?

The summary?

The cover?

Book Review: Providence by Jamie McGuire

2012-02-14T20:27:00.000-08:00

Providence.Jamie McGuire.2010.Self-Published.

Buy this book: Amazon

Goodreads Description:

In the old world shadows of Providence, Rhode Island, Nina Grey finds herself the center of a war between Hell and Earth.

Struggling with her father’s recent death, Nina meets Jared Ryel by chance…or so she believes. Although his stunning good looks and mysterious talents are a welcome distraction, it soon becomes clear that Jared knows more about Nina than even her friends at Brown University. When questions outnumber answers, Jared risks everything to keep the woman he was born to save—by sharing the secret he was sworn to protect.

When her father’s former associates begin following her in the dark, Nina learns that her father is not the man she thought he was, but a thief who stole from demons. Searching for the truth behind her father’s death, Nina stumbles upon something she never expected—something Hell wants—and only she holds the key

Book Review:

Providence is the first book in the Providence Trilogy by Jamie McGuire it's a great paranormal YA romance novel. Yes, the same Jamie McGuire that wrote the amazing book Beautiful Disaster. I will admit that I picked this book up just for that reason and didn't even both finding out what it was about. But I'm glad that I didn't know what this book was about because if I had the mysterious element would have been gone from the book.

Jared and Nina are two parts of a forbidden romance. Their not meant to be together, but they want to be. It wasn't easy for them, but they tried their hardest to stay together. And that's really all you can ask for, right? Jared and Nina's relationship was realistic and I felt like what was happening to them could possibly happen to me. Sure they had all of these insanely crazy things going around them, but I forgot all about those things when they were together. This book has some serious "aww" moments, so if you're a fan of those, you definitely won't be disappointed.

I'm only going to admit this one time.... I'm NOT a fan of paranormal books. I don't know what it is about them, but I can't ever get invested in the stories or characters. But that wasn't the case with this book. Sure there was a large portion of the book based on the paranormal, but it was evened out with the normal parts of the book. The thing I loved the most about this book wasn't the paranormal parts. It was the way the author could make the simplest things into the most memorable moments. There was this one scene where two characters played this game where they go back and forth saying slogans. It's such a simple concept, but it's what I remember two days after reading the book.

If you weren't convinced after reading Beautiful Disaster, then after reading Providence you will be convinced that Jamie McGuire is one a great up and coming author!

Overall I give this book 4 out 5 stars

Wattpad Story: Cupid's Granddaughter by GermanSam

2012-02-13T18:28:00.000-08:00

Cupid's Granddaughter by GermanSam

In honor of Valentines Day I decided to review this story. Hope you enjoy!
Story Description:

Greek Mythology. First installment in the Cupid series. Amore, Liebe, Amour, No matter what language you say it in it means love and it's Peyton's job.Her grandfather is Cupid and he's hired her as his newest apprentice against her own will. And now he says that he wants to hand the business over to her? No thank you! The hours suck and there's only one rule: no falling in love. It's simple since Peyton isn't looking for love. But it seems that Cupid's arrow is best shot through the heart when you're least expecting it.With one final challenge before taking over the business, Peyton has to find the soul mate of the only immortal thing allowed to live on Earth: a fallen angel. Easier said than done.

Book Review:

I haven't read many books based on Greek Mythology, but the ones I have read have all been the same. Not the same story, but in a way they all seemed the same. That was not the case when reading Cupid's Granddaughter. This story was completely original. I never thought I could love a story about Cupids family so much, but I do. The author; GermanSam obviously did her research before reading this story because you had your basic Greek Mythology but it went so much deeper then that. Past your basic Greek Mythology the author built her own world full of Greek Gods and Immortals. For example she creates a whole world full of the next few generations of Greek gods.

Peyton was a great female lead. Peyton is a cupid, but she doesn't perform the job in the traditional sense. When she matches two people together she goes about it in a rather unconventional way, which proves to be funny most of the time. Some of the things Peyton did were annoying, but as the story went on they proved to be necessary. Nate is a fallen angel and just so happens to be the immortal who Peyton needs to find the soulmate for. Without giving too much away let me say this. Nate plays a big part in the story and he was a great male lead. At times I just wanted to drag him out of the story and tell him what he should be doing, but of course I can't actually do that. I also really liked how the story was about Peyton, but Eros (Cupid) was still included in the story,

The writing in this story was really good, and that is something that isn't all that common on Wattpad. The writing was really detailed, but not over detailed because there was a lot of interesting dialogue between the characters. Also the characters were amazing. I loved all of them even the ones you weren't meant to like. Overall this was a great story. Another thing I'd like to add is that GermanSam is a consistent uploader on Wattpad, so you can expect to have at least weekly uploads from her.

I would recommend this to anyone looking for a nice, FREE story to read on Valentines Day.

Overall I give this story 5 out 5 stars!

*Sorry that this review is pretty brief and doesn't tell much about the story. But if I mentioned anything else it would spoil the story for you!

What do you think? What book will you be reading to get in the book for Valentines Day, if any?

Wattpad Story Review: Love is Blind

2012-02-10T21:27:00.000-08:00

Love is Blind by XxBlondie99xX

Story Description:

After losing her parents in a drunk driving accident, Hailey Baker moves in with her wealthy and eccentric uncle. After seven months of recovery, she still has trouble with her back and is sometimes confined to a wheelchair. But she is determined to live a normal life. When she starts at a new school, she meets Blake Adams. He's surly, grumpy, and gorgeous. He's also legally blind. Together, the two of them learn that while love is blind, it can also be a powerful healer.

Book Review:

Like a lot of people reading this now, I'm a sucker for a good romance story. Not just a good romance story, but one that is unique. And that's exactly what you'll find when reading Love is blind. This story is about Hailey Baker and Blake Adams. After Hailey lost her parents in a car accident she moves in with her uncle, and after seven months of physical therapy she's finally ready to go back to school and try to live a normal life. When she starts her new school she meets Blake. When she first met him he just seemed like a grumpy, cocky, hot guy, but she soon found out he was legally blind. Together they find out love really is blind.

Hailey was an amazing female lead for this story. She was so strong. Not only did she lose her family in a car accident, but she went through months of emotional and physical recovery. And to top all of that of she was optimistic towards life because she knew how lucky she was to be alive. Then enter Blake. He's the exact opposite of Hailey when the story starts. He's pessimistic towards everything life has to offer and since his accident he's cut off all family and friends from his life. I could definitely see where he was coming from because everyone copes differently. I have no idea how I would have reacted to finding out I was blind. Throughout the story Blake goes through an amazing transformation and by the end of the story he's like a whole new character.

The romance in this story was amazing. It started off as a friendship and slowly over time grew into something more and I really appreciated that because it made the story seem realistic. Also I loved the overall theme of this story. It's like even though you might be different from someone else they should still respect you.

I would recommend this to anyone looking for a different kind of romance story. It's a great read, so you won't be disappointed. Not to mention that it's completely free which is always a bonus! Another thing I would like to mention is that XxBlondie99xX is a consistent uploader on Wattpad, meaning you don't have to wait weeks for a single update! Check out the rest of her stories!

Overall I give this story 4 out of 5 stars!

What do you think? Will you be heading over to Wattpad to give this story a go?

Check out my other reviews on Wattpad stories!

Nothing Left to Lose by Kirsty1000

The Perfect Summer Had to End Sometime by DazedAndConfused

Book Review: Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

2012-02-10T12:07:00.000-08:00

Catching Jordan. Miranda Kenneally. 2011. Sourcebooks

Buy this book: Amazon

Goodreads Description:

What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though-she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starting position... suddenly she's hoping he'll see her as more than just a teammate.

Book Review:

Okay, I loved this book! I picked it up yesterday around lunch and didn't set it down until I had finished it that night. I bought this book on my kindle and was a bit hesitant because the price was lowered considerably from the last time I had looked at it. I didn't have very high expectations of this book, and I'm happy to say that I was wrong. This book is probably one of the best books I've read in a while. The writing just flowed off the pages, the characters seemed so effortlessly relatable, and the way football was incorporated into the storyline was amazing.

Jordan Woods is probably my favorite female lead in a book since Anna in Anna and the French Kiss. Yeah, she was that great! Jordan was strong not only physically but emotionally. By that I mean she knows what she wants and she's going for it, but at the same time she knows when something just isn't for her. She had a great family that supported her, except for maybe her dad. Although I loved Jordan's character, my favorite part of this book hands down were the guys on her football team. Carter, JJ, and Henry aren't the only guys on the football team (obviously), but they did have the most impact on the story. They were Jordan's best friends, and acted exactly how high school guys actually act. I loved how that as soon as the new guy came to town they were really protective of Jordan because they didn't want her to lose her position. Then there was Ty. He was the new guy in town who just so happened to play the same position as Jordan. Ty was an okay character, but I didn't feel like his character really developed enough for me to like or dislike him.

My favorite part of this book was that it wasn't about just one thing. It might seem like just another book about a girl discovering herself, but it's so much more. This book deals with family, first romances, friendship, and sports. The thing I loved the most about this book was that the characters believed in themselves and had amazing self confidence. The ONLY thing I didn't like about this book was the ending. The book was finally going the way I wanted it to and then it was just over. Don't get me wrong, it was a good ending. I just wish there was more to it.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a funny and inspiring YA book. There was romance in this book, but it wasn't overdone. Fans of Anna and the French Kiss will definitely like this book!

Overall I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Favorite Quotes:

"One thing I learned a long time ago is that even if you think you're meant to be with someone, that doesn't necessarily mean you get to be with them" - Catching Jordan

What do you think? Will you be giving this book a try? Or if you've already read it, what do you think?

Feature & Follow Friday # 7

2012-02-09T21:20:00.000-08:00

Feature & Follow Friday is a blog hop that expands your blog following by a joint effort between bloggers.

This meme is hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read.

Featured Bloggers this week:

Goldilox and the Three Weres

BookChowDown

Q: What would your prefer: reading your favorite book over and over again until you got sick of it OR reading 100s of mediocre books? And why?

A: I would definitely prefer reading my favorite book over and over again over 100s of mediocre books. There is a reason it's my favorite book. It's like why would I waste my time reading a book I don't want to read when my favorite book is just sitting on my book shelf. It's kind of like when people are dieting. They're not enjoying the food they are eating, but they are still eating it. So rather then diet I would rather just eat my favorite foods. The diet food being the mediocre books and the good food being my favorite book. Does that make sense? It made sense in my head, but now I'm not so sure.

What do you think? Favorite book over and over again or 100s of mediocre books?

*Don't forget to follow this weeks featured bloggers and the hosts of feature and follow friday!!

Book Review: Resurrection (Book 2 of the Guardians of Vesturon) by A.M. Hargrove

2012-02-08T10:48:00.000-08:00

Resurrection (Book 2 of the Guardians of Vesturon).A.M. Hargrove.2012.Self Published.

Buy this book: Amazon

Goodreads Description:

"Maddie knew she was dying. Her life started to flash before her. She had visions of running down the soccer field, scoring a goal, eating her mother’s yummy, homemade, sticky cinnamon rolls, standing in her foyer listening to the police tell her father that her mother had been killed in a car accident. Each vision was disturbingly clear—as if it was happening again."

Rayn Yarrister, the first-born son and Leader of The Guardians, has been imprisoned on Vesturon for breaking their most sacred of covenants. He is suddenly jolted by Maddie's telepathic pleas for help, as her life hangs in the balance. Can he alert The Guardians in time to save his soulmate? Or will he face his trial alone and broken without his one true love?

In Resurrection (Book 2), The Guardians of Vesturon are facing their biggest challenges as Earth is threatened by an invading species from a distant planet intent on destroying it for its resources. The Guardians, as protectors of the universe, have been assembled to defend not only Earth, but other vulnerable worlds as well. The Yarrister family is threatened by an unknown entity intent on discrediting them. Will they uncover this plot in time to save themselves from ruin? Will The Guardians succeed in stopping the Xanthians, or will Earth be invaded and ravaged by this marauding species?

Book Review:

Resurrection is the amazing sequel to the first book in this series; Survival. This book was written in the third person, which I normally don't like, but with this book it just worked. Since it's written in the third person you get to read what a lot of the characters are thinking. I loved that the book wasn't just focused on the two main characters Maddie and Rayn. In the next book I hope to get to read more about Rayn's siblings. I think my favorite part of this book was that the world of Vesturon was seriously described to perfection considering it's not a real place. There's just so much history to the place and pretty much every question I had about Vesturon was answered while I was reading this book. Oh, the characters were a great part of this book. In this first book the characters were amazing, but in this book they had grown and matured so much it was almost like reading about new characters.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of paranormal romances. Honestly, this book is different from any of the other paranormal romances I have read. It has the romantic aspect to it, but there's so much more to the book then that. So go read it!

If you have yet to start reading this series, go get the first book NOW! Survival is currently free on Amazon. Yeah, I said free. So there's no reason for you to not get it and at least put it in your TBR pile. If you're still a bit hesitant read my review on the first book in this series; Survival.

Overall I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Book Review: Perfect by Ellen Hopkins

2012-02-07T13:50:00.000-08:00

Perfect (Impulse #2).Ellen Hopkins.2011.Margaret K. McElderry Books

Buy this book: Amazon

Goodreads Description

Everyone has something, someone, somewhere else that they'd rather be. For four high-school seniors, their goals of perfection are just as different as the paths they take to get there.

Cara's parents' unrealistic expectations have already sent her twin brother Conner spiraling toward suicide. For her, "perfect "means rejecting their ideals to take a chance on a new kind of love. Kendra covets the perfect face and body--no matter what surgeries and drugs she needs to get there. To score his perfect home run--on the field and off--Sean will sacrifice more than he can ever win back. And Andre realizes that to follow his heart and achieve his perfect performance, he'll be living a life his ancestors would never have understood.

Everyone wants to be perfect, but when perfection loses its meaning, how far will you go? What would "you "give up to be "perfect"?

Review:

Cara, Kendra, Sean, and Andre all have a fair amount of problems in their lives. But most commonly they feel like their expected to be perfect and because of that they slowly start to turn into the people they never expected they would be. Cara is feeling the pressure to be perfect after her brothers attempt at suicide, and when she starts a relationship with someone her parents wouldn't approve of things get even tougher for her. Kendra is struggling to look perfect and with that struggle she turns to eating disorders and drugs to try and achieve the perfect look. Sean is an athlete and when he struggles to get the attention of college scouts he turns to illegal drugs and an insane amount of working out to try and impress them. Andre wants to be a dancer, but when his family criticizes his choice he reconsiders what he wants, for the sake of what his family wants.

This was the first Ellen Hopkins book I read and to be honest I didn't think I would like it because I'm usually all about happy books. I know, I know. It's a bad reading habit but I just can't help myself. Anyways I started reading this book and right away I fell in love with it. It's written in four different POVS between the four main characters; Cara, Kendra, Sean, and Andre. Another thing I didn't think I would like was that it was written in verse, but I think that it really added to the depth of this story.

This is definitely a must read in my opinion. I seriously related more to the characters in this book then the people in my life. My favorite part of this story was that Hopkins doesn't sugar coat the problems that teens go through. She wrote about what happens when you're addicted to something and how it affects you and the people around you. Plus the ending wasn't the perfect happy ending, it was actually real. It felt like something that could have happened in real life because everything's not always perfect. There was one thing that I didn't like and that was how there was too much of a shock factor! It's like I know these people have problems, but haven't they had enough already?! But despite the negative things I said about this book, it was still pretty amazing. I recommend this book, but before reading just be aware that it deals with some pretty heavy and mature topics.

Overall I'm going to give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

100 Follower Giveaway!

2012-02-03T17:32:00.000-08:00

Okay so this is really exciting. I officially have over.... 100 followers! And to celebrate that little achievement, I'm going to host a giveaway. For this giveaway, I'm going to give away one of the following books! These are my a few of my favorite books that I have reviewed since I started this blog!

I will also be giving away a $15 amazon gift card with which ever book you choose.

To enter all you have to do is be following my blog in someway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review: Return to Paradise by Simone Elkeles

2012-02-03T17:00:00.000-08:00

Return to Paradise(Leaving Paradise #2).Simone Elkeles.2010.Flux.

Buy this book: Amazon

Goodreads Description:

Caleb Becker left Paradise eight months ago, taking with him the secret he promised to take to his grave. If the truth got out, it would ruin everything.

Maggie Armstrong tried to be strong after Caleb broke her heart and disappeared. Somehow, she managed to move on. She's determined to make a new life for herself.

But then Caleb and Maggie are forced together on a summer trip. They try ignoring their passion for each other, but buried feelings resurface. Caleb must face the truth about the night of Maggie's accident, or the secret that destroyed their relationship will forever stand between them.

Book Review:

I'm happy to say that despite the many negative things I have heard about this book that I actually really enjoyed it. Simone Elkeles never ceases to amaze me with the stories she writes. I'm not going to say that I liked this book more then Leaving Paradise but it was a close second. Without saying to much I'm going to give you a little background on this book. In Leaving Paradise Caleb was an old friend of Maggie's until one night he hit her with a car and then drove away. Fast forward a year and Caleb's being released from juvie, and Maggie's trying to cope with her newly found disability. The two of them end up connecting in a way that neither expected. In Return to Paradise, the story starts up eight months in the future with Maggie and Caleb meeting at an unexpected place. After getting into a bit of trouble he has to contact his counselor, Damon, who arranged for him to join a re-START group to keep him out of jail. Unexpectedly he ends up bumping into Maggie who is in the same re-START group to tell her story of getting hit by a drunk driver.

During the eight months since the last book Maggie and Caleb have both grown into stronger more mature people. Maggie finally started to live her life and not let her accident rule the way she lives. I was surprised at how much more mature she had become over the course of eight months and was pretty proud of her character. As for Caleb, I can't exactly say the same thing. Since he left Paradise his life has been going on a downward spiral. But really who could blame him given the twists life has thrown at him. Maggie and Caleb's relationship started up instantly considering they didn't exactly leave things on good terms. Maggie's good heart and eagerness to forgive complemented Caleb's bad boy personality perfectly and I was glad to see them finally resolving their issues with each other.

The new characters introduced in this book were amazing. The members of the re-START group were so diverse and unique that I couldn't help but grow to care for each of them. Lenny had a crude sense of humor which always made dramatic moments seem lighter, Trish was an obnoxious tough girl, Erin was a shy girl that had a tough life, and Matt was just a complete sweetheart. The best part of all these characters was that they all had been involved in a drunk driving accident in someway whether they were driving the car, or were the victim. I loved getting to see them all interact and hear their different stories.

The one thing I didn't like about this book was the way it seemed all too similar to Leaving Paradise. Return to Paradise started off with Caleb being arrested which is exactly what happened in the first book. He then unexpectedly meets Maggie and they grow connected. It was all to familiar. I felt like I was reading the same book at times. The other thing I didn't like was how immature all of the characters acted with each other. Sure they were mature, when they were ALONE! But when all of them were put together they started to act like little kids. But if you look at the big picture, those were pretty minor complaints.

I would recommend this to anyone that is a fan of Simone Elkeles' books. Return to Paradise definitely will not disappoint you. It's a pretty light read in my opinion, so if you're looking for a heavy, deep, emotional read.... I wouldn't recommend this book.

* I wouldn't recommend this book if you aren't comfortable reading about: drugs, alcohol, or any sexual situations.

Overall I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Feature & Follow Friday # 6

2012-02-03T09:46:00.000-08:00

Feature & Follow Friday is a blog hop that expands your blog following by a joint effort between bloggers.

This meme is hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read.

Featured Bloggers this week:

Omnom Books

Progress and Procrastination

Q: Define what characteristics your favorite books share. Do they all have a kickass heroine or is the hot love interest the Alpha Male?

A: I don't think my favorite books share any similar characteristics. Well they all have similar themes, but the stories and characters are completely different. My favorite books are the ones that have hidden messages about life. I think that when you get something out of a book that relates to your life, it makes it so much more enjoyable. Also another thing that all of my favorite books have is a unique setting. The books where the authors write the worlds so vividly that you can picture everything in that world.

PS: Sorry to all my followers. I haven't been posting this past week. I've been pretty busy with school this week, but be I'll definitely be posting next week!

Busting the Newbie Blues

2012-01-29T21:07:00.000-08:00

Busting the Newbie Blues is an event hosted by Small Review. You fill out a questionnaire about what it feels like to be a new blogger. Also you have the opportunity to find some great new bloggers at the same time. There's also a questionnaire for established bloggers to fill out, so they can participate too.

When did you start your blog?

I started my blog way back in September, but after the first day of having it I completely forgot about it. Then in late December I remembered that I had a blog after reading some amazing book blogs. So technically I started this blog in September, but in my book I started it in late December.

Why did you start your blog?

I started this book because I love to talk about books. My family likes to read but no one would ever talk to me about the books and then very few of my friends like to read which is pretty disappointing. I just wanted to be able to talk about the books I love with other people that love books as much as I do.

What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far?

The biggest challenge would definitely be getting people to read my posts and comment. I get comments sometimes, but I don't get them on ever post which can be discouraging because you feel like no ones reading your posts.

What do you find most discouraging about being a new blogger?

Feeling like no one is reading your blog is definitely discouraging, or thinking that someones reading your blog and they hate it. I think that I'm being too critical of myself considering I'm a new blogger and all.

What do you find most encouraging?

When someone comments on a post of mine it's like an instant self-confidence boost! Plus the book blogging community is amazing!

What do you like best about the blogs you read? Have you tried to replicate this in your blog?

I like how the blogs I read manage to keep their posts unique. I try and make my blog unique to my personality, but I think I'm unknowingly taking elements from other blogs. Also the reviews on some websites are just so well written that it feels intimidating at times.

What do you dislike about blogs you’ve read? Do you try to avoid this?

The really complicated blogs! The ones that take forever to load and then you have a hard time finding your way around the site. I really try and avoid this. I've tried to make my site easy to navigate but I'm definitely bias when it comes to my opinion of my blog.

Any advice for other new bloggers?

Uhh... Just don't stop blogging. If you aren't getting comments or views on your posts just keep on going and you'll eventually find some loyal followers. But if you don't just keep on creating new posts because you enjoy it, not because you want to have followers.

Any questions you'd like to ask newbie or established bloggers?

How do you get your blog out there? Are there any strategies that you use?

Is there anything you’d like to tell us about your blog? Feel free to link a few of your favorite posts or posts you wish had more comments.

I love comments. Not to just have comments on my posts, but to know what the people reading them are thinking. And if you don't like something I'm doing let me know what it is, I want to make my blog the best it can be. I always appreciate some constructive criticism!

Book Review: Looking for Alaska by John Green

2012-01-29T12:09:00.000-08:00

Looking for Alaska.John Green.2005.Penguin Group (USA)

Buy this book: Amazon

Goodreads Description:

Miles Halter is fascinated by famous last words - and tired of his safe life at home. He leaves for boarding school to seek what the dying poet Francois Rabelais called the "Great Perhaps." Much awaits Miles at Culver Creek, including Alaska Young. Clever, funny, screwed-up, and dead sexy, Alaska will pull Miles into her labyrinth and catapult him into the Great Perhaps

Review:

So earlier this week I was skipping one of my classes that I don't find very interesting, and I find myself in the library of my school. My schools insanely small and it's secluded so there's really no where to go. Anyways, back to my story... I'm looking through the books and I find Looking for Alaska. I think "hey, I've heard a lot about this book, why not try it out?" I've never read a John Green book before and I can honestly say that I'm glad I waited so long to read one. If I had read this book a few years ago, I wouldn't gave understood any of it. You know like when you watch a movie when you're young, and then re-watch it a few years later, and are like "Ohh, thats why that means.", well this book is sort of like that.

Looking for Alaska is a story about self-discovery. Sure it has other aspects to it, but what I got out of it was self-discovery. The characters experiment with so many different things that it makes it seem real. Because what life's about? Experimenting. Your whole life is pretty much a one big experiment. Miles moves to Culver Creek in search of the "Great Perhaps". He has no idea what is, but when he finds it he'll just know. His roommate the Colonel introduces him to Alaska Young who helps him find out who he is.

My favorite part of this book was that the characters were intelligent, but they weren't boring. They partied, but they still went to class the next morning and got good grades. That's what made this book the most real to me because that's what happens in real life. It's not drugs or alcohol that make someone do poorly in school, it's lack of motivation... Or at least it's that way for me. All of the main characters had something about them that just made them feel real. Miles was fascinated with peoples last words, Alaska had Her Life's Library which were a bunch of books she hoped to read before she died, and the Colonel memorized things.

There were so many different aspects to this book that it's hard to write about... But there was one that I'll elaborate on a little bit. Their World Religion class. That class was where everything came together. They discussed things like death, what happened after death, and different religions. In the beginning of the book it didn't seem all that important, but once it got to the second part it all came together. I won't say more because I don't want give away any spoilers.

This book is in the main character Miles point of view, but I felt it was more like he was reflecting back on his life when he was older. The way he described some of the things that happened just seemed to mature for his age. I don't know, just an observation. The way it was written was freaking brilliant. I don't think I've ever read a book all focused on one event and then telling the story before and after said event. The amazing thing was that you didn't know what was going to happen until after it happened, and then it all made sense. Also this book was freaking hilarious, sure it dealt with some pretty heavy topics, but it was so funny at the same time. There was this one scene where two characters were experimenting sexually and then they didn't know what to do, so they went and asked a friend. I was laughing so much during that part!

I would recommend this book to anyone that wants to read a story about how teenagers really act. I think that as a teenager I'm a pretty good judge at how they really act, or at least I hope I am. Also anyone that is a fan of quotes read this book. It's full of orignal ones by the author, but the author also quotes many other famous authors which is great. It really ties the story together.

Overall I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Favorite Quotes:

"You spend your whole life stuck in the labyrinth, thinking about how you'll escape it one day, and how awesome it will be, and imagining that future keeps you going, but you never do it. You just use the future to escape the present."

-Alaska Young.

"I've got to hand it to them," he said finally. "That was pretty clever.""What?" I asked."Last night- before they woke you up, I guess- they pissed in my shoes.""Are you sure?" I said trying not to laugh."Do you care to smell?" he asked, holding the shoes toward me "Because I went ahead and smelled them, and yes, I am sure. If there's one thing I know, it's when I've just stepped in another mans piss. It's like my mom always says. 'Ya think you's a-walkin' on water, but turns out you just got piss in your shoes.' Point those guys out to me if you see them today," he added, "because we need to figure out why they're so, uh, pissed at me. And then we need to go ahead and start thinking about how we're going to ruin their miserable little lives."-The Colonel and Miles.

Feature & Follow Friday # 5

2012-01-27T09:23:00.000-08:00

Feature & Follow Friday is a blog hop that expands your blog following by a joint effort between bloggers.

This meme is hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read.

Featured Bloggers this week:

Fiction Ferver

Book'd Out

Q: Which books genre do you avoid at all costs?

A: I avoid horror stories. I honestly can not stand them. I'm sure there are some good horror stories out there, but I just don't have the stomach to read through them. Don't get me wrong I can watch horror movies all day long, but when it comes to the books I just can't do it. Maybe it's my vivid imagination or maybe I'm just a wuss. I've just come up with a new goal for 2012.... read a horror story!

What horror story do you think I should read this year?

Book Review: Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

2012-01-24T21:22:00.000-08:00

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour.Morgan Matson.2010.Simon and Schuster.
Buy this book: Amazon
Goodreads Description:

Amy Curry thinks her life sucks. Her mom decides to move from California to Connecticut to start anew--just in time for Amy's senior year. Her dad recently died in a car accident. So Amy embarks on a road trip to escape from it all, driving cross-country from the home she's always known toward her new life. Joining Amy on the road trip is Roger, the son of Amy's mother's old friend. Amy hasn't seen him in years, and she is less than thrilled to be driving across the country with a guy she barely knows. So she's surprised to find that she is developing a crush on him. At the same time, she's coming to terms with her father's death and how to put her own life back together after the accident. Told in traditional narrative as well as scraps from the road -- diner napkins, motel receipts, postcards--this is the story of one girl's journey to find herself.

Review:

Amy Curry has a pretty terrible life or so she thinks. She blames herself for the car accident that recently took her fathers life and her mothers decided to move the family from their home in California to Connecticut. To make matters worse Amy's just found out that she will be driving across the country with Roger - her moms best friends son. Instead of taking the route planned out for them Amy and Roger take a major detour and during that time they both learn new things about each other.

Okay. Wow! I loved this book. I felt like I was on the road trip with Amy and Roger throughout the whole book. If I was to ever take a road trip I would most definitely want it to be like the one portrayed in this book. The way that they saw America was genuine and real, it wasn't made up of fake places and people. Well the people are fake, but could easily be someone that you could meet. As for the places well they are all real places that have actual meaning to the characters. There was one thing that I didn't like in this book and that was how Amy's grief over her fathers death was portrayed. I don't know why, but I couldn't exactly feel bad for what happened. I know that sounds horrible, but it's the truth. I was sad for a little bit, but I didn't find myself imagining what it would feel like to be put in that situation - like I normally would have. But that was the ONLY thing I didn't like about this story.

The two main characters Roger and Amy were amazing characters, and I found myself liking them right away. I could actually feel what Amy was feeling. She had all these conflicting feelings of - anger, guilt, grief, and sadness. The way that she dealt with her feelings was real too, she didn't get over it right away, she actually went through different stages until finally recovering. The road trip really helped Amy because with every new place they went Amy found herself opening up more to Roger while at the same time discovering more about herself. Roger was an outstanding male lead (yeah, i used the word outstanding). He was such a sweet and warm character. He had his reasons for going on the road trip with Amy - he was trying to win back a girl. I mean who wouldn't want a guy that would travel across the country to get you back?! He also had his fair share of problems and the road trip helped him much like it had helped Amy. Amy and Rogers relationship was perfect in my opinion. At first the two of them didn't get along at all, but as they spent more time together the two started to warm up to each other.

This book was written in your traditional format, but it had a scrapbook feeling to it. At the beginning of each new part there was a playlist which would basically create the mood for that part of the book! Then from like all the different places they would visit there were receipts or napkins or whatever the characters deemed necessary for that area. When I first read that it was a bit like a scrapbook I was hesitant to whether I would enjoy it or not, but it actually turned out to be a cool idea. I think that if the story wasn't written this way that I wouldn't have liked it as much.

I would recommend this to anyone that wants to read a good story about a road trip. This is Morgan Matson's debut novel and it was a great one, so if it sounds interesting please read!

Overall 4 out of 5 stars.

Favorite Quotes:

The best discoveries always happened to the people who weren't looking for it. Columbus and America. Pinzon, who stumbled on Brazil while looking for the West Indies. Stanley happening on Victoria Falls. And you. Amy Curry, when I was least expecting her. - Roger.

Who I pictured as the characters:

Zac Efron as Roger Sullivan - I automatically thought of Zac Efron because the guys supposed to be really good looking with light brown hair.

"The guy coming toward me was shockingly good-looking. He had broad shoulders, light brown hair, dark eyes, and he was already smiling at me."

Photo Credit

Book Review: Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

2012-01-23T22:17:00.000-08:00

Along for the Ride.Sarah Dessen.2009.Viking Juvenile

Buy this book: Amazon

Goodreads Description:

It’s been so long since Auden slept at night. Ever since her parents’ divorce—or since the fighting started. Now she has the chance to spend a carefree summer with her dad and his new family in the charming beach town where they live.
A job in a clothes boutique introduces Auden to the world of girls: their talk, their friendship, their crushes. She missed out on all that, too busy being the perfect daughter to her demanding mother. Then she meets Eli, an intriguing loner and a fellow insomniac who becomes her guide to the nocturnal world of the town. Together they embark on parallel quests: for Auden, to experience the carefree teenage life she’s been denied; for Eli, to come to terms with the guilt he feels for the death of a friend.

Review:

Sarah Dessen is probably one of my favorite YA authors of all time. Somehow she manages to portray teenagers perfectly in all of her books. Sometimes it's like she just wrote a story about someone in my life. That's probably why I love her books so much. Along for the Ride was the first Sarah Dessen book I read, and it's still my favorite. I think that the theme of this book was that it's never to late to change who you are...

The characters in this book were perfect. Not in the literal sense of not having any flaws, but they were written with just the right amount of imperfections that made them realistic. Does that make sense? I hope it does. Auden is basically your typical genius kid that didn't really have a childhood. She spends all of her time studying so she can gain the approval of her parents, and when her parents starting fighting she developed insomnia. When reading about Auden I felt like I was reading about myself. I'm not socially awkward at all but I have insomnia and I use school as a way to gain my parents approval. It's a bit unnerving how much the two of us are alike. By the end of the book Auden really grows into herself and starts to act like a normal teenager. Then theres Eli. Where do I start? Eli has insomnia like Auden so when Auden comes to Colby for the summer they immediately spark up a friendship. Throughout the summer Eli takes Auden on quests to experience the things she has missed, and he helps her break out of her shell. Eli's character was a little too perfect if you get what I mean. Sure he had his issues, but they just seemed to perfect. I don't know... But he was a really great character. The minor characters were just as memorable as the main characters. I felt like everyone in this book was a part of my close circle of friends. There was seriously every type of personality and it was great!

The writing in this book was amazing just like every other Sarah Dessen novel. I especially liked how she showed that the world really is different when everyone is asleep. It's like have you ever wondered if one of your neighbors is up in the middle of the night like you, and if they are why are they awake? It's just really interesting! Then there's the way she writes the setting. I felt like I lived in Colby. I could picture the neighborhoods the characters lived in, the stores they shopped at, and even the gas stations they always go to. The one place that stuck out in my mind the most was the laundromat with a coffee shop that serves pie in the back. Does it get any better then that? I think not!

Then there's the book cover. It's a great book cover, it just doesn't fit this book. I'm assuming the two people are supposed to be Auden and Eli and let me say something.... They would not wear clothes like that! Eli doesn't dress like that and Auden would definitely not be wearing a dress. I really liked how they're sitting on a bike because bikes are a huge part of this book so I thought that was pretty cool. Overall this was a decent cover!

I recommend this to anyone that loves contemporary novels about people with problems that anyone can relate to. I can assure you that there is something that you can relate to in this book, so please just read it. Or any of Sarah Dessen's other novels.

Overall 4 out of 5 stars!

Favorite Quote:

"Friends are honest with each other. Even if the truth hurts."

A-Z Book Challenge

2012-01-21T11:16:00.000-08:00

This is a reading challenge hosted by Lindsey @ Babies, Books, & Signs

The rules of the challenge are pretty self-explanatory, so I won't go through them.

A. Amaranth (The Resistance Trilogy #1) by Rachel Wade

B. Broods of Fenrir by Coral Moore

L. Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles

W. What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

Book Review: Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles

2012-01-20T19:25:00.000-08:00

Book Name: Leaving Paradise
Author: Simone Elkeles
Publisher:
Pages: 312
How I got this book: Kindle Book Loaning.
Goodreads
Amazon

Nothing has been the same since Caleb Becker left a party drunk, got behind the wheel, and hit Maggie Armstrong. Even after months of painful physical therapy, Maggie walks with a limp. Her social life is nil and a scholarship to study abroad—her chance to escape everyone and their pitying stares — has been canceled.
After a year in juvenile jail, Caleb’s free . . . if freedom means endless nagging from a transition coach and the prying eyes of the entire town. Coming home should feel good, but his family and ex-girlfriend seem like strangers.
Caleb and Maggie are outsiders, pigeon-holed as "criminal" and "freak." Then the truth emerges about what really happened the night of the accident and, once again, everything changes. It’s a bleak and tortuous journey for Caleb and Maggie, yet they end up finding comfort and strength from a surprising source: each other.

Book Review:
Okay, so I've been waiting to read another Simone Elkeles book for a few months now. Every since Perfect Chemistry I've been itching to get my hands on one of her books and I finally did! Okay, this story was freaking amazing. I thought Perfect Chemistry was amazing, but this book is on a whole other level. I felt like what the characters in this book were going through was actually realistic unlike with Perfect Chemistry.

This book was about the lives of two teenagers whose lives were both changed drastically because of a drunk driving hit and run accident. Maggie Armstrong has spent the last year in and out of surgeries and in physical therapy. She's definitely not the same person she was a year ago, she's lost all her friends, can't play tennis anymore, and she now walks with a limp which is a constant reminder of the time she got hit by a car a year ago. Caleb Becker has spent the last year in a juvenile jail after he was convicted of hitting Maggie Armstrong with his car. He's expecting to come home and rebuild his life, but he finds out it's going to be pretty hard because after he left everything pretty much fell apart.

This book was great, probably one of my favorites. It was about something that actually happens. I'm not sure about the whole romance between the victim and offender, but the relationship part does happen a lot. This is a book about forgiveness and second chances, and I think that's why i love it so much. The story definitely starts off slow, but it slowly builds up to a pretty decent pace. It's written in both Maggie and Caleb's POVS which gives the reader a clear view on what both characters are feeling. There is a definitely a plot twist. I thought I knew what was going to be happening, but I have to admit I was surprised to find out what actually happened the night of the car accident. Plus the ending made me cry, it actually made me cry! It wasn't the perfect ending like most stories, but it just made me love the story more!

The characters in this story were really well written! I didn't feel like I could relate to them that much, but I could definitely feel where they were coming from. Maggie was really insecure throughout the whole story because of her limp and scars. I related to that because everyones insecure about something in their lives. She was a really strong character. First of all she didn't have anyone to vent to about how she was feeling because she had lost all her friends so she dealt with all her pain on her own. If I had to go through that I don't know what I would have done. Then there's Caleb. He's an even stronger character then Maggie. The guy went to jail for a year and didn't once complain to anyone. He didn't even really deserve to go there! He's such a sweet guy. Ahh! I don't even know how to describe it. Then there was the chemistry between the two of them. It was undeniable. The whole book it was building up and then BAM! It just like stops, but surprisingly it wasn't disappointing. I wish that I would have known there was a sequel before reading this book because now I'm waiting to get my hands on the sequel!

I recommend this to anyone who likes YA books. Elkeles is one of the best YA authors around because she writes teen the way that they really are, and I would know considering I am one. She doesn't skim over certain topics to make it more teen friendly, but at the same time she doesn't make it wildly inappropriate. She has like the perfect combination of the two!

Overall 5 out of 5 stars!

Favorite Quotes:

Are you following me?" she asks, but doesn't meet my gaze.

"Yeah," I say.

"Why?" I give her the only honest and true answer I have. "You're where I want to be.”

He bites his bottom lip, deep in thought. "No, the next time I kiss you it'll last a long, long time. And when we're done you're gonna realize being turned on is not about experience

Feature & Follow Friday #4

2012-01-20T08:35:00.000-08:00

Feature & Follow Friday is a blog hop that expands your blog following by a joint effort between bloggers.

This meme is hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read.

Featured Bloggers this week:

Butterfly-o-Meter

Pretty in Fiction

Question: What's the craziest thing you've ever done to get your hands on a book?

Answer: Umm, honestly I've never done anything "crazy" to get a book. I know, I know. It's a little bit disappointing. I mean I've gone to those midnight premiers before, but I've never actually done anything crazy. I'm thinking that's something new for my bucket list. (:

Wattpad Story Review: Perfect Summer Had to End Sometime

2012-01-16T13:51:00.000-08:00

Name: The Perfect Summer Had to End Sometime

Author: DazedandConfused

Pages: 220

Book Description:

Chloe meets sexy bartender Will at a club one night. They grow closer and she has the perfect summer with him.

But as with every summer, it has to end sometime. Chloe's senior year approaches and there's a shock in store when she returns to school as Will's there too...

Book Review:

One night while at a bar with her friends Chloe meets bartender Will and they hangout. Over the summer they grow closer and start a relationship, but when Chloe starts her senior year of high school she gets an unexpected surprise... Will just so happens to be the hot new teacher at her school.

This story starts off with Chloe sneaking into a club with her friends and while she's there she meets Will. That night the two go out for pizza and that's where their relationship starts. The next day Chloe and Will go to his sisters wedding together and she meets his family right away. Over the course of the summer Chloe and Will become insanely close, and they have the perfect summer. As Chloe starts her senior year of high school she's surprised to find her boyfriend is her new teacher!

This story is one of my favorites on Wattpad. It's about a student/teacher relationship. I know that topic is written about a lot, but this one stands out from the crowd. The storyline is actually realistic, and that's surprising because more times than not it isn't. Once Chloe and Will find out that he's her teacher and she's his student they break up. Chloe is heartbroken, but she understands that they shouldn't be together. She tries dating other guys, but just can't keep her mind off of Will. Her best friend Amy tries to keep her mind off of him, but she's always talking about their hot math teacher which just so happens to be Will. I liked that Chloe and Will didn't get back together right away, it made the story much more realistic. Also the story wasn't purely focused on Will and Chloe's relationship. There are chapters that don't have Will in them which make their relationship more realistic because you can actually see what Chloe thinks when he's not around.

This wasn't the best book I've ever read, but that doesn't mean I love it any less. The writing was amazing, and there was almost no grammatical errors. I was always anticipating the next chapter, but that's just how stories on Wattpad are. They leave you wanting more, so you'll come back the next time the story is updated. The whole story was written in Chloe's POV and while most times I appreciate getting to see what both main characters are thinking, this time I liked just seeing what Chloe was thinking. It made her a more in depth character, you know? The author also did a great job at creating the characters. The whole time I was rooting for Chloe and Will's relationship, but then there were the secondary characters which were equally great.

The characters in this book were pretty freaking amazing. Chloe was a great main character. She wasn't overly dependent on Will and she had her own life outside of him which was great because who likes just reading about the two main characters. She definitely had her flaws which made her that much more lovable. Will was a great character as well. He was such a sweet guy which was change from the usual jerks you read about now a days. Although he was sweet he was definitely a bit cocky, but in a funny way! It's like he knew how good looking he was an used it to his advantage. The secondary character in this story weren't as greatly described, but they were still pretty great. Chloe's best friend Amy was seriously great. She tried her hardest to get Chloe's mind off of Will, but didn't really do a great job at it. (she kept talking about the hot new teacher....) Then there was Chloe's ex boyfriend Nick. He was seriously adorable! Ahh. It was obvious that he still had some feelings for Chloe, but he never acted on them because he knew she still liked Will. There friendship was great, it gave some much needed breaks from the Will/Chloe drama. Will's younger brother Sam also made a few appearances in this story. He was pretty much the comedic relief of the story, every time he showed up I would start laughing at something he would do. There was also the two characters of Olly and Erica. I didn't like either of these characters. I didn't like Olly because he was the guy that Chloe started to date while trying to get over Will (I'm strictly TEAM WILL), and then I didn't like Erica because she as the resident mean girl at Chloe's high school and started drama. But those are just my opinions so don't let me affect the way you feel!

This is the only story by this author on Wattpad, but when she writes another one I'm sure it'll be amazing. I actually like that this is her only story. Some authors on Wattpad have more then one story going on at once, and it takes them a long time to update. I wouldn't be surprised if this year DazedandConfused has another popular story! Be sure to check up on this author regularly!

Overall 4 out of 5 stars.

Character Cast: (How the author pictured them, I just so happen to agree)

Willa Holland as Chloe. There weren't many descriptions of Chloe because the stories in her point of view, but she's supposed to have brown hair and sparkling dark blue eyes.

PhotoCredit

Chace Crawford as Will. Will is described as having brown hair that was messy and swept to one side, and his eyes were a light grey color with a hint of blue. The author chose Chace Crawford to portray Will and I definitely agree!

PhotoCredit

Logan Lerman as Nick. Nick wasn't really described in the story, but I feel like the choice of Logan Lerman described him perfectly. He's supposed to have an adorable face that you can't get mad at, and well I think he has one!

PhotoCredit

Tom Welling as Sam. Sam is Will's younger brother, and he's supposed to look a lot like Will but less attractive. His eyes are supposed to be brown, but the author chose Tom Welling so there must have been a reason. After reading the story a second time I could totally see him as Sam. Sam is supposed to be a total player and he definitely made the story funnier.

PhotoCredit

Kevin G. Schmidt as Olly. Olly's described as having messy blonde hair that sticks up everywhere and he has blue eyes. Olly was basically a sort of rebound guy for Chloe and I didn't like him that much but he was an essential part of the story.

Favorite Quotes:

This is more of a favorite scene then quote.
As we walked into the foyer he stopped and cursed under his breath. An angry looking bleached blonde bimbo was walking towards us glaring at him. What the hell's that about?

"Sam Morris! You were supposed to call me three weeks ago. What happened? Were you too busy with a new slut?" she spat angrily. Her voice was a little screechy and made me wince slightly at how loud she was. Her hateful glare turned to me so I stepped away from him slightly making his arm drop down off of my shoulder. Wow this girl looked like a tramp, her skirt was way too short and her shirt way too loe. She had a lot of makeup on making her look slightly orange.
"I lost your number." Sam shrugged.
"You lost my number? I stored it in your cell!" she said angrily her nostrils flaring as her voice somehow got even more high pitched.
"Oh, well in that case maybe I lost my cell." Sam said laughing quietly...............

Feature & Follow Friday #3

2012-01-13T15:08:00.000-08:00

Feature & Follow Friday is a blog hop that expands your blog following by a joint effort between bloggers.

This meme is hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read.

Featured Bloggers this week:

Bad Ass Book Reviews

Musings of a Book Lover

Q: Many readers/bloggers are also big music fans. Tell us about a few of your favorite bands/singers that we should listen to in 2012.

A: Music is a huge part of my daily life, I'm constantly searching for new music. I'm mainly listen to indie folk and alternative music.

One Direction - Right now I'm kind of obsessed?! It's a little weird, but they're great.

The Kooks - Ahh! I love their music.

Without You - My Darkest Days: This is one of the only songs I like by this band, and it's a great song.

Wattpad Story Review: Nothing Left To Lose by Kirsty1000

2012-01-12T16:31:00.000-08:00

Nothing Left to Lose by Kirsty1000
Book Description:
Annabelle Spencer’s life is perfect, she has the perfect parents, perfect friends and of course the perfect boyfriend Jamie.
On her 16th birthday her life comes crashing down around her when Jamie is murdered right in front of her, and she is kidnapped by Carter Thomas a big time drug and arms dealer.
After five months of being with Carter she’s found, but the experience has totally changed her. She’s no longer the happy go lucky girl, she’s now cold, hard, she suffers from night terrors and is afraid to let anyone touch her. She pushes everyone away thinking that if she doesn’t let anyone in then she won’t ever get hurt again. Her slogan for life is now 'If you don't care about anything you have nothing to lose'.
Carter’s currently serving time for the murder of Jamie, a conviction she helped secure. But his re-trial is coming up, as some key evidence appears to have been tampered with. Death threats are coming in from his organization, they want him released and will stop at nothing for that to happen.
Ashton Taylor is a newly qualified SWAT agent who gets assigned to guard her, slowly he starts to re-build her life, but is she too far gone to let him help her? And if she can let him in, is it already too late?

Book Review:
On the night of her sixteenth birthday Anna and her boyfriend Jamie sneak into a club and there they meet Carter Thomas. Carter has Jamie murdered and kidnaps Anna, after five months she was found but she was completely changed. Carters in jail now, but that doesn’t stop his organization from sending her death threats. That’s where Ashton Taylor comes in, he’s a recently qualified SWAT agent and Anna’s new bodyguard.

This story starts off with some really heavy first few chapters. It deals with sexual abuse, murder, guns... and that’s all in the first two chapters! Don’t let all the bad things I've said discourage you, this story is really good it just takes a few chapters to lighten up. Once it lightens up the story becomes really good. Something for you to be warned of before reading this is that it contains some mature scenes. They go into more detail then the usual book I read, but it was done in a tasteful way so it wasn't overdone, you know? The POV switched between Anna and Ashton which was great because I got to see how they both felt throughout the book.

The characters in this book are great, I felt like I could connect with them and really feel what they were going through. Anna is the epitome of a strong female character. She’s been through so much and still manages to go on with her life. If what happened to her happened to me..... I don’t even know what I would do. She’s a really sweet girl too, once you get past all of the barriers she’s put up. But really who could blame her she was mentally, physically, and sexually abused for 5 months. Her bodyguard Ashton Taylor is equally as great. He is one of my favorite book guys EVER. Yeah, he’s that great! He’s so caring and understanding with Anna, and most of all patient. He doesn’t pressure her into admitting her feelings, and he slowly helps her rebuild her life. Then there's Carter Thomas, I get chills just thinking about him. He’s the man that kidnapped Anna when she was just 16 and had her boyfriend killed in front of her. Anyways I just didn’t like him at all, but I’m pretty sure that was the point. Another character from the story was Jamie, Anna's boyfriend from the beginning. There wasn't really much of him in the story because he was only in the first few chapters, but he was a really important character nonetheless. Throughout the book Anna was feeling guilty about her feelings for Ashton because she felt that she was betraying Jamie's memory. It was a huge part of Anna's character development to finally forgive herself for what happened to Jamie.

Anyways I recommend this to anyone that's look for an amazing read. Not to mention this story is completely....FREE!. All you have to do is go on Wattpad and you'll find it. Read my post on Wattpad to find out what that websites all about. Wattpad isn't a hard website to navigate, but it does take time to find the truly great stories on there. Kirsty1000 is one of the most popular authors on Wattpad for a reason. Her stories always deal with some sort of mature topic, and she writes about pretty much every aspect of what a character could be going through. You seriously need to go read one of her stories, they are amazing. She's written one other story with the characters of Nothing Left to Lose, and is in the process of writing another one. There is Enjoying the Chase which is about Ashton's and Anna's best friends Nate and Rosie. Ashton and Anna make appearances in this story which is a plus! Then there is All I Ever Wanted which is a prequel to Nothing Left to Lose in Carter's point of view. It starts at the club when Anna's kidnapped and goes through what he's thinking while he has her with him. I haven't read it yet, but it's supposed to hard hitting.

Overall I give this story 5 out of 5 stars.

Character Cast: (How the author pictured them, I just so happen to agree)

Jensen Ackles as Ashton Taylor. Ashton was described as having black hair that's short around the sides and messy on top with beautiful green eyes. He's a SWAT Agent, so I thought this picture was appropriate.

Rachel Bilson as Annabelle Spencer. Anna's described as having dark hair and dark eyes. This picture looked like something that Anna would have worn, so that's why I chose it.

Lloyd Daniels as Jamie. Jamie's obviously younger then the other characters considering he was killed when he was 16. He's described as having short blonde hair, and sparkling blue eyes.

Milo Ventimiglia as Carter Thomas. Carter is described as being in his mid-twenties, quite good looking, with brown hair and eyes. This is the picture the author used to portray him. I think it's appropriate because he looks kind of creepy with the whole shadow in the background. And creepies good because he's supposed to be the bad guy....

GO TO WATTPAD.COM AND READ THIS STORY PLEASE(:

Book Review: Lola and the Boy Next Door

2012-01-10T21:26:00.000-08:00

Title: Lola and the Boy Next Door
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Publisher: Dutton
Release Date: September 29, 2011
Pages: 338 (Hardcover)
How I got this book: Birthday present.
Goodreads
Amazon

Book Description:
Budding Designer Lola Nolan doesn't believe in fashion... she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola's style is outrageous she's a devoted daughter and friend with big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.
When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister's shadow and back into Lola's life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

Book Review:

Lola and the Boy Next Door is a companion novel to Anna and the French Kiss.The stories about about Lola a teenage girl who loves to dress up in costume. She lives in San Francisco with her two gay dads, and her much older boyfriend Max, she also has HUGE plans for her Winter Formal costume Yes, costume. She's going as Marie Antoinette! Then one day the Bell twins move back in next door and things start to go a little crazy in Lola's life.

I don’t know why, but I had really high expectations for this book. I was literally counting down the days until it came out. I blame it all on how AMAZING Anna was. Don’t get me wrong Lola was great in it’s own way, but I definitely preferred Anna. Ahh! I feel so bad. I know so many people loved this book, but I didn’t like it as much as I wanted to.

The characters in this book were pretty like able. I mean they had there faults here and there, but really who doesn’t? I really liked Lola, she was such a unique character. I don’t think I’ve ever met or read about someone who dresses up in costume everyday. I think that since she dresses up in costume all the time she forgot who she was overtime. Then there’s Max, Lola’s much older boyfriend. He was really sweet and nice in the beginning, but in the second half of the book he turned into this complete jerk.I just didnt like his whole turn around, it was pretty sudden. Calliope Bell was the mean girl of the story. I didn’t understand what she had against Lola, but sometimes you just don’t like someone. Then there’s Cricket. Where do I start! Ahh. As much as I loved St. Clair from Anna, Cricket was more my type of guy. I don’t know how to describe it. He's not one of those super hot guys, he's adorable, and geeky, and awkward. I just love it so much! AHH! But I think my favorite characters by far were Lola’s parents. As you know they are two dads. The thing I loved was that Perkins didn’t make it into a big deal, it was just there. They were in love and that’s all that mattered.

I think the part that ruined this book for me was Anna and St. Clair. They were in this book and yes I loved getting to see them. But that was the problem I rushed through the book to see more of them. I had to read this book twice before I really got into Lola’s story. The first time around I was just waiting for Anna and St. Clair. I knew they were going to be in this book, but I didn’t realize they were going to play such a big part...

Stephanie Perkins has only released two books, but she has definitely become one of my favorite authors. If you haven't read Anna or Lola I highly recommend that you do.

Overall rating 4 out of 5 stars!

Favorite Quotes:

Anna prods St. Clair's shoulder. "Come on. Weren't you gonna show me that thing?"
"What thing?"
She stares at him. He stares back. She cocks her head toward Cricket and me.
"Ah, yes." St. Clair stands. "That thing."
They rush out. The door shuts, and St. Clair shouts, "Lola, Cricket wants to show you his thing, too-oo!”

- This is my favorite Anna and St. Clair moment. Can you see why I loved reading about them?!

“So do you believe in second chances?" I bite my lip.
"Second, third, fourth. Whatever it takes. However long it takes. If the person is right," he adds.
"If the person is... Lola?"
This time, he holds my gaze. "Only if the other person is Cricket.

- One of my many favorite Lola and Cricket moments.

Here's an amazing drawing of what Cricket Bell could look like.

http://www.siminib.blogspot.com/2011/12/cricket.html

Wattpad

2012-01-08T22:23:00.000-08:00

Hi there! I just thought I'd write a little post about one of my favorite new websites... Wattpad! I'm not sure when or how I discovered this website but it's amazing. Basically you can go online and read different stories by a bunch of different users. Some of them aren't very good, but some are freaking AMAZING. The best part about this is that you can get the App on your mobile phone, ipad, or kindle fire. I'm sure there are more devices you can get it on, so you should check it out. I read Wattpad stories on my Iphone and I love it. Theres seriously like every genre possible on this website. Last month when I was low on money and didn't feel like going to the library I would just read these books.

I seriously recommend this to anyone who is a fan of books, and likes to read stories from new authors.

Some of my favorite books on Wattpad are:

Nothing left to lose by kirsty1000:
Annabelle Spencer’s life is perfect, she has the perfect parents, perfect friends and of course the perfect boyfriend Jamie.
On her 16th birthday her life comes crashing down around her when Jamie is murdered right in front of her, and she is kidnapped by Carter Thomas a big time drug and arms dealer.
After five months of being with Carter she’s found, but the experience has totally changed her. She’s no longer the happy go lucky girl, she’s now cold, hard, she suffers from night terrors and is afraid to let anyone touch her. She pushes everyone away thinking that if she doesn’t let anyone in then she won’t ever get hurt again. Her slogan for life is now 'If you don't care about anything you have nothing to lose'.
Carter’s currently serving time for the murder of Jamie, a conviction she helped secure. But his re-trial is coming up, as some key evidence appears to have been tampered with. Death threats are coming in from his organization, they want him released and will stop at nothing for that to happen.
Ashton Taylor is a newly qualified SWAT agent who gets assigned to guard her, slowly he starts to re-build her life, but is she too far gone to let him help her? And if she can let him in, is it already too late?

Best Friends With a Self Confessed Player by kirsty1000:
Riley Thomas has a best friend, the best friend a girl could ask for, he's supportive, loyal, honest, trustworthy, kind and thoughtful. He's also the schools biggest player.
Their relationship has always been easy and affectionate, but after Riley's month away on holiday things become a little strange.

The Kissing Booth by Reekles:

Meet Rochelle Evans. She's sixteen. Pretty, popular, a good-girl and she's never been kissed. Meet Noah Flynn, her best friend Lee's older brother. Bad-ass, violent, and he's a total player. So when Elle and Lee decide to do a kissing booth for the Spring Carnival, she doesn't expect her life to turn upside down and inside out. Elle's going to fight what her heart wants every step of the way. This is Elle's story, and it's going to be one messy, bumpy romance that's nothing like the fairy tales say. But will she get her happily ever after?

The Perfect Summer Had to End Sometime by DazedAndConfused:
Chloe meets sexy bartender Will at a club one night. They grow closer and she has the perfect summer with him.
But as with every summer, it has to end sometime. Chloe's senior year approaches and there's a shock in store when she returns to school as Will's there too......

*The summaries for the books I posted above are straight from Wattpad and were written by the author of those stories!

Starting in the next week or so I'm going to be posting the most recent Wattpad stories I'm reading and a review on them... What do you think?

Book Review: The New Death and Others by James Hutchings

2012-01-07T22:23:00.000-08:00

Title: The New Death and Others

Author: James Hutchings

Publisher: Self Published by author (James Hutchings)

Release Date: September 27th, 2011

Pages: 119 pages (kindle edition)

How I got this book: From the author to review.

Goodreads

Amazon

This book is only 99 cents!

Need I say more. Go check it out!

Book Description:

Death gets a roommate...

An electronic pope faces a difficult theological question...

A wicked vizier makes a terrible bargain...

44 stories. 19 poems. No sparkly vampires. There's a thin line between genius and insanity, and James Hutching's has just crossed it - but from what direction?

Book Review:

The New Death and Others is an interesting collection of short stories and poems. I’m not a writer, but it must take a lot of time and talent to think of all these different stories. There were a few that I didn’t like as much as the others, but then there were a few that had me laughing out loud. This book was definitely outside of my comfort zone. I’m one of those people who almost always reads the same type of book, so I was excited when I got the opportunity to review this book. This may not have been one of my favorite books, but I can certainly appreciate the authors unique writing style and originality. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future!

My favorite story was definitely When Love Calls! I was laughing so much while reading this, and the weird this I can imagine this happening to someone because of how obsessed people are with there phones. It was basically about this guy who wants to find love, but can’t. Then one day his friend tells him his phone probably has an App for it. Turns out it does. He meets iRene and they fall in love. You’ll have to read the book to find out the rest of the story!

Overall I give this book 3 out of 5 stars!

Book Review: Survival (Book 1 of the Guardians of Vesturon) by A.M. Hargrove

2012-01-07T21:21:00.000-08:00

Title: Survival (Book 1 of the Guardians of Vesturon)
Author: A.M. Hargrove
Publisher: Self Published.
Release Date: November 14th, 2011
Pages: 208 pages (PDF)
How I Got the Book: Got from author for review.

Goodreads
Amazon

This book is free on Smashwords!

Book Description:

"Maybe I was caught between the two worlds. I was having serious trouble distinguishing fantasy from reality."

While on a backpacking trip in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, nineteen-year-old Maddie Pearce finds her world has been thrown into a vortex and is madly spinning toward the impossible. Abducted by a mad psychopath, Maddie narrowly escapes with her life. But that is only the beginning. Her mysterious rescuer introduces her to a world that Maddie has difficulty accepting as reality. Will this strikingly gorgeous stranger be the key to her future or will she return to her mundane world, scarred from her experience? Follow Maddie as she is forced to make difficult decisions that carry her to mysterious places only to find that perhaps it was all for nothing.

Book Review:

This book is about Maddie and how while on hiking trip she gets abducted by a psychotic man after barely escaping from him, she finds herself being saved by the mysterious Guardians. She soon finds herself thrown into the world of the Guardians while at the same time she’s falling in love with the very person that rescued her. Throughout the book you get a look into the history of the Guardians.

If the characters of this book could be described in one word that would be amazing. The author did such a good job at letting the reader get to know the characters on a deeper level. Maddie was an incredible character, she’s been through so much but still manages to be optimistic about life. Not only has she dealt with an incredible amount of loss in her life but she was abducted by a psychotic man and afterwards she still managed to see the bright side of her life. I felt that throughout the book that I really got to know who Maddie was. The writing was so good that I even felt remorse for Darryl (Maddie's abductor) in the beginning because I got to see into his mind and what he was feeling. OH! Don’t let me forget Rayn, ahh! I loved his character. He was such a great match for Maddie and was so sweet. I won’t say more. You’ll just have to read the book to find out!

Okay, with what I’ve said already I bet you wouldn’t expect this book to be about aliens. Yeah, aliens! But these aren’t the aliens that we all know and love (in my case dislike). These ones looks and act just like humans, there are only a few key differences between us and them. I never thought I would read a book about aliens let alone absolutely LOVE a book I read about aliens. This book was completely different then anything I’ve read lately. I know I say that a lot, but this time I really mean it. The beginning of this book was a bit slow, but once it hit a certain spot the story just took off. By the end of the book I didn’t want to let the characters go, I grew attached in a way. The book left off with a MAJOR cliffhanger.... I will definitely be picking up the sequel when it comes out!

The one thing that I loved the most of this book was the different points of views. We didn’t just get two, we got three! Well technically more then three because there were some not so random ones thrown in to make the story even better! I just love it some much when I can see into the mind of what someone other then the main character is thinking. In this book we got to see into the minds of Maddie, Rayn, and Darryl, plus a few other characters!

I would recommend this book to anyone that is a fan of paranormal romance. I don’t think there are too many books about aliens out there, or if there is I just don’t know about them.

Overall I give this book 4 out of 5 stars!

Book Review: Daphne and The Mysterious Girls Secret Bathroom Society

2012-01-06T21:13:00.000-08:00

Title: Daphne and The Mysterious Girls Secret Bathroom Society Author: Robert Shields
Publisher: Fruitbat BooksRelease Date: January 2012
Source: Got from the author.
Author Website: http://www.fruitbatbooks.com/
Goodreads
Amazon

Following years of persecution at the hands of Vivica Vance, Daphne Downing levels the playing field wielding her No. 2 Ticonderoga pencil as she belatedly enters the world of witchcraft. Daphne becomes part of the Mysterious Girls’ Secret Bathroom Society and finds out that the politics governing witchcraft are daunting and sometimes deadly. She realizes she is aligned with the Charmers in this political battle with the Spiters led by her nemesis, Vivica. Along the way, she discovers that witches do not perform magic or witchcraft but a differentiated form of physics that only some women have mastered. The story deepens as she learns about the long history of witches’ domination and annihilation of wizards

Book Review:
When I first started reading this book I wasn’t sure what to expect. I didn’t read the synopsis so I wasn’t sure if I was going to be reading a children’s, teens, or adult book. It turned out this was a teen book, but it was aimed more at a younger audience if that makes sense. This book is about Daphne Downing as she learns about the world of witchcraft. One day at school Daphne is in her schools bathroom when she witnesses magic being used. She soon learns that the bathroom is where the Mysterious Girls Secret Bathroom Society meets and that they are all witches. Throughout the book Daphne learns more about the history of witches and how to perform magic.

Honestly, this isn't a book that I would go out and buy to read. With that being said I really am glad that i read this book. It was different in a good way! The way that the author explained the world of witchcraft was completely different then anything I've read before. I've always just assumed that they perform magic. I never considered the fact that there might be a certain things you have to learn first or that you would need an understanding of physics. Also the fact that all women are witches and that your mother has to teach you magic is pretty cool. I also liked the whole thing where they explained what happened to the wizards and why they aren't around. This book had a really good backstory which made it interesting to read.

The one thing that I didn't like about this book was how long it took me to get into it. It took me about 100 pages to actually become invested in the story which kind of sucked, but once I got into it I read through it really quickly.

This is a pretty good book, so if you get the chance I'd recommend you read this book. It directed to more of a younger audience just to let you know.

Overall I give this book 4 out of 5 stars!

Feature and Follow Friday # 3

2012-01-06T08:08:00.000-08:00

Feature & Follow Friday is a blog hop that expands your blog following by a joint effort between bloggers.

This meme is hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read

Featured Bloggers this week:

Pawing Through Books

Book Den

Q: Go count the number of unread books sitting on your shelf. How many?

A: Umm maybe about ten books. I don't leave books unread, ya know? I usually read them as soon as I get them, but I have tons of books on my kindle that I haven't read. I just got through and get a bunch of the free ones..

Book Review: A Touch of Greek by Tina Folsom

2012-01-04T19:39:00.000-08:00

A Touch of Greek.Tina Folsom.2010.Self-Published.

Selfish and gorgeous Greek God Triton is cast out of Olympus after seducing Zeus’ mistress and can only gain reentry if he finds a woman who loves him for his kindness and selflessness, not his beauty. When the mortal Sophia – recovering from an eye operation and virtually blind – needs a home healthcare worker, he takes on the role, hoping she will be his ticket home.While defending Sophia from an unknown adversary, Triton’s protective instinct emerges. At the same time rival Gods do everything to doom him to failure. And even if Triton can win Sophia’s love, will he throw it away to return home, or will he lose his own heart to the only woman who truly sees him?

Review:
Triton is the son of the Greek god Poseidon.When he is caught in bed with Zeus’s mistress, Zeus decides to punish him by taking away his powers and sending him to America. While in America he is supposed to find a woman and have her fall in love with him, not because of his good looks but because of his kindness and selflessness. The problem is Triton’s not supposed to have any help from his friends while he is on earth because they will be “rewarded” if they do, but that doesn’t stop his friends. Plus there are a few people that would like to see Triton fail because of things he has done in the past.

Sophia is an independent you woman who is in the process of turning her childhood home into a bed and breakfast. After an unfortunate accident she’s left virtually blind only being able to make out shapes of the things she’s looking at. Then she meets Trident who has managed to become her home health care worker and she soon finds herself falling in love with him. Since she’s blind the only thing that she knows about him is that he is an incredibly kind person.

This was the first Tina Folsom book I’ve read and I was really impressed. The characters she created were really likeable and the story was something that I’ve never read about. Triton was such a likeable character, I loved how we possessive over Sophia (not in a bad way). He was also really funny and sweet underneath his whole womanizer persona. Sophia was also a great character she had a lot of emotional baggage from her childhood and she has trouble letting people in her life because of how she’s been treated in the past. When Triton entered her life he helped her start to let go of her past and in return she helped him become a better person who can actually care for someone. The secondary characters of this book were great additions to the story. Tritons friends all added a certain humor and charm to the book which would have made the book less enjoyable had they not been in it.

Even though this was an amazing book there were a few things that I didn’t like. One of them was that Sophia’s best friend completely disappeared, but she wasn’t too important to the plot so it’s all good. This book had a lot of let’s call them “sexy scenes” they weren’t bad or anything just a little bit more then what I’m used to reading. The story was a bit cliche, but the author just made it work! I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a quick light read, it is a bit mature so be aware of that before reading.

Overall I give this book 3 out of 5 stars.

★ ★ ★

PS: Be aware that this book is for more mature book because of the "sexy scenes", so be aware of that before considering to read it!

Ohh, did I mention this book is FREE on amazon for the kindle as of Jan 4, 2012 (today)?!

Book Review: Amaranth by Rachel Wade

2012-01-03T21:27:00.000-08:00

Amaranth.Rachel Wade.2011.Rabbit Hole Press

Hoodoo-influenced Southern Louisiana seems like the perfect place for Camille to escape her abusive past and dysfunctional family. She doesn’t expect to fall in love with the handsome Gavin Devereaux and plummet into the world of Amaranth, a place of exile for reformed vampires.

Wrestling to escape a deadly ex-boyfriend while giving Gavin a chance, Camille is confronted with decisions that threaten not only her life, but the lives of her inhuman friends she has come to love. Entangled in her friends’ quest for freedom, she dives into their realm and faces the threats of Amaranth’s ruler—the mother of all vampires—and her own inner demons.

Now Camille must decide whether she will derail her life and make the ultimate sacrifice for the monsters that interrupted her bumpy path back to sanity—what she still wants so desperately—or escape with Gavin before it’s too late for both of them

Book Review:

Amaranth is the debut novel of author Rachel Wade and the first book of The Resistance trilogy. This seriously blew my mind away. I wasn’t expecting to like it at all. I read the description and was expecting some corny vampire story, but boy was I wrong. This book is so different from any other vampire stories I’ve read. The vampires in this story actually have a purpose in which they live for. This book covered a lot of topics like physical and emotional abuse made it even more relatable.

The story starts off with Camille arriving in Paris looking for an escape from her life in Seattle where an abusive boyfriend awaits. While in Paris she meets the mysterious Gavin and they have an immediate connection even if they were only together for a short amount of time. Two years later and Camille’s living in Lafayette, Louisiana where she’s found herself in yet another abusive relationship. While at work one day Camille bumps into Gavin and the two soon start to fall for each other. Camille soon finds herself in the middle of a war between two sides of the vampire world. One side with Camille and Gavin's friends who are part of a resistance against the vampire queen. Then the other side is the one of the vampire queen who sends exiled vampires into slavery in the city of Amaranth.

Camille is such a great main character, the thing I love about her is that she’s real. She has actual problems which make her relatable. In the beginning she’s kind of broken, but throughout the book she puts herself back together and ends up being stronger then before. Then there’s Gavin! He was such a great character. You could tell right from the beginning that he and Camille share a connection. The thing I loved about him was that you could tell that his feelings for Camille were genuine and that he really did love her, it wasn’t fake at all. Camille’s best friend Audrey was an amazing character. She convinced Camille to stand up to her abusive boyfriend the minute she found out what was happening.

The one thing that I didn’t like about this book was the pace. I felt like the whole book was rushed. Camille and Gavin's relationship happened really fast. It wasn’t really explained in great detail, but that didn’t make it any less great. After like the first half of the book it was all about the vampires, their history, and the upcoming war that the characters were all involved in. I really liked how this book always kept me guessing! I never once knew what was going to happen which was great because I kept on reading without getting bored. This book had some seriously funny parts, but there was also parts when it was really emotional and suspenseful.

I can’t wait for the sequel The Gates, I will definitely be reading it!

Overall rating is 4 out of 5 stars.

Versatile Blog Award

2012-01-03T10:07:00.000-08:00

So, I want to say thank you thank you thank you to Sel @ Bookcase to Heaven for passing this on to me. It seriously made my day. One minute I was working on my math homework and the next I got this, so that was pretty cool.

Here are the rules:

Thank and link to the blogger who bestowed the award.
Share seven random facts about yourself (see below).
Spread the love by passing the award to five other bloggers--and be sure to let them know.

Okay, so here are seven random facts:

1. I'm 16 and a junior in high school!

2. I'm seriously in love with the show Phineas and Ferb. It's not even funny.

3. So in my AP English class whenever we're talking about something I always reference Harry Potter in some way. (seriously bugs people! :P)

4. Whenever I go out to eat I order the same thing as someone else.

5. I generally read a book a day, sometimes it takes me two days.

6. Sea Salt & Vinegar chips are my FAVORITE!

7. I watch a lot of TV, I'm not even kidding. I have something recording like everyday of the week almost all day :P

Bloggers who I'm passing this on to:

Adriana

Kat

Tana

losingtheplotbooks

Lady Krishna Asi

Congrats to the bloggers who have won this award, and be sure to check out their blogs!

Book Review: What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

2012-01-02T16:41:00.000-08:00

What Happened to Goodbye.Sarah Dessen. 2011. Viking Juvenile

Since her parents' bitter divorce, McLean and her dad, a restaurant consultant, have been on the move-four towns in two years. Estranged from her mother and her mother's new family, McLean has followed her dad in leaving the unhappy past behind. And each new place gives her a chance to try out a new persona: from cheerleader to drama diva. But now, for the first time, McLean discovers a desire to stay in one place and just be herself, whoever that is. Perhaps Dave, the guy next door, can help her find out.

Book Review:

The idea of this book intrigued me more then the actual book did. The plot was original and unique which I appreciated, but when it got down to the actual story I couldn't help but be bored. The beginning of the book was great! McLean and her dad have just moved to a new town for his consulting job. For the past two years they’ve been moving from town to town and during that time McLean has been avoiding the topic of her parents recent divorce. With each move McLean basically changes who she is each time by choosing a new name and personality. When she moves to this new town she somehow ended up introducing herself as McLean instead of some fake name and that’s where the story begins. Anyways back to my opinion of the story... after like the first 100 pages I just got bored. I felt like the story was being dragged on longer then it was needed.

The main character McLean was a great character, but I just couldn’t relate to her. I mean, yeah my parents went through a divorce but it wasn’t anywhere near as bad as hers. I think the reason why I couldn’t relate to her was because she didn’t know who she was. For the past two years of her life she’s been pretending to be people she’s not, and then all of a sudden she’s McLean again. Her new friends really started to help her find out who she is. None of them really had personalities that stood out to me though. Then there’s Dave... he wasn’t my favorite male character. But he definitely did have his moments when he was undeniably sweet which was great.

My favorite part of this book was how things from past books were tied into this book. That has to be the best part of reading a Sarah Dessen book, you can always expect to hear about someone from a past book. In her books she creates her own little universe complete with unique characters, supermarkets, and colleges. She always uses the same few towns which is great because you get some overlapping characters!
This wasn’t my favorite Sarah Dessen novel, but I would still recommend it for anyone looking for a light summer like read.

Favorite Quotes:

“ Once you love something, you always love it in some way. You have to. It’s like part of you for good.”

“Home wasn't a set house, or a single town on a map. It was wherever the people who loved you were, whenever you were together”

Overall I’d give this book 3 out of 5 stars.

★★★