Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Review: The Duff by Kody Keplinger


From Goodreads:

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn't think she's the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She's also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her "Duffy," she throws her Coke in his face.

But things aren't so great at home right now. Desperate for a distraction, Bianca ends up kissing Wesley. And likes it. Eager for escape, she throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with Wesley.

Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out that Wesley isn't such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she's falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.


My Review:
I absolutely LOVED The Duff. All of the characters are enjoyable and Bianca had such an incredibly enchanting voice. I dreaded the moments that I had to put The Duff down because I was so immersed in this book.

I loved Bianca. She was not afraid to say what was on her mind. Her sarcasm and cynicism made her even more likable. When Wesley appoints her with the name, the Duff, it really hits her how inadequate she feels next to her friends. I know that probably all girls out there have felt like a Duff at one point or another, and can really understand Bianca's feelings. Her situation at home is so heartbreaking and I really felt for what she had to go through. She escapes her problems by getting with Wesley, which just makes her feel guilty. She eventually comes to really appreciate Wesley and finds that they both have problems. I loved the bantering between Bianca and him! The sparks fly whenever they have it out with each other and it is incredibly entertaining. They could be fighting and arguing one minute, then hot and heavy the next.

Wesley was definitely swoon worthy. Even with his negative comments to Bianca, he manages to make them sound flirtatious, not insulting. When Bianca really got to know him, she found out that he wasn't so bad after all and really started falling for him. While Wesley sure had his share of faults, he really was a great guy for Bianca. The letters that he sent her towards the end gave me butterflies and made me fall even more in love with him.

The Duff was such an incredibly amazing story and I enjoyed ever moment of it. This will be one of the few books that I will re-read in the future, it is that good. The end of The Duff was wrapped up nicely, but I wish there was more in store for Bianca and Wesley. They are so real and relatable. If you haven't already gotten a copy of The Duff yet, I suggest putting it on your wishlist. You won't be disappointed!

My Rating:

5 Stars

Teaser Tuesday (5)


Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
The Duff by Kody Keplinger


"Hello, Duffy."
Why did that jackass have to sit next to me?
"Go away, Wesley," I growled, staring down at my restless fingers.
"I can't," he said. "You see, Duffy, I'm not one to give up easily. I am determined to hook up with one of your friends--preferably the one with the fantastic rack."

pg. 28

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Review: Heavenly by Jennifer Laurens



Received From Author For Review

From Goodreads:
I met someone who changed everything. Matthias. My autistic sister's guardian angel. Honest. Inspiring. Funny. Hot. And immortal. That was the problem. What could I do? I did what any other girl would do-I fell in love with him. Zoë's sister darts in front of cars. Her brother's a pothead. Her parents are so overwhelmed; they don't see Zoë lost in her broken life. Zoë escapes the only way she knows how: partying. Matthias, a guardian sent from Heaven, watches over Zoë's autistic sister. After Zoë is convinced he's legit, angel and lost girl come together in a love that changes destiny. But Heaven on Earth can't last forever.

My Review:

If I had to choose just one word to describe this book, it would be: AMAZING. From the very first page, I was enthralled by the world of Heavenly and I couldn't stop reading until the very last page.

Zoe is a well-rounded girl who has her fair share of problems. She feels ignored by her family because of her autistic sister and uses alcohol to escape the pain. She feels so frustrated that life has dealt her with an autistic sister and wishes that her family could go back to being the way it was before Adria was born. Then, her life is turned upside down when Matthias steps into the picture and Zoe slowly begins to fall in love and put the pieces of her life back together.

Zoe is a very relatable main character and I feel for what she has to go through. With her brother turning into a drug addict and her family slowly falling apart, she really pulls through with the help of Matthias' positive influence. I enjoyed seeing her character grow and was especially sad when I came to the end of Heavenly. The romance between her and Mattias was so touching and beautiful. Matthias was such an amazing hero and left me in need of a Matthias of my own. The ending really changes things up and I am eager to see what Penitence will have in store for their love story!

I am so in love with Matthias' and Zoe's story and I am definitely eager for more. This book was so incredibly breathtaking and I think anyone who hasn't read Heavenly needs to! You won't regret taking a chance on this amazing story of love, heartache, frustration, hope, and joy. I am in now in need of Penitence ASAP!

My Rating:

5 Stars

In My Mailbox (4)

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


For Review:
Heavenly by Jennifer Laurens-Signed
Portal by Imogen Rose---Review HERE

Bought:
The Duff by Kody Keplinger
Promise by Kristie Cook
Being Jamie Baker by Kelly Oram

Won:
Impossible by Nancy Werlin

Thanks to:
Jennifer Laurens, Imogen Rose, and Fire and Ice Reviews

Friday, August 27, 2010

Follow Friday (5) and Book Blogger Hop (3)



ABOUT THE HOP:

In the spirit of the Twitter Friday Follow, the Book Blogger Hop is a place just for book bloggers and readers to connect and find new book-related blogs that we may be missing out on! This weekly BOOK PARTY is an awesome opportunity for book bloggers to connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs that they may not know existed! So, grab the logo, post about the Hop on your blog, and start HOPPING through the list of blogs that are posted in the Linky list below!!

The Hop lasts Friday-Monday every week, so if you don't have time to Hop today, come back later and join the fun! This is a weekly event! And stop back throughout the weekend to see all the new blogs that are added!

This weeks question:
Do you use a rating system for your reviews and if so, what is it and why?
Yes, I do use a rating system. It can be found in my review policy. I use a rating system so it is easier for readers of my blog to tell about what grade I felt the book deserved, along with a detailed review of my thoughts.





Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee! =)
  1. Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host { Parajunkee.com } and any one else you want to follow on the list
  2. Follow our Featured Bloggers - http://bookge3k.blogspot.com/
  3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing.
  4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments
  5. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can
  6. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
  7. If you want to show the link list, just follow the link below the entries and copy and paste it within your post!
  8. If your new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!
Please leave a comment if you are a new follower, so I can check out your blog and follow you in return! =)

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Review: Bite Me! by Melissa Francis


From Goodreads:
AJ Ashe isn't your typical seventeen-year-old vampire—as if there is such a thing! She's stuck in the middle of a huge fight between her two BFFs. Her ex-boyfriend—whom she's still totally in love with, by the way—is now her stepbrother. A former classmate—who, um, she may or may not have turned into a vampire—is stalking her. And now, apparently, the fate of humankind lies in her little undead hands. What ever happened to the good old days, when all a vampire girl had to worry about was the occasional zit and hiding her taste for blood?

My Review:
I really liked Bite Me! but I didn't quite love it. I was glued to the pages and found it difficult to stop reading, but there were a few elements that I really didn't enjoy.

I thought that Bite Me! was a fresh take on vampires and I really enjoyed learning a bit about them through AJ's perspective. AJ has a fun, witty voice and she had me laughing at some of her comments! I really felt for her situation with Ryan. They had to break up with each other when their parents got married and it just didn't sit well with me. She had many insert-foot-in-mouth moments with Ryan that had me cringing on her behalf. AJ's friends were a nice addition to the story, although the end of the book left me questioning what kind of person one of her friends really was.

I have to say, though I really enjoyed reading about how Ryan and AJ dealt with their new relationship, I didn't really feel the chemistry between them. Ryan was very ho-hum and their really wasn't any hunk factor to him. I felt that AJ could do much better for herself.

I was very intrigued with the mythology behind the vampires in Bite Me!, though I felt that there could have been more. Since this is a series, I am hoping that there is more of AJ's family history in Love Sucks!.

I was really thrown for a loop with an added element that comes towards the end of the story! It came as a bit of a shocker to me, though there were little hints thrown in throughout the story that alluded to the twist.

Overall, I found that I really liked this story and thought it was an original edition to the vampire genre. I can't wait to find out what else AJ has in store for her in Love Sucks!. I would recommend this to those that enjoy reading YA vampire romance.

My Rating:

4 Stars

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Waiting on Wednesday (5)

Waiting On Wednesday was created by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for!


January 4, 2011

From Goodreads:
In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees. . .

Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what it is, though, isn't easy.

Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place--and out of place, at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.

As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make--between honesty and deciet, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?

Why I'm Excited:
I love stories about angels and I can't wait to find out about what they are like in Unearthly. There also seems to be a love triangle and you all know how I feel about love triangles. ;)

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Teaser Tuesday (4)


Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
Bite Me! by Melissa Francis


"I inhaled deeply, and the scent of lust slammed into me like a crashing wave. My heart strummed to a faster staccato, my breathing hitched up a notch, and my insides started melting into a big puddle of horny.
And he hadn't even kissed me yet."
pg. 29

Monday, August 23, 2010

Review: The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller


From Goodreads:
What if love refused to die?

Haven Moore can’t control her visions of a past with a boy called Ethan, and a life in New York that ended in fiery tragedy. In our present, she designs beautiful dresses for her classmates with her best friend Beau. Dressmaking keeps her sane, since she lives with her widowed and heartbroken mother in her tyrannical grandmother’s house in Snope City, a tiny town in Tennessee. Then an impossible group of coincidences conspire to force her to flee to New York, to discover who she is, and who she was.

In New York, Haven meets Iain Morrow and is swept into an epic love affair that feels both deeply fated and terribly dangerous. Iain is suspected of murdering a rock star and Haven wonders, could he have murdered her in a past life? She visits the Ouroboros Society and discovers a murky world of reincarnation that stretches across millennia. Haven must discover the secrets hidden in her past lives, and loves¸ before all is lost and the cycle begins again.

My Review:
I have been eagerly anticipating the release of The Eternal Ones and ever since I got it, I have been waiting for the moment where I could delve into this book uninterrupted. Boy, am I sure glad I waited because once I started reading, I couldn't put this book down. It was so unbelievably amazing and I loved everything about it!

Haven is an unbelievably strong main character. She put up with the whole town and even her own grandmother thinking she was possessed by the devil. She never let them see how much they were getting to her and for that, I commend her. When she escapes to New York to find the Ethan that she has visions about, Haven finds Iain Morrow, the newly reincarnated Ethan. She soon falls in love with him once more, but knows that some things don't quite add up with him. Whenever she thinks she can trust him, someone or something will make her doubt him again. Iain is a bit of a question mark throughout the whole story and kept me guessing as to what kind of person he truly was.

The plot for The Eternal Ones was original and kept me glued to the pages. I never knew who to trust or what to believe. I loved Kirsten Miller's take on reincarnation and I still find myself thinking about it long after i've finished the book.

Thank goodness I chose to read this book on a sick day, as I don't think I could have put it down otherwise! Once I started reading, nothing could have kept me away from the pages. The ending satisfied me, while at the same time leaving it open for a sequel. If you don't have The Eternal Ones on your TBR shelf, I recommend getting this book, stat! You won't be disappointed!

My Rating:

5 Stars


Sunday, August 22, 2010

One Lovely Blog Award


Thank you so much Amanda at Another Book Junkie!!!


The Rules:
  1. Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award and his or her blog link.
  2. Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you’ve newly discovered.
  3. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

It was really hard to choose only 15 bloggers to give this award to, but they are:

Review: Portal by Imogen Rose


Received From Author For Review

From Goodreads:

Come Find Me Two Years Ago...

Six words that propelled ice hockey playing tomboy, Arizona, into an alternate dimension.

She suddenly found herself in the past. In one moment she went from being an ice hockey playing teenager in New Jersey to a glamorous cheerleader in California. She found herself transported from a happy life with her dad, Dillard, to a new, strange one living with her mother whom she hates. Apparently it's a life she's always lived in.

Everyone knows her as Arizona Darley, but she isn't. She is Arizona Stevens.

As she struggles to find answers she is certain of one thing- that her mother Olivia, a brilliant physicist, is somehow responsible. .

PORTAL is the story of the repercussions of Olivia Darley's attempt at creating a perfect world for herself and her children. Arizona's quest for answers threatens to undermine the seemingly perfect world that her mother has so carefully constructed.

PORTAL is the first book of the Portal Chronicles. Fans of time travel, romance, and the supernatural will enjoy Arizona's quest for answers.

My Review:
I was overjoyed when Imogen Rose sent Portal to me for review, as i've had my eye on it for awhile! This book was everything that I expected it to be, and more. A mysterious, enjoyable read with a relatable main character and time-travel and romance.

I could really connect with Arizona. She finds herself in an alternate world with a whole new life and feels frustrated and confused. I felt like I would do the same things Arizona did, had I found myself in her situation. She feels a lot of anger towards her mother, once she finds out that she is behind everything. She is completely different person in the alternate world and wants to go back to the way she was before.

Olivia, Arizona's mother, was a very selfish character and only thought about herself throughout the whole story. I was glad that Ms. Rose had chapters told through Olivia's perspective, as I got to really understand her motives, though I didn't like them. All she is concerned about is being with the love of her life, Rupert, and the heck with the consequences. She thinks her new life will be perfect, with the love of her life beside her and her children brought with her to her new life. What she doesn't expect is Arizona to remember her past life.

The supporting characters were all enjoyable and I found myself supporting all of them. My favorite character would have to be Kellan, as he is such a darling to Arizona. Though they start off a little rocky in the beginning, he and Arizona come to truly love each other.

I really loved Imogen Rose's unique story and I can't wait to read the second book in the series, Equilibrium. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a new take on YA fantasy romance!

My Rating:

5 Stars


Saturday, August 21, 2010

Review: The Naughty List by Suzanne Young


From Goodreads:
As if being a purrfect cheerleader isn’t enough responsibility!

Tessa Crimson’s the sweet and spunky leader of the SOS (Society of Smitten Kittens), a cheer squad–turned–spy society dedicated to bringing dastardly boyfriends to justice, one cheater at a time. Boyfriend-busting wouldn’t be so bad . . . except that so far, every suspect on the Naughty List has been proven 100% guilty!

When Tessa’s own boyfriend shows up on the List, she turns her sleuthing skills on him. Is Aiden just as naughty as all the rest, or will Tessa’s sneaky ways end in catastrophe?

The Naughty List. Is your boyfriend on it?

My Review:
I really enjoyed reading this book! It is such a light, fun read and guaranteed to make you giggle! Tessa was an all around amazing main character. She is supposed to be this perfect and perky girl, but in reality she has faults that are more visible with everything that goes wrong for her. I have to admit, there were times when her perkiness got annoying in the beginning, but when Christian entered the picture, the reader sees that she really isn't so perfect and has insecurities like everyone else. I really loved the cutesy words she used, like "Strawberry Smoothie" and "Sugarplum fairies".

The idea of cheerleaders doubling as spies and exposing cheaters was an original idea and Suzanne Young pulled it off well. I liked all of the girls on the squad, especially Kira. She was always there for Tessa and was her right hand girl. She does come across as a bit of a dumb blonde, but she was such a great friend to Tessa that I put her personality behind me.

My least favorite character would have to be Chloe, and i'm sure that was what Suzanne Young intended! She was such a manipulative and disgusting character. I was really rooting for Tessa when she got to do to Chloe what I had been wanting to do to her since she was introduced! Christian, Chloe's brother, was also a loser and I was so upset with what he and Chloe did to Tessa and Aiden!

Aiden was such a sweetie! He is an all around good guy and always looking out for Tessa. I could tell that he really loved Tessa and would never cheat on her. Though there were times when he really looked suspicious, I was always hoping that the signs were wrong.

Overall, I really loved this book and would recommend it to older teens looking for a light read. I am very upset that I didn't buy the sequel, So Many Boys, along with The Naughty List, because I am dying to read it now!

My Rating:

5 Stars

Friday, August 20, 2010

Personal Demons Trailer Number 1

Lisa Desrocher's posted the first of three trailers for Personal Demons on her blog today. This is Gabe's trailer and both Frannie and Luc will also have their own. I am really anxious to see Luc's trailer! I love me a hot, sexy bad boy! ;)



Check out Lisa Desrocher's Blog for more info on Personal Demons.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Follow Friday (4) and Book Blogger Hop (2)



ABOUT THE HOP:

In the spirit of the Twitter Friday Follow, the Book Blogger Hop is a place just for book bloggers and readers to connect and find new book-related blogs that we may be missing out on! This weekly BOOK PARTY is an awesome opportunity for book bloggers to connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs that they may not know existed! So, grab the logo, post about the Hop on your blog, and start HOPPING through the list of blogs that are posted in the Linky list below!!

The Hop lasts Friday-Monday every week, so if you don't have time to Hop today, come back later and join the fun! This is a weekly event! And stop back throughout the weekend to see all the new blogs that are added!


This weeks question:
How many blogs do you follow?
*I am editing this to say I follow about 150 blogs and not 500! =P Oopsy! I misread my google reader! That's what I get for being on the computer so late. But I am fairly sure I will be up to 500 in the near future as I continue to find amazing book blogs every week! =)



Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee! =)
  1. Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host { Parajunkee.com } and any one else you want to follow on the list
  2. Follow our Featured Bloggers - not this week..
  3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing.
  4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments
  5. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can
  6. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
  7. If you want to show the link list, just follow the link below the entries and copy and paste it within your post!
  8. If your new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!
Please leave a comment if you are a new follower, so I can check out your blog and follow you in return! =)

Guest Post: Jessica from A Fanatic's Book Blog

The lovely Jessica from A Fanatic's Book Blog was nice enough to write up a guest post for me! It's all about what got her interested in the romance genre. I am very busy with school starting this week so I am so grateful that she could do this for me. Jessica is also the one who made my gorgeous blog layout. She is taking requests, so email her at roses7184@gmail.com if you need help with your blog design, and she'll give you a quote. Please take the time to leave Jessica some love by commenting! =)


A Letter to the Romance genre
Dear Romance genre,

I’ll admit it right here and right now. To me, the word romance was terrifyingly feminine! Doesn’t it just scream flowers, chocolate and poor attempts at wooing women? You’ll have to pardon me here, but my only foray into Romance books for a long time were those Mass Market Paperbacks that you find in line at WalMart. You know the ones. Sweeping plains, extremely pale women and perfectly chiseled men lined up in rows with titles like Lover Mine and For the Love of Amy. Books like these made my stomach churn and I was certain that these were where the Romance genre ended. Keep in mind I was also 12 at the time.

Oh how wrong I was…

Enter Tiffanie DeBartolo’s book, God-Shaped Hole. It was given to me by my sister with the simple phrase, “You’ll love it I promise!” and a smile. I can’t resist my sister’s smile on the best of days. So I cracked open the book and suddenly I was deeply involved in the lives of the two characters. Hello, this was a Romance novel? Amazed! I became enamored with the writing and the characters. Their love was the kind that took work and was slightly broken around the edges. Two people who separate were nothing but together were everything. They weren’t perfect, nor were they in a sweeping plain setting. This was what I wanted to read about.

My first thought was that this book was simply a teaser. Were there really more that I could become invested in out there? Still, you didn’t give up on me. Instead you sent me Lovestruck Summer by Melissa Walker to devour, and later the Gena Showalter books. Anyone who says that they can resist the Gena Showalter covers is most likely lying. Boasting gorgeous men with dark and brooding titles, these books drew me in. As I opened the pages I fell even deeper. These were the stories I wanted! I wondered how it took me so long to find them. My wall of doubt crumbled, and it was just you and I, face to face.

I suppose what I’m rambling on about is that you, Romance genre, are so huge and all encompassing. How was I to know that Paranormal Romance existed? That Historical Romance existed? The more I dive in, the more I discover. I feel bad for ever doubting you. You’ve got me under your spell, and I’m quite proud of it!
From a girl who is truly a happy convert,

Jessica

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Waiting on Wednesday (4)


Waiting On Wednesday was created by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for!



From Goodreads:
Beware of a kiss under the full moon. It will change your life forever.

Celeste Parker is used to hearing scary stories about werewolves—Legend’s Run is famous for them. But when, after an unnerving visit with a psychic, she encounters a pack of wolves and gorgeous, enigmatic Brandon, she must discover whether his transformation is more than legend or just a trick of the shadows in the moonlight. Brandon may be Celeste’s hero, or he may be the most dangerous creature she could encounter in the woods of Legend’s Run.

The bestselling Vampire Kisses author, Ellen Schreiber, weaves together psychic predictions, generations-old secrets, a town divided, and the possibility of falling in love with a hot and heroic werewolf—the perfect formula for what happens...once in a full moon.


Why I'm Excited:
I LOVE stories with werewolves and romance so I was sold when I read the synopsis! It doesn't hurt that the cover is GORGEOUS and has my favorite colors, pink and purple!

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Out for Blood Cover Reveal



I like this cover way more than the U.S. cover of Blood Feud. Their eyes are striking and the models on the cover look like actual models, unlike the Blood Feud ones. What are your thoughts on it?

Teaser Tuesday (3)


Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!


The Naughty List by Suzanne Young


"I tsked. The squad had been very judgmental lately. I blamed the fact that we'd caught several of their boyfriends cheating on them in the past three months. Poor things. It was tragic, really."
pg. 16

Monday, August 16, 2010

Upcoming YA Romance Books That I Can't Wait to Fall In Love With

All of these books are YA Romance that I am so excited to read! These are only a small few of the ones that i'm looking forward to. I wanted to share a part of my list with my blog readers! You are welcome to comment on what books you can't wait for!


Anna and The French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
December 2nd 2010 by Dutton

A contemporary romance set in the City of Light, guaranteed to make toes tingle and hearts melt


Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris — until she meets Étienne St. Clair: perfect, Parisian (and English and American), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home.

As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near-misses end with the French kiss Anna — and readers — have long awaited?



Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
January 4th 2011 by HarperTeen

In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees. . .

Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what it is, though, isn't easy.

Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place--and out of place, at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.

As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make--between honesty and deciet, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?



A Touch of Mortal by Leah Clifford
February 22nd 2011 by Greenwillow Books

Eden didn’t expect Az.

Not his saunter down the beach toward her. Not his unbelievable pick up line. Not the instant, undeniable connection. And not his wings.

Yeah.

So long happily-ever-after.

Now trapped between life and death, cursed to spread chaos with her every touch, Eden could be the key in the eternal struggle between heaven and hell. All because she gave her heart to one of the Fallen, an angel cast out of heaven.

She may lose everything she ever had. She may be betrayed by those she loves most. But Eden will not be a pawn in anyone else’s game. Her heart is her own.

And that’s only the beginning of the end.



Falling Under by Gwen Hayes
March 2011 by New American Library

In her dreams he’s irresistible—seductive, charming, and undoubtedly dangerous. But when he appears to her when she’s awake—and captivates her just the same—she’s not sure which way is up and which is down.

Theia Alderson has always led a sheltered life, not allowed the same freedoms as the rest of the teenagers in the small California town of Serendipity Falls. But when a devastatingly handsome boy appears in the halls of her school, she feels every urge she’s ever denied burning through her at the slightest glance from Haden Black. Theia knows she’s seen Haden before—not around town, but in her dreams.

Theia doesn’t understand how she dreamed of Haden before they ever met, but every night has them joined in a haunting world of eerie fantasy. And as the Haden of both the night and the day beckons her forward one moment and pushes her away the next, the only thing Theia knows for sure is that the incredible pull she feels towards him is stronger than her fear. And as she slowly discovers what Haden truly is, Theia’s not sure if she wants to resist him, even if the cost is her soul.



Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton
February 15th 2011 by HarperCollins / Katherine Tegen Books

This debut, the first novel in a trilogy, is achingly romantic, terrifying, and filled with blistering action.

When seventeen-year-old Ellie starts seeing reapers - monstrous creatures who devour humans and send their souls to Hell - she finds herself on the front lines of a supernatural war between archangels and the Fallen and faced with the possible destruction of her soul.

A mysterious boy named Will reveals she is the reincarnation of an ancient warrior, the only one capable of wielding swords of angelfire to fight the reapers, and he is an immortal sworn to protect her in battle. Now that Ellie's powers have been awakened, a powerful reaper called Bastian has come forward to challenge her. He has employed a fierce assassin to eliminate her - an assassin who has already killed her once.

While balancing her dwindling social life and reaper-hunting duties, she and Will discover Bastian is searching for a dormant creature believed to be a true soul reaper. Bastian plans to use this weapon to ignite the End of Days and to destroy Ellie's soul, ending her rebirth cycle forever. Now, she must face an army of Bastian's most frightening reapers, prevent the soul reaper from consuming her soul, and uncover the secrets of her past lives - including truths that may be too frightening to remember.


Bad Taste In Boys by Carrie Harris
July 11th 2011 by Delacorte Press

Someone’s been a very bad zombie.

Super-smartie Kate Grable gets to play doctor, helping out her high school football team. Not only will the experience look good on her college apps, she gets to be thisclose to her quarterback crush, Aaron. Then something disturbing happens. Kate finds out that the coach has given the team steroids. Except . . . the vials she finds don’t exactly contain steroids. Whatever’s in them is turning hot gridiron hunks into mindless, flesh-eating . . . zombies.

Unless she finds an antidote, no one is safe. Not Aaron, not Kate’s brother, not her best friend . . . not even Kate . . .

It’s scary. It’s twisted. It’s sick. It’s high school.





Sunday, August 15, 2010

Review: Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel


From Goodreads:
Lenah Beaudonte is, in many ways, your average teen: the new girl at Wickham Boarding School, she struggles to fit in enough to survive and stand out enough to catch the eye of the golden-boy lacrosse captain. But Lenah also just happens to be a recovering five-hundred-year-old vampire queen. After centuries of terrorizing Europe, Lenah is able to realize the dream all vampires have -- to be human again. After performing a dangerous ritual to restore her humanity, Lenah entered a century-long hibernation, leaving behind the wicked coven she ruled over and the eternal love who has helped grant her deep-seated wish.

Until, that is, Lenah draws her first natural breath in centuries at Wickham and rediscovers a human life that bears little resemblance to the one she had known. As if suddenly becoming a teenager weren’t stressful enough, each passing hour brings Lenah closer to the moment when her abandoned coven will open the crypt where she should be sleeping and find her gone. As her borrowed days slip by, Lenah resolves to live her newfound life as fully as she can. But, to do so, she must answer ominous questions: Can an ex-vampire survive in an alien time and place? What can Lenah do to protect her new friends from the bloodthirsty menace about to descend upon them? And how is she ever going to pass her biology midterm?

My Review:
This book was AMAZING! From page 1, I was enthralled with Lenah's story and I was sad when the book came to an end. Once I started reading Infinite Days, I was Lenah.

Maizel has such an original take on vampires and I enjoyed learning about vampires from her perspective. Most vampire stories on the shelves have the same lore and are very predictable. This book introduced me to so many new concepts and each one was explained in a way that makes it believeable.

Lenah was a great heroine and I loved seeing her growth throughout the story. After Rhode sacrifices himself in order for her to be remade into a human, she was determined to make sure his sacrifice was not made in vain. Lenah's story took me on an emotional roller coaster ride. I giggled, got angry and cried right along side Lenah. I reveled in her flashbacks and the history behind her and Rhode.

Rhode was by far my favorite character in the story! Even though he is a vampire and not meant to feel pure, unselfish love, his love for Lenah was obvious and he sacrifices everything for her. I really wished that he wouldn't have died so soon, as he was such an amazing character. There were flashbacks with him and Lenah but I still felt saddened to know that he wasn't there in the present times.

I really didn't feel much love for Justin. I felt like he and Lenah fell in love too fast and it wasn't that believeable for me. I kept hoping that Rhode would swoop in and steal Lenah away from him! I didn't feel the chemistry between him and Lenah that I felt between Rhode and Lenah. Justin was the only thing in the story that I really didn't care for.

The ending to this book left me hanging and I NEED the sequel, Stolen Nights, right now. There is a little teaser from Stolen Nights in the back but the last sentence made me want Stolen Nights even more, if that's possible!

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for an engaging paranormal read. Run, don't walk, to the nearest bookstore if you don't have Infinite Days!
My Rating:

5 Stars

Saturday, August 14, 2010

In My Mailbox (3)

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


This week was great! I got an ARC of Radiance!! I screamed when I opened the package from Macmillan and saw this!!! I also received things I won from contests and bought The Eternal Ones, which I am super excited to read!

For Review:
Radiance by Alyson Noel - Review can be found HERE

Won:
Linger Tee from The Story Siren's Twitter party
Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Vol. 1

From Harlequin Teen Panel:
My Soul To Take by Rachel Vincent

Bought:
The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller

Thanks to:
Macmillan
The Story Siren
Fallen Archangel

*I also received a nice surprise package from author Jennifer Laurens. The items the author donated will be for a part of my Blog Fest 2010 giveaway, happening from Sept. 10-12!*

Friday, August 13, 2010

Monster High™ Promo Video

Check out this promo video for Monster High by Lisi Harrison. It is genius! I wasn't really that interested in reading the book until now. The song is really catchy, so watch at your own risk. ;) Thanks to bookalicio.us for putting this on my radar!

Follower Giveaway Winners!

I decided to end the contest early so I could mail off the books before school next week. I hope this isn't inconvenient to any of you! Thank you to all who participated. I am so excited to be sending these great books off to two of you! Okay, enough of that! I am sure you are all dying to know who the winners are! The winners were chosen by random.org.

The First Place Winner is:

#28 Jessica Secret

and

The Second Place Winner is:

#189 Ashley @ Ashley's Bookshelf



Jessica will get the first choice of the two books and Ashley will take the other book. The winners will be notified tonight and will have 48 hours to respond before I choose a new winner.

Review: The Dark Divine by Bree Despain


From Goodreads:
Grace Divine—daughter of the local pastor—always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared and her brother Jude came home covered in his own blood.

Now that Daniel's returned, Grace must choose between her growing attraction to him and her loyalty to her brother.

As Grace gets closer to Daniel, she learns the truth about that mysterious night and how to save the ones she loves, but it might cost her the one thing she cherishes most: her soul.


My Review:
I liked this book, I really did. I just didn't love it. At the beginning of the book, I thought that it was going to be a story that I loved but I found the plot to be very predictable.

The Negatives:
It was very frustrating how long it took Grace to figure out Daniel's secret when the clues were there from the beginning. Grace seems like a very smart girl so it just didn't seem very believable when Daniel's actions and words just rolled right over her head. I also didn't like how at first, she stood up for Daniel and then Jude says a few petty things about Daniel and all of the sudden, she has doubts about all that Daniel has told her. I didn't like Jude at all. I found him to be petty and annoying. He seemed all perfect and Mr. Goody Two Shoes in the beginning, but when Daniel comes on the scene he turns violent and angry. The reason for his personality change is revealed toward the end but that still doesn't mean I have to like him.

The Positives:
I loved Ms. Despain's original take on werewolves and the history behind Daniel's family. I found Grace's voice to be refreshing and I enjoyed reading through her point of view. Though she could be kind of dense at sometimes, she wasn't annoying like certain main characters are in YA. I really loved Daniel. He was a bit of a bad boy but he was a sweetheart when it came to Grace. He said some things that made me swoon! When he and Grace were together, their chemistry sizzled! Grace's father was one of the few fathers in YA that I didn't find annoying. He really wants to help others who are in need of guidance and he was a saint to Daniel. Even though I didn't like some aspects of the story, I found myself not wanting to put down this book until the very last page.

Overall, I found this book to be a good read. I felt that the positives outweighed the negatives. The end of the story left me hanging so I am really looking forward to the sequel of this book, The Lost Saint.

My Rating:

4 Stars

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Follow Friday (3) and Book Blogger Hop (1)


This is my first time participating in the book blogger hop!

ABOUT THE HOP:

In the spirit of the Twitter Friday Follow, the Book Blogger Hop is a placejust for book bloggers and readers to connect and find new book-related blogs that we may be missing out on! This weekly BOOK PARTY is an awesome opportunity for book bloggers to connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs that they may not know existed! So, grab the logo, post about the Hop on your blog, and start HOPPING through the list of blogs that are posted in the Linky list below!!

The Hop lasts Friday-Monday every week, so if you don't have time to Hop today, come back later and join the fun! This is a weekly event! And stop back throughout the weekend to see all the new blogs that are added!


This weeks question:
How many books do you have on your 'to be read shelf’?

I have about 35 books in my TBR shelf. I continue adding more to my TBR shelf every week so it never gets smaller! I wonder if i'll ever get through them all...




Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee! =)
  1. Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host { Parajunkee.com } and any one else you want to follow on the list
  2. Follow our Featured Bloggers - not this week..
  3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing.
  4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments
  5. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can
  6. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
  7. If you want to show the link list, just follow the link below the entries and copy and paste it within your post!
  8. If your new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!
Please leave a comment if you are a new follower, so I can check out your blog and follow you in return! =)

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Waiting on Wednesday (3)


Waiting On Wednesday was created by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for!


From Goodreads:
While other teenage girls daydream about boys, Calla Tor imagines ripping out her enemies’ throats. And she wouldn’t have it any other way. Calla was born a warrior and on her eighteenth-birthday she’ll become the alpha female of the next generation of Guardian wolves. But Calla’s predestined path veers off course the moment she saves the life of a wayward hiker, a boy her own age. This human boy’s secret will turn the young pack's world upside down and forever alter the outcome of the centuries-old Witches' War that surrounds them all.

Why I'm Excited:
This book had two of my favorite things: werewolves and a love triangle! Need I say more. ;)

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Review: Radiance by Alyson Noël


Radiance by Alyson Noël
Release Date: August 31st

Received from publisher

From Goodreads:
Riley Bloom left her sister, Ever, in the world of the living and crossed the bridge into the afterlife—a place called Here, where time is always Now. Riley and her dog, Buttercup, have been reunited with her parents and are just settling into a nice, relaxing death when she's summoned before The Council. They let her in on a secret—the afterlife isn't just an eternity of leisure; Riley has to work. She's been assigned a job, Soul Catcher, and a teacher, Bodhi, a curious boy she can't quite figure out.

Riley, Bodhi, and Buttercup return to earth for her first assignment, a Radiant Boy who's been haunting a castle in England for centuries. Many Soul Catchers have tried to get him to cross the bridge and failed. But he's never met Riley...


My Review:
Radiance is the first book in a spin-off of the immortals series. Although I enjoy the immortals series, I have to admit that I was a little skeptical starting out with this book, as I thought Riley's voice would be too young for me. Boy, was I sure proved wrong by little miss Riley!

I absolutely loved her voice and her inner monologue. She regrets the fact that she died so young but slowly realizes that there is even more to experience after death. Bodhi, her 14 year old guide, is pretty swoon worthy! He's not the nerd that he dresses like, far from it actually! There is a lot of chemistry between Riley and Bodhi that makes the book that much more enjoyable! I loved their bickering with each other! It was great when Riley finally earned Bodhi's respect.

I really enjoyed reading about the Here and Now from Riley's perspective. The descriptions were vivid and I could imagine exactly what the Here and Now would look like. It sounds like the afterlife would be a great time, even better than real life!

I loved reading about Riley discovering who she is and finding her way through the afterlife as a Soul Catcher. Riley still has a lot of growing up to be but she was off to a great start in this book. She finds that she doesn't have to be a replica of her sister, but to just be herself. I think this teaches a good lesson to younger siblings out there who struggle to mold themselves into their older siblings. I know that I struggled with the same problem and wanted to be exactly like my older sister. It only took me until I was 13 to realize that it was better to just be myself and that I would be accepted for whoever I was. Thank you, Ms. Noël for putting a lesson like this in the story.

Overall, this was a light, fun read and I would recommend it to any tweens and young teens that love paranormal books! I am eagerly anticipating the next Riley book and I hope it will be just as good as Radiance.

My Rating:

5 Stars

Teaser Tuesday (2)


Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
Radiance by Alyson Noel



"And thats when I realized the question had been rhetorical.
My place had been determined.
Whether I liked it or not."
pg. 56

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