Well, hello there! Long time no talk...

Hi fellow readers and blogger friends!

      It has been an extremely long time since I last wrote on my blog. And you will just laugh when you hear what happened. My two year old son spit water all over it and it broke or died! So maybe it isn't THAT funny because I wasn't laughing at all. I cried. I have been so busy with work and raising this heathen child(whom I love with all my heart) that I haven't had much time to go and get the computer fixed. Plus money pays a large factor in this situation also because...well...I am broke!

     My mother has been kind enough to lend me her laptop for the night(Hello Mom!). See, the only source I have from the Internet, since I have no computer,  is my iPhone. I don't know about you guys but I hate writing blog posts on those things. I would much rather have a keyboard.

     During my hiatus, I have read a bunch of books. So many good books that I have fallen in love with. I am going to share a few of my favorites with you, such as some books from the new sub genre "New Adult". New adult novels center mainly around the college aged kids and are for a more mature audience. One of my favorites I have read recently is My Favorite Mistake by Chelsea M. Cameron.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15748898-my-favorite-mistake <=== click here for the excerpt.

That Boy & That Wedding by Jillian Dodd

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11382346-that-boy

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13361570-that-wedding

The Perfect Game by J. Sterling

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15783307-the-perfect-game

Losing It by Cora Carmack

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15783307-the-perfect-game

And lastly....

The Edge of Never by J.A. Redmerski

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16081272-the-edge-of-never

     I could go on forever with all the amazing reads I have had. Seriously. If you have not had the chance to read one of these wonderfully charged books full of romance, sexual angst(&sex!), some death and finding yourself, please go read them. You won't be disappointed and if you are, well then you didn't hear this from me;)

Have a great night everyone!

P.S. Thank you to all the new followers, you are GREATLY appreciated.

P.S.S. To all the followers that I have had from the beginning, thank you for sticking with me this long. I love you all! I know I can be boring, ha!

Here is some food for thought...

What do you guys think of The Host trailer?

Witness Blog Tour

See Review

*Goodreads Blurb*
Forgetting who you are, your ambitions, your passions is crippling….but remembering – embracing your purpose with a new sense of determination is more than empowering….it's life altering. Charlie Myers is on a life altering path that will cause the dammed to humble in silence.

One night…just a few friends, how could it go so wrong? That was the question seventeen year old Charlie Myers was asking when she found herself in the ER. Outwardly nothing was wrong with Charlie, she was a vision of perfect heath, internally she was battling a raging headache…one the doctor told her she would overcome shortly, but Charlie knew something else was wrong …very wrong.

Part of her had been stolen…she was missing memories. Those memories were sacred. They held the key to her sanity. They told her that the sinister whispers, the shadows that came to life before her were not as ominous as she felt they were. They held the bond with her late father, a famed musician. They caused her to forget the one talent that allowed her to face the darkness that haunted her every waking hour. They also masked a much deeper bond, the face of the one that had stolen her heart, long before the age of seventeen.

Sitting in the ER with her angry mother she couldn’t figure out what she was missing, or even how. Her thoughts told her that she needed to protect Britain, a friend of hers, but that didn’t make any sense – Britain didn’t need to be protected from anyone, he was strong, young, and absurdly wealthy. Charlie also knew that even though her friend Bianca called Charlie her best friend, she didn’t trust her …she was almost sure she despised her, but she couldn’t figure out why, or understand how random thoughts were telling her that she adored both Britain and Bianca – that they were her saviors – that they brought silence to the unstoppable whispers, but the silence scared Charlie. In her mind anyone or anything that could bring silence to something that dark could not be good.

Charlie wanted to stay in NY, figure out what she was missing, why, and who was behind it all, but her mother had other plans. Against her will, Charlie was sent to Salem to live with her sister, within that small town Charlie found her memories and so much more.

Her story begins now.

Thoughts:
Wow, was the first thought that popped through my mind after reading See. I had never heard of Jamie Magee until about a month ago when I was approached through email about the release of the second book Witness. I read the summary and I was hooked. The actual story was even better. I was beyond intrigued and could not stop reading.

We all know how much music means to us. Without good music I think life would suck. Namely because there isn't a song that can't express what you are feeling at that particular time and moment. Why am I talking about music? Well because that is what the story is about! I loved how special the author made music, it made me see it in a different light. Her writing style is so well written and although I am not familiar with her other series, I look forward to reading them. I know they will have a great characters and writing.


Obviously I loved the characters:) 
Charlie was cool, I couldn't connect with her on a personal level, but I do like her and think she is a good character. She is strong, stubborn, and independent. Draven, her boyfriend that she can't remember having, is AMAZING! I love him and the way he is with Charlie. Jamie definitely is an expert when it comes to romance. My goodness reading about Charlie and Draven would give me chills, I am getting chills just thinking about it.
They even have a crazy girl and a crazy boy, they are quite the pair of 'friends'. 


This is a paranormal romance but it isn't your typical PR story. It is different in a good way. I actually liked the change from the typical vampires and werewolves. Check it out everyone. It has good guys and bad guys, an epic romance, the love for music and so much more. It will make you fall in love<3






Witness Review

Goodreads Summary:
Forgetting who you are is hard, but not as hard as remembering. Remembering that you have no idea how to face your demons, how to save the lost.
Charlie is at a sacred threshold.

The ‘glass box’, as she calls it, is slowly falling. Her childhood has ended. The moment she has yearned for, the moment where she can go and do anything, anything at all without seeking permission is now. She’d dreamed of this time, all of her friends had, but now that it’s here, she doesn't know which way to run, or if she should even run at all.

Charlie knew that running would be a goodbye forever, and she didn’t want that, she wanted to freeze the time she was in, to stay in the calm before the storm, the illusion that she could out wit the ones who seek her, hold the one she loves, and play the music that gives her passion. She’ll soon discover no one can hide from their fate, that time does not stop in place, and that whether she chooses to perceive it or not, the darkness has come.

What Charlie feared most, losing him, is a threat now more than ever. A realm, a dark and twisted dream world has called him, and now she must fight to save him, and others like him. Standing in her way is a soul from another life, a boy that promises that he will destroy her world, to save her life. With this threat in hand, with the dark path that her friends are on, Charlie must fight to find a way to leave, to trust that beyond her dimension there are souls that can help her, help all of them. The only question is, will she find them before it's to late, and if she can't, how is she going to use her gift, the gifts they all share to save them.

My Thoughts:
It has been a couple of months from where we left off in See.  This was good, real good. But I think I still liked the first book better. I guess what I did not like was when I first started reading, and found about Draven's fate, it turned me off to the story. Please do not take this as me hating the book because I thought it was great. Of course my disliking of his fate is kinda sorta important to the story! Plus I am entitled to disliking a few things about stories, I am only human;)


The plot was placed very well and there were some surprises mixed in there. I honestly wasn't sure where the story was going to go. Magee sure kept me on my toes!


One thing I absolutely love about Draven and Charlie is that their relationship is far from perfect. It is real and despite all the up and downs they have, they remain true to themselves. It is a pure love that makes me so happy inside! Plus is helps that all the characters are so gosh darn loveable. Make sure you read the books because you do not want to miss out on.


The characters and the storyline have made me an instant fan of Magee and now I know for sure I want to read more from her. Beautiful, I love this series!! It is amazing and can keep you entertained. I recommend the series to anyone and everyone.

The Breakaway Review

Summary from Goodreads: When Naomi Jensen is kidnapped, it takes her parents two days to realize she's missing. Escape isn't high on her list of priorities when all she has to return to is an abusive boyfriend and parents who never paid much attention to her. For the first time in her life she's part of a family-even if it is a family of criminals. But she's still a captive. In a desperate attempt to regain some control in her life, Naomi embarks on a dangerous plan to make one of her kidnappers think she's falling in love with him. The plan works too well, and when faced with the chance to escape, Naomi isn't sure she wants to take it.

"What is freedom without happiness?"-The Breakaway

My thoughts:
Let me just start off by saying, wow. The Breakaway captivated me from the very beginning until the very end. It was heartbreaking, bittersweet, beautiful and real. Not that I have ever been in this kind of situation before but I might as well have been. I felt so in tune to the story and all of the characters in it.

As many of you have read from the summary above, this is a story about a kidnapping and finding love in an unlikely place. In psychology, Stockholm syndrome is a psychological phenomenon in which hostages express empathy and have positive feelings towards their captors, sometimes to the point of defending them.
I find Stockholm's Syndrome fascinating which is probably why I enjoyed this story.

The story starts off in a motel room where we meet our main character Naomi. She wakes up and is questioned from one of her kidnappers, Jesse. Who is surprisingly quite gentle for being a kidnapper. Naomi's words, not mine. Well not her exact words, but you get the gist. We then meet her other kidnapper, Eric, who is a lot more aggressive than Jesse is. If it were up to him, he would have had her killed right already.

What made me sad about Naomi was how her she wasn't leaving anything behind, her parents were absent most of her life and her boyfriend was an abusive jerk. So seeing as she had a crappy life before, me as a reader, did not think it could not get any worse. And I was wrong, sort of. It didn't get worse but it didn't necessarily get better. Her captors cared for her and loved her more than anyone ever has before. They paid attention to her and tried as best as they could to make her happy and comfortable. The only problem was  they took away her freedom.

Right off the bat I felt a pull to Jesse. I loved his character and the overall depth of him. He had flaws and seeing him through Naomi's eyes, you can't help but to fall in love with him along with her. I also enjoyed the other three characters. There is Eric, Steve, and Evie. Which by the way, Evie is great. Her and Eric are brother and sister while Evie is a wife to Steve. With the exception of Eric(sometimes) I thoroughly enjoyed the characters. Their story is sad.

You also might find that this has a bunch of twists that I did not see coming, but you will have to read the book to find that out :)

I am letting you know again how powerful The Breakaway is and how deeply it has touched my heart. I know this is melodramtic but I do not think I can possibly wait until Febuary for the next book. I NEED to know what happens. A great story with even better charaters. You will not want to miss this!

Tiger Lily Review

*Goodreads Blurb*
Before Peter Pan belonged to Wendy, he belonged to the girl with the crow feather in her hair. . . .

Fifteen-year-old Tiger Lily doesn't believe in love stories or happy endings. Then she meets the alluring teenage Peter Pan in the forbidden woods of Neverland and immediately falls under his spell.

Peter is unlike anyone she's ever known. Impetuous and brave, he both scares and enthralls her. As the leader of the Lost Boys, the most fearsome of Neverland's inhabitants, Peter is an unthinkable match for Tiger Lily. Soon, she is risking everything—her family, her future—to be with him. When she is faced with marriage to a terrible man in her own tribe, she must choose between the life she's always known and running away to an uncertain future with Peter.

With enemies threatening to tear them apart, the lovers seem doomed. But it's the arrival of Wendy Darling, an English girl who's everything Tiger Lily is not, that leads Tiger Lily to discover that the most dangerous enemies can live inside even the most loyal and loving heart.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Peaches comes a magical and bewitching story of the romance between a fearless heroine and the boy who wouldn't grow up.

 *My Thoughts*
      Okay I have to admit, I have never been much of a Peter Pan fan. I've never even seen the Disney adaptation of the film. The closest I ever got to seeing a Peter Pan tale was the movie Hook with Robin Williams. Pan was just never interesting enough for me. I was more of a Beauty and the Beast kinda gal. Then as I got older I got into romance and horror. So Peter Pan never crossed my mind much. Until now that is, when I was able to get my hands on an ARC of Tiger Lily, courtesy of HarperCollins via Twitter.

      What caught my eye about Tiger Lily was the fact that it was a fairytale retelling and I love those. Sure I was familiar with the story of Peter Pan even though I never read it, but it being told in a new light. I just had to see what it was all about. I was mighty glad I did too, because I loved the story and it may have pushed me to want to finally read the original tale.


      I really adored how Tinkerbell was the narrator and it made me want a fairy for some odd reason. Tink was loyal, spunky, and downright cute. It is then that we are introduced to Tiger Lily. Tink is intrigued with her and starts following her around everywhere. I honestly could not connect with her. Maybe that was the author's point but T.L was a hard person to like. Sure she was brave and independent and I liked that about her but I just could not connect with her on a personal level.


    Pan and the lost boys were awesome times ten. They were fun, funny, and an all around amazing group of boys. There is nothing more than I can say because I wouldn't know how to explain, you just need to read the book to understand. Peter and Tiger Lily's relationship was, how can I say this...awkward? He was loving in his own way but I wish that she showed him a bit more affection. Maybe if she had, it wouldn't have ended the way it did.


   But of course, what kind of book would that be if he ended up with Tiger Lily? Would that not change everything about the tale in the first place? (I will know soon enough when I read the original book)


   The imagery and imagination put into Neverland was endearing. It would not necessarily be a place I would like to live in but it was beautiful all the same. Plus there are mermaids and pirates! If you are looking for a light hearted and fun read, Tiger Lily is for you. I laughed and I cried, yes I cried. It was bittersweet. Do not let that stop you from reading though, it is such a good story. 


I highly recommend!!


Tiger Lily will be out tomorrow. Make sure to hit your local bookstore and buy the book:)
      

Intangible Review by author J. Meyers

Goodreads Summary:
Twins Sera and Luke Raine have a well-kept secret—she heals with a touch of her hand, he sees the future. All their lives they’ve helped those in need on the sly. They’ve always thought of their abilities as being a gift. Then Luke has a vision that Sera is killed. That gift they’ve always cherished begins to feel an awful lot like a curse. Because the thing about Luke’s ability? He’s always right. And he can’t do anything about it.




My Thoughts:
 My first thought when I read the summary was yay,twins! And they even like eachother! I am so used to those Delaurentis(spell check)twins from Pretty Little Liars that I am skeptical about all twins now a days.
But luckily I did not have to worry about psycho twins:) In fact these Sera and Luke are great.
 What I liked most about them is that they have special powers. As you have read above, she can heal with the touch of her hand, while he can see into the future.

It is bas enough that they have to keep it a secret. Like all great secrets though, they all must be found out sooner or later. Am I right? On top of that Luke has a vision of Sera dying. His love for his sister is what keeps the secret, well a secret. Anything that involves paranormals is just awesome. I love the possibility of it all and also the imagination. Intangible was just that, imagination and full of the paranormals! I can't possibly say enough about how much I loved it. ( Not to mention this is the second time writing this review since I lost it through blogger and I also deleted the review from my computer)Yes I know, smart. The characters and the plot are nicely done and the climax, wow. If only the sequel was out now:) Action, romance, and suspense, what more could you want?! Plus kick butt heroes, it makes it a great story that you rarely want to see end. That's for sure. All you need to know is that Intangible is great. That I do remember!

It is a great start to a book series, well I hope it makes it as a series or I might scream. There is a prequel book called Intution. I have not yet read it but I hear it is good to start off with that book!

Such A Rush Review by @JenniferEchols

Goodread Summary:
A sexy and poignant romantic tale of a young daredevil pilot caught between two brothers.

High school senior Leah Jones loves nothing more than flying. While she’s in the air, it’s easy to forget life with her absentee mother at the low-rent end of a South Carolina beach town. When her flight instructor, Mr. Hall, hires her to fly for his banner advertising business, she sees it as her ticket out of the trailer park. And when he dies suddenly, she’s afraid her flying career is gone forever.    

But Mr. Hall’s teenage sons, golden boy Alec and adrenaline junkie Grayson, are determined to keep the banner planes flying. Though Leah has crushed on Grayson for years, she’s leery of getting involved in what now seems like a doomed business — until Grayson betrays her by digging up her most damning secret. Holding it over her head, he forces her to fly for secret reasons of his own, reasons involving Alec. Now Leah finds herself drawn into a battle between brothers — and the consequences could be deadly.

My Thoughts:
Wow, that was amazing, was my first thoughts after finishing Such a Rush. I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy of the book and I waited a couple of weeks before I read it. After reading the book I went on to buy three more books from Echols and I have not been disappointed yet. Her stories make you fall in love and I love falling in love! Jennifer Echols is one of my new favorite authors.

Such a Rush...was, okay I am going to be corny, it was such a rush. Leah works at an airport as a receptionist. But she wants more, she wants to become a pilot. Now when I first got the book in the mail, I honestly was not too excited. Airplanes and the career of being a pilot are of no interest to me what so ever. Of course I had not read Echols yet, so I had no idea how addicting her books coud be. 


Let's just say, piloting does not seem so bad anymore. I would never do it because my number one fear is heights but it is still cool that Leah is pilot.
 Leah is from a home where she has to take care of herself and her mother. In my opinion, her mother is a loser and I feel bad for Leah. I hate crappy parents. I have great parents, so I guess I just assume all of them are like that. But I know not all parents are great and it makes me a little bit sad.


I fell in love with the characters, every single one of them. Grayson and Molly were the only ones who got on my nerves every now and then. I just wanted to shake them at times! Alec was so sweet and Leah was a strong, independent woman. Grayson and Alec are definitely book boyfriend material.


The romance made me swoon. I am not even kidding. I would be reading and then out of no where I would be smiling real big. I LOVED it. With two beautiful boys who want you, what is there not to like about that? Okay so I admit SOME love triangles are okay. This one for instance between Grayson and Alec and Leah. 

I read The Summer I Turned Pretty trilogy in one day last week. The love triangle in that book broke my heart and I was a blue for about a day because of it. Love triangles like that always remind me of why I hate them so much. Maybe it was because it hit too close to home with being with the wrong person. If you have not yet read those books, don't take my opinion on the love triangle too seriously. The books were amazing, they really were. It was real and beautiful.

But I PROMISE you will not get that kind of love triangle in Such A Rush! In fact there is a big twist.
I am gonna end on that note:)

Such A Rush comes out July 10 in bookstores near you. Don't hesitate to buy it because you will ot be disappointed! Those of you who have read Jennifers works before and loved her, this book is for you. I promise you it is fantastic!

Florence By Ciye Cho

Summary:
Seventeen-year-old Florence Waverley is out of her depth. Literally. Kidnapped and taken below the waves to the mer world of Niemela, she is the ultimate gift for merman Prince Kiren: a human familiar tied to his side. But nothing is what it seems amid the beauty and danger of a dark ocean.

Every Niemelan has a role to play, from the mermaids who weave towers out of kelp to the warriors who fight sea monsters. But in trying to survive, Florence will end up in the middle of a war between the mer and the Darkness. A conflict that will push her between two brothers: Kiren, the charmer inexplicably drawn to both her and the monsters; and Rolan, the loner who has been pushing her away since the day they met. But in order to take a stand--and find out where she belongs--Florence will have to risk it all: her life, her heart... and her very soul.

My thoughts:
When I first started reading Florence, I was excited due to the fact it was about mermaids. Mermaids are the "new" vampire so to speak. I don't know what it is abut mermaids that I find so intriguing but for some odd reason they have a place right smack dab in the middle of my heart.

I like Florence for many many reasons. I also dislike some things, not many, but enough to bug me. Let's start what I like about the book.

Florence Waverly is a loner, who doesn't quite fit in with anyone. With a mother who hardly pays attention to her and father she lost due to cancer, she is very much alone. Right there, I could relate to her. I still have both my parents thank God, and they both love me very much. I feel lonely in different ways than Florence.

As you have read from the summary above, she gets kidnapped but none other than mermaids themselves. Right off the bat we meet the characters that will be an influence on Florence. First is Prince Kiren, Princess Yolee, and Prince Rolan. Such strong, amazing characters.

Now here is where I get to the part I disliked. I did not like Florence too much in the begininng. She was immature, and to me she seemed younger than she was. But I think that is exactly what Mr.Cho wanted us to think because she grew throughtout the book into a strong young women. Headstrong and indpendent, such a lovely combination. Okay, so I didn't have too much to complain on:)

The imaginary world that was created was magical. I can see it being a real world some where deep in the ocean that we can't get access to. The possiblities are endless and that to me is just amazing. I have no idea if there is a second book but I really hope there is with the way the book ended. It was just too good.

Of course what kind of book would it be without some romance!? There is definitely some sparks going off with a certain prince, or two. Hahah. I guess you have to read the book to find that out for yourself which prince it ends up being.

Florence is for the readers who love action, some family drama, imaginary worlds you can only read about in books, and romance. Beautifully written and full of some great characters, I look forward to reading more about Florence and gang.

Hym and Hur Review by Phillip Frey

Hym and Hur 

Summary:
Hym and Hur are a young couple who never age and have been in love for more than a century. They also possess an array of magical abilities, two of which are either to play pranks on humankind or to perform good deeds. Enacting both at the same time is now what gets them into trouble, especially since it's the unruly character of Death they must deal with to bring their plans to fruition.

The prank Hym and Hur have come up with must first be agreed upon by Death, who happens to be a rambunctious, difficult character. Once agreed upon, the prank is set in motion. Hym and Hur soon discover Death had tricked them into a contract with dire consequences for all of us.

During their attempt to break the contract, Hym and Hur try to save the relationship of an earthbound couple, knowing they are truly meant for each other. A good deed that will bring Hym and Hur even more trouble.

My Review:
       I want to start off by saying how much I adore the title. It is a clever play on the words "him" and "her". I wish I could be that clever... Anyway...  I was contacted a few days ago by Mr. Frey to read and review this sweet story. Normally I don't read short stories because let's face it, I like big thick novels with 350 plus pages. But the story seemed like a good one, so I accepted his offer.
      I was pleasantly surprised while reading the first few pages and I really enjoyed Hym and Her. They were different and definitely people I wish I could meet. I was able to finish the story while on my lunch break at work. I quickly sent Phillip an email telling him that I was enjoying it very much. 
      My favorite character by far was Death himself. He was even more of a prankster than Hym and Hur. Plus he was funny and sarcastic. I feel comfortable around that because I am a little bit like that... Well only when I feel like it. Whatever the case, I wanted to see more of Death. There just was not enough of him. He mainly played behind the scenes. 
      Another character I really enjoyed was Archie. I felt he was as real as they come. A struggling artist who doesn't give up. Good things come to those who wait. I like his spunk and if there was a spin off book about him, I would be quick to pick it up.
     WHAT I did NOT enjoy...
I wish the story was longer! I would have loved hearing more stories from Hym and Hur's past. They seemed to have led an interesting life. Backstory, there's the word. I want more backstory on the two! Like why are they the way they are? Maybe I missed something?? I dont know but I would just like to know more.


Final VERDICT!

I loved it. If you are looking for a short and fun read, this is the story for you. It is funny and cute. What more could you want? 

Lastly, I'd like to thank Phillip Frey for allowing me to read and review his book. It was a pleasure doing business with you sir! 

     

Pulse of Heroes Review

Summary:
"WINNER OF 2011 INDIE BOOK OF THE YEAR!!!! At Paranormal Reads!
A suspenseful, passionate, paranormal romance that sweeps through the emotions of first love and heartache as it traverses centuries and continents.

Michelle used to feel like she was behind in everything, especially school and relationships. Her great aunt from the old country says she is like a bland meal, "no salt or pepper". But in junior year, everything changes. Her father takes a position on the Town Council, a popular boy in school becomes interested in her, and most importantly, the Hekademos Learning Center, a private school for 'troubled' students, moves into her quiet neighborhood amidst the protests of the entire town.

After an embarrassing fall over the school wall, Michelle meets Elliot and her ordinary ‘bland’ life changes its course forever.

Elliot is no ordinary human. In fact, no one at the Hekademos Learning Center is. Beautiful and fierce, they have survived throughout the millennia by weaving in and out of human events. Through them, Michelle learns that history and myths from around the world are dotted with references to their kind. Michelle falls madly in love with the ever-striking and mysterious Elliot and, as much as he tries to fight it, he develops strong feelings for her as well. Although Elliot carries numerous painful memories from his many pasts, he disregards his own better judgment and the advice of his friends, and finds himself falling for Michelle‘s offbeat personality. Their feelings grow in intensity, but when History catches up with them, the difference between their life paths threatens to destroy any future that they might have had together.

Michelle learns that there are infinite shades of gray between black and white, and has to deal with the bundle of contradictory emotions called love. She has to trust her intuition in order to face the danger and uncertainty of being drawn into Elliot’s wondrous world. Ultimately, it is up to Michelle to make the split-second, life-altering decision that will either tear them apart forever, or give them another chance."

Review:
I have very MIXED feelings about Pulse of Heroes. For the most part it was very slow starting out. And the first couple of chapters dragged on and on. I was about ready to give up because it seriously bored me to pieces. But I love books and I hate leaving them unfinished.

Good thing I decided to finish it too, because it was GREAT. I am so happy that I kept going and read more about Michelle and Elliot. Ahhh, Elliot. I really started to like him more and more as the pages flew by. The way the love started out was very sweet. I now get why the story developed as "slow" as I thought it did.

The cover is absolutely beautiful and mysterious. I love love love it! I so judge books by their covers and this one did not disappoint. The story was great and the cover was too. I can't possibly wait until the next book comes out!!!!

Pandemonium Review

Finally...FINALLY, I have had time to read the sequel to Delirium! I got Pandemonium the day it came out, actually I had pre-ordered it months before. I did not want to read it yet because I heard it had a killer ending that left you hanging. But obviously I caved. What can I say, I needed my Alex fix.

Lauren Oliver is an amazing writer and her books have a certain feel to it that I can not explain. Nobody writes like she does, that's for sure.

Goodreads Blurb:
I'm pushing aside the memory of my nightmare,
pushing aside thoughts of Alex,
pushing aside thoughts of Hana and my old school,
push,
push,
push,
like Raven taught me to do.
The old life is dead.
But the old Lena is dead too.
I buried her.
I left her beyond a fence,
behind a wall of smoke and flame.
Lauren Oliver delivers an electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Delirium. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite.


My Review:
Beautiful,heartbreaking, heart stopping, and action packed. Pandemonium did not disappoint as we follow Lena through the Wilds. I felt so much pain and emotion throughout the whole entire book.

   "Alex is alive. Push,push,push. I run until my feet are swollen, until my toes bleed and blister. Raven screams at me even as she is preparing buckets of cold water for my feel, tells me to be careful, warns me about the dangers of infection. Antibiotics are not easy to come by here.
     The next morning I wrap my toes in cloth, stuff my feet into shoes, and run again. If you can...just a little bit farther...just a little bit faster...you'll see, you'll see, you'll see. Alex is alive.
     I am not crazy. I know he isn't, not really. As soon as my runs are done and I am hobbling back to the church basement, it hits me like a wall: the stupidity of it all, the pointlessness. Alex is gone, and no amount of running or pushing or bleeding will bring him back.
     I know it. But here's the thing: When I'm running, there's always this split second when the pain is ripping through me and I can hardly breathe and all I see is color and blur--and in that split second, right as the pain crests, and becomes too much, and there's whiteness going through me, I see something to my left, a flicker of color (auburn hair, burning, a crown of leaves)--and I know then, too, that if I only turn my head he'll be there, laughing, watching me, holding out his arms.
    I don't ever turn my head to look. of course. But one day I will. One day I will, and he'll be back, and everything will be okay.
    And until then: I run." (Pandemonium pg. 51 on nook)

That whole page was so powerful to me. It overtook everything and I just broke down and cried. You see, what Lena has is hope. It is all any of us could ever have. But Alex died saving her life and yet, she still has hope that she will see him again and that he isn't dead. Which if you have read the book, you know what REALLY happens. I will not say to those who have not read the story, but let me tell you...that ending...wow! Oliver knows how to keep her readers begging for more.

While I loved the new and fierce Lena with her new life. I found myself missing her old and "simple" life. Such as Hana and of course Alex. If they could see the way Lena is now, they would probably not even recognize her. You do get to meet some new people in Pandemonium but I honestly was not at all attached to them. One of the first girls Lena meets in the Wilds, Raven, really irked me. I know she had to be strong to survive but, she still annoyed me with the ways she would treat Lena.

So Lena has a new love interest...
...enough said about that...

Overall thoughts:
If you do not enjoy the cliff hangers at the end of books, I suggest you wait to read until the third book comes out. Anyways this is a lovely second book to a wonderful series(or trilogy). I enjoyed seeing Lena change into an independent  bad*A. I can' WAIT until the next one:)
 

Beautiful Photography

Jori Marie - jorimarie's Photos

jorimarie.smugmug.com

Billions of happy photos, millions of passionate customers. Gorgeous online photo albums. Protect your priceless memories. Buy beautiful prints & gifts.

 

 

Photos are all done by my good friend Jori Cox:) I know this has nothing to do with books, but hey, photos are just as amazing as books can be. Especially the photos done by Jori. Go be a doll and check them out, you will not be disappointed!

 

 

What did I tell ya?;)

 

 

Need I say anymore?

 

 

Here is the photographer, awesome picture right? Well her sis took it! Must run in the family.

twitter: @jori_cox

website:jorimarie.smugmug.com

 

 

 

Okay you all get the gist of everything, correct? These are really good. Go check out the website I posted above. And while you are at it, go follow my blog:)

                                                               

The Hunger Games

Tonight is the midnight premiere of The Hunger Games! And guess who is going? Me! I am way excited, I even have my t shirt on:) Nerdy much? I would not say I was eagerly awaiting the movie because lets face it, I was not. The books were amazing and I like the people I picture in my own head. But maybe these actors will somehow grow on me....
Who knows? The cast for Twilight still has yet to grow on me, and the last movie comes out this summer.

This right here is Katniss Everdeen, the girl who is a bad a** and can shoot a bow and arrow. (I wish I could shoot one....) AWESOMEEEE! So I guess Jennifer Lawrence is okay looking in this picture. I was wondering how her hair would turn out once it was brown and surprisingly she actually looks fine.

My goodness this cast is beautiful...
Well MOST of them....
HAHA

Anyways, I am excited to see how they portray the book and I will go into the movie with an open mind. I understand that the movie can't possibly be just like the book. But I do hope they stick closely to it. Pretty please? It's all I can ask for, I mean since I am such a big fan and all...

Comment and tell me what you are expecting from The Hunger Games:)

Where is my Christian Grey? @e_l_james

Fifty Shades of Grey Review

I am sure you have all heard all the buzz about the book that is considered the "Twilight" for adults. While I did love Fifty Shades of Grey, I don't like that it is compared to twilight. Of course, the story is based off Twilight fan fiction. Granted it's no vampire story, it is simply based on Edward and Bella's relationship plus some other stuff that makes it somewhat comparable to Twilight. Christian is beautiful, powerful, controlling, and possessive. So in a way I can see a little bit of Edward Cullen in the now infamous Christian Grey. The billionaire heart throb who is in to BDSM. And for those who have no idea what that term even means, here is the wikipedia definition  of it:

BDSM is an erotic preference and a form of personal relationship involving the consensual use of restraint, intense sensory stimulation, and fantasy power role play. The compound initialism BDSM is derived from the terms bondage and discipline (B&D or B/D), dominance and submission (D&S or D/s), and sadism and masochism (S&M or S/M). BDSM includes a wide spectrum of activities, forms of interpersonal relationships, and distinct subcultures.

Are you as freaked out as I was? Well don't be! I was so scared of reading the book because let's face it, it's not exactly my cup of tea if you know what I mean. But my curiosity got the better of me from all the positive reviews it had been receiving. So about a month or two ago I finally caved in and bought it. At the time Barnes and Noble didn't have the books, so I had to by it straight from the publishers. I am mighty glad I did too.
Review time!

Goodreads Blurb:

When literature student Anastasia Steele is drafted to interview the successful young entrepreneur Christian Grey for her campus magazine, she finds him attractive, enigmatic and intimidating. Convinced their meeting went badly, she tries to put Grey out of her mind - until he happens to turn up at the out-of-town hardware store where she works part-time.

The unworldly, innocent Ana is shocked to realize she wants this man, and when he warns her to keep her distance it only makes her more desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her - but on his own terms. 

Shocked yet thrilled by Grey's singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success – his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving adoptive family – Grey is man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a passionate, physical and daring affair, Ana learns more about her own dark desires, as well as the Christian Grey hidden away from public scrutiny.

Can their relationship transcend physical passion? Will Ana find it in herself to submit to the self-indulgent Master? And if she does, will she still love what she finds?

Erotic, amusing, and deeply moving, the Fifty Shades Trilogy is a tale that will obsess you, possess you, and stay with you forever.

My Thoughts:

As you can tell from my little introduction from above, I did very much enjoy the story. Despite the fact that it is in fact an Erotica book. I mainly read Young Adult fiction, so this is definitely out of box of comforting stories that make me feel good. It made me feel good in a different way though, as many women may come to find.

Ana is your typical college good girl who helps out her best friend to interview a hot shot business man. Aka Christian Grey. When she meets him, she becomes flustered and blushes an awful lot. Very much like Bella. I do not know whether or not to call it annoying or what, but Ana got on my nerves because she flushed way too much. So her and Christian meet and instantly you can feel the chemistry between the two and I forgive her just a little for blushing every page of the book.

When we finally see what Christian is all about, my mouth just drops open in awe...or maybe I am

more freaked out than anything. Ana is one brave girl, because I would have left screaming for the hills if someone wanted me to be their submissive. No thank you! But as many of you have probably read/heard, this is a ROMANCE novel. Yes you heard me, romance! Okay, you can swoon now.

Christian Grey is the man every girl is talking and dreaming about. You want my honest opinion? I would not want a man who was anything like Christian. He has some serious issues...many that I have already stated, possessive, controlling, etc. I would not want a man like that. He is beautiful and he has money growing out of his butt! But to me that is not enough. Will my opinion change after I learn more about him and once I read the second book? Well I have read the second book and I will not tell you if my opinion has changed for the better until the next review comes out. But Christian Grey is everything the book says, all fifty shades.

"Sometimes I wonder if there's something wrong with me. Perhaps I've spent too long in the company of my literary romantic heroes, and consequently my ideals and expectations are far too high." -Ana

I love this quote. I spend far too much time wishing and praying I can find a guy just like the ones I read about. As well as many of my fellow readers/blogger/authors. My mind knows exactly what it wants, the problem is finding that perfect man. And then realizing that there is no such thing. It is still fun to fantasize about book boys such as Edward, Christian, Jace (The Mortal Instruments), and Will (The Infernal Devices).

So what I am really trying to say is that that is what The Fiftys trilogy is all about. Fantasy. Let loose and go check it out:)

Clockwork Prince Review

The Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

Hardcover, 498 pages

Published December 6th 2011 by Margaret K. McElderry Books

more details...

ISBN

1416975888 (ISBN13: 9781416975885)

edition language

English

original title

Clockwork Prince

series

The Infernal Devices #2

characters

Theresa Gray, Magnus Bane, William Herondale, James Carstairs, Jessamine Lovelace 

Jessamine Lovelace, Henry Branwell, Charlotte Branwell, Nathaniel Gray, Gideon Lightwood, Gabriel Lightwood, Sophie Collins ...less

setting

London, England, 1878 (United Kingdom)

literary awards

Children's Choice Book Award Nominee for Teen Choice Book of the Year (2012)

 

Summary:

In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa's powers for his own dark ends. 

 

With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister's war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move and that one of their own has betrayed them. 

Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will; the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do? 

As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.

My Review:

Love triangles, seriously! I absolutely despise them to a core. But this one...this is probably the first one that has ever broken my heart. I am obviously Team Will. I mean come on, who can resist the bad boy who isn't really a bad boy, but an amazingly sweet, and passionate guy? Not to mention beautiful. Um I can't resist! Plus he loves books, and I love a man who loves books. In my honest opinion, I think Tessa knows this too. Her heart truly lies with Will.
Yes I know she loves Jem but ...moreLove triangles, seriously! I absolutely despise them to a core. But this one...this is probably the first one that has ever broken my heart. I am obviously Team Will. I mean come on, who can resist the bad boy who isn't really a bad boy, but an amazingly sweet, and passionate guy? Not to mention beautiful. Um I can't resist! Plus he loves books, and I love a man who loves books. In my honest opinion, I think Tessa knows this too. Her heart truly lies with Will.

Yes I know she loves Jem but reading those last few pages, I can't help but to feel that she now feels obligated to marry him. Just my opinion though. I definitely felt giddy when Tessa and Jem has that kissing scene in his bedroom.

But nothing can beat The Balcony Scene. I think that surpasses even Jace and Clary.
Having said that I feel like I like this series more than the mortal instruments. Although, I would have liked to see more action and I would have liked to learned more about Tessa. I am sure we will find out more about it next book! 

Magnus Bane, the warlock, as etched his way into my heart. He is witty, and sarcastic, and all around fun!  When the shadowhunters are in trouble, he is there. I love him for that. I look forward to reading more of him:)

Cassandra you freaken rock!
Team Will ftw:)  

Up and Coming!

 These are all books that have amazing storylines and beautiful covers and they will be coming out this year! Yay! You could say they are on my wishlist. Take a look at all these wonderful books I am about to post and let me know what you think and what is on your wishlist!

 

Goodreads Blurb:
By Gina Rosati
Publication date:August 7, 2012

On the surface, there’s nothing remarkable about Anna Rogan: She gets average grades, she’s not especially fashionable, she spends most of her time just hanging out with her best friend Rei. But Anna does have a remarkable secret: she has the ability to do astral projection. She uses her out-of-body experiences to explore the universe, until one day when there’s an accident at school and her classmate Taylor gets into her body. Now Taylor’s using her new identity to accuse an innocent boy of murder and she shows no signs of leaving Anna’s body. The only person who knows Anna’s secret is Rei, and as her feelings for Rei grow she must face a future where they can never touch...unless they can find a way to get Taylor out of Anna’s body, stop the murder trial, and discover the true nature of Anna’s power.

Goodreads Synopsis:
 By Sarah Cross
Publication date: April 10, 2012

True love’s kiss just may prove deadly....

Mirabelle’s past is shrouded in secrecy, from her parents’ tragic deaths to her guardians’ half-truths about why she can’t return to her birthplace, Beau Rivage. Desperate to see the town, Mira runs away a week before her sixteenth birthday—and discovers a world she never could have imagined.

In Beau Rivage, nothing is what it seems—the strangely pale girl with a morbid interest in apples, the obnoxious playboy who’s a beast to everyone he meets, and the chivalrous guy who has a thing for damsels in distress. Here, fairy tales come to life, curses are awakened, and ancient stories are played out again and again.

But fairy tales aren’t pretty things, and they don’t always end in happily ever after. Mira has a role to play, a fairy-tale destiny to embrace or resist. As she struggles to take control of her fate, Mira is drawn into the lives of two brothers with fairy-tale curses of their own ... brothers who share a dark secret. And she’ll find that love, just like fairy tales, can have sharp edges and hidden thorns.

Goodreads synopsis:
By Lex Thomas
Publication date: April 24, 2012

The Thorpe brothers are on their own. Ever since their mom died, and their dad took a big job, David’s been forced to play parent to his epileptic younger brother, Will. He knows he’s got to teach Will how to take care of himself sooner rather than later. But when a mysterious explosion rocks their high school one morning, David realizes he needs to teach Will real survival skills, if the two of them are going to make it out alive. With the explosion, a deadly virus is unleashed on the school. The virus only infects teenagers in their peak puberty years, causing them to lose their hair and making them lethal to adults and children. Within minutes, every faculty member is dead. The military quarantines the building, opening fire on any escape attempt and installing bi-monthly food drops. After a year of quarantine, with no adults around, all of the social cliques have developed into gangs—The Nerds, The Geeks, The Freaks, The Skaters, The Pretty Ones and Varsity—and without a gang, it’s almost impossible to survive.

Because of an old grudge, David is hated by Varsity, the scariest gang in school. Because no gang wants trouble from Varsity, nobody wants David or Will as a member. Now, more than ever, the brothers need to work together, but if the school doesn't kill them, sibling rivalry will.

In this dark and captivating debut, Lex Thomas takes readers on a thrilling ride of a high school where fitting in is a matter of life-or-death.

Goodreads synopsis:
By Kristina McBride
Publication date: June 26, 2012

This was supposed to be the best summer of Maggie’s life. Now it's the one she'd do anything to forget.

Maggie Reynolds remembers hanging out at the gorge with her closest friends after a blowout party the night before. She remembers climbing the trail hand in hand with her perfect boyfriend, Joey. She remembers that last kiss, soft, lingering, and meant to reassure her. So why can’t she remember what happened in the moment before they were supposed to dive? Why was she left cowering at the top of the cliff, while Joey floated in the water below – dead?

As Maggie’s memories return in snatches, nothing seems to make sense. Why was Joey acting so strangely at the party? Where did he go after taking her home? And if Joey was keeping these secrets, what else was he hiding?

The latest novel from the author of The Tension of Opposites, One Moment is a mysterious, searing look at how an instant can change everything you believe about the world around you.

 Goodreads synopsis:
By Huntley Fitzpatrick
Publication date: June 14, 2012


"One thing my mother never knew, and would disapprove of most of all, was that I watched the Garretts. All the time."

The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, numerous, messy, affectionate. And every day from her balcony perch, seventeen-year-old Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them… until one summer evening Jase Garrett climbs her trellis and changes everything. As the two fall fiercely in love and stumble through the awkwardness and awesomeness of first romance, Jase's family makes Samantha one of their own - even as she keeps him a secret from her disapproving mother and critical best friend. Then the unthinkable happens, and the bottom drops out of Samantha's world. She's suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself?

A debut novel about family, friendship, first romance, and how to be true to one person you love without betraying another.

Goodreads synopsis:
By Tina Connolly
Publication date: October 2012

Jane Eliot wears an iron mask.

It's the only way to contain the fey curse that scars her cheek. The Great War is five years gone, but its scattered victims remain -- the ironskin.

Now Jane returns to the war-torn country to help a fey-cursed child. Helping the unruly Dorie suppress her curse is hard enough -- she certainly didn't expect to fall for the girl's father, the enigmatic artist Mr. Rochart. But her blossoming crush is stifled by her own scars, and by his parade of women. Ugly women, who enter his closed studio -- and come out as beautiful as the fey.

Jane knows he cannot love her, just as she knows that she must wear iron for the rest of her life. But what if neither of these things are true? Step by step Jane must unlock the secrets of her new life -- and discover just how far she will go to become whole again.

Goodreads synopsis:
By Tiffany Trent
Publication date: August 14, 2012

In an alternate London where magical creatures are preserved in a museum, two teens find themselves caught in a web of intrigue, deception, and danger.

Vespa Nyx wants nothing more than to spend the rest of her life cataloging Unnatural creatures in her father’s museum, but as she gets older, the requirement to become a lady and find a husband is looming large. Syrus Reed’s Tinker family has always served and revered the Unnaturals from afar, but when his family is captured to be refinery slaves, he finds that his fate may be bound up with Vespa’s—and with the Unnaturals.

As the danger grows, Vespa and Syrus find themselves in a tightening web of deception and intrigue. At stake may be the fate of New London—and the world.

Goodreads synopsis:
By Elizabeth Fama
Publication date: September 4, 2012

Fierce, seductive mermaid Syrenka falls in love with Ezra, a young naturalist. When she abandons her life underwater for a chance at happiness on land, she is unaware that this decision comes with horrific and deadly consequences. Almost one hundred forty years later, seventeen-year-old Hester meets a mysterious stranger named Ezra and feels overwhelmingly, inexplicably drawn to him. For generations, love has resulted in death for the women in her family. Is it an undiagnosed genetic defect . . . or a curse? With Ezra’s help, Hester investigates her family’s strange, sad history. The answers she seeks are waiting in the graveyard, the crypt, and at the bottom of the ocean—but powerful forces will do anything to keep her from uncovering her connection to Syrenka and to the tragedy of so long ago.

 Goodreads synopsis:
By Amanda Hocking
Publication date: August 7, 2012


Lose yourself in the magic of Watersong, an unforgettable new series about two sisters who nearly lose their lives - and their loves - when they fall under the spell of three beautiful but deadly sirens.

First in a four-book paranormal romance YA series from bestselling author, Amanda Hocking.

Goodreads blurb:
By Sarah Wylie
Publication date: June 5, 2012

Sixteen-year-old Dani is convinced she has nine lives. As a child she twice walked away from situations where she should have died. But Dani’s twin, Jena, isn’t so lucky. She has cancer and might not even be able to keep her one life. Dani’s father is in denial. Her mother is trying to hold it together and prove everything’s normal. And Jena is wasting away.

To cope, Dani sets out to rid herself of all her extra lives. Maybe they’ll be released into the universe and someone who wants to live more than she does will get one. Someone like Jena. But just when Dani finds herself at the breaking point, she’s faced with a startling realization. Maybe she doesn’t have nine lives after all. Maybe she really only ever had one.