Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

 Publication Date: January 4, 2011

Summary 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 that 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 deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny? 

My Two Cents:

Wowwww. How many different languages can I say I loved this book in??? ummm well I only know English so there. Okay first let me calm down and take it one step at a time.

The Characters-I love ALL of them. Clara because even though she's part angel and that supposedly makes her perfect in everything she does, she's not. Surprise! Her character will appeal to many teens because she's so honest about her faults. She's not always graceful and almost a bit clumsy. She has crushes and rivalries just like every other girl. Her mom is a bit mysterious but in the end when I see why, I can definitely respect it. Clara's two friends Angela and Wendy are so different but they each add something to the story and help Clara in sticky situations.

Clara keeps seeing bits and pieces of her purpose on earth which involve a guy she only sees from behind for the longest. The family packs up everything to move to where this mysterious boy lives to be closer to fulfilling it. Turns out it's Christian and he makes Clara's heart flutter with one look. During the day she's spending her time trying to get closer to Christian to find clues about her purpose and at night she's learning to fly with her angel wings.

What she didn't count on was meeting Tucker, who's the exact opposite of Christian. Even though Tucker wore cowboy boots and probably looked like something out of the Wild Wild West he still made me smile at his charisma. By the end of this book your head will probably be spinning from so many twists and turns. The romance factor in this book is perfect. Great timing and not rushed.

This is such a different take on an "angel" book. This turns regular old angels into pretty much human beings that have real lives. It's almost like a secret society. But there's rules to this and not everyone is a good angel. One thing I've learned here is that a lot of times we think we have a map of our future but sometimes things have a way of changing at the drop of a dime.

Rating:

Top 5 Greatest Author (In the Flesh) Moments

As part of the Top Five Challenge hosted by Adele @ Persnickety Snark, today's topic is the Top Five Greatest Author (In the Flesh) Moments. 

Living in New York definitely has its perks. I do get plenty of opportunities to meet authors. Unfortunately some of them are during the day when I'm at work but when they're in the evening I try my best to make it. So here goes:

I met Ebony Joy Wilkins, author of Sell-out. Isn't she pretty?? She was all dressed up for the event. She had champagne and custom made cupcakes with the name of the book on them! She was just such a sweetheart and so was her mom. This was definitely one of the best signings I've ever been to.

 

Here I am with Angie Frazier author of Everlasting and Heidi Kling author of Sea. These ladies were so awesome.  This is the second one we ended up taking because they wanted to make sure it was perfect if I was going to post it LOL.

Simone Elkeles!! That's my homegirl. She was so cool that her booth at BEA had chocolate covered strawberries and champagne! She keeps it sexy in her books AND her signings. I love it! 

Myself with Irene Latham author of Leaving Gee's Bend. That's actually a doll of her main character Ludelphia. We had such a great conversation about her writing about a POC and why she chose Gee's Bend Alabama. She's really nice and I loved her accent.

Last but not least Ms. Laurie Halse Anderson who needs no introduction. How could anyone read YA and not know her?? I must admit I was so nervous..shaking even. She's such a legend I didn't know if she would be all hollywood.  She definitely was not! She called us twins because we both decided on fabulous purple sweaters for the day :)

In My Mailbox (27)

In My Mailbox highlights all the good stuff we've received throughout the week. It is hosted by Kristi The Story Siren. First off, Merry Christmas everyone!! I hope everyone received what they wanted. Most of my family is in Florida for Christmas so we're all going to get together to open gifts next weekend when they come back. So it was just me and James :) This was a slow week for books for me. Just one but I'm excited about it!

Intrinsical by Lani Wood

Publication Date: August 20, 2010

Summary from Amazon:

Sixteen-year-old Yara Silva has always known that ghosts walk alongside the living. Her grandma, like the other females in her family, is a Waker, someone who can see and communicate with ghosts. Yara grew up watching her grandmother taunted and scorned for this unusual ability and doesn't want that to be her future. She has been dreading the day when she too would see ghosts, and is relieved that the usually dominant Waker gene seems to have skipped her, letting her live a normal teenage life. However, all that changes for Yara on her first day at her elite boarding school when she discovers the gene was only lying dormant. She witnesses a dark mist attack Brent, a handsome fellow student, and rushes to his rescue. Her act of heroism draws the mist's attention, and the dark spirit begins stalking her. Yara finds herself entrenched in a sixty-year-old curse that haunts the school, threatening not only her life, but the lives of her closest friends as well. Yara soon realizes that the past she was trying to put behind her isn't going to go quietly.

What good stuff did you get??

A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford

Publication Date: February 22, 2011

ARC Source: ATW Tours

Summary from Goodreads:

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.

My Two Cents:

 At first it took me a little while to get into this one. It was a bit confusing. The author created her own world where there's Bound Angels that are good, Fallen Angels that are bad, and Siders that are in between the two. The terms also took some time to get used to such as Touch, Screamers, Siders, Passing. Once you get used to all of those things and understand it all, it can be a very interesting book. It's very hard to step out of the box and write about something different, so I commend the author for pulling it off successfully.

Eden is very no-nonsense with her pink streaks and dressed in goth wear. In the beginning she's got a pretty sad life until Az and Gabrielle come into her life. But the question is, did they make it better or ruin it? That's up to the reader to decide. However, they definitely changed it. She falls extremely hard for Az. I love them together because I felt the chemistry from the first time Az told her that horrible pickup line. It was all so natural, but turns out they needed each other. He needs her in order not to Fall and she needs him to stay alive.

When tragedy strikes and she begins to put all the pieces together, her heart turns cold. That's when Eden really becomes a force to be reckoned with. She changes her whole look and gains a posse who will do anything to protect her. A love triangle, distrust, angels, demons, it's all here. My only complaint is that the plot seemed to jump around a bit. The past, the present, this person's view verses this other person's view.  I loved the minor characters and I hope to learn more about them in the upcoming novels. 

Rating:

Guess What My Blog got for Chistmas???

A new outfit!! After a year of thinking hard about what direction I wanted to go in with this blog this is what I came up with. The old one made me cringe! It was so dark and drab and soo not ME and what my blog was supposed to be about. I want to give a HUGE Thank You to Jessica from A Fanatic's Book Blog for designing this one for me. This girl is just full of all kinds of awesomeness! If you're ever looking for a new look she's definitely the way to go. She's so patient, helpful and her prices are very fair. I'm sure I will be using her again in the future! Please note that it is still under construction and some links aren't working just yet.

Give me your thoughts, comments, feedback, suggestions..anything.

In My Mailbox (26)

In My Mailbox highlights all the great things we've received during the week and is hosted by Kristi The Story Siren.

 

~The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa (pbs)

~The First Part Last by Angela Johnson (pbs)

~The Red Queen's Daughter by Jacqueline Kolosov (pbs)

~Hidden by Tomas Mournian (for review)

~Leviathan by Scott Westerfield (pbs)

So that's it for me! What did you get??

Waiting on Wednesday (14)

Waiting on Wednesday is brought to you by Jill @ Breaking the Spine. It highlights the upcoming books we are most anticipating. I've decided to start back up doing these. This week I'm excited about:

Jazz in Love by Neesha Meminger

Publication Date: January 3, 2011
Why I'm So Antsy:


Jasbir, otherwise known as Jazz, has always been a stellar student and obedient, albeit wise-cracking, daughter. Everything has gone along just fine - she has good friends in the "genius" program she's been in since kindergarten, her teachers and principal adore her, and her parents dote on her. But now, in her junior year of high school, her mother hears that Jazz was seen hugging a boy on the street, and goes ballistic. Mom immediately implements the Guided Dating Plan, which includes setting up blind dates with "suitable," pre-screened Indian candidates. There's only one problem: the new boy at school, the very UNsuitable hottie, is the one who gets Jazz's blood boiling. When Jazz makes a few out-of-the-ordinary decisions, everything explodes, and she realizes she'll need a lot more than her genius education to get out of the huge mess she's created. Can Jazz find a way to follow her own heart, and still stay in the good graces of her parents?

I'm so excited for this one! I've heard great things about this author and the summary makes it seem light and cute. Plus the main character is a POC!

Timeless by Alexandra Monir

Publication Date: January 11, 2010
Source: Different Area Code Tours
Summary from Goodreads:


When tragedy strikes Michele Windsor’s world, she is forced to uproot her life and move across the country to New York City, to live with the wealthy, aristocratic grandparents she’s never met. In their old Fifth Avenue mansion filled with a century’s worth of family secrets, Michele discovers a diary that hurtles her back in time to the year 1910. There, in the midst of the glamorous Gilded Age, Michele meets the young man with striking blue eyes who has haunted her dreams all her life – a man she always wished was real, but never imagined could actually exist. And she finds herself falling for him, into an otherworldly, time-crossed romance.

Michele is soon leading a double life, struggling to balance her contemporary high school world with her escapes into the past. But when she stumbles upon a terrible discovery, she is propelled on a race through history to save the boy she loves – a quest that will determine the fate of both of their lives.

My Two Cents:

Can you put a time limit on love? According to this book, no. Michele's had dreams about a young man since she was a little girl and never understood why she felt so much love for this stranger. When Michele finds the beautiful chain with the key, she is transported back in time to her ancestors. From 1910, to the roaring 20's, and through the World War Michele is there.

Monir paints such a vivid picture for the reader while describing old NYC. I live in NY so the landmarks and streets that were being named, I knew. I literally saw the horse drawn carriages, the flapper dresses, to the smoky cotton club. I'm a huge fan of historical fiction so this was right down my alley. Usually I'm upset when romances happen fairly quickly in books but this was a different case. Michele's been dreaming about Philip since she was a young girl. Well of course all she needed to do was see him for that love to awaken in her.

When I read this mostly I was on the train. I had no idea what was going on around me. I remember a few times almost missing my stop and thinking "Wait, where am I??" It felt like I was completely transported back in time myself. The author does an excellent job of drawing us in and holding us there. I was not confused by the time traveling at all. The transitions were done very smoothly. I like the way we visited all of Michele's ancestor's, each in a different era. This novel is humorous at times, heart breaking, engaging and romantic. I truly enjoyed it and it is a beautiful love story definitely for hopeless romantics. 

Rating:

In My Mailbox (25)

 In My Mailbox highlights the books we've received for the week and is hosted by Kristi The Story Siren. The best word to describe my haul this week is FABULOUS! So many good things in one week.

~Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

~Pearl by Jo Knowles

~Small as an Elephant by Jennifer Richard Jacobson

~Draw the Dark by Ilsa J. Bick

~Lost Voices by Sarah Porter

~Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann

~Strings Attached by Judy Blundell

~Ten Miles Past Normal by Frances O'Roark Dowell

~Shine by Lauren Myracle

~Kindred by Tammar Stein

~Thirst No.3 The Eternal Dawn by Christopher Pike

~Those That Wake by Jesse Karp

~Rage by Jackie Morse Kessler

~Slice of Cherry by Dia Reeves

~So Much Pretty by Cara Hoffman

~Amazing Acts of Courage by Gloria Whelan

~Lady MacBeth's Daughter by Lisa Klein

~The Pact by Monica McKayhan (Received from my secret pal for Ari's Holiday Swap. Thanks so much Roberta!!)

What did YOU Get??

2011 YA Historical Fiction Challenge

I am a sucker for YA historical fiction! mostly because the characters are fiction but most of the things in that time period actually happened. Such as important historical events, the clothes they wear, and the language they use. So I end up being entertained AND I get to learn something! Much more interesting than reading a History textbook lol. Anywho, this year it's hosted by YA Bliss. Here's what it's about:

• All Historical Fiction books must be YA or MG
• Books don't have to be 2011 releases.
• Anyone can join. Please link to a public (web) place I can find you.
• You can join at anytime. The challenge runs from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2011

 The Levels:

Level 1: 5 YA HF books in 2011
Level 2: 10 YA HF books in 2011
Level 3: 15 YA HF books in 2011

 

Some books I will most likely be reading for this:

1. Ingenue (Flappers #2)-Jillian Larkin
2. The Vespertine-Saundra Mitchell
3. Beautiful Days-Anna Godberson
4. Forgiven-Janet Fox
5. Cleopatra's Moon-Vicky Alvear Shecter

I'm going to go for Level 2 but I will probably go over because there are sooo many good historical novels coming out next year. To Participate go HERE

2011 Debut Author Challenge

 

 The first time I heard of this challenge was this year, but I'd only had my blog for a few months so I didn't really want to commit to anything. But now I think I'm ready! Not to mention I've been reading debuts all year so I probably could have participated anyway. This challenge is being hosted by Kristi The Story Siren. So here's the gist of it:

You have to read at least 12 Young Adult or Middle Grade novels by debut Authors.

The Rules:

• Books must be a Young Adult or Middle Grade novel.
• DO NOTE: Just because a book has a teen character or is about a teen, does not mean that it is necessarily a Young Adult novel. 
• This must be the authors debut with a release date in 2011. 
• If an author has a previous novel published under adult fiction/nonfiction or children's fiction/nonfiction, they can still qualify for the challenge if they are releasing their YA or MG debut. 

You also don't have to be a blogger to participate. Here are some of my definite reads for next year:

1. XVI-Julia Karr
2. The Trouble with a Half Moon-Danette Vigilante
3. The Water Wars-Cameron Stracher
4. Between Shades of Gray-Ruta Sepetys
5. Wither-Lauren DeStefano
6. Clarity-Kim Harrington
7. Die for Me-Amy Plum
8. Wake Unto Me-Lisa Cach201
9. Entangled-Cat Clarke
10. Entwined-Heather Dixon

To Sign Up go HERE

In My Mailbox (24) Black Friday Edition

In My Mailbox highlights all the books we've received throughout the week and is hosted by Kristi The Story Siren. This week was awesome because of the great books but I also got my stuff that I ordered on Black Friday. So I'm HAPPY :-D

 

~The Flappers:Vixen by Jillian Larkin

~Wither by Lauren DeStefano

~Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

 ~The Other Side of Dark by Sarah Smith

 ~Where I Belong by Gwendolyn Heasley

~Aces Up by Lauren Barnholdt

And Now Because I couldn't control myself during Black Friday...........

UGGS!!

                                            

New suede Pumps from my favorite shoe store!!

 New ankle Booties from there also!

 Don't ask me how much I spent but in my defense they were all practically half off the normal price!

What did YOU Get???

Once in a Full Moon by Ellen Schreiber

Publication Date: December 28, 2010
Source: Around the World Tours
Summary from Goodreads:
 
Celeste Parker is used to hearing scary stories about werewolves—Legend's Run is famous for them. She's used to everything in the small town until Brandon Maddox moves to Legend's Run and Celeste finds herself immediately drawn to the handsome new student. 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.
Her best friends may never forgive her if she gives up her perfect boyfriend, Nash, for Brandon, who's from the wrong side of town. But she can't deny her attraction or the strong pull he has on her. Brandon may be Celeste's hero, or he may be the most dangerous creature she could encounter in the woods of Legend's Run.
Psychic predictions, generations-old secrets, a town divided, and the possibility of falling in love with a hot and heroic werewolf are the perfect formula for what happens . . . once in a full moon. 

My Two Cents:

Okay first I loved loved loved the cover for this book. Plus I've been told that Ellen Schreiber's Vampire Kisses series is pretty good. I did identify with the main character Celeste because she was stuck between following her heart and doing what felt natural to her (pleasing everyone).


The romance happened a bit quickly. Am I the only person noticing this happening a lot lately? One page they're saying "hello" and on the next page they're making out! I love the sexy stuff but c'mon make me pant for it lol. I also found issues with her relationships with the minor characters (ex-boyfriend, best friends, parents). Her conversations with her friends didn't flow very smoothly and seemed a bit awkward for girls that are supposedly your bffs. Her ex-boyfriend was just clingy and extremely annoying. The only person I loved was Brandon. I just wish his story was fleshed out a bit more.


This was a cute book. Unfortunately I was not looking for cute when I read the summary. I was expecting something dark and dangerous. If you're a teen who wants to try out a werewolf book but don't want to be afraid to turn out the light, then this is perfect for you. It was geared more towards teens than Young Adults in my opinion. Young Adults may find this one to be a bit too kiddie. It was just okay for me.


Rating:

In My Mailbox (23)

In My Mailbox highlights all the books we've received throughout the week and is hosted by Kristi The Story Siren.

~Fall For Anything by Courtney Summers (Woohoo!)
~Misguided Angel by Melissa De La Cruz
~Across the Universe by Beth Revis
~The Heretic Queen by Michelle Moran
~Torment by Kate Lauren


Not as much as I received last week but I'm happy! Also, just as a heads up I am in the middle of doing a total revamp of this blog. Stay tuned..

Echoes by Melinda Metz

Publication Date: July 27th, 2010

Source: Purchased

Summary from Goodreads:

From the author of the Roswell High books comes a series that combines everything that teens love—a relatable heroine struggling to fit in, a tension-filled friendship that develops into more, an overarching mystery to be solved, and a fresh supernatural twist. Originally published as the Fingerprints series, the first three books are combined here in an exciting, edgy package that introduces fans of Wake and Pretty Little Liars to these suspenseful and action-packed paranormal thrillers.

With one touch of an object, Rae can pick up what whoever touched it before her was thinking. What she hears freezes her blood: Someone close by is planning to hurt her...and she has no clue why. As Rae reluctantly teams up with Anthony to figure out who is behind these malicious thoughts, she stumbles upon a much larger secret. And this mystery from her past may hold the key to Rae’s future.


My Two Cents:

What a way to hold someone in suspense! The summary above is not identical to what's usually on the back cover of a book. So pretty much when I began reading it I had no idea what Rae's deal was. I honestly thought she was going crazy like everyone else in the novel. We're almost halfway into the book before it is finally revealed how she can hear these thoughts. I was a bit relieved that it wasn't just her hearing people's thoughts. Finally something different!

Rae is popular. She has a great boyfriend, bff, and even the reserved lunch table. Then one day her perfect life goes up in smoke when she begins hearing voices. She's put into a hospital until she finally convinces everyone that she no longer hears the "voices". Of course this is a lie, but it works. Only now she has to go to these group meetings which is where she meets Anthony.

I love Anthony out of all the characters because he's labeled as a bad guy but he's really not. He's a sweetheart deep down and is just misunderstood. Anthony is the first to shed some light on Rae's "gift". As far as the romance aspect, every time I thought it was coming it would sort of fall flat.  To be honest I'm fine with them just being good friends. I really didn't feel the chemistry between them in that way.

By the time I closed this book I was pretty angry. Imagine going up on a roller coaster and getting stuck at the top right before it's supposed to come all the way down. That's this whole book! Except by the time you turn the last page you have even more questions than you did when you first started it. UGh!! I need to know the answers now. I felt like someone had played a cruel joke on me but nope. That was really the end. If this drives you nuts like it did me, you should probably wait for the next book in the series to come out before reading this one.

Rating:

In My Mailbox (22)

In My Mailbox highlights all the books we've received throughout the week and is hosted by Kristi The Story Siren.

I'm a little PO'd right now. Since I have 2 weeks worth of books I decided to do a vlog. I did the whole thing and can you believe it said something was wrong with my converter??! I don't even know what it means by that. All I know is I wasted all that time for nothing and I actually put on makeup! I need to find another player..Thought you should know lol. Anywho on to the BOOKS!

Bright Young Things-Anna Godberson

Blue Bloods: Keys to the Repository-Melissa de la Cruz

Threads and Flames-Esther Friesner

Please Ignore Vera Dietz-A.S. King

Crescendo-Becca Fitzpatrick

Amelia O'Donohue is So Not a Virgin-Helen Fitzgerald

Cate of the Lost Colony-Lisa Klein

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo-Stieg Larsson

Slayed-Amanda Marrone

Elixir-Hilary Duff

The Six Rule of Maybe-Deb Caletti

Trance-Linda Gerber

The Lighter Side of Life and Death-C.K. Kelly Martin

When the Stars Go Blue-Caridad Ferrer

Freefall-Mindi Scott

The Carbon Diaries 2017-Saci Lloyd

Rosebush-Michele Jaffe

Timeless-Alexandra Monir

The Scorch Trials-James Dashner

16 Isn't Always Sweet-Cassandra Carter

Water Wars-Cameron Stracher

The Iron Thorn-Caitlin Kittredge

Between Shades of Gray-Ruta Sepetys

Anna and the French Kiss-Stephanie Perkins

Camo Girl-Kekla Magoon

All You Get is Me-Yvonne Prinz

Ashes-Kathryn Lasky

Throat-R.A. Nielson

The Trouble with Half a Moon-Danette Vigilante

The Cries of Vampira-Sean H. Robertson

Words in the Dust-Trent Reedy

Book Blogger Hop (12)

Book Blogger Hop is a fun meme hosted by Jennifer @ Crazy For Books. This is a great way to discover new blogs and connect with more people. If you'd like to participate, visit Crazy For Books where she explains how it works.

 "Since Thanksgiving is coming up next week, let's use this week's Hop to share what we are most thankful for and what our holiday traditions are!"

I am most thankful for my family who is always supportive of what I do, my boyfriend James who I love but drives me nuts, and good friends. Even though I've been a little sick lately it could be worst! So I'm thankful for good health.
Traditions? Well usually everyone meets at my mom's house. My mom makes pretty much everything. My brother in law makes the turkey with special sauce and candied yams with marshmallows..YUM (I can't wait!). What do I bring you ask? The desert LOL. Usually an apple pie because I don't eat cake. For some reason every year my pie that I've purchased in the box always goes untouched! So I'm trying to think of another desert to bring that isn't cake that everyone can enjoy. Any suggestions??    

Branded: Fall of Angels by Keary Taylor

Publication Date: March 4, 2010

Source: Teen Book Scene, Author

Summary from Goodreads:

Night after night, Jessica stands trial before a council of vindictive angels for deeds she didn’t commit. Condemnation brings a branding as they dementedly laugh and point but exaltation starts a war over her soul.These are Jessica’s nightmares.Alex is everything Jessica could ever want and she’ll do anything to be with him. Even tell him the truth about angels, why she never sleeps, and the scar on the back of her neck.This is what she will fight for.But the nightmares rule Jessica’s life and she must find a way to stop the events that are pulling her toward her own judgment or become the object of her greatest fear. And lose Alex forever.

My Two Cents:

I know I know.....more angels! Angels for some reason have become the big thing in YA. Especially Fallen angels. However this sheds a whole different light on them. I wouldn't actually classify this as an "angel" book. It also has nothing to do with Fallen angels. This is a novel about love, true friendship, and right and wrong.


Main character Jessica is unlike any character I've come across. She's not what we would call "friendly" but she's a great friend. She's not exactly what we would call "boy crazy" but the first guy who she comes across in the book makes her heart flutter. She lived her life keeping this huge secret for fear of being put in the nut house.

The romance between Jessica and Alex happened fairly quickly. But when it does it's so sweet and genuine. I found Alex to be very swoon-worthy. It's almost as if his personality was taken from the Perfect Man list.  Caring? check. Hot? check. Catering? check. Protective? check! 

There was so much more beneath the surface in this one. The trials Jessica had to stand for every time she slept were intense. I found myself holding my own breath to see if she would be cast Up or Down. I definitely was not expecting the ending which is unusual for me. All of the pieces finally fit together and everything made sense. My only issue is that this novel probably could have been a bit shorter because at some parts I found myself skipping a page or two to get to the point. Other than that I enjoyed this ride. I'm looking forward to the sequel Forsaken.

Rating:






In case you missed it, I did get a chance to interview main character Jessica.  Also if you haven't already, make sure you enter my contest to win a signed copy of this book HERE

Winners Winners Winners!!

Sorry for the delay on these! Things have been a bit hectic for me lately.

According to Random Org.........................................................

Winner of Subway Girl is Katelyn The Bookshelf Sophisticate
Winner of Party Girl! is Kisah J.
Winner of The Romeo & Juliet Code is Erin @ Bookish in a Box
Winner of the fabulous skull earrings from my Halloween Read-a-thon mini challenge is Vampires and Tofu

Thanks to everyone that entered. Don't forget to enter my newest contest to win a signed copy of Branded:Fall of Angels by Keary Taylor if you haven't already!

In My Mailbox (21)

In My Mailbox highlights all the books we've received throughout the week and is hosted by Kristi The Story Siren. Even though I've been on a little blogging hiatus I've accumulated a good haul!

~See What I See by Gloria Whelan

~Pink by Lili Wilson

~Twice Bitten by Chloe Neil

~Daughter of Xanadu by Dori Jones Yang

~Emily the Strange: Dark Times by Rob Reger

~Along the River by Adeline Yen Mah

~I Was Jane Austen's Best Friend by Cora Harrison

~Once a Witch by Carolyn McCullough

~The Frenzy by Francesca Lia Block

~Enchanted Ivy by Sarah Beth Durst

~Desires of the Dead by Kimberly Derting

~Remember Me by Christopher Pike

What Did You Get??

Branded Tour Interview + Giveaway

Branded: Fall of Angels by Keary Taylor 

 

Publication Date: March 4, 2010

Summary from Goodreads:

Jessica’s had the nightmares for as long as she can remember. Nightmares of being judged for people who have died, of being branded by the angels. Her friends and family think she’s a crazy because of it all. Yet she carries the mark of the condemned, seared into the back of her neck, and hides it and herself away from the world.

But when two men she can’t ignore enter her life everything changes, including the nightmares. The two of them couldn’t be more different. She will do anything to be with one of them. Even tell him the truth about angels, why she never sleeps, and the scar on the back of her neck. But one of the two has set events into motion what will puller her toward her own judgment and turn her into the object of her greatest fear.



Today I'm getting up close and personal with Main Character Jessica!

1. How would you describe your life on an everyday basis?

I spend a lot of time by myself so I’ve become a bit of an obsessive cleaner. I love playing the guitar. I also spend a lot of time with Sal. Every day is just a struggle to cope. I try to just take everything one day at a time. Now that Alex is in the picture things are looking a lot brighter…

2. How many people have actually seen the scars on your back?

Alex and my ex, Jason. Believe me, it wasn’t easy hiding them from my parents when I was little.

3. I figured out that sleep really isn't your thing, so what are your favorite things to do while trying to stay up?

I’ve done a lot of reading, research to try and figure this thing out that I’m dealing with. I go on movie watching spurts, I don’t really have a reason for it and I know it’s a bit creepy but I tend to research the people from my nightmares. I guess it just seems barbaric to simply forget them.

4. What is your attitude towards death?

I’ll admit it, death terrifies me. I know what happens after you die. Um, next question please…?

5. If there was a fire in your apartment, what is the one thing you couldn't leave behind?

Oh that’s a hard one. Probably the bracelet Alex gave me on Valentines. But then it’s always on my person. Or maybe my GTO, I’ve grown a strange attachment to my muscle car.

6. Would you describe your last relationship as Bliss, A Disaster Waiting to Happen, or Utterly Dull?

My relationship with Jason Walker? Definitely a disaster waiting to happen!

7. What was your first thoughts upon seeing Alex?

Well the first time I saw Alex was in the middle of the night. I nearly attacked him with a baseball bat. I thought he was a burglar. Second thought was just shock at the situation. Third? Drool and stare…

8. How do you feel about Angels?

Well since they’ve terrorized me for as long as I can remember, so not too positively. I think it would almost be better if angels were more like vampires, where no one really believed they are real. That way they wouldn’t crop up in churches, on gravestones, at every Valentines and Christmas. Most of the time I’d rather pretend they didn’t exist. But, in light of recent events, I’ve had to change my opinion just a bit…

9. Describe your relationship with Sal.

Sal is one of the sweetest women I know. But after her ex-husband beat her nearly to death it left her not quite all the way there. She needs help sometimes. And she doesn’t mind my little oddities. As strange as it sounds, she’s one of my best friends, as good as family. I’ll always be there for her and help her however I can.

10. Anything else you'd like us to know about you?

Um… I’m not a cat person? I once ate a worm cause a boy dared me to. I like ketchup way too much. I’d shave my head if it was socially acceptable (hair is such a pain…) and if I didn’t know that Alex liked it so much. And I’m not as sweet and timid as most people think I am…

Thanks so much for joining us! Check back on November 18th for my review!

Want to know more about Keary and this hot new series? You can stalk her on her Website and on her Blog. Now on to the Giveaway:

One winner will receive an autographed copy of Branded!

• Fill out the form below to enter
• Open to US residents only
• Contest ends November 30th        

Book Blogger Hop (11)

Book Blogger Hop is a fun meme hosted by Jennifer @ Crazy For Books. This is a great way to discover new blogs and connect with more people. If you'd like to participate, visit Crazy For Books where she explains how it works.

This Week's Question/Topic:

"What are your feelings on losing followers? Have you ever stopped following a blog?"

Sheesh! Every time I lose a follower my heart sinks just a little. Then I give myself a little pep talk lol. To be honest, I find that I lose the most followers when I've posted a negative review. Everyone has different tastes and I'm just giving my honest opinion. Isn't that what blogging is about? So I really try not to let it get to me. The amount of followers of a blog isn't everything. I want people to follow my blog because they like my content and they are genuinely interested in it.

Yes I have stopped following a blog.  Firstly I hardly ever have the time to do this because the process annoys me. Second, the reason is usually because they aren't discussing books/content that I am interested in. It's nothing personal. I always scan through my reader and when someone posts something that interests me I comment on it. I try not to follow just to follow because I'd like to be an active follower!

In My Mailbox (20)

In My Mailbox highlights all the good stuff (books) we've received for the week and is hosted by Kristi The Story Siren. 

  In my case since I was in Miami last week, this is two weeks worth of books. I did pretty good!
 

~The Ghost Huntress:The Counseling by Marley Gibson
~Love, Inc. by Yvonne Collins
~Beautiful Dead: Summer by Eden Maguire
~Faithful by Janet Fox
~Flirting with Disaster by Rhonda Stapleton
~Butterfly by Sonya Hartnett
~The Healer's Apprentice by Melanie Dickerson
~Pull by B.A. Binns
~Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
~The Haunted by Jessica Verday
~13 to Life by Shannon Delaney

Tell me what you got!

Halloween Readathon + Giveaway

 Hey everyone! I'm finally back from my trip to Miami. Can I just say that it was BANANAS!!! Anywho, before I left I signed up for the Halloween Read-A-Thon hosted by Lesley @ Young Adult Books Reviewed.
This weekend I will be reading all scary/creepy books nonstop. I'm curious to see how many I can actually knock down. Here are my picks:

~She Smells the Dead by E.J. Stevens (already started so I'll continue from page 103)
~The Dead Girls' Dance (I loved the first one so I'm excited to finally get back into this series)
~The Twin's Daughter by Lauren Baratz-Logsted
~Branded (Fall of Angels) by Keary Taylor (already started so I'll continue from page 133)
~Low Red Moon by Ivy Devlin

There's still time to signup and you can start anytime (obviously because I'm late). Go HERE

I'm really hoping I can get through at least most of these being that I missed a day. I've also signed up to host a mini challenge in celebration of the read-a-thon. Now on to the giveaway!

I will be giving away this fabulous pair of Skull earrings being sold by Grigiodesign. This contest will end by tonight at 10/18 @ 12am. It is only open to US residents. You don't have to be a participant of the read-a-thon to enter but it would be nice. The challenge:

What's the scariest YA book you've ever read?

Leave me a comment with your answer email address. Good Luck!

In My Mailbox (19)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi The Story Siren. I didn't get much of anything this week but that's okay!

From Paperbackswap:

~Sphinx's Princess by Esther Friesner

Summary from Goodreads:

Nefertiti was far more than just a pretty face.

Nefertiti may be the dutiful daughter of a commoner, but her inquisitive mind often gets her into situations that are far from ordinary, like receiving secret lessons from a scribe. And she’s the kind of girl who acts first, and apologizes later whenever she witnesses injustice or cruelty. But she is also extraordinarily beautiful. And news of her striking beauty and impulsive behavior attracts the attention of her aunt, the manipulative Queen Tiye, who sees Nefertiti as an ideal pawn in her desire for power. Even though Nefertiti is taken from her beloved family and forced into a life filled with courtly intrigue and danger, her spirit and mind will not rest. She continues to challenge herself and the boundaries of ancient Egyptian society.

That's it for me! I have to catch up on some reading before my trip so this one book is fine.

Waiting on Wednesday (13)

Waiting on Wednesday is brought to you by Jill @ Breaking the Spine. It highlights the book we are most anticipating. I haven't done one of these in forever, but based on my poll, lots of my readers like it so I figured I'd give another crack at it. I originally stopped because I didn't think anyone read them but apparently I was wrong! This week's pick is:    Slice of Cherry by Dia Reeves

Publication Date: January 4, 2011
Summary from Goodreads:

Happiness is a bloody knife.

Kit and Fancy Cordelle are sisters of the best kind: best friends, best confidantes, and best accomplices. The daughters of the infamous Bonesaw Killer, Kit and Fancy are used to feeling like outsiders, and that’s just the way they like it. But in Portero, where the weird and wild run rampant, the Cordelle sisters are hardly the oddest or most dangerous creatures around.

It’s no surprise when Kit and Fancy start to give in to their deepest desire—the desire to kill. What starts as a fascination with slicing open and stitching up quickly spirals into a gratifying murder spree. Of course, the sisters aren’t killing just anyone, only the people who truly deserve it. But the girls have learned from the mistakes of their father, and know that a shred of evidence could get them caught. So when Fancy stumbles upon a mysterious and invisible doorway to another world, she opens a door to endless possibilities....

I love this cover, and I was completely smitten by Dia's Bleeding Violet so I'm anxious to see what her very creative mind has cooked up this time.

Early to Death Early to Rise by Kim Harrison

Publication Date: May 25, 2010
Source: Purchased by Me
Summary from Goodreads:

Seventeen, dead, and in charge of Heaven's dark angels—all itching to kill someone.

Madison Avery's dreams of ever fitting in at her new school died when she did. Especially since she was able to maintain the illusion of a body, deal with a pesky guardian angel, and oh yeah, bring the reaper who killed her to his untimely end. Not exactly in-crowd material. It's amazing that her crush, Josh, doesn't think she's totally nuts.

Now Madison has learned that she's the dark timekeeper, in charge of angels who follow the murky guidelines of fate. Never one to abide by the rules, she decides it's time for a major change to the system. With the help of some unlikely allies, Madison forms a rogue group of reapers who definitely don't adhere to the rules of Heaven.

But as she grapples with the terrifying new skills that come with being a timekeeper, Madison realizes she may not be prepared for what lies ahead—unless she gets some seriously divine intervention.

My Two Cents:

I'd rather not beat around the bush with this one. It was such a thin book but it took me FOREVER to finish. I found myself struggling to pay attention and forcing myself to continue on. In the first book in this series Once Dead Twice Shy I was completely enthralled the whole time. Not only was there a full plot, but there were also sub plots that kept the story going. I honesty can not say the same thing for this one. Even the main character Madison, was watered down this time around. She wasn't as funny and charismatic as she was in the first one.

I was pretty disappointed. The whole gist of it was that Madison was trying to prove that there's no such thing as fate. She figured that even though someone could be on the wrong path, if they knew that they could possibly die from it, they might change their attitude. The whole book was spent trying to convince the seraphs of this. I wish there were more examples of her trying this theory out. As far as the romance aspect, it was pretty much nonexistent. Madison and her crush Josh had something special in Book One but it was ice cold this round. We hardly heard anything from him at all. He may have had one line in the whole book if that. Was it badly written? Nope. It just needed more going on to keep us readers interested. It made the whole fate argument seem so drawn out being that that was all it was about.

Rating:

In My Mailbox (18)

In My Mailbox highlights all the good stuff we've received over this past week and is hosted by Kristi The Story Siren. This has been a very busy week for me since I've been spending all of my time getting things prepared for my trip to Miami next week woohoo! But that doesn't mean I didn't get some good stuff!

~Tyger Tyger by Kirsten hamilton
~Ghostgirl Lovesick by Tonya Hurley
~Nevermore by Kelly Creagh
~Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins
~Dark Goddess by Sarwat Chadda
~The Thirteenth Chime by Emma Michaels
~Paranormalcy by Kiersten White
~Past Midnight by Mara Purnhagen
~Love Drugged by James Klise
~Awakened by Ednah Walters
~Wayfarer by R.J. Anderson
~The Poison Diaries by Maryrose Wood

Needless to say, my new bookshelf is already filled! So I guess it's back to stacking them on top of each other. Please look out for my new page "Books for Trade" tonight. I'm literally covered in books. Anywho, tell me what you got this week :)

500 Followers Contest: 2011 Here We Come!!

I have finally hit 500 followers!!! I really can't believe it myself. I'm like the little Blog that Could lol. I first started this blog in November 2009 just to keep track of my reviews. I never actually thought anyone would read it. I've gotten so much advice and encouragement from other bloggers that I am forever grateful. Thank you so much to those followers that stuck with me when my computer completely shut down and I had to blog from work. I know who you are and I hope you've seen a growth in my reviews and the blog itself. I must admit that everyday blogging has become a learning process for me. I'm glad to have found a whole other side to just reading books. Once in a bookstore, someone actually recognized me from my blog. I never thought that would happen and I'm still shocked. Anywho thank you all for visiting my blog, commenting on it, and just having me in you google reader. Now on to the goodies!!! To enter you must be either a new or old follower since this contest is celebrating my followers.

Party Girl! by Sabrina James

Publication Date: January 1, 2011

Summary from Goodreads:

From the author of SPRING FLING and BE MINE comes another romantic comedy sure to be on everyone's wish list!
When Brittany Pratt, former queen bee of North Ridge High, moves back to town after spending two years in London, the whole school is abuzz. But no one is more excited -- and maybe a little anxious -- than Brittany's former bff, and current North Ridge queen, Gretchen Brannigan. Gretchen is planning her dream sixteenth birthday party, and sharing it with Brittany is sure to be a blast ... right? Or will her perfectly Sweet Sixteen go sour?

   Subway Girl by P.J. Converse

Publication Date: March 1, 2011

Summary from Goodreads:

From the moment he sees Amy on a Hong Kong subway, Simon wants to talk to her. But when he finally works up the courage, he finds out he can’t. Because Amy doesn’t speak Chinese, and Simon is failing English. But despite their language barrier, Amy and Simon connect, and they discover they understand each other.

In this stunning first novel about class differences, cultural arrogance, unwanted pregnancy and abortion, sexual double standards, and love and friendship, two vulnerable teens carve out a relationship even though each seems way beyond the reach of the other.

The Romeo and Juliet Code by Phoebe Stone

Publication Date: January 1, 2011

Summary from Goodreads:

Phoebe Stone, author of the sleeper hit DEEP DOWN POPULAR, is back with a middle-grade code-breaking mystery full of romance and excitement. Think CHASING VERMEER meets THE SECRET GARDEN! Felicity's glamorous parents have a secret. When they leave her with distant relatives in Maine, Felicity hopes they won't leave her long. Her new Uncle Gideon hides things. Her Aunt Miami is star-crossed. And Derek, a kid her age, refuses to leave his room. But Felicity needs Derek's help. Gideon is getting coded letters from Felicity's parents, and she's sure they're in trouble. Can Felicity crack the code, heal the family and save her parents, all while surviving her first crush? It's a tall order, but - like THE SECRET GARDEN'S Mary Lennox before her - Felicity's up for the challenge.

To Enter this Contest Click HERE

This Contest will be ending October 10, 2010 11:59 PM EST

YES you can pick all three books if you want! But you can only win one. This Contest is open Internationally because I love my international followers as well! 

Please note that these are not Pre-orders, I actually have them to give away (I was just too lazy to take pictures).
Good Luck!!!