Saturday, July 31, 2010

Contest Reminder!!!

So July's almost over and you guys know what that means....the 200 follower contest is almost over!  The last day I'll be accepting entries for the contest is on August 1, 2010 and I'm cutting it off at midnight!  So if you haven't entered and don't know what I'm talking about here is what's up for grabs....

The contest is for followers only and is open internationally as long as the Book Depository will ship to you.


Other (Other, #1) by Karen Kincy

Seventeen-year-old Gwen hides a dangerous secret: she’s Other. Half-pooka, to be exact, thanks to the father she never met. Most Americans don’t exactly roll out the welcome mat for Others, especially not the small-town folks of Klikamuks, Washington. As if this isn’t bad enough, Gwen’s on the brink of revealing her true identity to her long-time boyfriend, Zack, but she’s scared he’ll lump her with the likes of bloodthirsty vampires and feral werewolves. 

When a pack of werewolves chooses the national forest behind Gwen’s home as their new territory, the tensions in Klikamuks escalate-into murder. It soon becomes clear a serial killer is methodically slaying Others. The police turn a blind eye, leaving Gwen to find the killer before the killer finds her. As she hunts for clues, she uncovers more Others living nearby than she ever expected. Like Tavian, a sexy Japanese fox-spirit who rivals Zack and challenges her to embrace her Otherness. Gwen must struggle with her own conflicted identity, learn who she can trust, and-most importantly-stay alive.

Forget You by Jennifer Echols

WHY CAN’T YOU CHOOSE WHAT YOU FORGET . . . AND WHAT YOU REMEMBER? There’s a lot Zoey would like to forget. Like how her father has knocked up his twenty-four- year old girlfriend. Like Zoey’s fear that the whole town will find out about her mom’s nervous breakdown. Like darkly handsome bad boy Doug taunting her at school. Feeling like her life is about to become a complete mess, Zoey fights back the only way she knows how, using her famous attention to detail to make sure she’s the perfect daughter, the perfect student, and the perfect girlfriend to ultra-popular football player Brandon. But then Zoey is in a car crash, and the next day there’s one thing she can’t remember at all—the entire night before. Did she go parking with Brandon, like she planned? And if so, why does it seem like Brandon is avoiding her? And why is Doug—of all people— suddenly acting as if something significant happened between the two of them? Zoey dimly remembers Doug pulling her from the wreck, but he keeps referring to what happened that night as if it was more, and it terrifies Zoey to admit how much is a blank to her. Controlled, meticulous Zoey is quickly losing her grip on the all-important details of her life—a life that seems strangely empty of Brandon, and strangely full of Doug. 

You Wish by Mandy Hubbard

Kayla McHenry’s sweet sixteen sucks! Her dad left, her grades dropped, and her BFF is dating the boy Kayla’s secretly loved for years. Blowing out her candles, Kayla thinks: I wish my birthday wishes actually came true. Because they never freakin’ do. 

Kayla wakes the next day to a life-sized, bright pink My Little Pony outside her window. Then a year’s supply of gumballs arrives. A boy named Ken with a disturbing resemblance to the doll of the same name stalks her. As the ghosts of Kayla’s wishes-past appear, they take her on a wild ride . . . but they MUST STOP. Because when she was fifteen? She wished Ben Mackenzie would kiss her. And Ben is her best friend’s boyfriend.


Claire de Lune by Christine Johnson

Claire is having the perfect sixteenth birthday. Her pool party is a big success, and gorgeous Matthew keeps chatting and flirting with her as if she's the only girl there. But that night, she discovers something that takes away all sense of normalcy: she's a werewolf. 

As Claire is initiated into the pack of female werewolves, she must deal not only with her changing identity, but also with a rogue werewolf who is putting everyone she knows in danger. Claire's new life threatens her blossoming romance with Matthew, whose father is leading the werewolf hunt. Now burdened with a dark secret and pushing the boundaries of forbidden love, Claire is struggling to feel comfortable in either skin. With her lupine loyalty at odds with her human heart, she will make a choice that will change her forever?

Glimmerglass (Faeriewalker, #1) by Jenna Black

Dana Hathaway doesn’t know it yet, but she’s in big trouble. When her alcoholic mom shows up at her voice recital drunk, Dana decides she’s had it with being her mother’s keeper, so she packs her bags and heads to stay with her mysterious father in Avalon: the only place on Earth where the regular, everyday world and the magical world of Faerie intersect. But from the moment Dana sets foot in Avalon, everything goes wrong, for it turns out she isn't just an ordinary teenage girl—she's a Faeriewalker, a rare individual who can travel between both worlds, and who can bring magic into the human world and technology into Faerie. 

Soon, she finds herself tangled up in a cutthroat game of Fae politics. Someone's trying to kill her, and everyone wants something from her, even her newfound friends and family. Suddenly, life with her alcoholic mom doesn't sound half bad, and Dana would do anything to escape Avalon and get back home. Too bad both her friends and her enemies alike are determined not to let her go . . .


So head on over to the original contest post to fill out the form and just as a little side note, one of the questions on the form will ask you to provide a link for spreading the word, if you didn't no big deal, I accidentally made it required and didn't know how to change it (oops!) so just put "n/a" in that space if you don't plan on spreading the word.

Good luck and happy reading!

Friday, July 30, 2010

In My Mailbox (17)

This is a meme that I first heard about from Kristi over at The Story Siren and immediately wanted to jump on board.

You guys know the drill by now...I’ve learned that it’s a great idea to really try and stop by at least two or three lists because I’m constantly finding out about new books that I’ve later added to my TBR list.

This past week I got a few to add to my collection, and a few that I must pass on as part of the ARC tours, but regardless I'm super excited to get started!

ARC tours

Paranormalcy (Paranormalcy, #1) by Kiersten White (Star Book Tours)

Sixteen-year-old Evie's job is bagging and tagging paranormals. Possessing the strange ability to see through their glamours, she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency. But when someone--or something--starts taking out the vamps, werewolves, and other odd beasties she's worked hard to help become productive members of society, she's got to figure it out before they all disappear and the world becomes utterly normal.

Normal is so overrated.

This one I just couldn't wait to get through, check out my review here if you're interested.

Another Pan (Another, #2) by Daniel Nayeri, Dina Nayeri (Around the World Tours)

Sixteen-year-old Wendy Darling and her insecure freshman brother, John, are hitting the books at the Marlowe School. But one tome consumes their attention: THE BOOK OF GATES, a coveted Egyptian artifact that their professor father believes has magical powers. Soon Wendy and John discover that the legend is real—when they recite from its pages and descend into a snaking realm beneath the Manhattan school. As the hallways darken, and dead moths cake the floor, a charismatic new R.A. named Peter reveals that their actions have unleashed a terrible consequence: the underworld and all its evil is now seeping into Marlowe. Daniel Nayeri and Dina Nayeri return to reimagine Peter Pan as a twisty, atmospheric, and fast-paced fantasy about the perils of immortality.

Linger (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #2) by Maggie Stiefvater (Holly's ARC Tours)

In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. Now, in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past . . . and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack. And Isabelle, who already lost her brother to the wolves . . . and is nonetheless drawn to Cole.

At turns harrowing and euphoric, Linger is a spellbinding love story that explores both sides of love -- the light and the dark, the warm and the cold -- in a way you will never forget.

Low Red Moon by Ivy Devlin (Star Book Tours)

Avery Hood is reeling from the loss of her parents--and the fact that she can't remember what happened to them even though she was there.

She's struggling to adjust to life without them, and to living with her grandmother, when she meets Ben, who isn't like any guy she's ever met before.

It turns out there's a reason why, and Ben's secret may hold the key to Avery finding out what happened to her parents...

But what if that secret changes everything she knows about--and feels for--Ben?

Won from Contests

Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready (thanks to Mavie @ The Bookologist)

Love ties them together. Death can't tear them apart. Best. Birthday. Ever. At least, it was supposed to be. With Logan's band playing a critical gig and Aura's plans for an intimate after-party, Aura knows it will be the most memorable night of her boyfriend's life. She never thought it would be his last. Logan's sudden death leaves Aura devastated. He's gone. Well, sort of. Like everyone born after the Shift, Aura can see and hear ghosts. This mysterious ability has always been annoying, and Aura had wanted nothing more than to figure out why the Shift happened so she can undo it. But not with Logan's violet-hued spirit still hanging around. Because dead Logan is almost as real as ever. Almost. It doesn't help that Aura's new friend Zachary is so understanding—and so very alive. His support means more to Aura than she cares to admit. As Aura's relationships with the dead and the living grow ever complicated, so do her feelings for Logan and Zachary. Each holds a piece of Aura's heart?and clues to the secret of the Shift.

Swapped Books

The Alpha Bet by Stephanie Hale (thanks to Sarah @ Goodreads Book Swap)

I was prepared to do just about anything to go from geek to Greek.

Some teenagers use drugs or sex to escape overbearing parents. I used books. All my life my mother has been hovering over me, afraid to let me experience ANYTHING. So I got really good grades, graduated from high school when I was sixteen, and escaped to a new life—my own life—at college.

To jump-start my social life, I decided to rush the Alphas, the most exclusive sorority on campus. And that's when things started to get complicated.
One of the Alphas invoked the Alpha Bet, a super-secret set of alphabetical tasks that have to be completed for a sister's bid to become active. Now, completing the tasks of the Alpha Bet has taken over my life. And one of the tasks involves deceiving my roommate and only real friend, Jentry.

Can you spell B-E-T-R-A-Y-A-L?

Great week for me and my bookcase, what did you guys get?  Any recommendations for me???

Thursday, July 29, 2010

ARC Tour & Review: Wicked Girls: A Novel of the Salem Witch Trials by Stephanie Hemphill

Wicked Girls is a fictionalized account of the Salem witch trials based on the real historical characters, told from the perspective of three young women living in Salem in 1692—Mercy Lewis, Margaret Walcott, and Ann Putnam Jr.

When Ann’s father suggests that a spate of illnesses within the village is the result of witchcraft, Ann sees an opportunity and starts manifesting the symptoms of affliction. Ann looks up to Mercy, the beautiful servant in her parents' house. She shows Mercy the power that a young girl is capable of in a time when women were completely powerless. Mercy, who suffered abuse at the hands of past masters, seizes her only chance at safety. And Ann’s cousin Margaret, anxious to win the attention of a boy in her sights, follows suit. As the accusations mount against men and women in the community, the girls start to see the deadly ramifications of their actions. Should they finally tell the truth? Or is it too late to save this small New England town?



I'm not normally a historical fiction enthusiast and not that Wicked Girls is supposed to be an accurate capturing of this period in history per say, but there was something about the cover and description of this book that had me really wanting to get my hands on it.  I will admit that while I still don't consider myself to be a big fan of historical texts, I was glad I gave this book a chance.

Stephanie Hemphill took me by surprise by writing the entire book in verse (which had me about as excited as I would be to go to the dentist) but actually turned out to be a great thing.  She turned my opinion around immediately.  It may have been in verse, but to me it wasn't like the daunting verse I read in school, this read more like a diary entry from each of the girls.  From the perspectives of three of the young girls who were accusers during the Salem Witch trials it was almost spellbinding.  I can't imagine it being as powerful if it had been written any other way.

I've read the historical accounts from the Salem trials in many classrooms, and who didn't see Winona Ryder in The Crucible?  So I knew what to expect in some way from this book, but just like before, as soon as the action started I couldn't believe these young girls could possibly have wielded so much power and such extremes as controlling the very lives and deaths of others.  All sparking from the desire to be noticed, jealousy of others, and outright greed and malicious natures, these girls held and controlled the lives of an entire village.  It terrifies me every time I think about it.  Once the girls get things moving, everything quickly gets way out of control, but what now?  The only way to set things right would be to confess all, and how can they do that?  I admit I'd be scared to come clean too.

I found my first experience with Hemphill's writing to be surprising and very dramatic.  She has an amazing ability to bring out feelings and overall portrays the haunting words of the three girls like no one else I've seen or read could.  I may not be a historical fiction convert but I was entertained the whole way through.

I gave Wicked Girls 3 shamrocks!!!



Wednesday, July 28, 2010

ARC Tour & Review: Paranormalcy (Paranormalcy, #1) by Kiersten White

Sixteen-year-old Evie's job is bagging and tagging paranormals. Possessing the strange ability to see through their glamours, she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency. But when someone--or something--starts taking out the vamps, werewolves, and other odd beasties she's worked hard to help become productive members of society, she's got to figure it out before they all disappear and the world becomes utterly normal.

Normal is so overrated.



I officially have yet another great book to add to my 2010 favorites list and a brand new author to keep an eye out for.  Kiersten White has that new author shine and her writing is proof enough that she'll be around for a long time to come.  In fact, can I have the sequel already?  Paranormalcy hasn't even been put out on the shelves and already I'm dying for more.

So let's get right to it shall we?  The things that go bump in the night and hide under your bed that keep you awake with terror....they're all real.  And they put up these crazy glamours (a.k.a. camouflage) to appear just like you and me.  Scary right?  Only one person can see through them, drum roll please....enter Evie!  She's the star of the show but readers will soon find out that even though Evie's talent makes her unique and special, that might not be all it's cracked up to be.  We can go home and watch TV and listen to music, while at the drop of a hat Evie could be getting paged saying she has another mission: track down the bad guy (because she's the only one that can separate the bad guys from the normal people) and use yourself as bait.  When they're close enough (close enough to hurt or kill you that is) knock them out and take them into custody to be processed.  Piece of cake right? Ha...so wrong, no thank you, I so do not want any part of that job.

She has a talent for seeing spooky things so she doesn't have the luxury of being around normal people, doing normal things like going to school, attending prom, or even having human friends around to grab a slice of pizza with.  Instead she's best friends with a wicked smart mermaid (I adored Lish), has an ex-boyfriend who's a faerie with bad news written all over him (but of course he's stop you in your tracks gorgeous) and now she's got a crush on a yet to be determined/labeled paranormal that can shape shift to look like anyone he wants to.  So you can imagine it would take a lot to stress her out or worry her.

So when paranormals all over the world are turning up dead and the ex-boyfriend starts taking the term "stalker" to scary new heights, Evie is getting nervous and she might be the only one who can do anything to help.  But she's going to need help too and protection, not to mention answers, and lots of them.  So will Evie and her crew of crazies (just kidding) be able to stop the deaths?  Will the ex-boyfriend get what's coming to him?  You'll have to read the book to find out of course but you certainly won't regret it.  And Kiersten, if you're reading this review (long shot I know)...I'm dying for the sequel and anyone who reads Paranormalcy will be counting down the days until the release too!

I gave Paranormalcy (Paranormalcy, #1) 4 shamrocks!!!!



Monday, July 26, 2010

Review: Book of Love (Knight Angels, #1) by Abra Ebner

New characters, New world, but old enemies. Emily struggles to ignore a new friend with emotions that temp her, Wes delves deeper into his past and family while finding friendship isn't reserved for the human race alone, Jane finds out her dear Max isn't what he seems, Greg's friendships cost him more than he expected, and Max forgets that the truth is best. But then again, someone always has to be the liar... Emotional baggage, begrudged enemies, and the bitterness that comes when the honeymoon of their friendship fades... Will the love survive, or is it all just a game?

Are you a fan of Angels, be they guardians or fallen? Do you root for the shape shifters and sympathize with the mind readers in the stories you've read? Do you ever wish you could see the future and know how you and your friends and family will die...or at least perhaps when? Well if any or all of these questions interest you, look no further because Abra Ebner has it all. It's like one stop shopping with Book of Love (Knight Angels #1), Ebner leaves almost nothing out.

Readers get four main narrations and perspectives in this tale. First we have Jane, who I would consider to be our main character because everything seems to revolve around her or circles back to her in some fashion. Poor Jane has it tough, she lost her dad when she was young and witnessed the death firsthand. Now she's overwhelmed by death. She's seeing it everywhere, when she's awake and having a conversation with friends, and she's even seeing it when she sleeps. Why you ask? She doesn't have the first clue but someone may be able to enlighten her. And if that wasn't enough to handle as a teenager, her mother has made her responsible for her screwed up sister Emily.

Emily in my opinion has the classic tag line attached to her; "don't judge a book by it's cover." She appears to be a rebellious girl who dresses in the stereotypical goth fashion, with her skirts too short and her makeup too heavy. She's also acquired the reputation of having an addiction to taking pills in order to get high. Look a little deeper though and Emily has a secret just like Jane does. Emily may not be consumed by death but she's overwhelmed all right. She's a mind reader. Any thought anyone has and Emily can hear it, whether she wants to or not. The only way she can get a little peace and quiet is to numb herself with the assistance of pharmaceuticals, and why not play the part if she knows that's how everyone already sees her right? Will she ever be able to confide in any one and try to go without the help of the drugs?

Emily's not the only one in need of a confidant. Poor Wes, forever to be the boy next door that will only ever be the best friend to Jane, whom he's loved for as long as he's known her. Just like Emily he needs someone to turn to, he's in pain...literally and he doesn't know why. His body feels like it's growing too fast for him to catch up with and he's going to need help fast, he just don't know what kind. Will Emily and Wes lean on each other or will his pining over Jane drive Emily away?

And if that isn't enough for readers, Ebner introduces us to two brothers that couldn't be more different. Max epitomizes all that is good and noble, saving Jane's life all those years ago forever bound the two of them together. She's his whole world, he loves her and will do anything to protect her. And protection is something she's going to need with his brother Greg gunning for her. To him it's all just a game. Cause enough heartache and destruction and soon the world will be his for the taking.

Can Jane, Max, Emily and Wes overcome all that's going on with them in order to drive Greg away? How far will things go and who will be hurt along the way? Ebner's writing is fabulous and intriguing and downright addicting. She hooked me from start to finish and I can't wait to read on in the Book of Revenge (Knight Angels, #2).

I gave Book of Love (Knight Angels, #1) 3 shamrocks!!!



Friday, July 23, 2010

In My Mailbox (16)

This is a meme that I first heard about from Kristi over at The Story Siren and immediately wanted to jump on board.

Every week we’ll post about what books we have received (whether they’re bought/borrowed, etc… you get the idea). Everyone participating will try and visit other lists to comment and possibly pine for the new arrivals everyone’s talking about. I’ve learned that it’s a great idea to really try and stop by at least two or three lists because I’m constantly finding out about new books that I’ve later added to my TBR list.

The past two weeks I got a few to add to my collection, and a few that I must pass on as part of the ARC tours, but regardless I'm super excited to get started!

ARC tours

Wicked Girls: A Novel of the Salem Witch Trials by Stephanie Hemphill (Traveling ARC Tours)

Wicked Girls is a fictionalized account of the Salem witch trials based on the real historical characters, told from the perspective of three young women living in Salem in 1692—Mercy Lewis, Margaret Walcott, and Ann Putnam Jr. When Ann’s father suggests that a spate of illnesses within the village is the result of witchcraft, Ann sees an opportunity and starts manifesting the symptoms of affliction. Ann looks up to Mercy, the beautiful servant in her parents' house. She shows Mercy the power that a young girl is capable of in a time when women were completely powerless. Mercy, who suffered abuse at the hands of past masters, seizes her only chance at safety. And Ann’s cousin Margaret, anxious to win the attention of a boy in her sights, follows suit. As the accusations mount against men and women in the community, the girls start to see the deadly ramifications of their actions. Should they finally tell the truth? Or is it too late to save this small New England town?


Won from Contests

The Summer of Skinny Dipping by Amanda Howells (thanks to Book Soulmates)

"Sometimes I still wake up shivering in the early hours of the morning, drowning in dreams of being out there in the ocean that summer, of looking up at the moon and feeling as invisible and free as a fish. But I'm jumping ahead, and to tell the story right I have to go back to the very beginning. To a place called Indigo Beach. To a boy with pale skin that glowed against the dark waves. To the start of something neither of us could have predicted, and which would mark us forever, making everything that came after and before seem like it belonged to another life. My name is Mia Gordon: I was sixteen years old, and I remember everything...."

After getting dumped by her boyfriend, Mia is looking forward to spending a relaxing summer in the Hamptons with her glamorous cousins. But when she arrives she find her cousins distant, moody, and caught up with a fast crowd. Mia finds herself lonelier than ever, until she meets her next-door-neighbor, Simon Ross. And from the very first time he encourages her to go skinny dipping, she's caught in a current impossible to resist.

Hearts At Stake by Alyxandra Harvey (thanks to Katie @ Katie's Book Blog)

On Solange’s sixteenth birthday, she is going to wake up dead. As if that’s not bad enough, she also has to outwit her seven overprotective older brothers, avoid the politics involved with being the only daughter born to an ancient vampire dynasty, and elude Kieran Black—agent of an anti-vampire league who is searching for his father’s killer and is intent on staking Solange and her entire family.

Luckily she has her own secret weapon—her human best friend Lucy—who is willing to defend Solange’s right to a normal life, whether she’s being smothered by her well-intentioned brothers or abducted by a power-hungry queen. Two unlikely alliances are formed in a race to save Solange’s eternal life—Lucy and Solange’s brother Nicholas, and Solange and Kieran Black—in a dual romance that is guaranteed to jump start any romance-lover’s heart.


For Review

Spy Glass (Glass, #3) by Maria V. Snyder (thanks to Maria)

An undercover mission leads to danger, adventure and an impossible choice. After siphoning her own blood magic in the showdown at Hubal, Opal Cowan has lost her powers. She can no longer create glass magic. More, she's immune to the effects of magic. Opal is now an outsider looking in, spying through the glass on those with the powers she once had, powers that make a difference in the world. Until spying through the glass becomes her new power. Suddenly, the beautiful pieces she makes flash in the presence of magic. And then she discovers that someone has stolen some of her blood - and that finding it might let her regain her powers. Or know it could be they are lost forever.

Book of Love (Knight Angels, #1) by Abra Ebner

When four teens enter Glenwood High on an unseasonably cool day in September, no one but Max could understand the future that was ahead of them. Drawn together by blood and friendship, they each hide a dark secret that will soon help to bind them even closer.

When the one face Max hoped to never see again shows up on school grounds – his evil twin brother, Greg – he knows that coming back for Jane was the wrong thing to do. Finding that Greg already knows about Max’s attraction for Jane, Max finds he can no longer hope to leave again, afraid of what Greg will do.

Max has to protect Jane, Jane wants to be normal, Wes wants Jane to love him, and Emily just wants the voices to stop…

And Greg… he just wants everyone dead

Lots of reading for me to do this weekend and I can't wait, what did you guys get? Anything I need to get a.s.a.p.? Let me know, I'm always dying for more recommendations!

Have a great weekend and as always, Happy Reading!

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Review: The Pace (The Pace, #1) by Shelena Shorts

Weston Wilson is not immortal and he is of this world. But, aging is not part of his existence, and eighteen-year-old Sophie Slone is determined to find out why. In doing so, she could also uncover something about her own life expectancy that she may not want to know. Suddenly, immortality will mean everything and nothing all at the same time.


This is one of those books that comes along every once in a while and has you kicking yourself for not reading it sooner. Shelena Shorts' writing made me feel like I wasn't reading a story at all, but actually was a part of the story itself. The Pace is the first in a series and thank goodness for that because I can't get nearly enough.

Sophie and Wes are introduced and readers will immediately put on their detective caps because like Sophie, you know there is something different about Wes. He's not your "normal" nineteen year old boy. And here the journey begins. Packed with so much suspense, romance, mystery and intrigue, readers won't know how to turn the pages fast enough. Wes has a secret and it's one that he's kept so close to him for so long that he might not be ready to reveal it just yet. Can he trust Sophie to understand? Will she be able to keep a secret so big once she knows the truth? Will it bring them closer to together or will it be too much and tear them apart?

Sophie and Wes' love story has become a favorite of mine. There's a lot of wooing that takes place and the two of them broadcast their feelings and trust in each other so passionately, and with neither of them ever holding back that you can't help but be moved. It's inspiring and oh so romantic! Many books focus on time running out and countdowns to contend with, but Shorts takes the idea of time and immortality to a whole new level. Wes especially feels the burden and weight of it all, more than most. Will he and Sophie be able to stop the clock long enough to change things? What happens when you know you might lose the one person you can't live without, how far would you go to save them?

I've had this book on my shelf for way too long without reading it and like I said before, I'm kicking myself now. I can't tell you how excited I am to read the second and soon to be released installment in The Pace series, The Broken Lake. Thank goodness Shorts has plans for a third as well in the series because I know I'm not going to be able to get enough any time soon.

I gave The Pace (The Pace, #1) 4 shamrocks!!!!



Wednesday, July 21, 2010

ARC Tour & Review: Nocturne by L.D. Harkrader

A romantic tale of vampires and magic from award-winning author L.D. Harkrader

Flanders Lane is tired of being protected by her Uncle Anatole. After years of studying magic in the back of his bookshop, she's ready for an adventure of her own. Then one day, strange things start happening. A burglar breaks into the butcher's shop, stealing nothing, but leaving the floors sparkling clean. Soon the seamstress's apprentice vanishes on her way home, leaving behind only a shoe still laced at the top. And then worst of all, Uncle Anatole disappears. That night, a young vampire hunter named Pascoe knocks urgently on the bookshop door. Pascoe insists there is a vampire lurking in nearby Blakely Hall. Flanders looks deep into Pascoe's gorgeous eyes and finds herself agreeing to help him. As Flanders tracks the vampire, her feelings for Pascoe grow until she stumbles upon a secret that turns everything she thought she knew about Pascoe--and herself--upside down.


I'm always impressed when an author can jump into a familiar genre, in this case paranormal/fantasy and despite the vast number of stories already out there within the genre, still manages to create their own unique spin. L.D. Harkrader did just that with Nocturne. Harkrader gave readers magic, mystery, vampires and suspense all rolled up into one. It was a great combination and while I will admit to not being sure quite what to expect with this book, I ended up really enjoying myself.
Flannery Lane is our heroine in Nocturne and she was adorable. As a little baby she was left in the care of the town wizard and has lived with her "uncle" ever since. Her uncle may be talented in the magic department but he has warned Flannery that she is not to use her magic, for the danger is too great. Being the rebellious teenager (we've all been there) she thinks that's ridiculous and that her uncle is just being overprotective. She decides to strike out on her own and begins to learn when her uncle isn't looking. But when danger begins to darken the streets of her small town and her uncle is cursed and becomes ill, Flannery has only herself to depend on. After many long debates with herself, Flannery decides it's her duty to use her magic to help her uncle and fellow townspeople.

Now of course we can't have Flannery going at it all alone right? In walks Pascoe, a mysterious newcomer who Flannery is certain hunts vampires for a living. Now that would be great, but it also doesn't hurt that he's tall, dark and handsome right? Will he be able to help Flannery with the evil that's come to her town? Will Flannery make it in time to help her friends who have started to disappear from Wicker Street? Go out and grab Nocturne when it hits the shelves and see for yourselves. It's a quick and fun read and I'm looking forward to reading what Harkrader has in store for us next.

I gave Nocturne 3 shamrocks!!!



Monday, July 19, 2010

ARC Tour & Review: Forget You by Jennifer Echols

Why can't you choose what you forget . . . and what you remember?

There’s a lot Zoey would like to forget. Like how her father has knocked up his twenty-four- year old girlfriend. Like Zoey’s fear that the whole town will find out about her mom’s nervous breakdown. Like darkly handsome bad boy Doug taunting her at school. Feeling like her life is about to become a complete mess, Zoey fights back the only way she knows how, using her famous attention to detail to make sure she’s the perfect daughter, the perfect student, and the perfect girlfriend to ultra-popular football player Brandon.

But then Zoey is in a car crash, and the next day there’s one thing she can’t remember at all—the entire night before. Did she go parking with Brandon, like she planned? And if so, why does it seem like Brandon is avoiding her? And why is Doug—of all people— suddenly acting as if something significant happened between the two of them?

Zoey dimly remembers Doug pulling her from the wreck, but he keeps referring to what happened that night as if it was more, and it terrifies Zoey to admit how much is a blank to her.

Controlled, meticulous Zoey is quickly losing her grip on the all-important details of her life—a life that seems strangely empty of Brandon, and strangely full of Doug.




This was my first Jennifer Echols read and I realize I must have been living under a rock. Forget You was so much fun to read and with such an interesting plot concept I was entertained the whole way through. When Zoey's memory won't come back after a terrible car accident and she's left with only questions, Echols took readers on the journey of discovery with Zoey. I instantly felt sympathetic towards her crisis and situation and couldn't stop turning the pages. I shared her frustration and just had to know what really happened.

As much as I liked Zoey, there were times where I just wanted to shake her because as I was piecing together some of the facts I couldn't believe she wasn't seeing what I was seeing. Echols gave us a love triangle to rival some of the best and I definitely had my favorite front runner. Zoey struggled with more than just a lost memory. She was faced with feelings for more than one guy and didn't have all the facts to help her out either. I was chomping at the bit to find out what really happened to Zoey before the accident, and to find out what would happen between Zoey and Brandon and between Zoey and Doug.

Her plate was definitely full throughout the novel with her dysfunctional family problems, her oh so oblivious friends, her distant boyfriend, her brooding savior and of course her blank in way too many places memory. Zoey was in trouble and readers will be rooting for her from beginning to end and even after the last page is read. After becoming such a quick fan of Echols' writing and personality I can't wait to read more of her work to see what else she's going to be churning out next.

I gave Forget You 4 shamrocks!!!!



LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails