Mighty List

I've heard about bucket lists before and I've even thought of making one myself but for whatever reason I never wrote any of the things that I would like to do down on paper. Then I saw that Trish over at Hey Lady made a post about a Mighty List on her blog. And it inspired me to make one of my own. Will I do all of these things? I don't know....will the things I want to do change over time, probably. But many of the things that I have listed are things that have been on my brain for awhile. I hope that by writing them down and making them public that I will be inspired to take them from thoughts and make them a reality. So here is my list of (almost) 100 things...I thought I would leave some space for things that I just didn't know I wanted to do yet. 

1. Visit the countries my ancestors came from (Ireland (2013), Poland  (2007), England  (2007))
2. Walk on the Great Wall of China
3. Visit Egypt/the Great Pryamids (one of my Nana's favorite places)
4. Ride a camel (preferably in Egypt like my Nana did)
5. See the Taj Mahal
6. Learn Polish
7. Climb a mountain (or even just part of one)
8. See Mt Everest
9. Drive aimlessly across country - no maps or plans just hop in car and head towards California (seeing things along the way like the Globe in Utah or Stonehenge in Texas and other oddities)
10. Visit all 50 states (see progress below)
11. Visit Canada (May 2012)
12. Buy a house
13. Go on a hot air balloon ride
14. Attend at least one major sporting event: the Super Bowl, the Olympics, the World Series
15. Be an extra in a film
16. Have a room that only has books in it
17. Fall deeply in love - helplessly and unconditionally (and have them love me back)
18. Raft the Dead River in Maine
19. Have a drink at the Algonquin Hotel in honor of Dorothy Parker
20. Research my Family Tree and document it for future generations
21. Be on a blogging panel (Jun 2012)
22. Finish a 5K race (2013)
23. Sleep in a castle
    
24. Visit Australia
25. See Neuschwanstein Castle (my favorite in the world)
26. Travel somewhere first class
27. See Shakespeare performed at The Globe
28. Go storm chasing
29. See an active volcano
30. Learn how to drive stick shift
31. Go back to school
32. See the Grand Canyon
33. Live in a foreign country for at least 6 months
34. Go zip lining
35. Be blurbed in a book
    
36. Read all the unread books in my house (a book addict can dream, right?)
    
37. To be financially secure & not have to worry about money
    
38. To have a character in a book named for me (2012, Harper Madigan, Junior Dectective by Chelsea Campbell)
39. To go cliff jumping (again)
    
40. Be on the Amazing Race
    
41. Meet Colin Firth
    
42. Meet one of the Doctors (Preferably David Tennant)
    
43. Witness something that takes my breath away (Cliffs of Moher, Ireland - 2013)
    
44. Cross the International Date Line
45. Visit the Royal Observatory/Prime Meridian Line (2012)
46. Visit a spot along the Equator
47. Visit Prague
48. Donate money and put my name on something: a college scholarship, a bench in the park
49. Dive the Great Barrier Reef
50. Return to Auschwitz and light a candle in memory of my cousin who was imprisoned there
51. Walk on the field of Fenway Park
52. Ride the Trans-Siberian Express across Asia
53. Send a message in a bottle (again)
54. Write more letters to friends, just because (ongoing)
55. Find a job that I love
56. Make a complete and utter fool of myself...and not care who sees
57. Help someone do something on their Mighty/Bucket List
58. Share something I love to do with my niece
59. Write 1000 book reviews 
60. Go see a movie by myself
61. to 100. TBD

Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan (March 2012) 
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
Washington DC
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming




I've made my mighty list...what sort of things do you have on yours? Let me know in the comments...or better yet make one of your own and send me the link!

Friday Fragment (28): The Stone Child by Dan Poblocki

Welcome to the latest edition of Fragment Friday, a weekly meme hosted by James from Book Chic Club where we vlog a small snippet from a current read. This weeks excerpt is from The Stone Child by Dan Poblocki which will be released on 25 Aug 2009 from Random House.




For those who view via a reader that strips out the video you can click here to see on YouTube or copy and paste this URL into your browser: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAz0i_62EBU

I hope you enjoyed this weeks fragment...see you next week!

Things/People mentioned in this vlog:
Dan Poblocki

The Stone Child

Darkness Becomes Her by Kelly Keaton

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Source: Simon & Schuster Galley Grab

Publication Date: 22 Feb 2011

Series or Standalone: Series

ISBN: 144240924X

Format: ebook (ARC)

Pages: 288

Websites:

Kelly Keaton - Official Site

Kelly Keaton - Blog/Facebook

Kelly Keaton - Twitter

Place(s) Traveled to: Covington, Louisiana // New 2, Louisiana (formerly New Orleans) // The Rim

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

First Line: Under the cafeteria table, my right knee bounced like a jackhammer possessed.

Gods & Monsters Series Order
Book 1 - Darkness Becomes Her
Book 2 - Untitled (February 2012)

The last few paranormals that I've been reading have been hit or miss...well, mostly miss...so I was a bit wary about starting Darkness Becomes Her. As with most books I've been reading lately I didn't check the synopsis so I didn't really know much about this book except that, according to people on Twitter, it had a kick ass heroine. I found the beginning to be a little slow and hard to get into but I stuck with it as I was curious about who...or what...Ari was. I'm a bit unsure on when this book takes place but I think it could be in an alternate 21st century. I say alternate as history is different in Ari's world. The city of New Orleans was virtually destroyed by 2 back to back hurricanes. The city was then purchased from the US who didn't want to deal with disaster relief by several prominent families known as The Nine or The Novem. They are a mysterious bunch but Ari's search for her past leads her to New Orleans, now called New 2, and to the Novem.

Its in New 2 that the paranormal aspects of the book come to light. As in Keaton's world all the various paranormal beasties that we've come to know and love have taken refuge in New 2. The city is still a huge tourist draw and still holds Mardi Gras but its also home to witches, vampires and other creatures. Its there that Ari meets up with a rag tag group of teens with a mixture of talents, the most unique and amusing of which was Violet. Its there that Ari meets Sebastian and falls in love with him. To which I groaned and though "oh not not another insta-love book!" I've really tired of the insta-love and really would like to see more books where you see a relationship grow on real grounds and not a love at first site type deal.

Once Ari gets to New 2 the pacing really picks up fast. Almost too fast to be honest. But once it does I found that I read the book faster and eye rolling was kept to a minimum. Well that is until Athena was brought into it all. Yes, that's right the Greek God Athena is alive and living on the outskirts of New 2 and she has a bone to pick with Ari. I love Greek Mythology and I love how that in 2011 there seems to be a lot of books coming out with that theme but I wasn't expecting it in this one. Nor was I expecting a god who swore. I don't mind swearing in books but it just didn't seem like something that Athena would do and it was always a bit jarring when it happened.

Overall, I found Ari to be likeable and a real kick ass heroine. Just as people on Twitter promised she would be. Sebastian was a bit wooden and I didn't really get much sense of his personality or buy his romance with Ari. I felt that the ending of this book to be a bit rushed but at least parts of the main story ARC were solved. However, there is a cliffhanger and so the reader is forced to wait until book 2 in order to find out how everything will get wrapped up. Luckily the second book is already in the works and should be available in Feb 2012. As paranormals go, Darkness Becomes Her, isn't among the best I've read but it was horrible either. It was a quick read and I didn't feel like my time was wasted in reading it. I will probably also be checking out the sequel when it comes out.

Haven by Kristi Cook

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Source: Simon & Schuster Galley Grab

Publication Date: 22 Feb 2011

Series or Standalone: Standalone (for now)

ISBN: 1442407603

Format: ebook (ARC)

Pages: 418

Websites:

Kristi Cook - Official Site

Kristi Cook - Blog

Kristi Cook - Twitter

Place(s) Traveled to: Upstate New York // New York, New York

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

First Line: I'll never forget that first glimpse of Winterhaven as we pulled up the long, curving drive - gray stones bathed in the lavender haze of dusk, looking like an old European university, all flying buttresses and stone spires reaching toward the sky.

Related Posts: NA

Where do I begin with this one...this is a tough one to review because it was a book that I was really excited to read. After reading Kim Harrington's book Clarity (my review) I've become more interested in the psychic side of the paranormal genre. These days when one thinks of paranormal the first things that pop into mind are vampires and werewolves and then maybe witches if you think a little longer. So the idea of a psychic boarding school just really appealed to me. 

The first few chapters of this book were great. I loved the writing and the introduction of the characters and the world building was pretty solid. But then Violet meets Aiden and the whole book just begins to fall apart. Violet starts out strong but the moment she meets Aiden she falls instantly in love with him and her entire world becomes revolved around him. Their relationship is filled with such agnst and hot/cold moments that it gave me a headache trying to keep up on if they were together or not. And who had just broken up with who. Her friends, which were never really described, totally took a back seat and faded into the background. Except when if became convenient to the plot to have them there. Then it was usually just to hear Violet whine about how much she loved Aiden and couldn't understand why he was avoiding her for the upteenth time. 

Then there is the big twist, which I won't reveal here, and things moved away from psychics and focused more on this other paranormal aspect. To me this hurt the novel more then helped it and if this had been a physical book I totally would have tossed it across the room. But since Alis the eReader is fragile I just shook him and talked allowed to the book as I read. I also found Violet to be a dumb bunny throughout most of the book even though throughout it all we are constantly told just how smart she is by the super advanced classes she takes. But yet she can never seem to realize when her visions start to come true. She never gets that by trying to prevent her visions from coming true she actually makes them come true. And she is just so clueless about the most obvious of things. 

The story is also very time jumpy. On one hand its nice that the entire series of events don't occur over a few days but within a single chapter its not uncommon for an entire month (or more) to pass.  It just was difficult sometimes to figure out when something was happening. I also hated how Violet didn't seem to have a life outside of Aiden. We know she had one as there would be references to her just coming back from Spring vacation that she spent with her grandmother. But we never got to see who Violet was without Aiden. I really would have liked to see how she was when she wasn't dealing with his angst and his push/pull attitude towards their relationship.

What bugged me more than anything else in this book though was the phrase "you know." You wouldn't think one simple phrase would be eye twitch inducing but this was. It was used by every character several times, often with in paragraphs of another using it....and once or twice it was even used in the SAME SENTENCE. It was used as a way to pause, for a character to gather thoughts among other things. But mostly it was used to describe sex. It was always "did you and x...you know..." or "I wanted to spend the night with him but not...you know." It seriously made my eye go all twitchy and had me yelling at poor Alis the eReader again for her just to say the word sex....just once. I mean she said the word sexual and hard-on...but why was sex so hard? That said the book was very clean. There were no swears or sex scenes, although there was this one scene in which Violet came close to the big O....but it was done in such a way that I, as an adult, was seriously creeped out.

I could go on but I think my feelings on this one are pretty clear so why beat a dead horse? Haven is currently a standalone but as not all of the questions raised where answered there is serious potential for a sequel. Never fear though dear reader, the main story ARC of this book is closed out so you won't be left hanging on anything major. Also, if you liked Twilight then I can honestly say that you will like Haven especially since it is better written. Even though, as with Twilight the character descriptions are all pretty blank at least the heroine is less annoying and the hero a lot less creeptastic. I think Haven can best be described as a hodge-podge of all the major paranormal novels out there. There is a little bit of everything so there is a wide range of things contained in the story to appeal to many different readers. Alas, this one just didn't work for me. It was predictable and eye-twitch inducing and I kinda amazed that I made it to the end. Always though don't just take my word for it. I encourage you all to check it out yourself and then come back and let me know what you thought.

Quick note: For a great GoodReads update that totally reflects my thoughts as I read the book check out Danielle's status updates here.

Reviews from people who thought differently than me

Miss Page Turner's City of Books - "In my opinion, a very good novel is always marked by a very good writing style. Cook applied a writing style that supported the story very well. Although I noticed several word repetitions, I find Cook’s writing just right."

My Reading Room - "Fun characters, a plot that sucks you in and great storytelling make Haven one of my favorite YA books this year."

The Book Sp(l)ot - "The beginning of the book was a fast, engrossing read that really drew me in. Then, a little bit of the middle did go a little slower, but definitely stick with it because the ending (and middle/end) really gets going again and draws you right back in!"

The Crazy Bookworm - "Haven is very magical. It wisps you away from the hustle and bustle of ordinary life and transports you into this whimsical place. Not all of it is lollipops and rainbows though, there is a great deal of suspense."

Between the Covers - "Haven was a quick, enjoyable read. Cook's writing easily engages the reader, finding just the right balance of description and action and refined style and teen voice that brings the story to life."

Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon

Publisher: HarperTeen

Source: Purchased

Publication Date: 28 April 2009

Series or Standalone: Series

ISBN: 0061730211

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 338

Websites:

Cindy Pon - Official Site (be sure to check out the amazing artwork on her site!)
Cindy Pon - Blog

Cindy Pon - Twitter

Place(s) Traveled to: The Kingdom of Xia (based on ancient China)

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

First Line: The eunuchs said the windows were ceiling height to allow the concubines their privacy, but Jin Lian knew it was also a way to keep them trapped.

Related Posts: Fragment Friday // Book Trailer Monday

Series Order
Book 1 - Silver Phoenix
Book 2 - Fury of the Phoenix (29 Apr 2011)

I first heard about Silver Phoenix on Twitter right before it was released but even if I hadn't I'd have instantly been drawn to the cover in stores. The cover on the hardcover is absolutely GORGEOUS and I bought it the day it was released. I had every intention of reading it shortly thereafter as well but fates conspired against me and it sat on my shelf, neglected, along with so many others. Then recently on Twitter I was struggling through a book and saying how I'd need something really good to read afterwards. I don't recall the exact way things feel out but in the end PoseySessions was betting me $5 if I could finish Silver Phoenix up by the end of the weekend. (This all happened on a Thursday I believe.) Not one to walk away from a challenge I accepted. I then despaired that I would do it as it took until Saturday to finish the book I was reading and I had a family even more of that day. 

I despaired about being able to finish as the beginning of Silver Phoenix was a little slow. The prologue had me a bit confused (I'm slow sometimes) as I was immediately thrust into this foreign world. From there we jump forward 19 years (or so) and I have to readjust on what I think I know. In Chapter 1, we meet Ai Ling the heroine who is being sent off to potential betrothal meetings as all good Chinese girls in this time are destined for marriage and a life behind walls. But Ai Ling's family is tainted with a bit of scandal and she is a bit too tall and she struggles to fulfill her duty and remains unwed. When her father disappears, Ai Ling does a very brave and unusual thing and decides to set off in search of him. It helps that Ai Ling isn't your ordinary girl but she has special gifts that she's only just begun to understand.

From the moment Ai Ling leaves the sheltered walls of her home the book really pick up in pace. It becomes this action packed roller coaster and I found it hard to catch my breath. Around every corner there is peril and beasties that are trying to kill Ai Ling. Some of who might have succeeded if it wasn't for Chen Yong and his brother Li Rong. I LOVED the interaction between Chen Yong and Li Rong as well as that between Li Rong and Ai Ling. Li Rong is witty and fun and just makes a person laugh. Which is great because Chen Yong is just way to serious for his own good. Granted he has his reasons for holding himself aloof from the world but there is just this naturalness about Li Rong that makes you instantly like him. Based on characters alone Silver Phoenix was a win.

But even great characters need a good plot and Silver Phoenix has that in spades. Its a bit supernatural and a bit mystery with wonderful undertones of friendship mixed with a dash of romantic tension. I became so invested in this story that I lost track of the world around me and essentially devoured this book in just a few hours. This is such a rarity for me these days as I'm easily distracted by modern technology and the telly. Ai Ling is such a strong character and she kept facing all these creatures that I couldn't stop turning pages to learn why it all was. Throughout the book Pon leaves little breadcrumbs and hints as to what is to come but never enough to make the story predictable. Can you guess the outcome of the book, yes, or at least I could for the most part. But Silver Phoenix isn't really about the how it ends but the journey to get there. 

I have to admit my readings of books based in China (even loosely as this one is) so I don't know a ton about the rituals and culture. Cindy Pon does a great job of weaving in all the histories and expectations of the time without bogging the story down in details. So you can learn without realizing that you are learning something. I loved the history and how Pon wove in the various myths and legends from the east in a really seamless way. While reading the book it all felt real and I was able to push reality aside and imagine myself in Ai Ling's world. Although one tradition I'm glad Pon didn't explore was footbinding....ouch! I read one book (Snow Flower and the Secret Fan) a few years back that had long descriptions of the process and my feet STILL ache. 

My one regret is that it took me so long to read Silver Phoenix. Although a small part of me is glad because now I have only a short time to wait until its sequel, Fury of the Phoenix, is available. I am DYING to get my hands on this book. I need more of Ai Ling and Chen Yong as I did not like how Pon left things at the end of Silver Phoenix. Not that it was a bad ending, because it wasn't. It was a very good ending and perfect for the story. But for me it wasn't enough. I wasn't ready to leave their story so I am glad that it will be continuing on in another book. You can be sure that as soon as I get my hands on a copy that I will be reading it! Just as I strongly suggest for all of you to run out and grab a copy of Silver Phoenix and read it. Its well worth the time especially for all of you out there who love mythological based stories. I don't think you'll be disappointed with this one. I know I wasn't.

Clarity by Kim Harrington

Publisher: Point
Source: from publisher for review
Publication Date: 01 Mar 2011
Series or Standalone: Clarity, Book 1
ISBN: 0545230500
Format: Paperback (ARC)
Pages: 256
Websites:
Kim Harrington - Official Site
Kim Harrington - Blog
Kim Harrington - Twitter

Place(s) Traveled to: Eastport, Massachussetts (Cape Cod)

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

First Line: "You don't really want to kill me," I said.

Related Posts: Author Interview // Launch Party Recap

Series Order
Book 1 - Clarity
Book 2 - Perception (~March 2012)

I first met Kim at a signing for Michelle Zink (Prophecy of the Sisters trilogy) and that is where I first heard about Clarity. From the moment I heard about it I was excited. Not only is Kim a local author but the book is set on Cape Cod and then she tosses in a mystery and psychics? It was just one of those books that you knew would be good. Since then Kim and I became friends and bonded over our mutual love of Chipolte. Although I almost broke up with her when she made me DANCE in the Chipolte parking lot just for the chance to borrow her ARC of Clarity. But I sucked up the embarrassment and did it anyway....then I grabbed the book out of her hands and ran home to devour it.

I fell in love with Clare and her family from the very first page. Clare is so filled of snark that she had me giggling allowed and cheering her on when people tried to make her feel less than who she was. Clare is a really strong character, she is proud of who she is and doesn't try to let anyone change her. She is a girl that anyone could look up to and admire. Although I am not sure that I would want her gift as it does have some negative consequences. As much as I sometimes wonder what other people are thinking...there are times in which I really don't think that I want to know. I definitely wouldn't want to find out some of the secrets that Clare finds when she touches people she knows.

I also loved how Clare's mom was actively involved in her life. It is so rare in YA books to even SEE a parent and then when you do they are usually distant - both physically and emotionally. But in Clarity her mom is right there bugging Clare and her brother Perry about all the usual mom things. What makes Clare's mom even more fun is her particular psychic gift. I can just imagine all the things that Perry would try to get away with only to be quickly brought down by one look from her. Starla was a lot of fun, she is unique and involved but nor overbearing. She cares for her children and is struggling to make ends meet and isn't your typical mom all rolled into one. Perry, Clare's brother...well...he's pretty much a man whore. Which means that he's your typical teenage boy in a tourist town just trying to leave it up and be carefree before the weights of the world settle on his shoulders. Perry was a great character and he genuinely likes his little sister. I also really like Perry's friend Nate, I hope that we see more of him in the sequel.

My favorite character though was Madam Maslov. If you've read the book then you probably know why and if not then you are in for a treat. Madam Maslov is this wild, over the top character that just makes you laugh and groan and wish that she was real. She is a thorn in the side of Clare's mom but I think that given time the two could become good friends and cause serious shenanigans in their small Cape Cod town. lol

The writing of this book was solid. It was tight and no words were wasted. I liked this as it meant that every word mattered and I wasn't losing myself in needless dialogue or descriptive scenes. I am from the area and so I loved how it felt like I was on Cape Cod as I was reading the book. I also loved the mystery. I can't even begin to tell you how much. I won't say much about it as I don't want to give anything away but Kim is great with the twists and turns and keeping the reader guessing. I read a TON of mysteries so I did figure some things out before the reveal but I didn't get everything. I LOVED this. It is so rare that I am surprised by a mystery so while I was frustrated that she "got" me I was also pleased.  

Clarity is also the first book in which I am unable to chose the boy that I think Clare should end up with. Usually when there is a love triangle I am pretty solid on one team right from the start and I don't waver. But in Clarity I kept shifting allegiance. Both boys as so utterly real. For me this means they are flawed. They aren't perfect, they don't try to be. In fact they are both stubborn and even when I am telling them not to do something (yes I do talk aloud to books) they just blunder right in and do it any way. Then they wonder why Clare gets mad at them. *sighs* They also don't always learn from their mistakes either....or at least it takes them some time to learn. This was so refreshing as usually the boys in YA are freakishly perfect or just so over the top creepy that it can be so hard to relate to them. Or to hope that the MC ends up with one or the other.

To say I loved Clarity is an understatement because I more than loved it. I loved the world and the characters and the mystery. The only issue that I had with it was this one scene with Clare and one of her tormentors in school. As a bully she worked but there was this one scene in which she tried to come across as sympathetic and say that it was all Clare's doing that she wasn't a popular girl and if she just tried a little harder everything would change. I remember furrowing my brow and going huh? This from the girl who took every moment previously to try and torment Clare? I just didn't buy it and so that scene just felt a little rough to me. But other than that the book was a total love fest and I'm not just saying that because the author is a friend. If you've spent any time on my blog you know that I am honest to a fault in my reviews and if I didn't like the book I would tell you so. Therefore, you can trust me when I say that this is a book that you'll want on your bookshelf. Its a smart, snarky read and great for fans of Veronica Mars. I'm already counting down the days until book 2, Perception, is available because I can't wait to see what happens to Clare and company next!!

Iron Queen Blog Tour Contest Winner

Greeting and Salutations Internet!

I am so glad you were able to stop by tonight....I also hope that you enjoyed all the various stops on the Iron Queen Blog Tour. I know that I had a lot of fun following all the posts and learning more about the NeverNever and all the characters. If you are reading this then you are probably curious to see who is gonna walk home with this fabulous drawing:

The winner is....me!! no....sadly that is not the case....but damn that would look good hanging in my apartment! But I am feeling a tad bit evil tonight (Hey I am a member of the Winter Court did you really expect me to just GIVE you the answer right away?)....so no first I am going to give a couple of stats. Why? Beacues I LOVE them...that's why. Plus I did make a whole lotta people answer questions when they filled out my contest form and I know that deep down you are curious to see how they all turned out.


The first question I asked was about what court people were aligning themselves with. Since this *is* a Winter Court stop it should come as no surprise that the majority of the people who stopped by here were pro Winter.

Made by Pam of http://bookalicio.us/

I also asked about which book people like the best out of those currently written. This was a tighter call and it was really fun to see the results fluctate. In the end the one that stood out the most was Iron Queen...but I loved that each entry in the series had its loyal followers.

Finally I asked about favorite characters and while I expected love for Ash, Grim, Puck & Meghan some others surprised me. I mean...Queen Mab?!?!? Really?!?! She just freaks me out! lol

Ok...ok....I can hear the grumbles of an impatient crowd....so I will get on with why you are all here. The Winner of that GORGEOUS drawing seen about is:

Laura M!!!

Congratulations Laura! I'll be emailing your info off to the powers that be and you should be getting your prize soon. Thanks to everyone else who entered and I'll be having more contests soon so please check back for those. Until then have a beautiful day!

Friday Fragment (27): Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon

Welcome to the latest edition of Fragment Friday, a weekly meme hosted by James from Book Chic Club where we vlog a small snippet from a current read. This weeks excerpt is from Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon which was released on 28 April 2009 from HarperTeen.




For those who view via a reader that strips out the video you can click here to see on YouTube or copy and paste this URL into your browser: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufTDGAn0LMM

I hope you enjoyed this weeks fragment...see you next week!

Things/People mentioned in this vlog:
Sleeping Beauty

Coffee
Friday Reads Meme (Twitter hashtag = #fridayreads)
Girl Scout Cookies (specifically Thin Mints)
Hourglass by Myra McEntire

Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon

Twitter

The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller

Publisher: Razorbill

Source: Received from Publisher for Review

Publication Date: 10 August 2010

Series or Standalone: Series

ISBN: 1595143084

Format: Paperback (ARC)

Pages: 432

Websites:

Kirsten Miller - Official Site

Kirsten Miller - Blog

Kirsten Miller - Twitter

Official Book Website

Place(s) Traveled to: Snope City, Tennessee // New York, New York (2010, 1920s) // Rome, Italy (2010, 1920s)

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

First Line: Haven was back.

Related Posts: Fragment Friday

Series Order

Book 1 - The Eternal Ones

Book 2 - All You Desire (09 Aug 2011)

Book 3 - Untitled (Fall 2012)

When I first began to read the books that Penguin dubbed as Breathless Reads I put a call out onto Twitter to see which order I should them, The Eternals Ones by Kirsten Miller was the one everyone said should come last. After reading the four other books (Across the Universe, Nightshade, The Replacement & Matched) and not falling head over heels in love with them I was worried about The Eternal Ones. There was a part of me that said don't read it but the other part of me that was determined to read them all before a book signing was louder. For which I am glad that it was because in the end I really ended up liking The Eternal Ones.

For me it was the best book of the current Breathless Reads. The Eternal Ones isn't like any other book that I've read. I really loved the whole reincarnation aspect of it and learning about Constance and Ethan through Haven's memories. The story was fast paced and believable and the times that I find myself rolling my eyes or shouting at the book where kept to a minimum. I will admit that Haven's flip-slopping attitude towards Iain did get annoying. One moment she was head of heels in love then some stranger would say something against him and she'd be all 'Oh no I can't trust you.' *sighs* There there was the whole Adam thing, which for me, was a bit much and kind of out there. But I was able to move past those parts and allow myself to enjoy the story. Based on my recent reads you know that this means a lot.

The Eternal Ones isn't a book for everyone, this story is more of a straight romance with a wee bit of mystery mixed in. There are no vampires or werewolves or any other paranormal creature and I found that to be very refreshing. The idea of reincarnation as set up in The Eternal Ones is believable and I loved the idea that why you might instantly connect with some people over others is because you knew them in a past life and your souls recognize each other. While reading the The Eternal Ones, I loved hearing the snippets of Haven's past incarnations. Although the main focus was on her previous life, when she was Constance, and I would have liked to see more of those other lives. Yet, at the same time, I feel that this book was pretty well wrapped up at the end. I don't see where a sequel will go. The ends were tied up, there was a HEA and most importantly, there was an EPILOGUE. To me, an epilogue means done, there is no more. So I am a little disappointed that there will be 2 more books in the series. There is something to be said for leaving the reader wanting more and I fear that the next books will only hurt the overall story by dragging things out.

I liked this book. I will recommend it to others. I loved Haven and Iain and Haven's gay friend Beau (he was the snarky sidekick). I thought that Haven's grandmother was evil (as all good  rich, old monied, opinionated southern grandma's should be) and her mother could have done with more of a backbone. Though Haven seemed to have more than enough for her and her mother both. While most of me is against the idea of a sequel there is that small part of me that hopes to see all those these characters again. Although I can deal without the reincarnations of convenience - everyone seemed to know everyone else in their past and present lives and it just hurt my head a little that everyone kept bumping into each other like that. Though I am aware that it was needed for the story and there really wasn't another way to do it.

I will also try to reserve my opinion on any potential sequels until I read one myself. But I am not sure that I can walk into it with an open mind. My brain is just all jaded like that. It won't be the first time and it won't be the last. Sometimes I am proven right and I have my "AHA!! I knew it moment!" and just as often I am proven wrong and am pleasantly surprised. Either way be on the look out for my thoughts sometime in August or there abouts as that is when All You Desire is released in stores.

Friday Fragment (26): Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Duke's Heart by Sarah MacLean

Welcome to the latest edition of Fragment Friday, a weekly meme hosted by James from Book Chic Club where we vlog a small snippet from a current read. This weeks excerpt is from Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Duke's Heart by Sarah MacLean which will be released on 26 April 2011 from Avon.

For those who view via a reader that strips out the video you can click here to see on YouTube or copy and paste this URL into your browser: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNavmbLgqvU

I hope you enjoyed this weeks fragment...see you next week!

Things/People mentioned in this vlog:
Sleeping Beauty

Coffee

Haven by Kristi Cook

Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon

PoseySessions

Twitter
NetGalley

Sarah MacLean

Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake

Ten Ways to be Adored When Landing a Lord

Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Duke's Heart

Matched by Ally Condie

Publisher: Dutton

Source: Received from Publisher for Review

Publication Date: 01 November 2010

Series or Standalone: Series

ISBN: 0525423648

Format: Paperback (ARC)

Pages:384

Websites:

Ally Condie - Official Site

Ally Condie - Blog

Ally Condie- Twitter
Official Book Site

Place(s) Traveled to: Mapletree Borough in the Province of Oria

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

First Line: Now that I've found the way to fly, which direction should I go into the night?

Related Posts: NA

Series Order
Book 1 - Matched
Book 2 - Crossed (01 Nov 2011)
Book 3 - Untitled (Fall 2012)

I often see Matched by Ally Condie classified as a dystopian novel but that isn't exactly true. Matched is more of a utopian with elements of dystopia. I've even heard a few people refer to Matched as anti-utopian and I think that fits as well. Here's my reasoning, a utopian novel is one that involves the creation of an ideal world for its setting and a dystopian is the opposite where a nightmare world is created. In Matched, the world as we known it has fallen. We don't learn why only that it happened and that Cassia's great-grandmother was part of the creation of the Society - the world that Cassia grew up in. In the Society, everything is controlled and everything is decided based on its most probable outcome in the hopes of keeping everything equal among everyone. Cassia is fine with this. She doesn't question the rules of the Society as she was raised to follow without thinking.  The Society wants to ban creativity and focus only on what is probable.

 One thing I didn't like was how there was this assumption made where The Society had been around for what seemed like ever. But in listening to Cassia's narrative her great-grandmother was on one of the committees when the Society was first forming. So the Society really isn't all that old. Which just makes it super scary just how quickly this mindless drone-like way of life occurred. As I said above creativity is banned and most people have forgotten how to write. This is scary because you can see the beginnings of this today where more and more schools are eliminating teaching cursive. In fact, there are even some schools here in my home state that are getting ride of text books in favor of tablets like the ipad - tablets like what Cassia and her friends use in school. So I can see how such a Society that Cassia lives in could occur. I can see how our world can easily turn into hers and in some ways that's where the dystopian aspects of the book comes into play.

What I didn't like was how Condie kept cheating at narration by making everyone in the book have the ability to read minds. Ok...they weren't really mind readers but Cassia would think something during a conversation and the person she was with would know without her saying anything just what she was thinking an answer her. Similarly sometimes she just knew something. These moments of telepathy just sort of killed the ability for me as a reader to discover things as everything was just told. There were no secrets. And what few secrets their were I figured out in the first few chapters but then had to wait until the 'big reveals' of the climax in order to be proven right. The love triangle between Cassia, Xander and Ky was so bland....much like most of the book. There was no tension and nothing that made me think that any of the characters were in love.

Cassia seemed more curious about the glitch in the system, without which I don't think she'd have ever started to rebel against her society. That coupled with a conversation she has with an Official makes me wonder just who is really behind Cassia's awareness. Because I highly doubt she would have been curious about other possibilities if it wasn't for that glitch that showed her Ky's face on her match card. Cassia wasn't much of free thinker - which would bring disappointment to her grandfather and father - but its how she was raised to be. Cassia and her generation are the vision of the ones who decided to make the society. I feel bad blaming Cassia for her actions when her actions are exaction what is expected based on what I know of the Society.

Another thing that bothered me slightly was when Cassia mentioned how most people had blue eyes. Blue is a recessive gene and so I wouldn't think that it would have survived all the specific breeding that is done. I would have thought that since brown is the dominant eye color that it would win out. Although, artistically speaking brown eyes aren't as pretty or considered to be an ideal when compared to blue. One rarely sees the swoon worthy male lead in a story with brown eyes - they are usually blue or green of some piercing or sparkling variety. In the case of selective breeding I think that Beth Revis did a good job in Across the Universe in mentioning how those on the ship all ended up with brown hair, brown eyes, and brown  skin (or was it olive? I dunno it was dark than Caucasian) as brown is the dominant gene. But this is the science nerd in me coming out so I shall shut up now.

I know there were other things that I wanted to say but my brain is just not thinking of them right now. In fact, even though I just finished this book a few days ago I'm finding it all a bit forgettable. Usually I am very good at remembering book details but the events of Matched are quickly slipping away. Overall, Matched wasn't a horrible read. I just found it to be slow and just a wee bit predictable. I think I would have preferred this one to be a standalone because to have another two books just seems like its really going to drag this story out. I'm currently on the fence on if I'll be reading the others or not. Will have wait to see what the synopses are before deciding...and since I hardly ever read a book synopsis these days that's kind of a big deal for me.

Event Recap: Reality Bites California Signing (June 2010)

Readers, this post has been a long time in coming. Too long actually. Partly because some pics I was waiting on were stored in a friends camera and we'd both remember them and forget about them in equal measure. Then I thought that too much time has gone by to make the post worthwhile, after all the signing occurred in June 2010. But in talking to a few people they all encouraged me to put up something. So here it is.

Heidi Kling, Nina LaCour, & Jandy Nelson

 In early 2010, I heard that Heidi Kling (Sea), Jandy Nelson (The Sky is Everywhere) and Nina LaCour (Hold Still) were going to go on tour. I was ecstatic as I loved Heidi from Twitter and Jandy & Nina's books just really blew me away. Then I found out that the signing was in California along with much of the tour. I was crushed. Because I live all the way on the other side of the country in Massachussetts and the teleport machine hasn't been invented yet. I then would spend time woefully looking at air fares and dreaming of the signing that might have been.

Then I learned that my job was being phased out in the company that I worked for as they decided to return manufacturing to Ireland. Around that same time I was doing another random flight check and there was this really great RT direct flight deal on Virgin America airlines and I tweeted about it. Saying how awesome it would be to just toss caution and practicality to the wind and hop on this deal and go. I said it dreamily and tweeted shortly after that no, I couldn't do that as then there was hotel and car rental and so many other added costs and I just couldn't do it. Only to have Pam of bookalico.us tweet back saying if you do I'll let you crash on my couch. With her urging (bad Pam! lol) along with a few others I booked the flight that very day.

Time passed, Pam came to BEA in NYC and so we were able to meet in person before I traveled out there. She was a riot. June came and a little before my trip I got a message from Pam asking things like what I felt about children and small dogs and what I liked for breakfast. She laughed when I said something about how I eat children and small dogs for breakfast. My travel day came I flew to California and Pam said her husband was coming to pic me I. I told him to look for the pasty white girl in a Boston Red Sox hat. After a little confusion as to what terminal I was in (and honestly I still don't know lol) I hopped in the car and we were on our way. Although I think I still should have received confirmation of identity BEFORE I did so....bad me forgetting all my crime drama shows. lol

I was also a bit shocked on how chilly California was....I'd been misled...it was supposed to be warmer than Boston. But on that weekend it wasn't. Shame on you California! It was a lot of fun to meet Pam's kids...her daughter is a mini-her (so watch out world!), her son is just a bundle of giggles and her dog Jackie is just the cutest thing ever. My friend Mollie, who also lives in California also came down to say hi to me and Pam was generous enough to give her a place to stay as well. That's genuine hospitality people. 

We hung about for a bit before Dave, Pam's British GPS, took us to Kepler's for the signing. We got there a little early and I tried to get Mollie to buy every book as I couldn't decided which one was best. The day of the signing was also Heidi's official launch day so there were some snacks and Pam brought cake. There were a lot of people in the crowd and as I had a hard time hearing...and was just a bit tired...I didn't record my normal Q&A. But lots of good questions were asked, they all did a reading from their books and showed their trailers, and all the authors were humorous. 

Sea tanks!!

Bad twitter app not letting me tweet!

This isn't sideways on my comp...I don't know why it is here

 We then all lined up to get our books signed. I was pleased as punch when Nina and Jandy recognized my blog and had read my reviews. I also liked how they didn't think I was crazy when they learned that I'd flown out from Boston that morning just to see them. (Seriously folks, their books are really that awesome!) I had a lot of fun and was so glad that I went. 

Me, Lady from Keplers, Heidi, Pam, Nancy of Ravenous Reader, Nina, Jandy

The next day Pam, Mollie & I took a trip over to see the Yahoo campus. This place in FANTABULOUS and I'm not just saying that because there is a free coffee bar. Its a beautiful campus and there were so many good eats to choose from in the cafe that it was so hard to choose! I really wish I was more computer techie so that I could apply to work there. lol Then Mollie and I headed up to San Francisco for a little walking around and sightseeing. I saw the harbor seals and Alcatraz and I learned really fast that I need to plan a whole trip at some point dedicated to San Francisco. 

Mollie & I in front of Yahoo

Cal-Train

Trolly!

Fisherman's Wharf

I know this post doesn't say a ton but I still wanted to share the fact that I went and some of the pictures that I took. This is one of the craziest things I done....to just book a plane ticket on a whim just to meet some authors. Although Heidi, Jandy and Nina said they didn't think it crazy at all. But I LOVED their books. They were just so amazingly good that I couldn't put them down. While there I picked up a copy of The Sky is Everywhere signed to the teen daughter of a woman my sister works with. The girl loves books and I wanted to share with her some of my faves. My sister says that the girl sort of mumbled incoherently when she saw the book signed by Jandy....turns out Sky is Everywhere was one of her favorite books as well and she was in total shock and awe that Jandy signed one for her. 

So, if you haven't read these books yet I'd strongly urge that you check them out ASAP. And if you ever get a chance to meet these amazing authors you should. They are all so amazingly genuine and funny and don't think that someone who travels 3000 miles are crazy or stalkerish. But while it may have happened on a whim it was one of the best author signings that I have been too. Kepler's was a great store and Pam was an excellent host. I also fell in love with her husband just a bit too...because not only did he make the coffee in the coffee pot (which is love worthy just by itself) but he added in the milk and brought made up cups to Mollie and I as we were waking up. I can see why Pam keeps him around! Plus he did drive all the way to San Francisco to pick up a strange girl who flew across the country just for a bookish event. So thank you Marco for doing that. Thanks Pam for letting me stay with her. Thanks Mollie for driving down to see me & wandering around San Francisco with me. Thanks Addy for being a delight and sharing your chatter with me and thanks Elijah for sharing your giggles (your mushed cookie I could have lived with out but thanks to Jackie for eating it off my hand lol). I had an excellent time and I can't wait to go back one day.

Harbor Seals

Alcatraz

The Golden Gate Bridge

The bridge and I

Friday Fragment (25): The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller

Welcome to the latest edition of Fragment Friday, a weekly meme hosted by James from Book Chic Club where we vlog a small snippet from a current read. This weeks excerpt is from The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller which was released on 10 August 2010 from Razorbill.

For those who view via a reader that strips out the video you can click here to see on YouTube or copy and paste this URL into your browser: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-o_4ggA-k8Y

EDITED to add: I'm going to to a book signing on Wednesday that will include Beth Revis, Brenna Yovanoff, Kirsten Miller, Ally Condie and Andrea Creamer. If you would like me to bring back a signed copy of one of their books to use in a giveaway then let me know which one you want in the comments.

I hope you enjoyed this weeks fragment...see you next week!

Things/People mentioned in this vlog:
Kim Harrinton - Kim Thanks You For Being Awesome Swag Pack
Victoria Schwab - Near Witch Epic Giveaway of Epicness
The Iron Queen Contest
Readers choice contest (upcoming - see vlog for details)
Across the Universe by Beth Revis
The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff
Nightshade by Andrea Creamer
Matched by Ally Condie
The Eternal Ones y Kirsten Miller

The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

Publisher: Razorbill

Source: Received from Publisher for Review

Publication Date: 01 September 2010

Series or Standalone: Standalone

ISBN: 1595143378

Format: Paperback (ARC)

Pages: 343

Websites:

Brenna Yovanoff - Official Site

Brenna Yovanoff - Blog

Brenna Yovanoff - Twitter

Place(s) Traveled to: Gentry, Pennsylvania // Underground

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

First Line: I don't remember any of the true, important parts, but there's this dream I have.

Related Posts: Friday Fragment

Have you ever heard the phrase 'Don't judge a book by its cover'? I know I sure have and its so very true because there are times, like with The Replacement by Breanna Yovanoff in which you get this fantastically creepy looking cover and you think wow...I am gonna have the nightmares because of this one. And since I hate being scared...like really and truly beyond hate being scared...you know it had to be a really awesome cover to make me want to read this book. Only when I read it I wasn't scared. I wasn't even the slightest bit creeped out. In fact I was a little bit bored. 

From the moment I started this book I felt that something was off but I couldn't quite place my finger on it. In the end, I think it was all the round about speak that Yovanoff used. There were things about her world that she wanted us to know but because Mackie didn't know them then we didn't. So she had other characters hint and allude to these little tidbits while never actually saying them and so you have all these random little gaps where you have to guess what the author wants you to know. Reading shouldn't be a guessing game.

I also found that while reading this book I cared more about the secondary characters than I did about the main character. The secondary characters had more life and zeal and I would have much rather been in their head than Mackie's who was a bit mopey and who didn't want to get involved. For me, Mackie just sort of existed and never really lived....I know that sounds odd when talking about characters in a book but there are times when the characters you read about almost seem real...that when you close your eyes you can see them hovering just off to the side of your imagination. As a reader you can picture them doing the things in the book, creating their story as it goes alone. But with Mackie he just sort of sat there while waiting for direction so he came across as very flat and the scenes became choppy.

I also really didn't buy his romance with Tate. In the beginning of the book he is in like with another girl but then out of nowhere he is telling Tate how much he likes her...and its all..huh? what? And I would go back to reread pages and there was no explanation or hint of the upcoming change. That happened a lot, the rereading, and not just with scenes between Tate and Mackie, so this book ended up taking me longer to read than it should have. This one just disappointed me on every level. I didn't hate it but I didn't love it either its just sort of meh. Which makes me sad because the cover is just so very awesome.

Nightshade by Andrea Creamer

Publisher: Philomel

Source: Received from Publisher for Review

Publication Date: 19 October 2010

Series or Standalone: Series

ISBN: 039925482X

Format: Paperback (ARC)

Pages: 452

Websites:

Andrea Creamer - Official Site

Andrea Creamer - Blog

Andrea Creamer- Twitter

Place(s) Traveled to: Vail, Colorado

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

First Line: I'd always welcomed war, but in battle my passion rose unbidden.

Related Posts: NA

Series Order

Prequel - Shadow Days (novella, 19 Oct 2010)
Book 1 - Nightshade
Book 2 - Wolfsbane (26 July 2011)
Book 3 - Bloodrose (Spring 2012)

The tag line on the front of Nightshade by Andrea Creamer reads "She can control her pack but not her heart." The synopsis hints at this strong female character as she struggles against the constraints of her world to follow her heart. The cover is very seductive and really lures a reader in. Twiiter, Goodreads and the blogs are all abuzz with just how amazing this book is. So I went into this book with high hopes that this "breathless" read would leave me...well...breathless. Dear readers of my blog, I feel like I have been lied to because this book wasn't a breathless read. The main character wasn't a strong girl struggling against her pack. No, she was just a very horny one who melted when any boy touched her. 

Those that follow me on goodreads know that this was a book that I struggled with. It was a bit mind blowing and not in that awesome way that the movie Inception was mind blowing. But in the way that just made my eye go all twitchy at what was going on. And so to prevent my brain from exploding I updated my goodreads feed. A lot. If you are interested you can read those "live" updates here. In all honesty I am not sure how I finished the book. I think part of me kept hoping that something would happen that would turn the whole thing around. That there would be a moment when I'd go "ah ha!" THAT'S what everyone is talking about. That is what makes this story. But there was no magical moment and on the last turn of the page I was left scratching my head and say WTF just happened there?

Let's start with the romantic triangle. I've heard a lot of buzz about being on Team Ren or Team Shay and I was curious about both of these characters. Now I love a good love triangle and the choices and conflicts and all the implications but the one in Nightshade really wasn't. As I said about Calla was just horny. She liked Ren well enough as he was the one chosen for her to marry. But do to some hold over of 14th century mentality she, as Alpha Female, wasn't allowed to date or look at a boy until her union. Ren on the other hand could be as much of a man-whore as her wanted. Which he was. He only stopped whoreing about when the Union was getting close and then he kept trying to get Calla to do impure things with him using that age old line "no one will know." And yet every time they seemed to start knocking those boots someone would interrupt them....Ren would then be praised for his virility and Calla would be condemned. Um....really? Especially when these directives to Calla came from the same people who told her to sex up finesse her wardrobe so that she'd be more appealing to Ren.

Then there is Shay. New boy in town. Human. And totally ignorant to the ways of the pack (ie the one used so that we as a read can be told all the ins & outs of Calla's 14th century lifestyle in 21st century America.) Shay is drawn to Calla and she him because he's the only boy, outside of Ren, who has dared to touch her. She tries to hold on to the dictates of her society but one touch or kiss from Shay and she's ready to chuck everything aside just so that he might kiss her again. That is until Ren pops up & kisses or touches her and she melts for him and wants nothing more than follow the rules of her world. This is part of what happens when horny teen werewolves aren't allowed to play kissing games before being married off. But even though as a reader I was told how much Calla would tingle or melt at Ren/Shay's touch I didn't buy a romance between either of them. It was just all so forced like there had to be something written into the book to distract the reader form all the headache inducing plot.

I know that all the suppression of the Nightshade/Bane wolf females is supposed to be this grand stance on how horrible slavery is and how it can still exist in modern times. But I still don't buy it. From what I saw of the Nightshade/Bane 'masters' I don't get why the werewolf packs are so hell bent on protecting them. Especially when the head of the Bane pack essentially forces teen girls to sleep with him and then teaches his son that this will be good behavior when he has his own pack and do the same. Only this time since Bane Jr is secretly gay its one of the 2 other known secretly gay werewolves in the pack. So secret that everyone but Calla seemed to know and who met at the gay werewolf anonymous meeting. Really???

Now I am not gay but I have many friends and a few family members who are. I do not know what it is like to struggle against knowing who you are and what people in society want you to be. This struggle though is something where I feel that books can help. Then I see a story line like that in Nightshade and I think wow...that just went two steps backwards in helping people's thinking. In Andrea Creamer's world to be gay is not just something to hide and be ashamed of. Its punishable by death. And I don't care what freaking message you are trying to send between the lines on how wrong this dictatorial society is. The words as they are written say something else and that to me is deeply disturbing on so many levels. I know I'll probably get lots of emails and comments on how wrong my thinking is here but this is what I took away form the book when I read it. Everyone reads a book differently and how you saw something is not how I did. So please know while constructive comments are welcome super snarky ones will be deleted. I will not engage in any arguments on my blog.

Moving on.

The plot.

Oh how cliched and and filled with convenient story telling. The cave with the spider...can I just say for a moment there I thought I'd stumbled into my copy of the Two Towers...but then there were wolves and its like. Nope, no such luck for me! That whole scene is supposed to be this pivotal climactic moment, a turning point in the story, and yet I think I shouted "seriously?!?!" at my book a good 1/2 dozen times in this very short scene. It was convenient, it was cliched, it was so utterly effing unrealistic (and no not just because there was a big effing spider or werewolves involved.) it was a plot device to get a certain event to conveniently happen in a supposedly natural way that I am sure will have HUGE implications later on in the story. It felt fake. I as a reader felt cheated.

I felt cheated again when Creamer went with the age old baddie pontificating about just how little everyone knows and to quote A Few Good Men 'they can't handle the truth.' blah blah blah lets waste lots of time and them book big climax and end scene. Nothing resolved. Just a WTF cliffhanger ending that forces the reader to get the next book to see what happens next. Will Calla survive? Will she finally have to choose between Ren and Shay? and more importantly will this girl ever get laid?? I could say more about what I didn't like but I think its pretty clear that this one wasn't for me. I don't know if I can stomach another book. But we shall see, dear reader of my blog, we shall see.


Reviews from people who thought differently than me
Book Chic Club - "Cremer has created an amazing, original world that is compelling and hard to put down."
YA Bibliophile - "I loved the way Cremer worked Guardian/Keeper history in to our history and events that actually took place."
A Book Worm's Haven - "I think Andrea has done an amazing job of creating a completely new world that will force you to pay attention and fall in love with it."
The Story Siren - "Nightshade is the perfect blend of everything I love in a novel. There is engaging plot, well written characters, romance and a BEAUTIFUL cover."
Galleysmith - "It was the right combination of the supernatural and the realistic that I think even those who aren’t into the paranormal might enjoy this book."