Ticket to Anywhere

The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima (Audio)

2012-01-23T08:57:00.028-05:00

Publisher: Recorded Books (Audio); Hyperion Books for Children (Print)

Source: Purchased

Publication Date: 08 March 2010 (Audio); 19 Nov 2009 (Print)
Series or Standalone: Series

ISBN: B003BGEGWI (Audio), 1423118235 (Hardcover)

Format: Audio

Audio Length: ? discs (~15 hrs)

Narrator: Carol Monda

Websites:

Cinda Williams Chima - Official Site

Cinda Williams Chima - Blog

Cinda Williams Chima - Twitter

Place(s) Traveled to: Queendom of the Fells // Marisa Pines // Fellsmarch

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Seven Realms Series Order

Book 1: The Demon King

Book 2: The Exiled Queen

Book 3: The Grey Wolf Throne

Book 4: The Crimson Crown (2012)

First Line: Han Alister squatted next to the steaming mud spring, praying that the thermal crust would hold his weight.

A few years back I attended my first Book Expo America and while there I picked up a book with a beautiful cover and intriguing title and when I saw that it was Fantasy I kinda fell in love. Then when I entered it into Goodreads I learned that it was Book 2 in a new series from Cinda Williams Chima. I then let out a little sigh and put it on my shelf and eventually remembered to buy the first book so that I could finally get to it. Since I've recently been on a bit of a fantasy kick I decided to revisit this series with the pretty covers and intriguing titles but couldn't find my copy of The Demon King anywhere....so I did what anyone would do...I went to the internet and downloaded the audio from my precious audible.com account. Because having a duplicate copy of a book in a different format is way different than having a duplicate in the same format...right? Or am I just a crazy book addict? Well, that's a discussion for another day...this is about a wonderful new world that I wish I'd discovered earlier.

In many ways, The Demon King is like most other fantasy books out there. Fantasy, like most genres, does have a particular formula about it. There is that special boy that no one really considers to be special until something extraordinary happens to catapult him into the spotlight. Then there is the dastardly villain and somewhere in the mix there is the token girl - sometimes she's a strong alpha character and others she's the princess in a tower waiting for rescue. In other ways, The Demon King breaks the mold in that the hero and heroine of the story don't really interact all that much. They aren't childhood friends and they aren't traveling companions....in fact they don't really like each other much when they first meet.

For the most part, I really enjoyed the world that Chima created with the Fells. I liked her villains and am curious to see where events will go after the set up in this first book. I am curious to see how the paths of all the characters we've come to know if this book will cross in the next one. And yes, the romantic in me is curious to see which boy Reisa will set her sights on because she has several options and she's not scared to explore them all to find that right person for her. Oh I have an inkling as to who she'll ultimately choose but I just love all the possibilities that Chima has set up.

What bugged me in this story was that there was a solid dual-POV perspective of story telling set up. There where scenes/chapters loosely divide up between Han and Reisa and while they weren't regularly divided it worked for the pacing of the story. Then about 1/2 way through the book we're tossed randomly into the head of a third character for no reason other than it made moving the plot along just a little easier and to me it came across as a bit of a cop out. Rather than try to find a way to use the two characters we'd come to know to get over a difficult patch we get this whole new person and it jolted me out of the story. I like the character of Eamon as a secondary character and seeing inside his head wasn't a horrible thing...but I just wish that this POV had been established from the start to keep the flow and consistency going from the start of the book all the way until the final chapter.

I fell in love with this world. I think listening to this one helped to really bring the world of Fellsmarch to life as the words in an audio seem to be infused with new meanings and power. When someone reads a story to you, you are forced to slow down and really listen to the words. When you read a physical book you can speed over the words in that mad rush to find out what happens. But in an audio you are at the mercy of the narrator and while it can be frustrating sometimes to not be able to rush through. There is also a joy to be had in being forced to slow down and really become immersed in the world. The world in The Demon King is very rich and vivid and its one that I would highly recommend to be experienced in its audio form.

Whatever the form you prefer though this is a great book for anyone out there who loves a good fantasy. Yes, it does follow the formula but rather than be a stale retelling of some other story it takes the foundations set up and builds a strong story that is independent of its roots. The characters are all wonderful in their roles and I look forward to meeting them all again in The Exiled Queen. They are strong and weak and flawed and just so very human and relatable. The world is vividly constructed and while you are in the story you believe that it is real. And really, as a reader, isn't that what you long for in a book?

About the narrator
Carol Monda is a new narrator for me but she is one that enjoyed listening to. She was good with all the various voices, most of the time, and it was never hard to tell who was speaking when. Although there were times in which the same voice was used for different people but fortunately it was never in the same scene so confusion was avoided. I enjoyed her narration so much that I am considering ignoring the print copy that I have of The Exiled Queen just to download and listen to her rendition of that book as well. To see how she brings that book to life....the only thing that is currently stopping me is how quickly my audio TBR pile is growing! I really need to take a really long road trip with someone who also like audios so that I can make a bigger dent in my pile!

The Book Without Words by Avi

2012-01-18T07:23:00.000-05:00

Publisher: Hyperion

Source: Library

Publication Date: 01 Sept 2006

Series or Standalone: Standalone

ISBN: 0786816597

Format: ebook

Pages: 240

Websites:

Avi - Official Site

Avi - Blog

Avi - Twitter

Place(s) Traveled to: Fulworth, England // Northumbria (1046)

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

First Line: It was in the year 1046, on a cold winter's night, when a fog, thick as wool and dank as a dead man's hand, crept up from the River Scrogg into the ancient town of Fulworth.

While browsing my libary's online catalog I was drawn to the cover and title of this book. I wasn't sure what to expect from it but what I got was a mediocre story. It was a short, quick read but other than that there wasn't all that much substance to the book. The story and the characters just all fell flat for me.

Because there just wasn't much too this book writing a review of it is kind of difficult. None of the characters or the plot were very memorable and I think I only managed to finish it because it was so very short. I've read other books by Avi in the past and I had enjoyed them but this one, not so much.

I don't know. I think I'll just keep this one short and say it was just meh for me and not something that I can really recommend. Your time can be better spent on something else.

The Christopher Killer by Alane Ferguson

2012-01-17T07:41:00.003-05:00

Publisher: Viking Juvenile

Source: Library

Publication Date: 04 May 2006

Series or Standalone: Series

ISBN: 0670060089

Format: ebook

Pages: 288

Websites:

Alane Ferguson - Official Site

Alane Ferguson - Blog

Alane Ferguson - Twitter

Place(s) Traveled to: Silverton, Colorado // Durango, Colorado

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Forensics Mystery Series Order

Book 1: The Christopher Killer

Book 2: The Angel of Death
Book 3: The Circle of Blood

Book 4: The Dying Breath

First Line: "Yes, I can be there in half an hour. Any idea of when he died?" Cameryn's father murmured into the telephone.

If you spend any amount of time with me then you soon learn that I love a good mystery. If its in a book, movie or the latest crime drama on tv then you can be sure that I'll be interested in it. So when looking through my libraries online catalog, The Christopher Killer's description really caught my eye.

The story started out good enough but then somewhere around the middle it sort of fizzled out. There were spelling errors in the text that just kept distracting me from the story. If this was an ARC I could overlook them, but this was a finished book so they are harder to ignore. The language of the story was also very old fashioned and came across as much older than a teen voice. It was also very repetitive sometimes saying the same thing in two consecutive sentences. Take this sentence as an example "Yes. I work with my father as his assistant. I'm assistant to the coroner." This was at the end of the book and it seemed that every time the main character met anyone she mentioned that she was the assistant to the coroner.

The phrasings throughout the novel were just always so stiff and awkward and often characters would know things that weren't disclosed to them. Which also distracted from the story. I also found it hard to believe that a seventeen year old seemed to be the only one who was able to make the necessary connections that broke the case. I also didn't like that often once a character was introduced they were rarely seen again in the book. This was most notably seen with Cammie's dad and her best friend Lyric. The only character that was consistently seen throughout the book was Cammie's love interest, Dectective Justin Crowley.

I initially really liked the tension between Cammie and Justin but as with the rest of the story things just sort of fizzled out in the middle and his whole purpose in the book changed. It became this left filed sort of plot point that often lead to me rolling my eyes. There big mystery reveal as well as the family mystery also had me rolling my eyes as well.

The Christopher Killer started out with such promise and then it turned mediocre. I really wished that the build up in the beginning was able to last throughout the novel. That Cammie and Justin could have had the chemistry similar to Meg and John After in Jennifer Echol's Going Too Far. But maybe that chemistry will build over the course of this series. I was disappointed in this book and I am not entirely sure that I will continue on with this series. I think it will all depend on whether or not my library has them available or not.

Witch Eyes by Scott Tracey

2012-01-16T13:09:00.000-05:00

Publisher: Flux

Source: BEA

Publication Date: 08 Sept 2011

Series or Standalone: Series

ISBN: 0738725951

Format: Paperback (ARC)

Pages: 332

Websites:

Scott Tracey - Official Site

Scott Tracey - Blog

Scott Tracey - Twitter

Place(s) Traveled to: Montana // Belle Dam, Washington

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Unearthly Series Order

Book 1: Witch Eyes

Book 2: Demon Eyes (Fall 2012)
Book 3: Phantom Eyes (Fall 2013)

First Line: Binding circles were bad news, my uncle said.

From the first moment I heard about Witch Eyes by Scott Tracey I knew it was a book I had to read. It was one of my favorite genres, fantasy, contained a mystery and then had a GBLT character as the main protagonist. Witch Eyes was filled with many ups and downs and a few twists and turns and ended in a satisfying story that left me wanting more. And, I must admit, it also left me a bit made at Tracey for how certain events played out. Along with the dread that there are still two more books remaining in the series so plenty of words remain for him to torture both his characters and his readers alike.

The mystery in the book wasn't anything super complex or difficult to figure out for an anyone experienced with reading mysteries but it wasn't so obvious that you knew all there was to know right from the start. I also really enjoyed all the characters and how they interacted with each other. There was humor and there was heart ache and I look forward to seeing how they all deepen and grow over the course of the series. I enjoyed the world and mythology that Tracey set up for his town of Belle Dam. There were lots of seeds planted in this first book and I am curious to see how they will grow.

There is just so much to love in this book and I hated for it to end. I just wanted to stay in this world longer. Because then maybe there wouldn't have been as much heartbreak...ok who am I kidding...there probably would have been more if the story was longer. Because for some unknown reason authors just love to torture their readers. There should be a law against that. But then again, its that torture that keeps us coming back for more. That desire and hope that maybe in this next book events will be different and everything will be all sunshine and roses. And yes I know that I am living in a dream world with that one but isn't that part of what makes up hope?

If you like a good fantasy novel....one filled with magic and mystery...along with a little snark mixed in...then you really need to pick up Witch Eyes. Scott Tracey has built a wonderful world and I think that I will be a long time fan of his writing. The characters are all so very real. They are flawed and make mistakes and its in those flaws and mistakes that you can find pieces of yourself that make it easy to relate to them. Witch Eyes also contains involved family members...which is so rare in YA books these days. For me this is a must read and bound to be on my favorites list for a long time to come. So if you haven't read it yet then you are really missing out and should bump it up your to be read list. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

2012-01-15T09:36:00.003-05:00

Publisher: Harper Teen

Source: Publisher

Publication Date: 04 Jan 2011

Series or Standalone: Series

ISBN: 0061996165

Format: Paperback (ARC)

Pages: 435

Websites:

Cynthia Hand - Official Site

Cynthia Hand - Blog

Cynthia Hand - Twitter

Place(s) Traveled to: Mountain View, California //Jackson Hole, Wyoming // Jackson, Wyoming // Idaho Falls, Idaho // Teton, Wyoming // Palisades Reservoir, Idaho

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Unearthly Series Order

Book 1: Unearthly

Book 2: Hallowed (17 Jan 2012)
Book 3: Untitled (~Jan 2013)

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

I am always wary of books that are over-hyped for all to often I'll pick up a book that everyone seems to be raving about only to find that I don't care much for it. This was the case of Unearthly by Cynthia Hand....the over-hyped part not the not caring for it. Because I did like Unearthly but I didn't love it as much as other people seem to have. For me, Clara wasn't the most likeable of characters and I really didn't like how she was obsessed with Christian. I get that teens do become obsessive sometimes with the boys around them but for most of the book Christian had a girlfriend and so I didn't care for that.

I did enjoy the angel lore in the book as it was different form anything I had read before. But it was just awfully convenient that so many angels just happened to be in the same small town in the middle of small town America. That had me rolling my eyes and getting a little exasperated. There were also several other cliches that happen throughout the book that also had me rolling my eyes and as a result I didn't totally love the story. I thought that there was a lot of excess of set up as well and the beginning dragged a bit for me but it wasn't so slow that I got frustrated and stopped reading. I also thought that once events started to unfold that many of the secondary characters were underutilized and often forgotten.

Unearthly also contained a love triangle and I am not a fan of those. The parts that I enjoyed most where in the middle of the book when Clara forgot about Christian (who was conveniently away for the summer) and spent time with Tucker. It was during those scenes in which I felt we got to know the real character and it was then that I actually liked her. I was glad that at the same time her friend Angela was also out of town but I missed Wendy. Angela was often abrasive and got on my nerves and Wendy was often underused as a character. I do hope that we get to see more of Wendy in Book 2 and get a little less of Christian and Angela. I also hope to see more of Jeffrey, Clara's younger brother, who was barely mentioned in this book though there was lots of set up for a future storyline involving his character.

I wasn't overly thrilled with this book but I felt like it has potential and so am curious to see where things go in the next book in this series.

When She Woke by Hillary Jordan (Audio)

2012-01-14T16:35:00.000-05:00

Publisher: HighBridge Audio (Audio); Algonquin Books (Print)

Source: Publisher

Publication Date: 04 Oct 2011 (Audio); 04 Oct 2011 (Print)
Series or Standalone: Standalone

ISBN: 1611745705 (Audio), 1565126297 (Hardcover)

Format: Audio

Audio Length: 9 discs (~10.5 hrs)

Narrator: Heather Corrigan

Websites:

Hillary Jordan - Official Site

Hillary Jordan - Blog

Hillary Jordan - Twitter

Place(s) Traveled to: Plano, Texas // Columbus, Louisiana // Washington, DC // Canada

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

First Line: When she woke, she was red.

When She Woke by Hillary Jordan is a modern adaptation of The Scarlet Letter by Nathanial Hawthorne which is a book that I've tried to read but just never seem to have made it very far. What I like about When She Woke is that it takes all the themes of the Scarlet Letter and puts them into a context and language that is more easily accessible to those who don't feel like dealing with Hawthorne's prose. I also liked the futuristic and dystopian setting of the world that Jordan created. It was a realistic and often scary look at where we as a people can end up if we follow certain paths.

The story is told from Hannah's point of view as she is released from the Chrom ward into the world as a red Chrome. Red dye of a sort is injected into her to let the world know that she was convicted of murder but she isn't violent and so is free to roam the world instead of being incarcerated in super over populated prisons. Hannah's crime was abortion and in not naming the father of her baby, who was a prominent married man in society, and in a world where a virus made fertility tough abortion is a capital offense. I enjoyed Hannah's look at the world and in learning the back story of how her world came to be through flash backs and memories.

Although there were times in which I thought Hannah was a little too naive but I could accept that as she was raised in a very conservative religious household. There was also one scene about mid-way through the book that I felt was very contrived and very unrealistic based on Hannah's upbringing. It just came out of no where and felt very awkwardly done. I felt the story would have been better off without it as it was just so contrary to the character of Hannah. And because of that I was thrown out of the story and it took a bit to get back into it. Other than that, I did like Hannah's growth throughout the novel. She does start out very naive but through the people she meets she does grow as a person into a strong character.

I also really enjoyed the narrator of this book. Corrigan did a great job with all the voices and dialects and read a steady and consistent pace. She really helped to bring the character of Hannah to life and I think that it really added to my enjoyment of this book. I am not sure I would have enjoyed it as much if I had just read the physical version of it. I will definitely be on the look out for this narrator in the future.

All in all I enjoyed When She Woke, it wasn't a perfect novel and I did have some issues with the plotting but mostly it was easy to get lost in this story. Its one that really makes you think and it felt very real. The scenarios that resulted in the world Hannah grew up in could potentially happen if world events play out in a certain way. Which is a scary thought to think about. But we need to think about where our actions as a society today could lead so that we prevent such things from happening. If you enjoyed Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale then you will probably enjoy When She Woke as well.

Book Trailer: Harbinger by Sara Wilson Etienne

2012-01-12T20:04:00.000-05:00

Greetings and Salutations Dearest Readers

Today I am happy to share with you a book trailer for Sara Wilson Etienne's debut novel Harbinger which will be released on 02 February 2012 from Putnam. I was really excited to read this book before but the trailer makes me want to read it right now. Luckily I put it on my first List of Twelve so I should be getting to it soon. =) After watching the trailer you should head over to Holbrook Academy's website to learn more about the school where the book is set.

About the book:

Set in a world in which a diminishing oil supply has lead to chaos and mass rioting, sixteen year old Faye is plagued by waking visions and nightmares. Her parents think the only solution is to send her to Holbrook Academy , the creepy prison-like school for disturbed teenagers. When she and her friends wake up on the floor with their hands stained red, Faye has no idea what it means, but fears she may be the cause. But despite the strangeness of Holbrook and the island on which it sits, Faye feels oddly connected to the place. The handsome Kel tries to help her unravel the mystery, but Faye is certain he is trying to kill her –and the rest of the world too.

Top Characters of 2011

2012-01-08T18:44:00.001-05:00

I read a lot of great books in 2011...and with them came some great characters here is a list of them in order of "meeting"

The Girls

1. Lexie from The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab
2. Payton Gritas from Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey Leavitt
3. Jac from Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey Leavitt
4. Juliana Fiori from Eleven Scandals by Sarah MacLean
5. Ai Ling from Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon
6. Aristanae "Ari" Selkirk from Darkness Becomes Her by
7. Emerson Cole from Hourglass by Myra McEntire
8. Gwen Shephard from Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier
9. Mae Crawford from Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan
10. Billi SanGreal from Devil's Kiss by Sarwat Chadda
11. Tris from Divergent by Veronica Roth
12. Eona from Eon by Allison Goodman
13. Amy Curry from Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson
14. Gabriella Betarrini from Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren
15. Caitlin Stark from A Game of Thrones by George RR Martin
16. Arya Stark from A Game of Thrones by George RR Martin
17. Chelsea Glaser from Past Perfect by Leila Sales
18. Karou from Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Lani Taylor
19. Lucy from Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley
20. Harper Scott from Saving June by Hannah Harrington
21. Laney from Saving June by Hannah Harrington
22. Carly Lee from Raw Blue by Kirsty Eagan
23. Zeraphina from Blood Song by Rhiannon Hart
24. Lady Penelope Marbury from A Rogue by Any Other Name by Sarah MacLean
25. Hadley Sullivan from The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith
26. Hartley Featherstone from Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday
27. Samantha "Sam" Kramer from Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday

The Boys

1. Cole from The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab
2. Sean Griswold from Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey Leavitt
3. Simon Pearson from Eleven Scandals by Sarah MacLean
4. Chen Yong from Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon
5. Michael Weaver from Hourglass by Myra McEntire
6. Kaleb Ballard from Hourglass by Myra McEntire
7. Atticus O'Sullivan from Hounded by Kevin Hearne
8. Alan Ryves from Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan
9. Nick Ryves from Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan
10. Cricket Bell from Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
11. Hale from Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter
12. Kay from Devil's Kiss by Sarwat Chadda
13. Four from Divergent by Veronica Roth
14. Toby from When it Happens by Susanne Colassanti
15. Roger Sullivan from Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson
16. Marcello Forelli from Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren
17. Luca Forelli from Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren
18. Dave Robbie from A Little Wanting Song by Cath Crowly
19. Jon Snow from A Game of Thrones by George RR Martin
20. Akiva from Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Lani Taylor
21. Ed from Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley
22. Jacob "Jake" Tolan from Saving June by Hannah Harrington
23. Ryan from Raw Blue by Kirsty Eagan
24. Rodden Lothskorn from Blood Song by Rhiannon Hart
25. Michael Lawler, Marquess of Bourne from A Rogue by Any Other Name by Sarah MacLean
26. Oliver from The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith
27. Chase Erikson from Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday

List of Twelve (1)

2012-01-08T15:03:00.007-05:00

Back in November Galleysmith introduced a new feature on her blog called the List of Ten which she learned of from her friend Andi. And its something that I have been thinking about ever since. I am a virgo and I love lists, but I've never really seemed to be very good at book lists. But with the new year upon us and with my goal to try and read 125 books this year I thought that I might test out her list of ten to see if organizing my upcoming reads helps me get through books a little faster. Since I have my Top 12 list of favorite reads, I thought that instead of a List of Ten I would do a List of Twelve.

So here is my current list:

Audio: ~~The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima~~

New Release*: ~~Witch Eyes by Scott Tracey~~

Library Book^: ~~Book Without Words by Avi~~

Ebook: ~~A Week to be Wicked by Tessa Dare~~

Series: Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi (in progress)

ARC: Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

Backlist**: Looking for Alaska by John Green

ARC: Harbinger by Sara Wilson Etienne

Series: Cinder by Marissa Meyers

Library Book^: ~~The Christopher Killer by Alane Ferguson~~

New Release*: How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr

Backlist**: The Dust of 100 Dogs by A.S. King

*A new release will be any books that are less than a year old

**Backlist titles will be any book older than a year

^Library books may be pushed up out of order depending on due dates.

Hopefully with this list I will get through some of my personal goals such as read more classics, make more use of my library and read more of the books that I have purchased over the years. I may also change out the library category if I don't have any library books out at the time. I'm not sure how long this will last, but nothing ventured, nothing gained...right?

The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal

2012-01-03T08:26:00.008-05:00

Publisher: Egmont USA

Source: Purchased

Publication Date: 25 Jan 2011

Series or Standalone: Standalone

ISBN: 1606840797

Format: ebook

Pages: 323

Websites:

Eilis O'Neal - Official Site

Eilis O'Neal - Blog

Eilis O'Neal - Twitter

Place(s) Traveled to: The Kingdom of Thorvaldor - Viviskari // The Village of Treb // Isidros

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

First Line: The day they came to tell me, I was in one of the gardens with Kiernan, trying to decipher a three-hundred-year-old map of the palace grounds.

I love a good fantasy and I also love books with that historical/fairy tale feel and The False Princess is a book that fits into both of those categories. I've had my eye on this book ever since I first heard about it and so when I was looking for something to read around Christmas I decided to download this one to my nook. (Trying my best to ignore the stack of unread books that resides on my nightstand as I did.)

The story itself isn't terribly complex, Sinda was raised to be Queen but found out shortly after she turned 16 that she wasn't really the Princess after all and she was then gently escorted out of the palace with out much protest. I found Sinda's early passivity and acceptance of events to be a bit of a let down. I like my heroines to have spunk and fire and here she was just moving on with her life with barely a shrug or how do you do. And there were times when I thought about tossing the book aside and calling it a day. But something kept me reading.

Despite the milksop that the heroine first seemed to be the writing really attracted me and I enjoyed learning about the world of Thorvaldor. As I read, Sinda started to come into her own as she discovers more about herself as she goes through various trials. She learns that she is more than just a false princess and that while she may not be destined to rule a kingdom she might just hold the key in saving it.

There is a little bit of a mystery contained in The False Princess and while its not difficult to figure out it was still enjoyable to see how O'Neal wove all the various threads together. I enjoyed getting to know the various side characters that Sinda met, especially her boyhood friend, Kiernan. The world that O'Neal created is nicely fleshed out so that as reader I was able to visualize it inside my head. The False Princess is a good story for anyone who enjoys a good fantasy novel. It has its flaws but they are the kind that you find you can ignore and allow yourself to be whisked away to another place. In the end, I enjoyed escaping into this book and am looking forward to seeing what Eilis O'Neal comes up with next.

2011: A Reading Year in Review

2011-12-31T00:00:00.001-05:00

Overall Reading:
Total Books = 104
Total Pages = 29, 252

Total Audio Hours = 157
Avg Days Per Book = 0.29
Avg Books Per Day = 3.48
Avg Pages Per Day = 85

Longest Book = Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin (835 pgs)
Shortest Book/Novella = Once Upon a Winter's Eve by Tessa Dare (112 pgs)

My best reading month was July with 16 books read and my worst was May where I only read 4 books (*sad face*). Interestingly enough, my lowest page count came from October where I finished 6 books. The breakdown for books/pages read by month for the year looks like this:

Month...Books...Pages
JAN...... 09........ 2669
FEB.......10.........3543
MAR..... 07.........2221
APR.......09.........2140
MAY......04.........856
JUN.......06......... 2110
JUL........16..........5290
AUG......09..........2147
SEP........06..........2103
OCT.......06..........610
NOV.......13........ 3073
DEC........09........ 2499

AVG......8.67..... 2438

I also started to get back into audio books this year and had my biggest listening month in October with almost 31.5 hours. In 2012, I hope to have some audio hours each month to go along with my regular reading. And maybe next year I'll add in a graph for it...because you all know how much I love my graphs!

Speaking of graphs...how about we check in to see how 2011 compares to previous years?

(Click to embiggen)

In terms of book ratings roughly 57% of the books read had a rating of 4 stars or above. Which is a pretty good reading year if you ask me. Although 25% of my reads were just 3 stars. With the rest 2 stars or less. I even had 2 DNFs....well I actually didn't finish more than 2 books but the 2 I called a DNF I read a significant portion of the book so felt I could count them in my tallies. And here are my rating from 2011 done visually because graphs are fun!

(Click to Embiggen)

In order to determine the best book of the year I again maintained a Top 12 list in which each month I chose the best book that I read during that month. Those books were:

JAN - Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey Leavitt
FEB - Hourglass by Myra McEntire
MAR - Fury of the Phoenix by Cindy Pon
APR - Hounded by Kevin Hearne
MAY - Ruby Red by Kirsten Gier
JUN - The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
JUL - The Demon's Covenant by Sarah Rees Brennan
AUG - Devil's Kiss by Sarwat Chadda
SEP - A Little Wanting Song by Cath Crowley
OCT - Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare
NOV - Blood Song by Rhiannan Hart
DEC - Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday

I read a lot of great books this year and as with every year previous I find it difficult to choose that one book that is the best of the best. Narrowing it down to 12 books makes it easier in some ways but also more difficult...because look at that list...there are some really amazing reads on it! Looking at that list, the books that stayed with me the longest after I finished reading them were Houglass, A Little Wanting Song and Blood Song. These were the books that I hated to end...but one of them had me sitting and staring at the blank pages for a long time after I finished the final page willing more words to appear. And that book was Hourglass So my Top 12 Book for 2011 is Hourglass by Myra McEntire. If you have not read this book yet then drop what you are doing and go read it now! Its filled with snark and adventure and has one of my favorite book couples of 2011 in it. Em is a such a strong and amazing character I dare you not to love her. There are also references to Doctor Who in this book....so seriously....what more could you ask for? Other than my review which I STILL haven't written...and I think that is in part because I REALLY don't have enough words to proclaim just how super duper amazingly wonderful this book is.

Phew...that was hard...the rest can only get easier...yes?

In 2011, I took part in several challenges and the breakdown can be found on my 2011 Challenge Post (which is need of updating links and such...I will do that before the end of January, I promise!) I think I did pretty well with my challenges this year and only failed 2 of them - the Contemps Challenge (10/18) and my personal challenge of reading an author from every letter of the alphabet (22/26). In truth, I never "win" my alphabet challege and that is mainly because I am never really very proactive with it. I read 104 books I totally could have won this one...but I do like to see where my reading natually falls so it is what it is. For the curious among you, the letters I missed were I, U, X, and Z. The most common last name of all all the books I read started with M (18) with C (13) not far behind.

For 2011, I was pretty conservative in my challenges and only participated in 7....and I use the word participate loosely as I never seem to remember to head over to the hosts site and long in my entries after the initial signing up. Oops. I'll try and be better at this in 2012.

(Click to Embiggen)

As with previous years I've kept track of the genres that I read. I've used my gut reaction to chose one genre for each book. Although I am aware that sometimes it is possible for a book to be classified in more than one. There is a little overlap as I don't really consider YA or Middle Grade to be genres but I do like to see how those books trend from year to year. Based on what I read the genres fall out like this:

Chick Lit = 1
Children's = 1
Classic = 0 (again, I have joined a classics challenge for 2012 so this number will be changing!)
Contemporary = 31 (it was a great year for this genre for me)
Dual-Time Period = 2 (this includes time slip books as well)

Dystopian = 3
Fantasy = 29
Graphic Novel = 1
Historical = 6
Middle Grade = 2
Mystery = 2

Non-Fiction = 0

Paranormal = 16
Poetry = 2

Romance = 8
Satire = 0
Sci-Fi = 3
Utopian = 1
YA =84

How does this compare to previous years? Well I am glad you wondered that because I have a graph for that. I know...this shocks you tremendously!

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In 2011, I also attended some fabulous events but for various reasons I really didn't recap them on my blog. I will do better in 2012, I promise.

This year I also started to actively track the gender of the author I was reading. I was curious about this when I saw it mentioned on Presenting Lenore's Stats post last year. I also went back to previous years and added in a gender column so I am able to trend my reading. The results aren't pretty in some ways. In 2008, I read an almost even 50/50 split between male and female authors. Since then that number has dropped dramatically until I now seem to almost exclusively (85%) read woman writers. This is sad in some ways are there are so many great male authors out there but also good in others for YAY GIRL POWER!


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Finally, I thought it might be interesting to start tracking how I acquired the books that I read during a calendar year. This data just encompasses the books that I read over the course of the year and doesn't include all the books that I have obtained. What this graph tells me is that I really need to get back to the library! I've been such a slacker the last couple of years.

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Normally this is where I would end my year in review post but not too long ago I saw this little survey thing posted on Trish Doller's Tumblr who picked it up from Carla of the Crooked Shelf and I thought that I would include it here as it looked fun. So hopefully you find it interesting as well

Best Book of 2011 - This one is easy (See above) but to recap my best book of 2011 is Hourglass by Myra McEntire.

Worst Book of 2011 - Oh dear this one is hard...and not counting my 2 DNF books there were 2 books that received a 1 star rating from me: Invisible Summer by Hannah Moskowitz and The Truth of the Matter by Andrew Klavan. Both were just such total rubbish for me and I am amazed that I read them both to the end. This one will end in a tie because I just don't have the energy to sort out which one I liked the leased. I didn't like them. Let's leave it at that and move on.

Most Disappointing Book of 2011 - I really can't pick just one book that was the most disappointing. But lets just say I read a lot of books that had a lot of hype behind them that just really fell flat for me.

Most Surprising Book of 2011 - A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin. This was a book that had been on my shelf for years! Its one that I've heard so many people exclaim over. But it wasn't until the show started on HBO that it was brought to my attention once again. I started to watch the show and thought...hey, I kinda like this. After 3 episode I decided to put the show on hold so I could read the book. I was enthralled but the rich history of it. I wasn't sure if it was going to be a book I liked and so was really happy to discover how much I loved it.

Best Series Discovered in 2011 - The Demon's Lexicon series by Sarah Rees Brennan. Its a series I'd heard a lot about and was bullied to read by two really good friends of mine and I was so glad that I did. Loved the world and the characters and all the little twits and turns in this series. I'm sorry that I waited so long to start it but oh so very glad that I did.

I was also really happy to discover Rhiannon's Hart Lharmell Series as well. Blood Song was so rich and detailed and I just became so immersed in the world. I can not wait until 2012 when I can get my hands on book 2!! Although tragically I have to wait until September AND for it to be shipped from Australia...but it is going to be well worth the wait. I just know it!

Series That Went Off the Rails For You in 2011 - The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller. I loved the first book. I thought it was so unique and different. I loved that it was a standalone...but then when I learned it was a series I thought OK...there is much that can be worked with. But then I read All You Desire and thought this couldn't be the same characters that I fell in love with in the first book. Everything that I loved about Eternal Ones was destroyed in the sequel. And I hate how All You Desire was also your typical setup/transition for the big finale of the final book...and I really don't like how that big finale seems to be preventing the Apocalypse. At this time I don't know if I'll be reading the third book.

Favorite New Author You Discovered in 2011 - Cath Crowley. I am going to agree with Trish on this one. Cath Crowley was a great discovery this year and I was introuced to her books by Trish. Her books are just so raw and beautiful and I am a total fan girl for life! Seriously if you haven't read A Little Wanting Song or Graffiti Moon yet...then you are really missing out on some great stories.

Most Hilarious Read of 2011 - This one is a toss up between Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey Leavitt and Carter Finally Gets It by Brent Crawford. Both had me laughing aloud and I enjoyed them both immensely. If I had to pick just one though I would go with Sean Griswold's Head as it was funny but had serious undertones...and any author that can make me cry and laugh in the same book is one that I bow down to.

Book That Made You Cry the Hardest in 2011 - I don't cry often with books but 2011 had a few that brought tears to my eyes. The above mentioned Sean Griswold's Head for one. But I also cried with Saving June by Hannah Harrington. So those would be my picks for this category.

Most Thrilling, Unputdownable Book in 2011 - Oh dear, I don't think that I could choose just one book for this one there were so many books that once I started to read I couldn't put down. Both of Cath Crowley's books are examples of that. There was also Blood Song by Rhiannon Hart, Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E Smith, Saving June by Hannah Harrington, Raw Blue by Kirsty Eager, Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday, and Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Claire....so yeah...you get the point. There were a lot. Those are just the ones I could remember off the top of my head. 2011 had some really amazing books for me.

Book You Most Anticipated in 2011 - Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare. Clare's Mortal Instruments series were like book crack to me when I read them last year. But there was just something about Clockwork Angel that I loved more. I loved the added history and nuances that were in that story and Clockwork Prince was among the highlights of my reading year. I think think this is Clare's best book to date and now I am longing for Clockwork Princess.

Favorite Cover of a Book You Read in 2011 - There were many great covers in 2011 but I think my favorite goes to Hourglass by Myra McEntire. It was just so trippy and unique. Loved it.

Most Memorable Character in 2011 - There were a lot of great characters for me in 2011 and I'm not sure that I could pick just one. A few actually got stuck in my head and would leave after I finished the book. This happened with several different books in 2011 and I had a taste of what it means to be an author. But the ones who stayed the longest came from a friend's manuscript. Its a book that kept me up late into the night and one that I would often find myself spacing out on just thinking about the story. So yeah....that one. The character names...well I can't tell you that but I will say that their initials were a T and H. Do with that what you will.

Most Beautifully Written Book in 2011 - I think this one might have to go to Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor. There were many well written books in 2011 that made it on my radar but this one sticks out the most. So well done.

Book That Had the Greatest Impact on You in 2011 - I'm not sure that I can name a book for this category and my brain is a bit fried from writing up this post so I am going to leave it blank for now. If inspiration hits later I'll come back and fill it in.

Book You Can’t Believe You Waited until 2011 to Read - The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan. Wow. This book (and series) were just amazing. The only good think about waiting so long to read them is that I was able to bounce from book 1 to book 3 all in a matter of days. None of that horrible waiting a year or more to find out what happens next!

Book of 2011 You Wish You Had Written - I’m not a writer so there wasn't a book that I read that I wish I had written. I am just so very grateful to those who do write for putting out so many great stories for me to read. And thankful to the agents and publishers who gave them a chance.

Related Posts:
Year End Summary for 2008
Year End Summary for 2009
Year End Summary for 2010

Top 12 Pick: December 2011

2011-12-30T07:29:00.001-05:00

I really need to stop reading so many good books because when I do it makes picking out one book for the month that I loved above all others all the more difficult. Although this month is far easier than last month was and there are only 3 contenders. They are:

A Rogue by Any Other Name by Sarah MacLean (review closer to release)

Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday

and

Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E Smith

All three books were filled with strong and sometimes snarky characters....and all three I sat and read in a single sitting. They all held my attention right from the start and I hated for them all to end. They are all three very different books with just adds to how hard it is to chose THE one book that I loved above all others for December. But a choice needs to be made and so for my Top 12 Pick for December....I choose:

Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday

I loved how this book reminded me of a beloved tv show. I enjoyed following the mystery and the developing relationship between Hartly and Chase. I liked how there was no instant love and I became really invested in their story. It has a gorgeous cover (although Rogue by Any Other Name has a great cover as well) and I just really really really want the sequel. I want to know more about Hartly and her friends. And while there will be more book in Sarah MacLean's series it will be with different characters and just not the same as a direct sequel. Don't get me wrong I am highly looking forward to it just in a different way.

So there it is...my choice. All books mentioned are definitely worthy of your attention though as they are filling with awesome. What about you? What books did you read and enjoy this month? Let me know in the comments below.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

2011-12-25T07:46:00.000-05:00

I hope that you all have a safe and wonderful holiday filled with lots of laughter and books! Did Santa bring you any good titles to read? If so, then let me know below...or if he brought you gift cards to your favorite book stores then let me know what you plan to buy. I'll be on the hunt for some titles myself and would love to get ideas from you. =)

Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday

2011-12-24T09:05:00.000-05:00

Publisher: Harper Teen

Source: Publisher

Publication Date: 11 Oct 2011

Series or Standalone: Series

ISBN: 0062003313

Format: Paperback (ARC)

Pages: 320

Websites:

Gemma Halliday - Official Site

Gemma Halliday - Blog

Gemma Halliday - Twitter

Place(s) Traveled to: San Jose, California

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Deadly Cool Series Order

Book 1: Deadly Cool

Book 2: Social Suicide (24 April 2012)

First Line: There are three things you never want to find in your boyfriend's locker: a sweaty jock strap, a D minus on last week's history test, and an empty condom wrapper.

Dear Reader,

For a long time now there has been this void in my heart. A void that was left when the big wigs at the CW decided to cancel a show called Veronica Mars. I loved this show so very much as it was filled with such snark and wonderful little mysteries and I was so very saddened when it went off the air long before its time. Since that time I've been looking in vain for something to fill that void and found solace in Kim Harrington's book Clarity (my Review). But a book isn't a weekly series and it was a very long time before Perception was set to come out that I sunk back into my void. Then I picked up Deadly Cool but Gemma Halliday and the clouds parted and I found another book that reminded me of Veronica Mars.

I loved this book and its little quirks and snark and fun murder mystery. I loved Hartly and her side kick Sam who stumbled on a dead body and then decided to try and find the killer themselves. I also loved the supposed bad boy Chase...although I still don't see a supposed bad boy running the school newspaper. That just seems to go against things that bad boys do but that is a minor quibble and one that is easily overlooked. Hartly reminded me a lot of Veronica Mars, she wasn't the most popular but she had a really good friend, was smart and sarcastic and while not quite as smooth as VM she managed to get the job done. I could sympathize a lot with Hartly and her tendency to turn beat red at the drop of a hat. I know from experience just how annoying and ill timed that wee little trait can be.

There were also parents in this book. I enjoyed Hartly's scenes with her new age, overly protective mother. I enjoyed hearing about Sam's parents as well and hope that we get to actually see them in the next book. Its so refreshing to have caring and involved parents in a YA book. All to often the MC is an orphan or their parents are so distant and uninvolved that they might as well be an orphan. I get that it is easier for a main character to do certain things (especially in a paranormal book) when there are no meddling parents but it makes a book seem all the more real when there are caring parents included. At least, it does for me.

The mystery wasn't overly convoluted and it wasn't a huge surprise when the killer was revealed. At least, not to me, but then I do read a lot of mysteries and watch a lot of crime related shows. But it wasn't something that you figure out on page 2 nor is is a reveal that comes from out of no where leaving the reading scratching their head wondering where THAT came from. I will say that the whole pontificating bad guy cliche was in full effect in this book and while its always nice to learn about motives and such it does take a way from the realism of the story. But then again, without that cliche the ending would have been very different...although wouldn't that have been a cool little twist on your typical mystery.

To say that I enjoyed Deadly Cool is an understatement. I loved it and while I know that it was filled with minor flaws I am able to overlook and forget about them because I enjoyed the time I spent in this world. I am also already dying for the sequel, Social Suicide, even though I only just finished this book. This is one of those rare books in which I am so very glad that it is the start of a series because I am not ready to say good-bye to these characters. I just wish that April wasn't so very far away because I want to read more about Hartly and crew now. This is one of those times where I really dislike that the publishing world moves so slowly. While I wait I might have to look into her adult series and see how they compare to her YA debut. Have you read Gemma's other books? What did you think of them?

Variant by Robison Wells

2011-12-23T08:30:00.010-05:00

Publisher: Harper Teen

Source: Publisher

Publication Date: 04 Oct 2011

Series or Standalone: Series

ISBN: 0062026089

Format: Paperback (ARC)

Pages: 373

Websites:

Robison Wells - Official Site

Robison Wells - Blog

Robison Wells - Twitter

Place(s) Traveled to: New Mexico

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Variant Series Order

Book 1: Variant

Book 2: Feedback (~Fall 2012)

First Line: "This isn't one of those scare-you-straight schools, is it?" I asked Mrs Vaughn as we passed through the chain-link gate.

Variant by Robison Wells was a book that I was really excited about when I received a copy of it as it was by a male author with male point of view. I don't come across many books these days with that combo and so I was looking forward for the change. At the start I really feel into the story and was curious about this odd boarding school that Benson found himself in. But it wasn't long before the story seemed to fizzle out for me.

This is one of those books where its hard to pin point what exactly it was that I didn't like. It could have been the excessive amount of paintball. It seemed like every other chapter the kids were off playing paintball with another crazy set of rules but no real purpose behind it. Ok so it wasn't every other chapter but it seemed like that and when it was brought up those scenes just went on FOREVER. I eventually found myself skipping those scenes but then I would stop and go back to read just in case I missed something...and when I didn't I felt like I wasted precious time when I could have been moving on in the story.

There were also many moments in the book when Benson was interacting with the carious girls where the scenes just felt so stilted and false. I'd re-read some of these scenes and think to myself that no girl that I know would talk or act like the girl in this scene. So those moments were a bit of a struggle as I was taken out of the story as I would comment to the book about how this wouldn't happen in real life. This being the awkward scene between Benson and the girls...not the kids trapped in an adult free school playing strange war games and taking odd classes....because well that's just totally believable. (And yes I know its not but its fiction and I can set aside reality for the sake of a good story.)

The ending of this one also felt a bit rushed. I think that there could have been less time spent playing paintball and more time used to flesh out that ending a little bit. I know that Variant is the start of a series and that not everything would be wrapped up...but more time could have been devoted to laying the groundwork for the sequel. I like fast paced books but this one just had such a slow build that when the ending goes into full speed it was just a bit jarring and left me wondering where it all came from.

There were some interesting twists in this book and I like how it was different from other books that I've been reading. The boarding school set up was very different than one normally finds in books these days. And most refreshing of all there were no vampires or werewolves or other crazy paranormal creatures. I am so burnt out on the paranormal that its nice to see that there are stories out there that don't need to go to the supernatural in order to build a story. While Variant may not have thrilled me I am still curious enough about this story to check out Feedback and see what happens next. I think that this is a story that could really take off as the series progresses now that the world and characters are all established. My only hope is that there is no paintball mentioned in book 2.

Love & Leftovers by Sarah Tregay (contains spoilers)

2011-12-22T07:04:00.004-05:00

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Source: Publisher

Publication Date: 27 Dec 2011

Series or Standalone: Standalone

ISBN: 0062023586

Format: Paperback (ARC)

Pages: 448

Websites:

Sarah Tregay - Official Site

Sarah Tregay - Blog

Sarah Tregay - Twitter

Place(s) Traveled to: Durham, New Hampshire // Boise, Idaho

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

First Line:
My mother
doesn't understand
that this is a summerhouse
(meant to be lived in
only during the summer).

This review does contain spoilers...you have been warned.

I was excited when I first received a copy of Sarah Tregay's Love & Leftovers as I've been on a bit of a contemporary kick and the cover, while not fabulous, was cute. Then I flipped it open and my heart stopped a bit when I saw that it was a novel in verse. I've never been a huge fan of this format (which is odd when you take into consideration that I adore poetry) but as a novel I prefer more words. I was chatting with someone on line who summed up my thoughts on verse novels when they said that it seems like its chosen when an author just doesn't have enough words or talent to make for a full novel. I'm not sure if that is true with all verse books, but it seems to be the case with the few that I have read. The only good thing that I can say for novels in verse, at this time, is that they are quick reads.

So, admittedly, I was a bit biased against this book before I even started it but I had begun to see so many rave reviews I thought that maybe this verse novel would be the one that really turned my thoughts around on this format. Then I began to read and had absolutely no connection what-so-ever with any character in the book. In fact, I pretty much hated the main character of Marcie. She wasn't overtly dislikable but she does cheat on her boyfriend, then proceeds to lie by omission and then pout when he finds out and in the end gets everything that she wants. She also never seems to learn or grow from the mistakes she makes. She hits a rough patch yes, but she just mopes through it and then everything rights its self and its back to being all sunshine and roses in her world.

Her mother was mostly absent and pretty darn selfish and her dad just wasn't very believable to me as a homosexual....or bisexual as he later claims. This could be because we never really get to see him interact on a romantic level with his live-in boyfriend. I also really didn't like how her dad seemed to tell her how it was ok she cheated since she was lonely and that was the very same reason that he tossed 12 years of marriage out the window and cheated on her mother. But he was wrong to marry her as he wasn't fully committed and mostly just wanted to have a child. Say what? I also thought it really bizarre for her father to send her condoms....just in case she wants to sleep with the guy she just met and is cheating on her boyfriend with. Um...yeah...I just can't picture a dad doing that. At least, none of the dads that I've ever met.

Then you have Marcie's friends back home who are all too willing to just turn their backs on her the 1st moment she does something wrong. While I don't agree with Marcie's choices and would be put out if my best friend did the same I wouldn't turn my back on her because of it. While the friends do all eventually meet up, they forgiveness scenes just come across as very 2D. None of the characters really seemed to have much depth and I think that could be in part because of the verse format. Free verse doesn't seem to really allow for real in depth thoughts or getting to know a character. I don't think I'll be rushing to read another verse novel anytime soon but I haven't given up on this format just yet.

People who thought differently from me (click the blog name for the full review)

Book Chic Club - "I really enjoyed this book-in-verse. It's an interesting, unique exploration of what love is, which was a nice break from a lot of love triangles and insta-love that goes on in a lot of YA novels these days."

Books With Bite - " I just love the way this book is written. Written in a beautiful format of verse poem style, the reader gets a great connection to the main character Marcie and watches her world fall apart. I love getting to know a character through short paragraphs but filled with so much emotions."

The Bookish Babes - "Love and Leftovers was a complete, beautiful, full story told in these small, heartbreaking segments that completely drew me in."

Between the Pages - "Love & Leftovers, was a very well written book about self-discovery. The words flow through you, and leaves your heart wanting so much, for Marcie to find where she belongs in her world."

YA Librarian Tales - "Love & Leftovers is a satisfying story, even for those who, like myself, aren't big fans of novels in verse. This book has a an easy likeability to it and since I am a sap for romance, well, this story was right up my alley."

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor (Audio)

2011-12-20T07:47:00.007-05:00

Publisher: Hachette Audio (Audio); Little Brown (Print)

Source: Purchased from Audible.com & Wellesely Books // ARC from BEA2010

Publication Date: 27 Sept 2011 (Audio); 27 Sept 2011 (Print)
Series or Standalone: Series

ISBN: 1611132975 (Audio), 0316134023 (Hardcover)

Format: Audio

Audio Length: 9 discs (~12.5 hrs)

Narrator: Khristine Hvam

Websites:

Laini Taylor - Official Site

Laini Taylor - Blog

Laini Taylor - Twitter

Place(s) Traveled to: Prague, Czech Republic // Marrakesh, Morocco //

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

First Line: Walking to school over the snow-muffled cobbles, Karou had no sinister premonitions about the day.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone Series Order

Book 1: Daughter of Smoke and Bone

Book 2: Untitled (Sept 2012)

I am always wary of the over-hyped book. The one that everyone is not only talking about...but raving about as well. When I hear of those books, especially when they were on my wishlist, I grow very wary and don't always want to pick it up. Because more often then not when I read those over-hyped books I am disappointed and when I turn the final page I sit there and think...did I read the same book as everyone else because that just wasn't good. I was initially excited when I picked up an ARC of Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Tayler at BEA but then it quickly moved into the uh-oh I'm not so sure about this category as it began to be hyped up on twitter and blogs. So I waited to read it and it wasn't until other hype-skeptics started to also rave about this book that I thought about giving it a go.

Since time is a valuable commodity and I had this brand new audible.com account I thought that I would check out the audio version of it (because even though I have the ARC AND a signed hardcover I just needed another copy of it.) In the end, I think I made the right choice as the audio was FANTASTIC. I can't get over just how amazing Khristine Hvam was a narrator. She did such a wonderful job with all the accents and never once did I doubt who was speaking. She brought all the characters to life and with the rich prose of Laini Taylor's writing this story just came alive inside my head.

I loved the mythology that Taylor used to build her world and I loved the world itself. This was an angel book that is so very different from all the multitude of angel stories out there. Its a mystery filled with many twists and turns that it will keep the reader guessing. Its a love story and one filled with adventure and travel. Its a book that is filled with so much goodness that its almost impossible to put it all into worlds. Its a story that I couldn't stop listening to and would often sit in my car with my eyes closed as the story played so that I could better visualize it all. Karou's story is absolutely fascinating and I loved the added bits that were told from Akiva. Heaven knows I adore a well told dual-point of view story.

The only thing that I didn't like about this book was the 100 or so page flashback that occured towards the end of the book. I get that it was necessary to flesh out more of the history of the protagonists but it really took me out of the story and I grew impatient for it to end. If I hadn't been listening on audio I would have been sorely tempted to just skip that section all together. I would have preferred it ever so much if Taylor had broken up that flashback over several chapters...mixing it in better with the contemporary part of the story. That is the part that I fell in love with and while the past was interesting I liked the hear and now better.

Also....don't even get me started on that ending! Gah...the ending alone makes me wish that I had waited even longer to try this book because I really really really need to know what happens next. Before I started this book I didn't realize that it was going to be a series (I know, I know it was posted everywhere but I just wasn't paying attention) but the ending definitely lets the reader know that there will be more. It screams it and as I reader I am now desperate for it. I want to know more about these characters. I want to know if Karou will succeed in her mission and I want to know just what will happen with Akiva. This book is filled with so many emotions for me. There is the happy, giddy, heartachy ones and the ones that make me want to curl up in a ball and cry. I was ripped to shreads as I read it....and to be honest I wouldn't have it any other way. This story wasn't perfect but it was so very good and so beautifully written that I just couldn't get enough. Can it be next September already?

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

2011-12-19T06:51:00.015-05:00

Publisher: Poppy (blog)

Source: BEA 2010

Publication Date:02 January 2012

Series or Standalone: Standalone

ISBN: 0316122386

Format: Paperback (ARC)

Pages: 256

Websites:

Jennifer E. Smith - Official Site

Jennifer E. Smith - Blog

Jennifer E. Smith - Twitter

Place(s) Traveled to: London, England

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

First Line: There are so many ways it could have all turned out differently. (Prologue) (Read an Excerpt Here)

A few days ago I was agonizing over what book to read next. I wanted something amazing and as I've been on a contemporary kick something in that genre. Looking at my shelves I was overwhelmed by my options so I put out a call for recommendations on Twitter. Of all the suggestions I received the one for Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith stuck out. This was a book that I'd heard other blogger friends talking about over the last few months and it came highly recommended to me. So I decided to pick it up and found that I couldn't put it down until I hit the last page. And even then I was super reluctant to do so as I didn't want the story to end.

Any regular reader of my blog knows that I am not a fan of instalove. Its usually such a cliched ploy to in books that I feel that I'm being manipulated and it very rarely is believable in the books that I've found it in. I so prefer to see a relationship grow and develop over time. So imagine my surprise when I learned that the bulk of this book takes place over a 24 hour period. The whole premise of it can be found right in the title even....and I didn't mind one bit that Hadley and Oliver found a connection and essentially fell in love at first sight. Perhaps its the hopeless romantic in me that I like to believe that love at first sight isn't just the thing of fairy tales but that it could actually happen. Jennifer Smith managed to write that story and give me a totally believable heart-achy read.

Most of this book takes place on an airplane and most people who travel on planes, myself included, tend to become absorbed in their own worlds. They pull out a book, or laptop, pop in head phones and block out everyone around them. Very few ever strike up a conversation or form a connection. After reading Hadley and Oliver's story it makes me wonder about the possibilities of potential new friendships that could be made just by saying hello to that random person that fate places next to you on a plane.

Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight is a wonderful story that will make you forget about the world around you. It will make you think of the possibilities in this world and wonder at the little surprises that fate might have in store for you. What might happen if you chose left instead of right or missed your flight by only 4 minutes? Hadley and Oliver are two very real characters and ones that make you cheer them on from the moment that you meet them. This is a book where there aren't many surprises and yet at the same time you can't predict the journey that Hadley and Oliver take. Statistical Probability is beautifully written. It is a book that will make you laugh one moment at the banter between Hadley and Oliver and then make your heart ache the next as you realize just how perfect they are for each other. This is a book that I loved so very much and know that I will be re-reading it over and over. And if you know me in real life, online or just happen to run into me in a bookstore...be warned...this is a book that I will be bullying you to read.

Nightspell by Leah Cypess (Blog Tour)

2011-12-14T07:32:00.048-05:00

Publisher: Greenwillow (blog)

Source: Gift

Publication Date: 31 May 2011

Series or Standalone: Series

ISBN: 0061957038

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 326

Websites:

Leah Cypess - Official Site

Leah Cypess - Blog

Leah Cypess - Twitter

Place(s) Traveled to: Ghostland

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

First Line: Darri didn’t see the ghost until he was upon her, a solid weight that dropped from the branches above and threw her sideways off the saddle.

Mistwood Series Order - Companion Novels
Book 1 - Mistwood
Book 2 - Nightspell

The first moment I saw the cover of Leah Cypess's Nightspell I fell in love. Its totally gorgeous and romantic and just utterly breath taking. But as I'd become more friendly with Leah Cypess on twitter I was a bit wary of reading and reviewing her book. What if I didn't like it? Would I be able to be my usual honest self and say what I really think of the book? So I waited and when Leah asked people to be part of a blog tour I found that I couldn't say no. I also couldn't go without reading the book. So its with a happy heart that I found that I really enjoyed this one.

I admit the beginning was a little slow for me. I was thrust into this fantasy world where I knew none of the history. I knew that Nightspell was a companion to Mistwood but as I have yet to read that I had nothing to compare it to. So the start was a bit slow as I learned to navigate the twists and turns of Ghostland. Much as one of the narrators, Darri, had to do as she approached this new kingdom that is to be her future home. And what a strange place Ghostland is. A world where the dead don't always die and move on. No, instead if one is murdered than their ghost comes back so they can get revenge on the one who did them wrong. Failing that they tend to live on attempting to regain all that they had in life - including being more solid than you would think a ghost should be.

As this was a story with multiple points of view I was instantly in love. I adore seeing the action of things through multiple eyes. Though at times this head jumping seemed like it was a bit contrived, an easy out in order to move the plot forward. But its ok, I was able to overlook that as I found the further I read the more engrossed in the story I became. I loved the political intrigue and the mystery. I loved all the little twists and turns that Leah tosses into the mix (most I figured out before, a few not so much.) I also found it so very refreshing to have a story where there was no real romantic storyline.

Don't get me wrong. I love a good romance. But there are times when I like to see a story stand for the story alone and not have all these grand plot points made a little less because the story hinges on if the boy and girl will make googly eyes at each other in the end. Romantic plot points can be an easy plot device to play and I am glad to see that Leah Cypess chose not to play that hand. Though I am sure that wasn't an easy task either as there was potential for one throughout the story.

As for political intrigue, Game of Thrones this book was not (but really not many books are) but that isn't a slight against Nightspell. I feel that those who may not be ready for the full heaviness that can be an epic tale like GoT could really like Nightspell...its kind of GoT Lite. And if you recall I loved beyond loved GoT so that is high praise indeed from me.

There is much to love about Nightspell but as I wasn't completely surprised by the twists and there was a time or two when I rolled my eyes at some of the action going on. Its that and that alone that keep this from being a 5 star read. I do know that after reading this one I must move Mistwood up Mt TBR so that I can see how that story ties into this one.

Have you read Mistwood or Nightspell? Which did you like better? Or what are your thoughts on either book. Leave a comment below and fill out the form for a chance to win a signed hardcover copy of Nightspell. Thanks Leah for letting me be a part of this tour and for giving me the book to give away. Contest will close at midnight EST on 03 January and a winner chosen randomly. This contest is open internationally....and as will all my contests books will be sent out some time after the winner is announced....it all depends on when I can find time to visit the post office. Good luck to all who enter and thanks for visiting!

ENTRY FORM

Have you visited the other stops on the tour? Leave comments at them all for a chance to win an annotated copy of Mistwood.

November 28: Guest post at Fiction State of Mind
November 29: Review at The Book Cellar
November 30: Interview at Library Mosaic
December 1: Guest post at YA Bibliophile
December 2: Review at Scattered Pages
December 4: Guest post at Haunted Orchid
December 6: Interview at A Thousand Little Pages
December 7: Review at Ashley Suzanne
December 8: Review at Hobbitsies
December 9: Review at A Backwards Story
December 10: Nightspell Excerpt at Arianne Cruz
December 11: Review at Penguin Girl
December 12: Interview at WhatchYAReading
December 15: Review at Word Lust
December 16: Nightspell Excerpt at A Tale of Many Reviews
December 18: Guest Post at Bodacious Bookaholic
December 19: Deleted Scene from Mistwood at A Good Addiction

Skyship Academy: The Pearl Wars by Nick James

2011-12-06T06:51:00.004-05:00

Publisher: Flux

Source: BEA

Publication Date: 08 Sept 2011

Series or Standalone: Series

ISBN: 073872341X

Format: Paperback (ARC)

Pages: 376

Websites:

Nick James - Official Site

Nick James - Blog

Nick James - Twitter

Place(s) Traveled to: Syracuse, New York // Rochester, New York // Portland, Oregon // Seattle, Washington // Wichita, Kansas // Ellensburg (Lnbrg), Washington

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

First Line: My fingers grip the ledge, searching for cracks.

Skyship Academy Series Order

Book 1: The Pearl Wars

Book 2: Crimson Rising (~Fall 2012)

Book 3: Untitled (~Fall 2013)

Prior to BEA 2011 I had never heard of this book and I only stumbled upon it as I attended the book signing of another author and afterwards we all got to talking over at the Flux booth. Nick started to describe his book but once I saw the blurb by James Dashner I knew that it was something I had to check out. I'm not usually one to be swayed by blurbs (and to be honest I don't usually read them) but I've met James several times and so he's an exception.

From the start of this book all the way until the last page I was sucked into the story. I love the world that Nick created which was a bit sci-fi with a wee addition of dystopian mixed in. I loved how he gave a brief history of how the world came to be what it was without being dry or weighing down the story. He made a believable futuristic world where resources are scarce and humanity has been divided into factions as they fight for survival.

I really enjoyed the characters in this book as well. This was very much a boy book with the majority of the main characters being boys. There was a couple of token girls tossed into the mix but they didn't always come across as very girly to me and were a bit stiff and awkward at times. But overall I really enjoyed all of the characters. I liked how Jessie was more your typical boy then anyone overtly special. He wasn't the best in his class, he was more likely to be the one who was messing up. But given the circumstances that he was thrust into he came into his own and turned his ordinariness into something more.

I really enjoyed this story and all the possibilities that it raised for the rest of the series. The writing was strong and I was really invested in the story. I wasn't surprised by some of the twists and turns. And there were times when I thought some events were a bit far fetched. I liked how there were active adults in the story - although their were times where they came across as a bit stiff as well. But what I like best about the book is the potential for what is to come. As a first in a series it hit all the right notes in building a world and characters that you want to know more about. I am really looking forward to the second book and you will as well once you give this one a try.

Top 12 Pick: November 2011

2011-12-04T20:45:00.002-05:00

Regular readers of my blog know that I keep a Top 12 List...where each month I chose one book to be the best one I read that month and at the end of the year I chose the best of the best from those 12 books. Normally this is a moment that I agonize over and mention on Twitter but other than adding to my sidebar I don't say much about it here on the blog. Until now that is.

As you can probably guess from the image above my Top 12 List addition for November 2011 is Blood Song by Rhiannon Hart. Haven't heard about this book here is the synopsis:

I wanted to turn but I was held captive by the song on the wind. I’m coming, I told the voices. Please, wait for me.

When her sister becomes betrothed to a prince in a northern nation, Zeraphina’s only consolations are that her loyal animal companions are by her side – and that her burning hunger to travel north is finally being sated.

Already her black hair and pale eyes mark her out as different, but now Zeraphina must be even more careful to keep her secret safe. Craving blood is not considered normal behaviour for anyone, let alone a princess. So when the king’s advisor, Rodden, seems to know more about her condition than she does, Zeraphina is determined to find out more.

Zeraphina must be willing to sacrifice everything if she’s to uncover the truth – but what if the truth is beyond her worst nightmares?

For those interested you can read my review of Blood Song here. Currently Blood Song is only available in Australia. But you can import it using sites like FishpondWorld.com (though be warned, shipping may be free worldwide its very slow). I really hope that more people start to read this amazing book so that it can get a release here in the US.

November Honorable Mentions (in no particular order):

Raw Blue by Kirsty Eager

Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowly

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor (review coming soon)

Saving June by Hannah Harrington

It should also be noted that this was one of the hardest Top 12 List pick that I've had since I started the list in 2008. In the end, I chose the winner by drawing a name out of a hat and letting fate help me decide. If I could chose more than one...then all would make the list. But alas, I could not.

Now its your turn...what was your favorite read of November? Let me know below.

Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley

2011-12-01T00:00:00.000-05:00

Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia

Source: Netgalley

Publication Date: 01 Aug 2010

Series or Standalone: Standalone

ISBN: 0330425781

Format: ebook

Pages: 264

Websites:

Cath Crowley - Official Site

Cath Crowley - Blog

Cath Crowley - Twitter

Place(s) Traveled to: Australia

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

First Paragraph: I pedal fast. Down Rose Drive, where houses swim in pools of orange streetlight. Where people sit on verandas, hoping to catch a breeze. Let me make it in time. Please let me make it in time.

I first became aware of Cath Crowley's writing not long ago when I read A Little Wanting Song which was highly recommended by a friend. I was entranced by that book and was so excited when I saw Graffiti Moon up on Netgalley and I started reading it once I received approval. The story starts just after Lucy and her best friend Jazz graduate from school and they decide to have a night out on the town. They run into Ed and Leo and the foursome then decide to look for these two graffiti artists known only as Shadow and Poet - as Lucy is dying to meet Shadow.

What follows is a fun, fast-paced story that journey's through out the town in a story that is told from the POVs of many of the characters. Though the primary story tellers are Lucy and Ed. Lucy is that every girl sort of character and its easy to relate to her. She is young and hopeful and is just starting out and filled with so many dreams. In many ways she reminds me of myself right before college and work and the world started to weigh upon me. Then there is Ed...he's a loner and a thinker and yes just a little bit troubled and trying to find his way.

Once I started this book I just couldn't put it down. I was sucked into the story and the trip that Lucy, Jazz, Ed and Leo embarked on. This book was like a mini-road trip book - there is lots of travel around town and there is lots of internal growth in the characters as well. It seems like an impossible thing to have character learn so much about themselves in one night and maybe in the real world it would be. But Cath Crowley has a way of taking this concept and making it so real and believable. She has a way with words that really brings out the emotions that each character is feeling and to also bring out a similar response in the reader.

If you love a good contemporary then be sure to check out Graffiti Moon. Its such an amazing and heart felt story that I still find myself thinking about it long after I turned the final page. Graffiti Moon also cemented me as a total fan girl for life of Cath Crowley. She has a gift of the written word and I am eagerly anticipating her next book.

**Graffiti Moon is currently on sale in Australia and will be available in the US on 14 Feb 2012 from Knopf Books for Young Readers. To celebrate that release I will be reposting this review in February and highlight the US cover.**

Saving June by Hannah Harrington

2011-11-30T07:20:00.047-05:00

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Source: BEA / Netgalley

Publication Date: 22 Nov 2011

Series or Standalone: Standalone

ISBN: 0373210248

Format: ebook

Pages: 336

Websites:

Hannah Harrington - Official Site

Hannah Harrington - Blog

Hannah Harrington - Twitter

Place(s) Traveled to: Grand Lake, Michigan // White Haven, Michigan // Chicago, Illinois // St. Louis, Missouri // Oklahoma // Texas // Santa Fe, New Mexico // Flagstaff, Arizona // Huntington Beach, California // Sauscilito, California

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

First Line: According to the puppy-of-the-month calendar hanging next to the phone in the kitchen, my sister June died on a Thursday, exactly nine days before her high school graduation.

When I picked up Saving June by Hannah Harrington at BEA I hadn't heard much about it and I am a bit ashamed to admit that when I unpacked it on my shelf I forgot about it. I just have so many books that it was overlooked when I looking for my next read. But recently I started to heard more about it on Twitter, especially from Sarah, and it quickly became a book that I had to read. Fortunately it was available on Netgalley so I didn't have to waste time walking over to my bookshelf when I decided that this weekend was when I should read it.

Once I started Saving June I was unable to put it down. Hannah Harrington just sucked me in from the very first page and I couldn't stop turning until I hit the end. I became lost in the struggles of Harper and her friend Laney as they each dealt with the problems that they were facing. And Jake, wow, does Harrington know how to create a male lead that readers will love. And the very best part of this book...it involves a ROAD TRIP! I adore road trips and while this one was for a more serious purpose than road trips are known for it didn't make it any lesss compelling.

One thing I like about road trip books are that they are always about a journey, not just physically moving across states, but also in each of the characters lives. The place where Harper, Laney and Jake end up is far different from where they all started...and none of them could have predicted how things would go. Just as when you start an actual road trip its those unexpected side trips that lead to the most growth and adventure. The same thing happens in Saving June. A fun surprise in this book was a list of so much great music. After all, what is a road trip with out some great music. Some songs/bands I'd heard before but others were new. I'm so glad that all the songs (and more) were listed in the back of the book. I am pretty sure that I will be downloading many of these songs to add them to my music collection.

This was a real heart-achy book for me. My heart would swell until almost bursting and then it would come close to breaking at various points in the story. I am also not ashamed to say that by the end, I cried. I was warned that it could happen but it didn't make the story any less emotional for me. I loved every aspect of this book and I can not wait until Harrington's next book just so that I immerse myself in her words again. I know that I will be re-reading Saving June many times over but there is no greater feeling than discovering a books contents for the first time and that is why I can't wait for Harrington's next book. Her characters are just so raw and real and I can easily relate to them all on different levels. If you haven't checked this book out yet then move it up your TBR list...its so worth jumping over that other book you were just about to pick up.

Blood Song by Rhiannon Hart

2011-11-29T07:27:00.002-05:00

Publisher: Random House Australia

Source: Gift from friend

Publication Date: 01 Sept 2011

Series or Standalone: Series

ISBN: 1742750966

Format: paperback

Pages: 290

Websites:

Rhiannon Hart - Official Site

Rhiannon Hart - Blog

Rhiannon Hart - Twitter

Place(s) Traveled to: Armentia, Brivora // Xallentaria capital of Pergamia in Brivora // Lharmell

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

First Line: I was thinking of blood again so I went to practice my archery.

Lharmell Series Order

Book 1: Blood Song

Book 2: Blood Storm (Aug 2012)

Book 3: Untitled (~Fall 2013)

What first drew me to Blood Song by Rhiannon Hart was the cover. It was this stunning piece of art and then I became so very sad when I learned shortly afterwards that the book was only available in Australia. I tried to import it but there were issues and a friend took pity on me and we set up an exchange...and best of all...he was able to get the book signed for me. *huggles book*

I was finally able to get to it this past weekend and I fell instantly in love with the world that Hart created. It was so rich and detailed...but not overly detailed that the story becomes bogged down with details. And the characters...oh readers...I can't tell you how much I love all the characters in this book. First there is Zeraphina who is strong and courageous and her mother Renata who Zeraphina gets her strength and who must make hard decisions. But most of all there is Rodden. #swoon

Remember how I read Poison Study a ways back and fell for that character named Valek. Well, Rodden reminds me a lot of Valek. He's all broody and aloof...but he isn't as assassiny minded as Valek. There is also so much chemistry on the page when he and Zeraphina are together. I would have loved to have every page devoted to them but alas there were other characters...not to mention that pesky thing called a plot as well. While I might call it pesky I did love the premise of this novel. I loved how Hart wove in the mythology of the world without sounding like she was giving a dry lecture. Instead we learned what we needed to know as we needed it. Readers are left with just enough thirst and want for more but never feel like something is missing.

I devoured this book in just a few hours. I was amazed at how time flew and was so very sad to hit the end. I wasn't ready to leave the Kingdom of Pergamia. I wanted to see Renata scheme a bit more to find a suitable match for Zeraphina now that her eldest Lilith was married. I wanted to see Zeraphina and Rodden argue some more. I also wanted to see Zeraphina and her mother clash. I loved to see those two head butt. They were a great mother/daughter combo. You get the sense that they love each other deeply but they just don't see eye to eye on how life should be lived. I think that its a great and horrible tragedy that I have to wait almost an entire YEAR to find out what happens next in this story. The pages I had weren't enough.

Have I mentioned just how much I love this world and its characters? Because if not then I did. There is something in this book for everyone. There is a hint of romance, some drama, action and mystery. The only thing that this book was missing was a map. (Yes Rhiannon I had to mention it here.) I adore maps in books. I love seeing how a world of fantasy fits together and am always sad then I don't have that map to flip back and forth to. I think Aussies might be a little different....or maybe its me that's different...but I do love me a good map. Other than that though this book was filled of awesome and you should all find a way to get your hands on it (legally of course) or better yet some US publisher should pick it up...because its amazing and needs to be read by all.

Raw Blue by Kirsty Eager

2011-11-28T07:25:00.015-05:00

Publisher: Penguin Books Australia

Source: Purchased

Publication Date: 29 June 2009

Series or Standalone: Standalone

ISBN: 0143011456

Format: ebook

Pages: 274

Websites:

Kirsty Eager - Official Site

Kirsty Eager - Blog

Kirsty Eager - Twitter

Place(s) Traveled to: Sydney, Australia

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

First Line: Friday morning. I'm heading down to the break, feeling antsy because I slept in.

I am not a fan of surfing. I had an ex once that was boarderline obsessed (which is kinda funny since we don't have a ton of surfing in the northeast) and was always threatening to take me. I never saw the point and assumed that I'd somehow get myself killed. So when I first heard about Raw Blue by Kirsty Eagar I dismissed as a surfing book and thought it wasn't for me. But to call Raw Blue a book about surfing is to do it a HUGE disservice as it is so much more than that.

Raw Blue is told from the point of view of Carly, a 19 year old chef-of sorts, who has arranged her work schedule so she can surf all day. She has a kooky upstairs neighbor named Hannah who just won't leave her alone and soon a friend in Danny a teen boy with Synesthesia. Since leaving Uni, Carly has tried to distance herself from people but isn't having much luck. She is this beautiful, broken girl that you just want to hug and tell her that it will be ok. And then there is Ryan....oh dear reader here is a swoon worthy male character for you...Ryan is this quiet surfer that finally makes Carly start to notice people around her. From the moment they meet there is a tension between them that simply leaps off the page. There is just so much emotion written into this book that its impossible not to feel everything that Carly is feeling.

I was hooked on this book from page one. I absorbed all of its words and almost cried when I reached the end and had no more story. I kept trying to turn the page on my ereader begging it to yield more story. But alas, more story wasn't to come. Though the characters didn't leave my head. They all stuck inside it and even as I write this my mind is swirling with ideas on where they all go from the place where Kirsty left them. That's not something that I can say about a lot of books out there.

I find it so hard to put into words all that I feel about this book. I loved all of the characters and the story was like Mary Poppins (nearly perfect in every way). I was engrossed and time passed without notice. I laughed and I cried. My heart broke and it was healed. This is a total heartachy book and one that I know I'll be reading over and over. I am always sure that with each re-reading that I'll still lament and rail that there are no more pages. If I had a physical copy of the book it would be tossed across the room for failing to yield up more words. If you haven't read this book yet I strongly urge to do all that you can to get a copy into your possession. Its just so amazing and I think that everyone should read it.

What I Watched - 20 Nov 2011

2011-11-20T07:42:00.043-05:00

What I watched this week is a weekly feature here on the blog where I discuss the tv shows and movies that I watched during the week. This post has been inspired by Galleysmith's weekly TV Talk and Pop Culture Junkie's monthly TV/Movie Recap. As always if you haven't watched the episode mentioned then you might want to skip the recap as I will not be avoiding spoilers.

What I Watched

Grimm - Beeware (1x03)

Modern Family - Season 2 (watched over the last week, finished this week)

Lost Girl - Fae Gone Wild (2x07)
Once Upon a Time - The Price of Gold (1x04)
How I Met Your Mother - Tick, Tick, Tick (7x10)
Hart of Dixie - The Crush and the Crossbow (1x07)
Modern Family - Season 3 (episodes 1-7)
American Horror Story - Open House (1x06)
Lost Girl - Death Didn't Become Him (2x08)
Bones - The Prince in the Plastic (7x03)
Revenge - Treachery (1x08)

SUNDAY

Grimm - Beeware (1x03) - This episode fell a bit flat for me. The whole thing just lacked interest and the Nick was just so blah. Even the appearance of Monroe wasn't enough to make this episode likable. I also wonder just how long Nick can go with telling his partner how he "stumbled" on just that right clue that leads to the break in the case. And now apparently Nick just killed a good beastie in order to save a bad one. And I really don't blame the bee that stung him in the end. Wonder how that will play out in future episodes. We also still haven't learned very much about what it is to be a Grimm. I know we're probably supposed to learn as Nick learns but he isn't learning fast enough. I really enjoyed the first 2 episodes of this show but this one not so much. It is defiantly veering away from the fairy tale and moving more into a lack luster crime show. I'll keep watching, for now, but may not stick with it for the full season.

Modern Family - Season 2 - I adore this show so very much. I don't think I laughed as much this season as I did with the Season 1 DVD but there were still lots of great moments. I really enjoyed seeing all the family grow a little bit more in this season. Although I really wish that Lily was allowed to stand a bit more. It seems like in every episode that she appeared in someone was holding her. Its also a bit odd that she really doesn't say anything. Although I've heard that changes a bit in Season 3. Cameron and Mitchell continue to be my favorite characters though Phil has some of the best one liners ever. They are just so randomly bizarre.

Lost Girl - Fae Gone Wild (2x07) - The more I learn about Lauren's backstory the more boring I find her. I also still don't fully buy the lesbian backstory...and really don't like how she's cheating on her comatose girlfriend with Bo. And doesn't anyone miss Nadia? Seems so odd that she's being kept so secluded in fae territory and no one misses her. But I really can't bring myself to care overmuch about her or Lauren and will be happy when this whole story line is over. I'm also over Dyson finding a reason to take his shirt off in every episode. He's not that cute. I liked him well enough when I first started to watch the show but when the Norn pulled out his love for Bo he turned into kind of a dick. I also don't like his new girlfriend. I will not be shocked if she turns into a big bad in a future episode...and I think she might be behind why the normally peaceful Fae are going crazy. I also wonder if maybe she had something to do with the Norn's bargain with Dyson...she showed up not long after that happened after all. As always the best part of this show is Kenzi and Hale. Sadly they didn't have many scenes together this episode but they each had some good lines and I can't wait to see more from them.

Once Upon a Time - The Price of Gold (1x04) - I enjoyed this twist on the Cinderella story. I also enjoy how they've added Rumpelstiltskin into more of the fairy tales as he is my favorite character on the show I think. Him and the Sheriff...but that's more for the eye candy right now than anything else. With Rumpelstiltskin there is such a delightful creepiness to him that has me hooked. I also wish people on tv would read more. If they did they would know to not sign a contract without reading it and to never make a promise of a favor to a member of the fae lightly. Both Cinderella/Ashley and Emma failed at these tonight. But I am glad that Ashley/Cinderella got to keep her baby and that she seems to be getting her Happily Ever After back. Now we just need some gaps filled with how Snow and Prince Charming came to be a couple and just why the Evil Queen destroyed all of the fairy tale world to get back at Snow. I'm also really curious to see how the Queens affair with the Sheriff will come into play with the whole story line. We still don't know who he was in the fairy tale world...or the use the the Queen has of him in this one. I also wonder if Snow and Cinderella were pregnant at the same time...because Rumpelstiltskin was already in prison before the curse was unleashed - which was when Emma was born...and Cinderella was visibly pregnant when she helped to trap him. So I'm just curious about how the whole timeline fits together. And was Ashley pregnant her entire 28 years in the modern world? I know they said time stopped...but it didn't stop completely as Henry did age the 10 years he was there...so there are some shenanigans going on. I am probably also over thinking this too much so I shall stop. All in all a good episode and the two week wait until the next one will be hard.

MONDAY

How I Met Your Mother - Tick, Tick, Tick (7x10) - I was so annoyed and bored for most of this episode. I hated the scenes with Robin and Barney discussing their plans to break up with that respective partners. And I found the scenes with Lily, Marshall and Ted to be a bore as well. This was an episode where I didn't laugh once and I even considered turning it off mid-way through. But I kept watching and in the end I thought that I might cry. Barney carried out with the plan, to break up with Nora, and he did it even though her parents were in the room and it seemed as though she might forgive the cheating. If he hadn't admitted to caring for the other person. Robin, on the other hand, couldn't go through with it because Kevin declared his love for her and she is just a tad bit insecure and couldn't go through with breaking up with him. So there Barney was waiting for her and she showed up with her boyfriend. That was hard to see, but that closing scene with Barney cleaning the rose petals off her bed. Crushing. Barney really cares for her...and its taken him so very long to get over his man whore ways. So in the end, I ended up hating Robin just a little for the crushing blow that she dealt Barney.

Hart of Dixie - The Crush and the Crossbow (1x07) - Tonight was the night for annoying television. Zoe has finally decided to day someone in Bluebell and she approaches Wade only to learn that he is married. And has been married for years. What is it with shows and characters cheating lately?!?! I mean, seriously, Wade has had a serious flirt on with Zoe from the day she arrived in town. You'd think that somewhere in there he'd mention that he was married. But then Wade and his wife deicide to finally divorce - so she can get remarried and presumbly to free up Wade to date Zoe. Things aren't that simple in Bluebell though. Wade takes exception to the guy Tansy wants to marry so tears up divorce papers and Zoe tries to date a vet from Mobile (a really cute vet too). She then gets cold feet and stands up Hottie McHotterson and my heart breaks a little when he sees her walk away. My heart also broke some more when Tansy was telling Wade that girls like Zoe don't fall for guys like him. Which he seems to be starting to believe by the look on his face when he watched Zoe ask Jed (the previously mentioned Hottie) for a makeup date. I swear these writers will be the death of me.

TUESDAY

Modern Family - Season 3 (episodes 1-7) - All caught up and going through withdrawal! I don't have a brand new Modern Family to watch when I want to watch it. This is super sad news!! I am so addicted to this show and love every moment of it. I love Phil's new neighbor of 8 years Andre and hope we see more of him. I love Cameron trying to get a girls phone number and him helping Gloria find Jay's dog and yelling STELLA at the top of his lungs on the street. But the best moment for me so far in this season was the episode Hit and Run where Cameron runs down the street freaking out. Then later when he calls shotgun to help Haley get freed from her inadvertant crime ring....Mitchell's response was priceless - No weapons! Lily had a great line in that episode as well. Not entirely sure about the new Lily but I do like having her speak. I just wish that they'd let the poor girl walk or stand more.

WEDNESDAY

American Horror Story - Open House (1x06) - This episode scared me, answered some questions, scared me some more, raised a bunch of new questions, and grossed me out a bit. So all in all well done AHS! I am a bit at a loss for words with this one. I am a bit confused now on the Burned Man's story. I thought he was the one who burned the house and killed his family but now I wonder if it wasn't his wife. I am also curious why this is the first time we've seen Constance's other son - the one she keeps chained in the attic and where her other child is. It was also curious to learn that she'd had an affair with the Burned Man and he is apparently still in love with her. When it comes to this show my brain turns to mush trying to figure out where its going. The obvious is rarely what is and the writers just love to f*(&k with my poor little brain. Next week is an episode all about the freakiest character of them all the Rubber Man. I am so curious to find out who he is. If its one person at all as Tate has been seen wearing the suit and so has Chad. There is a theory it could be Constance's husband and so anything is possible. I just hope that its not Tate....or at least...its not Tate who got Vivian pregnant as that would be gross as he's dating and falling for Violet - which is a bit gross on its one since he's well....dead. I also wonder if Vivian might be a rare case of twins with two daddies...and one will be a normal human and the other will be that devil child that the nurse saw that one time on the monitor. Either way though there are a lot of people who seem to want these babies and it probably won't end well.

THURSDAY

Lost Girl - Death Didn't Become Him (2x08) - Ok...what was up with Bo in this episode? Turning all red and sucking out all those chis at once...then that weird demony voice. I guess this is all part of that prophecy thing that we haven't heard much about since Season 1. There is something different about Bo and this unexpected power of hers is probably a part of that. Other than that I could have done without her bits in this episode as she was mostly with boring Lauren. Lauren who says she wants a cure for her girlfriend but then keeps flirting with Bo. Blah boring blah. I also have a theory that the nail that she needs to free Nadia will be found in the Ash's things. I think that the old Ash probably saw what an asset that Lauren could be to him and so arranged to bind her into his service looking for a cure to a mysterious disease that isn't a disease at all. If that's the case then maybe Lauren will finally get some fire when she realizes it. Though probably not since the old Ash is dead and so there can be no real revenge for her...just tears and regrets. The best part of this episode was all the Hale and Kenzi time. I loved watching as they babysat the teen daughter of another Fae. Those moments often made me laugh...and included the special bonus of seeing Hale shirtless. Lost Girl could totally cut out Bo, Dyson and everyone and make this show all about Hale and Kenzi...oh and some Trick tossed in for kicks...and I'd be a happy girl.

Bones - The Prince in the Plastic (7x03) - Sweets goes badass and trains for weapons training. They really seem to be setting him up to be a full time agent. He's in his office less and less so I won't be surprised if he becomes a full time field agent. Especially now that Bones is pregnant and probably won't be going in the field as much once the baby comes. I was also pretty thankful for the return of Daisy in this episode as the intern they had last week trumped her in annoyance. One thing that I'm really getting tired of with this show is how they change Bones's demeanor to suit the plot. The last few years she's really grown emotionally but since she got pregnant they've regressed her a lot just to try to make things funny but they really just fall flat. I did enjoy Angela vs the baby toy though and thought that was funny and really wish they would have shown her and Bones in the toy store.

FRIDAY

Revenge - Treachery (1x08) - I am still amazed that Lydia can fall from the height she did and still be alive. Not just alive but also already released from the hospital and with the added complication of memory loss. How convenient for everyone...especially Emanda and Victoria who both have secrets to hide. Though its odd that she can't remember most of the summer but she does remember the picture. Sometimes I think the writers think we are stupid. Yet, I gobble this show up anyway. Amily is a curious girl and I would still like more details on why the prison wardon got involved with Emanda's whole revenge plot. What is in it for her? And why did she want Amily involved in it all? I loved Nolan in this episode...even more than normal. He wasn't just Emanda's lacky. He showed some brains and spunk and I hope that we get to see more of that. I'd love to see him get all up in Emanda's face sometimes when she's playing her bitchy evil plotter self. I also laughed when Amanda was telling Nolan that something wasn't part of the plan...she should expect this by now...so few things recently have been going according to plan. I'm not sure how I feel about the whole Amily and Jack attraction...wasn't he just so over the moon over Emanda last week and now he's all into this girl? Will Emanda be jealous....and what will she do to Amily when she learns that she didn't go to Paris as planned. As always Charlotte and Declan are such a waste of screen time. Why oh why can't they just be written off and leave more time for the cheezy over the top plots of revenge and bitterness? They add nothing to the story. They don't move any plot forward and just annoy me beyond anything. There was more I wanted to say about this episode...but I'm totally blanking...so leave your thoughts in the comments and hopefully it'll trigger something! =)

Divergent by Veronica Roth

2011-11-17T07:01:00.003-05:00

Publisher: Harper Collins

Source: Publisher

Publication Date: 03 May 2011

Series or Standalone: Series

ISBN: 0062024027

Format: paperback (ARC)

Pages: 489

Websites:

Veronica Roth - Official Site

Veronica Roth - Blog

Veronica Roth - Twitter

Place(s) Traveled to: Chicago, Illinois

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

First Line: There is one mirror in my house.

Divergent Series Order

Book 1: Divergent

Book 2: Insurgent (28 May 2012)

Book 3: Untitled (~May 2013)

When I received Divergent by Veronica Roth in the mail I was so super excited but then when everyone just raved and raved over it I got scared. I have read many an over-hyped book only to be let down and I really didn't want this one to join that list. So I put off reading it. For if I never read it then I could still be entranced by the possibility of it and not be disappointed with the reality. Then more people that I trusted and who were also skeptics of over-hyped books read it and loved it and I felt my resistance cracking. Then I finally picked it up and I wasn't let down. But I wasn't all over the moon in total love with this book either. In part because I still had pretty high expectations for this book.

I enjoyed the world that Roth created and enjoyed how there was a little history on how it came to be. Though there are still loads of questions waiting to be answered on that front. I also enjoyed the world of the factions and the ideas that they stand for. How on paper they seem like a great idea but in the end the reality of human nature tends to corrupt and destroy. One thing that I am really curious about is why the gates to dystopian-Chicago are locked from the outside and just what that might mean in the grand scheme of things. If it means anything at all. I sometimes fixate on small, unimportant details and really need to work on that.

The characters were all pretty realistic and I did enjoy reading about them. But I do have to admit there where times when I got bored with them all. I also have some thoughts on what might happen to some of them in Insurgent and that thought just fills me with fear. Not because I am scared that bad things will happen, but because I think that there is a major plot cliche about to happen. In the end, I did enjoy Divergent, but I wasn't gaga for it. I can appreciate why it is so popular and I hope that its sequel won't fall flat. I read this book quickly so I was engaged in it. I don't feel like I wasted any time. I will probably also recommend this to others and I know that I will read the sequel. Divergent took me away from my reality and really isn't that all you need in a book?

Once Upon a Winter's Eve by Tessa Dare

2011-11-16T07:40:00.005-05:00

Publisher: Samhain Publishing

Source: Author

Publication Date: 15 Nov 11

Series or Standalone: Series

ISBN: 9781609288822

Format: ebook

Pages: 112

Websites:

Tessa Dare - Official Site

Tessa Dare - Blog

Tessa Dare - Twitter

Place(s) Traveled to: Spindle Cove - Sussex, England (1813)

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

First Line: In December of 1813, the officers' ball had a profound effect on Spindle Cove's economy.

Spindle Cove Series Order

Book 1: A Night to Surrender
Book 1.5: Once Upon a Winter's Eve (Novella)

Book 2: A Week to be Wicked

Book 3: A Lady by Midnight

I had the great opportunity to get a sneak peak of Tessa Dare's novella Once Upon a Winter's Eve and I fell in love with Spindle Cove all over again. This novella centers around Violet Winterbottom who is in Spindle Cove recovering from The Disappointment. On her last night in Spindle Cove a stranger interrupts a ball and Violet is the only one who understands him. This was a really fun novella and I barely noticed the time passing as I read it. I loved the tension and dialogue between the two main characters and the pages just flew by. I loved returning to Spindle Cove and seeing many of the characters that I first met in A Night to Surrender.

As this was a novella there isn't a ton I can say about it without giving much away. Just know that it was a really fun read and I hated for it to end. This is a book that I wish was longer as I really grew to like the characters involved. And since it was a novella the ending did feel just a tad bit rushed. But I was able to overlook that since I just got so absorbed in all that came before.

If you are unsure of Tess Dare's writing, or meeting the girls of Spindle Cove, then Once Upon a Winter's Eve is a great introduction to it. There is also just enough Spindle Cove to give you a taste for the world but not enough to spoil too much of what happened in A Night to Surrender. Well other than that happily ever after bit of it....but really....its a romance so you know the hero and heroine get together and its the how that is important and not a thing to be missed, in either book. After reading Once Upon a Winter's Eve I am more excited than ever to read A Week to be Wicked.

What I Watched This Week - 13 Nov 2011

2011-11-13T11:36:00.000-05:00

What I Watched

Gnomeo and Juliet
The Accidental Husband
Glee - Pot of Gold (3x04)
Once Upon a Time - Snow Falls (1x03)
How I Met Your Mother - Disaster Averted (7x09)
Hart of Dixie - The Undead & The Unsaid (1x06)
American Horror Story - Piggy Piggy (1x05)
The Big Bang Theory - The Orinthophobia Diffusion (5x09)
Bones - The Hotdog in the Competition (7x02)

Sunday

Gnomeo and Juliet - 4 stars - I wasn't really sure what to expect from this one. But as I love Shakespeare I was excited when I saw that it was finally available on Netflix Instant. Romeo and Juliet isn't my favorite play but I found that I really enjoyed Gnomeo and Juliet. It was a cute movie filled with many moments that made me laugh. As it was based on such a famous play you can imagine that there was a lot about it that was predictable. The only thing that was a bit blah about this one was the ending. It was very quick and not sure that anything was really concluded after the big dramatic thing that came right before it.

The Accidental Husband - 3 stars - This was another movie that I was excited to see on Netflix Instant as I'd been wanting to see it since I first saw the previews. I mean hello...it had Colin Firth in it...and I love him so very much. Sadly though he wasn't in the movie as much as I would have liked. The story focused more on Uma Therman and Jeffrey Dean Morgan - neither of which I particularly care for (this is part of why I didn't go see this one in theatres.) As you can imagine with a rom-com this movie was pretty predictable but it wasn't horrible. It had its moments of cuteness and the last 5 min I could have done without. But it wasn't entirely unexpected as those last 5 minutes do wrap things up in a neat little bow. The only thing that was missing was an explanation as to what happened to Emma Lloyd's BFF who ran the sound booth and how/why her husbands best friend was there instead.

Glee - Pot of Gold (3x04) - I am seriously thinking about dropping this show. It just doesn't really hold my attention like it used to and the addition of a second glee club is just so...blah. In a school that can barely maintain one glee club there is now 2? How lame and contrived and just doesn't do it for me. I don't believe that Shelby would be so willing to let Quinn and Puck so much access to her adopted daughter and that they would all of a sudden want to be parents. I felt really bad for the new Irish transfer student but as with all the other members of the cast I really just can't bring myself to care too much. And as always Sue just really really bugs me. Plus there was that whole kiss between Puck and Shelby...seriously what is up with that? The only real saving grace of this episode was the appearance of Kurt's dad. But you can't watch a show just for one character and I mostly found my attention wandering a lot in this episode.

Once Upon a Time - Snow Falls (1x03) - Why oh why can't Snow White be as strong in the modern world as she is in the fairy tale one? I'm tired of the milk sop! I enjoyed seeing her re-imaged past in this episode. I also loved seeing more of Prince Charming...he's way too good looking to remain in that coma. Though how tragic that he's supposedly married in the modern world and to that annoying princess too. Though I am sure it will only be a matter of time before the truth comes out there and he'll soon be dating Snow...I mean Mary Margaret. I almost feel sorry for the Queen. Everything she does to try and keep her curse going and kick Emma out just seems to back fire. If only she'd have grown better at accepting defeat. I am so looking forward to next weeks episode and I am also deadly curious as to what favor that Rumpelstiltskin/Mr Gold will ask of the Queen when the time comes for him to collect his favor.

Monday

How I Met Your Mother - Disaster Averted (7x09) - I am a little confused at the timeline of this one. We found out at the end of last season that Lily was pregnant...but this episode said that Lily conceived during Hurricane Irene - which was in August of this year. But wouldn't she have been pregnant before then? Because a few weeks ago we learned the sex and you have to be several months along for that...I dunno...maybe I'm missing something but it just seems like something is off. Overall I enjoyed the humor in this one. I loved seeing the gang deal with the Hurricane and learn about the whole boogie board thing. I also enjoyed Barney's attempts to ditch the Ducky Tie....and how Marshall got some more slaps out of him. Though a bit sad he used up most of them. But we still have the one slap remaining from the slap bet. The thing that killed this episode for me was the very end when Barney and Robin kissed in the cab. Now I love the idea of them together. I do. But I HATE HATE HATE that they are doing it this way. Both Robin and Barney are in a relationship...and I don't like that they seem to be setting them up to have an affair.

Hart of Dixie - The Undead & The Unsaid (1x06) - This show is just so adorable. I can't get enough of it. Even though Lemon and Magnolia are such ridiculous characters and George is a bit lifeless and blah. But then there is Wade...oh sweet eye candy Wade. Why can't Zoe just realize how much she adores him? I mean look how sweet he was by staying over when she was scared to be alone. The story of the man who faked his own death and then hung about was a bit odd but then I don't fully expect the show to be super serious anymore. And if I am honest the main reason why I watch the show is because of Zoe and Wade. Oh and Lavonn - I really like how he and Zoe interact as well...now if only he'd get over Lemon and move on with his life. Though I suppose that won't start to happen until we learn just why they broke up since they both have such obvious feelings for each other.

Wednesday

American Horror Story - Piggy Piggy (1x05) - I knew that Tate was dead! I knew it...though it was a bit of surprise on how he died. I guess now we know why Constance moved out of the house. Not only did it hold the memory of her shooting her husband and the Moira but her son was killed there too. I've also come to realize that Ben is the worst therapist ever. Seems every one he consuls dies. That is not a very good track record. Not at all. I am also really curious about what Constance wants with Violet. In one episode she's trying to poison her and now she seems to be taking her under her wing and saying she can commune with the dead. I don't think that Violet has any special abilities since everyone in the house seems to be able to see all the various ghosts that live there. But the creepiest bit in this whole episode was when Vivian was eating the body parts...that brain...blech...I almost threw up with that. A girl at work thinks that she might be eating Addy...and I really hope that isn't the case because that just adds a whole new level of gross to the whole thing.

Thursday

The Big Bang Theory - The Orinthophobia Diffusion (5x09) - Penny really annoyed me in this episode. She kept insisting that she wasn't on a date with Leonard but then took offense when he made her pay for things or insisted that they see a movie that he was interested in for a change. Then she ditched him to flirt with another guy. You don't do that to a friend. And you also don't try to sabotage that friend from flirting with another girl after the guy you ditched him for leaves. You can't have it both ways Penny. You didn't want to date Leonard so you need to just let him live his life. The bits with Sheldon and the bird were funny (minus when Amy Farrah Fowler was there) but they weren't enough to override my annoyance with Penny. Overall, I was pretty disappointed with this episode.

Bones - The Hotdog in the Competition (7x02) - This was a disappointing night of TV for me as this episode of Bones annoyed me as well. I can't believe just how apathetic Bones was with her various pregnancy milestones. How could she honestly think that Booth wouldn't want to be part of the ultrasound where they learn the sex of the baby? And how could she tell everyone else before him? He's the father for crying out loud...and she knows just how much he loved Parker and how he hates missing all the little things in his life since he isn't around him full time. Bones has come so far these past few years emotionally and such but this last episode was more like season 1 Bones...if not worse. I was also really annoyed with the new intern. I never thought I'd dislike anyone more than Daisy but I was wrong. His way of speaking is just so very over the top cliche and just makes me want to stick a fork in my eye to stop it from twitching. Can we please just settle on one intern...preferably Clark or find some way to bring back Zach.

What I Watched This Week - 06 Nov 11

2011-11-06T06:50:00.216-05:00

What I Watched

Once Upon a Time - The Thing You Love Most (1x02)
How I Met Your Mother - The Slutty Pumpkin Returns (7x08)
American Horror Story - Halloween Part 2 (1x04)

The Big Bang Theory - The Isolation Permutation (5x08)
Bones - The Memories in the Shallow Grave (7x01)

Grimm - Bears Will Be Bears (1x02)

Lost Girl - It's Better to Burn Out Than Fae Away (2x06)

Revenge - Charade (1x07)

Modern Family - Season 1

Sunday

Once Upon a Time - The Thing You Love Most (1x02) - First off, I've got to say Malificent is not how I pictured here. But then its hard to get the Disney version out of my head. Though I did like the character and I hope that we see more of her in the future. I still like the mixture of switching between the fairy tale world and the modern one and enjoyed learning how the curse came to be. A part of me thought that the heart that would be sacrificed would be the Evil Queens and that would explain some of her coldness....but that changed the moment they began to focus in on her servant and then when she called him Daddy well it was a lock. This episode also showed us who the mirror was in the real world and revealed that Rumpelstiltskin remembers far more than the Queen thought he would. He is still creepy and I still love his character. I can't wait to learn more of his story. I wonder if we'll see Sleeping Beauty and Rapunzel since we've seen their evil counterparts. I also want to know who the sheriff is in the fairy tale world. Right now I am thinking that he might be the Woodsman. This was a fun episode, the Queen is seeing her control on the fairy tale world is starting to crumble and the things she's doing to hold onto it aren't helping the matter. She's also tried so hard to find happiness and despite the curse and destroying the fairy tale world she hasn't found it yet. This is going to make her a bit unpredictable and unstable. Hopefully Emma won't crack under the weight of her wrath....since she's the only hope after all. Although since fairy tales always end with a Happily Ever After I don't see her doing that. I also plan on sticking with this show for the time being I hope that it continues to get better with each episode.

Monday

How I Met Your Mother - The Slutty Pumpkin Returns (7x08) - I loved the start of this one...Barney finding out he's part Canadian? Classic. Also...props to Robin for rubbing it like she did. Especially after all the years of jokes she's been the butt of from Barney. And the costume that she chose for him...HILARIOUS!! Too bad Barney couldn't bring himself to wear it. The last few minutes of the episode though with Barney punching his inner Canadian self I could have done without...but the rest of Barney on this Halloween was classic. I was really looking forward to Ted FINALLY meeting the slutty pumpkin...but in the end all those scenes were just really really AWKWARD. I think that I may have cringed more than I laughed. So glad that it doesn't look like she'll be returning. Lily and her pregnancy brain had its moments of funny but that's something that could get old fast so hopefully they don't overplay that.

Wednesday

American Horror Story - Halloween Part 2 (1x05) -This episode started off a bit freaky but then that quickly fizzled and it was relatively tame. Although I loved learned that Tate was indeed Constance's son. I knew it! Now we just need to know when and how he died. Based on that cheerleader saying she should be 34 years old I am assuming that it was around 17 years ago. At least that's when Tate did the school shooting. And now we have the new burning question...just why doesn't Constance want Tate to know that Addy is dead? What will happen. And if Tate can't perform sexually with Haley...then maybe he's not the thing that walks around int he rubber suit...though how icky would that be if Tate slept with Vivian and got her pregnant and is now macking on her daughter. I also wonder if that thing that was under Haley's bed is the baby of the doctor's wife - that could explain why she is hanging around the house...although I think she was murdered there too. Didn't she have a gash in her head one of the first times we saw her? Still so many qyestions...I can't wait to see what happens next week.

Thursday

The Big Bang Theory - The Isolation Permutation (5x08) - This episode suffered from too much Amy Farrah Fowler. I loathe her more and more each time we see her. The scenes with her and Sheldon were so very awkward and cringe worthy. Why can't they just write her off the show? Because there was so much Amy in the episode I found that I mostly tuned it out so really can't comment much further.

Bones - The Memories in the Shallow Grave (7x01) - Its back! Its back! I love this show so very much and I love that Bones and Booth are finally trying to make it work as a couple. I am oddly happy that the writers decided to write in Emily Deschanel's real life pregnancy so they they were able to hurry things along a bit. Though its obvious from this episode that Bones still has a long way to go with trust and showing emotions and such. My heart broke a few times for Booth in this episode as Bones was her usual literal self. But there was growth seen in her and great advice given by Angela. I also loved how when Bones got stuck behind the boxes that the only person she thought to call was Booth. I'm glad that they showed Angela & Hodges's baby...though am I the only one who thought the baby was a girl when they first showed the video? Looked like wee Michael was dressed all in purple. And While I wouldn't put it past Angela to not care what colors that a baby wore I don't see Hodges going along so easily. Well...on second thought...he does seem to give her everything she wants so maybe.

Saturday

Grimm - Bears Will Be Bears (1x02) - I am really digging this show. I'm not sure what it is about it but I just love the gritty crime drama-ness of it. This episode dealt with the myth of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Though these aren't the three bears that we know of from the stories. They are far more sinister and a bit more like shapeshifters than bears. I was also glad to see Monroe return. I like him and think he adds some much needed comic relief to the show. He's also a good source of Grimm lore for Nick who is still floundering about trying to deal with the whole supernatural world that is around him. This show can be a bit predictable at times but I do look forward to learning more about just what it means to be a Grimm.

Revenge - Charade (1x07) - The relationship between Victoria and Conrad is such a farce its hard to see them trying to be all happy for a photo shoot celebrating their 25th anniversary. I also thought it funny that Nolan hired a body guard and am glad that he isn't totally backing away from Emanda's revenge plans. Even if he's trying to just play the role of consultant. Ok...so now is this warden person part of the whole plot and is she the one who helped Amanda switch identities with Emily? And if so, then why? And why would the real Emily be willing to do that? I'm curious to see what turmoil she adds to Emanda's plans now that she's moving in...and since she killed Frank. Emanda can't really turn her in without exposing herself so it will be interesting to see how that all plays out. I'm also very curious about the whole Nolan/Tyler thing and how that will play out. Tyler thinks he has the one up on Nolan and everyone but I'm sure its only a matter of time before all is revealed about him and he is cast out. I can't say as I am surprised that Nolan is gay...but I didn't think Tyler was. Although I guess Tyler is bi as he does genuinely seem to like Ashley for I can't see how she'd fit into his plans to go all SWF on Daniel and his life. Although perhaps I am just not paying attention enough and missing those details on how he is using her. This episode also made me hate Declan even more. I really didn't think that was possible. He and Charlotte are the most useless characters on the show...and Declan's whole holier than thou type speech to Emanda at the dinner party...ugh. I just wanted to smack him and his horrible accent all the way to next Sunday. Why oh why couldn't he the one that was shot in the pilot?

Lost Girl - It's Better to Burn Out Than Fae Away (2x06) - Its nice to have an episode that is free of Dyson...and specifically Bo's angsty emo feelings for Dyson. Now to just have Bo move on from Lauren. I just don't feel the chemistry there. I prefer her with Dyson over Lauren...but what I would really like to see is Bo with the new Ash. I do like the Ash...he's just a lot more fun and evil than the old one. Speaking of evil, how mean was Bo in tossing Kenzi under the bus when it came to the Eye wanting a kiss and knowing if she was single. The Eye is so pedophile creepy and Bo all too happily made Kenzi kiss him. I hope that Kenzi doles out some serious payback for that one. Or maybe the payback comes from the revelation that Lauren has a girlfriend. Not sure where this is going because it always seemed like before Bo worked her mojo on Lauren that Lauren was straight. But now we seem to have evidence to the contrary. Moreover it seems that even though Lauren has a girlfriend the relationship might not have been a good one. Guess time will tell to see where things are going with this story line.

Modern Family - Season 1 - This show is HILARIOUS. I've caught episodes here and there and have always laughed. This week I finally cracked and bought Season 1 on DVD and I laughed so much in the first episode that I just kept watching. I totally binged on the entire season this week and I don't have any regrets. This show far surpassed all expectations. I love all of the characters but think that Mitchell and Cameron are my favorite. Although all of them have their moments and I love how they all interact. Every episode makes me laugh and I've already purchased Season 2 so I can dive right into that one as well.

A Night to Surrender by Tessa Dare

2011-11-04T07:49:00.006-04:00

Publisher: Avon

Source: Amazon Vine

Publication Date: 30 Aug 11

Series or Standalone: Series

ISBN:0062049836

Format: Paperback

Pages: 372

Websites:

Tessa Dare - Official Site

Tessa Dare - Blog

Tessa Dare - Twitter

Place(s) Traveled to: Spindle Cove - Sussex, England (1813)

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

First Line: Bram stared into a pair of wide, dark eyes.

Spindle Cove Series Order

Book 1: A Night to Surrender
Book 1.5: Once Upon a Winter's Eve (Novella)

Book 2: A Week to be Wicked

Book 3: A Lady by Midnight

Dear Reader,

Words can't even begin to tell you just how much fun Tessa Dare's A Night to Surrender is. There is lots of action which starts from the moment our hero, Victor "Bram" Bramwell, meets with our heroine, Susanna Firth. A meeting which involves a cannon and some sheep and it just doesn't stop. I love that Susanna is such a strong female lead. She is fiesty and independent and is pursuing activities that make her happy no matter that they aren't always what society would agree with. Bram is a bit more conventional. He's a solider and wants to remain a solider. He doesn't have time for love or settling down and so he has a rough journey in this book in accepting that maybe what he thought he always wanted isn't the path he was meant for.

Its also not just the main characters that make this book....though likeable main characters are definitely a plus....but all the secondary characters just make you fall in love with them. They'll make you laugh and cry as you interact with them through Susanna and Bram's eyes. They make you wish that there really was a place called Spindle's Cove and that you could travel there for an extended holiday. Spindle's Cove sounds like a haven. Well, that is before they were invaded by Bram's militia! Though I must admit, one of my favorite characters didn't have a single line of dialogue as it wasn't a human but a wee lamb named Dinner. lol

This was a book that made me laugh and gave me many heart achy moments. I did find that the first time that Susanna and Bram...well (to quote a previous read that gave me an eye twitch) you know...to be a bit unrealistic. Not that it wasn't steamy...but...its hard to say my thoughts exactly without spoiling. You'll see what I mean when you read. Because, dear reader, you need to read this book. Its filled with great writing and wit and I am dying to return to Spindle's Cove with the next book in the series. And you will as well, once you read this delightful book. Which I hope that you'll go and do right now...because its so worth it.

The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann (Audio)

2011-11-02T07:25:00.002-04:00

Publisher: Simon Audio (Audio); Aladdin (Print)

Source: Publisher

Publication Date: 30 Aug 2011 (Audio); 30 Aug 2011 (Print)
Series or Standalone: Series

ISBN: 1442344914 (Audio), 1442407689 (Hardcover)

Format: Audio

Audio Length: 7 discs (~7.5 hrs)

Narrator: Simon Jones

Websites:

Lisa McMann - Official Site

Lisa McMann - Blog

Lisa McMann - Twitter

Place(s) Traveled to: Quill // Artime

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

First Line: There was a hint of wind coming over the top of the stone walls and through the barbed-wire sky on the day that Alexander Stowe was to be purged.

The Unwanteds Series Order

Book 1: The Unwanteds

Book 2: Island of Silence (Aug 2012)

I was very excited to receive an opportunity to review an audio version of Lisa McMann's The Unwanteds as I've been meaning to read something from her for awhile now. Going into this book I didn't know anything about the story and so I was a bit shocked at its dark opening. A group of 13 year olds being sent off to their deaths as they have been deemed unwanted by the leaders of Quill. The opening chapter focuses on Alex Stowe, who is unwanted and who has known he is unwanted since he was 10. At the same ceremony, Alex's twin brother Aaron is not just found to be necessary (as was initially thought) but wanted. Which puts him in the most elite bracket of the society in Quill. Being unwanted though isn't as dire as initially thought though as the Death Farm isn't quite what it appears to be from the outside. Instead it contains this magical and hidden world filled with magic and creativity and is very very different from the sterile confines of Quill.

The Unwanteds is a book that has many elements to be enjoyed by boys and girls alike and the narration is told from various characters of both genders. With no real rhyme nor reason between who is telling the story when other than for the convenience of moving the story forward. Taking this story at its bare bones there isn't a whole lot that is super original about it but when taken as a whole you get a delightful novel that is filled with possibilities. In many ways the story reminded me of Harry Potter though a slightly simpler version of it. Which is to be expected as The Unwanteds is geared towards Middle Grade readers and Harry Potter to Young Adults. I think that The Unwanteds is a great book to recommend to those children who want to read Harry Potter but many not be quite old enough for its darker themes.

I enjoyed the time I spent in Artime and I look forward to reading more books in this series. I found the characters to be fun and entertaining. I look forward to seeing what will become of both Quill and Artime as the series continues as well as maybe learning about some of the neighboring nations that were only mentioned in this book.

I also enjoyed how this book really glorifies the arts and just how important creativity is in a society. There is such a stark difference between Quill, a city that is bleak and gray and where creativity is shunned, and Artime, a city filled with color and light. There were moments in The Unwanteds where I found myself rolling my eyes as something cliche happened but the moments where I left or where I was totally engaged in the story far outnumbered those. This is definitely a book that I will recommend to others. I also think that I enjoyed this one far more by listening to it on audio than if I'd read it in print as the narrator was just so amazing.

About the Narrator

Simon Jones is a fantastic narrator, as I mentioned above. He was a real gift for bring all the voices to life and you never once question who is doing the speaking. He is the sort of narrator that I don't want to stop listening to and so I find excuses to extend the time spent in my car. This isn't the first audio by Simon Jones and it certainly won't be the last. His voice is magical to the ears and one that I highly recommend to all fans of audio books.

Demon's Surrender by Sarah Rees Brennan

2011-10-31T07:21:00.001-04:00

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry

Source: Purchased

Publication Date: 14 June 2011

Series or Standalone: Series

ISBN: 1416963839

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 400

Websites:

Sarah Rees Brennan - Official Site

Sarah Rees Brennan - Blog

Sarah Rees Brennan - Twitter

Place(s) Traveled to: London, England

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

First Line: Magic was like a special guest in Sin’s life.

Demon's Lexicon Series Order

Book 1: Demon's Lexicon

Book 2: Demon's Covenant

Book 3: Demon's Surrender

As with Demon's Covenant I was really wary about the POV changed that occurs with Demon's Surrender perhaps even more so this time since I had liked Mae going into Covenant and didn't really know what I thought of Sin prior to Surrender. I shouldn't have worried though as Brennan has once again provided me with an amazing story that I hated to have end. While I didn't like being in Sin's head as much as Mae's or Nick's I did still like seeing the story from her perspective. I enjoyed learning more about her and what makes her tick and this book changed my opinion of her entirely. I think that parts of her story were a little predictable but I don't really mind that. I am glad that certain events happened because sometimes you really just need for things to work out.

As with the previous two books there is lots of action and humor packed into this story. The events pick up shortly after Covenant ends and all the story lines from the previous books are wrapped up nicely. What's nice though is there there is still enough left for the reader to imagine and hope that there might be more set in this world. But at the same time it all ends so perfectly that even if that never happens (which probably won't) then the reader is left satisfied with how things ended up. Nick and Jamie's scenes also continue to be my favorite and my one complaint is that there weren't enough of them in this book. Though I probably wouldn't be satisfied if Brennan wrote an entire book of just Jamie and Nick interacting so I'm probably not a good judge of just how much they were in the book.

Of the three books in the series, Demon's Surrender isn't my favorite (that belongs to Demon's Covenant) but I still enjoyed it and the series wouldn't be the same without this installment. This book also fully cemented my love for Sarah Rees Brennan's writing and I can't wait until the next thing she comes up with. If you haven't checked out her books yet then what are you waiting for? They are filled with smart, witty writing, believable characters that you fall in love with and some really amazing story ARCs. I'm a total fan girl for life and I can't believe I waited so long to read her stuff. Although I am glad at the same time I was able to devour all books in the series at once. That waiting between books can be such a killer!

What I Watched This Week - 30 Oct 2011

2011-10-30T08:21:00.125-04:00

What I Watched

This week...the tv junkie in me really comes out to play as I try to catch up on some shows. This will probably continue next week as I have a whole season of Merlin to catch up on.

Merlin - The Tears of Uther Pendragon: Part 1 (3x01) and Part 2 (3x02)
Merlin - Goblin's Gold (3x03)
How I Met Your Mother - Noretta (7x07)
Hart of Dixie - Faith and Infidelity (1x05)
American Horror Story - Pilot (1x01)
Merlin - Gwaine (3x04)
American Horror Story - Home Invasion (1x02)
American Horror Story - Murder House (1x03)
Merlin - The Crystal Cave (3x05)
American Horror Story - Halloween Part 1 (1x04)
Revenge - Intrigue (1x06)

Sunday

Merlin - The Tears of Uther Pendragon: Part 1 (3x01) and Part 2 (3x02) - Finally getting around to watching series 3 of this wonderful show. This one picks up about a year after Series 2 ends with Arthur and Merlin searching for Morgana. I love the bromance between Merlin and Arthur their scenes are always so funny and I'm glad to see it continuing this series. I don't like this weak willed Morgana though and even though its all just a ruse its a bit hard to watch on screen. She tends to excel at scheming and being evil. I've also got to shake my head at this show that no one ever sees all the things that Merlin does magically. AND that Morgana somehow managed to take credit for saving the kingdom when she is the one who is trying to bring it down from within. Oh Uther you are so blind and it will be your downfall. Though I am sure it will make for some good tv to watch Morgana and Merlin battle it out.

Monday

Merlin - Goblin's Gold (3x03) - In this episode Merlin accidently releases a goblin....seriously when will the boy learn that sometimes things in locked boxes in hidden rooms are locked and hidden away for a reason...but as he hasn't learned that yet there are many shenanigans to be had. Part of the shenanigans involve the goblin possessing Gaius and then him going about the castle stealing gold and putting small curses on people. What I found a bit out of place with this episode is that it took so long for people to realize that Gaius was possessed. But then, if they realized it right away then there wouldn't have been an episode. And I really don't mind them taking so long because this was one of the funnier episodes in the series.

How I Met Your Mother - Noretta (7x07) - Jake is back! I love when Barney's brother comes to visit. Though I don't like the images he put in my head of Barney dating his mother. Lol I also loved the brewing bromance between Kevin and Ted. Kevin fits in so nicely with the group and I liked how he sacrificed a night just to go with Ted to the Weird Al Yanovic concert. That's love. I also think that with all the disasters that Nora and Barney faced on their date they should see the writing on the wall and know that the universe doesn't want them together. All in all I enjoyed this episode. Even those crazy awkward bits when Lily and Marshall where imagining that the other was their dad.

Hart of Dixie - Faith and Infidelity (1x05) - I know that I saw this every single week...but why can't Zoe and Wade just get together already?!? Its like sex on screen when they are together...so much chemistry. I'm glad this episode showed Zoe doing something more than making goo-goo eyes at George and vice versa...AND that George was seen outside of Lemon's orbit and doing guy things with the mayor. Although it wasn't long before Lemon roped him back in, threw a tantrum and got everything she wanted. There are moments when I like Lemon and then there are others I just want to smack her and toss her into a big city so she can see that the world doesn't revolve around her. This episode was fun though as Zoe thinks that she broke the town because she thought the pastor (or his wife) was having an affair since they both had syphilis. She felt so bad and did what she could to fix it....go Zoe...you'll find your place in Bluebell before you know it. And could Wade get any cuter by going up on a roof every month to sing badly to talk his father down? Why can't boys be like that in real life?

Tuesday

American Horror Story - Pilot (1x01) - Its really hard seeing Coach Taylor's wife in another role. I know she has to move on but I still haven't watched Season 5 of Friday Night Lights because I'm in denial that the show is over. Overall I'm not really sure what to think about the pilot. It was really weird and a little hard to figure out what is going on. I'm sure that this is all just set up for some big reveals that will happen over the course of the series...but for now I just find it so odd. I'm also amazed at all the stuff they this show got away with airing on tv. I really am curious about Constance and why she is always in the house...and her statement to Moira about killing her again? That is just so mystifying. I'm not entirely sold on this show but I think I might check out a few more episodes before I fully decide one way or the other.

Merlin - Gwaine (3x04) - We get to meet Gwaine in this episode...I adore me some Gwaine. I also don't get why everyone seems to fall for Guenevere. Merlin has his moments and then there was Lancelot and Arthur and now Gwaine. I think she's nice and I like her a lot but I don't think she's all that beautiful...though since she is one of the only really female characters on the show the guys don't have many options. Its not like Morgana is available...she's too busy being all evil and plotting to overthrow Uther. I should also mention that I did like Gwen and Lancelot together. I love how this one explores just what it means to be a knight - actions vs title alone. Its also sad how yet again an able and experienced fighter is turned away because they don't think he is of noble blood. Granted Gwaine is keeping his parentage a secret but Lancelot was turned away too. Its positively amazing that they are able to maintain a while army of knights. Though I am sure that it won't be long before Gwaine returns.

Wednesday

American Horror Story - Home Invasion (1x02) - Wow...so much death happened in this house! Its crazy. Though I do like how the start of every episode starts with an event from the past. So now Violet is friends with the girl who used to bully her and she then terrorized in the basement of her house? Weird. Constance also gets weirder and weirder as the show progresses. Why is she always at the house and why does she want to poison Violet with those cupcakes. Why is Tate always there and so willing to do crazy and psychotic things? This time he actually kills the intruders and then helps Constance to hide the bodies. I'm beginning to think that maybe Tate might not be real. Or maybe Tate is one of Constance's other children. I admit...this show is spooky but I am curious now to see where things are going.

American Horror Story - Murder House (1x03) - ZOMG...we finally got a few answers about Constance. She used to live in the house and killed Moira...but how did she bring her back? How can Moira be so corporeal if she's dead? And does this mean that Constance's husband will be lurking about too? I'm also really curious about the first owners of the house - the doctor and his wife in the 20s. What is their full story? I think its safe to say that I am totally hooked on this show now. I want to know all of the things. Just who is real and who might be a ghost. Is the burned man really real? Or not. And poor Hayden. She was one crazy girl but she didn't deserve to be killed and then buried in the back yard. How will Ben be able to live with knowing what is under that gazebo? And if Hayden comes back...she's gonna be one angry ghost.

Merlin - The Crystal Cave (3x05) - Why is it that The Doctor or Silk from the Belgariad can say trust me and I"m all comforted and trust him...but then someone such as Prince Arthur says it and I have the exact opposite reaction? Arthur says trust me a lot at the start of this one...and it never ends well. I love that the Great Dragon returns once again and stupid stupid Merlin for not listening to him....again! You'd think that he'd have learned his lesson by now. And its not a good thing to bring Morgana back from certain death. Merlin knows she is up to no good and they'd all be better off. But Merlin burdened by the sorrows of those around him and learning that she is Arthur's sister....well...he was moved to go against what might be right for the kingdom. Just as Uther's guilt at having a bastard daughter allows her to get away with everything. Which is rather an about face from Series 1 Uther who was tossing her into dungeons and threatening to kill her. It will be curious to see where things go from here but all in all this was a great episode in the series.

American Horror Story - Halloween Part 1 (1x04) - I felt so bad for Addy in this episode! She is such a nice girl...albeit a creepy one. But Constance was so mean in constantly telling her she was ugly and could never be a pretty girl. Then do that about face and help Addy to become a pretty girl after all. I swear I don't understand that woman...at all. I also wonder if Addy will be brought back to life from being pulled onto the lawn...and if so just what is it about that house/lawn that can do that? I liked how this one showed more of the ghosts appearing at once and I am more convinced than ever that Tate is a ghost and also Constance's son - the non-deformed one who died. I also think that Tate might be the creepy figure in the black latex suit. Who knew latex could be so scary? And its not like the suit does much of anything but stand there. Yes it killed the gay couple and has probably killed others...but mostly it just stands there creepily in the background and oozes potential violence. This show is just so creepy and I am so baffled and curious by it at the same time. I can't wait until next week to see the rest of this two part episode.

Saturday

Revenge - Intrigue (1x06) - Oh security man you were a bad bad boy last week and now Emanda is gonna make sure you are taken down. This will work out well for her plans for the Grayson's as without their security man to do their dirty work then they will be more vulnerable. I also love how petty Conrad was when he fired him. "You breached my trust when you told my wife about the check I wrote to my mistress. I can't trust your loyalty so you are gone." But no mention how he tried to kill Lydia (at least I don't think he did, there was an issue with my DVR recording so missed part of their convo). Speaking of petty, can Jack be more petty in making Daniel work the 4th of July?And Tyler...silly Tyler...you really don't know who you are messing with when you cross Emanda. She is on to your little con to try & steal Daniel's life and she is going to make you fall very hard. So enjoy being all buddy buddy with Victoria and Conrad while you can because its only a matter of time. I also wonder how Emanda is going to take the news of Nolan defecting....and who knew all it took was a a few threats and punches from security man Frank? But as much as Emanda says she doesn't want Nolan involved in her little plots to destroy the Hampton elite she is probably not going to let her little puppy go so easily. Its one thing for her to tell him to go away...quite another for someone else to meddle in her affairs and get him to quit. Poor Frank....you were getting off easy before...you should have bowed out gracefully. Not sure what went on with Declan this week as I mostly turned out his scenes....though I did see eh almost got his ass kicked by some burly fisherman. Tragically though big brother Jake and Daniel stepped in to save the day. *le sigh* As campy as this show can be it is delightfully fun.

#YASpooktacular Party Time Continues with You Attack by Amy Garvey

2011-10-26T00:01:00.027-04:00

For those of you just coming into the story please be sure to head over to Reading Teen and start at the beginning. For those who are making their way through Party Time I hope that you enjoy this installment. First up here is a little background:

YA Spooktacular is hosted by Nikki at Wicked Awesome Books and Danielle at Frenzy of Noise. Here is what they have to say about it:

This year, there are three stories written by some of your favorite authors that will be posted throughout the week. Each story is a choose your adventure, where you get to decide what path to send the character down. Sometimes you live, sometimes you die, and sometimes you fall into a pit of no return.

There are also some TRICKS or TREATS scattered throughout the story, where you can enter to win prizes and get bonus points toward the prize packs. On Halloween day, the grand prize pack will be posted. You can click the banner above to see a full list of the YASpooktacular prize packs!

All caught up? Good. On to the story!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You attack by Amy Garvey

You don’t even think – you simply launch yourself forward, screaming like no one has ever screamed before.

You’re pushing, swinging, anything to get to Stace – and around the thing that’s standing between you.

You’re operating on pure instinct now, blood racing hot and fast as the smell of the thing swamps you. It’s dark and dirty, rotten animal and stale sweat, and when your fist makes contact with its chest, all you can feel is greasy fabric, stiff with something you don’t even want to imagine.

You don’t even know if he—she, it—is human. Your other fist lobs out, brushing matted hair and something wet, and you just screaming, over and over.

“Stace! Stace, where are you? Stace!”

The thing grunts, swings back, and something ragged and sharp slices into your cheek. You scream louder, twisting away, one hand to your face. Blood oozes through your fingers, sticky and sickening.

“Stace!”

You hear her muffled whimper somewhere to the right, and then a crash.

You open your mouth to yell again just as the thing lunges at you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Continue to the end at Supernatural Snark (http://supernaturalsnark.blogspot.com/)

Make sure you visit Lisa M. Potts (http://virginsheets.blogspot.com/) tomorrow and enter to win the prize pack for story 2!

And visit http://www.wickedawesomebooks.com/ or http://www.frenzyofnoise.net/ on October 31st to enter the GRAND PRIZE GIVEAWAY for a ton of books and a ton of swag!!

Author bio:

Amy Garvey has always been a reader. She’s also been a movie theater ticket taker, a nanny, a camp counselor, and a romance editor. Now she’s a wife and a mom and a writer who still spends most of her free time reading (when she’s not watching too much TV). After starting off in romance with books like Hot Date and Pictures of Us, she’s writing in the genre she’s always loved most, young adult fiction. Cold Kiss is now available from HarperTeen.

You can find Amy on Twitter, on her blog, and on Goodreads:

Blog: http://amygarveywrites.blogspot.com/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/amygarvey

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/146986.Amy_Garvey

You can order her books at the following places:

Amazon

B&N

The Book Depository

Click the image to be directed to the YA Spooktacular main page

What I Watched This Week - 23 Oct 2011

2011-10-23T07:59:00.164-04:00

What I Watched

How I Met Your Mother - Mystery vs History (7x06)
Hart of Dixie - In Havoc and In Heat (1x04)
Revenge - Duplicity (1x04)
Grimm - Pilot (1x01) (online preview)
Revenge - Guilt (1x05)

Once Upon a Time - Pilot (1x01) (online preview)

Monday

How I Met Your Mother - Mystery vs History (7x06) - This dress really made me realize just how perfect Robin and Barney are together. They were just so in sync with this episode and had many awe moments. I loved how they ganged up together to do background checks on all of Ted's dates. That was too funny. Though this episode also made me like Robin's new boyfriend Kevin. He fits in well with the group. Its strange though you see Kevin around the gang alot but rarely see Nora. To me this doesn't bode well for her future. Part of me kind of wants Kevin and Nora to get together and be added to the group and then have Robin and Barney get married. I also agree with Ted that there is much about our modern life that kills some of the fun of debates and ruins that mystery. My friends and I would argue for hours sometimes about something and be fine with never coming to a conclusion. Now the debate can be instantly settled with a simple google search. So that is a bit sad making. So I enjoyed Ted going on to try and do a background free date and loved his regression when he learned just how amazing ex-GREEK Ashley was. I also though it was really cute how they revealed to Lily & Marshall they were having a boy. Now they can get rid of that horrible yellow paint that they putting in the room. Speaking of colors....could Robin's pants have been any more red? So bright!

Hart of Dixie - In Havoc and In Heat (1x04) - I love Wade!! There is just so much chemistry between Wade and Zoe you can almost touch it. It was s heartbreaking when she came so close to giving in to her feelings and then backing away at the last moment. Wade looked so crushed. I know the writers will probably draw them out for as long as they can...but grr...I just want them together now. This episode also really made me feel for George. He's a nice guy but he doesn't have much chemistry with Zoe or Lemon...and this episode made it clearer than ever that Lemon is in love with LaVonne Hays. I don't get why Lemon and LaVonne aren't together. Hopefully that mystery will be solved soon. This episode also sees Zoe settling into Bluebell a little more and she even got some patients from her curmudgeon of a partner...progress! Though she still doesn't quite fit in...she is getting closer.

Tuesday

Revenge - Duplicity (1x04) - The revenge plot continues. This time Emily/Amanda (hereby called Emanda - thanks Sarah Rees Brennan for that) is all set to take down the therapist she had as a child that kept her locked up and away from her dad. Like with some of her other revenge plots she's put a lot of time into this one and has been seeing this woman in a professional basis for over a year. That's some sort of crazy going on that you can talk to a therapist for a year and remain in character and not get the help that you so desperately need. Emanda also furthers her plot against Victoria by driving some wedges between her and her daughter with the release of a tape that has Victoria admitting she wishes her daughter was never born. Oh the drama! Speaking of drama there was lots of puppy man Nolan creeping around in this one. I don't get why he is so determined to help Emanda when she is nothing but evil to him. Although when she needs something from him she doesn't hesitate to use him. I just don't get his motivation. I also don't get why he is so determined to get Emanda together with her childhood friend Jake. I just don't sense the chemistry between them. Although that could be because Emanda spends much of her time being all cold and calculating and Jake is not that. I also don't get what is up with Daniel's friend. Why is he so determined not to just break up Emanda and Daniel but to ruin Daniel's life. Who needs friends when you have enemies like that?

Grimm - Pilot (1x01) - I love the internets! Because of the internet and Twitter I was able to get a link to see the pilot of Grimm. This was one of my most look forward to shows and it did not disappoint. I love the whole concept. I also love that it made me jump within the first few moments. Like I knew once I saw the figuring on the log that something not so nice was going to happen to the runner...but I still jumped when the wolf came in from off screen and tackled her. I like how this show combines my love of fairy tales and my love of crime dramas. Its also got this whole creepy vibe to it that I adore. Awesome special effects and a good mystery to keep the view guessing. I am quit curious to see what it means to be a Grimm and just how all the different fairy tales are going to come into play.

Wednesday

Revenge - Guilt (1x05) - Oh Nolan...just when I think you can't get any creepier you go and bug Emanda's house. Really? I think she's made it quite clear she doesn't want anything to do with you. Well unless you can aid her in getting her revenge on the elite of Hampton. Although because of his so cleverly disguised whale camera it was mistaken thought to be Lydia's and then shipped to her...so Nolan got to see Lydia come close to discovering Emanda's real identity. This then allowed Nolan to rush to Emanda to confess his creepiness and beg to aid her once again by hiding all the evidence that Emanda isn't who she says she is. Whale cam also allowed Nolan to see Lydia getting murdered by Victoria's goon and so I don't think it'll be long before Nolan is handing that footage over for Emanda to use in her evil plans. One thing I did like in this episode is that it wasn't one that focused on getting rid of someone and didn't conclude with Emanda being all dramatic in drawing an x over someones face. This show is still fun but it is starting to become really cheesy with its drama...the background music just aids to this and often makes me laugh. I'm invested though because I want to see how Emanda continues with her plans and I also live in hope that maybe Declan (of the uber bad accent) will become an innocent casualty and be taken out by a plan gone wrong.

Thursday

Once Upon a Time - Pilot (1x01) - This was another show that I couldn't wait to air. Because as I said above. I adore fairy tales! Unlike Grimm this one is more solidly based on fairy tale lore and I loved the switching back and forth between our modern world with the fairy tale one. Snow White's hair made me laugh in its uber badness and just when you don't think it could get worse she goes and chops it all off in her modern world life....and her ears! Oh my. I also thought that Snow was going to be this kick ass heroine...because I mean...hello...she drew a SWORD at her wedding! But that quickly fizzled and she became this whisy washy girl that I wanted to smack. Hopefully this will change as the series progresses. I did really enjoy Emma and I can't wait to see what effects she has on Storybrook, Maine. Though I think my favorite was Rumpelstiltskin. He is just so delightfully creepy and sinister and seems to be the only one (other than the mayor and Henry) who seems to know the truth about the histories of the towns inhabitants. I also loved trying to place the modern characters with with their fairy tale ones. I thought that the effects were great and the story was wonderful and I long for more. Although I am not sure of its sustainability as once Emma exacts the prophesied revenge on the evil queen and returns the stories to the fairy tale characters....where will things go then?

Press Release: Straw House, Wood House, Brick House, Blow Commericals

2011-10-19T07:47:00.002-04:00

Photo source: http://www.cardus.ca/comment/article/76

YA author Daniel Nayeri makes his solo writing debut on October 25th, when his collection of four novellas,titled Straw House, Wood House, Brick House, Blow releases from Candlewick Press.

In an ambitious promotional project, Nayeri worked with a leading production studio, Plywood Pictures, to produce a series of four commercials to accompany each story from the book.

Straw House, Wood House, Brick House, Blow - Toy Farm Commercial from Candlewick Press on Vimeo.

Straw House, Wood House, Brick House, Blow - Doom With a View Commercial from Candlewick Press on Vimeo.

Straw House, Wood House, Brick House, Blow - Wish Police Commercial from Candlewick Press on Vimeo.

Straw House, Wood House, Brick House, Blow - Our Lady of Villains Commercial from Candlewick Press on Vimeo.

Says Nayeri about the final clips, "Each of these commercials tries to give a sense of the tone of each story. I tried as hard as I could to keep my nose out of it. The Plywood Pictures guys are pros. They've done this for companies WAY bigger than me. So I said my peace and got out of their way. I love what they came up with. I'd love to see more book commercials, instead of trailers. From a writer's perspective, they didn't mess around with a story that I spent years laboring over. They made their own thing."

Fast Facts about the Straw House, Wood House, Brick House, Blow videos:

1. The visual effects side for "Our Lady of Villains" took about 45 hours..not including at least a day of screen tests and noodling around with the technology.

3. "Toy Farm" was filmed entirely in Plywood Pictures studio with green screen backgrounds. (photo attached). Using stills and some digital camera tracking tools, they were able to fill in the rest of the scenes digitally. The impressive train and trestle were filmed on the green screen, as were the puffs of cotton, but everything else was a conglomeration of various photos of national parks which were sourced online.

4. The real trick for the "Wish Police" commercial was simply the machine. The machine took a couple days to design on paper and then about 2.5 days to build. (early blueprint attached with photo of assembly)

About the book:

This bold collection of novellas by Another series author Daniel Nayeri features four riveting tales. These modern riffs on classic genres will introduce young adult readers to a broad range of writing styles that explore universally compelling themes such as identity and belonging, betrayal and friendship, love and mortality.

Straw House: A Western sizzling with suspense, set in a land where a rancher grows soulless humans and a farmer grows living toys.

Wood House: This science-fiction tale plunges the reader into a future where reality and technology blend imperceptibly, and a teenage girl must race to save the world from a nano-revolution that a corporation calls "ReCreation Day."

Brick House: This detective story set in modern NYC features a squad of "wish police" and a team of unlikely detectives.

Blow: A comedic love story told by none other than Death himself, portrayed here as a handsome and charismatic hero who may steal your heart in more ways than one. With humor, suspense, and relatable prose, this hip and cutting-edge collection dazzles.

Written entirely on an iPhone, this quartet of YA novellas by Another Pan and Another Faust author Daniel Nayeri showcases four different genres.

http://danielnayeri.com/

What I Watched This Week - 16 Oct 2011

2011-10-16T07:56:00.104-04:00

What I Watched

How I Met Your Mother - Field Trip (7x05)
Hart of Dixie - Gumbo & Glory (1x03)
Glee - Asian F (3x03)

Monday

How I Met Your Mother - Field Trip (7x05) - I am not a fan of the almost beard that Ted is growing. It is not a good look and I hope it goes away soon. I did like the field trip he took with his class though. That was funny - well it became funny when Barney joined in. The focus group part was good and of course the ducky tie was still present. Go ducky tie! I also enjoyed Barney freaking out a bit of Nora and the Ewoks and how he showed real progress in being able to overcome something so randomly important to him (age and love of star wars). Our little man whore is growing up. *wipes away a tear* Though the whole thing with Robin and her therapist was a bit weak. I do like to see her maturing a bit too but....her therapist? Really?

Hart of Dixie - Gumbo & Glory (1x03) - Already I miss the old receptionist but the new girl does have some potential. I also still think that Zoe has better chemistry with Wade than what's his name...the lawyer...and I'm not a fan of this whole potential love triangle thing. The other doctor is still a pompass ass. Why can't he just accept Zoe in the practice? Granted that would relieve tension and there would be this huge plot issue with the show...but still. I'm also over jealous Lemon - its so unbecoming especially since its so hypocritical as she still has feelings for the mayor and so is not totally in love with her lawyer husband.

Wednesday

Glee - Asian F (3x03) - I really liked how this episode focused on Mike Chang...and I loved that solo dance routine he did - no music and responding to his dad and tina without words. So good. This reminds me a big of the old Glee. And OMG he can really sing! So glad that they FINALLY allowed him to do so. I really hope to see him do it more often. I also loved the scene at the end with his mom. I loved how she encouraged him to follow his dreams and how he taught her to dance. And of course I loved the football player back up dancers - that is always an entertainment. I'm so over Mercedes as well...this attitude is just uncalled for. Seems everything is everyone elses fault and she is just misunderstood and people look down on her. Why can't she be happy with the double casting? Seems so petty for her to turn it down just because of pride. She'd still have a staring role. I also don't like that it seems she might be pregnant....so what...is that going to be a yearly storyline? Can't the writers come up with something new? I'm also over Rachel. I can't believe that she is trying to take the election away from Kurt. So much for what she said at the start of the episode and I hope that Finn votes for Kurt instead of her. I'm was also not a fan of the random breaking into song/this show is now a musical feel this episode had. Its a Glee Club. Not a musical. Words/scenes should be spoken and the singing should be part of glee club activities. Not as a way to move the story along. Ginger supremacists? Emma's parents are really weird but at least now we know why Emma is the way she is. Best part of the whole episode though...it was a Sue free. Praise be for the little things.

Who wants to go on a Blogger Retreat?

2011-10-10T14:10:00.000-04:00

If you are like me then chances are you are probably behind on blog related activities....this could be anything from doing blog maintenance, getting caught up on reviews, or to just have some uninterupted reading time.

So I was thinking about hosting a blogger retreat - the where is still TBD but will most likely be some where on the east coast and for the when I was thinking of 04-08 October 2012 (although this date isn't set in stone). The idea would be to get 15-20 bloggers together to just do blogger related tasks and to spend a weekend discussing books.

There would be a cost related to this though I'll try to keep it as cheap as possible. This retreat would also be for blogger 18 and up. If you are interested then please fill out the form below and I'll continue to plot ideas out behind the scenes.

CLICK HERE TO FILL OUT A FORM IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN COMING TO THE RETREAT.*

*This is to get an idea on who might be interested and doesn't commit you to going on the retreat.

What I Watched This Week - 09 October 2011

2011-10-09T08:55:00.118-04:00

What I Watched
Castle - Heroes & Villains (4x02)
How I Met Your Mother - Stinson Missle Crisis (7x04)
Lost Girl - BrotherFae of the Wolves (2x05)
Hart of Dixie - Parades and Pariahs (1x02)
Revenge - Betrayal (1x03)

The Big Bang Theory - The Wiggly Finger Catalyst (5x03)
Grey's Anatomy - What is it About Men (8x04)

Sunday

Castle - Heroes & Villains (4x02) - Death by sword? And cut in two? What a way to open. I also loved the Game of Thrones line (which reminds me I really need to get back to watching that show). I love how excited Castle gets over some of the odd cases that Beckett and company get. Like in this weeks one that involved a superhero. He is really just a little boy in an adults body. lol I really liked Alexis in this episode. There was a return to her sweet quirky side but then there is that rebellious teenager that is more typical of her age. She's so wrapped in the boy that she loves that she's losing herself and doesn't even fully realize it and when daddy points it out rather than face an ugly truth she turns it back on him and gets all teen angsty. I really hope though that Alexis doesn't leave for California in January. I think Castle would be a bit lost without her there. I'm still not sure about the new captain but time will tell with that one. As for the killer....like Castle I did not see that one coming.

Monday

How I Met Your Mother - Stinson Missle Crisis (7x04) - This was a very odd episode. Robin is seeing a therapist for assault and there is a whole long winded tale as to why the whole thing happened. While on one hand I applaud what she did on the other I can't help but feel sorry for her. She is so into Barney but doesn't want to ruin his happiness by saying so. I also find his whole relationship with Nora to be so over the top sicklingly sweet and it just doesn't seem like Barney. I also really hope that Nora isn't the one he is marrying at the start of the season. I liked her at first but now she just bugs me.

Lost Girl - BrotherFae of the Wolves (2x05) - Why is Dyson always looking for an excuse to take his shirt off? He's not that cute...now his friend Caden on the other hand. Him I like. Too bad he turns out to be a wolf in wolfs clothing (to quote Kenzi). *le sigh* I did like how this episode showed us a bit of Dyson's past though the whole set up to the meeting of Ciara was a bit predictable. Though I do hope that she remains for a while to further help Bo in moving on. I also loved the Mongolian Worm as an old woman controlled by a tv. It was both funny and a sad reflection of how we are obsessed with our shows.

Tuesday

Hart of Dixie - Parades and Pariahs (1x02) - This show continues to surprise me. I find myself laughing at some of Zoe's small town faux pas. I also really like watching as she tries to find her place in this new life of hers. I enjoy her scenes with neighbor boy and think she has more chemistry with him than with the lawyer. Lemon continues to amuse as the uber debutant and I liked seeing some of her history in this episode. My heart broke a little when I learned how her mother left when she was very young and how she does some of the things she does in the hopes that her mom will return.

Wednesday

Revenge - Betrayal (1x03) - There is a part of me that is beginning to wonder about Nolan's motives and if he is as naive and good as her pretends. He is always lurking about and taking much crap from Emily/Amanda and I have to ask myself why? What is in it for him. I also wonder how Declan was able to patch into that video of his love interests bf and the girl he was cheating on her with. Though part of me applauds him not showing it to his love interest (name is escaping me) the video there is this other part that wishes he would. Nice guys shouldn't have to take crap for being nice while the jerk gets away with everything.

Thursday

The Big Bang Theory - The Wiggly Finger Catalyst (5x03) - This was a Raj centric episode and involved him dating a deaf girl. I liked how Holowitz showed some hidden depths in learning sign language and in not translating all that Raj was saying to her. As this would have gotten them both slapped. Though I'm surprised she didn't know more lip reading. Most of the deaf people I have met can do this. But that aside it was great seeing him connect with a girl. Even if she turned out to be a gold digger....and who knew....Raj is rich?! I also liked how Amy Farrah Fowler was barely in this episode. For once I was able to really enjoy the bulk of this episode and not be annoyed every two minutes when she jumps in with a comment. Though the random time jump in the middle of the episode was a bit odd and I did not like. But I'm not a fan of time jumps so this is to be expected.

Grey's Anatomy - What is it About Men (8x04) - An episode without whiny Meredith narrating....sign me up for more of these! I used to like her but now she just rubs me the wrong way and makes me wonder why I am still watching this show. This one was from the view points of the men and I loved it. It was like a breath of fresh air into the show and brought me back to its beginings. I loved the scenes with Sloane and Sofia! He is such a good dad. I also laughed when Sloane went over to Shepard's to steal Avery back and telling Shepard to back off. It was just so little boy cute. I hope that there will be more episodes from the guys POV in the future as this one was a total win for me.

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson (Audio)

2011-10-08T12:20:00.002-04:00

Publisher: Brilliance Audio (Audio); Simon and Schuster (Print)

Source: Publisher

Publication Date: 20 Sept 2011 (Audio); 04 May 2010 (Print)
Series or Standalone: Standalone

ISBN: 1455824313 (Audio), 1416990666 (Paperback)

Format: Audio

Audio Length: 9 discs (~10 hrs)

Narrator: Suzy Jackson

Websites:

Morgan Matson - Official Site

Morgan Matson - Blog

Morgan Matson - Twitter

Place(s) Traveled to: Raven Rock, California // Yosemite National Park, California // The Loneliest Road in America // Eureka, Nevada // Delta, Utah // Colorado Springs, Colorado // Wichita, Kansas // Fairfield, Missouri // Louisville, Kentucky // Memphis, Tennessee // Asheville, North Carolina // Richmond, Virginia // Philadelphia, Pennsylvania // Connecticut

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

First Line: I sat on the front steps if my house and watched the beige Subaru station wagon swing too quickly around the cul-du-sac.

I LOVED LOVED LOVED this book!

For a long time now I've really wanted to take a road trip across the country but I just haven't had the time to do it. Amy & Roger's Epic Detour allowed me to take that trip and still remain firmly in boring old Massachusetts. It both satisfied my wanderlust but also fed my travel bug as well.

Amy and Roger meet for the first time in years (they were childhood friends) when Amy needs to get herself and the family car from California to Connecticut where she is moving to. The only catch is that Amy no longer drives - enter in Roger - who is being forced to spend the summer in Pennsylvania with his dad & stepmom.

At the start of the trip Amy and Roger are very stiff with each other as they are rebooting their friendship. But as they progress across the country you get to see them grow and get to know each other and this makes for a very heart-achy book. Morgan Matson did such a wonderful job with the way the emotions flowed in this book. It was gradual and real and as a listener you find yourself routing for Amy & Roger to become more than friends because you can see that there is something special there. If they just let go of their baggage and open themselves up to something new.

I really liked how Amy and Roger decided to chuck Amy's mothers pre-planned trip and just go where the road led them. It was was healing trip for them both as they faced memories of their past which then allows them to move forward. It also allowed us a reader to get to know them both even though the book is told from Amy's POV. I also liked the little flash backs that occurred throughout the novel where we learn about Amy's demon's and why she has an aversion with driving. Her past isn't some big reveal and its pretty obvious from the start what happens but its not so much about what happened as it is about how Amy remember's what happened. And its through the remembering and the interactions she has with those she meets as she travels across America that help her get over the past.

As with many YA books parents are mostly absent throughout the book. First Roger's mom just drops him off in front of Amy's house. We only see her from a distance through Amy's eyes and she gets no dialogue. I found it odd that she didn't even say hello to Amy. Then there is Amy's mom - who could be a royal b&@#h through most of the phone conversations that we saw her through. I couldn't believe some of the things she said and did. I mean of her two children Amy is the one who was always miss goody two shoes. She was the model child. She got good grades and never got in trouble. The one time she does something radical her mother goes a bit crazy. And yet her brother was constantly doing something wrong and it took YEARS before he faced any consequences. So she was just a very frustrating character for me. With all that Amy was going through taking a few extra days to travel from her old life to her new one shouldn't have been as big a deal as her mother made it into.

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour is an excellent book to listen to in the car (if only I'd been able to listen to it on an epic road trip of my own!) If you haven't checked this one out yet then do so now. It was amazing and I can't wait to see what Morgan Matson writes next.

About the Narrator:

I loved how Suzy Jackson narrated this book. She really brought Amy to life. She was very believable as a teenage girl and handled the male voices well. She even handled reading off the playlists well. The only thing I wished she had done differently was to try to find a way to articulate the pictures and drawings that were in the physical book. I think that those aspects add to the story and so there was just something missing in the audio since there is no way for the listener to know that they were there.

Kiss of Night by Debbie Viguie (Blog Tour)

2011-10-07T09:07:00.002-04:00

Publisher: FaithWords

Source: netgalley

Publication Date: 07 Oct 2011

Series or Standalone: Series

ISBN: 0446570869

Format: ebook

Pages:304

Websites:

Debbie Viguie - Official Site

Debbie Viguie - Blog

Debbie Viguie - Twitter

Place(s) Traveled to: Prague, Czech Republic // French Countryside

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

First Line: The young mother had been by her child's bed throughout the night. (Prologue)

Kiss of Night Series Order

Book 1: Kiss of Night

Book 2: Untitled (assumption its a series based on ending of KoN)

When I was approached a few weeks ago to be on the blog tour for Kiss of Night I jumped at the chance as the premise sounded so intriguing....and have you seen that cover?!? These two things gave me high hopes for this book. Though sadly, I almost put it down after the prologue and the first chapter didn't help much to change those feelings. The prologue was just so out there and even now after finishing the book I still don't get where it fits into the book as a whole.

The story focuses around three different points of view: Susan, David and Raphael. Raphael is a centuries old vampire who was cursed for the sins he committed in his life. He is on a quest to get something back (the something is never really disclosed) and stop a war among vampires from happening. To help him, there is Susan and David and a vampire monk named Paul. Susan and Paul have clearly defined roles in the story but David's was always a mystery. And I found myself bored with his narratives. They seemed more like filler and never really did much to advance the plot. I thought at one point that he might be a potential love interest for Susan but it was quickly made clear that wasn't the case.

I think that I would have liked this book better if it wasn't so opened ended. The plot set up took so long that by the time you find out about the big bad that Rafael needs help with the book is pretty much over. And there were some plot points (like that whole epilogue scene) that was just too predictable that I found myself rolling my eyes. I really wish that there were more plot points that were closed by the end of this novel. I am in such a series fatigue that it takes a lot for me to really want another book and I hate feeling like I'm forced into it. But the only way to know what happens is to read the next book. If there is a next book. I haven't looked super hard but a quick search didn't really reveal much on the issue.

In the end, this was a book that seduced me with a pretty cover and a charismatic synopsis but the first date was a bit of dud. It was hard to retain interest and the dialogue was choppy at best. I gave the book a big chance and read it cover to cover - normally when a date doesn't go well. I make an excuse and leave in the middle but I stuck this one out. So that is something. Though what exactly I couldn't tell you. Kiss of Night wasn't a bad book. It just wasn't for me.

Kiss of Night Blog Tour Schedule

October 3

http://www.renees-reads.blogspot.com/
http://torilounge.blogspot.com/
http://www.bittenbybooks.com/
http://steelergirl83.blogspot.com/
http://mybookaddictionandmore.wordpress.com/
http://www.moonlightbookreviews.com/
http://www.edgyinspirationalromance.com/

October 4

http://www.a-fair-substitute-for-heaven.blogspot.com/
http://fredasvoice.blogspot.com/
http://www.kittycrochettwo.blogspot.com/
http://www.heartofabookworm.blogspot.com/
http://practicalfrugality.blogspot.com/
http://www.electrifyingreviews.com/
http://myonlyvice.blogspot.com/

October 5

http://www.myfriendamysblog.com/
http://ashleysbookshelf.blogspot.com/
http://inthehammockblog.blogspot.com/
http://overweight-bookshelf.blogspot.com/
http://www.seasonsofhumility.blogspot.com/
http://www.mikeduran.com/
http://www.tickettoanywhere.net/

October 6

http://rbclibrary.wordpress.com/
http://www.reviewsbymolly.com/
http://www.bibliophilesretreat.com/
http://www.bookswithbite.net/
http://reviewsfromtheheart.blogspot.com/
http://www.tinasbookreviews.com/
http://itstimetoreadmamaw.blogspot.com/

October 7

http://books-movies-chinesefood.blogspot.com/
http://afewofmyfavoritethings-michelle.blogspot.com/
http://bookzone.atwc1.com/
http://proudbooknerd.com/
http://www.amusingreviews.blogspot.com/
http://www.talesofwhimsy.com/
http://www.libslibrary.blogspot.com/

A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin

2011-10-05T07:07:00.000-04:00

Publisher: Spectra

Source: Purchased

Publication Date: 06 August 1996 (original)

Series or Standalone: Series

ISBN: 0553588486

Format: ebook

Pages: 835

Websites:

George R. R. Martin - Official Site

George R. R. Martin - Blog

George R. R. Martin - Twitter

Place(s) Traveled to: Westeros - The Seven Kingdoms - Winterfell, Kings Landing, Castle Black (aka The Wall), The Eyrie // Essos - Pentos, The Dothraki Sea

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

First Line: "We should start back," Gared urged as the woods began to grow dark around them. "The wildlings are dead."

A Song of Ice and Fire Series Order

Book 1: A Game of Thrones

Book 2: A Clash of Kings

Book 3: A Storm of Swords
Book 4: A Feast for Crows
Book 5: A Dance with Dragons
Book 6: The Winds of Winter (Pub date unknown)

Book 7: A Dream of Spring (Pub date unknown)

This is a book that I've had on Mt TBR for years. I've always been meaning to read it but then I look at the size and all the other books on my TBR pile and I get intimidated and move away from it. Then HBO started to air the tv series based on it and I started to watch. I got through the first three epiosdes and I was hooked! I loved the characters and the world and just everything. So I thought to myself. If the tv show is this good then the book must be amazing! But somehow I misplaced my hard copy and so was looking at maybe buying a new one so I could read it. Instead I ended up downloaded the 4 book bundle offered by BN.com and began to read.

Reading was slow going as I was reading in between other books but I was hooked almost from the start. The HBO show follows the books almost exactly and that was a bit spooky as no book to screen adaption is ever so accurate. I don't know if the trend continues from episode 3 on but I sure hop that it does! The only thing that the show misses is that internal thoughts and deeper background in each of the scenes. The books are told in the third person so you aren't in a characters head but you do get to know their motivations and feelings and I always hated when the point of view shifted from one character to another. But at the same time I hated not knowing what was going on with all the other characters that I was falling in love with! It was a horrible Catch 22.

The plotting was so rich and detailed and there were times where I thought I could almost hear the swords clashing or the horses neighing as I read. The political intrigue so intense that I wanted to sleep with one eye open and not turn my back on anyone. When I was reading the places and characters felt real. I love when that happens in a book.

The book is LONG. Like seriously long! And if you get attacked while reading it you could probably use it as a weapon. But at the same time its not long enough. This is a world that you just want to live on forever. These are characters that you fall for (even the not so nice ones as you really want to see them get their just desserts!) and you don't want to part from them. So I'm glad this is a series. I'm glad that its a long series with lots of books out already to keep me busy during the long wait until the next book is published. (I believe it was a 5 year wait from Book 4 to Book 5!?! *gasps*). I am eager to dive into A Clash of Kings to see where things are going but at the same time I hope to drag things out a bit so that I can live in this world for as long as possible. Next up? To finish the HBO series.