Sunday, June 3, 2012

Showcase Sunday 2

Hi Everyone! Happy Sunday!


Showcase Sunday is a weekly book haul hosted by Vicky @ Books Biscuits and Tea! 
This week I am celebrating about receiving or buying the following books and swag!

Bought!

This week I bought a wonderful story set in a world made of fairy tales- Enchanted by Alethea Kontis. (Goodreads)


Received in the mail! 

This week I received Seize the Storm by Michael Cadnum from Macmillian Kids by requesting on Twitter. Thanks Macmillian Kids! 



Won!

I won Masque of Red Death by Bethany Griffin from Jenni @ Alluring Reads for winning her Blog Revamp Giveaway! Thanks Jenni! (Goodreads) 



The Last Echo ARC and swag because i won a contest given by Jessica @ Confessions of a Bookaholic. (Goodreads) Thanks Jessica! I love the butterfly and the silvery signature! 



What did you receive in the mail this week?


Friday, June 1, 2012

The Collector by Victoria Scott Cover Reveal!

Hi everyone! 
Welcome to my first ever cover reveal!

I am pleased to annonce the cover reveal for ....


Synopsis!

Dante Walker is flippin’ awesome, and he knows it. His good looks, killer charm, and stellar confidence has made him one of hell’s best—a soul collector. His job is simple, weed through humanity and label those round rears with a big red good or bad stamp. Old Saint Nick gets the good guys, and he gets the fun ones. Bag-and-tag.

Sealing souls is nothing personal. Dante’s an equal opportunity collector and doesn’t want it any other way. But he’ll have to adjust, because Boss Man has given him a new assignment:

Collect Charlie Cooper’s soul within 10 days.

Dante doesn’t know why Boss Man wants Charlie, nor does he care. This assignment means only one thing to him, and that’s a permanent ticket out of hell. But after Dante meets the quirky, Nerd Alert chick he’s come to collect—he realizes this assignment will test his abilities as a collector, and uncover emotions deeply buried.

Meet Victoria Scott!


Victoria Scott is a YA Writer with a die-hard affection for dark and humorous books. Her work is represented by the fabulous Laurie McLean of Larsen-Pomada literary agency. She has a master's degree in marketing, and is a member of the Writers' League of Texas and Teen Shiver.


Her first YA book, THE COLLECTOR, will be published by Entangled Teen in 2013. And her short story, FOUR HOUSES, is available now through Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Find Victoria at:
Website Twitter Facebook


Add The Collector t0 Goodreads!

My Thoughts!


The cover works well with the synopsis. A bad boy on the move who does not show fear and is determined! I love the contrast of black and white. The text in red stands out perfectly. 
Overall, I really like this cover!

I am really excited to read The Collector because I adore books with male points of view and the book should be an exciting story! 

What do you think of this cover? 
Are you excited to read The Collector?

Thanks for reading!


Thursday, May 31, 2012

Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Hi Everyone! I hope everyone is having a great week!


Starting over sucks.
When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I'd pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring.... until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.And then he opened his mouth.Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something...unexpected happens. The hot alien living next door marks me.You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon's touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I'm getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades. 
 If I don't kill him first, that is.
(Synopsis and Cover Photo provided by Goodreads)
4/5 STARS
What causes Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout to glow bright is the writing and characters that comprise it.



When I read this book I became empowered by the addicting and cohesive writing. I definitely want to read Onyx, Obsidian’s sequel, to see more of Armentrout’s amazing writing!



The main characters Katy, Daemon and Dee were very easy to connect to and care about.

I really liked Katy’s bravery, remarks on her book blogging life and her stubbornness. I also found it cool to learn that she also has light brown hair.

I really enjoyed how Katy stood up for herself. After months of disqust and coldness, sprinked with rare moments of lust, from Daemon, Daemon expects Katy to listen to his demand to not go to a dance with a boy he dislikes. I laughed as Katy replied, “Oh yeah, because Simon’s going to leave a trace on me that attracts killer cows instead of killer aliens.” (Artmentrout 288)

I liked how Daemon steadily grew in to a likable character as the story when along. In the beginning of Obsidian, Daemon acted mean and arrogant. Then, as the story went along, he revealed his good characteristics. I like how he is a flawed character who's attitude developed  throughout the story. While, I may not be think he is the most amazing character ever, I grew to care for him and enjoy his wit. I loved it when he told Katy a wise truth about beauty, "I always found that the most beautiful people, truely beautiful, inside and out, are the ones who are quietly unaware of their effect.” (Armentrout 66)

Dee was so bubbly and sweet in Obsidian. She is the perfect friend and I enjoyed how she, unlike the rest of her alien family, was brave enough to be friends with humans and did not feel humans were inferior. I admire her way to brighten up everyone’s mood.

I feel that the minor characters, such as Adam, Ash and Lesa, were intriguing but not amazing. I saw sparks of moments where I started to feel connection to one of them- Adam! My favorite line of the whole book was  “It’s courageous,” Adam said quietly, staring at the throw rug. “It is what any of us would’ve done.” (Armentrout 276)

The above quote lights up fireworks in my mind.

The strong connotation of “courageous”, the break for humility and how it reveals Adam respects bravery are all reasons I love this quote. It caused me to look forward to future books in the series to see Adam cause more amazing moments in my reading of this story.

The plot may take a while for the action edge of the story to happen, but I found the mundane moments enjoyable to read. Katy’s summer vacation to be exciting as she became friends with Dee and has casual conversations with Daemon. I liked how the story was introduced first, instead of rushing to the action and to Katy finding out the truth. Katy was wonderful at figuring out that Dee and Daemon were not as normal. I found Katy’s daily life at school exciting as she adjusted to a new school. 

My favorite event of the story was an incredible night that I feel everyone should read. This section of the novel is addicting, enjoyable, has many incredible lines and brave actions. Its a dance that coincides with a brilliant bonfire scene that leads to an awesome fight turned incredible night. 

What makes this book not amazing to me though, is that it seemed too redundant sometimes and I felt the action were a bit rushed. I found myself uninterested in the action scenes and after awhile Katy’s and Daemon’s bantering was sadly a bit tiresome. I enjoyed their relationship more when Katy and Daemon starting having normal conversations without constant defensive remarks. I wish the attitudes Katy and Daemon had during the night after the dance ended could have remained the whole story.

Overall, I believe that you should read Obsidian if you enjoy fantastic character development and exquisite writing!

I am excited to read Onyx this summer to read a hopefully even better story!


Thanks for reading!

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Teaser Tuesday 1!

Hi Everyone!

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

In two weeks a book I re-read last night will finally come out for everyone else to enjoy! Today I decided to share a funny line from my favorite chapter in the book. The following quote is thought by a girl with a bright aura about a hilarious man with bright emerald eyes.






"Some of his pieces were quite good. Others-especially when he'd been drinking-looked like he'd accidentally spilled paint on canvas." - 
page 148 of The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead 
(ARC Proof so quote is not final)







Sunday, May 27, 2012

Blogspiration 9!

Hi everyone!


Blogspiration is a weekly meme hosted by GrowingUp YA & Saz101. The meme was created to help spark inspiration among bloggers, readers & writers alike. An inspirational quote/picture/video is posted weekly, on the day of the author's choosing, so that it may inspire creativity, conversation & just a little SOMETHING.


This will be my first blogspiration where I introduce a beautiful quote brought to my attention by my wonderful sister. My sister knew immediately how much I would connect to this quote! Enjoy!

"Books can be possessive, can't they? You're walking around in a bookstore and a certain one will jump out at you, like it had moved there on its own, just to get your attention. Sometimes what's inside will change your life, but sometimes you don't even have to read it. Sometimes it's a comfort just to have a book around. Many of these books haven't even had their spines cracked. 'Why do you buy books you don't even read?' our daughter asks us. That's like asking someone who lives alone why they bought a cat. For company, of course." --- Sarah Addison Allen, "The Sugar Queen"


I like this quote because it reminds me of how the most important thing in the world is to be near what and who you love.


What's your blogspiration this week? 

Thanks for reading!

Friday, May 25, 2012

Redheads Are Soulless By Heather M. White Blog Tour

Hi Everyone!

YAY! It is finally the release day of Redheads Are Soulless by Heather M. White!

Everyone should check it out!

I am so happy to take part in the Blog Tour for this new paranormal Young Adult book! 



Source- E-gallery
Publication Date- May 25, 2012
Rating- 3.5/5
(Cover Photo provided by GoodReads)

I always was envious of redheads and the redhead in the book Redheads Are Soulless is definitely worth the emotion of jealousy. Sofia, the main character, is a redhead who can break objects with her mind. 

For the longest time, Sofia has been burden with the misfortune of a loner status and an alcoholic mother. Then, out of the blue, Jason comes along and starts showing interest in Sofia. Jason is the good twin that Sofia should love, but instead Sofia loves his evil brother Robbie.

Redheads Are Soulless is a decent book. It has moments of humor, an exciting relationship between a daughter and mother and has a male character that I could not help adoring and having heartfelt pity.

There were scenes were I could not stop laughing. Those scenes were mostly between Sofia and Robbie. They both have a sly and engaging wit. I especially cherished the event when they relaxed at an amusement park together.

I enjoyed how the relationship between Sofia and her mother evolved throughout the novel. I liked reading about their fights and bonding moments. I liked how their realistic estrangement was explored and evolved. I could feel Sofia’s mother’s pain from her husband’s death. I sympathized with Sofia’s desire to live a life independent from caring solely for her mother and never for herself.

I absolutely fell in love with Robbie. I cared for him the moment he entered the book. He is living an existence of regret for murdering Sofia’s father and is dying to make his past mistake right. I eagerly sympathized with this tragic hero trying to become a better person. I could see his love for Sofia grow and I understand fully his drive to make their relationship never happen.

I also love the shocking nature of the final revelation. I only saw it coming because a certain character appeared suspicious to my intuition.

I sadly found some parts of the book that I did not enjoy.

I do not mind love triangles where I care about all the characters in them, but I do mind love triangles where all the members are not up to par. I really wished I was able to feel compassion for Jason, but, till the end, I felt Jason character was a bit too flat and one-dimensional. I hope the Jason I met toward the end of the novel continues till the end of the series because the new Jason is also improved and more exciting. Though I already decided that Robbie and Sofia belong together.

I also found the plot not engaging at times and a bit redundant. I felt that so much more could have been added to make this book more memorable and unique. I disliked the slow beginning and the extraneous scenes.

I wished there were more side characters for me to meet. I always live for exciting secondary characters and was disappointed with the lack of them. I really which Sofia could have reached out more to the people at her school. She could have found a friend that would have helped her deal with her relationship with her mother and her dad's untimely death. I would have loved for an addition of that type of character. 

Overall, I found Redheads Are Soulless an exciting book that resonated slightly with me but not a book that I will remember fondly for the years to come.

I will definitely check the next book when it comes out!

Thanks for reading!


Thursday, May 24, 2012

Letters From The Ledge by Lynda Meyers


(Cover Photo Provided by GoodReads)

Source- Thanks Lynda Meyers!
Rating- 4/5 SWEET STARS!


I am glad I gave this book a chance!


It brought me out of my comfort zone and into the wondrous world of New Adult fiction!

I decided to give this book a chance because I was interested in seeing how four lives would intersect. I also enjoyed the excerpts that Meyers provided online.

What I love most about this book is how each character is trying to figure out how to figuratively fly from their real life and into a place where they feel completely happy because they are with the people who truly love them. If a genie ever flew to me and asked me for my three wishes, I would definitely ask for the ability to fly. (the other two wishes would be for Adrian Ivaskov to be a real person and for a copy of Scandal by Lauren Kunze and Rina Onur to fly directly into my hands that very second)

I enjoyed being able to find a remarkable story about belonging. Brendan, Sarah, Nate and Paige are each searching for love. Brendan and Paige are both trying to overcome past grave occurrences. Brendan is overcoming the suicide of a girl he loved named Tess and Paige is overcoming an event that happened three years prior that is surprising and elegantly revealed.

This novel may not be a page-turner that is easy to become enamored with, but it is a special story that will remain in my mind for the years to come. I loved how realistically each event occurred and how I came to admire each of the characters as the book went a long. I was surprised by the big reveals towards the end of the story and enjoyed learning how the characters dealt with changes.

This book diverges from the normal Young Adult market. For one, two of the main characters are adults. I felt that the adult characters, like Nate and Paige, were a wonderful addition to this incredible story of self-discovery. I found Paige and Nate to be a perfect couple to experience the ups and downs of life with. I love the scene when they are on a bridge in Switzerland together. I enjoyed seeing Nate relationship with Brendan grow. Nate was the perfect role model for Brendan.

Overall, Letters From The Ledge by Lynda Meyers 
is a marvelous and special story that I urge you to try!

To spark your interest some more, I have provided my favorite excerpt from the novel!

"Imagine if you will, a magical place, where the fog rolls in off the ocean each morning, covering everything in a fine, damp mist. Sometimes it's so thick in the valley you can't see five feet in front of you-kind of like smog, only clean. By afternoon it's been burned off by the sunshine, revealing these incredibly vibrant colors and animated textures, like the unveiling of a long awaited painting. The ocean rises up to meet the hills and the landscape practically breathes in time with the rhythm of the tides." (Meyers 20) 

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday (12)

Happy Wednesday Everyone!


Waiting on Wednesday is a wonderful weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine
Its the perfect way to discover new books to add to your To Be Read Pile!

This week I'm waiting on ...


Gabriel Merrick plays with fire. Literally.

Sometimes he can even control it. And sometimes he can’t. Like the fire that killed his parents.

Gabriel has always had his brothers to rely on, especially his twin, Nick. But when an arsonist starts wreaking havoc on their town, all the signs point to Gabriel. Only he’s not doing it.

More than Gabriel’s pride is at stake -- this could cost him his family, maybe his life. And no one seems to hear him. Except a shy sophomore named Layne, a brainiac who dresses in turtlenecks and jeans and keeps him totally off balance. Layne understands family problems, and she understands secrets. She has a few of her own.

Gabriel can’t let her guess about his brothers, about his abilities, about the danger that’s right at his heels. But there are some risks he can’t help taking.

The fuse is lit…


(Synopsis and Cover Photo Provided by GoodReads)

Why I'm eagerly waiting?

I really really loved the first book in the Elemental world! Brigid Kemmerer's storytelling was exciting in the first installment Storm so I am sure Spark will be just as amazing. 
Also, the synopsis sounds like a fun filled ride!
I wonder what Layne's secret will be...

Thanks for reading!