The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter

Available April 19, 2011. Pre-order from B&N here.

Every girl who has taken the test has died.

Now it's Kate's turn.

It's always been just Kate and her mom--and now her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear her mother won't live past the fall.

Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld--and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.

Kate is sure he's crazy--until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride, and a goddess.

If she fails...

I just started this book yesterday and was hooked right away!! I couldn't put it down and finished it today, much to my dismay (say it ain't over already!). This book was phenomenal and to find out the author is only 24 years old...all I can say is WOW! The book starts out with Kate and her mom moving to Michigan. It's her mom's childhood home and she wants to spend her last moments there. Kate's having enough problems worrying about how much time she has left with her mom and now she has to deal with going to a new school as well. A strange boy named James befriends her right away, even though she is a little reluctant and then she has the "pleasure" of running into Ava. Ava seems to think Kate might try and take her boyfriend so she pretends to be her friend, then invites her to a bonfire. She takes Kate out into the middle of the woods, across a river (Kate is terrified of water and can't swim), and then finally showing her true colors Ava announces that she's leaving Kate out there by herself with no way to get home. As Ava dives into the water, she hits her head. Even though Kate is terrified, she knows that she can't just stand by and watch someone die without trying to help, so she goes in after her. After she drags Ava to shore, she meets Henry. He's mysterious, gorgeous, and he has a proposition. He'll save Ava if Kate agrees to join him for 6 months in the winter and possibly become his wife. She agrees, though at the time she was not fully aware of what the agreement actually entailed. When Henry comes to collect, Kate finds out about the 7 tests that she must pass. If she fails, she dooms Henry's very existence, as he has to have someone to rule the Underworld with him. If she passes, she will become his wife and be Queen of the Underworld. Most important to her though: if she agrees to undertake the 7 tests, Henry will keep her mom alive so that she has more time with her before she has to say goodbye for good. Kate would do anything for more time with her mom and she agrees to the terms, but how can she ever hope to pass when so many have failed before her.

Ok, phew...that was long but I think it pretty much sums up how the story gets set up without giving anything extremely important away (essentially it's not much more than you get from the book's synopsis I posted above). So on to the review.

1) Character Development: Woohoo, A+ in this department! I don't get to say that very often, but in this case it is very true. It's easy to fall in love with Kate and her mom right away; impossible not to feel for Kate when she knows she is going to lose her mom any day and there's nothing she can do about it. I am so close to my mom and I've had a nightmare or two about her dying. I can't even imagine the amount of heartache. At first Henry is a mystery at first, but as he begins to reveal more about himself you can't help but fall in love with him. The other minor characters are well developed too and all of them together just makes you wish you could get pulled into the book to meet these people. Of course with the author's descriptions, you feel like you know them anyway!

2) The Good, The Bad, And The Sometimes Ugly: First the good - well I already said the characters are great. That's one of the biggest things for me. The writing was great too, it just flowed. I kept saying "ok just one more page..." but I just could not put this book down. You find yourself not being able to wait to see what happens next and I definitely see that as a sign of a truly fantastic book, when you even contemplate taking it into the bathroom with you just so you can keep reading and not put it down! The bad - the only negative thing I can really say about this book is that I found the ending fairly predictable; I pretty much had it pegged from the beginning. But I didn't find that annoying at all in this case; it did not take away from the ending even though I was pretty sure I knew what was going to happen. It was still wonderful and enjoyed every page of it! The ugly - umm...the next book doesn't come out until 2012! How am I ever going to wait that long?

3) Romance Sizzle Or Fizzle: Definitely sizzle, but it's not as obvious as some books you might read. Henry and Kate don't throw themselves at each other right away or experience love at first sight. And I LOVED that about this book, because I find some books have the characters falling in love to quickly and as we all know it rarely happens like that. This was much more believable and therefore more enjoyable to read (for me anyway). It allows for them to be able to develop a deep bond that the reader can watch grow and mature. Very well done!

4) Uniqueness Of Plot: The plot was very unique in this book. I haven't read many books that included Greek mythology, although I took a class when I was younger on the topic because mythology has always really interested me. Seeing some of the familiar stories take part in this book was really cool and it was fascinating the way she incorporated it into her story. I love reading a book that doesn't make me say "man, this sounds familiar" and this book definitely gave me something fresh and new.

5) Final Thoughts: I found this book on NetGalley even before I started seeing it show up on other people's blogs and after reading the synopsis I knew I had to read it. I was not disappointed, it was everything I was hoping it would be and so much more. This is my favorite read of the new year so far. So pre-order it now so you can see for yourself. Then you can join me in waiting for Goddess Interrupted in 2012!

My rating: 5/5 stars

My Review Policy (And Other Info)

A note for all of the incredible publishers and authors out there: Please contact me if you would like to either promote a book on my page or have me read a book for review (either ARC or finished copy). I am more than happy to help you get the word out about new books! As far as my reviews go, I consider myself very fair, but very honest. I always say what I liked about the book as well as things that didn't really work for me. I include publication date and publisher information on my post, as well as links to the author's webpage and Twitter account (if applicable). In addition to posting the reviews here on my blog, I also post them on B&N, GoodReads, and Library Thing. If you want me to put additional info in my post, or post my review to another site, just let me know.

My Preferred Genres: I actually enjoy a wide variety of genres, but I would prefer to focus on paranormal romance. However, other requests will be considered.

If you are interested in having me review/promote a book, host a giveaway of your book, or would be willing to let me interview you, please contact me at BookerellaReviews@gmail.com.

In My Mailbox (2)

In my mailbox is a weekly event hosted by The Story Siren, where we get to share the wonderful books we received this week!


Well this was apparently a very slow week for me...only one book to share! *pouts*...oh well, at least this one book has promise to be the best one I've read in awhile! Its...

I got ahold of this gem through NetGalley and I'm so excited to be reading it, I've heard nothing but glowing reviews! I've already started and am only about 25 pages in but it's already got me sucked in. I can't wait to go back to reading it. For anyone that is interested, the publish date on this book is April 19, 2011 (mark your calendars!) and you can pre-order it from B&N here. Watch out for my review, coming soon! In case you haven't heard of it (what rock have you been hiding under?!?), here's the synopsis:

Every girl who has taken the test has died.

Now it's Kate's turn.

It's always been just Kate and her mom--and now her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear her mother won't live past the fall.

Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld--and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.

Kate is sure he's crazy--until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride, and a goddess.

If she fails...

Hope everyone got some great books this week! Happy Sunday!

Darkness Captured by Delilah Devlin

Buy this book from B&N here

Driven by insatiable desire, a werewolf will enter hell to rescue a princess captured by the master of demons. . . .

Headstrong and proud—a royal creature of sinuous grace, all primal instinct and lethal beauty— the shapeshifter Gabriella has agreed to serve as emissary to the vampires who rule in the shadows of the New Orleans night. But she cannot resist the pull of the demon she glimpses on the other side of a mirror, and she is drawn to him hungrily through a magical portal into the Land of the Dead. Now an eternal nightmare awaits Gabriella at the hands of a mesmerizing dark lord who satisfies her every erotic need . . . while slowly devouring her soul.
The powerful warrior wolf Guntram Brandt is responsible for the safety of the vanished princess he swore allegiance to years before. Yet it is more than a soldier’s loyalty that pulls Guntram down into the depths of nightmare—for Gabriella ignites within him a burning animal passion that must be satisfied.
But when offered an escape, will she follow her rescuer to safety—torn between her lustful obsession with the dark lord who has enslaved her and her fierce sensual attraction to the only wolf who could ever master her?

So, after checking out the awesome blog Ruby's Reads, I've decided to take a cue from her and try using a 5 point system for my reviews. My 5 points will be different though (a little at least!). First I'll still do my own little synopsis of the book (since the ones on bookstore websites never tell you enough) and then use the 5 point system to express my opinion. So my 5 points will be:

1) Character Development (this is my number one prerequisite to a fantastic book!)

2) The Good, The Bad, And Sometimes Ugly

3) Romance Sizzle Or Fizzle

4) Uniqueness Of The Plot

5) Final Thoughts (Ha I feel like Jerry Springer!)

Ok, so this book was recommended to me on my Nook store; I knew nothing about it but I thought it sounded fantastic so decided to give it a shot. It centers around Gabriella (a shapeshifter) who is working alongside the vampire clan, led by Alex. Gabriella and Alex have some romantic trysts, but he is in love with another which makes her pretty angry. She is being held in a room at the vampire compound, "to keep her safe" and decides to take a look in the forbidden mirror. In it she sees a handsome man beckoning to her and she feels compelled to reach out to him. In the process she gets sucked through the mirror, into the land of demons and undead. The man who has pulled her through is none other than the Master of the Demons, Marduk. He keeps her captive, but sees to her every desire. She finds herself entranced with this man...but with her second in command, Guntram, hot on the trail to save her she will have to make a choice: her captor or her savior.

1) Character Development: Was not at all up to par for me in the book. I found myself being thrust too hard and fast into these people's lives, before I could even begin to form opinions about that, form a connection with them, or really care about them at all. In the book's defense, there are 3 books ahead of this one that might have helped me form a stronger connection with the characters before-hand, but I've read some sequels that stood alone and explained everything well enough that I didn't feel I was missing out by not reading the others first. All I really found out right away about Gabriella is that she was alpha of her pack and she needed a lot of sex. And her second in command, Guntram, had feelings for her but she always turned him away. I guess in the end, even by the finish of the book, I still hadn't made a deep connection with these characters which left me unfulfilled.

2) The Good, The Bad, And Sometimes Ugly: Ok, so for the good, I liked how the story switched around from character to character, so you weren't getting just Gabriella's opinion but also Guntram, Marduk, and occasionally Alex. It really helps you find out what everyone is thinking and feeling at different parts of the book and I love that approach. The bad...obviously like I already said, couldn't connect with the characters well enough. The ugly: I have NEVER seen so many sex scenes outside of an Anita Blake novel! I mean seriously, they started a couple of pages in and were almost non-stop throughout the entire book. I like some because they add spice and are often the climax (pun intended!) of the hero/heroine's relationship. But this was just too much too soon and too often...and this coming from an Anita Blake fan (other fans out there know what I mean). I guess what I'm saying is that in the Anita Blake series, the first several books there was literally no sex in them what-so-ever; lots of time for character development and suspense building to make you really excited for when they finally hit the sheets. This book just made me say "Seriously, they're doing it AGAIN? Ugh".

3) Romance Sizzle Or Fizzle: I'm going to have to go with fizzle. Sure there was a lot of erotic scenes (and by that I mean hardcore porn scenes...seriously) but that doesn't add up to romance by any stretch of the imagination. I just didn't feel a deep connection between Gabriella and Marduk (they hadn't known each other very long at all) or Gabriella and Guntram (basically she teased him and treated him like crap before, but now maybe she loves him?). I think between the two pairings, I liked her with Marduk more actually, she could look past the fact that he was Master of the Demons and came to have feelings for him anyway despite her predicament.

4) Uniqueness Of The Plot: I think the plot was very well done, very unique having her travel through the mirror into the demon world. And it was also neat, to me anyway, that Marduk was a shifter and not a demon. And he didn't just shift into any garden variety animal, he shifted into a dragon, which I thought was cool. So I can give the book a thumbs up for the unique factor!

5) Final Thoughts: While it may seem like I absolutely hated this book, I really didn't. And I'm not going to rate it too harshly because perhaps it was my fault for not reading the previous 3 books first. That's always a gamble when you start a series late in the game. There were some pretty good action moments and at the end I really was scratching my head trying to figure out who she would choose to be with. So in conclusion, not a book I would want to read again, but it was a fast read and refreshingly unique.

My rating: 3/5 stars (I hope to come up with a better rating system soon...stay tuned!)

Book Blogger Hop (1)

Book Blogger Hop is a weekly event hosted by Crazy For Books

This week's question: Do you ever wish you would have named your blog something different?

No I really don't. I think it's cute; I actually came up with it only because I'm such a huge fan of Bakerella. My other great passion besides reading is baking/cake decorating, so I'm on her website a lot. So I think naming my blog Bookerella is like paying homage to her, because she is fantastic! I guess that makes me not very original, but it works and I love it...that's all that matters!

Follow Friday (1)

Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee's View

This week's question: Share your current favorite TV show

This is actually pretty easy for me to answer! My current favorite TV show is House.

The funny and ironic thing about this is that I used to say I hated this show. The truth was that I had never actually given it a chance. I would catch bits and pieces of it and from that decided it was stupid. Then one day I sat down and watched an episode and FELL IN LOVE! I absolutely love House, he is hilarious (even when he's being completely mean!). He's full of sarcastic wit, but every once in awhile he shows that he's not completely uncaring. The biggest thing right on this show is that he's finally dating Cuddy, which I think is amazing. She is honestly the only one that can handle him and I think she saved his life. He's finally realizing he has something to live for, and while he's still a jerk most of the time (albeit a hilarious jerk!), you can tell he's totally head over heels for Cuddy. Such a great show with awesome characters. If you've never seen it, make sure you check it out sometime!

The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht

Available March 8, 2011. Pre-order from B&N here.

In a Balkan country mending from years of conflict, Natalia, a young doctor, arrives on a mission of mercy at an orphanage by the sea. By the time she and her lifelong friend Zóra begin to inoculate the children there, she feels age-old superstitions and secrets gathering everywhere around her. Secrets her outwardly cheerful hosts have chosen not to tell her. Secrets involving the strange family digging for something in the surrounding vineyards. Secrets hidden in the landscape itself.
But Natalia is also confronting a private, hurtful mystery of her own: the inexplicable circumstances surrounding her beloved grandfather’s recent death. After telling her grandmother that he was on his way to meet Natalia, he instead set off for a ramshackle settlement none of their family had ever heard of and died there alone. A famed physician, her grandfather must have known that he was too ill to travel. Why he left home becomes a riddle Natalia is compelled to unravel.

Grief struck and searching for clues to her grandfather’s final state of mind, she turns to the stories he told her when she was a child. On their weeklytrips to the zoo he would read to her from a worn copy of Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book, which he carried with him everywhere; later, he told her stories of his own encounters over many years with “the deathless man,” a vagabond who claimed to be immortal and appeared never to age. But the most extraordinary story of all is the one her grandfather never told her, the one Natalia must discover for herself. One winter during the Second World War, his childhood village was snowbound, cut off even from the encroaching German invaders but haunted by another, fierce presence: a tiger who comes ever closer under cover of darkness. “These stories,” Natalia comes to understand, “run like secret rivers through all the other stories” of her grandfather’s life. And it is ultimately within these rich, luminous narratives that she will find the answer she is looking for.

My opinion: Ok, I'm kind of at a loss for words. Usually I start off with a better synopsis of what the book was about, but I feel the above description explains it pretty well. I honestly had a lot of trouble getting into this book. Don't get me wrong; it was VERY well written and I honestly felt I was reading a non-fiction book because the characters were so alive and it was hard to imagine that they didn't exist somewhere. I love reading folklore and this book is full of them, and I found them very interesting, especially the story of the deathless man. It definitely goes to show that some people won't believe something even if they see it with their own two eyes. The book is mostly Natalia reminiscing about her grandfather, who only passed away a few days prior. From the stories she tells, you can tell they were very close even though they had times when they were at odds. Their conflicts arose from Natalia not understanding her grandfather's need to visit the zoo after the war and to continue seeing patients. But it was obvious they had a very strong bond.
I liked how she told stories (second-hand of course) about other characters in the story, such as Luka and the apothecary. It helped to better understand these complex characters, and even if you didn't like their actions you could see what might have shaped them into the person they became. I found all of the details of war very interesting as well; not having experienced anything like that I can't imagine how horrifying it would be. The author's attention to details (not just about the wars but about everything) made it possible to be able to form a very specific picture in my head about what everything looked like. I can definitely see why she is one of the New Yorker's Top 20 Authors Under 40. Please don't let my giving this book 3 stars deter you from reading this book, I suggest that everyone give it a chance. It is getting stellar reviews from almost everyone. That's not to say I didn't enjoy it; I just couldn't fully get into the story. I liked it, but didn't love it. So please, read it yourself and form your own opinion.

My rating: 3/5 stars

Kiss Of Darkness by Loribelle Hunt

Available for purchase here through B&N

Winter, a hybrid, has spent her life at war. A group of humans who are part demon, the hybrids, along with the lupines and nightwalkers, have dedicated their lives to defeating demons and protecting humanity. Yet, despite their united cause, the three groups share an uneasy alliance.
When hybrid military compounds come under attack from demon insurgents, Winter has no choice but to turn to the lupines and nightwalkers for assistance. It's a partnership based on necessity and she has no intention of letting down her guard with either group.
Marcus, the nightwalker Lord, has other plans. The immediate attraction between him and Winter promises a passion he can't ignore. To claim her as his own, he'll not only have to fight the demons who seem hell-bent on destroying her, but her own misconceptions about him and the nightwalker race. It's a battle he refuses to lose.

My opinion: This book follows several different characters but the heroine of the story is Winter. Winter's husband was attacked and killed by a demon and as a result she ends up binding her soul to a demon in order to be able to fight against them. She is a hybrid (human with soul merged with a demon), along with her two best friends Gia and Dupree. The hybrids live in protected compounds, surviving and taking out demons whenever they get the chance. Unfortunately there is a very big downside to binding one's soul to a demon; if said person does not find a mate to bond with, the demon will eventually take over that person's body. Winter and her friends know their days are numbered, but when the compounds that they once thought were impenetrable begin to be attacked they realize their lives may end even sooner. There are two other races also fighting the demons: lupines (werewolves) and Nightwalkers (essentially vampires, although not exactly in the traditional sense). The lupines and hybrids get along ok, but the Nightwalkers little to do with hybrids and are at odds with the lupines. Until one day the Nightwalker Marcus walks into Winter's life and turns her entire world upside down. He knows they are meant to be together...but convincing Winter of this is something else entirely.

The plot of this book was really refreshing: humans bonding their souls with demons to fight other demons. It was something new that I could get into for sure! Winter was a tough chick, no whining (which as you all know, I hate when the heroine is meek, timid, and all they do is whine...annoying!). She was pretty reckless, not really caring if she bonded with anyone or not to save herself; well maybe that's not exactly correct...more so she didn't want to just bond with someone for the sake of saving herself. She wanted to fall in love with someone and bond with that person, someone she actually had feelings for. She was close to being consumed by the demon, but she wasn't about to settle for just anyone. Marcus (the Nightwalker lord) knew right away that she was his soulmate and went about pursuing her. He sounded really sexy (long dark hair...made me think Hugh Jackman a la Van Helsing - but then again when DON'T equate him with the heroes in my books!). I liked these two characters, but I just didn't feel like they were able to get to know each other enough to develop the relationship they had. I know it was like they were predestined to be together, but that doesn't really work for me...I like to see the characters develop and grow together and learn to love each other despite the fact that they want to rip each other's heads off every other page! But overall I still liked the characters. I swear if Marcus called her "baby" one more time I was going to throw up though. It's kinda like how Ranger in the Stephanie Plum series always calls her "babe"; it's ok every once in a while, but too much gets annoying. The other characters were also interesting; Gia's relationship with Marcus' brother Luke and Dupree fighting his feelings for the human, Kara, who is fast approaching becoming a hybrid herself. The chapters mostly focus on Winter's or Marcus' point of view, but a couple let us get a better glimpse at some of the secondary characters and I liked being able to get a better feel for them. Also, I liked that these Nightwalkers weren't traditional vampires. They didn't feed on blood, they fed on people's emotions and energy. And in the case of the hybrids, the Nightwalkers were able to negative energy from the demons away and therefore staved off the demon takeover. Some things about this book bothered me, but overall it was a good read. From the sounds of it, there is sure to be a sequel so I will look forward to reading that to see what becomes of Winter and the rest of the gang.

My rating: 3/5 stars

In My Mailbox (1)

In My Mailbox was started by Kristi at The Story Siren

I picked up quite a few books this week! I haven't really been buying any print books since getting my Nook, but one of our local Borders book stores is closing (so sad!) and so they were having a closeout sale. Thought I should probably take advantage of that opportunity!

1) To Crave A Blood Moon (Moon Chaser Series) by Sharie Kohler *Buy Here*

2) Dance With The Devil by Sherrilyn Kenyon *Buy Here*

3) Dime Store Magic by Kelley Armstrong *Buy Here*

4) Storm Front by Jim Butcher *Buy Here*

From Shelf Awareness I got:

5) The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht (Available March 8, 2011; pre-order here)

And finally, I downloaded a couple of NookBooks:

6) Darkness Captured by Delilah Devlin *Buy Here*

7) Listen by Rene Gutteridge *Buy Here*

Got a lot of reading to do...better get to it!!

Desire Unchained by Larissa Ione (Demonica #2)

Purchase from B&N here

Pleasure is their ultimate weapon . . .

Runa Wagner never meant to fall in love with the sexy stranger who seemed to know her every deepest desire. But she couldn't resist the unbelievable passion that burned between them, a passion that died when she discovered his betrayal and found herself forever changed. Now, determined to make Shade pay for the transformation that haunts her, Runa searches for him, only to be taken prisoner by his darkest enemy.

A Seminus Demon with a love-curse that threatens him with eternal torment, Shade hoped he'd seen the last of Runa and her irresistible charm. But when he wakes up in a dank dungeon chained next to an enraged and mysteriously powerful Runa, he realizes that her effect on him is more dangerous than ever.

As their captor casts a spell that bonds them as lifemates, Shade and Runa must fight for their lives and their hearts-or succumb to a madman's evil plans.

My opinion: After reading the first book in the Demonica series, I knew I had to check out the next one! This book focuses on Eidolon's brother, Shade. He wakes up in a dungeon, chained up and unaware of how he got there. His cell mate is a woman named Runa, and Shade is all to familiar with her; they dated for awhile...until she caught him in bed with two other women one night. Immediately after she caught him cheating, she was attacked by a werewolf which lead to her turning into one. In a way she blames Shade for this and she's none too happy to be trapped with him. They soon learn that they are being kept by Ghouls who are kidnapping demons, shifters, and other beings to harvest their organs. And who is responsible for the whole operation? Roag, Shade's brother, who was thought to have died in a fire. Shade was cursed by a warlock when he was younger; the curse maintains that if shade should choose a mate, he will eventually fade away and become invisible to everyone, suffering with need and hunger for the rest of his life. Knowing this, Roag forces Shade and Runa to bond to each other (which can't be undone). They eventually are able to escape from their captor and make it to safety, but of course something has to be done about the horrifying organ harvesting. In the middle of everything, being bonded has brought Shade and Runa closer together; but with the curse looming over his head may cost him his life - if Roag doesn't get to him first.

This book was great, exactly what I was hoping it would be. I loved Eidolon so much that I was afraid I wouldn't be able to connect with Shade as well, but that didn't happen. Runa was really cool and extremely understanding given the circumstances. She told herself that she hated Shade, but after they were bonded she didn't have a complete meltdown so you can tell she was still harboring some major feelings for him. Even though he hurt her beyond belief. She still continued to throw the fact that he cheated on her in his face, even though he is a Seminus demon and is therefore an incubus that has to have sex to survive. But I guess sometimes when you're wronged you don't care the circumstances (you got hurt, damn it!). I loved Shade, he was seemed so sexy and beneath the tough exterior he really had a good heart. Shade's brothers, Eidolon and Wraith, thought it best to kill Runa to sever the bond in order to save Runa's life, but Shade was adamant that they not harm her. Yes, part of that was probably being bonded, I think they almost don't have a choice but to protect their mate. But I also think no matter how much he denied it, he fell in love with Runa right away. They make such a cute couple and I look forward to seeing more of these two in the rest of the series. I knew Wraith would be the feature in book #3 because he went through a lot in this book and he's going to have a lot to deal with so I'm so excited to get started on the next one in the series! Another great thing about this series is the definitions of some of the words used throughout the book to describe the supernatural world (sometimes you forget what a term refers to, so then you can just go to the front of the book and find out); very helpful! Definitely a great read that I would recommend everyone check out!

My rating: 4/5 stars

Waiting On Wednesday

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine. It is a place for us to show which upcoming releases we're just dying to read!

Available March 29, 2011. Pre-order here.

Payne, twin sister of Vishous, is cut from the same dark, seductive cloth as her brother. Imprisoned for eons by their mother, the Scribe Virgin, she finally frees herself-only to face a devastating injury. Manuel Manello, M.D., is drafted by the Brotherhood to save her as only he can-but when the human surgeon and the vampire warrior meet, their two worlds collide in the face of their undeniable passion. With so much working against them, can love prove stronger than the birthright and the biology that separates them?

I can't wait to read this one! It's #9 in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, which is amazing if you haven't read any of them yet. I'm excited about this book, althought we don't know a whole lot about Payne or Manny yet. What I like about this series is J.R. Ward always includes the characters from the previous books (kind of a necessity since they are all part of the Brotherhood and it would be impossible NOT to include them); can't wait to see what all of my favorites are up to this time around. Anyone else excited for this release too?

Stolen by Kelley Armstrong

Click here to go to B&N to purchase this book!

It was in Bitten, Kelley Armstrong’s debut novel, that thirty-year-old Elena Michaels came to terms with her feral appetites and claimed the proud identity of a beautiful, successful woman—and the only living female werewolf. In Stolen, on a mission for her own elite pack, she is lured into the net of ruthless Internet billionaire Tyrone Winsloe, who has funded a bogus scientific investigation of the “other races” and their supernatural powers. Kidnapped and studied in his underground lab deep in the Maine woods, these paranormals—witches, vampires, shamans, werewolves—are then released and hunted to the death in a real-world video game. But when Winsloe captures Elena, he finally meets his match.

My opinion: I just have to start by saying, Kelley Armstrong you are an amazing author! I have definitely found a new favorite book series, I am now dying to read #3. So this book starts out with Elena traveling to find someone who claims to have proof and knowledge about werewolves. These people happen to be Paige and Ruth, two women who claim to be witches. Elena finds this impossible, but before long the three of them find themselves being hunted. Due to some quick thinking by one of the witches (using a cover spell) they escape; Elena is still very skeptical that they are actually witches, but she knows she needs to tell Jeremy and the rest of the pack about the witches and the people that seem to be hunting all of them. The werewolves agree to attend a meeting with other preternatural beings to discuss what needed to be done. Due to some disagreements, the werewolves eventually part ways with the group...unfortunately Elena ends up falling right into the enemies hands. She's taken to a compound where she is kept prisoner, along with some other people with extraordinary talents. Someone seems to be "collecting" these people, the pretense being to study them. But the truth is more horrifying than any of them could of guessed.

Elena definitely seemed to be more confident in this book, more sure of herself and settling into her role again with the pack. Her relationship with Clay sizzles (they are just so perfect together!). I'm finding it hard to write a review for this book...not because it wasn't good, but because it was awesome and it's hard to describe. I kept it brief because I didn't want to give away any vital information to future readers! But I can say that it's impossible not to fall in love with the characters, there's a lot of depth to them and Elena and Clay are pretty comical a lot of the time. Their relationship seems dysfunctional sometimes, but it just works for them. I loved the scene in this book where they're making love and he's feeding her breakfast because she's starving; it was sweet, but also quirky, which really describes them to a T. If you haven't checked this series out yet, what are you waiting for? You won't be disappointed!

My rating: 5/5 stars

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Spousonomics: Using Economics To Master Love, Marriage, And Dirty Dishes by Paula Szuchman and Jenny Anderson

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Are you happy in your marriage—except for those weekly spats over who empties the dishwasher more often? Not a single complaint—unless you count the fact that you haven’t had sex since the Bush administration? Prepared to be there in sickness and in health—so long as it doesn’t mean compromising? Be honest: Ever lay awake thinking how much more fun married life used to be?

If you’re a member of the human race, then the answer is probably “yes” to all of the above. Marriage is a mysterious, often irrational business. Making it work till death do you part—or just till the end of the week—isn’t always easy. And no one ever handed you a user’s manual.
Until now. With Spousonomics, Paula Szuchman and Jenny Anderson offer something new: a clear-eyed, rational route to demystifying your disagreements and improving your relationship. The key, they propose, is to think like an economist.
That’s right: an economist.
Economics is the study of resource allocation, after all. How do we—as partners in a society, a business, or a marriage—spend our limited time, money, and energy? And how do we allocate these resources most efficiently? Spousonomics answers these questions by taking classic economic concepts and applying them to the domestic front. For example:

• Arguing all night isn’t a sign of a communication breakdown; you’re just extremely loss-averse—and by refusing to give an inch, you’re risking even greater losses.
• Stay late at the office, or come home for dinner? Be honest about your mother-in-law, or keep your mouth shut and smile? Let the cost-benefit analysis make the call.
• Getting your spouse to clean the gutters isn’t a matter of nagging or guilt-tripping; it’s a question of finding the right incentives.
• Being “too busy” to exercise or forgetting your anniversary (again): your overtaxed memory and hectic schedule aren’t to blame—moral hazard is.
• And when it comes to having more sex: merely a question of supply and demand!

Spousonomics cuts through the noise of emotions, egos, and tired relationship clichés. Here, at last, is a smart, funny, refreshingly realistic, and deeply researched book that brings us one giant leap closer to solving the age-old riddle of a happy, healthy marriage.

My opinion: Usually I don't read books on marriage help, thinking I've got everything all figured out. I admit now I was wrong; thanks to this book, I have learned a lot of tips and tricks to make my marriage better. The authors use common terms and concepts normally used in economics and apply it to marriage. Better yet, they throw in case studies of couples that used these approaches with great results. It helped to cement the fact that although some of these ideas seem small, they can have a big impact. Such as, when approaching the concept of chores, it's more efficient to assign tasks based on who does which chore better (quicker); this was the concept of specialization. It might not be the chore you enjoy the most, but the quicker these unpleasant tasks get done, the more time you have to spend with your spouse. Another concept I found very interesting was loss aversion. People hate losing and most arguments turn into who can win, and lose the bigger picture of why they're even fighting. They point out that it is best to "sleep on it". If it still bothers you in the morning, confront your spouse; if not, then let it go. I guess you could also call it "picking your battles" or "don't sweat the small stuff". A lot of sections of this book had me chuckling to myself and in a lot of the case studies I could relate to some of their struggles. The economics portions were quite boring to me, but it is obviously essential to the book, relating ideas in economics to marriage, and the authors did explain all of the concepts very thoroughly so that even someone with no economics knowledge (for example, ME!) could understand. All in all, this book was very informative, witty, and definitely brought up some good points. I will definitely be using some of these tips and tricks to better my marriage (guess I'll be doing the laundry from now on, even though I hate it...hey if it means more time with my hubby it's worth a shot!)

My rating: 3/5 stars