Atria Salon Series Event - Sister Souljah (4/30/11)

Watch live streaming video from atria at livestream.com

Atria Books is proud to present a live web interview with Sister Souljah, author of MIDNIGHT: A Gangster Love Story. She will be discussing her new book, MIDNIGHT AND THE MEANING OF LOVE on Saturday April 30 at 4:50 PM PST/7:50 PM EST. This is a Atria Salon Series event and you can view the entire live interview right here on Bookerella! And the guest moderator for this event? Jada Pinkett Smith!! Here is the synopsis from BN.com:

Sister Souljah, the New York Times bestselling author of The Coldest Winter Ever and Midnight, delivers her most compelling and enlightening story yet. With Midnight and The Meaning of Love, Souljah brings to her millions of fans an adventure about young, deep love, the ways in which people across the world express their love, and the lengths that they will go to have it.

Powerful and sensual, Midnight is an intelligent, fierce fighter and Ninjutsu-trained ninja warrior. He attracts attention wherever he goes but remains unmoved by it and focuses on protecting his mother and sister and regaining his family’s fortunes. When Midnight, a devout Muslim, takes sixteen-year-old Akemi from Japan as his wife, they look forward to building a life together, but their tumultuous teenage marriage is interrupted when Akemi is kidnapped and taken back to Japan by her own father, even though the marriage was consummated and well underway.

“There’s not one drop of inferiority in my blood,” Midnight says as he first secures his mother, Umma, and sister, Naja, before setting off on a global journey to reclaim his wife. Midnight must travel across three countries and numerous cultures in his attempt to defeat his opponent. Along this magnificent journey he meets people who change him forever, even as he changes them. He encounters temptations he never would have imagined and takes risks that many a lesser man would say no to, all for the women he loves and is sworn to protect.

If you would like to learn more, click *HERE*, where you can also read an excerpt from her new book through Simon and Schuster! I am really looking forward to this live interview, I think it is going to be absolutely amazing! I was able to participate in the previous Atria Salon Series live web interview with Jodi Picoult and it was incredible. So please don't miss this opportunity! If you would like to ask questions for Sister Souljah to answer during her interview, there are two ways. One, you can go to Atria's Facebook page and post questions. Two, you can Tweet @AtriaBooks, with hashtags #sistersouljah and #atrialive with your questions. Who knows, your question just might be answered my Sister Souljah herself during the interview! If you have any other questions about this event, please feel free to ask me!

Bridesmaid Lotto by Rachel Astor

Purchase from Smashwords or Amazon

Josephine McMaster is pretty and smart, but very much a klutzy mess. Finally, at 26, she may have actually lost the dreaded ‘McMaster the Disaster’ nickname that has followed her around her whole life.

Josie’s quite content to be single, much to her mother’s disappointment. So when a bizarre contest is announced where a socialite is holding a lottery to pick her bridesmaids (and rake in a little extra cash), she can’t roll her eyes fast enough, even if it does mean meeting Jake Hall, her one and only movie star crush. Obviously, Josie doesn’t enter the bridesmaid lottery, so you can imagine her surprise when her picture pops up among the winners, thanks to Mom. With a little prodding -- okay bribing -- Josie agrees to participate.

The wedding turns into the event of the year, and Josie finds herself in the middle of a paparazzi feeding frenzy, which gets even crazier after Jake Hall takes a special interest in her.

Can Josie handle the pressure in the spotlight? Is it possible she might really have a chance with Jake Hall? And if she’s busy worrying about all that, how in the heck is she going to keep ‘McMaster the Disaster’ from showing up in front of the entire world?

I think Josephine "Josie" McMaster may be my new hero! I knew going into this book that it would be a light fun read and it did not disappoint me. There were a lot of great things about this book. First of all, the characters. Of course you have Josie, who basically is comfortable in her day to day routine and obviously doesn't believe in fairy tale endings in life. I think she probably tried to blend into the background because of all the humiliation she has suffered throughout her life; if she doesn't draw attention to herself, she can't do anything embarrassing that other people might see. I saw so much of myself in Josie. I was that klutzy girl growing up that was constantly tripping over my own feet and getting into embarrassing situations. I learned to just laugh it off and pretend it didn't bother me, but it was still mortifying, to say the least. Luckily for Josie (even though she doesn't feel it at the time) her mom enters her into the Bridesmaid Lotto, to be a bridesmaid for a socialite. That is the main prize, but another big perk to the job: getting to meet Jake Hall, the hunky famous movie star that has all of the girls drooling. Josie secretly has a mega crush on him, but like most of us we don't flaunt it around. I mean, what is the chance that we'll ever meet the person of our fantasies? (ATTENTION: Hugh Jackman if you are reading this, you could make my dreams come true! Also, Bradley Cooper! Call me!) Much to Josie's surprise, and believe me she is surprised since she never entered the contest, she wins a coveted spot along with three other girls. And that's where the shenanigans begin, as Josie tries to balance her old self and her new status as an it-girl bridesmaid.
Now I must tell you about the fabulous secondary characters. My favorite? Mattie of course! Mattie is Josie's gay co-worker, and they get really close as he helps her prepare for her role as bridesmaid. He is hilarious! There were so many times his comments had me giggling to myself - and had my family looking at me like I was crazy! Even though they hadn't really hung out much previously, he stood by her side and helped her fit into to the glitzy Hollywood crowd.
Calla, Josie's roommate, entered the lotto as well and was just as surprised when Josie was picked. She played the caring, loyal friend, but you know she had to have been annoyed that Josie won, when Josie didn't even want it in the first place. Calla wanted it more than anything, wanted to meet Jake Hall; it was bad enough losing, but having to live it through someone you know is almost worse. Knowing they are doing something you desperately want to do.
I loved Josie's mom too. She was the typical over-bearing parental figure that was constantly harping on Josie for something she was or was not doing. She, of course, thinks she knows what her daughter needs so she enters her into the lotto without Josie knowing. And throughout the ordeal leading up to the wedding, she constantly called Josie saying things like "What are you trying to do to me?". But maybe mothers do know best, because the one thing Josie didn't think she needed was the thing that brought her out of her shell.
And then of course there is Jake Hall, the mega celebrity that everyone has a crush on, but you know he's probably a jerk in real life. Or we tell ourselves that to make us feel better about he fact that we'll never meet him! As Josie soon found out though, Jake is like a typical guy, very down to earth and easy to talk to. Except of course that he has paparazzi watching his every move. He's like the perfect guy: handsome, attentive, caring...oh and what the heck, he's rich!
One of my favorite parts of the book is the "disaster diary". Every time Josie felt like her ego was getting the best of her, she thought about a time in her life when she was extremely humiliated and wrote it in the diary. I thoroughly enjoyed reading these diary entries, they were all pretty hilarious. Especially one particular story about a pair of underwear. You'll need to read this book to find out the whole story, but let me tell you, it actually happened to me in high school! I about died when I read that part I was laughing so hard! I'm so glad I can laugh about it now, I thought about crawling in a hole to die after it actually happened.
I really did enjoy this book. It was a nice change of pace after some of the heavy reading I've done lately and I breezed through it in about one day. The only thing I wish would have been included is some sort of description about what the characters looked like. I made up my own mental images of course, but it would have been nice to have some sort of base description to go off of. While I was reading, I realized the story, in a small way, reminds me of the movie Win A Date With Tad Hamilton. Different circumstances of course, but an unassuming girl getting to meet her celeb crush because of a contest. So if you happened to like that movie you should definitely read this book! And now all I can say is...when does book #2 come out?

My rating: 4/5 stars

If you would like to buy it, the links are above under the picture. If you use Smashwords to buy it, there are a lot of different options for reading (so you can read it on different eReaders). On Amazon, it is available for Kindle only.

Waiting On Wednesday (3)

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!
It was so hard for me to pick just one book. There are SO many good books coming out (as always!). So here's one of many I'm looking forward to:

Can there truly be love after death?
Drifting in the dark waters of a mysterious river, the only thing Amelia knows for sure is that she's dead. With no recollection of her past life—or her actual death—she's trapped alone in a nightmarish existence. All of this changes when she tries to rescue a boy, Joshua, from drowning in her river. As a ghost, she can do nothing but will him to live. Yet in an unforgettable moment of connection, she helps him survive.
Amelia and Joshua grow ever closer as they begin to uncover the strange circumstances of her death and the secrets of the dark river that held her captive for so long. But even while they struggle to keep their bond hidden from the living world, a frightening spirit named Eli is doing everything in his power to destroy their newfound happiness and drag Amelia back into the ghost world . . . forever.





This book sounds soooooo good! I love stories about ghosts and this one sounds like it will be really interesting...and probably heartbreaking. I've heard a lot of great things about it so far, so I'm definitely looking forward to reading!

Hereafter is written by Tara Hudson is available on June 7, 2011. If you would like to pre-order it from BN.com, please click *HERE*

Giveaway over at Gretchen McNeil's blog!

Gretchen McNeil, author of the upcoming book Possess, is hosting an awesome giveaway!! Here's the beautiful cover of the book:

She's offering some awesome prizes! A signed ARC of Possess, 10 Possess swag prize packs, and 2 $10 Gift Certificates for Amazon. How awesome is that? So click *HERE* to be directed to the giveaway page!

Teaser Tuesday (4)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly 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! (be sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others)

*Share the title and author too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

I actually just finished an eBook and am getting ready to start a new book. So here is what I'm going to read next and a couple of teaser sentences for ya!

On the eve of the monsoons, in a remote Indian village, Kavita gives birth to a baby girl. But in a culture that favors sons, the only way for Kavita to save her newborn daughter's life is to give her away. It is a decision that will haunt her and her husband for the rest of their lives, even after the arrival of their cherished son.
Halfway around the globe, Somer, an American doctor, decides to adopt a child after making the wrenching discovery that she will never have one of her own. When she and her husband, Krishnan, see a photo of the baby with the gold-flecked eyes from a Mumbai orphanage, they are overwhelmed with emotion. Somer knows life will change with the adoption but is convinced that the love they already feel will overcome all obstacles.
Interweaving the stories of Kavita, Somer, and the child that binds both of their destinies, Secret Daughter poignantly explores the emotional terrain of motherhood, loss, identity, and love, as witnessed through the lives of two families-one Indian, one American-and the child that indelibly connects them.



And here's your teasers:

"Then, a woman's scream, long and loud and laced with tears. After what seems like a long time, the angry sounds begin to fade away, giving way to sinister-sounding laughter that retreats slowly into the distance." (pg. 110)

You can purchase Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda from BN.com here. I would love to read your teasers, so make sure you leave a link to your Teaser Tuesday post in the comments!

Giveaway at Down The Rabbit Hole

Down The Rabbit Hole is having an AWESOME giveaway to celebrate reaching 1000 followers! Three winners will get to pick a pre-order book from a list. Some of the books offered are: The Goddess Test, Hereafter, Starcrossed, Abandon, The Carrier of the Mark. There are more but you'll have to go check out the blog to find out more! There is also another giveaway for U.S. only, two winners on that one as there are two books. So go check it out now and enter! Click *HERE* to go to the giveaway page!

Dime Store Magic by Kelley Armstrong



Purchase this book from BN.com

Paige Winterbourne was always either too young or too rebellious to succeed her mother as leader of one of the world's most powerful elite organizations - the American Coven of Witches. Now that she is twenty-three and her mother is dead, the Elders can no longer deny her. But even Paige's wildest antics can't hold a candle to those of her new charge - an orphan who is all too willing to use her budding powers for evil...and evil is all too willing to claim her. For this girl is being pursued by a dark faction of the supernatural underworld. They are a vicious group who will do anything to woo the young, malleable, and extremely powerful neophyte, including commit murder - and frame Paige for the crime. It's an initiation into adulthood, womanhood, and the brutal side of magic, and Paige will have to do everything within her power to make sure they both survive.

*SPOILER ALERT* - Only if you have NOT read the first two books in the series yet. If you have, then proceed!

Review: Dime Store Magic is book #3 in the Women of the Otherworld series. When I picked up this book, I was kind of disappointed. The first two books, Bitten and Stolen centered around Elena, who is the only female werewolf. I love Elena and her story, so when I noticed this book revolved around Paige Winterbourne I wasn't sure I would like it. I didn't really care for Paige's character much in Stolen (which is where she made her first appearance). I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book!  Paige is extremely witty and clever; maybe not the most talented witch in the Coven, but certainly determined and dedicated to her witch heritage and doing right by the Coven. She is trying to adjust to suddenly being thrust into the role of being Coven leader after her mother's death. On top of that she is caring for Savannah, a teenage girl who lost her mom and is starting to come into her witch powers. As if all that isn't enough, a man who claims to be Savannah's father is trying to take custody away from Paige, and she is certain that it is for purely malevolent reasons. Especially since the half-demon Leah is smack dab in the middle of the controversy. Paige shows a lot of strength and she never gives up, even when it would obviously be easier to just throw in the towel. So many forces are working against her, but with the help of her friends she battles back. We didn't get to know Savannah very well in the last book and at that time she seemed kind of meek and very young. We definitely get to see another side of her in Dime Store Magic; she is extremely confident, both in her magical abilities and in herself. She has a very snarky attitude, but is wise beyond her years. At times you forget that she is barely a teenager; her circumstances have definitely made her grow up quickly. I really enjoyed Lucas Cortez, a new character introduced initially as Paige's lawyer. Well, after much persuasion because Lucas is a sorcerer and Paige doesn't want anything to do with him for quite a while. Even though she was suspicious, I loved him from the beginning! He is very caring, compassionate, and willing to go to any lengths to help Paige out. He isn't described as being incredibly hunky or strong, but he still makes you swoon because he comes off as such a nice guy.
And guess what, there's even a little bit of romance in this one. Go Paige! It definitely wasn't a focal point of the book but it was a nice touch (and let's face it, it was nice to see Paige have some happiness after everything that happens to her!).
If you like books about witches, I think you will definitely enjoy this one! It has a bit of a different approach to witches and sorcerers. Normally you would assume them to be male/female counterparts, but in this series they are two different races. The sorcerers are also considered to be much more powerful than witches, and the two do not get along well AT ALL. Also, all witches must have a ceremony performed when the first get their period; if they skip this step, they will never receive their full powers.
Sometimes when authors have a series and go back and forth between characters it really irritates me. Especially if I really like one character, and despise the others. However, Kelley Armstrong is such an incredible writer, it was impossible for me NOT to love Paige and the rest of the characters in this book. I will still be happy to be reunited with Elena and Clay in future books, but I'm looking forward to reading more about Paige as well!

My rating: 5/5 stars

 



Weekend Question (1)

Weekend question is hosted by Cleverly Inked (awesome blog!)

This week's question: What are some of your Easter traditions?

Answer: When I was growing up, my parents and grandparents always hid eggs for me and my cousins to find, along with an Easter basket full of goodies and lots of presents. Honestly, we were a little spoiled...it used to be like another Christmas! I'm continuing the tradition with my 3 year old son (who had SO much fun this year looking for eggs and has been on a permanent sugar buzz all day!). Another sort of tradition with me is Cadbury Mini Eggs. I ALWAYS have to buy at least one big bag every year, but usually I end up buying several because they are SOOOO good! I use to complain because you could only get them at Easter time, but now they also have them out at Christmas (as green, white, and red colored balls). Still wish they could have them all year, but I guess then they wouldn't be as special to me!

So what are some of your Easter traditions? I would love to hear them, so either let me know in the comments or link to your Weekend Question answer.

Follow Friday and Book Blogger Hop (6)

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

This week's question: What is on your current playlist right now?

Hmmm...well I love music and so I have a lot on my current playlist right now. I'll just pick the top 5!

1) E.T. by Katy Perry (feat. Kanye)

2) S&M by Rihanna

3) F**k you by Cee Lo Green (this song seriously never gets old)

4) Bow Chicka Wow Wow by Mike Posner (feat. Lil Wayne)

5) My Kinda Party by Jason Aldean

But...I also recently found the first Matchbox 20 album that I hadn't seen in forever and I've been listening to it A LOT! They will always be one of my fave bands!

What are you all listening to right now? Make sure to live me a link to your Follow Friday post, or if you don't have one let me know what you're listening to in the comments.

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

 

This week's question: If you find a book you love, do you hunt down other books by the same author?

 

Answer: Yes, of course!! I like to just wander around in Barnes and Noble or Borders and just pick random books that look good, even if I know nothing about the authors. If I find a book I really like, I'm pretty likely to go out and buy more books by that author right away. Especially if it's part of a series! A good example for me would be the Anita Blake series by Laurell K. Hamilton. I picked up Guilty Pleasures on a whim (I wasn't really into the whole paranormal scene yet) and fell in love. Now I've read all 100 of them (just kidding, it's more like 19 I think but point being there's a LOT in that series). Also The Hunger Games...of course with that series I had people hounding me to read it so I relented, but of course then I had to hurry and get the rest of the books!

 

I'd love to see everyone's answers, so make sure you put a link to your Book Blogger Hop post in the comments!

 

And Happy Easter Everyone!!

 

 

Marked By Moonlight (The Moon Chasers Series) by Sharie Kohler

Purchase this book from BN.com

Synopsis from BN.com:
 
She doesn't know what bit her...
Seemingly overnight, Claire Morgan has transformed: the normally mousy schoolteacher is now bold, and her behavior is truly wild. Her eyes gleam silver. Suddenly she's a self-confident femme fatale with a libido that just won't quit. After an impulsive makeover, she's even...dare she say it?...sexy. Is Claire going insane?
Then brutally handsome stranger Gideon March tells her she was bitten by a werewolf, and Claire figures he's the insane one. Sure, she was attacked by a nasty dog in a back alley, but this guy stalking her says he's a member of an underground society of lycan hunters — and his mission is to kill her immediately.
When Claire finally realizes she really is a lycan, there's no turning back — because by now Claire and Gideon are bound by a hungry passion. If they can't break the curse by the next full moon, Claire's soul will be lost forever and Gideon will be forced to terminate his prey — a woman dangerously close to devouring him, heart and soul.
Review: This is the second Sharie Kohler book I have read and I have to say: wow can she write! I accidentally started reading this series with #3, so I am now backtracking. Marked By Moonlight is the first in the Moon Chasers series. Honestly, I couldn't put the book down once I started!
I love how Claire evolved through the book. At first she was such a quiet, unassuming woman; living her life day to day, but not really getting any enjoyment out of it. Essentially she was a doormat, letting people walk all over her. But she is also very caring, as evidence by the extraordinary interest she takes in her students. Especially in Lenny, a boy who she is trying to help get through school despite problems at home. Obviously everything changes when she decides to take a walk down a dark alley in search of her troubled student. After the attack happens and everything about her starts changing, at first of course it scares her. But after awhile I think she really started to see what she'd been missing all of these years of remaining so timid and reserved. Most importantly it gives her a confidence that she never had before. One of my favorite parts regarding her changing personality was when one of her students (a troublemaker who only bothered to show up about once a week) tried to give her a hard time. With her newly developed aggression, she put him in his place pretty fast!
I really liked Gideon as well. He came off as such a tough guy, all about killing every lycan he came in contact with. And I can certainly see why he would be devoted to that line of work after what happened to his mother and father. But when he knows he has to kill Claire, something inside of him tells him it's just not right. Then of course as he gets to know more about her it gets more and more difficult. I always enjoy seeing these tough guys show their softer sides. Of course I'm always attracted to the bad boys, but if there isn't at least one compassionate bone in their body it would kind of ruin it. Honestly, I'd say Gideon was pretty patient, considering how resistant Claire was to letting him help her. Can't really blame her - I mean, if someone came up to you and said "Hey you know that dog bite? It wasn't really a dog that bit you, it was a lycan, and if I don't help you you're doomed to lose your soul", you would think they were crazy with a capital C! I was definitely getting frustrated with her though: he's funny, he's hot, and he's trying to help you!
There honestly weren't a whole lot of minor characters in this one. I think my favorite was the appearance of Darius (which I could appreciate having read the 3rd book first), who is the oldest known lycan. I already love his story; he did feed on his first full moon, thus losing his soul, but several hundred years back he decided he did not want to continue being a monster so he stopped feeding. I DESPERATELY hope Sharie Kohler writes his story (and soon) because I think it would be a great (although probably heart-wrenching) story. I want to see him have his "happily ever after" ending too!
There are obviously a lot of werewolf/lycan books out there, but this series is a little different in that if the person who is infected feeds when they shift during a full moon, they lose their soul. Also, if the originator of the infection is killed (generally an alpha, since they are very selective in who they turn), then all of the people infected by them revert back to being human. I'm glad when authors change some details about the supernatural world, so it's just not another cookie cutter novel just like the rest.
To wrap this up, I loved this book and look forward to reading book 2. Coincidentally, I was lucky enough to win a copy of book 2, Kiss of a Dark Moon SIGNED by the author, Sharie Kohler!! I am so excited and can't wait to receive it! If you haven't yet, please check out The Moon Chasers series, I promise you won't regret it. Fast reads with suspense and romance galore. What more could you want?

My rating: 5/5 stars

Covet by J.R. Ward

Purchase this book from BN.com

Synopsis from BN.com. Redemption isn't a word Jim Heron knows much about-his specialty is revenge, and to him, sin is all relative. But everything changes when he becomes a fallen angel and is charge with saving the souls of seven people from the seven deadly sins. And failure is not an option. Vin DiPietro long ago sold his soul to his business, and he's good with that-until fate intervenes in the form of a tough- talking, Harley-riding, self-professed savior. But then he meets a woman who will make him question his destiny, his sanity, and his heart-and he has to work with a fallen angel to win her over and redeem his own soul.

We first are introduced to Jim Heron who, although he has done some not so nice things in his previous profession, really seems like an ok guy. His whole life gets flipped upside down however, when an accident presents him with an unexpected new mission: to save the souls of seven people from the seven deadly sins. There is a war raging between heaven and hell, and they want to settle the score once and for all to declare a victor. To do this, they needed to find someone in the middle, and that's where Jim comes in. Jim will be unable to know the identities of the people he is supposed to save, but the angels are allowed to help him some by sending him some clues. His first task seems easy enough: to get Vin DiPietro to seal the deal and marry his girlfriend. Jim starts to get to know Vin and encourage him to propose to her; but when Marie-Terese enters the picture, the game gets a little bit tougher. Vin and Marie-Teresa have an instant connection, but with existence hanging in the balance will Jim be able to steer things in the right direction or will evil prevail?

Review: I've read all of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, and I just knew I had to start on this series as well. I've heard both good and bad things about it, but I chalk that up to some people don't like change; you get so immersed in one series by an author that any other might pale in comparison. I personally thought Covet was wonderful. Jim is the strong silent type and seems an unlikely and hesitant hero. But when he finds out that if the good side loses it will be as if nobody ever existed in the first place he knows he has to try his best to come out on top. A tragedy in his youth definitely shaped the man he became and he uses his anger as fuel to fight the evil. I loved Vin, I knew right away that he was more than just the cold, money-hungry business man he appears at first. I could also tell that he and his girlfriend Devina's relationship wasn't really built on love, but more on material things. Marie-Terese was great too. She was in hiding due to the fear that her ex-husband would find her and try to kidnap their son again. To support them she works as a prostitute at a club called Iron Mask. She could probably have done any other job, but I think she lost her self-worth as a woman when she couldn't protect her son from her ex. She hates the job, but she has to bring in money to pay off all of her debts. One of my favorite parts of the book is when Vin and Marie-Terese first see each other; it's like instant fireworks, like they're the only ones in the room. I really don't like books that do the "love at first" site bit and the characters are just instantly in love, despite the fact they've only known each other a few minutes. This wasn't like that though. Vin still had Devina and Marie-Terese had a lot of skeleton's in her closet that kept her from even imagining a better life. Some of the minor characters were great, like Jim's friends Eddie and Adrian. The two are complete opposites; Eddie is very reserved and Adrian is such a loud mouth, but they work well together, balance each other out. I really loved Dog, Jim's adopted pet; it really brought out the softer side of Jim. Plus there's something more to Dog, I just know it...hopefully it will be better explained in future books.
I really enjoyed the references to the BDB series too: Marie-Terese previously worked at ZeroSum and Trez runs Iron Mask! I love seeing familiar faces pop up when you're not even expecting them. She even mentions Rhev at one point, about how she liked working for him because he really cared about the girls that worked for him.
I thought the love story that develops felt genuine and not forced and I was really able to connect with these characters. I thought the story line in general was fresh and very interesting and it always kept me guessing what was going to happen (always managed to surprise me!).
So if you are a fan of BDB, please give this series a chance. It is completely different, but I like that about it. Her writing style is so familiar, like an old friend and I just didn't want to put this book down! I can't wait to read Crave; I know that at least a few of the characters from Covet will make a return appearance, so I look forward to that!!

Rating: 5/5 stars

Follow Friday and Book Blogger Hop (5)

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

 

This week's question: Do you have anyone you can discuss books with IRL? Tell us about him/her.

 

Answer: Well, I don't really. No one in my family reads like I do...they read the occasional hot book, like Hunger Games or Twilight, but that's about the extent of what I can discuss with them. I think the person I discuss books with the most is Cindy (Princess Bookie).  I wouldn't say we exactly "discuss" books, but she is very good about telling me what books/series I need to read (and she's always right when she says I'm going to love something!). I guess the fact that I don't really have anyone that I discuss books with on a regular basis is why I started my blog in the first place. I wanted to be able to tell everyone about the awesome book I just read and why they need to read it too. Thus, my blog was born!

 

 

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

 

This week's topic: Pick a character from a book you are currently reading or have just finished and tell us about him/her

 

Answer: Well, I've only made it to about page 20 in Covet by J.R. Ward. So I guess I don't know enough about the characters yet to discuss. I think I'll go with Peeta (Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins). Obviously everyone probably has read this series and knows Peeta, but I'll go with it anyway and give my thoughts. First of all, I'd just like to state again that I am definitely Team Peeta, all the way! He's a very genuine person, who obviously cares about Katniss a lot. She definitely sends him a lot of mixed signals which is irritating, but I get that she's confused about what/who she wants. I think Peeta genuinely wants Katniss to be happy, whether she chooses to be with him or ultimately chooses Gale. He's the kind of guy that would rather have her as a friend than not have her in his life at all. I also think he's a lot stronger (mentally and physically) than he gets credit for. Honestly, I don't know what else to say, except that he's awesome. Can't wait to read the last book in the trilogy to find out what happens!

 

What about you? I'd love to read all of your Follow Friday and Book Blogger Hop posts, so leave a link in the comments so I can visit yours!

 

Giveaway at Cleverly Inked

 Today is Liz's birthday over at Cleverly Inked...Happy Birthday!!! And in honor of that she is hosting some HUGE (and I mean really awesome!) giveaways. You need to go check it out and enter! Giveaway ends May 31 and there will be chances to get more entries up until then, so keep on the lookout for that. So what are you waiting for, head over to Cleverly Inked now!

Teaser Tuesday (3)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly 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! (be sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others)

*Share the title and author too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

 

This week I'm reading Covet by J.R. Ward. I loved the BDB series and so I'm eager to see what this series (Fallen Angels) is like!

 

Synopsis from BN.com: Redemption isn't a word Jim Heron knows much about-his specialty is revenge, and to him, sin is all relative. But everything changes when he becomes a fallen angel and is charge with saving the souls of seven people from the seven deadly sins. And failure is not an option. Vin DiPietro long ago sold his soul to his business, and he's good with that-until fate intervenes in the form of a tough- talking, Harley-riding, self-professed savior. But then he meets a woman who will make him question his destiny, his sanity, and his heart-and he has to work with a fallen angel to win her over and redeem his own soul.



And now for some teasers!

"As her eyes bounced around, he realized she already had an exit strategy, and it didn't take Einstein to figure out what it might be. Clearly, she was just going to disappear if things got too hot, and for some reason that freaked him right out." (pg. 165)

I think this book is going to be HOT! What book are you reading? I'd love to read your teasers too, so make sure you leave a link to your blog entry in the comments!

Signs of Life by Natalie Taylor

Purchase this book from BN.com

Synopsis from BN.com:

Twenty-four-year-old Natalie Taylor was leading a charmed life. At the age of twenty four, she had a fulfilling job as a high school English teacher, a wonderful husband, a new house and a baby on the way.  Then, while visiting her sister, she gets the news that Josh has died in a freak accident.  Four months before the birth of her son, Natalie is leveled by loss. 

What follows is an incredibly powerful emotional journey, as Natalie calls upon resources she didn’t even know she had in order to re-imagine and re-build a life for her and her son. In vivid and immediate detail, Natalie documents her life from the day of Josh’s death through the birth their son, Kai, as she struggles in her role as a new mother where everyone is watching her for signs of impending collapse.  With honesty, raw pain, and most surprising, a wicked sense of humor, Natalie recounts the agonies and unexpected joys of her new life.  There is the frustration of holidays, navigating the relationship with her in-laws, the comfort she finds and unlikely friendship she forges in support groups and the utterly breathtaking, but often overwhelming new motherhood.   When she returns to the classroom, she finds that little is more healing than the honesty and egocentricity of teenagers. 

Drawing on lessons from beloved books like The Color Purple and The Catcher in the Rye and the talk shows she suddenly can’t get enough of, from the strength of her family and friends, and from a rich fantasy life—including a saucy fairy godmother who guides her grieving—Natalie embarks on the ultimate journey of self-discovery and realizes you can sometimes find the best in yourself during the worst life has to offer.  And she delivers these lessons, in way that feels like she’s right beside you in her bathrobe and with a glass of wine—the cool, funny girlfriend you love to stay up all night with. 

Unforgettable and utterly absorbing, Signs of Life features a powerful, wholly original debut voice that will have you crying and laughing to the very last page.

I received this book free through Shelf Awareness (big thanks go out to them, the publisher, and the author!!). In this memoir we meet Natalie who, at the young age of 24, has lost her husband of 1 1/2 years, Josh,  to a tragic accident. Her life has been completely flipped upside down and she feels like she can't do anything without him. With a baby on the way, she knows she needs to get it together, but after Josh's death she just kind of goes through the motions of day to day life, a shell of her former self. When her son Kai is born, she keeps it together enough to take care of him, but the normal daily tasks she has to complete along with taking care of a newborn is just overwhelming for her. She's still grieving and she doesn't know how she'll ever be able to move forward with her life. With the help of her quirky family (and her own imagination), she begins to heal slowly but surely.

My review: I was really excited to get this book! I love reading memoirs and this one sounded interesting and heartbreaking at the same time. I couldn't really relate to Natalie, because I've never really had to deal with the death of anyone close to me (except for my grandpa, but I was very young at the time and barely remember). It's tough to imagine my husband (or my son) dying, I hate to even ponder what life would be like. I imagine it would be a lot like Natalie's life after Josh's death, just going through every day but not really living. Every holiday makes her break down because he's not there, every picture she sees of him reduces her to tears, pretty much breathing reminds her that he's no longer here with her. And I don't blame her for denial; you always think these bad things happen to other people. They will never happen to you; the bad news is they can and sometimes do.
Honestly, did have some trouble getting through this book. Natalie's commentary was funny at times and it was interesting to see her work toward finding herself again after Josh's death. Unfortunately at times it was repetitive and dull. I hate to even say that because I don't want to come off as insensitive, I definitely feel for Natalie and what she went through. Basically this book was derived from her journal she kept after losing Josh, so it's like a big jumble of everything she was thinking and feeling at the given time. While extremely interesting, it just didn't capture my attention very well.
I definitely did get some important insight though after reading this book. The best one is when Natalie is thinking back to the days leading up to Josh's death, trying to remember what they did in those days. You never know when a life will end, so make sure to live your days to the fullest and keep your loved ones close.

My rating: 3/5 stars

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Purchase this book from BN.com

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

After reading the first book I just couldn't wait to get my hands on Catching Fire. In this second book of the Hunger Games series, Katniss, Peeta, and their families are enjoying the life of victors: a nice home, wealth, and plenty of food to eat. Now that she's home, Katniss is having to deal with the affections of two guys: Gale, who has been by her side for years, and Peeta, who she survived the games with and in doing so have formed an undeniable bond, whether she thinks so or not. Unfortunately though for Katniss (and all involved), her last act in the Hunger Games brought some very unwanted attention by the Capitol President. He knows she and Peeta were lying to everyone in order to survive, pretending to be in love. And he's not at all happy with rumors of uprisings in various Districts floating around. Katniss is determined to try her best to quell the rebellion if it means keeping her and everyone she loves safe. But with everyone looking at Katniss as a sign of rebellion, how will she ever be able to put out this fire she started? And who in the end will capture her heart?

My review: This review is going to be fairly short because I don't want to give ANYTHING away, just in case some crazy people haven't read the first book yet. I will say this, I think Katniss showed a lot of courage and strength in this book, even though she feels like she is not really that brave. She is extremely brave and I wonder how far I would be able to go in the same circumstances. We get to see more of Gale in this book, but even with getting to spend more time with him I am still on Team Peeta! I get that Katniss has known Gale longer and so they have a history together, but Peeta just seems so right for her. They complement each other perfectly. I guess to her Gale sort of signifies the safe side of her life, when she was living peacefully with her family. They didn't have delicious food or incredible wealth, but at least things were constant and as close to happy as they could be. And Gale was also a constant in her life, her hunting buddy and confidante, and together they provided for their families. Since she met Peeta though, her whole life has been turned upside down. She's been forced to act like she is madly in love with him even though she barely knew him and the had to survive through the Hunger Games. I'm sure Peeta reminds her of all of the horrible things she's had to endure, but also he's always there for her and supports her. I have to admit, I had the end of this book figured out (for the most part). But it was all still so interesting and I'm still so in love with the story line. I'm definitely ready to read the third book and find out how this series will end!

My rating: 5/5 stars

Follow Friday and Book Blogger Hop (4)



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

This week's question: Do you judge a book by it's cover?

My answer: Yes, most of the time I do! The cover is the first thing you see and if it is visually unappealing I am less likely to even pick it up to see what it's about. The only exception is if I read a good review about a book or have a friend/family member recommend a certain book or series first. The best example I can come up with is Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series. I think the covers are all pretty plain and not all that appealing, so I never really wanted to read them. But one day my co-worker told me I had to give it a try, and after reading One For The Money I've been hooked ever since!!

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

This week's question: Outside of books, what is your guilty pleasure? 

My answer: Hmmm...well I guess I have a few big ones. Number one would be my iPhone and all of the wonderful apps and games. I think the games I play the most on there are Angry Birds, Slingo Supreme, and Cover Orange. Honestly though, usually I don't even get to play because my 3 year old always takes it away from me...he knows how to use an iPhone better than most adults, I swear! My second guilty pleasure: video games! I love a lot of different video games, but mostly they are all on PS3. The genre I'm best at? First person shooters; I love me some Call of Duty: Black Ops! I also love some RPGs (my favorites of the FF series would have to be X and X-2 because of the story line), and I LOVE Kingdom Hearts. Another good one is Portal; I love puzzles games also, love the challenge (and Portal 2 comes out soon!). Lastly: TV! I have shows that I watch EVERY week without fail. Those would be (in no particular order): House, Biggest Loser, Teen Mom/16 and Pregnant (whichever one happens to be on), America's Next Top Model, Top Chef, Tosh.0, Family Guy, Mythbusters, Man Vs. Food...well, the list goes on and on. My newest TV guilty pleasure is The Singing Bee on CMT. I laugh my butt off everytime I watch it; some of those people are awful singers, but kudos to them anyway for having the guts to get up in front of everyone and sing in the first place!

So those are my guilty pleasures. What are yours? Make sure to leave me a link in the comments so I can check your post out too!!

Teaser Tuesday (2)

 

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly 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! (be sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others)

*Share the title and author too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

 

Right now I'm reading Signs Of Life by Natalie Taylor. Here's a picture of the cover and a bit about the book:

 

Twenty-four-year-old Natalie Taylor was leading a charmed life. At the age of twenty four, she had a fulfilling job as a high school English teacher, a wonderful husband, a new house and a baby on the way.  Then, while visiting her sister, she gets the news that Josh has died in a freak accident.  Four months before the birth of her son, Natalie is leveled by loss. 

What follows is an incredibly powerful emotional journey, as Natalie calls upon resources she didn’t even know she had in order to re-imagine and re-build a life for her and her son. In vivid and immediate detail, Natalie documents her life from the day of Josh’s death through the birth their son, Kai, as she struggles in her role as a new mother where everyone is watching her for signs of impending collapse.  With honesty, raw pain, and most surprising, a wicked sense of humor, Natalie recounts the agonies and unexpected joys of her new life.  There is the frustration of holidays, navigating the relationship with her in-laws, the comfort she finds and unlikely friendship she forges in support groups and the utterly breathtaking, but often overwhelming new motherhood.   When she returns to the classroom, she finds that little is more healing than the honesty and egocentricity of teenagers.

 

And without further ado, here's your two teasers!

 

"Suddenly Ashley bursts in and announces in a very loud voice "Oh my god, that is the cutest fucking baby I have ever seen!" I picture Emerson's ghost, in his nicely tailored 1836 suit, jolting at the use of such an obscenity and quietly saying "Oh my," and stepping out of the room."

 

So there's your teaser, and make sure you check out Signs Of Life. What are you reading? I'd love to read your teasers as well, so make sure you leave a link to yours in the comments!

Angel Burn by L.A. Weatherly

Available May 24, 2011. Pre-order from BN.com

Willow knows she's different from other girls, and not just because she loves tinkering with cars. Willow has a gift. She can look into the future and know people's dreams and hopes, their sorrows and regrets, just by touching them. She has no idea where this power comes from. But the assassin, Alex, does. Gorgeous, mysterious Alex knows more about Willow than Willow herself does. He knows that her powers link to dark and dangerous forces, and that he's one of the few humans left who can fight them. When Alex finds himself falling in love with his sworn enemy, he discovers that nothing is as it seems, least of all good and evil. In the first book in an action-packed romantic trilogy, L. A. Weatherly sends readers on a thrill ride of a road trip - and depicts the human race at the brink of a future as catastrophic as it is deceptively beautiful. 

I was able to read this ARC in e-book format through NetGalley. So thanks goes out to them, the author, and the publisher!! This book centers around a girl named Willow. It goes between first person view of Willow to third-person view with Alex and some other more minor characters. Willow is great, she's different and she doesn't care what anyone thinks. She's psychic, can see what lies in a person's future, what different paths will lay before them. She's living with her Aunt Jo and her mom, who is in a catatonic state and can't care for herself. One day one of the popular girls in school comes to her to get a reading. In it, Willow sees that the girl has seen an Angel and is conflicted in what she should do: continue with school or join a new church called the Church of Angels. Since meeting the Angel she can think of little else, but all Willow sees in her future is dark and despair. She tries to persuade her to stick with school, since it seems like the less poor choice. Willow still doesn't know whether to believe that Angels exist or not...until one shows up on her doorstep. Through a series of events, she runs into Alex who saves her life. Alex is an AK (Angel Killer), contracted by the CIA to take out Angels because they are feeding on human life forces and, in turn, killing them. Alex has been sent on a mission to kill Willow, because she is actually a half-Angel, something she had no idea about. At first he's repulsed by the idea that she is one of them, but since the Angels want her dead he knows she's valuable and must be protected at all costs. Soon, however, their feelings for each other become overpowering. Alex and Willow set off on the run together; will they be able to stop the invasion of Angels, or will the only hope for human salvation be destroyed?

My Review: The characters are very well developed in this book, which was a big plus for me. There's a lot of background on the characters so you are really able to connect with them. I really felt for Willow; everyone thought she was weird because she claimed to be psychic. Even her best friend didn't believe her. And having to grow up so fast to take care of her mom would be tough. It definitely molded her into a very mature and responsible person. I also felt for Alex, who never really had a childhood; he was pretty much molded to be an AK when he got old enough and that's really all he knew how to do. Some of the book got kind of monotonous (mostly after she found out she was half-angel). That's pretty much all she dwelled on, although I admit if that happened to me that's probably all I would be able to think about too. But she kept asking Alex if he was sure he wanted to be around her considering what she was; this happened so often I was ready to strangle her myself! And, to me at least, some of the conversations and such were kind of corny and cheesy. It kind of ruined the book for me, because I really wanted to LOVE this book. The plot was so fresh and interesting with the Angels actually being the bad guys, but I just didn't get into this book as much as I had hoped. That being said, I did like the book. Some parts were very intense and had me reading super fast just I could find out what would happen. And I really didn't predict the ending, which is always nice. For the most part the story flowed well and kept me reading. The blooming romance between Alex and Willow was sweet and at the beginning had me saying "Just kiss her already!!". But I guess a lot of books are like that! He had a lot in his past though that made it hard for him to get close to anyone again and she was dealing with a lot in her life, not the least of which was finding out she was half-Angel (something that was previously unheard of). All in all, it was a good read. Definitely worth taking the time to read and I believe this book was previously released in the U.K. titled "Angel" and is part of a series, so I will look forward to reading the rest!

My rating: 3/5 stars

Between Here and Forever by Elizabeth Scott

Available for purchase May 24, 2011. Pre-order from BN.com

Abby accepted that she can’t measure up to her beautiful, magnetic sister Tess a long time ago, and knows exactly what she is: Second best. Invisible.

Until the accident.

Now Tess is in a coma, and Abby’s life is on hold. It may have been hard living with Tess, but it's nothing compared to living without her.

She's got a plan to bring Tess back though, involving the gorgeous and mysterious Eli, but then Abby learns something about Tess, something that was always there, but that she’d never seen.

Abby is about to find out that truth isn't always what you think it is, and that life holds more than she ever thought it could...

I received this ARC as an e-book through Shelf Awareness, so thank you so much to them, the author, and the publisher! In this book we meet Abby, a teenager who's older sister Tess is in a coma after a car accident. Tess is everything Abby isn't: outgoing, beautiful, confident. With Tess in the hospital, more attention is on Abby and she really just wants everything to go back to the way it used to be, with her older sister as the center of attention. She tries everything to wake her up, but one day in walks a completely gorgeous guy. His name is Eli, and when Tess hears his voice, Abby swears she sees Tess react. She becomes convinced that Eli is the only way to get Tess to wake up, so she talks him into helping her. She takes Eli to see Tess and talk to her; sometimes Abby sees a reaction from Tess, sometimes she doesn't. The more she spends time with this boy, the more she falls for him. But he isn't for her, he's for Tess. Abby isn't meant to be happy, she's learned her lesson before. Abby also learns more about her sister's private life, things she never could have imagined. Can Eli save her sister, or will he end up saving her instead?

My review: I was very pleasantly surprised by this book! I loved how it was written in first person from Abby's perspective; I always feel like I get to connect with the character better that way.  Honestly, Abby was pretty depressing. She pretty much lived in Tess's shadow, so she didn't think much of herself. Everyone always wanted to be around Tess but not her. That part did get a little repetitive, her saying over and over again how worthless and ugly she felt. I guess though when your sister gets that much attention, you're basically just cast aside and overlooked so you don't know any different. Abby was also very witty though, she had me giggling several times throughout the book. I liked Eli right away too, he seemed like a really genuine person, the only person (besides Tess's ex-best friend Claire) who really wanted to talk to Abby and get to know her; what she wanted in life and her hopes and dreams. Abby assumed with his good looks that he would be shallow like her sister, but he has insecurities and secrets of his own. I thought the book was really well written. It flowed very nicely and the chapters were short. That ALWAYS means I'm going to finish a book quickly. The chapters are so short that you finish one and say "Ok just one more". Then when you get through that one, you think "Well that was short, maybe just one more". By the time you know it, you're done with the book! One of the characters in the book is harboring a major secret (I guess you may already know which one by now!). By the time the secret comes out in the book I had long since figured out, but I still loved it anyway. It was also kind of sad, which you will understand when you read it. The end sort of left me wanting more, but I really did enjoy this book. It was a quick read and I was able to connect with the characters. I also really love the cover, it is so pretty! This book made me laugh; made me sad, made me happy. Definitely worth reading, make sure you pre-order it now!

My rating: 4/5 stars

Love You More by Lisa Gardner

Purchase this book from BN.com

Synopsis from BN.com:


WHO DO YOU LOVE?
One question, a split-second decision, and Brian Darby lies dead on the kitchen floor. His wife, state police trooper Tessa Leoni, claims to have shot him in self-defense, and bears the bruises to back up her tale. For veteran detective D. D. Warren it should be an open-and-shut case. But where is their six-year-old daughter?

AND HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO . . .

As the homicide investigation ratchets into a frantic statewide search for a missing child, D. D. Warren must partner with former lover Bobby Dodge to break through the blue wall of police brotherhood, seeking to understand the inner workings of a trooper’s mind while also unearthing family secrets. Would a trained police officer truly shoot her own husband? And would a mother harm her own child?

. . . TO SAVE HER?

For Tessa Leoni, the worst has not yet happened. She is walking a tightrope, with nowhere to turn, no one to trust, as the clock ticks down to a terrifying deadline. She has one goal in sight, and she will use every ounce of her training, every trick at her disposal, to do what must be done. No sacrifice is too great, no action unthinkable. A mother knows who she loves. And all others will be made to pay.

Love you more . . .

Brian, a seemingly loving and devoted husband and father, is found dead in his kitchen. The only suspect - his wife, Tessa, who admits to shooting her husband...in self defense. Her face is battered and bruised, but Detective D.D. Warren isn't falling for the innocent act. Because Tessa is a state trooper and her use of force against her husband seems a little extreme, D.D. begins to question Tessa's story. Tessa seems to say all the right things, but something just seems a little off. To make matter's worse Tessa's little daughter Sophie is missing and Tessa insists she has no idea where she could be. With a child's life on the line, will D.D. and her partner on the case, Bobby (her ex) be able to get to the bottom of all of the mysteries and save her, or will they be too late. And with D.D. dealing with some personal issues of her own, will it be too much for her to handle?

My review: I couldn't wait to read this book and I am so gracious to be able to get a free ARC of it through Shelf Awareness from the publisher. I love Lisa Gardner's books and I have read the entire FBI profiler series. I don't know how I missed the D.D. Warren series but I think I'll definitely have to go back and do some catch up, since I started with #5! At first, D.D. came off as pretty hostile and controlling, but I supposed you have to be when you're leading a police task force (especially when you're a woman). She has a really tough exterior, but inside she still has insecurities and fears. She keeps them all bottled up inside though because she hates to show weakness. I was rooting for Tessa the whole time...I knew something was off about her story, because this story goes back and forth between D.D.'s point of view and Tessa's (which I LOVE). It really gave an insight into what she was going through, and it was obvious that what really happened to her husband was something much more than she was letting on. I never for a second thought she knew where her daughter was or had harmed her in any way and I prayed that she would be able to find a way to save her. Even when everything seems bleak though, she never gives up because she loves he daughter and knows she is waiting for her mommy to save her. D.D. is stuck together with her ex, Bobby, investigating this case. It gets a little awkward at times because even though she swears she has no feelings for him anymore, it still seems like she carries a little candle for him and I think is jealous of his having a family. So the characters were very well developed and it was impossible to not get sucked into the story and forget at times that it's fiction. Hoping that they find out the truth in time. Even though this is the 5th book in the series, I didn't feel lost at all, but it definitely made me want to run out and buy the other 4 books! I thought I had the ending figured out several times throughout the book but there were so many twists I didn't see coming. It's full of suspense, which kept me wanting more and I couldn't put the book down! A great, fast-paced read that I would recommend to anyone.

My rating: 5/5 stars