Thursday, March 29, 2012

Winner!

Thank you to everyone that participated in this giveaway!! 
I have added a few more books to my To-Read shelf based on your favorite
Kick-Butt Characters.






The winner for this giveaway is Lis.  I have sent an email notification already.  Remember, I must hear back in 24 hours or I draw another winner.


Thursday, March 22, 2012

Kick Butt Characters



This blog hop features Young Adult novels that feature a "kick butt" character.  I have chosen to give away a copy of


Hush Hush
SIGNED by Becca Fitzpatrick
(Open to US and Internationally)


To be eligible for this giveaway you need to:


First, make sure you are a follower of this site by clicking on the blue "join this site" button (if your picture doesn't come up under followers you won't win the book).


Second, leave a comment with your favorite "kick-butt" character and the book they are in along with your email address so I can contact you in case you win.

This giveaway is running from right now through March 29, 2012 at 11:59 PM (Mountain Time). The winner will be drawn randomly using random.org and the winner will be posted on this blog some time on March 30, 2012 as well as sent an email. If I don't hear back from the winner within 24 hours of my email I will draw another winner.


There are over 150 blogs in this hop all giving away a book so make sure and visit their sites.




Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Scarlet By: A.C. Gaughen

Many readers know the tale of Robin Hood, but they will be swept away by this new version full of action, secrets, and romance.

Posing as one of Robin Hood’s thieves to avoid the wrath of the evil Thief Taker Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire. Only the Hood and his band know the truth: the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. Helping the people of Nottingham outwit the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham could cost Scarlet her life as Gisbourne closes in.

It’s only her fierce loyalty to Robin—whose quick smiles and sharp temper have the rare power to unsettle her—that keeps Scarlet going and makes this fight worth dying for.



I LOVE re-told stories with a twist.  This is the story of Robin Hood.  Scarlet is one of the "merry en", the one we know as Will Scarlet.  She has managed to keep her identity a secret from everyone.  In fact only a handful of people actually know she is actually a girl. 

She is extremely talented at not being noticed and stealing.  She helps Robin mark people for highway toll stops and she is the go to person with needing to break someone out of prison.  Things are going great for her and the guys until they hear that the Sheriff has brought in an expert thief catcher.  Scarlet knows him from her life before Robin Hood and the gang and his presence threatens to bring her past to the present.

I really liked Scarlet.  She was a smart girl and she had learned how to live on her own and to also take care of the people around her.  She doesn't have the personality to turn her head when a stranger is being treated badly, she stands up and fights for what is right.  I think that she is a great role-model, (thief occupation aside) for teens everywhere. 

I also really liked Robin, John and Much.  Robin was my favorite.  He is the ultimate hero.  He cares for Scarlet and is constantly looking over his shoulder to see where she is and tries to do things for her, even when she doesn't want him to. 

The only problem that I had with the book is where you would normally say "was" they had "were" to show a lower class style of speech.  It was really annoying for the first few chapters but after a while I wasn't noticing as much because the story got more intense.

Great Read and I recommend it to everyone!!  :-)

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

The Devil of Jedburgh By: Claire Robyns

The only thing worse than being hand-fasted to the Devil of Jedburgh was falling in love with him.

Raised on rumors of The Devil of Jedburgh, Breghan McAllen doesn't want an arranged marriage to the beast. The arrogant border laird is not the romantic, sophisticated husband Breghan dreams of—despite the heat he stirs within her.

In need of an heir, Arran has finally agreed to take a wife, but when he sees Breghan's fragile beauty, he's furious. He will not risk the life of another maiden by getting her with child. Lust prompts him to offer a compromise: necessary precautions, and hand-fasting for a year and a day, after which Breghan will be free.

For a chance to control her own future, Breghan makes a deal with the Devil. Passion quickly turns to love, but Arran still has no intention of keeping the lass, or making her a mother. He loves her too much to lose her. But when a treasonous plot threatens queen and country, Breghan has to prove only she is woman enough to stand by his side.


This was a pretty good story.  I am a complete sucker for anything to do with Scotland so I jumped at the chance to read this story from NetGalley.

Arran has a reputation, a HUGE reputation.  He is known as the Devil of Jedburgh. Breghan's father sets up a marriage between the two of them and being afraid Breghan runs from her house the night before the wedding.  She meant to cool her head and return but she gets shot by an arrow and is cared for by a gentleman and his two companions.   When she finds out that the gentleman that helps her is the one that she is to marry she decides to hide her identity and try to get away.  

I really liked Arran.  Of course he is a strong man and he leads his people fairly, even if there is a lot of fear involved.  He also has a lot of fears of his own.  He is deeply attracted to Breghan and he wants to be with her but he is afraid.  Breghan is so small of frame that his is afraid of ever letting her carry a child.  Then there is an insecurity of her using the handfasting to barter with her dad for  a future right to marry another man.

Breghan is the youngest in a large family of all boys.  She has been immensely spoiled by both her parents and all of her brothers.  She is quick to speak her opinion and is very sarcastic.  She hates the idea of being forced into marriage and to top that she is now joined with the subject of all her darkest nightmares. 

I loved reading the interaction between these two.  It was cute how both characters wanted the other but the misunderstandings and pride would get in the way.  This is a great romance and I loved that I could read their happily ever after.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Winner !!




Congratulations to our winner, Julci!!

I have sent you an email and you have 48 hours to relpy before I contact another winner. 


 
P.S.  Thank you to everyone for stopping by and sharing your favorite books and series, I have so many new books added to my to-read list!


 

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Random Acts of Kindness Blog Hop

February 17th is Random Acts of Kindness Day and
what better way to celebrate
than participating in a giveaway hop!

For this blog hop I will be giving away either:

A $20.00 Amazon Gift Card (US Only)

Or

a choice of either

Wolves, Boys and Other Things that Might Kill Me By: Kristen Chandler
Or

Crossed By: Ally Condie

(Book choice is open internationally)

To be eligible for this giveaway you need to:

First, make sure you are a follower of this site by clicking on the blue "join this site" button (if your picture doesn't come up under followers you won't win the book).

Second, leave a comment with your favorite book or series and your email address so I can contact you in case you win.



This giveaway is running from right now through February 21, 2012 at 11:59 PM (Mountain Time). The winner will be drawn randomly using random.org and the winner will be posted on this blog some time on February 22, 2012 as well as sent an email. If I don't hear back from the winner within 24 hours of my email I will draw another winner.


There are over 100 blogs in this hop all giving away a book so make sure and visit their sites.



Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Dark Seeker By: Taryn Browning

She's the Seeker. He's the hunted. What's at stake could kill them both...

For 17-year-old Seeker, Janie Grey, ridding the Baltimore streets of the undead is an inherited duty passed down from her Cherokee ancestors. Seeker Training Lesson #1: Never trust the undead. After her father’s tragic death, Janie creates her own life lesson: Love isn’t worth the risk. Both lessons are easy to follow until she encounters the flawed Kai Sterdam. At first, she believes he is the hybrid she is trained to hunt. But, when he has human traits, she determines she doesn’t know what he is. As Janie’s intrigue over who Kai is pushes her deeper into his mysterious past, she discovers a shocking truth that is even more harrowing than the evil they are up against. It’s a secret Kai wants to keep hidden, especially from Janie.




This was a fun, quick read. Janie is a Seeker.  Her job is to protect humanity from vampires, demons and a half breed called Daywalkers. While she is out she runs across Kai.  He moves like a Daywalker and but he doesn't give off the same vibes as one.  Slowly she gets to know him and finds that there are more human traits to him.  As time passes Kai keeps coming out of nowhere and saving her life and soon they develop a friendship/partnership.  Together the two of them learn more about a new threat on her town and need to stop it before more people are in danger.

Janie is a strong girl and a bit reckless.  She has been training to be a seeker for the majority of her life and it is a job that she is very good at.  I like that she was able to go beyond what she has always been told about Daywalkers and she was able to get to know Kai enough to see that they really were on the same side and appearances don't always make the man.  Because of this trait she was able to gain more allies in her fight against the evil she needed to fight. 

Kai was awesome.  He was a great fighter with a dark past/secret that terrified him.  He made sure that he was always available to help Janie and he worked hard at keeping her safe.  I like that even though he wanted to protect her he also let her do things on her own. 

Some of the other characters were great.  There is a vampire named Tanya that I loved.  At first you just see her as a pretty face to stand beside the vampire leader but she was funny and could kick but in heels.  Her mom and her trainer were even pretty cool towards the end of the book.
This was a pretty good story and I have already recommended it to others to read.  Even better is that this is only book one in the series, book two is scheduled to be released this year!

Monday, February 13, 2012

New Books this Week...

Scarlet By: A.C. Gaughen
Posing as one of Robin Hood’s thieves to avoid the wrath of the evil Thief Taker Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire. Only the Hood and his band know the truth: the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. Helping the people of Nottingham outwit the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham could cost Scarlet her life as Gisbourne closes in.  It’s only her fierce loyalty to Robin—whose quick smiles and sharp temper have the rare power to unsettle her—that keeps Scarlet going and makes this fight worth dying for.
Release Date: February 14, 2012



Arcadia Awakens By: Kai Meyer
To Rosa, the exotic world of Sicily, with its network of Mafia families and its reputation for murder and intrigue, is just that, exotic and wholly unknown. But when her life in Brooklyn begins to fall apart, she must travel there, where centuries of family secrets await her.  Once there, Rosa falls head over heels for Alessandro, whose handsome looks and savage grace both fascinate and unsettle her. But their families are sworn enemies, and her aunt and sister believe Alessandro is only using Rosa to infiltrate the Alcantara clan. And when Rosa encounters a tiger one night, a tiger with very familiar eyes,she can no longer deny that things are what they seem.
Release Date: February 14, 2012


Bewitching By: Alex Flinn
I go to a new school now, one where no one knows that I should have graduated long ago. I’m not still here because I’m stupid; I just don’t age.  You see, I’m immortal. And I pretty much know everything after hundreds of years, except for when to take my powers and butt out.  I want to help, but things just go awry in ways I could never predict. Like when I tried to free some children from a gingerbread house. And when I tried to play matchmaker for a French prince and ended up banished from France forever. Now a girl named Emma needs me. I probably shouldn’t get involved, but her gorgeous stepsister is conniving to the core. I think I have just the thing to fix that girl...
Release Date: February 14, 2012



The Vanishing Game By: Kate Kae Myers
Jocelyn's twin brother Jack was the only family she had growing up in a world of foster homes-and now he's dead, and she has nothing. Then she gets a cryptic letter from "Jason December"-the code name her brother used to use when they were children at Seale House, a terrifying foster home that they believed had dark powers. Only one other person knows about Jason December: Noah, Jocelyn's childhood crush and their only real friend among the troubled children at Seale House.  But when Jocelyn returns to Seale House and the city where she last saw Noah, she gets more than she bargained for.
Release Date: February 14, 2012






BOOKS RELEASING NEXT WEEK:


Fever By: Lauren DeStefano (Chemical Garden #2)
Running away brings Rhine and Gabriel right into a trap, in the form of a twisted carnival whose ringmistress keeps watch over a menagerie of girls. Just as Rhine uncovers what plans await her, her fortune turns again. With Gabriel at her side, Rhine travels through an environment as grim as the one she left a year ago - surroundings that mirror her own feelings of fear and hopelessness.  The two are determined to get to Manhattan, to relative safety with Rhine’s twin brother, Rowan. But the road there is long and perilous - and in a world where young women only live to age twenty and young men die at twenty-five, time is precious.
Release Date: February 21, 2012




Faery Tales & Nightmares By: Melissa Marr
Dangerous promises and beguiling threats swirl together in a dozen stories of enchantments dark and light by Melissa Marr. Uncanny and unexpected creatures appear from behind bushes, rise from beneath the seas, or manifest from seasonal storms to pursue the objects of their attention—with amorous or sinister intent—relentlessly.  From the gentle tones of a storyteller’s cadences to the terror of a blood sacrifice, tales of favorite characters from Marr’s Wicked Lovely novels mix with accounts of new characters for readers to fall in love with...or to fear.  Lush, seductive, and chilling, Melissa's stories revel in the unseen magic that infuses the world as we know it.
Release Date: February 21, 2012

Friday, February 3, 2012

The Rogue Pirate's Bride By: Shana Galen

Passionate, action-packed Regency romance by RT Reviewer’s Choice award-winning author Shana Galen features the swashbuckling Sebastien Harcourt, marquis de Valere, and the nautical genius heroine destined to best him. After escaping France on a privateer’s ship, Sebastian becomes the notorious privateer Captain Cutlass. His reputation as a rogue precedes him and he’s undefeated in battle, until he crosses swords with the beautiful daughter of a British admiral. Raeven Russell is out for revenge, but now she’s not so sure she wants the dashing captain to change his wicked ways.




I was pleasantly surprised by this book.  The story is told from the point of view of Sebastien (Captain Cutlass) and Raeven Russell.  Raeven has lived most of her life on a ship with her father, an admiral for the British Navy.  The story starts with Raeven dressed up as a boy and challenging Captain Cutlass to a duel.  (for her to gain revenge for Captain Cutlass killing her fiance in a ship to ship battle)  At first Sebastian sees his young man and knows that there is no competition but doesn't want to hurt him so he tries to play is off, but he doesn't know that Raeven is serious.  As the fight gets more heated he finds out the the boy is actually a girl dressed up, he wins and takes her to his ship as his new Chamber Maid.  Of course she escapes and their fight is on hold until the soon to be future.

I loved the back and forth with Raeven and Sebastian.  Both of them have such strong personalities and instead of one personality becoming more dominate the writer made both of them play off each other and both became stronger through the story.   I really liked how Raeven wasn't useless like most women of that day would be in the situations she found herself in.  She was a hard worker and like to prove her worth to others around her instead of just taking from others to make her life easier.  Sebastien was a great hero.  He was a kind man and always thought of his men and also of Raeven.  He was also proud of her and she was strong and could take care of herself no matter the situation.

There are also some great secondary characters that stole my heart as I read about them.  Mainly Sebastien's old servant/now medic on the ship and Raeven's best friend and cohort, Percy.  I found that when I was at work I would think of where the story left off and I couldn't wait to get home and finish it.  There were many twists and emotions that this story took me through and I loved every minute of reading it.  Great Story!!

Note:  This is an adult romance novel and does have the steamier chapters not suitable for younger audiences.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Transcendent Anthology

Discover the secrets of a siren, fly with a hawk girl over the mountains of Montana, and flee supernatural party-crashers as the décor comes to life in this magical journey through paranormal stories.

Along the way, watch for ghosts in a haunted house, or ride through the moonlight with a stranger. Save a comatose boy who has lost his soul, and don’t forget to bring your garlic and wolfsbane—you never know when the shadows will snag you.

Transcendent includes eight stories of magic, love, death, and choice by some of the newest names in young adult fiction.


This was a great collection of paranormal short stories.  As I read I was wishing that some of the stories were made into more of a stand alone novel instead of a short story.  Here are some of my favorites:

Seduction of a Siren By: Lani Woodland and Melanie Piper
Okay, so Jason is ship-wrecked on an island and is saved by someone.  As he is looking around the area where he lies on the beach he hears her beautiful voice and turns toward her expecting a beautiful woman, instead he sees an incredibly distorted monster.  Parts of her body were skinny while others are voluptuous and her hair was part blond and part black strands with red.  As she reaches out to hold him he scrambles backward and trips over Trevor, the boy that is now dating the love of his life.  The "Woman?" now notices that their are two men on her island and seems confused and distraught that there isn't just one.Trevor loudly mentions how ugly she is and proceeds to make fun of her looks calling her a monster and she seems pretty upset and starts saying it is the boys fault.  As the boys make a plan to run Jason looks at her again and notices that instead of anger she seems more sad and helpless.  Wanting to make her stop crying he tells her that she has beautiful eyes, and that was actually the truth. 

Jason was a great guy, I mean a really great guy.  He did have his issues like all humans but he was mostly good.  He found a girl that was Scary as can be and he sits down with her and makes sure she feels pretty in any little way.  Trevor was a jerk.  Most of the story I hated him and if I am being honest I wished some bad things on him.  This is one story that I really, really wanted to be longer.  There was so much more that we could have explored, time in Greece before the shipwreck, time on the island, plans to get off the island and more.  Plus I would have loved a little more time to develop the relationships with Jason and the Siren (Ann)


Spectre By: Wendy Swore
Marcella and her friend Lissae are shopping for decorations for a party they are throwing while Marcella's parents are out of town.  Marcella is looking for the perfect theme and they are having a hard time finding it while in a store called Spectre. While shopping Marcella tells the employee that they are having a Homecoming party and need novelty decorations that have a "WOW" factor.  He has them follow him through the employee only door and they find everything Marcella is looking for from silken robes to scarecrows, plus the man offers to deliver, set up and take down in the price.  The party is ready.
The day of the party Marcella and Lissae go out to by last minute items and hurry home to decorate to find that it is all done and it all looks amazing plus with her student discount is only cost $50.00.  As Lissae looks out she notices that the scarecrows are all facing her now when she could swear they were facing the other direction just a minute ago...   With the party in full swing and everyone enjoying themselves Marcella and Lissae notice that there are a few party crashers wearing the silk robes that neither of them invited, and the party goes epic from there.
This is another story that would be awesome as its own stand alone novel.  Each new thing that would happen would have been great if given more time to expand and give more detail.  Plus there is a little romance with Lissae and Jack that I would have loved more info and time to make better.  Great story though!

Pumpkin Thief By: Evan Joseph
This story starts with Kira getting ready for a costume party and is finalizing her costume, Sally from Nightmare before Christmas, Very cool.  She turns to pick up her Jack-O-Lantern (Jack Skellington's face) for the contest at the party but it is gone.  Her friend Melinda mentions that on the way to her house she saw a guy with a pumpkin head and a cape and thought is was just his costume but he most have taken her jack-o-lantern.  They laugh a little about a man stealing a pumpkin and drive the few blocks to the party instead of walk because a man on a motorcycle was following Kira a few days ago.

At the party were it seems everyone but her had a date Kira is feeling a little uncomfortable and decides to go outside where their are less people making out.  While outside she starts to relax and enjoy the night.  Suddenly she hears noises behind some trees and a man on a horse is galloping toward her wearing her pumpkin on his head!

This was a great story.  Again, I loved the idea of this story and thought that if there were more detail and character development this could make a great stand alone.  Kira was in an already uncomfortable situation, being at a party were everyone was coupled out except her and in rides, quite literally, a hero to be with her.  The banter between her and Jim when they first met was smooth and easy to believe. 



All of the story's in this book had the paranormal elements and most had real romance elements.  Some were just a hug/kiss and others more of a love connection.  All of the books were clean as well so it makes this book easier to suggest to others to read as there is no swearing or sex.  Great job to all of the authors that contributed.

You can find it on Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/Transcendent-Tales-Paranormal-Lani-Woodland/dp/0615572324/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1327900862&sr=1-1

Monday, January 30, 2012

New Books this Week...

Midnight in Austenland By: Shannon Hale
When Charlotte Kinder treats herself to a two-week vacation at Austenland, she happily leaves behind her ex-husband and his delightful new wife, her ever-grateful children, and all the rest of her real life in America. She dons a bonnet and stays at a country manor house that provides an immersive Austen experience, complete with gentleman actors who cater to the guests' Austen fantasies.  Everyone at Pembrook Park is playing a role, but increasingly, Charlotte isn't sure where roles end and reality begins. And as the parlor games turn a little bit menacing, she finds she needs more than a good corset to keep herself safe.
Release Date: January 31, 2012



Wings of the Wicked By: Courtney Allison Moulton
Balancing real life with the responsibility of being Heaven’s warrior is a challenge for Ellie. Her relationship with Will has become all business, though they both long for each other. And now that the secret of who she really is has come out, so have Hell’s strongest reapers. Grown bold and more vicious, the demonic threaten her in the light of day and stalk her in the night.  Cadan, a demonic reaper, comes to her with information about Bastian’s new plan to destroy Ellie’s soul and use an ancient relic to wake all the souls of the damned and unleash them upon humanity.
Release Date: January 31, 2012



Halflings By: Heather Burch
After being inexplicably targeted by an evil intent on harming her at any cost, Nikki finds herself under the watchful guardianship of three mysterious young men who call themselves halflings. Sworn to defend her, misfits Mace, Raven and Vine battle to keep Nikki safe while hiding their deepest secret, and the wings that come with.  A growing attraction between Nikki and two of her protectors presents a whole other danger. While she risks a broken heart, Mace and Raven could lose everything, including their souls.
Release Date: February 1, 2012





Harbinger By: Sara Wilson Etienne
When Faye arrives at Holbrook Academy, she doesn't expect to find herself exactly where she needs to be. After years of strange waking visions and nightmares, her only comfort the bones of dead animals, Faye is afraid she's going crazy. Fast. But her first night at Holbrook, she feels strangely connected to the school and the island it sits on, like she's come home. She's even made her first real friends, but odd things keep happening to them. Every morning they wake on the floors of their dorm rooms with their hands stained red. Faye knows she's the reason, but what does it all mean?
Release Date: February 2, 2012




Shadow Heir By: Richelle Mead
Shaman-for-hire Eugenie strives to keep the mortal realm safe from trespassing entities. But as the Thorn Land's prophecy-haunted queen, there's no refuge for her and her soon-to-be-born-children when a mysterious blight begins to devastate the Otherworld.  The spell-driven source of the blight isn't the only challenge to Eugenie's instincts. Fairy king Dorian is sacrificing everything to help, but Eugenie can't trust the synergy drawing them back together. The uneasy truce between her and her shape shifter ex-lover Kiyo is endangered by secrets he can't--or won't--reveal.
Release Date: February 2, 2012

Friday, January 27, 2012

Stolen Away By: Alyxandra Harvey

For seventeen years, Eloise Hart had no idea the world of Faery even existed. Now she has been abducted and trapped in the Rath of Lord Strahan, King of Faery. Strahan was only meant to rule for seven years, as Faery tradition dictates, and then give up his crown to another. But he won't comply, and now chaos threatens both worlds.

The only one who can break his stranglehold on the Faery court is his wife. . . Eloise's aunt Antonia. Using Eloise to lure Antonia, Strahan captures his wife, desperate to end the only threat to his reign. Now Eloise must become the rescuer. Together with her best friends Jo and Devin, she must forge alliances with other Fae, including a gorgeous protector named Lucas, and Strahan's mysterious son, Eldric-who may or may not betray them.




I love Alyxandra Harvey's Drake Chronicles and I was so excited to read this book!  This story is told from the point of view of two best friends, Eloise and Jo.  Eloise and Jo are both very different girls.  Jo lives some of the time on her grandparents farm and is used to hard work.  Eloise lives with her single mother in an apartment and is home alone quite often.  Both girls are pulled into a power struggle with the fae and need to help in order to restore peace to the seasons.  Along the way they find out that Eloise's aunt, Antonia, is married to the current faery king that is causing all of the problems and she is the only one that can restore order.

I loved reading both girls stories and experiences but it was hard to tell who's head I was in, I know it tells you at the beginning of the chapter but I forget as I read.  Both girls sounded about the same as they told their stories.  I really liked the guys in this story.  Lucas was a fae from the Hawk clan and was able to shape shift into the bird of prey.  We was Eloise's protector through the whole book and you could see that he really cared for her.  I really liked Eldric, the evil king's son.  To me, he was so troubled.  He had feelings for Jo and wanted to protect her but he didn't want to defy his father and also believed that he was evil. 

Overall this was a good read.  Plus it is a stand alone novel so no cliff hanger ending!  The story was great and I liked how she put in a few different elements to faeries that other books don't. (Hawk/Deer/Swan clans.) 

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Kiss of Twilight By: Loribelle Hunt

Kara Stone wants two things in life: to be merged with a demon so that she can become a full
...Dupree Jackson is everything a senior soldier of the Order of Templar should be. Cold. Unbreakable. A master at arms in the fight against demons. But as a hybrid, Dupree is beginning to lose himself to the demon half of his soul. One woman has the power to save him. If he lets her.
Kara Stone wants two things in life: to be merged with a demon so that she can become a full member of the Order; and Dupree Jackson. She knows they are meant to be together, if only Dupree would love her back.

Though his desire for Kara is undeniable, Dupree's need to protect her is stronger. Not wanting to see her merge, to face the internal struggle he deals with every day, he refuses to bond with her. But when Kara becomes a target and uncovers a dark secret about her past, Dupree may no longer have a choice...
******

Warning:  This is an Adult Paranormal Romance and this book contains scenes not approprient for younger readers.


I liked the idea of this story.  I am all about demons and hunters and I like that the Templar's bond themselves to a demon to become stronger.  This story is written from the point of view of Dupree and Kara.  I really like when authors do this because I am able to see more of the story and feel more emotions.

Kara was a fun character.  She was smart and goal oriented.  She could also fight and was willing to do so even if she wasn't as strong as the other Templar's. I liked the back and forth between her and Dupree.  She new she wanted him and to do so she had to chip away at his willpower until he gave up trying to protect her. I thought she did a wonderful job. 

Dupree was a strong hero that has already had a long and hard life.  He was always thinking of others before himself and he made a great friend to most of the major characters, even those of a different species. 

This was a quick, fun read.  This is an adult paranormal so there are sex scenes described.

Monday, January 23, 2012

New Books this Week...

High School of the Dead By: Diasuke Sato and Shouji Sato
Takashi and his fellow students join up with a band of survivors who have barricaded themselves inside a local mall. Though the shopping center seems a well-stocked place to hide from the undead lurking outside, the policewoman in charge is having a hard time maintaining peace within. The group from Fujimi High would rather not get involved in a power struggle and tries to stay under the radar until they are ready to set off again. But with so many attractive, buxom girls among the students, it may be nearly impossible to avoid unwanted attention of the worst kind.
Release Date: January 23, 2012



Life Eternal By: Yvonne Woon
Renée Winters has changed. When she looks in the mirror, a beautiful girl with an older, sadder face stares back. Her condition has doctors mystified, but Renée can never reveal the truth: she died last May, and was brought back to life by the kiss of her Undead soul mate, Dante Berlin.  Now, her separation from Dante becomes almost unbearable. His second life is close to an end, and each passing day means one less that she will spend with the boy who shares her soul.  Just when Renée has almost given up hope, she learns of the Nine Sisters, brilliant scholars who, according to legend, found a way to cheat death.
Release Date: January 24, 2012


Everneath By: Brodi Ashton
Last spring, Nikki vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath. Now she's returned before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.   She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes, six months to find redemption.  Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.
Release Date: January 24, 2012



Forbidden By: Syrie James and Ryan M. James
She should not exist.  He should not love her.  Claire has been attending Emerson Academy for two years now and she’s desperate to stay put for the rest of high school. So there’s no way she’s going to tell her mom about the psychic visions she’s been having or the creepy warnings that she’s in danger. Alec is fed up with his duties to watch and, when necessary, eliminate the descendants of his angelic forefathers. He chose Emerson as the ideal hiding place where he could be normal for once. He hadn’t factored Claire into his plans.
Release Date: January 24, 2012



Havoc By: Jeff Sampson
Emily thought life would return to normal after the death of the man who attacked her and her fellow “Deviants.” Or as normal as it could be, after discovering that she has nighttime superpowers, and she’s a werewolf. But when Emily awakes one night to find an otherworldy Shadowman watching her, she knows the danger has only just begun. Emily and her pack-mates set out to find the people who made them what they are, and why. But as they get closer to the truth, they realize they aren’t the only ones in town with special powers.
Release Date: January 24, 2012




Caged By Damnation By: J.D. Stroube
In a matter of weeks, Savannah has ascended, overcome a prince of darkness, and lost one whom she loved. Her powers have become a liability in the wake of her shattered world. She knows her visions cannot be real and yet are as unquestionable as the air she breathes. Her only solace is the demise of the evil that would have destroyed her loved ones, but can evil ever truly die?   Willow watches as Savannah spirals into chaos, but is unable to help. She must answer Death’s ultimatum with one of her own.
Release Date: January 24, 2012





Daughter of the Centars By: Kate Klimo
Malora knows what she was born to be: a horse wrangler and a hunter, just like her father. But when her people are massacred by batlike monsters called Leatherwings, Malora will need her horse skills just to survive. The last living human, Malora roams the wilderness at the head of a band of magnificent horses, relying only on her own wits, strength, and courage. When she is captured by a group of centaurs and taken to their city, Malora must decide whether the comforts of her new home and family are worth the parts of herself she must sacrifice to keep them.
Release Date: January 24, 2012
(read my review here)

Friday, January 20, 2012

The Pledge By: Kimberly Derting

In the violent country of Ludania, the classes are strictly divided by the language they speak. The smallest transgression, like looking a member of a higher class in the eye while they are speaking their native tongue, results in immediate execution. Seventeen-year-old Charlaina has always been able to understand the languages of all classes, and she's spent her life trying to hide her secret. The only place she can really be free is the drug-fueled underground clubs where people go to shake off the oppressive rules of the world they live in. It's there that she meets a beautiful and mysterious boy named Max who speaks a language she's never heard before . . . and her secret is almost exposed.

Charlie is intensely attracted to Max, even though she can't be sure where his real loyalties lie. As the emergency drills give way to real crisis and the violence escalates, it becomes clear that Charlie is the key to something much bigger: her country's only chance for freedom from the terrible power of a deadly regime.



Wow, another great book!!  So far 2012 looks very promising for my read books. 
The land Charlie lives in has been split up into a class system.  Each of the classes can only understand one main language and the language of their social class (eg. Merchant/Vendor, Cabinet, Servant).  Charlie is unlike everyone in that she can understand and speak all of the languages.  She has always tried to keep this secret to herself and her family because if it was found out that she can understand above her class she can be executed.

Trouble surrounds the town and are getting more and more violent with the rebels encroaching closer to the city limits.  Emergency drills are becoming more common and Charlie is told by her parents to take care of her sister and no matter what, don't let people know who you are.

Charlie officially meets Max at an underground club in the City were the social rules aren't enforced.  She is able to talk to anyone there and not worry about being executed.  While at the club she finds out that Max and his two friends are speaking a language she has never heard before but she can understand them.  This makes Charlie very nervous and she doesn't know what to think.  She also meets another mysterious man at the same club named Xander.  He is very kind to her and makes her feel safe but there is something between him and Max.  Violence escalates in the City and she is forced to go to an underground safe area and both boys collide in her world.  They no something about Charlie that even she doesn't understand.

Charlie is a fun character.  She is born into the Vendor/Merchant class and her parents own and operate a restaurant near the City Square.  She is very sure of herself and finds it hard to look away or at the floor when around people of higher social classes.  She has two friends that have been her best friends since she was a child and they are very much a large part of her life. 

This story helps break social classes and shows that people of all levels in life can be friends and work together.  I liked that Charlie was true to herself and she didn't bow down to others even though it could kill her in a heartbeat.

This is a great story and I encourage everyone to read it.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Shattered Soulds By: Mary Lindsey

Lenzi hears voices and has visions - gravestones, floods, a boy with steel gray eyes. Her boyfriend, Zak, can't help, and everything keeps getting louder and more intense. Then Lenzi meets Alden, the boy from her dreams, who reveals that she's a reincarnated Speaker - someone who can talk to and help lost souls - and that he has been her Protector for centuries.

Now Lenzi must choose between her life with Zak and the life she is destined to lead with Alden. But time is running out: a malevolent spirit is out to destroy Lenzi, and he will kill her if she doesn't make a decision soon.

I loved this book! My mom gave it to me to read after telling me how much she loved it. This book is from the point of view of Lenzi. She has the ability to hear ghosts and it is her job to help them cross over. Usually this entails just listening to them or delivering a message, but some times the ghosts can be so mad that they are require an exorcism. She is reincarnated into new lives over and over with her protector and her memories to continue to help, but for some reason this time she can't remember any of her past lives. Luckily she isn't alone in this. Her protector Alden is teaching her what to do and is slowly helping her gain her confidence.

Lenzi has a lot of things to deal with. She thinks that she is going crazy because she is hearing voices, finds out that she has had many past lives involving a handsome stranger (Alden) and she has to learn how to help these ghosts cross over. She is a very strong girl and doesn't loose it as much as I probably would in her situation. I like that she was careful around Alden at first. She did feel safe with him and he seemed familiar but she didn't go running to him immediately.

Alden is the perfect hero for this story. He balances out Lenzi so well. He really is her strength were she starts falling short and helps her through all of her problems. Of course it can't be too easy, he is a little hard headed and sometimes censors what is going on so she doesn't have to bear too much at once. That flaw is what makes him the perfect hero, I can't imagine characters that are too perfect.

The supporting characters are fun as well. We get to met too other protectors that are friend of Lenzi and Alden and they get to help out along the way. They have great personalities and were also able to shed more light on the story so we could see more of Lenzi's past memories.

There is action in this book and one very upset soul that is set on killing Lenzi. I loved the story, characters and conclusion in this book. This is definitely one book I will own and probably re-read again and again.


Monday, January 16, 2012

New Books this Week...

Hallowed By: Cynthia Hand
For months Clara trained to face the forest fire from her visions and rescue  Christian from the blaze. Nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her purpose is not as straightforward as she thought. Torn between her increasingly complicated feelings for Christian and her boyfriend, Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the day of the fire. As she is drawn further into the world of part angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings, Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone close to her will die in a matter of months.
Release Date: January 17, 2012



Fracture By: Megan Miranda
Eleven minutes passed before Delaney was pulled from the icy waters of a Maine lake by her best friend. By then her heart had stopped beating. Her brain had stopped working. She was dead. And yet she somehow defied medical precedent to come back seemingly fine-despite the scans that showed significant brain damage. Everyone wants Delaney to be all right, but she knows she's far from normal. Pulled by strange sensations she can't control or explain, Delaney finds herself drawn to the dying. Then Delaney meets Troy Varga, who recently emerged from a coma with similar abilities.
Release Date: January 17, 2012





Tempest By: Julie Cross
The year is 2009. Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun.  That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future.
Release Date: January 17, 2012




Stolen Away By: Alyxandra Harvey
For seventeen years, Eloise had no idea the world of Faery even existed. Now she has been abducted and trapped in the Rath of Lord Strahan, King of Faery. Strahan was only meant to rule for seven years, as Faery tradition dictates, and then give up his crown to another. But he won't comply, and now chaos threatens both worlds.  The only one who can break his stranglehold on the Faery court is his wife, Eloise's aunt Antonia. Using Eloise to lure Antonia, Strahan captures his wife, desperate to end the only threat to his reign. Now Eloise must become the rescuer.
Release Date: January 17, 2012




Halflings By: Heather Burch
After being inexplicably targeted by an evil intent on harming her at any cost,  Nikki finds herself under the watchful guardianship of three mysterious young men who call themselves halflings. Sworn to defend her, Mace, Raven, and Vine battle to keep Nikki safe while hiding their deepest secret,and the wings that come with.  A growing attraction between Nikki and two of her protectors presents a whole other danger. As the mysteries behind the boys' powers, as well as her role in a scientist's dark plan, unfold, Nikki is faced with choices that will affect the future of an entire race of heavenly beings.
Release Date: January 17, 2012

Friday, January 13, 2012

YA Faeries and Fantasy WINNER!!!



The Winner of The Iron Knight goes to...

Martina Koleva


Also a HUGE thank you to everyone that stopped by my blog.  I have so many great books to check out because of all of your comments and recommendations.  I can't wait to start reading all of your favorites!!

Thursday, January 5, 2012

YA Faeries & Fantasy Giveaway Blog Hop



I am part of another AWESOME blog hop giveaway!!!  This time all of the blogs involved are giving away young adult books with faeries or fantasy characters.


I will be giving away a copy of




To be eligible for this giveaway you need to:

First, make sure you are a follower of this site by clicking on the blue "join this site" button (if your picture doesn't come up under followers you won't win the book). 

Second, leave a comment with your favorite faery or fantasy book and your email address so I can contact you in case you win.


This giveaway is running from Friday, January 6, 2012 at 12:01 AM through Thursday January 12, 2012 at 11:59 PM. The winner will be drawn randomly using random.org and the winner will be posted on this blog Friday January 13, 2012 as well as sent an email.  If I don't hear back from the winner within 24 hours of my email I will draw another winner.


This drawing is open to the US and international followers.

 There are over 100 blogs in this hop all giving away a book so make sure and visit their sites.

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Picture Perfect By: Lanie Kincaid

Rae Madison is the other woman.
She didn’t mean to be. She’s been waiting for her big break – a show for her art photography – and paying the bills doing surveillance for a PI. The only problem is the last cheating husband that came across her desk is her boyfriend. Not only does he have a wife and kids, she isn’t even his only girlfriend!

Colby Williams is the right man.
He’s been biding his time, straightening out his own mess of a life. He can handle waiting while Rae’s heart heals . . . he’s already waited this long. But just as things are finally coming together for them, everything goes wrong – and right.

Rae has finally landed her art gallery showing, and just like Colby always knew she would be, she’s suddenly very popular. Will her dream take her away from the love they have found?



I got this book from Netgalley for review and I laughed when I read the first chapter.  Rae is currently working for a private investigator and her newest client wants to find out about her cheating husband.  Rae is devastated as she finds out that her current boyfriend is the cheating husband, she had NO idea!  And, it turns out that he has other girlfriends. With that relationship ended she finds comfort in hanging out with her friends watching crime dramas and movies every week.  One of those friends is Colby.  He is a down to earth lawyer that is infatuated with Rae but knows that he must wait to start anything with her because of her recent downfalls in the love department. 

I loved Colby!!  He is such a sweetheart and he tries so hard to be the perfect man for Rae.  This book is told from both Rae and Colby's points of view so it was nice to actually see his motive and reasoning for the things he did for Rae instead of just the actions.  It made me love him even more!  Rae has had a hard time lately and just wants something good to happen... It was fun to see Colby through her eyes and at the same time frustrating.  I knew both sides and it was hard to watch the back and forth (he-said-she-said) that takes place in romance fiction.

This was a cute story with a great happily ever after and quite a few laugh out loud moments.

Monday, January 2, 2012

New Books for the Next Two Weeks....

Calla has always welcomed war. But now that the final battle is upon her, there’s more at stake than fighting. There’s saving Ren, even if it incurs Shay’s wrath. There’s keeping Ansel safe, even if he’s been branded a traitor. There’s proving herself as the pack’s alpha, facing unnamable horrors, and ridding the world of the Keepers’ magic once and for all. And then there’s deciding what to do when the war ends. If Calla makes it out alive, that is. In the final installment of the Nightshade trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Andrea Cremer creates a novel with twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat until its final pages. A dynamic end to this breathtaking trilogy.   Release Date: January 3, 2012.


Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl.  Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future. Release Date: January 3, 2012




Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. She's stuck at JFK, late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's in seat 18C. Hadley's in 18A.
Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.  Release Date: January 2, 2012





She fell for him in a nighttime world. But the time for dreaming is past—and the here-and-now can be just as fragile their love.  When Theia Alderson first encountered a mysterious, handsome boy in her dreams, she never imagined how finding Haden Black—and falling in love—could change her life. To save Haden, Theia sacrificed everything. And the dangerous bargain she made could have lasting repercussions. Now Theia has returned to Serendipity Falls, and she finds herself struggling with the same deadly hungers that have tortured Haden. When students at their high school fall prey to a mysterious illness, Theia can’t help but wonder if Haden’s control is slipping—and how much longer she’ll have a grip on her own. Release Date: January 3, 2012


Wilde Island is in an uproar after the recent death of its king. The uneasy pact between dragons, fairies, and humans is fraying, and a bloodthirsty witch hunter with a hidden agenda whips villages into frenzies with wild accusations. Tess, a blacksmith’s daughter from a tiny hamlet near the mysterious Dragonswood, finds herself caught in the crosshairs of fate when she is accused of witchery and has to flee for her life along with her two best friends.  Not even Tess’s power to see the future can help the girls as they set off on their desperate journey, but she keeps having visions of a man wielding a sword. And when she finally meets him, Tess has no idea how to handle the magnetic attraction she feels for him, or the elusive call she hears from the heart of the Dragonswood.  Release Date: January 5, 2012



High school senior Justina Griffith was never the girl who dreamed of going to prom. Designer dresses and strappy heels? Not her thing. So she never expected her best friend, Ian Clark, to ask her.Ian, who always passed her the baseball bat handle first.  Ian, who knew exactly when she needed red licorice.  Ian, who promised her the most amazing night at prom.  And then ditched her. Now, as the sun rises over her small town, and with only the help of some opinionated ladies at the 7-Eleven, Justina must piece together — stain by stain on her thrift-store dress — exactly how she ended up dateless. A three-legged Chihuahua was involved. Along with a demolition derby-ready Cadillac. And there was that incident at the tattoo parlor. Plus the flying leap from Brian Sontag's moving car...  Release Date: January 10, 2012


High school can be a battlefield, but for Lily Parker, surviving at St. Sophia’s School for Girls is a matter of life and death.  Protecting Chicago from the dark side can be an exhausting job, especially when you’re a junior. So when the girls of St. Sophia’s start gearing up for Sneak, their fall formal, Lily decides to join in on some good, old-fashioned party prep—even if it means not giving demons, vampires and the twisted magic users known as Reapers her undivided attention. But when a Reaper infiltrates the school, Lily doesn’t forget what she’s sworn to protect. She reaches deep into herself to draw out her magic—and finds that it’s gone. And it turns out she’s not alone. A magical blackout has slammed through paranormal Chicago, and no one knows what—or who—caused it.  Release Date: January 3, 2012


Nastasya has lived for hundreds of years, but for some reason, life never seems to get any better. She left her spoiled, rich girl life to find peace at River's Edge, a safe haven for wayward immortals. There, she learned to embrace River's Edge, despite some drama involving the sexy Reyn, who she wants but won't allow herself to have. But just as she's getting comfortable, her family's ties to dark magick force her to leave. She falls back into her old, hard partying ways, but will her decision lead her into the hands of a dark immortal? Or will it be her first step to embracing the darkness within her?  Release Date: January 2, 2012


After six hundred years on Earth, Seraphina Ames has seen it all. Eternal life provides her with the world's riches but at a very high price: innocent lives. Centuries ago, her boyfriend, Cyrus, discovered a method of alchemy that allows them to take the bodies of other humans from jumping from one vessel to the next, ending the human's life in the process. No longer able to bear the guilt of what she's done, Sera escapes from Cyrus and vows to never kill again. Then sixteen-year old Kailey Morgan gets into a horrific car accident right in front of her, and Sera accidentally takes over her body while trying to save her. For the first time, Sera finds herself enjoying the life of the person she's inhabiting--and falling in love with the boy who lives next door.  Release Date: January 3, 2012


When Evie Tremain discovers that she’s the last in a long line of Demon slayers and that she’s being hunted by an elite band of assassins –Shapeshifters, Vampires and Mixen demons amongst them – she knows she can’t run. They’ll find her wherever she goes. Instead she must learn to stand and fight. But when the half-human, half-Shadow Warrior Lucas Gray - is sent to spy on Evie and then ordered to kill her before she can fulfil a dangerous prophecy, their fates become inextricably linked. The war that has raged for one thousand years between humans and demons is about to reach a devastating and inevitable conclusion. Either one or both of them will die before this war ends.  Release Date: January 5, 2012


Isobel’s life is falling apart. Her mom just married some guy she met on the internet only three months before, and is moving them to his sprawling, gothic mansion off the coast of nowhere. Goodbye, best friend. Goodbye, social life. Hello, icky new stepfather, crunchy granola town, and unbelievably good-looking, officially off-limits stepbrother. But on her first night in her new home, Isobel starts to fear that it isn’t only her life that’s unraveling—her sanity might be giving way too. Because either Isobel is losing her mind, just like her artist father did before her, or she’s seeing ghosts. Either way, Isobel’s fast on her way to being the talk of the town for all the wrong reasons.  Release Date: January 3, 2012

 
Dez is one of the last of her kind, part of a nearly extinct race of shape-shifters descended from guardians to the Egyptian pharaohs. Her home and her secret are threatened when the Council lowers the barrier, allowing the enemy race to enter the Shythe haven.  As the Narcolym airships approach, Dez and her friends rebel against their Council and secretly train for battle. When Dez’s newfound power rockets out of control, it’s a Narcolym who could change her fate,  if she can trust him. Dez’s guarded world crumbles when she discovers why the Narcos have really come to Haven Falls, and she's forced to choose between the race who raised her and the enemy she's feared her whole life.  Release Date: January 10, 2012



As the last heiress of the House of North, Alissa knows that striking up a secret friendship with a half-vampire enforcer is dangerous, but Merrick is a temptation she can't resist. But when Alissa is kidnapped, Merrick proves that he will do anything to protect the woman who tempts him with her very existence.  Release Date: January 3, 2012

 
In the years following the destructive Long Winter, when half the world’s population perished, the State remains locked in battle against the Sensitives: humans born with extra abilities. As one of the last descendants of the State’s Founders, seventeen-year-old Lark Greene knows her place: study hard and be a model citizen so she can follow in her family’s footsteps. Her life’s been set since birth, and she’s looking forward to graduating and settling down with Beck, the boy she’s loved longer than she can remember.  However, after Beck is accused of being Sensitive and organizing an attack against Lark, he disappears. Heartbroken and convinced the State made a mistake, Lark sets out to find him and clear his name.  Release Date: January 6, 2012




Allie's world is falling apart. She hates her school. Her brother has run away from home. And she's just been arrested.  Again.  This time her parents have finally had enough. They cut her off from her friends and send her away to a boarding school for problem teenagers.  But Cimmeria Academy is no ordinary school. Its rules are strangely archaic. It allows no computers or phones. Its students are an odd mixture of the gifted, the tough and the privileged. And then there's the secretive Night School, whose activities other students are forbidden even to watch. When Allie is attacked one night the incident sets off a chain of events leading to the violent death of a girl at the summer ball. Release Date: January 5, 2012