Wednesday, February 29, 2012

"Waiting On" Wednesday #13



"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we are eagerly anticipating.


Right now what I really want to read is:
Blackbirds
Blackbirds (Miriam Black #1)
by Chuck Wendig 
Expected publication: April 24th 2012 by Angry Robot 
Miriam Black knows when you will die. She’s foreseen hundreds of car crashes, heart attacks, strokes, and suicides.
But when Miriam hitches a ride with Louis Darling and shakes his hand, she sees that in thirty days Louis will be murdered while he calls her name. Louis will die because he met her, and she will be the next victim.
No matter what she does she can’t save Louis. But if she wants to stay alive, she’ll have to try.
____________________________


 This cover is to die for, right? And the story sounds even better! 


What are you waiting on this week?

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Teaser Tuesday #13


Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along, just do as 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 any spoilers so as not to ruin the book for others.

Make sure to share the title and the author so other TT participants can add the book to their TBR piles.

The Kingdom (Graveyard Queen #2)
"I took a moment to enjoy the familiar library scent before approaching the counter. I'd always loved the smell of old books and records and could happily immerse myself for hours in musty archives." 
At 3% of The Kingdom by Amanda Stevens


What's your teaser this week?

Monday, February 27, 2012

Review: Putting Boys on the Ledge by Stephanie Rowe

Putting Boys On The Ledge (Book 1, A Girlfriend's Guide to Boys Series)
Putting Boys on the Ledge 
(A Girlfriend's Guide To Boys #1)
by Stephanie Rowe


Meet Blueberry Waller, whose name is the only interesting thing about her life. Until now.

Not only is Blue dealing with the worst name in the world, crazy parents and a clingy younger sister, she just got a part in the school play. And now she’s acting with Heath Cavendish, total crush-worthy senior. He would never give a second look to a girl like Blue. Except he has.

Her friends say Blue should play it cool, put Heath on the Ledge so she can keep the upper hand. Trouble is, she doesn’t know how to be clever around boys. Thankfully her pal Colin offers his help in teaching her how to get the guy. But he’s just being a good friend. Isn’t he?

Suddenly the wallflower is getting all the attention. But will being in the spotlight keep Blue from making the right decisions...for her?

A Girlfriend’s Guide to Boys: For these four friends, understanding the world of boys is only half the battle.

October 31st 2011
TKA Distribution

__________________________

My Review
4 stars

Blueberry Waller is fourteen-years-old and has just learned from her friends about putting boys on The Ledge. The Ledge is an emotional place, it's about making boys suffer and putting girls in control. Instead of having him blowing you off and making you feel bad, you do it first. You should always keep him teetering close to The Ledge so he never treats you badly. Especially if you like him and he likes you.

But when she meets hottie senior Heath Cavindish on her first day of high school during musical tryouts, the last she wants is to put him on The Ledge. She just wants him to like her. A lot. She has a lot of internal dialogues and totally feaks out over the smallest things. But, surprisingly enough, she gets Heath's attention, and he invites her to a party. There, things start to get a bit more spicy than Blue is ready for, and when he tries to kiss her, Blue freaks out over not knowing how to kiss and walks out on him. Which, obviously, just makes him want her more.

Her friends convince her that the only way to learn how to kiss is to practice, and so they suggest she practice it with nice boy Colin Bradshaw, who is taking care of all the animals at her place while she's busy with theater. Colin seems happy enough to help... and Blue enjoys it much more than she expected... and ends up very excited to try it out with Heath, much to Colin's dismay.

But then Blue's friends start to mention a few stories about Heath's reputation, and when Blue finally sees him for who he really is... she sees Colin with another girl, and realizes maybe she's been missing what was right under her nose.

It was nice to see Blue growing up throughout the book. I also liked to see the previews of the other books in the series with Blue's friends, which were all very interesting and different for each other.

I thought this was a very cute, short book, perfect for young audiences. The story has a very strong sense of friendship and family in it, and the romance was quite innocent and lovely. It was a very light, pleasant read.

*I received an eARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #11



It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Book Journey
Welcome to It’s Monday!  What Are You Reading?  This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well… you never know where that next “must read” book will come from!

I'm Currently Reading:
White WitchThings Your Dog Doesn't Want You to Know: Eleven Courageous Canines Tell All


Finished:


Currently ReadingViralAfter the Snow

Reviews posted:
Pure (Pure #1) by Julianna Baggott
After the Snow by S.D. Crockett, Sophie Crockett

Next Reads:
The Kingdom (Graveyard Queen #2)

What are you reading this week?

Sunday, February 26, 2012

In My Mailbox #13



In My Mailbox is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Story Siren.


(terrible pic, sorry)
This was my only new physical book this week. I swapped it online.


From Netgalley (for review) I got:

The Kingdom (Graveyard Queen #2)Things Your Dog Doesn't Want You to Know: Eleven Courageous Canines Tell All


What did you get this week?


Saturday, February 25, 2012

On My Wishlist #4



On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It's where we list all the books we desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming.


Tramps Like Us, Vol. 14

Tramps Like Us, Vol. 14Yayoi Ogawa
Publication Date: February 5, 2008 by TokyoPop
The final volume of Tramps Like Us marks the end of Sumire and Momo...but the beginning of Sumire and Takeshi as Momo sheds his pet status and becomes Sumire's love. But the first step in their newfound relationship will not be easy as Sumire undergoes the make-or-break task of meeting Takeshi's family! Will the "Demon Sister Quartet" live up to their name? Or will Sumire charm her way into their hearts?
_____________________

This manga has been on my Wishlist for a while now. It's out of print, which is very frustrating. I have yet to find a  good used copy (that's not too expensive). :(


What's on your wishlist?

Friday, February 24, 2012

Review: After the Snow by S.D. Crockett, Sophie Crockett

After the Snow
After the Snow
by S.D. Crockett, Sophie Crockett


Fifteen-year-old Willo was out hunting when the trucks came and took his family away. Left alone in the snow, Willo becomes determined to find and rescue his family, and he knows just who to talk with to learn where they are. He plans to head across the mountains and make Farmer Geraint tell him where his family has gone.

But on the way across the mountain, he finds Mary, a refugee from the city, whose father is lost and who is starving to death. The smart thing to do would be to leave her alone -- he doesn't have enough supplies for two or the time to take care of a girl -- but Willo just can't do it. However, with the world trapped in an ice age, the odds of them surviving on their own are not good. And even if he does manage to keep Mary safe, what about finding his family?


March 27th 2012
Feiwel & Friends







Thursday, February 23, 2012

Dirty Little Secret #9


Dirty Little Secret is a weekly meme hosted by us at Under the Covers. Every Thursday we get to know other bloggers and our readers more intimately by asking them a question hoping to reveal their dirty little secrets. We hope that you will all join us!


This week's question: 


"It's lent and time to give up your favourite things for 40 days and 40 nights (or sneak some when no one is looking!) What series of books would you have to give up, and why?"

I would rather not give up on books... can I give up on some kinds of food? LOL. Alright, alright... maybe I'd have to let Rachel Caine's books go for a while. (I read her whole Succubus series in three days, I was so into it!). It's time for a detox session. :P

What about you? What favorite series would you give up?

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

"Waiting On" Wednesday #12



"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we are eagerly anticipating.


Right now what I really want to read is:


Thumped

Thumped (Bumped #2)by Megan McCafferty 
Expected publication: April 24th 2012 by Balzer + Bray 
THE CONCLUSION TO ONE OF THE MOST TALKED-ABOUT NOVELS OF LAST YEAR 

It’s been thirty-five weeks since twin sisters Harmony and Melody went their separate ways. And now their story has become irresistible: twins separated at birth, each due to deliver twins…on the same day! 
Married to Ram and living in Goodside, Harmony spends her time trying to fit back into the community she once believed in. But she can’t forget about Jondoe, the guy she fell for under the strangest of circumstances. 
To her adoring fans, Melody has achieved everything: a major contract and a coupling with the hottest bump prospect around. But this image is costing her the one guy she really wants. 
The girls’ every move is analyzed by millions of fans eagerly counting down to “Double Double Due Date.” They’re two of the most powerful teen girls on the planet, and they could do only one thing to make them even more famous: 
Tell the truth.

______________________________


I remember that I didn't really love the first volume, but, still, I'm quite curious about what happens in this one. :)


What are you waiting on this week?

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Review: Pure (Pure #1) by Julianna Baggott

Pure (Pure, #1)




Pressia wonders about life inside the Dome. Do 16-year-olds have birthday parties, with cake, gifts and music? Well, she certainly does not. Life would be so much different if she were inside the Dome... if she were a Pure. But would it really be better than her life outside? She used to think so, until meets an actual Pure.

Partridge has lost his mother when she failed to enter the Dome by trying to help others. Later on, he lost his brother, who killed himself because of the pressure. He only has his father, a very important man inside the Dome, but he doesn't seem to care much about him at all. Life inside the Dome starts to bother him more and more, and when he finds his mother's old tokens, he starts to wonder if she is really dead, like his father says. What if she's still out there? 

He starts to plan an escape... and when he does get out there, he's surprised to find out that maybe not all he was taught inside the classroom was true. When Pressia, also a runaway, saves his life, he asks for help with the search. She introduces him to Bradwell, a 'friend' who can help, and then they go to the old street where his house used to be. They look for clues for his mother's whereabouts, and discover she might actually be alive... but the ORS manages to capture Pressia, and now it's his turn to save her.

Pure has a very interesting story, and gives us a very frightening look into what could actually happen if there was a Nuclear war. 

There's a girl with a doll head molded to her hand, a guy with birds stuck to his back and a Pure, together in search for the truth. Sounds pretty good, right? But while you're reading, you start to have SO many questions! You just want to know, so, so bad, about what really happened before, why was it necessary and who was behind it all!? But it takes a while to find out. A looong while. The story starts to drag a bit. And... oh, dear. I just couldn't bring myself to really care about the characters...We're introduced to so many! Sometimes it feelt like a lot of superflous stuff was happening... and that the book had more pages than were necessary, I guess. Maybe those things (and people) will make more sense in the next books? Who knows? 

If you like your young adult dystopia with a post apocalyptic setting and a quite realistic possibility of the future, you should give Pure a try.

*I received an eARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Teaser Tuesday #12



Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along, just do as 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 any spoilers so as not to ruin the book for others.

Make sure to share the title and the author so other TT participants can add the book to their TBR piles.


Succubus Dreams (Georgina Kincaid, #3)
"Typical Seth. He co­uld wri­te sex sce­nes that set the pa­ge on fi­re or di­alo­gue clever eno­ugh to imp­ress even me. Ma­ke him vo­ca­li­ze any of it, and he cho­ked up."

What's your teaser this week?

Monday, February 20, 2012

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? #10


It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Book Journey
Welcome to It’s Monday!  What Are You Reading?  This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well… you never know where that next “must read” book will come from!

I'm Currently Reading:
ViralAfter the SnowSuccubus Blues (Georgina Kincaid, #1)

Finished:


Next Reads:


The Treachery of Beautiful Things


What are you reading this week?

Sunday, February 19, 2012

In My Mailbox #12


In My Mailbox is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Story Siren.


From Netgalley (for review), this week I got:
Pure (Pure, #1)The Treachery of Beautiful ThingsWhite Witch
And... yup, that's pretty much it. LOL. I'm keeping my word. I still haven't bought any books this year. :)
(I have so many books to read from last year!)


What did you get this week?

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Review: Twice Tempted by a Rogue by Tessa Dare / Reading Romances February Challenge

This month I chose a book that happened to fulfill a couple of the options given:

-Read a book that has a predominantly color “red” cover, that has a kissing/embracing couple on its cover, or whose title has either the following words: kiss, heart or love.
and:
-Read a Historical Fiction (not limited to Historical Romance) – read a book that takes place in some notable period of history.



(Stud Club #2)
Tessa Dare
  
The daring members of the Stud Club are reckless gamblers and no strangers to risk—until love raises the stakes in Twice Tempted by a Rogue.
Luck is a double-edged sword for brooding war hero Rhys St. Maur. His death wish went unanswered on the battlefield, while fate allowed the murder of his good friend in the elite gentlemen’s society known as the Stud Club. Out of options, Rhys returns to his ancestral home on the moors of Devonshire, expecting anything but a chance at redemption in the arms of a beautiful innkeeper who dares him to take on the demons of his past—and the sweet temptation of a woman’s love.

Meredith Maddox believes in hard work, not fate, and romance isn’t part of her plan. But when Rhys returns, battle-scarred, world-weary, and more dangerously attractive than ever, the lovely widow is torn between determination and desire. As a deep mystery and dangerous smugglers threaten much more than their passionate reckoning, Meredith discovers that she must trust everything to a wager her heart placed long ago.



Random House Publishing Group



_____________________________

My Review


4 stars

I really enjoyed One Dance With a Duke, so I went back to the book store and got Twice Tempted by a Rogue, hoping it would be just as good, but it was even better! It's surprising (and a bit disappointing) that this author is still not very famous, because her writing is just fantastic. :)

Rhys St. Maur has survived every disgrace thrown his way in life by Fate. His luck is a thing of wonder. After spending years away from home, he returns to the moor of Devonshire as a war hero with an infinite number of scars, inside and out. He hopes to redeem himself by making the village profitable again, giving work and a way to survive to everyone who still lives there. After all, that is his job as the new Lord of Ashworth. Problem is, nobody wants him there, and they make it very clear, with angry mobs, threats and just plain trouble.

But Meredith Maddox may just be the only exception. When he meets little ol' Merry Lane again, a girl was once nothing more than freckles and bone, but is now a beautiful and independent widowed innkeeper, he suddenly decides to marry her.

Meredith believes Rhys wants to try and make things right for the village, but she's also sure that he'll leave just as abruptly as he appeared. She's been in love with him ever since they were just teens and she used to help her father out in old Lord Ashworth's stables. Now she has the chance to seduce him... but he comes up with this marriage nonsense and how he wants to wait until their wedding night! (even if itkills him).

In this second volume of the Stud Club mystery, we see more of the still unsolved murder of Leo Chatwick. Julian Bellamy has located the only witness, the whore Cora, who ends up staying at The Three Hounds, Meredith's inn, for protection. The girl turns out to be more helpful than Merry expected her to be.

The funniest thing about the book is the title. 'Twice Tempted by a Rogue'. Sure, here Meredith has her second chance with Rhys, but it's actually her who does most of the tempting during the first half of the book. LOL. The poor guy was doing his best to save themselves until theit wedding night, but the girl sure made things harder. Quite literally. LOL!!! Sorry, sorry...

I'm not really that big a fan of historicals, but once in a while I find a wonderful gem like this one. Rhys is such a dear character, he makes you want to take him in his arms and try to cure all his wounds... he's now one of my favorite characters ever. And Meredith is so, so strong. She's done everything she had to do to survive, and never depended on anyone else but herself. It was lovely to see how the two of them came to be together, accept each other's dreams and plans and just... be happy.

 If you like heart-touching romance, pure fun, mystery and lots tension (of all kinds), then try Twice Tempted by a Rogue. You'll enjoy it, I'm sure.

On My Wishlist #3



On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It's where we list all the books we desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming.

The Raft
The Raft bS.A. Bodeen

Expected publication: August 21st 2012 by Feiwel & Friends
On her flight back to Midway the cargo plane hits nasty weather, and goes down. It’s just Robie, the pilot, and Max, a co-pilot she’s never met till this flight, on board. Robie is pulled aboard a raft by Max, who is injured and slipping in and out of consciousness. They have a bag of candy and very little water between them. When they finally reach an island that seems abandoned, Robie hopes they’ll be found quickly. But she’s not sure she was even on the flight manifest. Her parents must be looking for her…aren’t they?
_________________

I love survival stories, so I'm really looking forward to this one . ;) Hopefully the publisher will allow me to reviw it from Netgalley!

Friday, February 17, 2012

#FF: Feature & Follow #11

FF 2012 Feature & Follow #80

Follow Friday is hosted by Alison Can Read and Parajunkee's View.
Q: BeefcakeandBabes Asks: I like unique names for characters and am looking forward to coming up with some when I start writing. What’s the most unique character name you’ve come across?
I couldn't waste this opportunity to mention Acheron ("Then he shall be named Acheron, for the river of woe. Like the river of the Underworld, his journey will be long, dark, and enduring. He will be able to give life and to take it. He will travel through life alone and abandoned, ever seeking kindness and ever finding cruelty. May the gods have mercy on you, little one. No one else ever will."). So sad... oh, boy, I just love him so much! *-*

I'm really crazy about the sidhe names in Merry Gentry's books, too. There's Galen, Mistral, Amatheon, Adair, Caswyn, Sholto, Nicca, Andais, Blaec, Usna, Abeloec, Nerys, Taranis, Fflur, Maelgwn... most of them have Galic roots, and they all fit the characters perfectly. I think they're very pretty. Hard to pronounce, but pretty nonetheless. :)


Oh, and there's 'Hannen'. It's probably one of the weirdest (first) names I 've ever seen. He's from The Heart of Hannen, which is a pretty good book.


What are your unique names? :)

If you follow, please comment to let me know and I'll be happy to return the favor. :)

Thursday, February 16, 2012

The Time Will Come #2


The Time Will Come is a fantastic meme hosted by Books For Company where we can feature those poor books that we bought, put on the shelf, and haven't (yet!) read.


All you have to do is:
- Pick a book you have been meaning to read
- Do a post to tell us about the book
- Link the post in the linky
- Visit the other blogs!

This week my poor abandoned children are:



The Black Dagger Brotherhood Series
In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there's a deadly turf war going on between vampires and their slayers. There exists a secret band of brothers like no other-six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. They are The Black Dagger Brotherhood. 
___________

Man, I should have started this series already... I mean, I was so sure I'd love it that I bought them all at once (though I didn't find the box set, the picture is just for illustration. LOL. Too bad). I'll have to find some time to read at least the first one. Soon. ;)

What about you? What's been on your shelves for a while that you haven't read yet?