In My Mailbox 8

In My Mailbox is weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

My eighth IMM post - here we go.

Books I received this week.

In The Post:

Haven - Kristi Cook

Another book for the 2011 Debut Author Challenge, this ones all about a school for psychics. I may try and read this one for March.

The Mistress House - Leigh Michaels

Lessons in French - Laura Kinsale

I haven't read much historical romance this year so I thought I would buy a couple that were recommended by another book blogger (and no I don't remember who - sorry!).

A Discovery Of Witches - Deborah Harkness
This has been getting some great reviews, I am excited to read it.

Agent 21 - Chris Ryan
I love Chris Ryan's YA novels, they are all action and adventure. I haven't read any of his adult books yet but I may try them later this year.

Kindle:

The Mysterious Lady Law - Robert Appleton

A steampunk mystery - how can I resist.

Netgalley:

Girl Wonder - Alexa Martin
The Vampire Dimitri - Colleen Gleason
Mercy - Rebecca Lim

I know, I know I promised myself no more netgalley books until I had read the ones I already have, but seriously no more from now on. I have soooo many to read.

Well would you look at that only five IRL books this week. This is good - I am getting better. I am seriously running out of storage space. I knocked a whole stack of books over when I was putting this weeks books away after taking the picture, that's how bad it's getting.

That's all for now.

Review: Cryer's Cross - Lisa McMann

Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann.

The community of Cryer’s Cross, Montana (population 212) is distraught when high school freshman Tiffany disappears without a trace. Already off-balance due to her OCD, 16-year-old Kendall is freaked out seeing Tiffany’s empty desk in the one-room school house, but somehow life goes on... until Kendall's boyfriend Nico also disappears, and also without a trace. Now the town is in a panic. Alone in her depression and with her OCD at an all-time high, Kendall notices something that connects Nico and Tiffany: they both sat at the same desk. She knows it's crazy, but Kendall finds herself drawn to the desk, dreaming of Nico and wondering if maybe she, too, will disappear...and whether that would be so bad. Then she begins receiving graffiti messages on the desk from someone who can only be Nico. Can he possibly be alive somewhere? Where is he? And how can Kendall help him? The only person who believes her is Jacian, the new guy she finds irritating...and attractive. As Kendall and Jacian grow closer, Kendall digs deeper into Nico's mysterious disappearance only to stumble upon some ugly—and deadly—local history. Kendall is about to find out just how far the townspeople will go to keep their secrets buried.

Cryer's Cross is creepy, very very creepy. I don't want to give to much away, I think if you know to much about this one before you read it might make it less enjoyable, so I'll keep it short.

The book itself is very short and the writing very minimal. The author doesn't waste words, she paints a very atmospheric picture of small town life being very claustrophobic. We never see the villain of the piece and only hear very little of them. You get the sense that you never really know what's going on, which adds to the mysterious creepy feel of the whole book and I liked how the sparse language made everything more vivid. I loved how the author made everything so plausible, as though this could be happening right now in some small town somewhere.

I liked the depiction of OCD, I don't recall reading a book with a character that had this particular affliction before so it was interesting to get a new point of view. And although the OCD controlled much of Kendall's life I liked how it had it it had not become her life.

As soon as Nico went missing I was unsure whether or not I was going to like this book as I do not handle death in books very well but I found that I had to know what happened to him and the book keeps you guessing until the end. Nico was only in the book a short while so although you felt Kendall's loss I never really got attached so it was much easier to accept Jacian as the new love interest.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for an intense, scary read. I will of course be picking up whatever Lisa McMann writes next.

That's all for now.

Review: Where I Belong - Gwendolyn Heasley

Where I Belong by Gwendolyn Heasley. I am reading this for my February entry in the 2011 Debut Author Challenge.

Meet Corrinne. She's living every girl's dream in New York City—shopping sprees at Barneys, open access to the best clubs and parties, and her own horse at the country club. Her perfect life is perfectly on track. At least it was. . . .

When Corrinne's father is laid off, her world suddenly falls apart. Instead of heading to boarding school, she's stripped of her credit cards and shipped off to the boonies of Texas to live with her grandparents. On her own in a big public school and forced to take a job shoveling manure, Corrinne is determined to get back to the life she's supposed to be living. She doesn't care who she stomps on in the process. But when Corrinne makes an unlikely friend and discovers a total hottie at work, she begins to wonder if her life B.R.—before the recession—was as perfect as it seemed.

Well the main character, Corrinne, was absolutely right in her opening letter I really disliked her a first, but I can't say she didn't warn me. Seriously what a complete and utter brat I really felt like banging her head against a brick wall for the first few chapters. But then I think back to myself at 16 and how I would have reacted if my parents had told me they were taking me away from the only home I had ever known and I realise that I can't really blame her. Although for me it would have been the opposite - I live in the country on a farm and I would have hated to move to a big city.

However as Corrinne started to adjust to life in Broken Spoke, I realised that I was adjusting to Corrinne herself. The change was very subtle but the more Corrinne liked living in Texas the more I found I liked her. It made the book a lot easier to read when the main character stopped annoying me quite so much.

Going from the cover of the book I thought the main theme here was going to be a love story, but it ended up as more of a personal journey for Corrinne, a coming of age story. Although there was a cute little love story in there it wasn't the main focus. Again going from the front cover I thought the love interest was going to be the strong silent cowboy type but I was pleasantly surprised that it turned out to be Bubby, (what kind of name is that anyway?) I found him quite interesting and his and Corrinne's banter was pretty fun to read. I loved Corrinne's new friend Kitsy she had a complex back story, it would be great if she had her own book.

I was a little bit disappointed at the way the book ended, it felt to easy to me but I suppose practically speaking it made the most sense. Overall I did enjoy this book and I am looking forward to reading the authors next book.

That's all for now.

Booking Through Thursday 7

Booking Through Thursday is a weekly meme which asks a bookish question which you have to answer.

This weeks question is:

All other things being equal–do you prefer used books? Or new books? (The physical speciman, that is, not the title.) Does your preference differentiate between a standard kind of used book, and a pristine, leather-bound copy?

An easy question this week. I have no real preference between new or used books. Most of my books do end up being new because I usually buy on the day of release. But if it's an older book and the condition is good I have no problem buying it used. When a book is out of print or really hard to find usually there's no choice but to buy it used anyway. I'm more about the content than the cosmetic.

That's all for now.

Review: Babe In Boyland - Jody Gehrman

Babe In Boyland by Jody Gehrman.

When high school junior Natalie-or Dr. Aphrodite, as she calls herself when writing the relationship column for her school paper-is accused of knowing nothing about guys and giving girls bad relationship advice, she decides to investigate what guys really think and want. But the guys in her class won't give her straight or serious answers. The only solution? Disguising herself as a guy and spending a week at Underwood Academy, the private all-boy boarding school in town. There she learns a lot about guys and girls in ways she never expected-especially when she falls for her dreamy roommate, Emilio. How can she show him she likes him without blowing her cover?

Oh my gosh this book was so funny, seriously there were so many scenes where I was laughing out loud, I ended up re-reading a lot of them. When you have a girly-girl dressing up as a boy, staying at an all boys school and it's written by Jody Gehrman of course it's going to be funny.

The whole plot is pretty inconceivable but it's so much fun to read that you just have to go with it. Natalie gets herself into so many hilarious situations and has to improvises some impressive lies to get out of them. The cute shoes exchange with the secretary seriously cracked me up and Natalie's attempts at street slang and Emilio's reaction to it was so funny, but if you want to know more about all that you'll have to read the book. Speaking of Emilio, he was so great, you end up really rooting for him and Natalie. Another thing I enjoyed about this book were the friendships, whether it be with Natalie's two best girlfriends or the the new guy friends she makes, it shows you how great things can be if you just have your friends. I love the trend of YA novels to use the backdrop of theatre, it gives that added drama.

It is so cute at how Natalie tries so hard in a really misguided way. No matter how she goes about things she has good intentions at heart. The plot is quite predictable, you can see the disastrous situations coming from a mile off but it is so funny to watch Natalie getting into them and then trying to get herself out of them. The article she writes at the end was perfect, it shows that even though she might not have achieved quite what she thought she was going to her experiences really do make a difference and she really does grow up a lot. I liked that although it was a light, fluffy, funny book it had a serious message in there too.

If you haven't read them yet I recommend you read her Triple Shot Betty books, which combine the same heart and hilariousness Jody Gehrman writes.

That's all for now.

Waiting On Wednesday 7

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that highlights an upcoming book release that we are eagerly anticipating.

Angel Fire by L.A. Weatherly.
Released on 1st October 2011.

The thrilling second chapter in the electrifying Angel Trilogy. Angels will never be seen in the same way again. Only Willow has the power to defeat the malevolent Church of Angels and they will stop at nothing to destroy her. However, Willow is not alone. She is with Alex, a trained Angel Killer...and her one true love. Together, they must train a new generation of Angel Killers. But as a half-angel, Willow can't help feeling like an outcast, even with Alex by her side. So when a handsome stranger with a tortured past arrives at the AK camp, Willow finds herself inextricably drawn to him... Completely irresistible, Angel Fire is a stunning story of loyalty, conflict and love.

I just read and reviewed the first book in this series, Angel, a couple of days ago and now I can''t wait for the second. However having read the blurb I am worried about Alex and Willow's relationship going Twilight on me, I can't stand love triangles. I'll just have to wait until October 1st to find out.

That's all for now.

Review: Angel - L.A. Weatherly

Angel by L.A. Weatherly.

Willow knows shes different from other girls. And not just because she loves tinkering around with cars. Willow has a gift. She can look into peoples futures, know their dreams, their hopes and their regrets, just by touching them. She has no idea where she gets this power from... But Alex does. Gorgeous, mysterious Alex knows Willows secret and is on a mission to stop her. The dark forces within Willow make her dangerous and irresistible. In spite of himself, Alex finds he is falling in love with his sworn enemy.

Loved it, loved it, loved it. Angel was comprised of two things I love most in books - a fantastically cute love story and a road trip. Yes I love road trip books, no idea why considering I can't drive (yet - I am having lessons) maybe its just something about close quarters and only having that one other person to rely on that makes road trip books so good. I had no idea going into this book that it would have a road trip but I am really glad it did. It meant that our main characters, Alex and Willow, really got to know and trust each other, this made me so much more invested in the story.

I think this is my first Angel type book - I tend to go against trends I was reading Vampire and Werewolf novels before they became really popular and stopped reading them so much when they did. Because there has been a massive increase in angel books in the past year or so I don't seem to have read any but I am really glad I finally have. The premise was really good - bad angels who suck the life force out of people - totally awesome.

The Church of Angels makes for an excellent villain. They have that all encompassing, unstoppable thing going for them that makes for excellent tension through out the book. It was all action, action, action which I loved. There's a time and a place for slow and this book wasn't it. The story moved along at a fast pace which kept things exciting and intense it made the book really hard to put down. And can I just mention how great Alex and Willow were - totally perfect for each other. The emotion and feelings between them were totally believable and they were so comfortable together it made me feel comfortable with them, if that makes any sense.

I cannot wait for the next books in the series, Angel Fire and Angel Fever, I am seriously looking forward to the next part of Willow and Alex's journey. The odds are stacked against them and I really want to know how they are going to survive.

That's all for now.

Teaser Tuesday 7

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly book meme hosted by Should Be Reading.

The idea is to:
Grab the book you are currently reading
Open it up to a random page
Share two Teaser sentences
Give the name and author of said book
And remember No Spoilers!


Even though I am still working seven days a week (21 days in a row so far!) I seem to have got my reading mojo back and have read some fantastic books lately.

I am currently reading Babe In Boyland by Jody Gehrman which I am finding seriously funny.

"I whip around and see a guy about my age standing there in an Underwood uniform, studying me with interest. Oh, Jesus, that was not a manly sound that just escaped me."

Page 71

When high school junior Natalie-or Dr. Aphrodite, as she calls herself when writing the relationship column for her school paper-is accused of knowing nothing about guys and giving girls bad relationship advice, she decides to investigate what guys really think and want. But the guys in her class won't give her straight or serious answers. The only solution? Disguising herself as a guy and spending a week at Underwood Academy, the private all-boy boarding school in town. There she learns a lot about guys and girls in ways she never expected-especially when she falls for her dreamy roommate, Emilio. How can she show him she likes him without blowing her cover?

That's all for now.

Review: Treachery In Death - J.D. Robb

Treachery in Death by J.D. Robb.

Detective Eve Dallas and her partner, Peabody, are following up on a senseless crime-an elderly grocery owner killed by three stoned punks for nothing more than kicks and snacks. This is Peabody's first case as primary detective-good thing she learned from the master.
But Peabody soon stumbles upon a trickier situation. After a hard workout, she's all alone in the locker room when the gym door clatters open; and-while hiding inside a shower stall trying not to make a sound-she overhears two fellow officers, Garnet and Oberman, arguing. It doesn't take long to realize they're both crooked-guilty not just of corruption but of murder. Now Peabody, Eve, and Eve's husband, Roarke, are trying to get the hard evidence they need to bring the dirty cops down-knowing all the while that the two are willing to kill to keep their secret.

The In Death series is one of my all-time favourite series and I love every single book, Treachery in Death is no exception. This is the 33rd full length In Death book, two are released each year along with a novella once a year. Eve and Rourke are one of my all time favourite couples and it is so great to read about them and their deepening relationship. I love how although the series is set slightly in the future the differences are effortless, the character relationships and the cases are the main focus the futuristic elements in the background just make the story that much richer and realistic.

Treachery In Death is very case centric, we still get small glimpses of all the great characters from this series but it's very light on the personal issues. It's really all about the conversation Peabody overhears and the resulting case. The case ends up involving corruption, drugs, murder and dirty cops. It really was a great case, Eve manages to play the bad guys so well and bring all the elements together in the end to bring them down one by one. It's always really good to see how each team member plays a part in catching the bad guys, how they all have their own role to play.

The case and how it came about meant there were some great scenes between Eve and Peabody. It showed how far they have come in their relationship, how its grown and how they really seem to appreciate each other. While I loved the Eve and Peabody interaction I really missed the intimacy between Eve and Rourke that is usually present in these books, sure they had a couple of scenes were it was just them but not as many as usual. They had a little fight at the beginning of the book but it seemed kind of pointless and didn't really go anywhere. But I suppose considering how many books there are in the series and how a lot of the focus is on Eve and Rourke it doesn't really take away from my enjoyment that Treachery In Death is taken up mostly by the case.

I wish there were more series like In Death, series that just focus on one couple rather than focusing on different couples in each book who are loosely connected to each other. But it must be very hard to write a series with one main couple and still keep it interesting and different in every single book. J.D. Robb does this so well - there isn't a book in this series that I haven't loved or re-read. If you haven't read the In Death series I seriously recommend you do so, starting with the first book - Naked In Death.

The next book in the series, which is out in November (so long to wait!), is called New York to Dallas - a special one off title. It sounds like we are going to delve into Eve's past a little bit more which should be all kinds of awesome. But to tide me over until then she also writes books under her real name Nora Roberts. I love these too, she has a stand alone novel coming out in April called Chasing Fire which I can't wait for.

That's all for now.

In My Mailbox 7

In My Mailbox is weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

My seventh IMM post - here we go.

Books I received this week.

In The Post:

Angelfire - Courtney Allison Moulton
This is one for the 2011 Debut Author Challenge. I haven't read a debut author for February yet and I don't have long so I better get reading.

The Lord of The Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien
I bought this for a friend but I already gave it to her in the week so it's not in the photo.

Treachery In Death - J.D. Robb
One of my all time favourite series. Read it, loved it and hope to have a review up soon.

Babe In Boyland - Jody Gehrman

I loved Jody Gehrman's previous two YA books Confessions of a Triple Shot Betty and Triple Shot Bettys in Love so when I saw she had a new book out I had to get it. Plus the cover is awesome.

I Am Number Four - Pittacus Lore

The book and the movie are everywhere at the moment so I thought I should check it out.

Love Me To Death - Allison Brennan
Another romantic suspense novel - can't resist.

Kindle:

Low Red Moon - Ivy Devlin
Someone recommended it on their blog, I can't remember who but whoever you are - thanks. I must keep better track.

Life From Scratch - Melissa Ford
Free on amazon.co.uk.

I did better this week not so many book and I did not request anything from netgalley as I already have soooo many I have to read.

Side note: I buy a lot of my books from The Book Depository and they usually come with a free bookmark. There haven't been any bookmarks lately but yesterday along with Babes in Boyland was a shiny new bookmark! Now usually this would not be the cause of excitement and photos but in this case I have had to make an exception. Take a look at the pictures below - the bookmark is part of a new series called Useful Bookmarks, which, you guessed it, provide useful information about various subjects. The one I received yesterday is called Useful Knots and has many different ways to tie a knot. How cool is that! I checked out the website and it shows all the bookmarks you can get - I really really want the Periodic Table one - I had to learn it off by heart in High School but I have totally forgotten it now. I am going to have to buy a lot of books from The Book Depository to get them all.

That's all for now.

Review: Delirium - Lauren Oliver

Delirium by Lauren Oliver. I won this arc from Jess at Jess hearts books. Thanks Jess!

Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn't understand that once love--the deliria--blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold.

Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the government demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Haloway has always looked forward to the day when she'll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: she falls in love.

This is going to be a very difficult review to write and I don't know where to begin. I have some serious mixed emotions about this book - some parts I loved, some parts I hated.

OK I'll start with the one thing I really loved about this book and that is that it is so very beautifully written. There were so many passages that I had to go back and re-read because they were so good, so lyrical and easy to read. This is one of my favourite passages:

"I’ll tell you another secret, this one for your own good. You may think the past has something to tell you. You may think that you should listen, should strain to make out its whispers, should bend over backward, stoop down low to hear its voice breathed up from the ground, from the dead places. You may think there’s something in it for you, something to understand or make sense of. But I know the truth: I know from the nights of Coldness. I know the past will drag you backward and down, have you snatching at whispers of wind and the gibberish of trees rubbing together, trying to decipher some code, trying to piece together what was broken. It’s hopeless. The past is nothing but a weight. It will build inside of you like a stone. Take it from me: If you hear the past speaking to you, feel it tugging at your back and running its fingers up your spine, the best thing to do—the only thing—is run.”

I was amazed at how eloquently she could write Lena's emotions but then twist them back in on themselves as though they could really be part of a disease. I loved the quotes at the beginning of each chapter I liked how they set the stage and created an atmosphere for what was happening in the book.

Now on to the aspects of the book that didn't work for me. I wasn't crazy about the main character Lena. I found her very difficult to relate to which I think had more to with the situations she was in and her reactions to it than Lena herself. However the love story between Lena and Alex was quite believable and the moments they got to spend together were some of my favourite scenes in the book.

The main problem I had with Delirium was the love as a disease premise itself. I think the reason I have such a hard time with dystopian novels is because I cannot stomach the futures these books envision. Yes I know they are not actually real but the fact that there is a possibility that in the future this is what we could become depresses me beyond belief. It's like saying that we as a human race can't ever improve things, the future can only become worse. With Delirium in particular I find myself wanting answers to a million questions, how did this future come about, how could we all sit back and let this happen, how could you sell the idea of love as a disease to so many people. Who would even think it possible that love could even be a disease in the first place. We did get some back story as to how it happened but I don't think it was explained properly enough as to make it into a believable situation. And this lack of believability really reduced my enjoyment of the book.

Despite my mixed emotions if there is a sequel to Delirium I will be reading it, the ending really got to me and I may have even cried a teeny tiny bit.

I haven't read Lauren Oliver's debut novel, Before I Fall, but if is written as beautifully as Delirium was I will be reading that too.

That's all for now.

Booking Through Thursday 6

Booking Through Thursday is a weekly meme which asks a bookish question which you have to answer.

This weeks question is:

What’s the most romantic book you’ve ever read?

(Mind you, I don’t mean the hard-core stuff you hide in plain wrappers under your mattress. I mean True Love, Romance, deeply emotional, heart-tugging, and all that stuff.)

And, secondly, did you like it? Is it your usual kind of reading, or did it take you by surprise?

Two books came to mind when I read this question this morning, A Walk To Remember by Nicholas Sparks and The Horse Whisperer by Nicholas Evans. I am quite surprised that I thought of these two considering what happens in the end of these book. In fact I am quite worried about the idea I have of romance now. I won't go into detail because I do not want to spoil the books for people who have not read them but neither has a traditional happy ending. I usually only enjoy books that have a HEA and the fact that I hold these two books up as the most romantic ones I have ever read is kinda strange.

I'm sure there are others that I've read that I considered romantic but these ones must have stuck with me, they both broke my little teenage heart at the time of reading. Maybe the fact that the stories were so epic and heart-wrenching make them romantic for me.

And to answer the second part of the question yes I enjoyed them but as some one who re-reads almost all of the books I read I have not re-read these too. There is only so much heart break I can subject myself too.

That's all for now.

Waiting On Wednesday 6

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that highlights an upcoming book release that we are eagerly anticipating.


Small Town Sinners by Melissa Walker.

Released on 19th July 2011.

Lacey Anne Byer is a perennial good girl and lifelong member of the House of Enlightenment, the Evangelical church in her small town. With her driver's license in hand and the chance to try out for a lead role in Hell House, her church's annual haunted house of sin, Lacey's junior year is looking promising. But when a cute new stranger comes to town, something begins to stir inside her. Ty Davis doesn't know the sweet, shy Lacey Anne Byer everyone else does. With Ty, Lacey could reinvent herself. As her feelings for Ty make Lacey test her boundaries, events surrounding Hell House make her question her religion.



Melissa Walker has previously written the Violet series which I haven't read yet. However I came across the description of her latest book Small Town Sinners and it really captured my interest. Looking forward to it being released.

That's all for now.

Teaser Tuesday 6

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly book meme hosted by Should Be Reading.

The idea is to:
Grab the book you are currently reading
Open it up to a random page
Share two Teaser sentences
Give the name and author of said book
And remember No Spoilers!

So as of writing this I still have not had time to finish Delirium but I posted a teaser for that last Tuesday (I can't believe I have been reading the same book for a week - this has never happened to me before - well not without reading a few other books along side it) so I am going to give you a teaser for the next book I am going to read.

And that book would be Angel by L.A. Weatherly.

"Then the shutters snapped down again, and he frowned and looked away, crossing his arms over his chest. Remembering his expression of disgust earlier, I felt cold suddenly."

Page 145.

Willow knows shes different from other girls. And not just because she loves tinkering around with cars. Willow has a gift. She can look into peoples futures, know their dreams, their hopes and their regrets, just by touching them. She has no idea where she gets this power from... But Alex does. Gorgeous, mysterious Alex knows Willows secret and is on a mission to stop her. The dark forces within Willow make her dangerous and irresistible. In spite of himself, Alex finds he is falling in love with his sworn enemy.

Lets hope it doesn't take me longer than a week to read this one - after I have finished Delirium of course.

That's all for now.

In My Mailbox 6

In My Mailbox is weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

My sixth IMM post - here we go.

Books I received this week.

In The Post:

Tell Me A Secret - Holly Cupala

Wanted this one for a while and I finally got it.

Dead Connection - Charlie Price

Never read anything by this author and I haven't heard much about him either but the book sounded good so I got it.

Archangel's Consort - Nalini Singh

I finally have all three books in this series, so far. I can finally start reading them - when I have the time.

Where I Belong - Gwendolyn Heasley

This sounds like a nice cute, light read. Looking forward to it.

Cryer's Cross - Lisa McMann

I've been looking forward to this one for a while, hope to get to it eventually.

The Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien

I bought this for my brother in law for his birthday (along with 24 season 8 just in case you were wondering). I forgot to take the photo before I wrapped it hence the birthday present in the picture.

NetGalley:

Bluefish - Pat Schmatz

A Long, Long Sleep - Anna Sheehan

My One and Only - Kristan Higgins

The Vampire Voss - Colleen Gleason

Again netgalley is the best thing ever.

I am working 7 days a week at the moment and I get home very tired, I have had no time to read which is so unlike me. I am still in the middle of Delirium which I feel like I have been reading forever but I hope to finish it soon. I have to ease up on the book buying until I have time to catch up. I have also got several netgalley books that I want to read and review before anything else.

That's all for now.

Booking Through Thursday 5

Booking Through Thursday is a weekly meme which asks a bookish question which you have to answer.

This weeks question is:

There’s something wonderful about getting in on the ground floor of an author’s career–about being one of the first people to read and admire them, before they became famous best-sellers.

Which authors have you been lucky enough to discover at the very beginning of their careers?

And, if you’ve never had that chance, which author do you WISH you’d been able to discover at the very beginning?

The author that first came to mind when I read this question was Stephanie Meyer. I read Twilight when it first came out and I loved it. There was no massive hype surrounding it back then and I felt just fine being on the Twilight bandwagon. I got the second book as soon as it came out, saw what direction the series was heading and jumped right off. I cannot stand love triangles - too much pointless drama.

As for authors I wish I had discovered in the beginning I have to be honest there really aren't any. There is a reason for this. If the author writes series books I like to wait to until there are several out already so I can read them all at once. I have no patience when it comes to books and it drives me crazy waiting for the next installment - cliff hangers in particular make me nuts.
If I discover an author that I really love there is nothing I like better than buying their back list and devouring them all. The author that springs to mind is Jim Butcher, I think I started reading the Harry Dresden series nine books into it which meant I had a wonderful week of catching up on the first eight books - good times.

There is however one exception to this - the Harry Potter series. I would love to have read the Philosopher's Stone when it first came out. My best friend and I have had such a fantastic time over the years waiting for these books to published that I wish we had started it from the beginning. I started reading them when the Prisoner of Azkaban had just come out - I remember getting the first three from the library, loving them so much that I had to go buy my own copies. I then made my best friend read them because they were so great and that's when the fun started while waiting for the Goblet of Fire to be released.

This was such a great question.

That's all for now.

Waiting On Wednesday 5

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that highlights an upcoming book release that we are eagerly anticipating.

This week I have chosen Uncertain Allies by Mark Del Franco. Out 26th April 2011.

After a night of riots and fires, the Boston neighborhood known as the Weird is in ruins. And when a body is found drained of its essence, ex- Guild investigator Connor Grey is drawn into the case against his will. And he has reason to be wary. Because the case will lead to an explosive secret that threatens to tear apart the city-and the world.

OK so I know the blurb isn't the greatest but trust me this series is awesome. If you love Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden series (which I do by the way - a lot) then you are almost sure to love the Connor Grey series. This is the fifth book in the series and in my humble opinion they just keep getting better. I plan to read the whole series again before this one comes out.


If you like fantastic Urban Fantasy check out Mark Del Franco's books.

That's all for now.

Review: Deadly Fear - Cynthia Eden

Deadly Fear by Cynthia Eden.

TWO BRILLIANT AGENTS


FBI Special Agent Monica Davenport has made a career out of profiling serial killers. But getting inside the twisted minds of the cruel and the sadistic has taken its toll: She's walled herself off from the world. Yet Monica can't ignore fellow agent Luke Dante, the only man who ever broke through her defenses.

ONE DREAM TEAM

Luke has the unique ability to put victims at ease...professionally, he and Monica made a perfect team. Now they're reunited to catch a murderer who uses his victims' deepest, darkest fears for sport - but their investigative skills aren't enough. Luke and Monica will have to face the secrets from their past, the ones that terrify them the most, if they are to have a future together.

But can they catch a killer whose weapon is...DEADLY FEAR

Deadly Fear is the start of a new romantic suspense series by Cynthia Eden, it is the first book that I have read by her and it won't be the last.


Monica and Luke are Special Agents in a special FBI unit dedicated to catching serial killers, the Serial Services Division. Luke is new on the team but has a past with Monica. They are assigned a case together which becomes very personal for both of them.

This book was really great. I love when characters have a past before the beginning of the book it always makes a romance seem more believable to me, rather than two characters meeting and falling in love in a matter of days we get more of a slow build up. The romance was a bit predictable (but then I suppose it always is in a romance novel) but it progressed quite naturally. Both main characters had a traumatic past to overcome, Monica's in particular was quite harrowing. She came off as quite cold because of this so it took a while to warm up to her, but she ended up as likeable as Luke. Together they seemed like the perfect fit.

The suspense element of the novel was very well done. There were so many twists, turns and complications that I did not figure out who the killer was until they was revealed at the end of the book. The final show down with the killer was one of my favourite parts.

I have to say there was one thing I didn't really like about this book, Luke's speciality as an FBI Special Agent was supposed to be his skills in dealing with the victims but we never got to see any of that. We got to see lots of Monica getting inside the killers head but not enough of Luke and it made the story seem quite unbalanced to me. But that's just a small detail, overall I really enjoyed Deadly Fear.

There are two more books in this series coming out this year, Deadly Heat (which was released this month) and Deadly Lies (which I think comes out next month) that focus on different members of the SSD. I will be getting both.

That's all for now.

Teaser Tuesday 5

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly book meme hosted by Should Be Reading.

The idea is to:
Grab the book you are currently reading
Open it up to a random page
Share two Teaser sentences
Give the name and author of said book
And remember No Spoilers!




That's right I've finally gotten around to reading Delirium by Lauren Oliver. I won an arc from Jess at Jess Hearts Books (Thank You Jess!) a few weeks a go and I have now just started reading it. I should have a review up later this week.


"Breaking curfew is one thing; listening to unapproved music is even worse. But breaking segregation laws is one of the worst offences there is."


Page 127.


Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn't understand that once love--the deliria--blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold.

Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the government demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Haloway has always looked forward to the day when she'll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: she falls in love.

That's all for now.

In My Mailbox 5

In My Mailbox is weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

My fifth IMM post - here we go.

Books I received this week.

In The Post:

Jenna and Jonah's Fauxmance - Emily Frankin and Brendan Halpin

Loved it. Reviews already up.

Animal Magnetism - Jill Shalvis

Loved it. Reviews already up.

Archangel's Kiss - Nalini Singh

Second book in the Guild Hunter series. Just waiting on the third then I might start reading them.

My Boyfriends' Dogs: The Tales of Adam and Eve and Shirley - Dandi Daley Mackall

Ordered this ages ago and it's finally here. Sounds like a cute story, looking forward to reading it.

Flash Burnout - L.K. Madigon

This has been on my wishlist for ages and when I read about the campaign on the blogosphere I decided to buy it now.

Deadly Fear - Cynthia Eden

Currently reading. Good so far.

Extreme Exposure - Pamela Clare
Hard Evidence - Pamela Clare
Unlawful Contact - Pamela Clare
Naked Edge - Pamela Clare
Edge of Sight - Roxanne St. Claire
I read a mix of YA and adult books, last year I had a thing for historical romance but this year I have been really wanting to read some contemporary romantic suspense hence the above six purchases. I was browsing the amazon.com forums and these were the books that were recommended.

Moonlight Mile - Dennis Lehane
If you haven't read Dennis Lehane's Kenzie and Gennaro books I cannot recommend them enough. They are about two private investigators, the books are pretty grim and gritty but soooo good. There are five previous books in the series the last of which was published over 12 years ago so there has been a long wait for this latest instalment. I am really looking forward to reading it but I am trying to decide whether to re-read the first five books before I read Moonlight Mile because it has been such a long time since I read them.

Kindle:

The Locket - Stacey Jay
I have read Stacey Jay's first book and I have another of hers that I haven't read yet but this one sounded interesting, time travel, so I had to get it.

A Posse of Princesses - Sherwood Smith
Another of my favourite Sherwood Smith books with an extra chapter in kindle form. How could I resist.

Magyk: Septimus Heap Book One - Angie Sage
Free on amazon.co.uk. I have the whole series in real book form but it's good to have it on my kindle to.

NetGalley:

My Favourite Band Does Not Exist - Robert T. Jeschonek

Dangerous Secrets - Kate Reus
I love NetGalley! But I really have to start reading all the books I have gotten from them. I have only read two so far. Bad Sally.

Went a little crazy this week which I promised myself I wouldn't do. Time to limit my book buying again.

That's all for now.

Review: Animal Magnetism - Jill Shalvis

Animal Magnetism by Jill Shalvis.

Sunshine, Idaho, is a small and sunny town—the perfect home for man and beast. Well, maybe not for man, as pilot-for-hire Brady Miller discovers when his truck is rear-ended by what appears to be Noah’s Ark.


The co-owner of the town’s only kennel, Lilah Young has good reason to be distracted behind the wheel—there are puppies, a piglet, and a duck in her Jeep. But, she doesn’t find it hard to focus on the angry, gorgeous stranger she’s collided with.

Lilah has lived in Sunshine all her life, and though Brady is just passing through, he has her abandoning her instincts and giving in to a primal desire. It’s Brady’s nature to resist being tied down, but there’s something about Lilah and her menagerie—both animal and human—that keeps him coming back for more…


If you love excellent romance stories with really great characters, then go buy this book. I am a total sucker for romance novels especially ones with animals and this one was great. I am a total dog person, I have two crazy German Shepards who I absolutely love, so any books with dogs in are good for me. Although all the dogs in the books I read are way smarter then my two. Animal Magnetism had some really great funny moments and Jill Shalvis manages to write the story without everything being overly dramatic which makes a nice change.

The author really makes you care about the characters in this book, they have great depth and feeling, sure they are flawed and they miss the obvious most of the time but that's the whole point. You just really want to go on this journey and hope everything turns out OK for them. I liked how the main characters were total opposites and that this really worked to bring them closer. Lilah forms too many attachments and Brady not enough but in the end they balance each other out. And how they first meet is one of my favourite scenes.

I absolutely cannot wait for the other books in this series (at least I hope there are going to be other books) which I assume would be about Brady's brothers Adam and Dell. They both have very interesting jobs and their potential love interests seem great so I am sure their books will be equally as fabulous.

I would also recommend another of Jill Shalvis's series which only has one book out at the moment, Simply Irresistible, but the second, The Sweetest Thing, is coming out later this year.

That's all for now.

Booking Through Thursday 4

Booking Through Thursday is a weekly meme which asks a bookish question which you have to answer.

This weeks question is:

I am paraphrasing from a friend’s Facebook wall her question:

“How would a teen-age boy who is going to work with his hands ever use Literature of England in his work?”

The age-old “How am I going to use this in real life?” question. How would you answer it?

This is a bit of a strange question and I could probably answer it the way everyone else has done, you know basic life skills, education, knowledge, etc. But I don't want to. I am going going to answer it as it applies to me. What do I get out of reading and how do I use it in real life.

The most important thing I get out of reading is imagination. My parents say I have always had an over-active imagination and that most of the time I live in my own world. I like to think that I get that from books. Books allow me to really escape, meet totally new people and visit totally different worlds. And because books allow me to experience these new things in writing it's much easier to cope with these things in real life. I wouldn't change the years I have spent reading for anything. I couldn't think of a better way to have spent the first 26 years of my life.

That's all for now.

One Month Blogaversery!

Yes, yes I know it's only been a month but for me this is big!

I had been toying with the idea of starting a blog last year and even registered the name and everything but I just didn't do it. New year rolled around and I thought why not. One night I just put out my first post it was that simple and easy. Well that was a month ago and I now realise that it takes a bit more work than I first thought, I used to spend all my spare time reading and now I spend all my spare time reading, reviewing and posting on this blog.

Honestly I thought I would get bored and give up and while I don't like not being able to read all the time as I do have to write on here sometimes, I have to admit I love having this blog. Books are my favourite thing and I love to share.

Anyway thanks to the lovely people who follow my blog and to all the people who have left me comments this past month. When I put out my first post I was really just doing this for me, I felt like I should keep better track of what I was reading and I just wanted a place to write down my thoughts I honestly didn't think anyone would read them. So I really appreciate everyone being so welcoming to a new blogger. And thank you to all the excellent book bloggers out there, whose blogs I love to read and get book recommendations from.

So yay me for my one month blogaversey - here's to the next month.

That's all for now.

Review: Jenna and Jonah's Fauxmance - Emily Franklin and Brendan Halpin

Jenna and Jonah's Fauxmance by Emily Franklin and Brendan Halpin.

Teen TV celebrities Jenna and Jonah (real names, Charlie Tracker and Fielding Withers) make more money in a month than most people do in a lifetime. They can't stand to be in the same room as each other, but to boost the TV ratings their agents make them a 'real life' couple. Then the deception is uncovered by the paparazzi, and Charlie and Fielding have to disappear to weather the media storm. It's not until they're far off the grid of the Hollywood circuit that they realise there's more to each of them than shiny hair and a winning smile.

Before I even started this book I figured I was going to like it and I was not wrong. It was super cute and easy to read. The situation the main characters found themselves in was totally crazy and completely unbelievable but once you start reading you find that it really doesn't matter. Our lead characters are funny enough and interesting enough that you just get swept along with their fast paced story. The alternating narrative chapters are excellent, the book would not work as well if you didn't get both sides of the story. However I have to admit I did lean towards Aaron more, he was far more likable than Charlie but together they had really great chemistry. It was good to know that they were perfect for each other and all you had to do was just wait for them to figure it out themselves. While the authors could have kept this story light and fluffy the whole way through it did have definite serious undertones about figuring out who you are after everything comes crashing down around you. And in the end that is exactly what Charlie and Aaron did.

Emily Franklin and Brendan Halpin have written another novel together, The Half-Life of Planets, which I have a copy of so I will definitely be finding time to read that soon.

That's all for now.

Waiting On Wednesday 4

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that highlights an upcoming book release that we are eagerly anticipating.

This week I have chosen Texas Gothic by Rosemary Clement-Moore. Out July 12th 2011.

Amy Goodnight's family is far from normal. She comes from a line of witches, but tries her best to stay far outside the family business. Her summer gig? Ranch-sitting for her aunt with her wacky but beautiful sister. Only the Goodnight Ranch is even less normal than it normally is. Bodies are being discovered, a ghost is on the prowl, and everywhere she turns, the hot neighbor cowboy is in her face.

Look at the cover - it is soooo beautiful. I am not really a judge a book by it's cover girl, sure I appreciate nice cover art but it in no way sways my opinion of a book. However I've got to say this cover along with the equally beautiful title really makes me yearn for this book. Even if I had no idea who Rosemary Clement-Moore is I would want this book. But lucky for me I do know who Rosemary Clement-Moore is and I know she writes really awesome books, including The Splendour Falls and her Maggie Quinn: Girl Vs Evil series which I love. So I am really hoping Texas Gothic lives up to my expectations.

That's all for now.

Teaser Tuesday 4

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly book meme hosted by Should Be Reading.

The idea is to:
Grab the book you are currently reading
Open it up to a random page
Share two Teaser sentences
Give the name and author of said book
And remember No Spoilers!


Today's teaser is from Jenna and Jonah's Fauxmance by Emily Franklin and Brendan Halpin.

"Dad's been telling me to stay away from gambling pretty much since my first paycheck. This is probably because his brother lost everything he owned on a three-day bender at one of those casinos in Indiana."

Page 119.

Teen TV celebrities Jenna and Jonah (real names, Charlie Tracker and Fielding Withers) make more money in a month than most people do in a lifetime. They can't stand to be in the same room as each other, but to boost the TV ratings their agents make them a 'real life' couple. Then the deception is uncovered by the paparazzi, and Charlie and Fielding have to disappear to weather the media storm. It's not until they're far off the grid of the Hollywood circuit that they realise there's more to each of them than shiny hair and a winning smile.

I'm over half way through already and loving it. Yes I have temporarily abandoned Nevermore I will get back to it, but when Jenna and Jonah came in the post yesterday I just couldn't wait to start it.

That's all for now.