In My Mailbox 17

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

Books I received this week.

In The Post:

Eleven Scandals To Start To Win A Duke's Heart - Sarah MacLean

Divergent - Veronica Roth

Clan of the Cave Bear - Jean M Auel
The Valley of Horses - Jean M Auel
Bought these for a friend haven't read them myself.

Kindle:

Photographs and Phantoms - Cindy Spencer Pape

Netgalley:

Ultraviolet - R J Anderson

Simon & Schuster Galley Grab:

All The Things You Are - Courtney Sheinmel

The Day Before - Lisa Schroeder

He's So Not Worth It - Kieran Scott

Ordinary Beauty - Laura Wiess

Gifts:

Harry Potter Film Wizardry

It was my birthday last Sunday and whilst I mostly got money I did get one awesome book from my bff. It's all about the Harry Potter movies and it has so much cool stuff in it including the letter Harry got before he started Hogwarts, the Marauder's Map and the invitation to the Yule Ball. I love it soooooo much.





I was doing so well until the S&S GG newsletter arrived and I went and downloaded four more books. But it's definitely one of my better weeks this year - I really am trying to limit my book buying.

That's all for now.

Review: Girl Wonder - Alexa Martin

I received Girl Wonder by Alexa Martin from netgalley courtesy of Hyperion.

As if transferring senior year weren't hard enough, Charlotte Locke has been bumped to lower level classes at her new school. With no friends, a terrible math SAT score, and looming college application deadlines, the future is starting to seem like an oncoming train for which she has no ticket.

Then Amanda enters her orbit like a hot-pink meteor, offering Charlotte a ticket to something else: popularity. Amanda is fearless, beautiful, brilliant, and rich. As her new side kick, Charlotte is brought into the elite clique of the debate team—and closer to Neal, Amanda's equally brilliant friend and the most perfect boy Charlotte has ever seen.

But just when senior year is looking up, Charlotte’s life starts to crumble. The more things heat up between Charlotte and Neal, the more Neal wants to hide their relationship. Is he ashamed? Meanwhile, Amanda is starting to act strangely competitive, and she's keeping a secret Charlotte doesn't want to know.

Our main character Charlotte finds herself having to start over at a brand new school, her parents are focused on her getting into a good college but Charlotte has a learning disability relating to math and is struggling to fit in. In an attempt to do this she finds herself doing some pretty out of character things to secure the friendship of Girl Wonder Amanda and the affections of popular guy Neal.

From the beginning it was pretty obvious to me that Amanda and Neal were shady but it was up to Charlotte to figure out this for herself and learn a little in the process.

One of the things Charlotte got involved with was drugs. I didn't really like the drug stuff I actually find any sort of drug taking pretty hard to take. For some reason it makes me feel physically sick when I read about it or see it on the TV and in movies. So that part of the book was pretty uncomfortable but I did appreciate that it was Charlotte's way of trying to keep her new friends and eventually became the reason for her to change.

I admired Charlotte for being able to pull herself out of the mess she had made, she eventually realised where she had been going wrong and with a little help managed to turn it around. Charlotte and Milton, her neighbour, were so cute towards the end of the book this relationship made all the bad in the beginning worthwhile. Charlotte's little brother John Henry also turned out to be a great character too.

I loved the epilogue at the end, I always seem to be a fan of the epilogues. It came in form of a list, it didn't overload you with information but gave you enough to know things ended well. I'm looking forward to seeing what this author writes next.

That's all for now.

Booking Through Thursday 15

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

If you could see one book turned into the perfect movie–one that would capture everything you love, the characters, the look, the feel, the story–what book would you choose?

This is such a hard question and I really don't have a straight forward answer. There is no one book that I can point to and say I really wish they would make that in to a movie. Usually movies can't compete with the book versions. Books can include so much more than a movie can and if you read the book first the movie doesn't usually live up to what you imagined it would be. That said there are some stand out movies made from books. The Lord of the Rings and the later Harry Potter movies spring to mind.

OK so while I think it's a little unrealistic to think that anyone can turn a book into a perfect movie there are a few that I can think of that might be good as movies. I would love to see The Spellman Files series turned into movies. These books are hilarious and I would love to see that crazy family on the big screen. I think The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon could be an awesome movie, complicated but awesome. The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets by Eva Rice would make a beautiful movie. And purely because I love the In Death series so much I would love to see the first book made into a movie.

Of course for the movies to have any hope of being perfect I would have to cast, produce, direct and edit them myself which seems like a lot of work so it would probably never happen.

That's all for now.

Review: Stay - Deb Caletti

I received Stay by Deb Caletti from the Simon & Schuster Galley Grab Program.

Clara’s relationship with Christian is intense from the start, and like nothing she’s ever experienced before. But what starts as devotion quickly becomes obsession, and it’s almost too late before Clara realizes how far gone Christian is--and what he’s willing to do to make her stay.

Now Clara has left the city—and Christian—behind. No one back home has any idea where she is, but she still struggles to shake off her fear. She knows Christian won’t let her go that easily, and that no matter how far she runs, it may not be far enough....

This is my first Deb Caletti book and it won't be my last, I own two of her other books and I will for sure be digging them out and giving them a go soon.

Stay, although it contained a very brutal subject was very beautifully written. There are a lot of books that involve physical abuse in relationships so it was very interesting to read one about emotional abuse and see that it can be just as damaging.

Clara was a very interesting character she felt so guilty believing that she had caused this situation she found herself in. On one hand I knew this not to be the case she was not responsible for Christian's actions but on the other I wondered how she could not see what was happening and not do something about it. But I suppose this it what emotional abuse is all about, manipulation and seeing it for what it is.

I really liked the parallel stories of Clara's past and present which all came together towards the end of the book. It didn't overload me with too much all at once but eased you into it and let the tension build up throughout the book. If it had just been about the relationship between Clara and Christian it could have become overwhelming but instead we get a range of other stories. The changing relationship between Clara and her Dad, revelations about Clara and her Mum, Clara and her new love interest and her Dad and his new love interest. For me this helped to balance the story out.

I loved how the book ended, happy but not unrealistically so. You get the sense that no matter what happened in the future Clara was going to be OK.

That's all for now.

Waiting On Wednesday 16

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 Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have) by Sarah Mlynowski. Released on the 7th June 2011.

2 girls + 3 guys + 1 house – parents = 10 things April and her friends did that they (definitely, maybe, probably) shouldn't have.

If given the opportunity, what sixteen-year-old wouldn't jump at the chance to move in with a friend and live parent-free? Although maybe "opportunity" isn't the right word, since April had to tell her dad a tiny little untruth to make it happen (see #1: "Lied to Our Parents"). But she and her housemate Vi are totally responsible and able to take care of themselves. How they ended up "Skipping School" (#3), "Throwing a Crazy Party" (#8), "Buying a Hot Tub" (#4), and, um, "Harboring a Fugitive" (#7) at all is kind of a mystery to them.

In this hilarious and bittersweet tale, Sarah Mlynowski mines the heart and mind of a girl on her own for the first time. To get through the year, April will have to juggle a love triangle, learn to do her own laundry, and accept that her carefully constructed world just might be falling apart . . . one thing-she-shouldn't-have-done at a time.

Doesn't it just sound so great. One big adventure with some pretty serious consequences. I can't wait to get my hands on it.

That's all for now.

Review: Invincible Summer - Hannah Moskowitz

I received Invincible Summer by Hannah Moskowitz from the Simon & Schuster Galley Grab Program.

Noah’s happier than I’ve seen him in months. So I’d be an awful brother to get in the way of that. It’s not like I have some relationship with Melinda. It was just a kiss. Am I going to ruin Noah’s happiness because of a kiss?

Across four sun-kissed, drama-drenched summers at his family’s beach house, Chase is falling in love, falling in lust, and trying to keep his life from falling apart. But some girls are addictive....

Going by the description above I really did not think I was going to like this book as much as I did. I am not a huge fan of love triangles and that is what I thought I was going to get. However I think the description of this book is quite misleading, you get the idea that it's going to be a book about a boy who falls in love with his brothers girlfriend but really it's not. Sure it does have that element to it but it so much more than that. It's a book about family and the summers that can change everything. It made me laugh, it made me cry and it made me wish I had siblings like those featured in this book.

Honestly they were all so great. We had Noah the older brother who just seemed to want to run away, Claudia the little sister who was way to grown up for her age, Gideon the deaf little brother who everything revolves around, newbaby who's birth everybody is waiting for and last but not least our main character Chase who tries to keep everything together all by himself. Each character so well written and each one so important in this family. The parents seemed so selfish somehow relying on these kids to bring each other up. But they had each other and that was enough.

I didn't see the big event at the end of the book coming I didn't even feel the impeding doom I usually do when I know something bad is going to happen. It made it that much more powerful. And the consequences for this family were devastating. The book covers four summers and with each summer you get the real sense that these kids were growing up and I loved that. Time passing, things changing and the ending was so bittersweet.

I will definitely be getting a copy of this book for my shelves so I can enjoy it all over again and I look forward to Hannah Moskowitz's next novel.

That's all for now.

Teaser Tuesday 16

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!

I am currently reading Uncertain Allies by Mark Del Franco. It is book five in the Connor Grey series, one of my all time favourite urban fantasy series.

"An pale waft of essence welled in the air, and Uno, the large black dog I had told Murdock about, materialized on the couch. He had a true name, as all things do, but neither Shay nor I knew it."

Page 121.

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.

That's all for now.

Review: To Marry A Prince - Sophie Page

To Marry A Prince by Sophie Page.

One night is about to change Bella’s life for ever…

Bella Greenwood isn’t a fairytale girl. If pushed, she’d probably tell you that her perfect wedding would involve a handful of close friends and family. But as she’s never met anyone she’d like to marry, it’s a moot point.

Until, in a midnight garden, Bella is helped out of an embarrassing situation by a tall, dark, handsome man with laughing eyes. And suddenly her life changes for ever, because the man is the world’s most eligible bachelor: Prince Richard, heir to the throne.

Richard sweeps her off her feet, and before she knows it they’re engaged. Which is when Bella’s problems really begin. Suddenly she is public property, and as if it isn’t enough to have her every move watched – while also learning to curtsy and negotiating the etiquette of how to address her future mother-in-law – she soon finds herself embroiled in bridesmaid politics, a right royal hen night, and a wedding dress controversy that causes a national scandal…

Can this ordinary girl survive the preparations for her very own Royal Wedding?

I loved this book so much. It's light, funny and romantic. Of course it's pretty unrealistic but who cares, it's not about realism it's about suspending disbelief for a few hours and reading a modern Cinderella tale.

The overall tone of the book was set at Bella and Richard's first meeting it was cute and funny and you just knew that something big was going to come out of it. Although it's a fairy tale romance and Richard and Bella obviously love each other quite a bit they have a lot of obstacles to overcome. Interfering families, media attention and crazy wedding planners to name a few. But they have each other and a few great friends to help them along the way and really you know it's all going to end happily ever after anyway.

I think To Marry A Prince worked even better than it usually would considering the big event happening on Friday. I kept trying to picture Kate Middleton and Prince William in some of the situations Bella and Richard find themselves in and it just made the book even funnier.

If you are looking for a light hearted read and something to get you in the mood for the royal wedding next week then this is the book for you.

That's all for now.

In My Mailbox 16

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

My sixteenth IMM post - here we go.

Books I received this week.

In The Post:

The Replacement - Brenna Yovanoff
She has another book coming out later this year and I wanted to read her debut novel first.

Mostly Good Girls - Leila Sales
Just finished it. Neither loved it or hated it - didn't really work for me. Review soon.

Uncertain Allies - Mark del Franco
Finally! Can't wait to start this.

But I Love Him - Amanda Grace
I read Stay by Deb Caletti recently and loved it, I'm hoping this will be just as good.

Roadside Assistance - Amy Clipston
I've been reading a lot of grief books lately and this is another.

Kindle:

Flat-Out Love - Jessica Park
The Forest Of Adventures - Katie M John
Saw these on some other book blogs this week and thought they looked good.

Won:


Chime by Franny Billingsley from the lovely Dwayne and Hanna @ Girls Without A Bookshelf. Thanks to them and to Bloomsbury.







Netgalley:

Spellbound - Cara Lynn Shultz

Much better this week only nine books! I think I am developing some self-control. Next week I am going to try for even fewer books so I can make a dent in my gigantic tbr pile.

That's all for now.

Booking Through Thursday 14

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

CAN you judge a book by its cover?

No you most definitely cannot judge a book by it's cover. A cover can sometimes tell you the genre but it can never tell you how good or bad a book is going to be. I think it's terrible to judge a book by it's cover but I know many people do it.

I myself have never bought or rejected a book based on it's cover. I buy books because I like the description or because it's by an author I love and will read anything they write. Sometimes I buy a book because I have read a really great review but I don't do this too often because everyone has different tastes and just because someone else hated it doesn't mean I wouldn't love it and vice versa.

However I will say that a really great cover can get my attention but I would never just look at the cover and say I must have that book I would have to read the description and then decide.

So for an example here is a cover that caught my attention recently.


I love the cover of Dearly Departed but I wouldn't have put it on my wishlist if I hadn't read the awesome summary that goes with it.










That's all for now.

Review: The Wreck - Marie Force

The Wreck by Marie Force.

Carly Holbrook and Brian Westbury are weeks away from their high school graduation. The young couple plans to marry before they head to college, and their future seems bright with promise. Everything changes one spring night when their six closest friends, including Brian's younger brother, are killed in a fiery car accident that Carly and Brian witness. The trauma leaves Carly unable to speak, and Brian is forced to make unimaginable decisions about a future that once seemed so certain. With Carly incapable of going forward with their plans, Brian leaves home-and Carly-for good. Fifteen years later, disturbing new clues indicate the accident that wrecked so many lives wasn't an accident at all, bringing Brian home to face a past—and a love—he's never forgotten.

Marie Force is a new to me author this year. I have read four of her books so far including this one and they are fast becoming must reads for me. She writes a great mix of romance and suspense.

Her characters in this particular book were very well written and had a lot of depth to them. The main characters Carly and Brian they were so cute together. I loved how we go to see them together as teens and then have them come together again as adults.

I figured out who the criminal fairly early on in the book but I like to think it's because I'm pretty good at picking these things up not because the author made it totally obvious. But knowing who did it in no way ruined the book for me, in fact I prefer to know so I can make note of what the character is doing throughout the book and to pick up any clues the author gives you.

I read this book in one sitting I was that invested I just had to know how in was all going to turn out. There was one big twist that I didn't see coming, in fact it totally blindsided me and to be honest I could have done without it because I really didn't like the way it was handled. I am not a fan of keeping such huge secrets from people - can't say more than that or it will ruin the book.

Anyway I just recently bought two more of Marie Force's books and I can't wait to get started on them.

That's all for now.

Waiting On Wednesday 15

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 Moonglass by Jessi Kirby.
It will be relased on the 3rd May 2011.

When Anna was little, she and her mother used to search for sea glass, but since they looked at night, they called it moonglass. Now, ten years after her mother's mysterious death, her father is working as head lifeguard on the same beach where her mother grew up and her parents first met and fell in love.

Reluctant to get close to anyone (including her father) and not pleased about having to start at a new school, Anna begins to spend more time alone, running the length of the beach and wondering about who her mother really was. After meeting a lifeguard named Tyler, she slowly lets her guard down and together they start exploring the abandoned houses that dot the beach.

But when learning more about her mother's past leads to a painful discovery, Anna must reconcile her desire for solitude with ultimately accepting the love of her family and friends.

Sounds like the perfect blend of romance, mystery and heartache. I've been waiting for this one for a while and am so happy that it's out in a few weeks.

That's all for now.

Review: The Peach Keeper - Sarah Addison Allen

The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen.

The New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Who Chased the Moon welcomes you to her newest locale: Walls of Water, North Carolina, where the secrets are thicker than the fog from the town’s famous waterfalls, and the stuff of superstition is just as real as you want it to be.

It’s the dubious distinction of thirty-year-old Willa Jackson to hail from a fine old Southern family of means that met with financial ruin generations ago. The Blue Ridge Madam—built by Willa’s great-great-grandfather during Walls of Water’s heyday, and once the town’s grandest home—has stood for years as a lonely monument to misfortune and scandal. And Willa herself has long strived to build a life beyond the brooding Jackson family shadow. No easy task in a town shaped by years of tradition and the well-marked boundaries of the haves and have-nots.

But Willa has lately learned that an old classmate—socialite do-gooder Paxton Osgood—of the very prominent Osgood family, has restored the Blue Ridge Madam to her former glory, with plans to open a top-flight inn. Maybe, at last, the troubled past can be laid to rest while something new and wonderful rises from its ashes. But what rises instead is a skeleton, found buried beneath the property’s lone peach tree, and certain to drag up dire consequences along with it.

For the bones—those of charismatic traveling salesman Tucker Devlin, who worked his dark charms on Walls of Water seventy-five years ago—are not all that lay hidden out of sight and mind. Long-kept secrets surrounding the troubling remains have also come to light, seemingly heralded by a spate of sudden strange occurrences throughout the town.

Now, thrust together in an unlikely friendship, united by a full-blooded mystery, Willa and Paxton must confront the dangerous passions and tragic betrayals that once bound their families—and uncover truths of the long-dead that have transcended time and defied the grave to touch the hearts and souls of the living.

Sarah Addison Allen's books are pure magic. Honestly her books leave me with a such a good feeling when I have finished them. She blends the slightest touch of magic into her books enough that it gives them a sparkly edge but not so much as to make them unrealistic.
Her books contain small towns, larger than life character and sweet romances. They are so easy to read and her characters are simply perfection. She makes me want to know them, be friends with them and live in the same town as them.

In The Peach Keeper you get the perfect balance between romance, mystery and friendship.
The friendship between Paxton and Willa develops naturally and you get the sense that it will last forever. The mystery of the bones add an touch of tension, you know something bad happened in the past you just don't know what and they way it unfolded in the end was very well done. There are two romances running through out the book and while Willa's was cute it was Paxton's that really interested me, it was nice to see the difficulties of best friends becoming more play out and have a happy ending. It was also great to see some of her characters from her other books.

I cannot recommend her books enough and I can't wait to read whatever she writes next.

That's all for now.

Teaser Tuesday 15

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!


I am currently reading an egalley of Wherever You Go by Heather Davis. I am reading it on my kindle so my teaser is going to be from where I am at now.

"That little journal sitting on my desk held the things I was going to celebrate and remember about me and Rob being together. I wasn't going to let his horrible end dictate how I lived my life anymore."

19% Location 653.

A poignant story about making peace with the past and opening your heart to love. Seventeen-year-old Holly Mullen has felt lost and lonely ever since her boyfriend, Rob, died in a tragic accident. But she has no idea that as she goes about her days, Rob’s ghost is watching over her. He isn’t happy when he sees his best friend, Jason, trying to get close to Holly—but as a ghost, he can do nothing to stop it. As their uncertain new relationship progresses, the past comes back to haunt Holly and Jason. Her Alzheimer’s-stricken grandfather claims to be communicating with the ghost of Rob. Could the messages he has for Holly be real? And if so, how can the loved ones Rob left behind help his tortured soul make it to the other side?

That's all for now.

In My Mailbox 15

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

My fifteenth IMM post - here we go.

Books I received this week.

In The Post:

The Year Nick McGowan Came to Stay - Rebecca Sparrow
Read it. Loved it enough to buy another of her books.

City of Fallen Angels - Cassandra Clare
So I have had this book since Monday and have felt no overwhelming urge to read it which means I am going to wait a couple of years for the other two books to come out. I did it with the first trilogy I can do it with the second. It makes it easier knowing that CoFA ends with a cliff hanger - I really don't want to get in to all of that without having the next book to read.

The Summer of You - Kate Noble

Party - Tom Leveen

Chasing Fire - Nora Roberts
I looove Nora Roberts book sooooo much. This one was pretty great.

Side Jobs - Jim Butcher
Finally!!! I can now read the short story that takes place straight after Changes in preparation for Ghost Story which can't come out soon enough. Oh how I love Harry Dresden.

The Girl Most Likely - Rebecca Sparrow

At The Shops:

Fallen - Lauren Kate
Torment - Lauren Kate
Wanted to get these books for ages and when I saw them in Waterstones I couldn't resist. I am not going to read them until just before Passion comes out.

The Lost Guide to Life and Love - Sharon Griffiths

Unholy Magic - Stacia Kane
Second book in the series - really must get the first.

The Crimson Petal and the White - Michel Faber
The BBC have just made it into a TV show figured I would check out the book.

Kindle:

True North - Marie Force

Everyone Loves A Hero: ...and that's the problem - Marie Force

The Trouble With J.J. - Tami Hoag
I loved Tami Hoag's books back when I was younger. This is one of the ones I haven't read yet.

Saving Grace - Norah Wilson

The Marriage Bed - Laura Lee Guhrke

Almost Perfect - Julie Ortolon

Too Perfect - Julie Ortolon

13 Little Blue Envelopes - Maureen Johnson
Free on amazon.co.uk

Netgalley:

Wherever You Go - Heather Davis
The Magnolia League - Katie Crouch
Putting Makeup on Dead People - Jen Violi
Queen of the Dead - Stacey Kade
The Near Witch - Victoria Schwab
Phoenix Rising - Pip Ballantine & Tee Morris
I requested all of these ages ago and they finally came through. I am not going to request anymore until I have cleared some of the backlog (really I'm not).

Seriously 26 books!!! What is wrong with me. I would have to quit my job to keep up with all the books I buy (although that doesn't seem like a bad idea). I am officially cutting back (that book I ordered earlier doesn't count - it was before I realised the depth my crazy had reached). I don't think getting a kindle was a good idea because my brain doesn't seem to realise that just because I can't hold the book in my hand doesn't mean it didn't cost money. Stupid amazon one-click rubbish.

That's all for now.

Review: Scorpia Rising - Anthony Horowtiz

Scorpia Rising by Anthony Horowitz.

Scorpia has dogged Alex Rider for most of his life. They killed his parents, they did their best to con Alex into turning traitor, and they just keep coming back with more power. Now the world's most dangerous terrorist organization is playing with fire in the world's most combustible land: the Middle East. No one knows Scorpia like Alex. And no one knows how best to get to Alex like Scorpia. Until now.

The chases have never been more intense, the fights more treacherous, or the risks so perilous to mankind. And this time, Alex won't get away.


I have been reading the Alex Rider series for 10 years and I have loved every minute of it. This is the final book in the series and I am very sad to see it come to an end.

The series is about reluctant teenage spy Alex Rider recruited by MI:6 to go undercover where only teenagers can go. If you want to know more you will have to go back to the beginning and read the first book to find out how Alex came to be in this unlikely situation. By this the ninth book Alex has turned 15 and has been out of the spy game for a few months but of course he gets dragged back in. He, along with everyone else, is being manipulated by his old enemy Scorpia. What follows is Alex's most harrowing and difficult journey yet.

I know these books aren't aimed at me at 26 year old girl but I don't really care. I am an action girl at heart and these books provide me with a massive amount of it. There's car/bike chases, snipers, kidnappings, assassination attempts, exploding boats and all sorts of crazy goings on. What's not to love.

The thing that keeps me coming back time and time again to these books is Alex, the character is so endearing that you can't help but root for him and want to follow along on his journey. He is no different in this book, although he wants out of the spy game he feels that if there's anything he can do to help he must.

OK so I saw the death coming from a mile off but still even after it happened I just sat there in shock thinking how can this happen why would the author do this. The ending was very bittersweet and while not completely satisfying I felt it was quite fitting for the series in general.

Now that the series is over I want to gather all the books together and read them one after the other that's how much I love this series. I'm looking forward to seeing what Anthony Horowitz writes next.

That's all for now.

Booking Through Thursday 13

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

In a related question to last week’s–

I was reading the other day a quote from JFK Jr who said on the death of his mother, that she died surrounded by family, friends, and her books. Apparently, Jackie’s books were very much a part of HER, her personality, her sense of self.

Up until recently, people could browse your bookshelves and learn a lot about you–what your interests are, your range of topics, favorite authors, how much you read (or at least buy books).

More and more, though, this is changing. People aren’t buying books so much as borrowing them from the library. Or reading them on their e-readers or computers. There’s nothing PHYSICAL on the shelves to tell strangers in your home, for better or worse, who you ARE.

Do you think this is a good thing? Bad? Discuss!

When I die they are going to say the cause of death was my books as in they fell on top of me while I was sleeping and crushed me. Books have always been a part of my life and always will be. I may have a kindle now but I will never stop buying in real life books. In fact I probably buy even more books now than I used to, the same amount of in real life books with kindle books just added on top.

Hardly anybody comes in to my room to see my books anyway so I don't really think that actually looking at my books gives you a sense of my personality. I think it's more the way books have changed and shaped me that's more important than the physical aspect. Besides my books are so crazy diverse I don't think they really tell you much about my personality except for the fact that I am hugely bookish and that they rule my life.

That's all for now.

Waiting On Wednesday 14

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 The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. It will be released on the 19th of August 2011.

The Victorian language of flowers was used to express emotions: honeysuckle for devotion, azaleas for passion, and red roses for love. But for Victoria Jones, it has been more useful in communicating feelings like grief, mistrust and solitude. After a childhood spent in the foster care system, she is unable to get close to anybody, and her only connection to the world is through flowers and their meanings.

Now eighteen, Victoria has nowhere to go, and sleeps in a public park, where she plants a small garden of her own. When her talent is discovered by a local florist, she discovers her gift for helping others through the flowers she chooses for them. But it takes meeting a mysterious vendor at the flower market for her to realise what's been missing in her own life, and as she starts to fall for him, she's forced to confront a painful secret from her past, and decide whether it’s worth risking everything for a second chance at happiness.

The Language of Flowers is a heartbreaking and redemptive novel about the meaning of flowers, the meaning of family, and the meaning of love.

This book sounds amazingly beautiful and I can't wait to get my hands on it.

That's all for now.

Teaser Tuesday 14

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!


I finished To Marry A Prince by Sophie Page late last night and I really loved it so I thought I would take my teaser from there today.

It was Lottie who said wisely, 'You don't want the first thing you do as Richard's acknowledged girlfriend to be a head-to-head standoff with his mother. Quite apart from the fact that she's Queen of England, the mother of every son in the world would hate you for that.'

Page 203.

One night is about to change Bella’s life for ever…

Bella Greenwood isn’t a fairytale girl. If pushed, she’d probably tell you that her perfect wedding would involve a handful of close friends and family. But as she’s never met anyone she’d like to marry, it’s a moot point.

Until, in a midnight garden, Bella is helped out of an embarrassing situation by a tall, dark, handsome man with laughing eyes. And suddenly her life changes for ever, because the man is the world’s most eligible bachelor: Prince Richard, heir to the throne.

Richard sweeps her off her feet, and before she knows it they’re engaged. Which is when Bella’s problems really begin. Suddenly she is public property, and as if it isn’t enough to have her every move watched – while also learning to curtsy and negotiating the etiquette of how to address her future mother-in-law – she soon finds herself embroiled in bridesmaid politics, a right royal hen night, and a wedding dress controversy that causes a national scandal…

Can this ordinary girl survive the preparations for her very own Royal Wedding?

I am massively behind on my reviews I have about 10 started but not finished I would like to blame this cold I have had for over a week now but it hasn't slowed my reading down any so I think I'm just useless. Tomorrow for sure I am going to get a few done.

That's all for now.

In My Mailbox 14

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

My fourteenth IMM post - here we go.

Books I received this week.

In The Post:

Magic on the Hunt - Devon Monk
The sixth book in an awesome paranormal series.

My Soul to Keep - Rachel Vincent
I now have the first three books in this series, probably time to start reading them.

The Gathering - Kelley Armstrong
Kelley Armstrong!!!

The Opposite of Amber - Gillian Philip
Looked interesting.

Red Glove - Holly Black
YAY! I have been waiting for this books for ages.

Where She Went - Gayle Forman
Loved it! Review coming soon.

Heads You Lose - Lisa Lutz and David Hayward
Reading now - hilarious.

The Iron Daughter - Julie Kagawa
The second book in the series just have to get the last one and I can start reading.

Cross My Heart - Sasha Gould
Sounded cute and the cover is sooo bright.

The Peach Keeper - Sarah Addison Allen
My love for Sarah Addison Allen grows with every book. Loved it. Review coming soon.

Captured By A Rogue Lord - Katharine Ashe
Loved her first historical romance had to get her second.

Kindle:

Winter's Passage - Julie Kagawa

Backstage Pass - Olivia Cunning

The Unidentified Redhead - Alice Clayton

Betrayal - Mayandree Michel

The Wreck - Marie Force

A Lady's Wish - Katharine Ashe

Netgalley:

The Dark Enquiry - Deanna Raybourn

A Marriage of Inconvenience - Susanna Fraser

Courting Disaster - Carol Stephenson

Of Dukes and Deceptions - Wendy Soliman
The Betrayal of Maggie Blair - Elizabeth Laird

(Note to self - no more requesting books from netGalley)

Won:

Darkness Dawns by Dianne Duvall from the lovely Lisa @ A Life Bound By Books. Including a signed book, singed book cover and a lovely note. Thanks to Lisa and Diane Duvall.






Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Maberry from the lovely Jenny @ Wondrous Reads. Thanks to Jenny and Simon & Schuster.









It's official I have a book buying addiction. I have to cut down on the amount of books I buy, I have so many waiting to be read I am never going to get through them all.

That's all for now.

Booking Through Thursday 12

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

So … the books that you own (however many there may be) … do you display them proudly right there in plain sight for all the world to see? (At least the world that comes into your living room.)

Or do you keep them tucked away in your office or bedroom or library or closet or someplace less “public?”

I live with my parents so all my books have to live in my bedroom. I have at a guess about 2000 books and my bedroom is not all that big so it's pretty much a bed surrounded by giant piles of books. I have three bookcases but you can't actually see them because there are giant stacks of books in front of them. I have books under my bed, in my walk in wardrobe, in my chest of draws, on my window ledge, on my chair and stacks on my desk. It's pretty out of control, once I buy a book it's mine forever and I can't seem to let them go plus I am a big re-reader. Everyone in my family knows how crazy I am about my books so they tend to avoid my room and would never touch them without my permission. Eventually if I ever get the chance to move out of my parents house I imagine beautiful floor to ceiling bookcases that go all the way around the room where I can have lovely neat shelves. With my stacks being the way they are at the moment it takes me half a day to find the book I want and then the rest of the day to straighten out the mess I have made finding said book. I long for alphabetically ordered shelves. I would take some pictures and post them here but you would all be horrified - I mean I live with it and even I'm horrified sometimes.

That's all for now.

Waiting On Wednesday 13

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 Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares. Released on 14th June 2011.

Return to the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants . . . ten years later From #1 New York Times bestselling author Ann Brashares comes the welcome return of the characters whose friendship became a touchstone for a generation. Now Tibby, Lena, Carmen, and Bridget have grown up, starting their lives on their own. And though the jeans they shared are long gone, the sisterhood is everlasting. Despite having jobs and men that they love, each knows that something is missing: the closeness that once sustained them. Carmen is a successful actress in New York, engaged to be married, but misses her friends. Lena finds solace in her art, teaching in Rhode Island, but still thinks of Kostos and the road she didn’t take. Bridget lives with her longtime boyfriend, Eric, in San Francisco, and though a part of her wants to settle down, a bigger part can’t seem to shed her old restlessness. Then Tibby reaches out to bridge the distance, sending the others plane tickets for a reunion that they all breathlessly await. And indeed, it will change their lives forever—but in ways that none of them could ever have expected. As moving and life-changing as an encounter with long-lost best friends, Sisterhood Everlasting is a powerful story about growing up, losing your way, and finding the courage to create a new one.

I had no idea there was even going to be another Sisterhood of Traveling Pants book until last week and when I found out I was sooooo excited. I loved the books back when I first read them and I love the movies too. The new book is a great excuse to re-read the first four.

That's all for now.

Teaser Tuesday 13

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!

April is netGalley month so I am trying to read only books I have received from netgalley I'll probably make a few exceptions here and there but I am going to try at stick to it. I am reading two netGalley books at the moment The Dark Enquiry by Deanna Raybourn and Die For Me by Amy Plum. Today's teaser comes from Die For Me.

"I halfheartedly glanced around before looking back down at the page, but did a double take when I noticed someone staring at me from across the terrace. And the world around me froze when our eyes met."

3% or Location 111 on my kindle.

My life had always been blissfully, wonderfully normal. But it only took one moment to change everything.

Suddenly, my sister, Georgia, and I were orphans. We put our lives into storage and moved to Paris to live with my grandparents. And I knew my shattered heart, my shattered life, would never feel normal again. Then I met Vincent.

Mysterious, sexy, and unnervingly charming, Vincent Delacroix appeared out of nowhere and swept me off my feet. Just like that, I was in danger of losing my heart all over again. But I was ready to let it happen.

Of course, nothing is ever that easy. Because Vincent is no normal human. He has a terrifying destiny, one that puts his life at risk every day. He also has enemies . . . immortal, murderous enemies who are determined to destroy him and all of his kind.

While I'm fighting to piece together the remnants of my life, can I risk putting my heart—as well as my life and my family's—in jeopardy for a chance at love?

That's all for now.

Three Month Blogoversary and Winner!

Yep you read the title right it is my three month blogoversary!
And it's the winner announcement for my 100 Follower Giveaway!
Well OK my three month blogoversary was yesterday but I wanted to do a combination post of my blogoversary and the winner announcement for my first giveaway so I am cheating slightly.
I can't believe I have made it to three months! Back when I started this blog in January I thought it was going to be one of those New Years resolutions that starts off good but sort of gets forgotten amidst everything else that's going on but it hasn't and I have stuck to it. So go me!

On to the winner of my 100 Follower Giveaway. Thanks to all those who entered. I generated the winner through random.org and the number/name it spat out was:

Liz. R @ Planet Print

Congratulations you have won the book of your choice from thebookdepository.co.uk up to the value of £10 an email had been sent to you. You have 48 hours to respond and a week to choose your book.

That's all for now.

In My Mailbox 13

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

My thirteenth IMM post - here we go.

Books I received this week.

In The Post:

She's So Dead to Us - Kieran Scott
I've been wanting this book for ages and there is a second book coming out soon so now seemed like the perfect time to get it.

Born At Midnight - C.C. Hunter
Sounds like the start of an awesome paranormal series.

To Marry a Prince - Sophie Page
I have a big thing for historical romance and this one looked to cute to pass up.

An Abundance of Katherines - John Green
I love books about road trips. Maybe it's because I can't drive (yet - I passed my theory test this week and have had a million driving lessons so I am getting closer) that road trips sound like the most fun thing ever. Anyway a few people heard about my road trip love and recommended this one.

Song of Scarabaeus - Sara Creasy
I saw this one on Nath's IMM post last week at Books, Books and more Books, I read the review she linked to thought it sounded good so I got myself a copy.

Wake Unto Me - Lisa Cach

Another book about impossible romance plus it's set in France - what's not to love.

Scorpia Rising - Anthony Horowitz
So excited when it came in the post yesterday. Reading now. May cry when it's all over.


For Review:

Ravenwild - Peter J. Plasse

This book looks so amazing and it has really cute illustrations.

Won:

Rockoholic - C.J. Skuse
From the lovely Tasha @ A Trillion Books.
The book was singed and came with a Curly Wurly and a cute Rockoholic postcard with a little badge.
A huge thank you to Tasha @ A Trillion books and to C.J. Skuse. I can't wait to read it.








I also received this book plate all the way from the US. No idea who it's from but seeing as I pre-ordered the book it must have worked. I love Sarah MacLean's adult romance novels but I really love her YA book The Season. I really wish she would write another.

Netgalley:

The Twisted Tale of Stormy Gale - Christine Bell

It's netGalley month so I am trying to work my way through some of my netGalley books. I have already read this one and the review should be up later this month.

The Art of Forgetting - Camille Noe Pagan
As soon as I have finished Die For Me this will be my next netGalley book.

Simon & Schuster Galley Grab:

The Summer Before Boys - Nora Raleigh Baskin


My 100 Follower Giveaway to win the book of your choice from the bookdepository.co.uk ends today. For more details and to enter click here.

That's all for now.