Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Review : Falling For You by Lisa Schroeder


*Warning: This review may contain spoilers. Read at your own risk.

Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: January 1, 2013
Pages: 355
Source: Own
 
The Story:

Affection turns to obsession—and love means both devastation and redemption—in this gripping novel from the author of I Heart You, You Haunt Me.
Rae’s always dreamed of dating a guy like Nathan. He’s nothing like her abusive stepfather—in other words, he’s sweet. But the closer they get, the more Nathan wants of her time, of her love, of her…and the less she wants to give.
As Rae’s affection for Nathan turns to fear, she leans on her friend Leo for support. With Leo, she feels lighter, happier. And possessive Nathan becomes jealous. He’s not about to let her go. And with danger following her every move, Rae must fight for the life and love she deserves if she’s going to survive.
via Barnes & Noble

RatingTWO Gold Stars!!!!


My Review

Tag Line:

Love found her. Now it won't let her go.


Opening Line:

At last I can breathe.


Plot:

The plot of Falling for You was decently laid out. The pacing was a little slower than I expected. 
To be honest, what made Falling for You 's rating suffer was my disappointment with the climax. For once, I wanted blurb predictable. I wanted the psycho, obsessed ex-boyfriend to be the murderous stalker I knew he had in him. Although, at first I thought the pacing steady considering what I hoped it would boil and blow up to become. However, when the plot conflict volcano finally exploded, it felt unspectacular so it made the pacing seem to drag (if that makes any sense at all).

Character Breakdown:

Rae Lynch - What I enjoyed about Rae's character so much is that she wasn't the weak, thirsty-for-love teenage girl I assumed she would be. Sure she had insecurity and wanted to be wanted, to be loved but it wasn't to the point that she remained in an abusive relationship out of some misguided need to fill a hole her parents didn't. It's nice to read a story that circles closely to matters I can relate to in real life but without the same exact mistakes being made.

Nathan - Perfect stalker ex material! Sexy, mysterious, confident, selfish, and so on. Nathan had so much potential! I was so disappointed I could see him in his Super Saiyan (Dragonball Z nerds will get this reference; in other words, his 100%, max potential).

Overall, I didn't hate Falling for You, it simply didn't do enough for me. I think Falling for You lost a star in rating for the lackluster finale showdown. Had there been some full-fledge stalker, obsessed ex insaneness with violence and psychological thrill and blood, my rating for would have definitely gone up. Still, Falling for You is not so bad that I would dissuade anyone from reading it. If you're bored or waiting between release dates then maybe give Falling for You a try.


***Check out Lisa Schroeder's website for more information about her and the Falling for YouHERE


Happy Reading!


Sunday, March 29, 2015

In My Mailbox #3


In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren which allows bloggers to share what books they bought/received each week.

Hey Bookies! This week will be the third time hosting In My Mailbox and I am so excited to share with you what I received in my mailbox recently.

Having said that, a couple of weeks ago I was lucky enough to win a box of books on Twitter from Heather Howland. Also, I finally bought The Madman's Daughter form Amazon. Take a look below:




Purchased:




Won:
*Some of them*




*If you're interested in the other books that are on my radar you can check out my Amazon Wishlist: Books I Dream About!

Happy Reading!


Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Wishlist Wednesday #26


*Wishlist Wednesday is where you show a book that has been on your wishlist/TBR list for a while, the meme is hosted by Pen to Paper*



The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler

PublisherSimon Pulse
Release Date: June 2, 2015
Pages: 416

The Story:

From the bestselling author of Twenty Boy Summer, a talented singer loses her ability to speak after a tragic accident, leading her to a postcard-perfect seaside town to find romance.

The youngest of six talented sisters, Elyse d’Abreau was destined for stardom—until a boating accident took everything from her. Now, the most beautiful singer in Tobago can’t sing. She can’t even speak.

Seeking quiet solitude, Elyse accepts a friend’s invitation to Atargatis Cove. Named for the mythical first mermaid, the Oregon seaside town is everything Elyse’s home in the Caribbean isn’t: an ocean too cold for swimming, parties too tame for singing, and people too polite to pry—except for one.

Christian Kane is a notorious playboy—insolent, arrogant, and completely charming. He’s also the only person in Atargatis Cove who doesn’t treat Elyse like a glass statue. He challenges her to express herself, and he admires the way she treats his younger brother, Sebastian, who believes Elyse is the legendary mermaid come to life.

When Christian needs a first mate for the Cove’s high-stakes Pirate Regatta, Elyse reluctantly stows her fear of the sea and climbs aboard. The ocean isn’t the only thing making waves, though—swept up in Christian’s seductive tide and entranced by the Cove’s charms, Elyse begins to wonder if a life of solitude isn’t what she needs. But changing course again means facing her past. It means finding her inner voice. And scariest of all, it means opening her heart to a boy who’s best known for breaking them…


-via Amazon

Want to see my entire Wishlist? Check it out on Amazon: Books I Dream About

Happy Reading!

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Review : Goddess by Josephine Angelini

*Warning: This review may contain spoilers. Read at your own risk.

PublisherHarperCollins Publishers

Release Date: April 29, 2014
Pages: 432
Source: Own

The Story:

International bestselling author Josephine Angelini concludes her action-packed Starcrossed trilogy with Goddess—a romantically-charged page-turner that Newsday raved was a "clever reworking of Greek mythology."
After Helen Hamilton accidentally unleashes the violent gods from their captivity on Olympus, she and her friends must imprison them before their thirst for war—and blood—take over the world. But the gods' fury already has a body count, and time is running out. With Lucas Delos's life hanging in the balance, and their once-solid group of friends now divided, Helen must face this battle alone, while also deciding who has her heart—Lucas, or the possible Tyrant, Orion.
With a masterfully-woven plot and epically-high stakes, the compelling twists and turns in Goddess will leave readers completely spellbound.
via Barnes & Noble
RatingFOUR Gold Stars!!!!


My Review

Josephine Angelini has struck again! What a bittersweet ending. So sad to see the trilogy end . . . but so good, I couldn't help speeding through 
Goddess. Having said that, Starcrossed is one of my Top Favorite Series. I am glad I got to be along for Helen and her friend's wild ride.

Tag Line:

She must rise, or they will fall.

Opening Line:

Helen could see what she guessed was the River Styx just off to her left.

Plot:

The plot-line of 
Goddess was well-laid. Readers walked alongside Helen on her difficult quest to stop a supernatural war, all the while reaching her maximum potential, growing into her skin and keeping her friends and family safe. Not to mention, biding tension of the impending war of demigods and the traitor lurking amongst the ranks takes its toll on everyone. It is difficult to fight for the right-side when the ones you should be protecting isn't so crystal clear.

There was a perfect balance of intrigue, mystery, evil and romantics. And boy, the twists and turns were fruitful and forced me to the end of my seat. 

Right when you think you kind of-sort of have things figured out . . . BAM! No, you don't

All in all, the writing itself was humorous, strong and captivating. Angelini weaved a stunning tale that had me enthralled from the first page and never released me from its grasp. If you have no read the Starcrossed trilogy then I don't understand what you waiting for. An invitation? Well, here IT is!


***Check out Josephine Angelini's website for more information about her and GoddessHERE

Happy Reading!


Monday, March 23, 2015

Melodious Monday #30


*Melodious Monday is a meme I came up with to share my weekly top picks in music that I like to listen to while reading and writing.

Top Five Picks

These are the songs I had on repeat while reading this past week:








1. Save Me by DJ Corbett









4. Revolution by Diplo





Enjoy the reading tunes!

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Wishlist Wednesday #25


*Wishlist Wednesday is where you show a book that has been on your wishlist/TBR list for a while, the meme is hosted by Pen to Paper*



The Law of Moses by Amy Harmon

PublisherCreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Release Date: November 18, 2014
Pages: 332

The Story:

If I tell you right up front, right in the beginning that I lost him, it will be easier for you to bear. You will know it’s coming, and it will hurt. But you’ll be able to prepare.
Someone found him in a laundry basket at the Quick Wash, wrapped in a towel, a few hours old and close to death. They called him Baby Moses when they shared his story on the ten o’clock news – the little baby left in a basket at a dingy Laundromat, born to a crack addict and expected to have all sorts of problems. I imagined the crack baby, Moses, having a giant crack that ran down his body, like he’d been broken at birth. I knew that wasn’t what the term meant, but the image stuck in my mind. Maybe the fact that he was broken drew me to him from the start. It all happened before I was born, and by the time I met Moses and my mom told me all about him, the story was old news and nobody wanted anything to do with him. People love babies, even sick babies. Even crack babies. But babies grow up to be kids, and kids grow up to be teenagers. Nobody wants a messed up teenager. And Moses was messed up. Moses was a law unto himself. But he was also strange and exotic and beautiful. To be with him would change my life in ways I could never have imagined. Maybe I should have stayed away. Maybe I should have listened. My mother warned me. Even Moses warned me. But I didn’t stay away.

And so begins a story of pain and promise, of heartache and healing, of life and death. A story of before and after, of new beginnings and never-endings. But most of all . . . a love story.

-via Amazon

Want to see my entire Wishlist? Check it out on Amazon: Books I Dream About

Happy Reading!

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Review : Dreamless by Josephine Angelini

*Warning: This review may contain spoilers. Read at your own risk.

PublisherHarperCollins Publishers

Release Date: April 30, 2012
Pages: 430
Source: Own

The Story:

StarHearts, as fans of Josephine Angelini call themselves, will stay up all night reading Dreamless, the second book in the bestselling Starcrossed series. The saga mixes mythology, romance, action, and intrigue in a completely original way.
 
Dreamless continues the story of Helen Hamilton, a shy girl living on Nantucket Island whose desire for an ordinary life was thwarted when she discovered she is a Scion, a descendant of a Greek god and a mortal. Each Scion has a power, and Helen’s is the ability to travel to Hades.
 
Helen is determined to use her talent to stop a war amongst the gods and change her destiny, which is to live a life patterned after that of the tragic Helen of Troy. But her quest may cost her Lucas Delios, the boy she loves.

via Barnes & Noble
RatingFOUR Gold Stars!!!!


My Review

If you're reading this review, know this: I took my butt to Barnes & Noble as soon as Dreamless hit shelves. Normally, I wait to search the internet for cheaper prices but not in this case. Dreamless was worth every penny. Honestly though, I was afraid. You know the reputation sequels have . . . and considering how much I loved the first book, Starcrossed, I don't think I could have withstood the disappointment. But the book gods blessed Josephine Angelini.

Tag Line:

In the Underworld, every night is forever.

Opening Line:

Red blood bloomed from underneath Helen's torn fingernails, pooled in the crescents of her cuticles, and trailed down her knuckles in little rivers.

Plot:

Starcrossed left off at one hell of a cliffhanger. Helen and Lucas are cousins! Of course, readers know that its a load of bullshit to keep them apart but it doesn't make Helen and Lucas' separation any easier. Talk about a dark emotional and moral roller-coaster.

The main plot conflict of Dreamless was for Helen to explore and utilize her Scion capabilities to appeal to the Furies. The Furies! (I greatly appreciate the heavy tie to Greek Mythology this go around in the trilogy.) And while on her quest in the Underworld she receives a helping hand . . . from a mysterious, hot guy she has plenty in common with, Orion.

Alas, to add the cherry on top, we have the ConfusedHelen-CousinLucas-CourageousOrion triad. Normally, the whole love triangle fiasco isn't my sort of taste but in this case it was delicious . . . and twisted. That is all I am going to say about that *insert maniacal laugh*

Dreamless readers are swept into a sea of lies, lust, gloom, doom, funny, touchy and greater purpose. If you haven't read the Starcrossed trilogy already, get off your butt and get started.

Character Breakdown:

Helen - In Dreamless readers watch her become stronger. We see her being to embrace who she really is, what she is capable of. And she just doesn't give up. No matter how hard it got with the cousin Lucas situation or in the Underworld, Helen kept pushing forth.

Orion -  I love Orion! Probably more than I love Lucas. Orion is smart, strong, fun and sexy in a self-deprecating(?)/quirky funny (still not sure if this is exactly term I was going for, you'll understand when you read Dreamless) sort of way with just the right amount of tortured soul. And he entered the story in the nick of time. 

Here is one of my favorite quotes from 
Dreamless:

Claire to Helen"So, anyway, I opened my window to yell at him and tell him that he was going to wake my grandma-- you know how she can hear a dog fart two houses down. But he said he had to see me That he couldn't stay away from me anymore, and then he kissed me! Is that not the best first kiss ever?" page 287 


***Check out Josephine Angelini's website for more information about her and DreamlessHERE

*Read my review of Starcrossed & Goddess

Happy Reading!



Sunday, March 15, 2015

Spread the Word Sunday #3


*Spread the Word Sunday is a meme hosted by The Tattered Page to announce some sort of news or cause*

So . . . The RT Booklovers Convention is right around the corner. Unfortunately for me, this year I will not be able to make it this year. Instead of having a bookiedeeds blast in Dallas -- I will be stuck in EMT training and working. Yay! -_-


For those who do not know what the RT Booklovers Convention is, I provided some info below:

2015 will be the 32nd Annual RT Booklovers Convention anniversary celebration in Dallas, May 12 - 17, at the Hyatt Regency Dallas Hotel. 

When you pick up your badge at the hotel, only full-convention attendees will receive a tote bag filled with goodies (books, promo items etc.) and a voucher for a trip through our ”Goody Room“ where you can select a generous number of books from stacks of more than 200 titles."
--RT Book Reviews


Now that you are caught up, my absolute favorite parts of the convention -- the main reasons why I go -- are the Gaint Book Fair and Teen Day. Hmm, what are they you may ask. Well . . .


 Giant Book Fair:

The Giant Book Fair will be held on Saturday, May 16, 2015.


This year, in addition to YA Alley and New Adult Lane, we have added Inspirational Fiction Way where you can easily find all of the authors who write in this genre.
Also new this year we will be cross referencing authors by genre in the book fair layout booklet that is given out to everyone who attends the book fair so that you will be able to find new authors in the genres you love.
Teen Day:

The Teen Day excitement begins at 11am on Saturday, May 16 at the Giant Book Fair where you'll meet 100 Young Adult authors who will signing in YA Alley including: Meg Cabot, Tamora Pierce, Richelle Mead, Scott Westerfeld, Melissa de la Cruz, Margaret Sthol and Kami Garica, Kiera Cass, Allison Noel, Lauren Oliver, Becca Fitzpatrick and Jennifer L. Armentrout to name a few. It's also where you can purchase autographed copies of their latest books so be sure to bring an extra bag (or suitcase!).


*For more info, check out the official website for the RT Booklovers Convention*

Happy Reading!

In My Mailbox #2


In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren which allows bloggers to share what books they bought/received each week.

Hey Bookies! This week will be the second time hosting In My Mailbox and I am so excited to share with you what I received in my mailbox recently.

Having said that, a couple of weeks ago I ordered a few* books from Amazon. I usually wait for the used books to go down to $0.01. But ... if I can't then, well, you know. Also, I was lucky enough to win two books on Twitter from Morgan & Fallon over at Book In Neverland. Take a look below:


Purchased:



Won:



*If you're interested in the other books that are on my radar you can check out my Amazon Wishlist: Books I Dream About!

Happy Reading!



Thursday, March 12, 2015

Thanks-Giving Thursday Giveaway #19!


Thanks-Giving Thursday is a meme I came up with to say thank you to the followers - new and old - of my blog by spreading the wealth . . . the wealth of books, that is. So every - or alternate - Thursday I will be hosting a giveaway on my blog. The prize(s) will usually include at least two books (ARCs and/or finished copies) and maybe even some sort of swag.

Enter for a chance to win Indelible by Dawn Metcalf, Invisible by Dawn Metcalf & Falling Kingdom by Morgan Rhodes right here!



a Rafflecopter giveaway



RULES:

1. To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter form 
2. Provide a working email with your entry 
3. Entries point values:

        +5 for Following this blog
        +2 for Free
        +3 for Leaving a blog post comment
        +4 for Following me on Twitter
        +4 for Tweeting about giveaway on Twitter
4. All entrants must be at least 13 years old
5. Only one entry per person
6. Winners will be announced via blog post and via email
7. If you win, you must claim your prize within 48 hours or the winner will be re-drawn
8. Mailing address is only required if you win
9. The giveaway ends midnight on March 25th 2015 and a winner will be chosen March 26th, 2015.
10.  Unfortunately, this giveaway is not open internationally.



Indelible by Dawn Metcalf:

PublisherHarlequin Teen
Publication DateJuly 30, 2013
Some things are permanent. Indelible. And they cannot be changed back. 

Joy Malone learns this the night she sees a stranger with all-black eyes across a crowded room—right before the mystery boy tries to cut out her eye. 

Instead, the wound accidentally marks her as property of Indelible Ink, and this dangerous mistake thrusts Joy into an incomprehensible world—a world of monsters at the window, glowing girls on the doorstep and a life that will never be the same.  

Now, Joy must pretend to be Ink's chosen one—his helper, his love, his something for the foreseeable future…and failure to be convincing means a painful death for them both.  

Swept into a world of monsters, illusion, immortal honor and revenge, Joy discovers that sometimes, there are no mistakes. 

Somewhere between reality and myth lies… 
- via Amazon

Invisible by Dawn Metcalf:

PublisherHarlequin Teen 
Publication DateSeptember 30, 2014


Some things lie beneath the surface. 

Invisible. 

With the power to change everything. 

Joy Malone wants it all—power, freedom and the boyfriend who loves her. Yet when an unstoppable assassin is hired to kill her, Joy learns that being the girl with the Sight comes with a price that might be too high to pay. Love will be tested, lives will be threatened, and everyone Joy knows and cares about will be affected by her decision to stand by Ink or to leave the Twixt forever. 

Her choice is balanced on a scalpel's edge and the consequences will be more life-altering than anyone can guess.


- via Amazon

Falling Kingdom by Morgan Rhodes:

Publisher
Razorbill
Expected Publication Date
March 11, 2014
War brought them together. Love will tear them apart.
 
Princess Cleo of Mytica confronts violence for the first time in her life when a shocking murder sets her kingdom on a path to collapse. Once a privileged royal, Cleo must now summon the strength to survive in this new world and fight for her rightful place as Queen.
 
The King of Limeros’s son, Magnus, must plan each footstep with shrewd, sharp guile if he is to earn his powerful father’s trust, while his sister, Lucia, discovers a terrifying secret about her heritage that will change everything.
 
Rebellious Jonas lashes out against the forces of oppression that have kept his country cruelly impoverished—and finds himself the leader of a people’s revolution centuries in the making.
 
Witches, if found, are put to death, and Watchers, immortal beings who take the shape of hawks to visit the human world, have been almost entirely forgotten. A vicious power struggle quickly escalates to war, and these four young people collide against each other and the rise of elementia, the magic that can topple kingdoms and crown a ruler in the same day.
- via Amazon

Happy Reading!