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Sunday, July 31, 2011

In My Mailbox (67)

We have Kristi at The Story Siren to thank for hosting IMM every week. 

Library:
Blood Red Road by Moira Young
Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon
Second Helpings by Megan McCafferty 

That's all for me this week. What did you get?

Friday, July 29, 2011

Bookish Tshirt Wishlist

If you look hard enough you can find some awesome Bookish T-shirts. I'm not kidding, there are some pretty fantastic ones out there. I though that I'd share some of those that I so desire with you. These can be super old or super new. They can be ones that you can buy or some that you cannot. If you can buy it I'll leave a link just in case you want to check it out. 
Here we go. 

(Back)
This is one of my favorite Hunger Games Tshirt  that I've found. Uh, I want it so bad...

This one is just awesome. 

I love this shirt, too. I just love the saying on it. 
Wanna buy? Click here. 

 
Okay, you cannot say this shirt isn't awesome. This is number one on my wishlist.
Of course it doesn't hurt that I first saw it on the one and only Rory Gilmore. 
Wanna buy it? Click here. 

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Review: Everlasting

Everlasting (The Immortals, #6)
Everlasting
Alyson Noel
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date: June 7, 2011

Everlasting is the sixth and final installment of the epic love story that has enchanted readers across the world. Ever and Damen have spent centuries facing down bitter rivals, jealous friends and their own worst fears-all in the hope of being together forever. Now in Everlasting, their destiny is finally within reach. 

Will they be united-or torn apart forever? Readers will finally discover the truth in this anxiously awaited conclusion!




I'm not going to lie, I"m glad this series is over. I stuck with it, and I'm not really sure why. It's like a bad car wreck; you can't stop watching.

But, getting past that, I'm happy with the ending. it wasn't totally unpredictable.

It had the same problems as past books in the series.  Characters. Too much drama. It was just one problem after the other in the book.

Ever still bothered the crap out of me. But, not as much as in past books. I still thought a lot could have been avoided if she just listened to Damen, but I actually saw a point to her decisions in this. For once.

I actually enjoyed seeing Ever and Damen's past. A part that we haven't seen or heard of before.

Honestly, I felt that a lot of this book (and series) could have been avoided, or at least summarized.

All in all, a good wrap up to an 'eh' series. 

Here's to happy endings!

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Charming Covers [13]

Charming Covers is a feature where I show some covers for upcoming books that have recently been revealed/ I've recently found.
'Fever (The Chemical Garden, #2)
Fever by Lauren DeStefano
February 21, 2012

Sequel to Wither

I'm really loving this cover! A lot. It's gorgeous. I don't know which I like better, though, this one or Wither. 
I cannot wait to see what happens in this book. 

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Obsessed: Chain Reaction


Last week I did a Waiting on Wednesday post on Chain Reaction. Since then, my excitement for this book has grown to an obsessive need. I feel the need to rant and rave about this book and series, so if you are a fan of the Perfect Chemistry series and are excited for this one, please read on. If not, please ignore this post and thank you for stopping by. 

What really got me excited and obsessed with this book again was the trailer. 


I've said this before, but I'm not really a huge fan of the trailer itself. What I do like though is that it reveals more of the story and whats going to happen, does it not? 

Another thing is, if you go on goodreads and go to the google preview, you can read the first 30 pages. That's right, 30 pages! Of course I devoured that.  And guess what.... We get to see the start of Alex and Brit's wedding! How exciting is that?
I do hope that Carlos and Kiarra are in this one a lot, too. I'll be bummed if they aren't. 
I know most people prefer Alex and Brittany, but I actually like Carlos and Kiarra more. That's right, I said it. Crazy, right? I'm probably the only person out there. 
But I do. I love Alex, but I like Carlos more. And I can relate to Kiarra a lot more than I can to Brittany. 
But I still love Alex and Brittany. 
Another reason I like RoA is because of the setting. I live about an hour away from Boulder, so I know it. There aren't many books set in Colorado, let alone the mountains. The only other one that comes to mind is Nightshade by Andrea Cremer. Which I dont' understand. It's absolutely gorgeous up there in the mountains. 
But that's off topic.
So, all in all, I like the characters better in RoA, and the plot and story better in PC.

I can't wait to find out what happens in Chain Reaction!
I'm done rambling, so I'll leave with the Chain Reaction premise, out August 16.

Luis Fuentes is a good boy who doesn't live with the angst that his big brothers, Alex and Carlos, have always lived with. Luis is smart, funny, and has big dreams of becoming an astronaut. But when he falls for the wrong girl, Luis enters a dark world he's never known, and just when he thinks he's got life all figured out, learns some disturbing news about his family that destroys his positive outlook on life. Will that Fuentes bad boy streak come out with a vengeance and lure Luis to live on the edge like his new girlfriend and his own father?
Continuing all the steamy romance of the first two books, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Simone Elkeles gives fans one more satisfying taste of the irresistible Fuentes boys.

Sounds delicious, no?
Who's excited?

Monday, July 25, 2011

Review: Sixteenth Summer

Sixteenth SummerSixteenth Summer
Michelle Dalton
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: May 3, 2011

Anna is dreading another tourist-filled summer on Dune Island that follows the same routine: beach, ice cream, friends, repeat. That is, until she locks eyes with Will, the gorgeous and sweet guy visiting from New York. Soon, her summer is filled with flirtatious fun as Anna falls head over heels in love.
But with every perfect afternoon, sweet kiss, and walk on the beach, Anna can’t ignore that the days are quickly growing shorter, and Will has to leave at the end of August. Anna’s never felt anything like this before, but when forever isn’t even a possibility, one summer doesn’t feel worth the promise of her heart breaking…

I love romances and fun summer reads, and Sixteenth Summer was a perfect combination of both.

I really liked the romance in this book. It was very real and very sweet. That's something that I appreciated.

One thing about this book is that sometimes the characters bothered me. Not Will, he didn't. But at times Anna did. Sometimes she seemed a bit childish and over dramatic. I also wasn't a huge fan of Caroline, Anna's best friend. Though they sometimes bothered me, I was able to overlook it easily and didn't let it take away from the story.

Though I did enjoy the book, it was a little cheesy. More like incredibly cheesy. But that's okay. It's part of what makes the book so endearing.

This is a romance of of fun. There's nothing serious about it. Definitely a good light summer read. 



Saturday, July 23, 2011

In My Mailbox (66)

We have Kristi at The Story Siren to thank for hosting IMM every week.


This is actually a few weeks worth of books. 

For Review:
All These Things I've Done
All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin

Ripple
Ripple by Mandy Hubbard from Around the World Tours

Bought:
Forgotten
Forgotten by Cat Patrick
This is actually pretty exciting. It's the first book I've bought since March. Crazy, right?
Forever (Wolves of Mercy Falls, #3)
Forever by Maggie Steifvater

From Library:
A Need so Beautiful by Suzanne Young
The Eternal Sea by Angie Frazier
Passion by Lauren Kate
Witches of East End by Melissa de la Cruz

Chime by Franny Billingsley 
Wildcat Fireflies by Amber Kizer

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Review: Stay

StayStay 
Deb Caletti
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: April 5, 2011


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....





I was surprised by how much I liked this book. I wasn't expecting it, but I did. The story was much more than I thought it would be.

I'm still not quite sure why I decided to read this. It's not really my type of book. There are some books I liked by this author... and some I didn't. All I know is I'm glad I did.

Clara is one of those characters that I love. Not once in the book did I think she was selfish or stupid or anything like that.

One thing I did like about this was that even after the whole Christian thing, Clara still managed to find someone. She didn't let what happened with Christian stop her with moving on with someone else. I liked that this book still had a romantic aspect despite everything.

This is not a glamorous story. It's not fun and light-hearted. In fact, there are parts that are downright creepy. Nevertheless, it's a story that needs to be told. One that I liked and will not forget. 

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday: Chain Reaction

WoW is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Chain Reaction (Perfect Chemistry, #3)

Luis Fuentes is a good boy who doesn't live with the angst that his big brothers, Alex and Carlos, have always lived with. Luis is smart, funny, and has big dreams of becoming an astronaut. But when he falls for the wrong girl, Luis enters a dark world he's never known, and just when he thinks he's got life all figured out, learns some disturbing news about his family that destroys his positive outlook on life. Will that Fuentes bad boy streak come out with a vengeance and lure Luis to live on the edge like his new girlfriend and his own father?
Continuing all the steamy romance of the first two books, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Simone Elkeles gives fans one more satisfying taste of the irresistible Fuentes boys.


I'm super excited for this book. I loved the first two, so I'm sure you can see me drooling with anticipation for the next one. I really don't like the book trailer, but I did feel like I got a little more of whats going to happen, thus making me even more excited!

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Way to miss my blogoversery....

So, being as stupid as I am, I totally missed my blog's blogoversery!
I can't believe I did that!
Oh, well. Better late than never, I suppose.

I started my blog on July 4, 2009. That seems like so long ago. I'm honestly surprised that I stuck with it for so long. But now, it's part of my life and it would be weird to not have it.

I'm proud of the prgoress that I've made. As a blogger, reviewer, reader. Having this and review has definitely changed my perspective when reading. That can be a bad thing, but overall I think its good.

I hope to have many more blogoverseries!

Happy late birthday, Book Fanatics!

Monday, July 18, 2011

Review: Ripple

Ripple

Ripple
Mandy Hubbard
Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin
Release Date: July 21, 2011

Lexi is cursed with a dark secret. Each day she goes to school like a normal teenager, and each night she must swim, or the pain will be unbearable. She is a siren - a deadly mermaid destined to lure men to their watery deaths. After a terrible tragedy, Lexi shut herself off from the world, vowing to protect the ones she loves. But she soon finds herself caught between a new boy at school who may have the power to melt her icy exterior, and a handsome water spirit who says he can break Lexi's curse if she gives up everything else. Lexi is faced with the hardest decision she's ever had to make: the life she's always longed for - or the love she can't live without?

Ripple was a fun adventure. I think I was expecting a little more from it, but, nethertheless, I enjoyed it.

We start off the story about a year after Lexi Killed her boyfriend. Not only is she dealing with a dark secret, but everyone else believes she killed him, too.

Lexi had pretty much shut everyone out. I can see why; she's been through a lot, plus she's trying to figure out and deal with what she is. I liked Lexi, for the most part. I wished she had let Cole in sooner. But, like I said, she had shut everyone out.

The story wasn't entirely unpredictable. Though there were a few surprises, I could pretty much figure it out. The book was unique though. Sirens have been popping up more and more, but I' haven't read anything like this.

Overall, it was a cute story. A bit cheesy, but still good.

Review:

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Charming Covers [12]

Charming Covers is a feature where I show some covers for upcoming books that have recently been revealed/ I've recently found.

The Golden Lily (Bloodlines, #2)
The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead
Ecpected Publishing Date: March 2012

Sequel to Bloodlines
I haven't read Bloodlines yet, but I know it's going to be awesome! And that doesn't mean I'm not excited for the sequel!
And great cover. 


A Million Suns (Across the Universe, #2)
A Million Suns by Beth Revis
Janurary 10, 2012

Sequel to Across the Universe

Though it's not my favorite, I really enjoyed the first one. I can't wait to read this one!
And I love this cover. Really Pretty!

Perception (Clarity, #2)
Perception by Kim Harrington
March 2012

Sequel to Clarity.

I enjoyed Clarity, so I'm looking forward to another good mystery. 
I think this cover is gorgeous. I like it better than the first.  

Sunday, July 10, 2011

I'll be back...




So, I'm going camping this week. Yay! I'll be gone from Sunday-Monday.
I just wanted to let you know that I won't be posting any. I may try to to have some pre-set posts, but those don't always work out.
Anyway, I'll be back!

Here's where I'm going:

Have a good week everyone!

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Review: Through Her Eyes

Through Her EyesThrough Her Eyes
Jennifer Archer
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: April 12, 2011

Every ghost has a story to tell.


The last place Tansy Piper wants to be is stuck in Cedar Canyon, Texas, in the middle of nowhere, with a bunch of small-town kids. But when her mother decides to move to the desolate West Texas town, Tansy has no choice but to go along. Once there, Tansy is immediately drawn to the turret of their rickety old house, a place she soon learns has a disturbing history. But it's the strange artifacts she finds in the cellar—a pocket watch, a journal of poetry, and a tiny crystal—that have the most chilling impact on her.


Tansy soon finds that through the lens of her camera, she can become part of a surreal black-and-white world where her life is intertwined with that of mysterious, troubled Henry, who lived in the same house and died decades earlier. It seems their lives are linked by fate and the artifacts she found, but as Tansy begins spending more and more time in the past, her present world starts to fade away. Tansy must untangle herself from Henry's dangerous reality—before she loses touch with her own life forever.

This book wasn't exactly what I was expecting. I thought that I would like this book more than I did. It's not that I didn't like. It took a while to get into, but once I did I started enjoying it more.

It took a while to get into this book. I found it kind of slow and hard to get into. But about halfway through, though, I started to get more into it. I started to even enjoy it.

The story itself was interesting. I haven't really read anything like it. I enjoyed the mystery to it.

I also liked how Tansy went into the past and become a different person.

I think Tansy was part of the reason it took me so long to get into the book. She was just... a bit selfish I guess. I did like that we got to see another side of her when she was around Papa Dan. I also liked some of the side characters.

Even though it took me a while to get into, once I did I really enjoyed it.

Rating:
3.5

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Charming Covers [11]

Charming Covers is a feature where I show some covers for upcoming books that have recently been revealed/ I've recently found.



The Future of Us
The Future of Us by Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler
Release Date: November 21, 2011

It's 1996, and less than half of all American high school students have ever used the Internet.


Emma just got her first computer and an America Online CD-ROM.

Josh is her best friend. They power up and log on--and discover themselves on Facebook, fifteen years in the future.

Everybody wonders what their Destiny will be. Josh and Emma are about to find out.

I'm so excited for this book! I'm anxious to see how Jay Asher will do, this being only his second book. I loved Thirteen Reasons Why, and I also have enjoyed Carolyn Mackler's books in the past.
I'm actually not a huge fan of this cover. If I saw it for the first time in a store and didn't know who the authors were or anything, I probably wouldn't pick it up. But, nethertheless, I'm really excited to read this book!

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Review: Love Story

Love Story

Love Story
Jennifer Echols
Publisher: MTV Books
Release Date: July 19, 2011

She's writing about him. he's writing about her. And everybody is reading between the lines..



For Erin Blackwell, majoring in creative writing at the New York City college of her dreams is more than a chance to fulfill her ambitions--it's her ticket away from the tragic memories that shadow her family's racehorse farm in Kentucky. But when she refuses to major in business and take over the farm herself someday, her grandmother gives Erin's college tuition and promised inheritance to their maddeningly handsome stable boy, Hunter Allen. Now Erin has to win an internship and work late nights at a coffee shop to make her own dreams a reality. She should despise Hunter . . . so why does he sneak into her thoughts as the hero of her latest writing assignment?


Then, on the day she's sharing that assignment with her class, Hunter walks in. He's joining her class. And after he reads about himself in her story, her private fantasies about him must be painfully clear. She only hopes to persuade him not to reveal her secret to everyone else. But Hunter devises his own creative revenge, writing sexy stories that drive the whole class wild with curiosity and fill Erin's heart with longing. Now she's not just imagining what might have been. She's writing a whole new ending for her romance with Hunter . . . except this story could come true.

I am so in love with Jennifer Echol's books. I would definitely say she's one of my favorite authors. I've loved all of her books, and Love Story was no exception.

I loved reading Erin and Hunter's story. They would make me mad at times, but then again every good love story makes me mad, at least a little.

I must say this book is unique. We don't see a lot of YA reads set in collage, and we don't read a lot about inspiring novelists. Not to mention Erin's grandmother giving her inheritance to Hunter. The whole premise of the books is not like most.

I was captivated by the whole story. I couldn't stop reading. Although, I felt that the ending was a bit abrupt.

Now that I've mentioned all of the good things about the book, I do need to say that I was expecting more. I did enjoy it, but if fell a bit short.

Although it's not my favorite Jennifer Echols book, I still think fans of Jen will enjoy this read. It's a riveting edition to the Echols collection.

Rating:

Friday, July 1, 2011

June Rewind

My goal for the month of June was to read 30 books. I didn't quite get to that goal, but I did get a lot done.

The Books I Read:
  1. Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton
  2. Hourglass by Myra McEntire
  3. Instructions for a Broken Heart by Kim Culbertson
  4. The Darkest Lie by Gena Showalter
  5. Eternal Rider by Larissa Ione
  6. Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah Maclean
  7. Heart of the Dragon by Gena Showalter
  8. Love Story by Jennifer Echols
  9. Ruby Red by Kirsten Gier 
  10. Darkfever by Karen Morning
  11. Through Her Eyes by Jennifer Archer
  12. What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen
  13. The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
  14. The Mediator: Darkest Hour by Meg Cabot
  15. The Darkest Secret by Gena Showalter
  16. Wake Unto Me by Lisa Cach
  17. Stay by Deb Caletti
  18. The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross 
  19. Jewel of Atlantis by Gena Showalter
  20. It's not Summer Without You by Jenny Han
  21. Graveminder by Melissa Marr
  22. Ten Ways to be Adored When Landing a Lord by Sarah Maclean
  23. Personal Demon by Kelley Amrstrong

23 ain't bad, eh?

 Other Reviews:
Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey
Mad Love by Suzanne Selfors
Rosebush by Michelle Jaffe

For as many books as I've read, I didn't post that many reviews. I've got a ton of them written and ready to go, but for whatever reason I just didn't post them. So, expect many reviews in the weeks to come.