Why I Love My Library

You guys, my library is awesome, it really is. For many reasons, which is why I'm here today: To share with you why.

First, Look at it. Isn't it cute?


So, anyway.

Reason #1
My library is awesome with getting new releases. They typically get them right on schedule and usually the only time I have to wait is if someone checked the book out before I did.

Reason #2
Even if the particular library I go to doesn't have the book I want, I just reserve it from some other library and I pick it up at my branch. If the book is checked in, it only takes a day or two to get it.

Reason #3
I can get ebooks through my library. That's right, I can not only get physical copies but I can get digital ones as well. I can get them on my computer, my Nook, even my phone. Pretty handy.

Reason #4
They promote reading. The lovely librarians are always doing some program or promotion to get people reading. I am very appreciative of this.

I know I may be obsessed, but my library is my home away from home. I go there about three times a week. I'll go to just hang out and use the internet. I actually have to force myself to buy books because I get so many from my library. I don't even buy books unless I've already read them or it's from an author or series that I know I'll love.

So, I ask you this: Do you love your library? I know some people have said that they don't hardly get new releases or that they've read through the books in their library. What about yours?

I also ask this of you. Support your local library. Even if you don't like going or checking out books (which I don't see why you wouldn't), donate books you don't like or want anymore, volunteer, or even check out a book every once in a while just for the heck of it. I used to volunteer at mine before the gift shop where I worked closed down. But I still help when I can. Just please, help your library, even in the smallest way. 

Contest Winners!

I recently hosted two giveaways and I have some winners to announce!

Unbreak My Heart giveaway winner:

Emily Drake

Fated giveaway winner:

Tabitha Williams!

I have already emailed and heard back from the winners. Your prizes should be on their way!

Thanks to all those who entered either the giveaways!

Charming Covers [37]

Charming Covers is a feature here at Book Fanatics where I show off covers that have recently been revealed/ that I've recently found.

Crash by Lisa McMann

Jules lives with her family above their restaurant, which means she smells like pizza most of the time and drives their double-meatball-shaped food truck to school. It’s not a recipe for popularity, but she can handle that. 

What she can’t handle is the vision. Over and over, Jules sees a careening truck hit a building and explode... and nine body bags in the snow. 

She has no idea why this is happening to her or if she’s going crazy. It hardly matters, because the visions are everywhere--on billboards, television screens, windows--and she’s the only one who can see them. 

But it’s not until the vision starts coming more frequently, and revealing more clues, that Jules knows what she has to do. Because now she can see the face in one of the body bags, and it's someone she knows. Someone she’s been in love with for as long as she can remember.

I really enjoyed the Wake trilogy, and I'm excited to see where this series takes us. Hopefully I'll enjoy it as much!

I like that this cover is so different from the other series. I like the fire in the eye. 

Review: The Last Echo by Kimberly Derting

The Last Echo
Kimberly Derting
Publisher: Harper Collins
Release Date: April 27, 2012

In the end, all that's left is an echo...
Violet kept her morbid ability to sense dead bodies a secret from everyone except her family and her childhood-best-friend-turned-boyfriend, Jay Heaton. That is until forensic psychologist Sara Priest discovered Violet's talent and invited her to use her gift to track down murderers. Now, as she works with an eclectic group of individuals—including mysterious and dangerously attractive Rafe—it's Violet's job to help those who have been murdered by bringing their killers to justice. When Violet discovers the body of a college girl killed by "the girlfriend collector" she is determined to solve the case. But now the serial killer is on the lookout for a new "relationship" and Violet may have caught his eye...

I am a big fan of this series. I love the murder-mysteries (something we don't see in YA as much as we should) and I love that Violet's power is so unique. The Last Echo was a good edition to the series. It wasn't my favorite in the series, but I still enjoyed the ride. 


This series has a serious creep factor, and I think The Last Echo topped the other two. It definitely brought a new level to the series. A lot of this has to do with the killer. As with the last two books, we got to see inside the killer's head. This is scary, but it adds a lot to the books. And the killer in The Last Echo is the worst yet.


Violet has been through a lot. She has finally found comfort in the fact that she's not the only one who has powers. She hasn't totally come to terms with her ability, but it's not like before. And I have to say, my heart broke for her at the end of this book. 


And... the love triangle. I knew we couldn't avoid this forever. As with most love triangles, it bothered me and seemed pointless. Rafe, he wasn't the one that bothered me though. He had been through a lot and was hurting. It's mostly the situation that bothered me. But Violet and Jay belong together. 


Overall, I enjoyed the ride that was The Last Echo. It was intriguing and intense at parts. I can't wait to see to see where the next book takes us.

Series reviews:

Desires of the Dead (book 2)

Top Ten Tuesday: Beach Reads

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. For more information or to participate, visit here.


This week's theme is Top Ten Beach Reads, which is appropriate since it's summer!

Girl at Sea by Maureen Johnson

Boating, romance, and a treasure hunt. What more can you ask for?

One of my recent favorites. Again, more boating! 

You can't read this book and not want to travel!

Pretty much any Sarah Dessen book. They all have that summer feel. But if I have to recommend a few, I'd have to say The Truth about Forever and Along for the Ride.

There is nothing I would like more than to go on a road trip...especially if it's with someone like Roger.

And when you want to take a break from all those others...curl up with a good murder mystery.

Nothing gives off the summer feeling more than Moonglass. 

This one is pretty serious, but I still really like it.

A great yet heartbreaking summer read.

What better way to spend your summer than to learn about dead famous people in John Belushi is Dead.

As I make this list, I realize that most summer novels are pretty sad and serious. 

What's on your list this fine Tuesday?

Review: Dark Kiss by Michelle Rowen

Dark Kiss
Michelle Rowen
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release Date: May 29, 2012

I don't do dangerous.  Smart, über-careful, ordinary Samantha-that's me. But I just couldn't pass up a surprise kiss from my number-one unattainable crush. A kiss that did something to me...something strange. Now I feel hungry all the time, but not for food. It's like part of me is missing-and I don't know if I can get it back. Then there's Bishop. At first I thought he was just a street kid, but the secrets he's keeping are as intense as his unearthly blue eyes. If he's what I think he is, he may be the only one who can help me. But something terrifying is closing in, and the one chance Bishop and I have to stop it means losing everything I ever wanted and embracing the darkness inside me.... NIGHTWATCHERS When angels and demons must work together, something beyond evil is rising...

When I read Michelle Rowan's Demon Princess series, I was really surprised by how much I liked it. I didn't think I would like it as much as I did. I was pretty excited to read see how Dark Kiss would turn out. Although it wasn't as good as I hoped it would be, I still enjoyed it. 

Rowan did not fail to create a world that captivated and intrigued me. I just love the worlds  that she creates. I find them fascinating and creative. 

This may be old school, but I do enjoy a nice good-verses-evil story. But it's not like we haven't seen this plot before. I'm not saying Dark Kiss wasn't original or unique. It may have had an old-school plot but it also had a unique spin. 

I think my least-favorite part of this book were the characters. I liked Sam fine, but she wasn't anything special. I do wish that at times she wasn't as passive as she was. But she stepped it up when she needed to. And Bishop. Again, I liked him, but he wasn't as swoon-worthy as I had hoped. I did like him more than Sam, however. Overall the characters were just ordinary. 
I do wish that the relationship between Sam and Bishop had developed a little more. There was a twinge of insta-love, though not nearly as bad as some books. This didn't really bother that much. However, I do like to have a little more banter between the two love interests. 

Dark Kiss may not have been real fluffy, but it was still a fun read and nothing too series. I quite enjoyed this world and the story. 

Awesome Books, Awful Covers

So, every once in a while I get a book that has just an awful cover. When the book turns out to be completely awesome,  I'm usually surprised. Today, I am sharing those books with you.

Now, a lot of these books I wouldn't have even picked up if there weren't raving reviews for them or for some other reason I felt like picking them up.

Now, from the title and cheesy cover, I honestly don't know why I picked this one up. But I did, and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. 

Okay, is it just me, or does this chick remind you of Wednesday from The Addams Family? I think she's really creepy, and unlike the other books in the series, not in a pretty, intriguing way.

I just think this cover is cheesy. Fortunately, the paperback has a better cover.

This cover isn't as bad as it is just embarrassing to read. But the pure awesomeness of the book make up for it. 

Again, this is not necessarily a bad cover, but it looks super chick-lity and cheesy. I would have never picked it up if it weren't for all of the awesome reviews. And I don't regret it one bit. 

This all just teaches you not to judge a book by it's cover. 

Are there some books that have been awesome but have a bad cover that you've read? Let me know!