Book Review- Toads and Diamonds

Toads and Diamonds
By Heather Tomlinson
Published By Henry Holt and Co.

Summary (from Goodreads): Diribani has come to the village well to get water for her family's scant meal of curry and rice. She never expected to meet a goddess there. Yet she is granted a remarkable gift: Flowers and precious jewels drop from her lips whenever she speaks.

It seems only right to Tana that the goddess judged her kind, lovely stepsister worthy of such riches. And when she encounters the goddess, she is not surprised to find herself speaking snakes and toads as a reward.

Blessings and curses are never so clear as they might seem, however. Diribani’s newfound wealth brings her a prince—and an attempt on her life. Tana is chased out of the village because the province's governor fears snakes, yet thousands are dying of a plague spread by rats. As the sisters' fates hang in the balance, each struggles to understand her gift. Will it bring her wisdom, good fortune, love . . . or death?

Dislikes: While the author did a good job with the world building of the smaller places, like the wells or palace, I didn't feel the bigger picture was as well done. I'm a visual person and could have used a map at the front of the book. There is a lot of traveling and, since it wasn't an actual place, I needed more to go on to keep up.  

Likes: I enjoyed how the story was set up. It was told from  both sisters point of view, the chapters went back and forth between the sisters and their experiences.  Seeing both sisters learn that the blessings from their goddess may not be the blessing/curse they originally thought it was, was a great way to show their growth. Diribani learning that she is more than just the pretty one while also learning that her previous perceptions of the white-coats and their religion may not have been as accurate as she thought.  Tana, who has always been the strong one, learning to be strong and yet feel worthy of notice by others for something other than her strong personality.


Overall: I really enjoyed this book.  The growth of both sisters was done well and even though they were not in the same place through most of the book, it still blended together well and didn't feel as if you were reading two separate books.


Rating: 4

Follow Friday and Blog Hop

Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee. This weeks question:
WHAT ARE YOUR NEW YEARS BOOK BLOGGING RESOLUTIONS?

I've only been doing this a couple of months so
1. Hopefully I'll get more comfortable writing reviews so they are done more often. I only seem to get 1 or 2 a week right now.
2. Get to an author signing or two.
3. Have posts other than reviews or weekly memes.
4. Try and keep up with current books that are coming out, I'm really bad with this so I'm making a list of what I want to read and when it comes out.

Hope everyone has a great New Year and Stay Safe!!

Book Review ~ Nightshade

Nightshade 
By Andrea Cremer
Published By Philomel

Summary (Goodreads): Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she'll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But when she violates her masters' laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might lose everything— including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice?


Dislikes: I'm not the biggest Shay fan, nothing in particular, he's just kinda of  eh to me.  I've posted before how I dislike when teen girl instantly falls for teen boy from first glance and that happened in this book. I'm also finding I'm over all the love triangles, can't we have a teen angst romance without adding a third person.  Calla the alpha. I had trouble believing her in this role, especially when she seemed to know nothing about her pack or what was going on with them.  At times they seemed to be humoring her more than following her, especially once the two packs were mixed together.


Likes:  Calla the individual. I really enjoyed her growth from someone who just follows orders without question and accepted the role she had been given to someone who started to think for herself.  I liked most of the side characters, guardians and keepers,  and their interactions with each other throughout the story.  While some interactions were disturbing you got a sense of the power structure and who was really in charge.


Overall: This was a great read from beginning to end. The action started right from the first page and didn't stop until the last. The world and history that Ms. Cremer built for the Guardians and Keepers was unique and interesting.  While the ending didn't help my feelings about Shay, it did make me anxious to read Wolfsbane to find out what happens next, who lives through the decisions Calla made, and which Wolf (if any) comes out on top.


Rating: 4

Book Review ~ Witch & Wizard

Witch & Wizard (Witch & Wizard #1)

By James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet
Published By Century

Summary (Goodreads): The world is changing: the government has seized control of every aspect of society, and now, kids are disappearing. For 15-year-old Wisty and her older brother Whit, life turns upside down when they are torn from their parents one night and slammed into a secret prison for no reason they can comprehend. The New Order, as it is known, is clearly trying to suppress Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Being a Normal Teenager. But while trapped in this totalitarian nightmare, Wisty and Whit discover they have incredible powers they'd never dreamed of. Can this newly minted witch and wizard master their skills in time to save themselves, their parents--and maybe the world?

Dislikes: I was hoping for more from this book. There was never any real world or character building. It jumped right into the action, Whit and Wisty being taken from their home for being a witch and wizard. It seems pretty unbelievable that the New Order has taken over all parts of the government and the country and yet no one knows anything about it. Kids have been disappearing, including Whit's girlfriend, and at no point do their parents feel the need to warn them about what is going on and how what they really are is putting them in danger.

Likes: I liked Wisty, her character seemed more capable in the environment they were thrust into. She was quick to accept what she was and try to get better at being a witch so she could help not only herself but all the other kids that were being held by the N.O.

Overall: It was a well paced book and made for a quick read. I would have liked this book much more if it had been the second or third book in a series instead of the first. Since you are not as familiar with the characters, when there were twists they didn't have the impact they should have because you had no vested interest in characters.

Rating: 3

Challenges

I made a list for this weeks ago and I'm finally posting and signing up for this challenge. The Debut Author Challenge is hosted by Kristi @The Story Siren. To find out more about the challenge go here.

Some rules: Books must be a Young Adult or Middle Grade novel.
DO NOTE: Just because a book has a teen character or is about a teen, does not mean that it is necessarily a Young Adult novel.
This must be the authors debut with a release date in 2011.
If an author has a previous novel published under adult fiction/nonfiction or children's fiction/nonfiction, they can still qualify for the challenge if they are releasing their YA or MG debut.

Here is a tentative list I've made but it may change depending on what I can get my hands on
1. XVI By Julia Karr
2. The Near Witch By Victoria Schwab
3. The Mistress of the Storm By Melanie Welsh
4. Luminous By Dawn Metcalf
5. The Revenant By Sonia Gensler
6. Entwined By Heather Dixon
7. The False Princess By Eilis O'Neal
8. Angelfire By Courtney Allison Moulton
9. The Iron Witch By Karen Mahoney
10.

In My Mailbox (5) Christmas Edition

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by the Kristi over at The Story Siren. The idea of In My Mailbox is to bring books to the attention of our blog readers and to encourage interaction with other blogs.. The idea of In My Mailbox is to bring books to the attention of our blog readers and to encourage interaction with other blogs

I received mostly books this year, finishing up some series and starting some new.

U is for Undertow By Sue Grafton
One for the Money & Two for the Dough By Janet Evanovich
The Girl Who Played With Fire By Stieg Larsson
Happy Ever After (Book 4) By Nora Roberts
The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror Edited By Paula Guran
The White Queen By Philippa Gregory
The Hidden Oasis By Paul Sussman

I love Greek Mythology and the covers for these books grabbed my attention:
Age of Misrule (Book 1,2,3): World's End, Darkest Hour, Always Forever By Mark Chadbourn

So what did you get this week? Have a great week!

Merry Christmas ~ Happy Holidays

Just wanted to take a second and Wish everyone celebrating A Very Merry Christmas! If you don't celebrate hope you are having a great weekend!

Follow Friday and Blog Hop

Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee. This weeks question:
WHAT ARE YOU PLANS FOR THIS FABULOUS DAY? Not a lot today. Try to keep the little one under control until bedtime and then its wrapping time. I don't know why I always wait until now to wrap but it's become tradition.

Hope everyone has a Safe and Happy Holiday weekend and for those who don't celebrate I hope you still have a great safe weekend!



Blog Hop is on vacation for the next 2 weeks!

Book Review- Childrens

The Adventures of Blue Ocean Bob
By Brooks Olbrys
Illustrated By Aleksandra Beaucher
Published By Childrens Success Unlimited LLC

Overall: This book is about a boy who goes on a trip to try and find his purpose. The message, looking inside yourself instead of expecting others to give you your purpose, is a great message for kids to learn early. It is wrote in a rhyming style and is very easy to read. My son is really into maps, looking at and drawing, so his favorite part was the inside covers where he could follow the path that Bob takes in the story. 

Rating: 4 for both the story and illustrations

In My Mailbox (4)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by the Kristi over at The Story Siren. The idea of In My Mailbox is to bring books to the attention of our blog readers and to encourage interaction with other blogs.. The idea of In My Mailbox is to bring books to the attention of our blog readers and to encourage interaction with other blogs


Not much this week since I will be getting a lot next weekend. 


Library: Halo By Alexandra Adornetto and blue moon By Alyson Noel


Received from Black Lagoon Reviews. Demon From The Dark By Kresley Cole


So what did you get this week? 


Everyone have a safe Holidays!

Book Review - Hush Hush

Hush Hush (Hush Hush #1)

By Becca Fitzpatrick

Published By Simon & Schuster

Summary:For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her...until Patch comes along. 

With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment, but after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure whom to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is far more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel. 
For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life.

Dislikes: There was something that felt off about this book, for me, but I can't quite place it.  There were times during the book when I found myself rereading sections thinking I had missed something. The story seemed to jump ahead with no explanation. The relationship between Nora and Vee also seemed off to me considering they were supposed to be best friends. 

Likes: Even with some of the unexplained (might just have been me) jumps forward, I still really liked the overall story.  I  like when authors don't just make the lead female instantly in love with guy. The progression of Nora and Patch's relationship was well done and believable in that aspect.  The side characters also helped to make the story.  They kept you guessing about who was truly a "bad guy" and what was Nora's imagining. 

Overall: The main storyline of this book worked for me and I look forward to reading book 2. There were some interesting twists in the story that kept me guessing and reading to find out what happened next.   I'm also interested in seeing how the relationship works moving forward and finding out more about Nora's family's past. 

Rating: 4

Follow Friday and Blog Hop

Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by ParaJunkee. This weeks question:

What did you study in college, or are currently studying and did it lead to your current 9 to 5 or are you doing something totally different?

I've taken some courses but the main one was medical billing. Since I'm a SAHM it doesn't help with it.



The Book Blogger Hop is a place just for book bloggers and readers to connect and share our love of the written word! This meme is hosted by Crazy For Books.

This weeks Question: What do you consider the most important in a story: the plot or the characters?

I think they are both important. You can have a great story but if the characters aren't believable or don't draw the reader in it's going to be a fail.

Thanks for stopping by, leave a comment so I can return the visit.

Book Review ~Clockwork Angel

Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices #1)
By Cassandra Clare
Published By McElderry Books

Summary (GoodReads): Magic is dangerous--but love is more dangerous still. 

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos. 

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own. 

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by--and torn between--two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length...everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world...and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

Dislikes: There was nothing that really stands out as a dislike in this book. While I didn't care for Jessamine, I felt more sorry for her than dislike. Such an angry young woman, there has to be more behind it than we saw in this book.

Likes:  Tessa as the female lead in this story. She was strong when she needed to be, especially where her family was concerned. She set out with one purpose, saving her brother, and wouldn't be led off that path no matter what the Shadowhunter's priorities were. I also really liked Will and was intrigued by the glimpses we got into his past. I cannot wait to find out more and see why he is the way he is.  The rest of the side characters were just as great as these two.  I really enjoyed the poem at the beginning of the book Thames River Song by Elka Cloke.  It put me in the right frame of mind for the story and setting of this book.  I love character consistency, it was nice to see Magnus still loves the pretty things.  

Overall: I loved this book. I was drawn into the story from the very beginning and did not want to stop even when it was finished.  Cassandra Clare brought us another batch of great strong characters to fall in love with (and sometimes hate) and wove them into a world that we are are already familiar with, but made it their own. I'm not Team Will or Jem, I'm Team Cassandra as long as she is writing them I'll be reading them.

Rating: 5

Book Giveaway

Delirious

By Daniel Palmer
Published By Kensington
Received from author for review and giveaway

Summary (from author's website ):Charlie Giles is at the top of his game. An electronics superstar, he’s sold his startup company to a giant Boston firm, where he’s now a senior director. With his dog, Monte, at his side, Charlie is treated like a VIP everywhere he goes.

Then one day, everything in Charlie’s neatly ordered world starts to go terrifyingly wrong. His prestigious job and his inventions are wrenched away from him. His family is targeted, and his former employers are dying gruesomely, picked off one by one. Every sign, every shred of evidence, points to Charlie as a cold-blooded killer. And soon Charlie is unable to tell whether he’s succumbed to the pressures of work and become the architect of his own destruction, or whether he’s the victim of a relentless, diabolical attack.

In a desperate struggle to save his life, Charlie races to uncover the truth, all the while realizing that nothing can be trusted—least of all his own fractured mind…

Since this is my first giveaway I'm making it as easy as possible.

*Open to US addresses only

*Giveaway will end on 12/31/2010, winner picked by random.org and will be announced on 1/2/2011.

*Winner will have 72 hrs to respond before another winner is chosen.

*Followers are appreciated but not necessary for this giveaway.

*Must leave a comment with a valid email address to qualify. Any entries without an email address will be disqualified.

In My Mailbox (3)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by the Kristi over at The Story Siren. The idea of In My Mailbox is to bring books to the attention of our blog readers and to encourage interaction with other blogs.. The idea of In My Mailbox is to bring books to the attention of our blog readers and to encourage interaction with other blogs


For Review:
from author- Delirious By Daniel Palmer,  (suspense/psych thriller)
What So Proudly We Hailed By James Howard (Christian Lit)
The Adventures of Blue Ocean Bob By Brooks Olbrys (children)
from netGalley- Outside In By Maria V. Snyder
One Hundred Candles By Mara Purnhagen
Christmas Stories for Bedtime By Renae Brumbaugh
The Lying Game By Sara Shepard


Library: Shade By Jeri Smith Ready
The Warrior Heir By Cinda Williams Chima


Bought: The Demon King and The Dragon Heir (was only 3.99 couldn't resist) By Cinda Williams Chima


Received: Swag: from Her Book Self- Firelight bookmark and postcard, from Jennifer Estep- bookmarks from all 4 Elemental Assassin books as well as from 3 other books by her.

Book Review

Inside Out
By: Maria V. Snyder
Published By: Harlequin Teen


Summary (GoodReads):Keep Your Head Down.

Don't Get Noticed.

Or Else.

I'm Trella. I'm a scrub. A nobody. One of thousands who work the lower levels, keeping Inside clean for the Uppers. I've got one friend, do my job and try to avoid the Pop Cops. So what if I occasionally use the pipes to sneak around the Upper levels? The only neck at risk is my own…until I accidentally start a rebellion and become the go-to girl to lead a revolution.

Dislikes: I had a difficult time visualizing and getting into the world of Inside. I just kept picturing a large office building, this could be what we are supposed to visualize but it just seemed off to me. Even after the last chapter I was still picturing this just in a larger scale. It didn't take away from the book just something I had trouble with. I also didn't like how everything was in weeks, even after breaking it down, whenever a date/time was mentioned (ex: birth week= 145,414) I would have to stop reading to figure out ages, dates, or how far away they were from something happening. It really disrupted the flow of the book for me.

Likes: I really enjoyed the characters and their world (as opposed to the physical world they lived in). Trella is a great lead female. She thinks she is on her own and just doing her own thing and then realizes she has been living/thinking exactly how she is expected to by the pop cops that are controlling the world of inside.  Seeing her grow and realize that she can make friends and trust some people whether they are scrubs like herself or from the upper levels. I also enjoyed how everyone seemed to come together for a common purpose and work towards that goal.

Overall: I found myself engrossed in this book even with the trouble I had envisioning it as a whole.  I liked  how Trella and Riley's relationship steadily grew instead of happening instantly when they first met.  I also enjoyed how the book left off, not with a cliffhanger but still left you wanting to read the next one to find out how changes on inside effect the inhabitants and what they are going to do about outside.

Rating: 4

Book Review

Soul Screamers x3
By: Rachel Vincent
Published By: Harlequin Teen

My Soul to Lose (Soul Screamers Prequel)


This novella is about Kaylee's "panic attack" that landed her in the mental ward of the hospital. I really enjoyed this story. It provided a lot of insight into why Kaylee reacts the way she does when she does not feel she is in control of herself or is about to lose that control. I was also intrigued by Lydia and hope that she shows up again in this series.  I read this after having already read three books in this series and was still able to find it interesting and insightful.

Reaper (Soul Screamers)


This novella is about Tod, our favorite Reaper. We get to see the circumstances that lead to Tod becoming a Reaper. I was pulled into this story from the beginning and left wanting more when it was done. Learning what happened the night of the car accident and why Tod is a Reaper just solidified the fact that he is my favorite character from this series. I had many questions when I was finished with this story, like how/when is the decision he made at the end going to come back on him and also when is Kaylee going to get some of these memories from her time in the mental ward back.

My Soul to Steal (Soul Screamers #4)
eGalley received from netGalley for review


Summary (netGalley): YOU WANT MY SOUL AND MY BOYFRIEND?

Trying to work things out with Nash—her maybe boyfriend—is hard enough for Kaylee Cavanaugh. She can’t just pretend nothing happened. But “complicated” doesn’t even begin to describe their relationship when his ex-girlfriend transfers to their school, determined to take Nash back.

See, Sabine isn’t just an ordinary girl. She’s a mara, the living personification of a nightmare. She can read people’s fears—and craft them into nightmares while her victims sleep. Feeding from human fear is how she survives.

And Sabine isn’t above scaring Kaylee and the entire school to death to get whatever— and whoever—she wants.

Dislikes: Not a lot of dislikes with this book. I would love to say that I disliked Sabine but I actually enjoyed her character even while I was hating her. I'm kind of over Avari and was glad that he was not the only bad guy in this book which left you wondering who was behind everything that was happening at the high school, rather than just saying OK Avari's at it again.


Likes: I loved how Kaylee seemed to have more of a backbone in this book, especially when she was dealing with Sabine. I thought these two played very well off each other and look forward to more interactions between them in the future. The relationship with Kaylee and Nash still seems very up in the air even after everything that happened in this story. Tod was Tod throughout the book, always there when Kaylee needed him and doing whatever he could to help out.


Overall: I really enjoyed this book. I'm not sure how I feel about where some of the relationships seem to be going but cannot wait to read how they get there. Another great read from Ms Vincent!!


Rating: 4 (x3)

Follow Friday and Blog Hop

Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by ParaJunkee. This weeks question:

Do you have an under-noticed author that you think we should all know about?

I was thinking about this and could not come up with one. As of late I seem to mostly be reading books that are on everyone's radars already. Great books but the authors are well known at this point.



The Book Blogger Hop is a place just for book bloggers and readers to connect and share our love of the written word! This meme is hosted by Crazy For Books.

This weeks Question:
What is the thing you like most about reading book blogs?  Is it the reviews, author guest posts, articles, giveaways, or something else entirely?


I really enjoy all of these things but the biggest thing for me is finding new authors that I have never heard of before or that had gotten lost in my TBR.


Have a great week, leave a comment to let me know you stopped by so I can return the favor.

Book Review

Delirious

By: Daniel Palmer
Published By: Kensington


Summary (from author's website ):Charlie Giles is at the top of his game. An electronics superstar, he’s sold his startup company to a giant Boston firm, where he’s now a senior director. With his dog, Monte, at his side, Charlie is treated like a VIP everywhere he goes.

Then one day, everything in Charlie’s neatly ordered world starts to go terrifyingly wrong. His prestigious job and his inventions are wrenched away from him. His family is targeted, and his former employers are dying gruesomely, picked off one by one. Every sign, every shred of evidence, points to Charlie as a cold-blooded killer. And soon Charlie is unable to tell whether he’s succumbed to the pressures of work and become the architect of his own destruction, or whether he’s the victim of a relentless, diabolical attack.

In a desperate struggle to save his life, Charlie races to uncover the truth, all the while realizing that nothing can be trusted—least of all his own fractured mind…

Dislikes:  The book started off strong with the building of Charlie (and Monte's) world. You really got a sense of the type of person Charlie was in and out of his job (not much out). The problem I had was when the book really started getting into the suspense of, is someone out to get him or is he out to get himself,  it seemed to switch gears and focus more on his family and their problems. While the information was interesting and eventually useful to the story, it lasted to long for me. I found myself asking "when are we going to get back to the book?"  Something else that I found myself asking about was, if they are living in this very modern, electronics driven world, why did no one check the security cameras? (this wasn't really a dislike, just a question)

Likes: The prologue does a great job of pulling you into the story and making you want to read more. Other than the part listed above it was very well paced and I ended up finishing it in one night. I enjoyed the suspense of trying to figure out who/what was behind everything that was happening to Charlie. I did figure out what was going (or at least thought I had a good idea) but could not figure out how it was all happening.

Overall: I really enjoyed this book. I never would have guessed this was a debut book for Mr Palmer. It was very well written and right up there with other books in this genre I have read.

Rating: 4


The author did provide me with two copies of this book so I will be doing a giveaway later in the week.
You can pre-order this book @ http://www.danielpalmerbooks.com/pre-order-delirious/

Book Review

Hex Hall (Hex Hall #1)

By: Rachel Hawkins

Published By: Hyperion Book

Summary (GoodReads): Three years ago, Sophie Mercer discovered that she was a witch. It's gotten her into a few scrapes. Her non-gifted mother has been as supportive as possible, consulting Sophie's estranged father--an elusive European warlock--only when necessary. But when Sophie attracts too much human attention for a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, it's her dad who decides her punishment: exile to Hex Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward Prodigium, a.k.a. witches, faeries, and shapeshifters.

By the end of her first day among fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tagalong ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person and only vampire on campus. Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students, and her only friend is the number-one suspect.

As a series of blood-curdling mysteries starts to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all Prodigium, especially her.

Dislikes: I really enjoyed this book and had nothing I disliked.

Likes: It's been awhile since I have been able to finish a book in a day as I did with this one.  I loved the setting and characters in this book.  It was what I expect when I sit down to read a YA book.  I loved Sophie's sarcastic nature, her roommates pink obsession, and the mean girls (with their supermodel looks and pretentious names).  I also liked the progression of the relationship between Sophie and Archer and how it was left.

Overall: I loved this book.  There have not been many out lately that had something surprising for me in them. There were a few twists that I did not see coming and I cannot wait to read the next book, Demonglass, to find out what happens next.

Rating: 5

Follow Friday and Blog Hop

Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee. This weeks question:
What do you do besides reading/ reviewing as a hobby?

I enjoy computer games, puzzle and word games are my favorite and they also help me unwind.



The Book Blogger Hop is a place just for book bloggers and readers to connect and share our love of the written word! This meme is hosted by Crazy for Books.
This weeks question:
What very popular and hyped book in the blogosphere did you NOT enjoy and how did you feel about posting your review?

I didn't hate but didn't get all the hype about "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo", Still haven't even tried to read the second one. As for the review, I didn't really have a problem with writing it, just said my feelings about the book.

Versatile Blogger Award

I actually received this last week from two people and this is the first chance I've had to do this post. I would like to thank J-9 at Blood Rose Books and LJ at Reader Recommended.

There are rules that go along with this award:
1. Share 7 things about yourslef
2.Pass the award on to 15 other bloggers
3.Notify the blogger recipaints
4. Link to the blogger who gave the award

Things about me: 7 will be difficult
1. I'm a Tae Kwon Do mom. My son is going for his first official belt this week.
2. I enjoy arguing with teachers about what is appropriate reading for a 5-6 yr old (see spot run is not it, at least for mine).
3. My taste in music is as eclectic as my taste in books. I will read/listen to anything as long as it's well written.
4. I hate liquid coffee but love coffee flavored ice cream
5. My Zen to unwind is computer games, word and puzzle games relax me.
6. I've only been doing this a month and am still amazed at all the great blogs/bloggers out there.
7. I can't think of a 7th so we'll go with my favorite color which is blue.

It seemed like there were a lot of posts with this award from last week so I'm not sure who to give it to right now. It's 6 minutes to Friday and Follow/Hop time so I will update this as I go.

Everyone have a great weekend and Holidays!

Book Review

The Iron King
by: Julie Kagawa
published by: Harlequin Teen


Summary(from back cover): My name is Meghan Chase. ~In less than twenty-four hours I'll be sixteen. Countless stories, songs, and poems have been written about this wonderful age, when a girl finds true love and the stars shine fr her and the handsome prince carries her off into the sunset. ~I DON'T THINK IT WILL BE THAT WAY FOR ME.

Dislikes: I don't have any real dislikes just thoughts that some may find negative. I know this is a YA novel, but the high schools scenes really felt disconnected from the rest of the book for me. They were kinda of tied in at the end when Meghan and Ethan were going home and ran into Angie but even then it just didn't seem necessary to me.

Likes: I love reading and seeing how different authors take basically the same characters from Midsummers Night's Dream and make them their own, and I felt the author accomplished this. The story was well paced and kept you interested throughout. I liked Meghan all through the book, I never reached that point where I became annoyed with her or really questioned her actions. Her character was consistent from beginning to end. I also really like Puck, Ash, and Grimalkin. They were just as essential to the storyline, to me, as Meghan was.

Overall: I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the next in the series. I don't know if I'm team Ash or Puck at this point we'll see how I feel after the next book ( the cat was my favorite character from this one).

Rating: 4