Follow Friday

Follow Friday is now hosted by TWO hosts, Parajunkee of course and Alison of Alison Can Read. Each host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it'll allow us to show off more new blogs!

 Q: Do you read one book at a time or do you switch back and forth between two or more?
A. This one was easy. I always read more than one. I will usually start several until I reach that point where I cannot put a book down until it's finished. They tend to be different in some way, adult/ ya or different genre.

If you are a new follower leave a comment letting me know :)
Happy Reading and Have a Great Weekend!

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly event that spotlights upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating.

The Last Boyfriend (Inn Boonsboro Trilogy #2)
by Nora Roberts
published by Berkley
expected release date: May 1, 2012

Summary: Owen is the organizer of the Montgomery clan, running the family's construction business with an iron fist - and an even less flexible spreadsheet. And though his brothers bust on his compulsive list-making, the Inn BoonsBoro is about to open right on schedule. The only thing Owen didn't plan for was Avery McTavish... Avery's popular pizza place is right across the street from the inn, giving her a first-hand look at its amazing renovation - and a newfound appreciation for Owen. Since he was her first boyfriend when they were kids, Owen has never been far from Avery's thoughts. But the attraction she's feeling for him now is far from innocent. As Avery and Owen cautiously take their relationship to another level, the opening of the inn gives the whole town of Boonsboro a reason to celebrate. But Owen's hard work has only begun. Getting Avery to let down her guard is going to take longer than he expected - and so will getting her to realize that her first boyfriend is going to be her last...

*I know some didn't enjoy the first book but I did. Also, I want to know more about the ghost so definitely looking forward to this one.

Book Review ~ Cinder

Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1)
by Marissa Meyer
published by  Feiwel & Friends

Summary: A forbidden romance. A deadly plague. Earth's fate hinges on one girl...

Cinder, a gifted mechanic in New Beijing, is also a cyborg. She's reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister's sudden illness. But when her life becomes entwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she finds herself at the centre of a violent struggle between the desires of an evil queen - and a dangerous temptation.

Cinder is caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal. Now she must uncover secrets about her mysterious past in order to protect Earth's future.

My Thoughts: I loved more in this Cinderella retelling than I hated. Cinder being a cyborg was an interesting twist that kept adding to the story line as it went.
Character wise, this book is full of them. No matter what kind you like, you'll find someone to enjoy. Even though Cinder is tied to Adri (stepmother) she still seemed to have more of an independent streak than most Cinderella's. Adri was just vile and easily hateable. If you've read any of my reviews before you know I love the quirky sidekicks. Iko fit the bill perfectly. She was a snarky, girly girl android that stole the show whenever she was there (hoping she comes back).
It's difficult to say who I hated more, Adri or the Lunar queen. Everyone from Lunar seems to be evil and it added a nice twist to the story.
Overall this was a well written debut that kept me reading until the end and I look forward to reading the second book.

Rating: 4

In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is a weekly feature hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren

Library
Faery Tales & Nightmares by Melissa Marr
Kiss of Frost (Mythos Academy #2) by Jennifer Estep
The Princess Curse by Merrie Haskell

NetGalley
*Thanks to the publishers and netgalley for the following books
The Girl in the Clockwork Collar by Kady Cross (Harlequin Teen)
Artemis Fowl & The Arctic Incident by Eoin Colfer (Disney Hyperion ~ They are releasing the current books on netGalley leading up to The Last Guardian coming out in July. I thought I would give them a try)

So what did you get this week? Happy Reading!

Follow Friday

Follow Friday is now hosted by TWO hosts, Parajunkee of course and Alison of Alison Can Read. Each host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it'll allow us to show off more new blogs!

Q. What is the longest book you’ve read? What are your favorite 600+ page reads?
A. This depends. I have the Black Jewels Trilogy by Anne Bishop as a single book which equals 1204 pages. Single book that I can think of is Wizard's First Rule by Terry Goodkind which is 836 pages. I love the Diana Gabaldon series which are all 600 + pages as well as some Stephen King books.

What's your facorite, longest read?
Happy Reading and Have a Great Weekend!

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly event that spotlights upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating.

The Calling (Darkness Rising #2)
by Kelley Armstrong
published by HarperCollins
expected release date: April 10, 2012

Summary: Maya Delaney’s paw-print birthmark is the sign of what she truly is—a skin-walker. She can run faster, climb higher, and see better than nearly anyone else. Experiencing intense connections with the animals that roam the woods outside her home, Maya knows it’s only a matter of time before she’s able to Shift and become one of them. And she believes there may be others in her small town with surprising talents.

Now, Maya and her friends have been forced to flee from their homes during a forest fire they suspect was deliberately set. Then they’re kidnapped, and after a chilling helicopter crash, they find themselves in the Vancouver Island wilderness with nothing but their extraordinary abilities to help them get back home. Plentiful action and romance in this second installment in the Darkness Rising series will keep readers enthralled to the last page.

**It's Kelley Armstrong, do you need another reason to want to read this :)

Book Review ~ Deadly Cool

Deadly Cool (Deadly Cool #1)
by Gemma Halliday
published by Harperteen

Summary: Hartley Grace Featherstone is having a very bad day. First she finds out that her boyfriend is cheating on her with the president of the Herbert Hoover High School Chastity Club. Then he’s pegged as the #1 suspect in a murder. And if that weren't enough, now he’s depending on Hartley to clear his name.

But as much as Hartley wouldn’t mind seeing him squirm, she knows he’s innocent, and she’s the only one who can help him. Along with her best friend, Sam, and the school’s resident Bad Boy, Chase, Hartley starts investigating on her own. But as the dead bodies begin to pile up, the mystery deepens, the suspects multiply, and Hartley begins to fear that she may be the killer’s next victim.

My Thoughts: I wanted to like this more than I did. Every other review of it seemed to be glowing and it just fell slightly short for me.
I enjoyed the quirky, snarkiness of both Hartley and Sam. The majority of the characters were believable and you had no problem following them and believing them in their everyday life. Where this story fell short for me was Hartley's over the top belief that Josh could never do what he was being blamed for. She lost something of herself every time there was a scene with him in it. The story starts out with her trying to disprove a rumor that he is cheating on her (he is of course). She did not have the slightest clue that something was going on behind her back and even when she broke up with him she made excuses for him concerning the cheating. When she finds out that she really didn't know him as well as she thought, her faith in him doesn't seem to waiver.
Overall I enjoyed the main storyline of Hartley, Sam and Chase trying to find out who the real killer was. It made up for the parts that I didn't like and kept me reading to the end. Not sure how I feel about the ending I would have an easier time believing it was the cop than who it ended up being.
This is a book that even though I didn't enjoy it as much as others did, I would still recommend giving it  a try.

Rating: 3

Follow Friday

Follow Friday is now hosted by TWO hosts, Parajunkee of course and Alison of Alison Can Read. Each host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it'll allow us to show off more new blogs!

Q.What is the best book you’ve read in the last month? What is the worst book you’ve read in the last month?
A. Best~ I don't have one particular favorite. I've read 3 Jessica Day George books this month (2 from princess trilogy and the 1st Dragon Slippers) and really enjoyed them. They pulled me out of my reading slump.
Worst~ I didn't hate it and enjoyed it mostly but Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday was my least favorite of the month.

Happy Reading and Have a Great Weekend!

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly event that spotlights upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating.

Shadow Bound (Unbound #2)
by Rachel Vincent
published by Mira
expected release date: May 22, 2012

Summary: If you live in the dark long enough, you begin to forget the light…

KORI DANIELS is a shadow-walker, able to travel instantly from one shadow to another. After weeks of confinement for betraying her boss, she’s ready to break free of the Tower syndicate for good. But Jake Tower has one final job for Kori, one chance to secure freedom for herself and her sister, Kenley, even if that means taking it from someone else…

The job? Recruit Ian Holt—or kill him.

Ian’s ability to manipulate the dark has drawn interest from every syndicate in the world, most notably an invitation from Jake Tower. Though he has no interest in organized crime, Ian accepts the invite, because he’s on a mission of his own. Ian has come to kill Tower’s top Binder: Kori’s little sister.

Amid the tangle of lies, an unexpected thread of truth connecting Ian and Kori comes to light. But with opposing goals, they’ll have to choose between love and liberty….

**I just finished Blood Bound and, while still trying to process it, I already know I want to read the next book in this series

Book Review ~ Birthmarked

Birthmarked (Birthmarked #1)
by Caragh M. O'Brien
published by Roaring Brook Press

Summary:
In the Enclave, your scars set you apart, and the newly born will change the future.
Sixteen-year-old Gaia Stone and her mother faithfully deliver their quota of three infants every month. But when Gaia's mother is brutally taken away by the very people she serves, Gaia must question whether the Enclave deserves such loyalty. A stunning adventure brought to life by a memorable heroine, this dystopian debut will have readers racing all the way to the dramatic finish.

My Thoughts: Overall, I ended up really liking this story. It's just took too long to reach that point.
I had many unanswered or not obvious answers to how this world came to be. I spent the first half of the book trying to figure that out instead of caring about the characters. I never got a feel for how the Enclave came to be or why the people on the outside decided to stay there under those conditions if they were nomads to begin with.
Gaia was an interesting but at the same time flat character. She seemed to become stronger as the story progressed. Her story, once she's inside the wall was what kept me reading until the end. I have mixed feelings on Leon. He seemed too weak at times for a lead. Gaia got more help from others around her than she did from him. Even though he had been burned by the system he seemed more willing to follow them than do what he knew was right.
The ending did enough to make me want to read the next installment. Many questions left about Gaia. Leon, and this mysterious Dead Forest.

Rating: 3

In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is a weekly feature hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren

Between buying a house and holidays there are not a lot of books being bought right now.

Library  *All links go to Goodreads
Princess of Glass (Princess #2) by Jessica Day George
Deadly Cool by Gemma Halliday
Bloodrose (Nightshade #3) by Andrea Cremer
Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer

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

Follow Friday

Follow Friday is now hosted by TWO hosts, Parajunkee of course and Alison of Alison Can Read. Each
host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it'll allow us to show off more new blogs!

Q. HAVE YOU EVER LOOKED AT BOOK'S COVER AND THOUGHT, THIS IS GOING TO BE HORRIBLE? BUT, WAS INSTEAD PLEASANTLY SURPRISED? SHOW US THE COVER AND TELL US ABOUT THE BOOK.

A. I'm going with a series, whose covers have since gotten better. I did not care for the Dark Hunter covers from the beginning of the series. I like the more current covers with the symbols.

Have a Great Weekend!

Book Review ~ The Next Always

The Next Always (Inn Boonsboro Trilogy #1)
by Nora Roberts
published by Berkley Publishing

Summary: "America's favorite writer" ("The New Yorker") begins a new trilogy inspired by the inn she owns and the town she loves. The historic hotel in Boonsboro, Maryland, has endured war and peace, changing hands, even rumored hauntings. Now it's getting a major facelift from the Montgomery brothers and their eccentric mother. As the architect of the family, Beckett's social life consists mostly of talking shop over pizza and beer. But there's another project he's got his eye on: the girl he's been waiting to kiss since he was 15.

My Thoughts: I find no matter how bad of a reading slump I am in I can pick up a Nora Roberts book and be entertained. This book followed that pattern.
I enjoyed the small town life and mentality that was created throughout this story. There were times when the descriptions of the Inn rooms got a little long but not enough to stop me from reading.
Clare and Beckett both worked as leads and I found them and their stories believable in this setting. I've always loved side characters (sometimes more than main) and Lizzy was my favorite. I find I want to read the rest of this trilogy just to get her story and why she is still there. Out of the brothers I was most interested in Ryder. Unfortunately his book is the third in the series. I did enjoy the preview of book two in the back, just have to wait until May.

Rating: 3.5

Book Review ~ Last Breath

Last Breath (The Morganville Vampires #11)
by Rachel Caine
published by NAL

Summary: With her boss preoccupied researching the Founder Houses in Morganville, student Claire Danvers is left to her own devices when she learns that three vampires have vanished without a trace. She soon discovers that the last person seen with one of the missing vampires is someone new to town-a mysterious individual named Magnus. After an uneasy encounter with Morganville's latest resident, Claire is certain Magnus isn't merely human. But is he a vampire-or something else entirely?

My Thoughts: This was a good read but not one of my favorites. There were too many voices in this one. I would have liked it better if it had just been Claire and maybe a couple from Amelie.
That aside, I liked the overall story of the draug and their history. Claire's decision and what happened to Glass house almost seemed anti-climatic to me. I almost wish the author had taken it all the way. I love Myrnin and there was plenty of his craziness in this book to make me very happy. I liked how he was the one taking charge and going against Amelie for parts of this.
Not sure if I liked where it ended, it was kind of abrupt. I turned the page expecting more and it was over. Luckily I was behind reading this book and book 12 is due out in May.

Rating: 4

Read Across America ~ Dr Seuss Day

Get involved! NEA’s Read Across America Day is a nationwide reading celebration that takes place annually on March 2—Dr. Seuss’s birthday. Across the country, thousands of schools, libraries, and community centers participate by bringing together kids, teens, and books.

You can go to the official seussville website to get activities for your kids to do on this day (or any other).

Dr. Seuss has always been a favorite of my family. We used to read his books constantly to our son while he would sit and play in his jumperoo. His favorite book was Mr Brown can Moo! Can You?

Since he has been in school and celebrating Dr. Seuss' birthday I've had to make Green Eggs and Ham at least once a year.

I love turtles and have collected them for as long I as I can remember so my favorite is not surprising.








Have a Great Day and take time to enjoy a good book!

Follow Friday

Follow Friday is now hosted by TWO hosts, Parajunkee of course and Alison of Alison Can Read. Each 

host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it'll allow us to show off more new blogs!

Q.What book would you love to see made into a movie or television show and do you have actors/actresses in mind to play the main characters?

 

A. I would have to go with either the Study series by Maria V Snyder 

or the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon

As far as actors, I like to picture them as the author describes and most times actual casting does not match what is in my head.

If you're a new follower let me know so I can follow back. Have a Great Weekend and Happy Reading! 

March is Reading Month

March is Reading Month 

These are the times that I'm reminded that my son goes to a really good school. His school is taking part in the "One School, One Book" program.

Our school is reading The World According to Humphrey by Betty Birney. Every classroom will have a copy of this book, as well as a copy being sent home with every family to read each night with their kids. They will be doing trivia and fun activities as a class/school the following morning about the chapter read. I love the idea of all the kids reading the same book and being able to talk about what they read with each other. This also gives kids who's parents may not be able to buy them books a chance to have their own book.

You can find out more about One School One Book here