New This Week

These are just a few of the new books out this week that I'm looking forward to...

Black Dawn (Morganville Vampirees #12) by Rachel Caine
Bitterblue (Graceling Realm #3) by Kristin Cashore
The Last Boyfriend (Inn Boonsboro Trilogy #2) by Nora Roberts
Insurgent (Divergent #2) by Veronica Roth

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 had a character that disappointed you? One that you fell in love with and then “broke up” with later on in either the series or a stand-alone book? Tell us about him or her.

A. This was an easy one for me. It was Opal from Maria V Snyder's Glass series. I explain it all in my review of the book but it's very spoilery so here's the link if you want more. short answer, I was very unhappy with who the HEA was in the end.

Have a Great Weekend and Happy Reading!!

Book Review ~ Prized

Prized (Birthmark #2)
by Caragh M O'Brien
published by Roaring Brook press

Summary: Striking out into the wasteland with nothing but her baby sister, a handful of supplies, and a rumor to guide her, sixteen-year-old midwife Gaia Stone survives only to be captured by the people of Sylum, a dystopian society where women rule the men who drastically outnumber them, and a kiss is a crime. In order to see her sister again, Gaia must submit to their strict social code, but how can she deny her sense of justice, her curiosity, and everything in her heart that makes her whole?

My Thoughts: While this was a good book, for most of it it felt like a completely different series than book one. Other than two of the characters having the same names nothing really carried over. Even the personalities of Gaia and Leon were unrecognizable for the first 3/4 of the book. Even with that, as I said above, this was still a good read.
I found the society of Sylum interesting if not a little unbelievable at times. It may be more that I had a hard getting behind a place where there are absolutely no men with any backbones. They outnumbered the women 9 to 1 yet were completely whipped. Even being in charge the women weren't much better. They put themselves up as prizes to the men for a winning a game of soccer and agree to have at least 10 children each in hopes of evening out the genders.
There is a stated love square in this book but it read more as a triangle to me. I never felt that one of the brothers was really in it. I liked the new character additions Peter and Will, the Libbies, Norris. They kept me reading even as I was trying to figure out how this book went with the first.
The promise of trying to move this society and join it up with the Enclave was enough to get me to read the third book when it comes out (Oct 2012). I'm interested to see how many make it past the gateway sickness and if the Enclave is really as open as Gaia and Leon hope, to adding to the gene pool inside the wall.

Rating 3.5

Book Review ~ Born Wicked

Born Wicked (The Cahill Witch Chronicles #1)
by Jessica Spotwood
published by Putnam Juvenile

Summary: Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they’re witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship—or an early grave.

Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word... especially after she finds her mother’s diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family’s destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.

If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren’t safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood—not even from each other.

My Thoughts: I was concerned at first that this was going to be like another book with sister witches trying to stay in hiding. The concern didn't last long.
I liked both Cate and Tessa, Maura was a bit annoying but it fit with her character.
I wasn't as interested in the romance. The lackluster love triangle was just flat. While both guys were interesting and had possibilities, it was obvious which guy Cate was going to end up with.
What kept me reading was the brother/sisterhoods and the prophecy. I found the sisters to be more evil and manipulative than the brothers. I look forward to seeing which sister is truly the strongest and if all make it to the end of the series.

Rating: 4

Mini Hiatus

Just a quick note. Between my son's IEP tests and result meetings, dealing with the school, and the plumber almost burning our house down, my nerves are shot! I'm taking the rest (all) of this week off from blogging to focus on the above. I'll be back posting again on Monday.

Have a Great Week and Happy Reading!

In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is a weekly feature hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren. Learn more here.

For Review
The Land of Whoo by Ryan  O'Brien (received from author)

Library
Prized (Birthmarked #2)by Caragh M. O'Brien
Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen
A Tale of Two Castles by Gail Carson Levine

Gift
The Lady of the Rivers (The Cousins War #3) by Philippa Gregory

That's all for this week. What was in your mailbox?

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 one book that you would be nervous to see a movie adaption of because you think the movie could never live up to the book?

A. I know there is talk of this one but... The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. My concern is that the books are so long that a left is going to be left out and how do you decide what to leave out.

Happy Reading and Have a Great Weekend!

Book Review ~ The Gathering

The Gathering (Darkness Rising #1)
by Kelley Armstrong
published by HarperCollins

Summary: Sixteen-year-old Maya is just an ordinary teen in an ordinary town. Sure, she doesn't know much about her background - the only thing she really has to cling to is an odd paw-print birthmark on her hip - but she never really put much thought into who her parents were or how she ended up with her adopted parents in this tiny medical-research community on Vancouver Island.

Until now.

Strange things have been happening in this claustrophobic town - from the mountain lions that have been approaching Maya to her best friend's hidden talent for "feeling" out people and situations, to the sexy new bad boy who makes Maya feel . . . . different. Combine that with a few unexplained deaths and a mystery involving Maya's biological parents and it's easy to suspect that this town might have more than its share of skeletons in its closet.

In The Gathering, New York Times best-selling author Kelley Armstrong brings all the supernatural thrills from her wildly successful Darkest Powers series to Darkness Rising, her scorching hot new trilogy.

My Thoughts: I'm very mixed on this one, felt like a roller coaster. I liked the beginning. The book jumps right into the action. There's a death, an almost death, everything seemed to be going in the right direction for a great read. Then it's a year later and I got bored for a large chunk of the book. I know that we needed background and world building since this is the first book but the layout didn't work for me. There were things here and there that would pique my interest and then it would wane again. About halfway through it started to pick up again.
Between the strangers in a town that never has visitors and the new kid that knows more about Maya than she does, it pulled me back in. I liked both Rafe and Daniel and was glad it wasn't set up as a love triangle. They each bring something different to the story, from the one that is like Maya to the one who may be destined to hunt them.
I don't usually have this problem with this author but the end didn't really work for me. It just seemed really rushed and too much was going on. Then it just seemed to end. I still am curious about this series and trying to fit all the pieces together so I will definitely be reading the second book.

Rating: 3.5

Book Review ~ The Demon Lover

The Demon Lover (Fairwick Chronicles #1)
by Juliet Dark
published by Random House

Summary: I gasped . . . or tried to. My mouth opened, but I couldn’t draw breath. . . . His lips, pearly wet, parted and he blew into my mouth. My lungs expanded beneath his weight. When I exhaled he sucked in my breath and his weight turned from cold marble into warm living flesh.

Since accepting a teaching position at remote Fairwick College in upstate New York, Callie McFay has experienced the same disturbingly erotic dream every night: A mist enters her bedroom, then takes the shape of a virile, seductive stranger who proceeds to ravish her in the most toe-curling, wholly satisfying ways possible. Perhaps these dreams are the result of writing her bestselling book, The Sex Lives of Demon Lovers. After all, Callie’s lifelong passion is the intersection of lurid fairy tales and Gothic literature—which is why she finds herself at Fairwick’s renowned folklore department, living in a once-stately Victorian house that, at first sight, seemed to call her name.

But Callie soon realizes that her dreams are alarmingly real. She has a demon lover—an incubus—and he will seduce her, pleasure her, and eventually suck the very life from her. Then Callie makes another startling discovery: He’s not the only mythical creature in Fairwick. As the tenured witches of the college and the resident fairies in the surrounding woods prepare to cast out the incubus, Callie must accomplish something infinitely more difficult—banishing this demon lover from her heart.

My Thoughts: I wasn't as taken with the demon lover part of this book as I was with everything else. I became much more interested in the story once he was not the main focus. I found myself wanting more of the town and its people. From the Fey, Brownies, Nocturnals to the creepy forest with its doorway the Borderlands/Fairy, I was hooked.
While I want to know more about the different factions of witches and how Callie will get by living in both worlds I'm still not sold on the romance part of the story. I'll be reading the second book but if it focuses too much on Callie and the incubus I may not go any further.

Rating: 4

Happy Easter

Just a quick note to everyone who is celebrating today. It's also the last day of our spring break :) Little one goes back to school tomorrow so excited!!
Have a Great Sunday!

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 bought a book BECAUSE of a bad review?
A. I answered this earlier. I tend to not like some of the books that everyone else are raving about so I figure the opposite to be true sometimes also. Just because someone else didn't like it, doesn't mean I won't (especially when the things they dislike are things I know I like in a book).

Happy Friday 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.

Dark Frost (Mythos Academy #3)
by Jennifer Estep
published by Kensington
expected release date: May 29, 2012


Summary:  I’ve seen so many freaky things since I started attending Mythos Academy last fall. I know I’m supposed to be a fearless warrior, but most of the time, I feel like I’m just waiting for the next Bad, Bad Thing to happen. Like someone trying to kill me—again.

Everyone at Mythos Academy knows me as Gwen Frost, the Gypsy girl who uses her psychometry magic to find lost objects—and who just may be dating Logan Quinn, the hottest guy in school. But I’m also the girl the Reapers of Chaos want dead in the worst way. The Reapers are the baddest of the bad, the people who murdered my mom. So why do they have it in for me?

It turns out my mom hid a powerful artifact called the Helheim Dagger before she died. Now, the Reapers will do anything to get it back. They think I know where the dagger is hidden, but this is one thing I can’t use my magic to find. All I do know is that the Reapers are coming for me—and I’m in for the fight of my life

**I recently finished Kiss of Frost and it left me wanting more.

What are you waiting for??

Book Review ~ Kiss of Frost

Kiss of Frost (Mythos Academy #2)
by Jennifer Estep
published by Kensington

Summary: I’m Gwen Frost, a second-year warrior-in-training at Mythos Acad­emy, and I have no idea how I’m going to sur­vive the rest of the semes­ter. One day, I’m get­ting schooled in sword­play by the guy who broke my heart—the drop-dead gor­geous Logan who slays me every time. Then, an invis­i­ble archer in the Library of Antiq­ui­ties decides to use me for tar­get prac­tice. And now, I find out that some­one at the acad­emy is really a Reaper bad guy who wants me dead. I’m afraid if I don’t learn how to live by the sword—with Logan’s help—I just might die by the sword...

My Thoughts: Another enjoyable read from Ms. Estep. This is the second book in the series and picks up close to where the first ended.
Gwen is back, trying to catch up with the rest of the students at the academy who have been training to be warriors their whole life. The progression of Gwen's touch magic was what made this book for me. I loved her ability to tap into the others memories to perform better.
The whole story line with the Winter Carnival and mysterious NY student was entertaining and kept me reading til the end. I look forward to reading the next book and learning more about the reapers and how Gwen and Co. are going to stop them from finding the last key.

Rating: 4

In My Mailbox

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

Not a lot this week. Spring Break here lots of little kid time so not much blog time.

Won
A Touch Morbid (Leah Clifford) bookmarks from Me, My Shelf and I

Library
The Demon Lover (The Fairwick Chronicles #1) by Juliet Dark
Born Wicked (The Cahill Witch Chronicles #1)by Jessica Spotwood
The Time-Traveling Fashionista by Bianca Turetsky *not sure about this one but thought I would give it a try.

What did you get this week?
Have a Great Week and Happy Reading!