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.Birthday Wishes — Blow out the candles and imagine what character could pop out of your cake…who is it and what book are they from??

A. This should be easier than it is. For me it depends on what I'm reading at the moment. I'm reading the Kushiel series by Jacqueline Carey right now so I'm going to go with Jocelin.

Book Review ~ The False Prince

The False Prince (The Ascendance Trilogy #1)
by Jennifer A Neilsen
published by Scholastic
genre: YA

Summary (full summary @Goodreads) THE FALSE PRINCE is the thrilling first book in a brand-new trilogy filled with danger and deceit and hidden identities that will have readers rushing breathlessly to the end.

My Thoughts: I was not as enamored with this book as others seem to have been. If it hadn't been for the flip and reveal of the real prince I would have given this a much lower rating.
I did not care for any of the orphans or for Conner and his men. None of the boys seemed to have a likable quality between them. I cannot recall one point where I felt one should win out above the others.
There were only two people that I liked. Mott for his loyalty to his country and truly believing he was doing the right thing. Then doing the right thing when he could. Also, Amarinda the betrothed to the throne. She was the only one I truly felt sorry for in this book. From the time we met her she seemed to genuinely care for her prince while getting caught in the middle of all the different schemes.
While the reveal kept me reading this book I do not know that it will keep me in the trilogy. I will have to wait and see what the next book is about before deciding.

Rating: 3.5

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.

Haven (Bishop/ Special Crime Unit #13)
by Kay Hooper
published by Berkley
expected release date: July 31. 2012

Summary (Goodreads) Another nightmare, in the woods this time. Different: She was running. Trying to escape.
But the same ending. Always the same ending. Another dead girl…

Emma Rayburn was born and raised in Baron Hollow, North Carolina, and it was a quiet life. Then came the accident…and the nightmares—each filled with unshakable visions of darkness, blind panic, and desperate women chased toward inevitable death. With no reports of local women missing or found dead, Emma has written it off to troubled imaginings—night after dreaded night. Until her sister arrives.

Jessie Rayburn, psychic investigator for a firm called Haven, has been estranged from Emma for years. Unresolved issues from Jessie’s past have not only kept them apart but have been clouding Jessie’s unique abilities. A return to her hometown to face a dark and violent incident from years gone by is her chance to regain them. But reconciliation with the past comes with a price. Few people in Baron Hollow are welcoming Jessie back. No one dares to breathe a word. And in this conspiracy of silence, Emma’s nightmares are becoming more vivid than ever.

Even with the help of Noah Bishop, head of the FBI Special Crimes Unit and co-founder of Haven, Jessie and Emma soon find themselves outnumbered by the secrets buried in Baron Hollow—and outrunning an evil that has been festering for years, one that’s targeting Jessie and Emma one last time.

**I still need to read #12 but I love this series overall and it's always a go to read for me.

Book Review ~ Kushiel's Dart

Kushiel's Dart (Kushiel: Phedre's Trilogy #1)
by Jacqueline Carey
published by Tor Fantasy
genre: Adult Fantasy

Summary (full summary @Goodreads) The land of Terre d'Ange is a place of unsurpassing beauty and grace. It is said that angels found the land and saw it was good...and the ensuing race that rose from the seed of angels and men live by one simple rule: Love as thou wilt.

Phèdre nó Delaunay is a young woman who was born with a scarlet mote in her left eye. Sold into indentured servitude as a child, her bond is purchased by Anafiel Delaunay, a nobleman with very a special mission...and the first one to recognize who and what she is: one pricked by Kushiel's Dart, chosen to forever experience pain and pleasure as one...

My Thoughts: I'll start by saying this was my second time trying to read this book. The first I did not get past the second chapter. While taking part in different memes and Goodreads groups I kept seeing this series mentioned and decided to give it another try. When I made it to the end I was glad I had given it another try.
Phedre was everything I would expect from a heroine in an epic such as this. While she may not be the kick butt type typically associated with this role she has other skills that get her out of (and into) many tight spaces. I loved her rebellious defiant nature amongst all of her other well trained peers. While she was just as good at what they were taught it wasn't enough for her.
Her friendship with Hyacinthe added another layer to her character and also added another bright spot to the story. While he was not my favorite, the friendship and roles they played in each others lives were well written.
My favorite is Joscelin. From the moment he appeared on the page, he stole the book. I just wanted more. The adventures that Phedre and he endure helped to build their relationship to that believable point.
Not wanting to give too much away to anyone who hasn't read this and wants to I'll just say this lived up to the praise so many have given it. I already have Kushiel's Chosen and am looking forward to diving back into this world that Ms Carey created.

Rating: 4

New Releases ~ week of 6/25/2012

These are just a few (or more) of the new books out this week that I'm looking forward to...
*All links go to Goodreads


Bound by Erica O'Rourke (#3 in Torn Trilogy )
Darkness Devours by Keri Arthur (#3 in Dark Angels)
Once Burned by Jeaniene Frost (#1 in Night Prince)
Before I Wake by Rachel Vincent (#6 in Soul Screamers)
Chasing Magic by Stacia Kane (#5 in Downside Ghosts (Chess Putnam))
Besieged by Rowena Cory Daniells (#1 in Outcast Chronicles)
Wicked Nights by Gena Showalter (#1 in Angels of the Dark )
Tarnished by Karina Cooper (#1 in St. Croix Chronicles)
The Unholy by Heather Graham (#6 in Krewe of Hunters)

Book Review ~ The Last Boyfriend

The Last Boyfriend (Inn Boonsboro Trilogy #2)
by Nora Roberts
published by Berkley Trade
genre: Romance


Summary (full summary @Goodreads):  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


My Thoughts: This book is one I think of as a sweet straight river romance. Avery has been in love with Owen since they were 5 years old. Owen played along and even got her a ring from a gumball machine.
Fast forward many years and we have the current story. This HEA just seemed to go forward at a nice steady pace. There was never any doubts how it was going to end. There were a few pages of mommy drama that caused a slight bend and then a few more of guy drama that caused a bend in the other direction but overall it ran straight.
I love Owen and his lists and Avery and her ever changing hair colors. They just worked.
What I was most interested in (as with the first book) was the ghost that is in residence at the Inn. I more looking forward to her story coming to a conclusion than I am Ryder and Hope. We found out who the ghost was and that she is an ancestor of Hope's.
All this is leading to what should be a nice mix of the two stories and the conclusion of this trilogy.


Rating: 4

Book Review ~ Dead of Night

Dead of Night (The Youngbloods #2)
by Lynn Viehl
published by Flux Books
expected release date: July 8, 2012 (my birthday!)

*Received from Flux books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Summary: Catlyn Youngblood has a secret life. Despite being a natural-born vampire hunter like her two older brothers, Cat has fallen for Jesse-an ageless boy from a centuries-old vampire clan.
Cat's job cataloguing rare, mystical texts at a bookstore allows her to meet with Jesse alone every evening. But when girls who look disturbingly similar to Cat start disappearing from town, Cat and Jesse discover frightening clues to their whereabouts within the book collection. Together, they must stop a crazed man from realizing his dark scheme- one that would claim Cat's life.

My Thoughts: I love the premise of a young Van Helsing descendant who is in love with an almost vampire. I also liked the overall story of this book. Young girls who look a lot like Cat are going missing (for some reason Cat is the first one to realize this, and why are there so many in such a small town?). They've been taken by some crazy old man who thinks Catlyn is some Egyptian Queen of the Cats who can give him immortality.
These are the problems I had. It never quite went far enough to cause any real drama. I never felt that Cat was in any sort of danger from this guy. Also, this is the second book and I still feel like I'm missing a lot of background. We found out some more about why they moved so often but I'm more interested in their individual powers. Where they come from, what their purposes are, etc. I don't really get the cats. Other than they show up en mass whenever Catlyn seems to be troubled we don't know how or why they do so.
Overall, I like both Cat and Jesse. I even kinda like her brothers. But... I'm just not sure. The last page of this book which leads us to book three makes it seem like the story is going to go into the area that I am most interested in. Since I don't hate the books I will definitely be reading on.

Rating: 3

New Releases ~Week of 6/18/2012

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


Blood Moon by Alyxandra Harvey (#5 in Drake Chronicles)
The Wild Queen by Carolyn Meyer (#7 in Young Royals)
Soulbound by Heather Brewer (#1 in Legacy of Tril)

Stacking the Shelves

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga at Tynga's Reviews to share your weekly book haul. It can be what you bought, received, borrowed, or were gifted. For more info you can go here.
*All links go to Goodreads

Bought
Septimus Heap Book One and Two (Magyk and Flyte) by Angie Sage


Library
Awake at Dawn (Shadow Falls #2) by C.C. Hunter
Firebirds: An Anthology of Original Fantasy and Science Fiction (Firebirds #1) edited by Sharyn November

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. Happy Father’s Day! Who is your favorite dad character in a book and why?

A. This one was hard to come up with one. Picking two of my favorite characters. Bran from the Patricia Brigg's series and Jamie from Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series. I'm still in the early stages of Outlander series but still think he's great.

Have a Great Weekend and Happy Reading!

Book Review ~ Infamous

Infamous (Chronicles of Nick #3)
by Sherrilyn Kenyon
published by St Martin's Griffin
genre: paranormal YA

Summary (full review @Goodreads): The world has fallen in love with Nick Gautier and the Dark-Hunters. Now Nick’s saga continues in the next eagerly anticipated volume...

Go to school. Get good grades. Stay out of trouble. That’s the mandate for most kids. But Nick Gautier isn’t the average teenager. He’s a boy with a destiny not even he fully understands. And his first mandate is to stay alive while everyone, even his own father, tries to kill him.

My Thoughts: This one was middle ground for me. I started reading these because I missed the old Nick. He was in full force in this book. I also loved having some of the regulars from the early Dark Hunter books present.
That said, I didn't care for Nick's mom much in this one. Usually I like her and her love for her son is obvious but she seemed way to wishy washy for me. Her reasoning behind it did not work for me the way it worked for Nick.
I'm also not sold on Kody. Maybe if I didn't have all the info from the DH series I would be able to just go with this story line but my brain is refusing to mesh the two.
Overall it was a good read just not my favorite of this series. I liked the new characters from the underworld (I know, they're evil...). It looks from the ending that we may finally find out what happens when/if Nick finds out who/what Kody really is and why she is there. Long wait until March 2013 :(

Rating: 4

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.

Alliance Forged (The Light Blade #2)
by Kylie Griffin
published by Berkley Sensation
expected release date: July 3, 2012

Summary (Goodreads): There is no mercy in the demon realm. No escape. In this place of desperation and conflict, anyone who is not purebred is virtually powerless. Until a blind priestess lays claim to a half-breed warrior, body and soul…

Hunted and marked for death by Na’Reish demons for their half-blood heritage, the Na’Chi are searching for a new home—something an alliance offered by the human leader could provide. With both races divided by prejudice, when Light Blade rebels brutally attack the Na’Chi, the alliance seems doomed to fail.

Varian, leader of the Na’Chi, a hybrid race of gifted warriors, is cursed with the darker impulses of his demon heritage. Controlling the part of himself that craves the high of the battle is a struggle he’s afraid he’ll lose—until he meets Kymora Tayn, a priestess driven to serve her deity. While he’s unwilling to trust anyone outside his people, he finds himself drawn to Kymora’s strength and passionate nature, and discovers she has the power to calm the darkness inside him.

When the Na’Reish raid human territory for blood-slaves and kickstart a war, the key to the survival of both races—Na’Chi and human— is an alliance. However, when Kymora is kidnapped, pitting human against human, Varian realizes he must embrace his darker half, not only to save the alliance…but also the woman he loves.

**I just finished book 1 and really enjoyed the characters and world this author created. The short wait is nice also :)

New Releases ~ week of 6/11/2012

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


Rapture by Lauren Kate (#4 in Fallen)
Serpent's Kiss by Melissa de la Cruz (#2 in Witches of the East - Beauchamp Family Book)
The Taken by Vicki Pettersson (#1 in Celestial Blues)
The Shadowed Sun by N. K. Jemisin (#2 in Dreamblood)

Vengeance Born (The Light Blade #1)
by Kylie Griffin
published by Berkley Trade
genre: Adult, Debut

Summary (full available @Goodreads): There is no mercy in the demon realm. No escape. In this place of desperation and conflict, anyone who is not pure bred is virtually powerless. Until an unlikely champion is born...

Annika, half-blood daughter of the Na'Reish King, longs for more than her tormented life among her father's people. Conceived in hatred and bred as a tool of retribution, she's gifted with a special talent that can heal as well as destroy...

My Thoughts:  I really enjoyed the world that the author created. The demons (Na' Reish) and the humans are only separated by a river but there is so much more between the two. The hatred and animosity jumps off the page and it was easy to get drawn into the turmoil.
Annika and Kalan are the main focus of this HEA. While I liked Kalan, Annika was the reason I kept reading. There was something about her story that made your heart break for her while at the same time you wanted her to finally catch a break. From the hatred and ridicule she received from her father and the rest of the Na'Reish just for being a half blood (Na'Chi) to the hatred from the humans it would have been easy for her to be bitter. Instead she took the time to learn and become a healer for the humans that were slaves in her father's lands.
My favorite character was Rissa. She is a young human who has the common sense of childhood. She becomes friends with Annika  and doesn't see why she should hate Annika when she has done nothing to her. The scenes with these two were some of my favorite. I also like both Varian and Kymora. It was obvious as soon as they were on the page that they would be an HEA in this series. I found myself more interested in them than the main couple.
Overall, I enjoyed both the world and characters the author created. It was a nice beginning to a new adult series. With all the changes and surprises that were found towards the end of the book it will be interesting where things go. We didn't really get much about the Na'Reish except what we learned from Annika and Varian and I'm interested to see if the author delves more into this side of the war.

Rating: 4

Armchair BEA Day 5 ~ Future of Book Blogging

Design credit to Emily from Emily's Reading Room

Welcome to Day 5 of Armchair BEA! Today everyone is talking about The Future of Book Blogging. To find out more about Armchair BEA go here.

This is going to be another short post for me. I don't have any tips or tricks since I'm still trying to figure it out myself.
The only thing I can advise is, if you're not having fun doing it and it seems like a chore then it may be time for a break.
I've been thinking about a couple of different type of features to do weekly/biweekly but have been nervous to actually go through with them. I'll be working really hard to push myself (and my blog) forward in the coming weeks. Just taking part in Armchair BEA and signing up to do comments daily was big for me.
I've enjoyed finding and learning about a lot of blogs that I probably never would have came across otherwise.
Thanks for visiting and making this Fun! Have a Great and Safe 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 Raven Boys (Raven Cycle #1)
by Maggie Stiefvater
published by Scholastic Press
expected release date: September 18, 2012

Summary: Goodreads: “There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.”

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

From Maggie Stiefvater, the bestselling and acclaimed author of the Shiver trilogy and The Scorpio Races, comes a spellbinding new series where the inevitability of death and the nature of love lead us to a place we’ve never been before.

**I've been saying all week, this is one of the books I'm looking forward to reading.

Armchair BEA ~ Day 3

Welcome to Day 3 of Armchair BEA! Today everyone is talking about Networking In Real Life. To find out more about Armchair BEA go here.

Design credit to Emily from Emily's Reading Room

I don't have a lot to add to this topic. I have two non IRL signing experiences. They fall under the "If I didn't have bad luck I would have no luck at all" category. The first there was a really bad snow storm. The signing wasn't cancelled but the roads were so bad and I was so far away I didn't want to risk it.
The second happened right here in my tiny little town at our tiny little library. Needless to say, we do not get a lot of authors coming around to do signings here. The one time we do, I'm out of the state.
I do find books from being a people watcher. While at my sons Tae Kwon Do class I tend to watch what everyone else is reading. The worst was when I ended up next to someone's dad. Looked over to see what he was reading and it was in a foreign language. I don't speak/read any languages but English but spent the entire class trying to figure out what his book was!.
That was enough non stuff from me. I'm off to read some Real experiences from others. Have a Great Day!

Armchair Bea ~Day 2 ~ Best of 2012

Today at Armchair BEA is giveaway day. For those not doing a giveaway the suggested topic is "best of 2012". Here are some of my favorites I've read so far. Some released in 2012 and some that I'm just getting around to reading.

2012 releases
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Fair Game by Patricia Briggs
Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

Books I'm Glad I Finally Read
Soulless by Gail Carriger (really looking forward to reading this series)
Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake (the hype worried me but ended up really enjoying it)
Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater (this isn't old but it is the first time reading this author)

I've also found myself reading a lot of Middle Grade and finally read Rick Riordan the last half of 2011 and the beginning of this year. I loved all his books but found the Kane Chronicles more interesting since I'm not as familiar with Egyptian Myth.

New cover revealed on Publishers Weekly. Release set for October 2012











What has been your favorite read this year?

Armchair BEA ~Day 1 Blogger Interviews

Welcome to Day 1 of Armchair BEA! Today everyone participating will be posting a series of 5 Qs and As about themselves and blogging. To find out more about Armchair BEA go here.




1.)Please tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you? How long have you been blogging? Why did you get into blogging?
Hi! My name is Kristina. I'm a stay at home mom who enjoys most types of entertainment. Reading, movies, and computer games are at the top of that list. I've been blogging about 1 1/2 yrs and I started because I wanted to vent about a character that I could not stand. It is very slowly evolving into something more (emphasis on slowly).
**edited to add character: Olivia from The Darkest Passion (Lords of the Underworld #5)
by Gena Showalter
2.)What are you currently reading, or what is your favorite book you have read so far in 2012?
Infamous (Chronicles of Nick #3) by Sherrilyn Kenyon (YA)
Cast in CourtLight by Michelle Sagara (Adult)

3.)If you could eat dinner with any author or character, who would it be and why?
Bran from both the Mercy Thompson and Alpha & Omega series by Patricia Briggs. He is my favorite Were and with all his experiences he would have plenty of stories to tell. If you could get him to.

4.)What literary location would you most like to visit? Why?
Ireland/Scotland. I have loved just about every book I have read that takes place in this part of the world.


5.)Have your reading tastes changed since you started blogging? How?
I was never really into YA. I only read it if it was by an author I was already familiar with from reading their adult series. Sometimes my age shows and I end up disliking a book everyone else is raving about but it seems to even out.

Time to go visiting and finding out more about fellow bloggers. Have a Great Week!

Stacking the Shelves

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga at Tynga's Reviews to share your weekly book haul. It can be what you bought, received, borrowed, or were gifted. For more info you can go here.

Not much this week, just some library books. **All links go to Goodreads

Library
Vengeance Born (The Light Blade #1) by Kylie Griffin
Cast in CourtLight (Chronicles of Elantra #2) by Michelle Sagara
Infamous (Chronicles of Nick #3) by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Unclean Spirits (The Black Sun's Daughter #1) by M.L.N. Hanover

Currently Reading
Black Heart (Curse Workers #3) by Holly Black

Have a Great Week and Happy Reading! I'm taking part in Armchair BEA this year. Should be lots of fun!

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.You are a matchmaker — your goal, hook up two characters from two of your favorite books. Who would it be? How do you think it would go?

A. I would pick Bran from the Patricia Briggs books. I cannot stand his mate and since it is just a political mating and he doesn't really love her, they're easier to pick. As far as who, I realized I don't read a lot of shifter books. I could not think of a female that would be strong enough to be his mate and still be someone I would want to see with him.

How about you, what is your new couple?
Happy Reading! Have a Great Weekend!