at Read This Book ends November 25 (open worldwide)
ENTER
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Coming Soon: Skin Game by Ava Gray
SKIN GAME by Ava Gray
Berkley Sensation (November 3, 2009)
A beautiful fugitive—wanted dead or alive.
Kyra is a con woman and a particular kind of thief. She steals with a touch, but she only takes one thing: her target’s strongest skill. Which means she can be a fighter, an athlete, a musician, an artist—anything she wants… for a limited time. Heartbroken, she turns her gift toward avenging her father’s murder; with deadly patience, Kyra works her way into casino owner Gerard Serrano’s inner circle. After pulling off the ultimate con, she flees with his money and his pride.
A hit man who never misses the mark.
Reyes has nothing but his work. Pity for Kyra, he’s the best and mercy never sways him once he takes a job. He’s been hired to find out where Kyra hid the cash—and bring her back to face Serrano’s “justice.” Dead will do, if he can’t locate the loot. He’s never failed to complete a contract, but Kyra tempts him with her fierce heat and her outlaw heart. So Reyes has a hell of a choice: forsake his word or kill the woman he might love.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Just Released: Possess Me At Midnight (The Doomsday Brethren, Book 3) by Shayla Black
Doomsday Brethren Series, Book 3 — Ice’s story
Publisher: Pocket Books
ISBN-10: 1416578463
ISBN-13: 9781416578468
Genre: Paranormal/Urban Fantasy Romance
Release Date: October 27, 2009
As a mysterious dark cloud drains the life of her beloved brother, Doomsday Brethren leader Bram, Sabelle Rion can think of little else. Still, every time she meets Ice Rykard’s intense green gaze, her body aches with need for the sexy warrior. Their attraction is explosive, incredible—and forbidden. As dangerous as he is unpredictable, Ice is her brother’s sworn enemy. But as Bram weakens, a more sinister force is gaining power. Evil Mathias and his ruthless Anarki army are on a bloodthirsty hunt for the Doomsday Diary. Sabelle must guard the potent book with her life—and Ice vows to protect the beautiful witch with his. Duty demands that Sabelle deny her lover’s fiery call of possession and mate with a man who can sway the magical Council against the impending rebellion. With the fate of magickind hanging in the balance, will she forsake the burning desires she can’t ignore or turn her back on her people for the courageous man she can’t resist?
Monday, October 26, 2009
Awesometastic Giveaway @The Book Pixie
Here are some of the prizes:
Contest ends November 16
enter @The Book Pixie
~Prizes~
There is a lot for the winners to choose from and more books may be added later:
- Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick (HC)
- Signed! Sliding on the Edge by C. Lee McKenzie (HC) (Donated by C. Lee McKenzie)
- Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater (PB)
- Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead (PB)
- Graceling by Kristin Cashore (PB)
- Signed! Bewitching Season by Marissa Doyle (PB)(Donated by Marissa. Thanks!)
- ARC of Betraying Season by Marissa Doyle
- ARC of Give Up the Ghost by Megan Crewe
- ARC of Candor by Pam Bachorz
- ARC of Hold Still by Nina LaCour
- ARC of Lockdown by Alexander Gordon Smith
- ARC of Secret Society by Tom Dolby
- ARC of Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
Contest ends November 16
enter @The Book Pixie
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Big Box Challenge @Princess Bookie
There is a contest at Princess Bookie. Here are the ways to enter:
Option 1:
Recreate One Of The Book Images in a post on your blog or include the link to your post. Be Creative. Have fun. Take A Picture, Make A Picture. Include yourself, include others, be creative.
Option 2: Make Your Own Cover Based On The Title Of The Book. Be creative.
Option 3: Recreate Something Like Fate. Be Creative! I love love love this cover.
Suprise contest @Princess Bookie
In honor of Dewey's memory and the Read-A-Thon Princess Bookie is having a mini challenge in which you need to name 8 of your favorite things (not all books)
1. My dog Domino
2. My boyfriend
3. Owls
4. Cupcakes (nom nom)
5. books Books BOOKS!!
6. Super Mario 3 (Super Nintendo Rocks!)
7. the beach at night
8. Cranberry juice
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Book Review: Flawless by Sara Shepard
- Paperback: 352 pages
- Publisher: HarperTeen (February 19, 2008)
Spencer stole her sister's boyfriend. Aria is brokenhearted over her English teacher. Emily likes her new friend Maya . . . as much more than a friend. Hanna's obsession with looking flawless is making her sick. And their most horrible secret yet is so scandalous that the truth would ruin them forever.
And why shouldn't I tell? They deserve to lose it all. With every crumpled note, wicked IM, and vindictive text message I send, I'll be taking these pretty little liars down. Trust me, I've got enough dirt to bury them alive.
Flawless picks up where Pretty Little Liars left off. It is a seamless transition from one book to the next which I found relieving. I hate reading a sequel and having to rehash everything that has happened and all the characters. There is just a little of that but not much....just enough for a reminder without making it boring.
In this book all the girls attend Ali's funeral and finally share with each other that they have been getting weird messages from someone called "A." The police have reopened the case and are treating Ali's death as a homicide. Of course all the girls are freaked out wondering who would have done such a thing. At the funeral they see Toby and Jenna who are people they (and especially Ali) have wronged. Toby keeps popping up in places so the girls eventually believe that "A" must be Toby taking revenge. The result of their suspicions and Toby's own guilt over his past ends tragically.
Flawless also delves deeper into each girls secret and why they have become the people they are. They all have family problems...Hanna and Spencer's parents barely give them the time of day which makes them feel worthless and unloved, Emily's family is controlling and her mother is racist, and Aria's dad has put her in an impossible position that has damaged her relationship with her mother. All the girls have relationship issues as well. Hanna gets dumped by her boyfriend Sean, Aria had an affair with a teacher and now likes Hanna's ex Sean, Emily is coming to grips with the fact that she like Maya (the new girl), and Spencer stole her sister's boyfriend and is sneaking around with him. Oh the drama of it all.
Flawless is a great continuation of the series. I wouldn't bother reading if you haven't read Pretty Little Liars...you would just be confused.
4.5/5
Friday, October 23, 2009
Book Review: Pretty Little Liars
- Paperback: 304 pages
- Publisher: HarperTeen (August 21, 2007)
Then the girls start receiving threatening messages signed by someone named "A." Could "A" be Alison, the ultra popular girl who disappeared 3 years earlier? Alison was their best friend. She knew everything about them. But if Alison isn't "A," who is? And how could anyone else know so much about the bad girls they were and the bad girls they've become? Suddenly, their secrets-the big ones, the little ones, even the long-buried ones-no longer seem so secret. Suddenly nothing is safe in Rosewood.
When I first read the book description It immediately made me think of the movie Jawbreaker. You have an HBIC (that's Head Bitch in Charge FYI), the HBIC's lackeys, terrible secrets, etc. Really though, once I started reading I realized the similarities pretty much ended there.
Alison is the type of girl who has to be the best. She puts her friends down and makes them feel guilty to make herself seem like she is better than them. She is controlling and manipulative. How can these girls want to be her friend? Well, I have been friends with someone similar to her before. I look back now and see it as a toxic relationship. My excuse for being her friend? She is fun and popular...I am not. Pretty much the same answer Alison's friends give. When you get to the root of it insecurity is the underlying reason. Everyone of these girls has low self esteem and feels insecure about some aspect of their life which enable a person like Alison to do the things she did.
Finally, one of the girls (Spencer) stands up to Alison and Alison leaves the slumber party they were having that evening. That was the last time Alison was seen. Nobody knows what happened to her and although her friends are upset over the disappearance they are secretly relieved. Now Alison can't control them by using their secrets against them.
Cut to 3 years later. All the girls have grown apart. Aria had moved to Iceland but has just moved back. Hanna has transformed herself from chubby nerd to skinny and popular. Emily is finally discovering she is not happy with being the person her parents want her to be. And Spencer wants what her sister has (her parents attention and for them to be proud of her, oh, and her sister's boyfriend). Out of nowhere they start getting texts, notes, etc. from "A" who threatens to reveal their secrets (old and new). Each girl is cowed into doing what "A" tells them because they fear the truth getting out there, especially the "Jenna thing" (which I won't explain because I don't want give away too much of the story).
I had some trepidation about reading this book because it didn't seem like my type of book. I am so glad I joined the Pretty Little Liars Challenge or I never would have given this book a chance. I thoroughly enjoyed it and can't wait to read the rest of the series. The book doesn't really end. It just kind of leaves you hanging so in my opinion not reading the rest of the series just is NOT an option. I HAVE to know what happens!
My Rating: 4.5/5
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
New Author Challenge 2010
guidelines:
My goal is 25 new authors
- The challenge will run from January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2010.
- Since this is an author challenge, there is no restriction on choosing your novels. They can definitely be from other challenges. However, the authors must be new to you and, preferably from novels. Anthologies are a great way to try someone new, but only a third of your new authors can be from anthologies.
- can pick to do either 15, 25 or 50 new authors. It all depends on how fast you read and how adventurous you want to be. If you reach your goal halfway through the year, don’t stop. Any new author you try can be added to Mr. Linky. We all want to know about your new experience.
- After reading your new author, write your review and then add your link to Mr. Linky. Make sure you include your name and the author, but adding the title is completely up to you.
- Bloggers or Non-Bloggers alike are welcome
My goal is 25 new authors
Pretty Little Liars Challenge
Hosted by Trisha of Trisha's Book Blog
Guidelines:
- This challenge is to read all of the Pretty Little Liars series. You can not count books that you have read prior to the start of this challenge. Sept. 24, 2009. Challenge closes Dec. 31, 2010.
Here are the books:
Here are the books:
*Pretty Little Liars
*Flawless
*Perfect
*Unbelievable
*Wicked
*Killer
*Heartless (January 19th,2010)
*Twisted (2010)
If you complete the challenge then you will be entered to win prizes. There will be 2 winners. One will win the entire Pretty Little Liars series and the other will win the first 4 books in the series (signed).
Join the challenge HERE
Book Review: Soulless by Gail Carriger
Soulless (Book 1 in the Parasol Protectorate series) by Gail Carriger
373 pages
Publisher: Orbit
Released: September 29, 2009
Synopsis:
Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette. Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire -- and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate. With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart? SOULLESS is a comedy of manners set in Victorian London: full of werewolves, vampires, dirigibles, and tea-drinking.
My Thoughts:
Despite being a spinster (due to her swarthy complexion, large nose, and being a bluestocking) Alexia Tarabotti is strong willed and is a force to be reckoned with....oh, and she has no soul. Having no soul makes her a preternatural. She is the opposite of werewolves and vampires (who have an overabundance of soul) and can nullify their powers when in physical contact with them. I love Alexia's wit and that she is a strong woman who doesn't sit on the sidelines.
I enjoyed Lord Macon and Professor Lyall (the Alpha and Beta werewolves in the story) very much as well. The romance between Lord Macon and Alexia kept the story interesting even though it was a little predictable at times. I missed Professor Lyall's character in the book...he seemed to disappear for awhile which surprised me because I thought he would be more present. I am hoping that in the next book in the series he will be featured more prominently so that we may learn more about him.
In the beginning of the book there were some things that were confusing because of the lack of explanations (mostly about people). I felt that had there been more descriptions then I would have had a better start. However, I did enjoy the book and thought it was a fun read. I am excited for the next book in the series, Changeless. One final thing I definitely have to point out is the gorgeous covers of these two books. They are some of the most beautifully done covers I have seen.
MY RATING: 4/5
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