Books I got for Christmas

I seriously hit the jackpot this Christmas. I got a TON of books from my family and friends.

by Gena Showalter (one of my favorite authors!):

• Heart of the Dragon
• Jewel of Atlantis
• The Vampire's Bride
• Nymph King
• Heart of Darkness (although this is by other authors, I wanted it for Gena's part)

Shannon Hale's Books of Bayern Box set (The Goose Girl, Enna Burning, and River Secrets)

Cinda Williams Chima box set (The Warrior Heir, The Wizard Heir, and The Dragon Heir)

by Kresley Cole:

• No Rest for the Wicked
• Dark Desires after Dark
• Kiss of a Demon King
• Dark Needs at Nights Edge
• Wicked Deeds on a Winters Night
• A Hunger Like No Other

by Kerrelyn Sparks (from my sis):

• How to Marry a Millionare Vampire
• Vamps in the City
• The Undead Next Door
• Be Still My Vampire Heart

by Jennifer Armintrout:

• Queene of Light
• Child of Darkness
• Veil of Shadows
  

• Vampire Academy and Frostbite by Richelle Mead
• City of Bones and City of Glass by Cassandra Clare (my mom didn't get the 2nd books because they were out lol)
• Oh.My.Gods by Tera Lynn Childs
• Elphame's Choice by P.C. Cast
• Dhampir by Barb and Jc Hendee
• Insatiable Desire by Rita Herron
• The Stepsister Scheme by Jim C. Hines
• The Mermaids Madness by Jim C. Hines
• Goblin Quest by Jim C. Hines
• Knight of Desire by Margaret Mallory (my sis got lucky b/c I just won a copy in a giveaway so she got my extra copy)
• Black is for Beginnings by Laurie Faria Stolarz
• My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent

Books from my friend:

• Killer by Sara Shepard
• Wild Blue Under by Judi Fennell
• Tempest Rising by Nicole Peeler

Books I bought myself for Xmas (there was a sale I couldn't resist):

• Goddess of the Sea by P.C. Cast
• Storm Born by Richelle Mead
• Thorn Queen by Richelle Mead
• Leviathan by Scott Westerfield
• In Over Her Head by Judi Fennell

Well, I have a lot of books to read...lol. The B. Dalton and Walden Books at my mall are both closing (so yeah, now my mall has NO bookstores wtf) and they were having closing sales. Everything in B. Dalton was 40% off and most books in Walden's were 30% off. I shopped online this year but my friend wanted me to help him shop for his family...I am soooo glad I went or else I wouldn't have known about the sale. I immediately called my mom and told her about it and she went a little book crazy for me heh. The bad thing about it though is now if I want to go to the book store I have to drive through a tunnel (tunnel traffic is terrible) and it takes at least 30 minutes (as long as traffic isn't bad)...ugh. On another note...............

I MADE OUT LIKE A BANDIT THIS YEAR!
ah I love my family :)

Books Read in December

5 Stars

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl 5/5
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater 5/5
The Better Part of Darkness by Kelly Gay 5/5
Rampant by Diana Peterfreund 5/5
In Over Her Hear by Judi Fennell 5/5
Truly, Madly, by Heather Webber 5/5

4.5 Stars

Fallen by Lauren Kate 4.5/5
Need by Carrie Jones 4.5/5
Oh.My.Gods by Tera Lynn Childs 4.5/5
My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent 4.5/5
Wild Blue Under by Judi Fennell 4.5/5

4 Stars

Magic Under Glass by Jaclyn Dolamore 4/5
Faery Rebels: Spell Hunter by R.J. Anderson 4/5
The Dragons of Ordinary Farm by Tad Williams, Greg Swearingen, and Deborah Beale 4/5
The Rest Falls Away by Colleen Gleason 4/5
The Bleeding Dusk by Colleen Gleason 4/5
Full Moon by Rachel Hawthorne 4/5
Dark of the Moon by Rachel Hawthorne 4/5
Killer by Sara Shepard 4/5

3.5 Stars

50 Ways to Hex Your Lover by Linda Wisdom 3.5/5
Darklight by Lesley Livingston 3.5/5
Rises the Night by Colleen Gleason 3.5/5
Evernight by Claudia Gray 3.5/5

3 Stars

Shadowed Summer by Saundra Mitchell 3/5
Fate by Jennifer Lynn Barnes 3/5
Never Cry Werewolf by Heather Davis 3/5

2 Stars

Zombie Blondes by Brian James 2/5

That is 25 books read in the month of December, although I am almost positive I have read more and just forgot to keep track of them...oh well.

**UPDATE**
I just remembered I read Evernight by Claudia Gray...added it to 3.5 stars
also just remembered I read Never Cry Werewolf...added it to the list

Book Review: Truly, Madly by Heather Webber

• Mass Market Paperback: 305 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks; Original edition (February 2, 2010)

Lucy Valentine is as smart as can be, as single as you can get, and so not qualified to run a matchmaking service. But when her parents temporarily step down from the family business, Valentine, Inc., it’s Lucy’s turn to step up and help out—in the name of love.

Plus, her rent is due.

Here’s the problem: Lucy doesn’t have the knack for matchmaking. According to family legend, every Valentine has been blessed by Cupid with the ability to read “auras” and pair up perfect couples. But not Lucy. Her skills were zapped away years ago in an electrical surge, and now all she can do is find lost objects. What good is that in the matchmaking world? You’d be surprised. In a city like Boston, everyone’s looking for something. So when Lucy locates a missing wedding ring—on a dead body—she asks the sexy private eye who lives upstairs to help her solve the perfect crime. And who knows? Maybe she’ll find the perfect love while she’s at it…

This book is a fun read and yet not at all what I imagined. When I read the synopsis of the book I thought that it would be an enjoyable read without much substance. As far as substance goes I was completely wrong. It wasn't just a book about matchmaking. There was mystery, murder, and romance and I want MORE! I absolutely LOVED reading it. I can't wait for the next in the series to come out. Each character really brings something to this book and it will be interesting to see what happens with them all next.I definitely recommend this book.

5/5

I received this book after winning it at Librarything.com Early Reviewers. Any opinions I express are my own and are not influenced by anyone else.

Mari's Big Christmas Gift Giveaway to Readers

Vampire Academy - Richelle Mead
Blue Bloods (complete 4 book series) - Melissa De La Cruz
Morganville Vampires (complete 8 book series) - Rachel Caine
Morganville new trade paperback (containing first two books in the series)
Shadowland AUDIO BOOK (Immortals series) - Alyson Noel
Wintergirls - Laurie Halse Anderson
How to Ditch Your Fairy - Justine Larbalestier
Gentlemen - Michael Northrop
Ransom my Heart (Princess Diaries) - Meg Cabot
Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy (book 2 of Ally Carter's Galagher Girls series)
Rampant - Diana Peterfreund

There are a lot of ways to get entries into this contest. Winners will be announced January 15.
enter HERE

Curl up with a Book and a Nook! Contest

Click here to enter Curl Up with a Book…and a Nook Contest

Turning 50 to 100 Contest

Star Shadows Creative Concepts is having a contest! She has 51 followers right now and her goal is to reach 100 followers by January 20th. When she hits 100 (or more hopefully) followers by Jan. 20 2 or more people will win a January new release shipped directly from Book Depository. So head over to her blog and become a follower so you can be in the running to win! Please mention that I referred you (Raelena at Throuthehaze Reads). Thanks and good luck!

enter HERE

Page Turners mini Contest week 4 entry

This is my entry into the Week 4 mini contest at Page Turners. To participate head over HERE

Day 8:12 Blogs of Christmas at Princess Bookie

First Winner Gets : Firespell, Pefect Chemistry, Leaving paradise, Beautiful Creatures, Hush Hush and Along For Ride)

Second Winner Gets: Anxious Hearts, Jekel Loves Hyde, Hex Hall, Something Like Fate and Little Miss Red

Third Winner Gets A Mystery ARC

Each Winner Will also Get a bunch of swag including Sea, The Cougar Club, The Debs, Bad Blood, bookmarks

enter @Princess Bookie
ends Dec. 31

Book Review: Wicked by Sara Shepard

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: HarperTeen (June 2, 2009)

In idyllic Rosewood, Pennsylvania, four very pretty girls just can't help but be bad. . . .

Hanna will do anything to be Rosewood's queen bee. Spencer's digging up her family's secrets. Emily can't stop thinking about her new boyfriend. And Aria approves a little too strongly of her mom's taste in men.

Now that Ali's killer is finally behind bars, the girls think they're safe. But those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it. And they should know by now that I'm always watching. . . .

I have to say that I actually read this book over a month ago...I just haven't been able to bring myself to write the review for it because I don't even know what to say about it. It was not a bad read. It was not a good read. I guess I am just disappointed with it after the first four in the series were so good.

SPOILER (maybe?)

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A is back. I know right? It was exasperating for this scenario to basically repeat itself. When I discovered that A was back my first reaction was "COME ON!" and that is never good. It was still a decent book but I just could not get past that. Aside from that the girls continue to have serious boy problems and lots of other drama. It feels like there are plenty of problems but never resolutions. I will definitely continue reading the series because I HAVE to know what happens. I am hoping that the next will be better.

2.5/5

Dark Faerie Tales Book Blowout!

Book Selection:

• Death’s Mistress
• Firespell
• Bone Magic
• Wicked Enchantment
• Lips Touch
• Inked
• Ash
• Rampant
• Leviathan
• The Maze Runner
• Kitty’s House of Horrors
• Deadtown
• Spellbent
• Bitter Night
• Blood Cross
• My Soul to Save
• Darklight
• Shades of Midnight
• Beneath the Skin
• Hallowed Circle
• Bleeding Violet
• Captivate
• Fade Out
• Finding the Lost
• Boneshaker
• Scorched
• Tempted
• Demon Bound
• Confessions of a Demon
• Tainted
• Torn
• The Seven Rays
• Betrayals
• Shadowland
• The Tear Collector
• The Everafter
• Ruined
• The Midnight Guardian

There will be:

1 Grand Prize Winner (4 Books)

1 First Place Winner ( 3 Books)

1 Second Place Winner (2 Books)

1 Third Place Winner (1 Book)

Giveaway ends Tuesday, January 5th at 11:59 PM EST
to enter head over to Dark Faerie Tales

Give Up the Ghost Trailer and a contest

I just read this book in November and loved it! I gave it 5 stars and highly recommend it.

Megan Crewe is having an End of 2009 Giveaway:

Prize #1:
3 books- Fortune's Folly, Wondrous Strange, and Lament

Prize #2
A 3 chapter critique of a novel manuscript

for details on how to enter head over to Megan Crewe's Blog

Books Read in November

5 stars

Untamed by P.C. Cast Kristin Cast
Chosen by P.C. Cast Kristin Cast
Give Up the Ghost by Megan Crewe
Deep Kiss of Winter by Kresley Cole and Gena Showalter

4.5 stars

Lament by Maggie Stiefvater
Hunted by P.C. Cast Kristin Cast
Blue is for Nightmares by Laurie Faria Stolarz
White is for Magic by Laurie Faria Stolarz
Silver is for Secrets by Laurie Faria Stolarz

4 stars

Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston
Red is for Remembrance by Laurie Faria Stolarz
Sword of Darkness by Kinley Macgregor
Knight of Darkness by Kinley Macgregor
Red Fire by Deidre Knight
Red Kiss by Deidre Knight
The Book of Scandal by Julia London
You are so Undead to Me by Stacey Jay

3.5 stars

Secret Society by Tom Dolby
How to Ditch Your Fairy by Justine Larbalestier
Bones of Fairy by Janni Lee Simner

3 stars

Un Lun Dun by China Mieville
A Highlander's Temptation by Sue-Ellen Welfonder
The Stolen One by Suzanne Crowley