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Lauren Bickle event - Win an Amazon Kindle

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ends Sept. 1

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Jeanne Stein event - win prize pack

ends Sept. 1

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Books Read in August

5 Stars

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White
Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble by H.P. Mallory
Haunted Honeymoon by Marta Acosta
Behemoth by Scott Westerfeld
Tracking the Tempest by Nicole Peeler
Succubus Dreams by Richelle Mead
The Ivy by Lauren Kunz with Rina Onur
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Mind Games by Carolyn Crane
Succubus Heat by Richelle Mead
Succubus Shadows by Richelle Mead

4.5 Stars

The DUFF by Kody Keplinger
To Kill a Warlock by H.P. Mallory
Insatiable by Meg Cabot
Beyond the Highland Mist by Karen Marie Moning
Ascendant by Diana Peterfreund

4 Stars

Clockwork Heart by Dru Pagliassotti
Bitten by Cupid by Lynsay Sands, Pamela Palmer, and Jaime Rush
To Tame a Highland Warrior by Karen Marie Moning
To Surrender to a Rogue by Cara Elliott
To Sin with a Scoundrel by Cara Elliott

3.5 Stars

Smudge's Mark by Claudia Osmond

3 Stars

Burning Up by Angela Knight, Nalini Singh, Virginia Kantra, and Meljean Brook

2.5 Stars

Changeless by Gail Carriger
Sleepless by Cyn Balog

2 Stars

Barely a Lady by Eileen Dreyer

That makes 27 books read in August. I get kind of lazy about posting reviews so I joined the Ultimate Reviewers Challenge to get myself in the habit of posting them. I am pretty proud of myself because I reviewed 22 of the books I read this month. There were TONS of books I loved this month and I know that there will be a lot more in Sept.

Book Review: The DUFF by Kody Keplinger

The DUFF: (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) by Kody Keplinger

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Poppy (September 7, 2010)

Amazon Description:

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn't think she's the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She's also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her "Duffy," she throws her Coke in his face.

But things aren't so great at home right now. Desperate for a distraction, Bianca ends up kissing Wesley. And likes it. Eager for escape, she throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with Wesley.

Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out that Wesley isn't such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she's falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.
****************************

I had no idea what to expect when I opened up this book. What I found was a story that many people can identify with. The DUFF is that person whose friends look better than them...therefore make them the ugly one in the group. I think a lot of us have been there at some point along with Bianca. This book gives a glimpse of what real teenage life is like. It's not easy and it's not pretty. Self esteem issues, sex, parent's divorcing, fighting with friends, etc. All of that is real life and I like how for the most part things aren't sugar coated in The DUFF. Even though I can't imagine dealing with my problems the same way Bianca did, I can see how some people would. She used sex to temporarily forget her problems the way some people used drugs or alcohol. It is about the escape from the real world. Bianca didn't handle most of her problems very well and should have leaned on her friends for more support, but nobody is perfect especially under so much stress. Bianca's relationship with Wesley was pretty interesting, especially considering she hated him in the beginning. Wesley definitely grew on me though and it became clear that he had a lot in common with Bianca. I am very happy with how things turned out in the end even though it was kind of easy to see it coming.

4.5/5

Book Review: Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: HarperTeen (August 31, 2010)

Amazon Description:

Evie’s always thought of herself as a normal teenager, even though she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can see through paranormals’ glamours.

But Evie’s about to realize that she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.

So much for normal.

*********************

First let me say that the synopsis does not do this book justice. I thought it sounded like it would be an okay read but could potentially be cheesy or annoying...I was wrong about that last part. A unique take on paranormals, it took what I was expecting and tossed it out the window. Evie is a valuable asset to the International Paranormal Containment Agency (IPCA for short) due to her ability to see through glamours. A glamour is the image a paranormal projects that covers up their true appearance to others. Since Evie can see their true selves she is able to tag the creatures to get them processed into the system basically. This is pretty much the only life Evie knows and she feels so alone. She craves a normal teenage life which includes having a boyfriend. Meanwhile there is something killing paranormals and nobody is safe.

There is a lot of mystery in Paranormalcy. Unfortunately not all of it gets cleared up, but on the bright side there will be 2 more books in the series which I am sure will reveal all. Yay! I was definitely kept on edge through most of the story worried about everyone's safety and also worried about Evie's happiness. I felt so bad for her, she didn't really get the chance to be a kid. I mean, she has had a job since she was 8!

This book was a pleasure to read and I am excited there will be more books to look forward to. Paranormalcy is the author's first novel and I have to hand it to her, she did an awesome job.

5/5

I received this book to review from HarperTeen. Any opinions expressed are my own.

H.P. Mallory Giveaway!

H.P. Mallory is very generously giving away one e-book copy of each of her books on my blog! I recently reviewed them and can tell you they are both great reads.

There will be 2 winners...One will win Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble and the other will win To Kill A Warlock. First name pulled will get first pick, second name gets the book that is left.

MANDATORY:
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This giveaway is international.
Giveaway ends Sept. 5 at Noon EST

Book Review: To Kill a Warlock by H.P. Mallory

To Kill a Warlock (Dulcie O'Neill, Book 1) by H.P. Mallory

The murder of a dark arts warlock. A shape-shifting, ravenous creature on the
loose. A devilishly handsome stranger sent to investigate. Sometimes working law enforcement for the Netherworld is a real bitch.

Dulcie O’Neil is a fairy. And not the type to frolic in gardens. She’s a Regulator—a law-enforcement agent who monitors the creatures of the Netherworld to keep them from wreaking havoc in the mortal world. When a warlock is murdered and Dulcie was the last person to see him alive, she must uncover the truth before she’s either deported back to the Netherworld, or she becomes the next victim.

Enter Knight Vander, a sinfully attractive investigator sent from the Netherworld to work the case with Dulcie. Between battling her attraction to her self-appointed partner, keeping a sadomasochistic demon in check, and fending off the advances of a sexy and powerful vampire, Dulcie’s got her hands full. As the body count increases, Dulcie finds herself battling dark magic, reconnoitering in S&M clubs and suffering the greatest of all betrayals.
***************************

This story was a wild ride. Dulcie is a fairy and a Regulator (basically a cop for the paranormal set). Some sick murders happen and she becomes involved in the case. Knight comes in and they act as partners to find the creature and its summoner to put an end to the murders. A number of guys have a thing for Dulcie, including Knight of course. There is a lot of sexual tension between them and their interactions with each other is pretty interesting and even funny at times. The book actually has quite a bit of humor in it in the beginning. The rest of the book seems to be more on the serious side, especially once they really started to investigate and look for the creature. Many times over the course of reading I had aha moments where I thought I knew who was behind it all. In the end I had an inkling about the culprit but was still pretty surprised. I really enjoyed the mystery of the story and can't wait to read what comes next in Dulcie's life.

Read the first chapter HERE
Purchase download for $2.99 HERE

4.5/5

I received this e-book for review from the author, H.P. Mallory. Any opinions expressed are my own.

Book Review: Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble by H.P. Mallory

Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble (Jolie Wilkins, Book 1) by H.P. Mallory

Description from author's site:

A self-deprecating witch with the unique ability to reanimate the dead.
A dangerously handsome warlock torn between being her boss
and her would-be lover.
A six hundred year old English vampire with his own agenda;
one that includes an appetite for witches.
The Underworld in a state of chaos.
Let the games begin.

Life isn’t bad for psychic Jolie Wilkins. True, she doesn’t have a love life to speak of, but she has a cute house in the suburbs of Los Angeles, a cat and a quirky best friend. Enter Rand Balfour, a sinfully attractive warlock who insists she’s a witch and who just might turn her life upside down. Rand hires her to help him solve a mystery regarding the death of his client who also happens to be a ghost. Jolie not only uncovers the cause of the ghost’s demise but, in the process, she brings him back to life! Word of Jolie’s incredible ability to bring back the dead spreads like wildfire, putting her at the top of the Underworld’s most wanted list. Consequently, she finds herself at the center of a custody battle between a villainous witch, a dangerous but oh-so-sexy vampire, and her warlock boss, Rand.
*****************************

This e-book packs a lot of punch. Although things in the story seem to progress quickly, it does not feel rushed or glossed over. The writing is descriptive and during the moments you find yourself asking "how" or "why" things are explained so you don't feel lost. The first bit of the book is about Rand revealing to Jolie that she is a witch and has a lot of power. She has an ability that no other witch has, which is bringing back the dead, and that makes her a hot commodity in the Underworld. The rest of the book is about her trying to stay out of the clutches of an evil witch and rallying creatures to join the "good" side. There is plenty of sexual tension between Jolie and the warlock Rand, but that is not all...she has werewolves, vampires, and fairies hot for her too. The heat level was just right for the introduction to the series and it seems promising that it will get a few degrees hotter in future installments. Although this book is supposed to be an urban fantasy/paranormal romance hybrid, I think it leans a little more towards paranormal romance. I think readers of both genres will enjoy this one.

Jolie is a pretty admirable lead character. Although she starts out with almost no confidence in herself, towards the ends she has made progress. She also has a lot of spirit and backbone which was nice to see. Yes she does have to rely on men at times, but that does not make her a weak miss. Sometimes a person has to accept help. Another thing I love about her is that she does not immediately fall into bed with a guy just because she thinks he is sexy. I'll admit there were moments I was rooting for her to do the deed, but I think the wait will only make it hotter when she finally caves and indulges.

Read the first chapter HERE
Purchase download for only $2.99 HERE

5/5

An e-book copy was provided for review by the author, H.P. Mallory. Any opinions expressed are my own.