For Blood or Money by Nathan Everett

Summary: You're a hard-boiled detective with all the trimmings. You've got the Seattle Waterfront office, the sexy young assistant who adores you, and an attitude to match the constant gray drizzle outside your window. Into your office blows this high-society dame boo-hooing about her missing husband and how he always said that if anything happened to him she should come to you, Dag Hamar. Only problem is that you're a middle-aged computer geek who doesn't do missing persons. The doc has told you to stay close to home while you wait for a replacement for your failing ticker. And the only clue the dame brought you was the missing man's laptop. Did I mention that the dame is your ex-wife and the missing man is the former best friend she ran off with twenty years ago? You can't wait to get your hands on that computer! Ender the world of Dag Hamar and Deb Riley, computer forensics detectives who find out hidden files and computer code can be as dangerous as dark alleys and flying bullets as they enter the high-stakes game of Seattle's business world to trace a missing friend and the billion-dollar fortune that disappeared with him.

Review: I can only think of 1 other mystery/thriller book that I've read and I don't really remember that much about it so I pretty much went into this book blind. I knew it was about a detective. I knew a man and some money went missing. That's about it. The story itself was good, but there were a few times when you would jump into a flashback and Dag's age would suddenly change throughout the book. Stuff like that kind of gets on my nerves, but it didn't happen too often to kill the book for me. Something that did bother me was the story seemed incomplete. Maybe Nathan is going to write a second book with Deb (which I would LOVE) I don't know. I really liked the characters. I thought Dag and Deb were both very great characters with such different personalities. The end kind of floored me. I wasn't expecting that person to be behind it all, but I guess it makes sense. If you've read more mystery/thrillers then read this one and tell me what you think.

4 howls

Sniffing for Books (WoW 4)

I loved The Darkest Powers books and I'm so ready to read the rest of her YA books now.

New in the Den (IMM 12)

From Kristi at The Story Siren

Books mentioned (links lead to reviews):

Dingo by Charles de Lint

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Bread for the Pharaoh by Jerome Asher

This Side of Normal by Eric Devine

For Blood or Money by Nathan Everett

Sister's Red by Jackson Pearce

Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs

Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong

My Soul to Keep by Rachel Vincent

Summer at Tiffany's by Marjorie Hart

The Great Lover by Jill Dawson

The Sweet By and By by Todd Johnson

Going Solo by Roald Dahl

James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl

Ingraine the Brave by Cornelia Funke

The Magical World of Narnia

Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen

Nobody's Prize by Esther Friesner

Lover Avenged by JR Ward

Messy Spirituality by Mike Yaconelli

Lover Eternal by JR Ward

Ballads of Suburbia by Stephanie

Pendragon: Volume 1 (Graphic Novel) by DJ McHale

Not Pictured:

Heavenly by Jennifer Laurens (signed)-Jennifer sent this to me for my birthday and I thought it was a really great book. Go read it right now. :)

Non-book Related:

Alice in Wonderland DVD

Contest Hunt 1

Here are a list of contests that I have found. I hope you all enter them! :)

Addicted 2 Novels is holding a Summer Cleaning contest

For What It's Worth has a Pick Your Own Book contest

The Hiding Spot has a 650 Follower contest and a Summer Prize Pack contest going on

Books at midnight is hosting a 700 Follower contest

Escapism Through Books has a 50 Follower contest running

Tynga's is giving away a copy of Sleepless

The Neverending Shelf is having a super huge Birthday Bash going on and here is all the stuff you can win:

• Books by Joanne Rock
• Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (ARC)
• 5 books from Regina of Hott Books' Goodreads Bookswap list
• Folly by Marthe Jocelyn
• Some very beautiful bookmarks
• Swag packs from Jo Lynn Valerie

2 blogs are giving away Greek: Double Date. Those blogs are Crazy-for-Books and Lori's Reading Corner

Writing is a Blessing is giving away a copy of Change of Heart

Book Crazy is passing along a copy of Eve of Samhain

Reading Teen has decided to share their ARC of Clockwork Angel

Tiger is giving away Glimmerglass for this week's Turnaround Tuesday giveaway

Reading Nook is having a One Year Blog-o-versary and today is the last day to enter!

A New Look for My Blog!

Yes indeed I have redone my blog! I've been thinking about it for a while now and here it is finally so I hope it works out for everyone. I'm not trying to be "goth" or "emo" or anything. Wolves are my favorite animals so I wanted to change up my blog's theme to fit in with the wolves. Feedback would be great. :)

This Side of Normal by Eric Devine

Summary: Ed Devlin has problems. His parents haven't gotten along since Ed's uncle died. His father drinks too much and his mother has all but given up on her spouse. Ed's best friend has no time for him because he's too busy chasing a girl more likely to end up in jail than at graduation. And on top of all that, Ed is beginning to realize something is wrong with his body. Ed's life is going to change, but not in any way he imagines. It's going to get a whole lot worse before it gets any better. Just like all the rest, he'll find his health problem is beyond his control. It will overwhelm him and force him to find a way through. Forcing him to become someone new.

Review: Not the greatest book ever. I had issues with how the kids treated Ed after they found out he had diabetes. It wasn't just the way they treated him, it was more how they acted about diabetes in general. If this was supposed to be a modern book it missed the mark because I don't know a single person that doesn't know what diabetes is, and everyone knows it isn't contagious. The way the students reacted to Ed was overreacting. That was just a big problem for me and it pretty much killed the mood of the book. I know a lot of people with diabetes and I don't avoid them like they have the plague. Other than that it was a good story and I really liked Ed and Mark as characters. The ending caught me off guard, but I won't say any more for fear of spoilers. Pick this up if you want to read a book about a kid dealing with diabetes, and if you can get over the above mentioned issue that spans the book then you would probably enjoy it a lot.

3/5

Bread for the Pharaoh by Jerome Asher

Summary: San, the son of a baker, and Aja, the daughter of the high priest at the temple of Ra, definitely come from the opposite sides of the Sphinx. But when it comes to Sheskhaf, a priest who has only recently joined the temple's ranks, San and Aja are on the same side in finding him thoroughly detestable. Drawn together by Sheskhaf's thoughtless cruelty, San and Aja discover not only friendship, but intrigue. Why has Sheskhaf come to the temple? What secret disaster has befallen the half-constructed Sphinx, the grand monument to beloved Pharaoh Khafre? And can someone in their very midst truly be plotting to kill a god? When San and Aja discover the answers, they must also decide what two powerless children can do. With Pharaoh Khafre's inspection of the Sphinx set to happen soon, time is running out. Fighting against the most powerful forces in the kingdom, fighting against rigid class lines that forbid their friendship, can they stop the most unthinkable of all blasphemies in ancient Egypt? They must, for if they fail they will lose everything they hold dear. Perhaps even their lives.

Review: I hate history. I hate history with a passion. I find it incredibly dull. That being said, I absolutely adored this book. This is a middle grade historical fiction novel that I will without a doubt be putting in my classroom library. Aja is nobility and San is a peasant, but that does not stop them from becoming fast friends. I really like that in a middle grade book. If children can read a book where the 2 main characters are completely different and yet they still become great friends that gives me hope that kids will try to put that into practice. I really loved how the story would switch between San and Aja so you can really get a feel for how different these 2 characters are. Again I have to say that I fell I fell in love with this book instantly and I feel that this book is a great way to learn about Egyptian culture. So far this is probably my favorite middle-grade book that I've read this year. Way to go Jerome Asher!

5/5

*note* I can't seem to find any pictures of this book, and if my computer wasn't difficult then I would upload my own. If you're interested in what this book looks like I'll tell you that my copy has a blue background with the head of the Sphinx on it with blocky red print.

Win an ARC of Angelfire!

The author of Angelfire is having a contest on her blog to win a copy of her book. Go here to check out the details!

The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong

Summary: Only two weeks ago, life was all too predictable. But that was before I saw my first ghost. Now, along with my supernatural friends Tori, Derek, and Simon, I’m on the run from the Edison Group, which genetically altered us as part of their sinister experiment. We’re hiding in a safe house that might not be as safe as it seems. We’ll be gone soon anyway, back to rescue those we’d left behind and to take out the Edison Group . . . or so we hope.

Review: I was all sorts of excited to get this book and finish off this series. This was yet another great book in a great series and I hate that it was the last. At least I think it was the last. The ending was left in a way that makes me wonder if Kelley might work on these books again. Or maybe in her new spin-off series (which I'm super excited for) if the characters in there might cross paths with characters from these books. There was this big thing about whether Chloe would pick Simon or Derek and for the first time since I started reading books I actually didn't have a preference of who she picked. Simon was very sweet and cared about Chloe a lot. Derek seemed to always make Chloe feel stupid, but he also had his sweet moments when it came to Chloe. If you don't already know who she picks I won't spoil the surprise, but I really didn't care who she ended up with. Great great series. I recommend this series to anyone and everyone who enjoys reading paranormal stories with a bit of romance.

5/5

My Soul to Keep by Rachel Vincent

Summary: Kaylee has one addiction: her very hot, very popular boyfriend, Nash. A banshee like Kaylee, Nash understands her like no one else. Nothing can come between them. Until something does. Demon’s breath. No, not the toothpaste-challenged kind. The Netherworld kind. The kind that really can kill you. Somehow, the super-addictive substance has made its way to the human world. But how? Kaylee and Nash have to cut off the source and protect their friends—one of whom is already hooked. And when the epidemic hits too close to home, Kaylee will have to risk everything to save those she loves.

Review: Arg I can't stop thinking about how much I loved/hated this book. The story was just there and it was fantastic. Even though before I read the book I know what was going to happen I just couldn't stop the pit in my stomach from coming whenever I read it. I've been doing good with keeping this blog spoiler-free so I don't want to say too much. I think in terms of story this was the best one yet, but in my compassion for the characters I absolutely hated reading bad things happening to them. If you're a fan of this series and you haven't read this yet then go now.

5/5

Manga: Goth and Her Majesty's Dog

Review: Both books were great stories with fantastic artwork. If you're looking for a cuter story with more romance then pick up Her Majesty's Dog. Goth takes on a darker tone. I really liked that Goth was a single volume, but I think the ending was left open and there is a lot that the creator could do with that story if they every decided to go back to it. Her Majesty's Dog is only 11 volumes I believe so I'll probably look into getting the rest of those.

Goth: 5/5

Her Majesty's Dog: 5/5

Messy Spirituality by Mike Yaconelli

Summary: Messy Spiritualtiy was written for the silent majority of us who have been convinced that we just don’t do Christianity right. We spend most of our lives worried about what we don’t do instead of what we have done, focused on our imperfections instead of God’s fondness for the imperfect. Why? Because we’ve been bombarded with books, tapes, talks, seminars, and movies convincing us that real Christianity is all about perfection.Michael Yaconelli dares to suggest that imperfection, unfinishedness, and messiness are, in fact, the earmarks of true Christianity; that real Christianity is messy, erratic, lopsided . . . and gloriously liberating. What if genuine faith begins with admitting we will never have our act completely together? Maybe messy disciples are exactly the kind of imperfect people Jesus came to earth for and whose company he actually enjoyed--and still enjoys. If you want to find Jesus today, look for him in the midst of burned-out believers, moral misfits, religious incompetents . . . men and women whose lives are, well, messy. Messy Spirituality is a strong antidote for the spiritual perfectionism in us all. Here are truths that can cut you loose from the tyranny of ought-to’s and open your eyes to the deep spirituality of being loved, shortcomings and all, by the God who meets you and transforms you in the midst of a messy and unpredictable life.

Review: Messy Spirituality is sort of like Donald Miller's Blue Like Jazz. It hits Christians where it hurts in terms of their own spirituality. I'll be honest I'm a Christian, but I haven't read the Bible. I also don't pray every day like I should. I try and sometimes I get a good week going, but then I just forget. Its almost like life hits me and I just can't do anything to stop it. This book made me feel better about my doubts and my beliefs. It was written by a guy who went through the same thing that I'm going through. There were some parts of the book that I've heard multiple times before. One of those bits is the part about rest and how important that is so we can hear God. I like sleep, but I don't like rest. Resting makes me feel lazy so I really don't like to rest. I know I need to get off that so I'll try to work on resting a bit. Another part that really hit home with me was the part about spiritual growth. Mike is right about how you shouldn't try do move to fast to prove you're growing. You need to find what helps you get closer to God and focus on that. I need to work on that a lot too. As it is there was a lot gained from reading this book and I'm so happy Brandon recommended it to me.

5/5

Here is a quote to set the mood of the book. I liked this quote a lot.

"Spirituality is a mixed-up, topsy-turvy, helter-skelter godliness that turns our lives into an upside-down toboggan ride of unexpected turns, surprise bumps and bone shattering crashes ... a life ruined by a Jesus who loves us right into his arms."

Gone by Michael Grant

Summary: In the blink of an eye. Everyone disappears. GONE. Except for the young. Teens. Middle schoolers. Toddlers. But not one single adult. No teachers, no cops, no doctors, no parents. Just as suddenly, there are no phones, no internet, no television. No way to get help. And no way to figure out what's happened. Hunger threatens. Bullies rule. A sinister creature lurks. Animals are mutating. And the teens themselves are changing, developing new talents—unimaginable, dangerous, deadly powers—that grow stronger by the day. It's a terrifying new world. Sides are being chosen, a fight is shaping up. Townies against rich kids. Bullies against the weak. Powerful against powerless. And time is running out: On your birthday, you disappear just like everyone else...

Review: This book is advertised as "If Stephen King wrote Lord of the Flies this would be the result." Or at least something to that effect. I can't say anything about Stephen King as I haven't completely read any of his books, but this book is very much like a modern Lord of the Flies (which I loved). I really liked Sam as a character. You learn early on why he is the "hero" of this book, but at first the last thing he wants to be is the hero. In fact he runs away from leading the kids in order to do something else. I really like that because in most cases like this the hero is all "I am in charge and I will save everybody, then everyone will love me and I will be amazing!" Yeah well Sam isn't like that at all. The trio seemed very Harry Potter-ish. The heroic main character, the funny best friend, and the know-it-all best girl friend. Except for well one thing which I'll leave out, but it should be pretty obvious. The twist was pretty crazy. Sad and crazy is more like it. I am so ready to read Hunger and Lies now so I will have to pick those up soon.

5/5

Do you want to win lots of ARCs?

Here is the link to The Undercover Book Lover's contest!

Why do you care about this contest? Well its because of the prizes. She's giving away 5 packs of 5 Gum! *applauds* What that's not enough? Well how about these ARCs:

Nightshade

Pegasus

Halo

Paranormalcy

The Eternal Ones

Happy now? Okay good now head on over there and sign up. :)

Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Summary: Adopted by the Alpha of a werewolf pack after a rogue wolf brutally killed her parents right before her eyes, fifteen-year-old Bryn knows only pack life, and the rigid social hierarchy that controls it. That doesn't mean that she's averse to breaking a rule or two.

But when her curiosity gets the better of her and she discovers Chase, a new teen locked in a cage in her guardian's basement, and witnesses him turn into a wolf before her eyes, the horrific memories of her parents' murders return. Bryn becomes obsessed with getting her questions answered, and Chase is the only one who can provide the information she needs.

But in her drive to find the truth, will Bryn push too far beyond the constraints of the pack, forcing her to leave behind her friends, her family, and the identity that she's shaped?

Review: This is hands down my favorite werewolf book that I've read so far this year, and it is probably my favorite of all time. I loved all of the characters especially Bryn. Even after all that she has been through she still has the strength to put up with Callum and his pack ways. I absolutely adored the storyline, and the end was insane. There will be a second book called Trial by Fire I believe, and I am so ready to read that but it isn't coming out until next summer.

5/5

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

Summary: Scarlett March lives to hunt the Fenris-- the werewolves that took her eye when she was defending her sister Rosie from a brutal attack. Armed with a razor-sharp hatchet and blood-red cloak, Scarlett is an expert at luring and slaying the wolves. She's determined to protect other young girls from a grisly death, and her raging heart will not rest until every single wolf is dead.

Rosie March once felt her bond with her sister was unbreakable. Owing Scarlett her life, Rosie hunts fiercely alongside her. Now Rosie dreams of a life beyond the wolves and finds herself drawn to Silas, a young woodsman who is deadly with an ax-- but loving him means betraying her sister and has the potential to destroy all they've worked for.

Review: I loved all of the characters in this book. They were all really strong and wonderful, and yet you still felt a certain sadness for all of them. Something I had to get used to was how Jackson used the name "Fenris". This is the second book that I've heard that name (the first was The Sight/Fell by David Clement-Davies) and I knew of Fenris as a Norse god. After a couple of chapters though my head got around that and it was fine. I thought the ending was really good. I think it showed the readers more of how Rosie's and Scarlett's heart beat as one.

5/5

Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs

Summary: Lily Sanderson has a secret, and it’s not that she has a huge crush on gorgeous swimming god Brody Bennett, who makes her heart beat flipper-fast. Unrequited love is hard enough when you’re a normal teenage girl, but when you’re half human, half mermaid like Lily, there’s no such thing as a simple crush.

Lily’s mermaid identity is a secret that can’t get out, since she’s not just any mermaid – she’s a Thalassinian princess. When Lily found out three years ago that her mother was actually a human, she finally realized why she didn’t feel quite at home in Thalassinia, and she’s been living on land and going to Seaview high school ever since, hoping to find where she truly belongs. Sure, land has its problems – like her obnoxious, biker boy neighbor Quince Fletcher – but it has that one major perk – Brody. The problem is, mermaids aren’t really the casual dating type – when they “bond,” it’s for life.

When Lily’s attempt to win Brody’s love leads to a tsunami-sized case of mistaken identity, she is in for a tidal wave of relationship drama, and she finds out, quick as a tailfin flick, that happily-ever-after never sails quite as smoothly as you planned.

Review: This was a really cute book and I will definitely go check out Tera's other books now after reading this one. The world was so cool, and I loved the sea slang that Lily used throughout the book. I thought Lily was an annoying character for the most part. She made me think of Ariel a bit with her fascination with humans. She just sounded like a broken record when it came to her mermate. The ending was okay, and it really sets up for a second book so I'm waiting for it. I wouldn't recommend this book to someone who needs action to keep them interested, but I would recommend this to someone who wants to read a cute book on mermaids.

4/5

My Soul to Save by Rachel Vincent and The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong

Summary: The last thing Kaylee needs right now is to be skipping school, breaking her dad’s ironclad curfew and putting her boyfriend’s loyalty to the test. But starry-eyed teens are trading their souls for a flickering lifetime of fame and fortune in exchange for eternity in the Netherworld — a consequence they can’t possibly understand. Kaylee can’t let that happen, even if trying to save their souls means putting her own at risk....

Review: Gosh I love Tod so much more after reading this book. He is such a great character, and I'm so happy that you got to see more about the reapers in this installment. The image you get of Netherworld was amazing, and I really want to explore more of it. The only real downside of this book was that I felt bad for Emma. She knows some stuff about Kaylee already so I have to wonder why they keep her in the dark. It seems to just be hurting their friendship. :/
Summary:

If you had met me a few weeks ago, you probably would have described me as an average teenage girl—someone normal. Now my life has changed forever and I'm as far away from normal as it gets. A living science experiment—not only can I see ghosts, but I was genetically altered by a sinister organization called the Edison Group. What does that mean? For starters, I'm a teenage necromancer whose powers are out of control; I raise the dead without even trying. Trust me, that is not a power you want to have. Ever.

Now I'm running for my life with three of my supernatural friends—a charming sorcerer, a cynical werewolf, and a disgruntled witch—and we have to find someone who can help us before the Edison Group finds us first. Or die trying.

Review: Ummm wow? Yeah wow sounds pretty good. I'm so glad I picked up this series. The story was just as good (if not better) than the first and the characters were just as amazing. I'm really curious about who Chloe will end up with. She seems to have all of these tender moments with both guys it is kinda hard to decide who I want her to end up with. I really hope that in The Reckoning you find out more about the pendants. Leaving it at "they help protect against ghosts" isn't going tocut it as it is the focus of the covers.

Both books get a solid 5/5. I really recommend these books to anyone who enjoys reading paranormal stories.

Heavenly by Jennifer Laurens

Summary: I met someone who changed everything. Matthias. My autistic sister's guardian angel. Honest. Inspiring. Funny. Hot. And immortal. That was the problem. What could I do? I did what any other girl would do-I fell in love with him. Zoë's sister darts in front of cars. Her brother's a pothead. Her parents are so overwhelmed; they don't see Zoë lost in her broken life. Zoë escapes the only way she knows how: partying. Matthias, a guardian sent from Heaven, watches over Zoë's autistic sister. After Zoë is convinced he's legit, angel and lost girl come together in a love that changes destiny. But Heaven on Earth can't last forever.

Review: This was such a beautiful, sad story. I saw a huge part of myself in this book it was scary. I even have a mom named Debbie! *gasp* Anyways I really liked it and I thought that the emotions that came out of this book were very natural.

As for characters I liked Matthias a lot. I also have a "Luke" in my life so I instantly started hating him as a character. And Zoe was a pretty okay character, but she still annoyed me sometimes. I'm curious to see if Chase fits in anywhere in the next book because I kind of liked him too.

I can't say anything else about this book because I'm actually in a rush today, but the bottom line is check out this book.

5/5

*NOTE* I'm writing this as my last blog post for about a week. I'm going to Florida for a little while so I won't be updating. I'll try to check my e-mail though so I hope everyone has a great week!

The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong

Summary: After years of frequent moves following her mother’s death, Chloe Saunders’s life is finally settling down. She is attending art school, pursuing her dreams of becoming a director, making friends, meeting boys. Her biggest concern is that she’s not developing as fast as her friends are. But when puberty does hit, it brings more than hormone surges. Chloe starts seeing ghosts–everywhere, demanding her attention. After she suffers a breakdown, her devoted aunt Lauren gets her into a highly recommended group home. At first, Lyle House seems a pretty okay place, except for Chloe’s small problem of fearing she might be facing a lifetime of mental illness. But as she gradually gets to know the other kids at the home–charming Simon and his ominous, unsmiling brother Derek, obnoxious Tori, and Rae, who has a “thing” for fire–Chloe begins to realize that there is something that binds them all together, and it isn’t your usual “problem kid” behaviour. And together they discover that Lyle House is not your usual group home either…

Review: Well now I understand all they hype that Kelley's books get on Rath. This story was so good. I felt like I was a fly on the wall watching the happenings going on in Lyle House. I don't know that I have ever read a ghost book so I'm not really sure that I can compare it to any other book that I've read. The end made me so sad. Grrrrrrr.

I liked the characters for the most part. Chloe was a much better character after she got over the "I'm not crazy. I swear to God I see ghosts" stage. I think that in the later books she will be a much more interesting character now that she doesn't have to prove to the readers or herself that she's crazy. I liked both Simon and Derek so I'm not really sure who I'm rooting for right now. Even though Derek appears to have that abusive, controlling attitude he's actually a really chill character. Yeah Tori annoyed me in a big way. Rae kind of did too. She made me think of the little sibling that likes to tag along everywhere. If you're looking for a really good story then pick this book up. I just got The Awakening today so I'm going to dive into that as soon as I can.

5/5

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

Summary: When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created “perfect” life is about to unravel before her eyes. She’s forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for—her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more.
In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart.

Review: I heard a lot of really good things about Simone Elkele's books and now I can see why. She allows you to see her characters at their best and at their worst making them very vulnerable. The story was very good, and sad. I thought I had the end figured out, but she screwed with me. Even though it made me sad this was still a really good book that I think everyone needs to check out.

The characters were easy to love and easy to hate all at once. My favorite character was probably Paco. He's a really good friend to Alex, and he accepts Brittany even when the other gangsters probably didn't. After finishing this book I'm super ready to read Rules of Attraction. I just need to buy it first.

5/5