Where the Wolves Read

Torn by Erica O'Rourke

2012-01-26T11:05:00.000-08:00

Summary: Swirling black descends like ravens, large enough to block the glow of the streetlights. A dull roar starts like a train on the 'L', a far-away rumbling that grows louder as it pulls closer, until it's directly overhead and you feel it in your chest, except this doesn't pass you by. Verity, white-faced and eyes blazing, shouts through the din, "Run, Mo!"

Mo Fitzgerald knows about secrets. But when she witnesses her best friend's murder, she discovers Verity was hiding things she never could have guessed. To find the answers she needs and the vengeance she craves, Mo—quiet, ordinary, unmagical Mo—will have to enter a world of raw magic and shifting alliances. And she'll have to choose between two very different, equally dangerous guys—protective, duty-bound Colin and brash, mysterious Luc. One wants to save her, one wants to claim her. Which would you choose?

Review: I had not heard anything about Torn when I started reading it so I went in not knowing what to expect. I loved the first chapter. It certainly got questions running around in my head. I didn't really like Mo as a character at first. I thought she was annoying and a bit of a brat, but towards the end she started to warm up to me. She faced quite a lot in this book and I admire her for that. One thing I especially loved about Torn was the general idea. Usually in paranormal YA books the main character is in some peril because some paranormal creatures are after him/her. Torn was a bit different. Verity was the one in caught up in the paranormal stuff but she died, so Mo (the typical "in the dark" best friend) had to become part of this dangerous world herself. That was interesting. Luc and Colin were both good characters. I was on the fence with them when they were first introduced. I don't know why, but I didn't fall in love with them upon first meeting them. I will say I was more on Luc's side than Colin's by the end of the book. I liked the whole story a lot. I think it is interesting and new, but it didn't feel like there was a whole lot going on. You get introduced to a lot of characters, but I was hoping Mo would have had to do more running/fighting baddies in this book. I still liked this book a ton, and the last few chapters were pretty packed full of stuff so that was good. I think this is definitely a series worth looking out for. Can't wait to read Tangled!

4 howls

New in the Den (IMM 25)

2012-01-23T07:53:00.000-08:00

Gift:

I won a contest Erica was holding, and she felt bad for taking a while to send the prize (a bracelet) out so she also sent me a copy of her book! It sounds awesome! I've only read the first chapter so far, but it was really good. Can't wait to read the rest of it!

Die for Me by Amy Plum

2012-01-21T17:42:00.000-08:00

Summary: My life had always been blissfully, wonderfully normal. But it only took one moment to change everything.

Suddenly, my sister, Georgia, and I were orphans. We put our lives into storage and moved to Paris to live with my grandparents. And I knew my shattered heart, my shattered life, would never feel normal again. Then I met Vincent.

Mysterious, sexy, and unnervingly charming, Vincent Delacroix appeared out of nowhere and swept me off my feet. Just like that, I was in danger of losing my heart all over again. But I was ready to let it happen.

Of course, nothing is ever that easy. Because Vincent is no normal human. He has a terrifying destiny, one that puts his life at risk every day. He also has enemies . . . immortal, murderous enemies who are determined to destroy him and all of his kind.

While I'm fighting to piece together the remnants of my life, can I risk putting my heart—as well as my life and my family's—in jeopardy for a chance at love?

Review: I enjoyed this book greatly. I didn't relate to Kate or Georgia or Charlotte very much, but I liked them all which was nice. I liked Vincent too. He had a few moments where I felt like he was a bit of a creep, but overall he was a very desirable guy. Charles I worry about. Anyone who has read the book will probably understand why. It's sad because of ALL of the other characters, Charles is the one that reminded me of someone I know in real life. Jules is probably my favorite. He's makes me smile every time I see his name on a page. He's such a great character.

The story was interesting and well done in my opinion. It's about these weird guardian angel things. Actually, they aren't really angels. They're like angel/ghost/zombie things. Yeah. That sums it up I suppose. Their purpose in life is something I haven't heard of before and I like the fresh idea it brings to the YA world. The story was lovely and there was one part regarding Kate/Vincent I especially liked even though it wasn't good for the characters. I don't want to make this a spoilery review so I'm not going to say anymore, but it happens about mid-way through the book I think and it was surprising to be honest. Not something you see in many YA romances. I'm excited to see Paris as a setting. I've never been to Paris, but reading this book and seeing the adventures Kate and Vincent have makes me want to go. I think my only real issue of this book was there didn't seem to be a lot going on in terms of action. I wish the bad guys were more of a point in the story, but the rest of the book was good enough so I didn't think much of it while I was reading. I definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a new Paranormal story.

4.5 howls

The Vampire Diaries: The Fury and Dark Runion by L.J. Smith

2012-01-17T11:48:00.000-08:00

Summary: Elena: transformed, the golden girl has become what she once feared and desired.

Stefan: tormented by losing Elena, he's determined to end his feud with Damon once and for all—whatever the cost. But slowly he begins to realize that his brother is not his only enemy.

Damon: at last, he possesses Elena. But will his thirst for revenge against Stefan poison his triumph? Or can they come together to face one final battle?

Collected here in one edition are the third and fourth volumes of The Vampire Diaries, a riveting conclusion to the tale of two vampire brothers and the beautiful girl torn between them.

Review: The Fury and Dark Reunion were both better than the first half of this series. The characters weren't nearly as bad this time around. Except Bonnie. She still made me want to punch people. I wasn't especially fond of Dark Reunion being in her POV because of how annoying she can be, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Matt or Meredith are probably my favorites because they really came into themselves in this half of the series. They didn't really have Elena to carry them through everything, and they didn't have Stefan for a while either. Damon warmed up to me a little, but I still don't like him as much as we're probably supposed to. I thought the story was a little better in this book, than in the last one. There were parts that actually surprised me. The thing with Tyler didn't work for me. It felt so random. I guess that happens when you have a 4-book-long series. I didn't understand how the last chapter happened. Maybe that part went over my head. So that felt out of place as well. Maybe the parts that bothered me will be better explained in the next arc. I don't have those book, and I don't know if I ever will get them. I might try them just because I like L.J.'s other books. Like I said, I thought this book went over better than the previous one, but not by much. I'm just not in a rush to get the others.

3.5 howls

New In the Den (IMM 24)

2012-01-16T12:13:00.000-08:00

I only got a couple of books last week, but here they are.

Won from Bea's Book Nook:

Already read and reviewed here.

Bought:

I finally bought this book hardback for $7. I still haven't read any of The Hollows yet, but I will! Eventually...

Book Blogger Confessions 2

2012-01-16T10:06:00.000-08:00

Hosted by Tiger and Karen! Here's the new topic:

Have you ever had reading/blogging slumps? How do you work through them or work around them?

I was in a reading slump quite recently. I didn't want to read much of anything for the longest time. It wasn't because I was burned out from reading. I just didn't want to do it. Then I decided to read the books I got signed from YALLFest this year, and I snapped out of it. Now I'm better, but there are still some days I don't want to do any reading at all. Those are the days I force myself to read because I know it will help.

Blogging slump? Not really. There was a point in time where my laptop was messed up so I couldn't blog much at all. I love to blog though. I love putting my thoughts down about a book I loved/hated. My blog helped me gain a voice and an opinion. I love it so much. I hope I never have a blogging slump.

The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening and The Struggle by L.J. Smith

2012-01-14T10:35:00.000-08:00

Summary: Elena: the golden girl, the leader, the one who can have any boy she wants.

Stefan: brooding and mysterious, he seems to be the only one who can resist Elena, even as he struggles to protect her from the horrors that haunt his past.

Damon: sexy, dangerous, and driven by an urge for revenge against Stefan, the brother who betrayed him. Determined to have Elena, he'd kill to possess her.

Collected here in one volume for the first time, volumes one and two of The Vampire Diaries, the tale of two vampire brothers and the beautiful girl torn between them.

Review: I wanted to read The Vampire Diaries for the longest time because people are obsessed with the show, and I've read some of the Night World books and The Secret Circle series. I loved the other L.J. Smith books I've read, but I didn't love TVD. I liked it well enough, and I'll read the other bindup since I own it. I didn't like any of the characters except maybe Matt, Stefan, and Meredith. Elena was unbearable to read, and maybe it's just my old hostility towards her type of girl that made it hard to read. She was just awful. She seemed to change a little towards the end, but then she also seemed too much like one of those love struck teens so I was still annoyed with her. Bonnie was like a lost puppy following Elena around. I didn't like her either. Damon was just...ugh. Given the choice between Stefan and Damon, I would have to pick Stefan at this point. Though I am curious to see how things shape out in The Fury and Dark Reunion. Matt and Stefan were both okay, but they still had their moments when I wanted to punch them. The story was decent. The random shift to Bonnie's POV towards the end of The Struggle felt out of place. The diary entries were the same way. I understand the importance to the story, but both of those parts felt forced to me. I think I had a hard time with this book mostly because of characters. It felt like a chore reading this one. I wish I didn't feel that way because I didn't have a problem with Night World and The Secret Circle, but The Vampire Diaries didn't quite hit the mark. Don't let my review keep you from these books. I know there are people that adore this series. I liked it enough to read the other 2 books, but I don't know how much more I'll read. If I'm not impressed with The Fury and Dark Reunion then I might end my TVD experience with this arc.

3.5 howls

The Naughty List by Jodi Redford

2012-01-11T20:25:00.001-08:00

Summary: Perpetual good girl Lacey McGuire has two Christmas wish lists. One suitable for public consumption…and a private one that’s too hot to handle. Right at the top: wild, wicked fantasies about her best buddies and business partners Ryan Hollister and Bram Colton.

Besides the fact they’re both poster boys for Hunks ’R’ Us, they’ve been there for her through thick, thin and the heartbreak of a cheating fiancé. So what if her boys will never know they star in her sexiest daydreams? In her fantasy world, her heart will never get trampled again.

Ry and Bram are pretty sure Lacey never meant to email a list of some of her raunchiest wants. Particularly the one that tightens their shorts—she wants a threesome. With them. Although they’ve loved her for years, they made a pact to keep Lacey off limits in order to protect their friendship. Now all bets are off. And the quest to give her all she wants—and more—is on.

Warning: This book contains a wickedly hot M/F/M ménage that will heat up the holidays. Friends steaming things up in a hot tub. Bondage and blindfolds. Sexy shenanigans at a Christmas tree lot. And maybe even a glimpse of Santa…in a Speedo.

Review: First, before I get into The Naughty List, I'd like to mention a couple things. One, this is my first threesome book. Yep. I was a bit scared to be quite honest, but it sounded good and I had a chance to win it in a contest so, why not? Second, I tried to read a contemporary erotica book a while before this one and I couldn't stand it. I didn't like the way it was put together so I've been putting off reading more of this genre. That being said, I really enjoyed The Naughty List. I liked Lacey, Bram, and Ryan all as characters. I liked their scenes together the most. I'm not talking about the sex, but the way their characters interacted with each other. I am tired of the "best friends falling in love" idea, but I think it worked very well for this book. My favorite scenes were the one in Lacey's office in Chapter 1, and the one when they were looking for a Christmas tree. Those were pretty hilarious, and I thought it showed the relationships between the 3 quite well. Something that bothered me a bit was the last chapter. Lacey decided one thing and then all of a page later she changed her mind. Maybe another chapter where Lacey really things about what she's doing would have been nice. Other than that, I thought this was a great book and I will definitely be reading more from Jodi in the future.

4 howls

Divergent by Veronica Roth

2012-01-11T15:23:00.000-08:00

Summary: In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.
During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves… or it might destroy her.

Review: Divergent is another one of those hype books that took me a while to get to. It took me a while to get into though which is a bit sad. I think that's why I didn't enjoy it as much as other bloggers. I kind of liked Tris. I liked watching her character change as she went through this story. It took a while for Four to warm up to me. I've seen so many bloggers talk about how wonderful he is. I didn't get that. I'm over the male characters who have to act like assholes. I understand that it's part of where he lives, but he bothered me when I first met him. I'm not sure how I feel about some of the minor characters yet like Caleb and Peter. I'm wondering if there might be some more to them than there was in Divergent. The beginning of this book moved slow for me. It was good, but it felt slow. It picked up a good bit during initiation and I think I enjoyed that a lot because of Tris' growth. There were a few twists that I wasn't surprised to see, but the end was a complete mind-blow. The last few chapters were incredible and I want to hug Tris so bad right now.

4 howls

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

2012-01-09T21:22:00.000-08:00

Summary: Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war-- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

In this electrifying debut, Tahereh Mafi presents a world as riveting asThe Hunger Games and a superhero story as thrilling as The X-Men. Full of pulse-pounding romance, intoxicating villainy, and high-stakes choices, Shatter Me is a fresh and original dystopian novel—with a paranormal twist—that will leave readers anxiously awaiting its sequel.

Review: Shatter Me is one of those books I heard about, but was never really interested in buying. Maybe it's because I haven't read too many Dystopian books so that genre is still up in the air for me. I finally did though and I'll admit it was pretty dang good. The story was interesting and Shatter Me is like a Paranormal/Dystopian story which was cool. I thought overall the story was done very well. The few other Dystopian reads I've found had the main characters on the outside of the crazy corrupt organization, and at some point trying to destroy it from the inside. Juliette was on the inside to begin with. Granted, she was a prisoner, but that was another aspect that made Shatter Me so good to read. I wasn't sure if the scratched out text was going to annoy me or not, but I think it worked in the book's favor. I liked the effect it had. The only thing really keeping me from giving Shatter Me a perfect score are the characters. I didn't like Juliette or Adam to be honest. I related to Juliette to an extent as she dealt with a bit of loneliness and she seemed to be a little (a lot) OCD. I don't think I would be diagnosed with OCD, but I like to count things the way Juliette does. Maybe I'll like her more in book 2 when she comes more into her abilities and she can explore herself more. That'll be fun. Why don't I like Adam? I just don't. From the moment you're introduced to him I felt something pushing me away from him. Hopefully I'll like him later. I did enjoy reading Kenji and James. Hopefully nothing will happen to them like another popular Dystopian book, but it probably will as they're secondary characters and they're expendable. Meh. Overall, this was a solid read. It didn't live up to the hype to me, but again that's just because I didn't gel with Juliette or Adam. It's still definitely worth the read and I'll for sure be checking out book 2.

4 howls

Ascendant by Diana Peterfreund (spoilers)

2012-01-08T21:18:00.001-08:00

Summary: Astrid Llewelyn is now a fully trained unicorn hunter, but she can't solve all her problems with just a bow and arrow. Her boyfriend, Giovanni, has decided to leave Rome, the Cloisters is in dire financial straits, her best friend's powers seem to be mysteriously disintegrating, and Astrid can't help but feel that school, home, and her hopes of becoming a scientist are nothing but impossible dreams.

So when she's given the opportunity to leave the Cloisters and put her skills to use as part of a scientific quest to discover the Remedy, Astrid leaps at the chance. Finally, she can have exactly what she want--or can she? At Gordian headquarters, deep in the French countryside, Astrid begins to question everything she thought she believed: her love for Giovanni, her loyalty to the Cloisters, and most of all her duty as a hunter. Should Astrid be saving the world from killer unicorns, or saving the unicorns from the world?

Review: I finally summed up the courage to read Ascendant. I loved Rampant, but after what happened to Phil I wasn't sure when I was going to be able to read the next book. Giovanni makes a return in Ascendant, and he was certainly an odd character for me this time. Phil was still there, and she was still rad so I enjoyed what bit of her we had. Neil, Cory, and the rest of the girls were back as well of course. They were all good fun to get back to again. Astrid's mom was back, and I absolutely hate her.

Here is where I get spoilery so be warned if you haven't read Ascendant.

The Cory/Val thing did not surprise me really. It wasn't something that I put a lot of thought into until a couple pages before it was discovered, but I read that and thought, "Well that's nice." I liked that it made the story/relationships a bit different from Rampant.

The Seth thing didn't really get resolved and that bothers me. I mean...Phil is my favorite. I wanted her to have justice. I hoped Astrid would have been able to do that actually. Novella perhaps? Please?

One of my favorite things about this book was that Giovanni walked away from Astrid and she didn't rebound with Brandt. I like how it showed Astrid's strength as a character and she didn't need a male in her life to make her strong. That was story gold to me. With so many YA titles now there always seems to be a relationship and that's fine, but it's refreshing to read a story without that on every page.

End of spoilers

I will say that I enjoyed Rampant more just because it seemed to have more going on with the actual unicorn hunting. I loved Ascendant as well, but it focused more on the Remedy than the hunting. It was still interesting and I absolutely recommend these books. Is this series over? It very well could be. Could there be a book 3? Yes! If Diana decides to end Astrid's story here then that's okay with me. If she writes another one then I'll definitely be picking that one up as well.

4.5 howls

Harper Imprint Challenge (update)

2012-01-03T21:36:00.000-08:00

So I managed to make it home and gather more books so I have quite a selection to choose from. Now I have in my possession:

Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schreiber

Vampire Kisses: Kissing Coffins by Ellen Schreiber

Vampire Kisses: Vampireville by Ellen Schreiber

Vampire Kisses: Dance with a Vampire by Ellen Schreiber

Vampire Kisses: The Coffin Club by Ellen Schreiber

Vampire Kisses: Royal Blood by Ellen Schreiber

Vampire Diaries: The Awakening and The Struggle

Vampire Diaries: The Fury and Dark Reunion by LJ Smith

The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong

Die for Me by Amy Plum

Divergent by Veronica Roth

I'm currently re-reading Rampant, and because it's a re-read and I have all these other books now I probably won't count it towards the challenge. I don't feel like writing a new review for it. I might end up reading the above books in the order exactly opposite to the way I posted them on here. Yep. Fun stuff. I'm just good like that. Anyways head over to Starry Sky Books to check out the challenge.

Book Blogger Confessions 1

2012-01-02T10:20:00.000-08:00

This is a cool little meme that Tiger from Tiger's All Consuming Books and Karen from For What It's Worth started up. I like it. I think it gives us a chance to be a bit more open with our followers about how stressful and rewarding blogging can be. Here's the first topic:

January 2nd: How has the "job" of book blogging changed your reading habits? Both pro and con.

Pros:

I have been introduced to many new books. My library has expanded quite nicely. Well that's a pro for me. It's probably a con for my parents. It's also nice to interact with authors. Sometimes they tweet back when I review their book and put it on twitter. Some comment on my reviews and that's nice too. There have been a couple times when I didn't tag the author on twitter because I didn't know their name, but they still somehow found that I reviewed their book and commented. That's always a nice surprise. I have been contacted by a publisher and a couple authors to review books. 1 author I turned down because I didn't have the time to review her book, and I didn't think I was fit to make a good opinion on her book. The other author I was already a fan of and I was extremely excited when she offered to give me a copy of her newest book to review. That was an incredible honor for me. I accepted the publisher's offer to read a couple books on a whim and it worked out well. The books were very good. I have to force myself to think about why I did or did not like a book. That additional bit of thought is another nice thing blogging has done. It has helped me to become more vocal about what I do/do not like. I don't think my opinion matters much, but with books I like to think that I have a decent opinion. My friends seem to think so too. :)

Cons: It is a job, except I'm not getting paid. I didn't realize how much dedication it takes to run a blog. This, on top of school, and personal things I've been dealing with takes a lot out of a person. I don't want to be judged based on what I read either. I talked about expanding my library in the Pros section. One of the things I've gotten into since reviewing is Paranormal Romance and Erotica. Reading those books don't bother me, but I'm sure it bothers some of my friends. I don't want people to think bad thoughts about me just because I read those books. I try to joke around about them, but I don't know how well that works. I don't want my religious beliefs to be hurt by these books either. There are some books that I'm not entirely sure I'll read because of what I believe. I know some people won't read books about angels/fallen angels because of this. So far I haven't had an issue with that, and hopefully it'll stay that way.

Harper Imprint Challenge

2012-01-01T20:02:00.000-08:00

So I'm going to participate in the Harper Imprint Challenge hosted by Starry Sky Books. Here are the rules posted on the blog over there.

For those of you that have no idea what this challenge is, it's pretty much a challenge to read as many books from the HarperCollins imprints that publish YA books: Harper Teen, Greenwillow, Katherine Tegen Books, and Balzer + Bray. I first held this challenge last minute in July, with sign-ups only posted two weeks before. This time around there's more time for word to get around and more people to sign up, hopefully! Here is the breakdown of the challenge:

Open to anyone, whether you blog or not
Books started before January 1 do not count - and we're going on the honor system with this!
Audio books and ebooks do count of course
Your books can be crossovers with other challenges
Sign-ups will stay open through January 7
Choose a challenge level and make an intro post with a link back to this post!

Here are the challenge levels, make sure you choose one that you think is realistic for you.

Easy: 1-4 books
Medium: 5-8 books
Hard: 9-12 books

And here's a schedule of events that will be happening throughout the month, with more possibly to be added.

January 1: Event starts! Review link-up for the first week posted.
January 8: Review link-up for the second week goes up.
January 15: Harper Imprint Challenge Readathon! Starts at 9am Pacific time and lasts for 24 hours; Review link-up for the third week
January 22: Review Link-up for the last week, including the 29th through the 31st
January 25: 24 hour Harper book giveaway!
January 31: - Last day of the challenge!

On February 1 there will be one final giveaway for those who participated and do a wrap up post of your accomplishments! So don't forget those posts.

I'm going to do the Easy set because I may or may not be able to pick up more books from my house. Right now I've only got the books in my dorm and on my Nook at my disposal, but my Nook is dead so I can't even use that. Here are the books I'm going to read:

Rampant by Diana Peterfreund

Ascendant by Diana Peterfreund

Shatter Me by Taherah Mafi

Enthralled (anthology)

If I can get to my parents house I can pick up:

The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong

The first 5 Vampire Kisses books by Ellen Schreiber

Vampire Diaries by L.J. Smith

That's a lot of books. Didn't really list them out properly, but if I do manage to pick up more books then I'll do an updated post to show how many I hope to read. For now though, I just have 4. Good luck to everyone participating!

Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

2012-01-01T09:24:00.000-08:00

Summary: Ethan Wate thought he was getting used to the strange, impossible events happening in Gatlin, his small Southern town. But now that Ethan and Lena have returned home, strange and impossible have taken on new meanings. Swarms of locusts, record-breaking heat, and devastating storms ravage Gatlin as Ethan and Lena struggle to understand the impact of Lena's Claiming. Even Lena's family of powerful Supernaturals is affected-and their abilities begin to dangerously misfire. As time passes, one question becomes clear: What-or who-will need to be sacrificed to save Gatlin?

For Ethan, the chaos is a frightening but welcome distraction. He's being haunted in his dreams again, but this time it isn't by Lena-and whatever is haunting him is following him out of his dreams and into his everyday life. Even worse, Ethan is gradually losing pieces of himself-forgetting names, phone numbers, even memories. He doesn't know why, and most days he's too afraid to ask.

Sometimes there isn't just one answer or one choice Sometimes there's no going back. And this time there won't be a happy ending.

Review: Where do I even start with this book? Ethan was still wonderful. I live in South Carolina so where is my Ethan? Just sayin'. Really though. He was fantastic as usual. Lena wasn't as annoying this time around which was nice. Rid, John, and Liv still aren't there for me. I can't shake this feeling that one or all of them will screw up in the final fight. Maybe I'm wrong. I hope I am. I guess we'll have to wait and see.

The entire first few chapters of Chaos was quite nice actually because it was nice to see Lena and Ethan together and have a "normal" (I'm using that term loosely) life for once. Of course that ended quickly. I don't even know what to say about this book without spoilers. So far it's my favorite. It was sad and wonderful, and I almost cried a few times. The second half was incredibly sad. I still can't believe it actually happened. Any of it. I read the last chapter and I'm waiting for Kami and/or Margaret to release a secret chapter and say this last chapter was a joke. I know it won't happen. That's the point of a cliff-hanger right? Leave the reader wanting more. I just can't wrap my head around it. I knew it was coming too. Kami and Margaret set you up for the end, but I still couldn't believe it. I hoped something would be able to come out of nowhere to stop it. That's enough of my rambling. If you haven't read Chaos, then get to it. If you have, then maybe you can share my disbelief.

5 howls

Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

2011-12-30T08:55:00.000-08:00

Summary: Ethan Wate used to think of Gatlin, the small Southern town he had always called home, as a place where nothing ever changed. Then he met mysterious newcomer Lena Duchannes, who revealed a secret world that had been hidden in plain sight all along. A Gatlin that harbored ancient secrets beneath its moss-covered oaks and cracked sidewalks. A Gatlin where a curse has marked Lena's family of powerful Supernaturals for generations. A Gatlin where impossible, magical, life-altering events happen.

Sometimes life-ending.

Together they can face anything Gatlin throws at them, but after suffering a tragic loss, Lena starts to pull away, keeping secrets that test their relationship. And now that Ethan's eyes have been opened to the darker side of Gatlin, there's no going back. Haunted by strange visions only he can see, Ethan is pulled deeper into his town's tangled history and finds himself caught up in the dangerous network of underground passageways endlessly crisscrossing the South, where nothing is as it seems.

Review: *might contain spoilers for Beautiful Creatures*

Well this book was a bit of an emotional roller coaster for me. First off, I liked Ethan, Lena, and Link all in Beautiful Creatures, but in this book I wanted to slap Lena. I understand why she was being the way she was, but still. I'm not sure how I feel about Liv as a character at this point. I liked Marian, and it seemed Liv was supposed to be a mini version of Marian, but I wasn't digging it. Liv seemed to just want to prove she was in the know about everything. It was irritating. I guess Marian didn't bother me because she's an adult so she needs to know everything going on, but Liv was annoying. Link was still adorable and quirky. He's definitely a close second for my favorite. I'm not sure how I feel about Rid. I was up in the air after Creatures, and I'm even more thrown from Darkness. This John guy is another character I'm still unsure about. I'm not going to expand anymore than that, but I just don't know what to think anymore.

The story was fabulous. It's weird enjoying a book set in a place you've grown up to hate all your life. Just throwing that out there. I'm glad I was reading this while I was alone because there was one revelation that made me say "ew" quite loudly. The pl twists were very much present in this book, and the end was insane. I still can't quite believe anything in the second half of Darkness actually happened. I'm so glad I didn't start Darkness until I had Chaos because I'm going to run off to start it now. This is a great series so far and I absolutely recommend it.

5 howls

Favorites from 2011

2011-12-29T14:18:00.000-08:00

I wasn't even going to try to narrow this list down to 11 books, but these are the ones I enjoyed the most this year. I didn't get a chance to review all of them, but the ones I did review are linked up. Enjoy!

The Specter Key: This was just...magnificent. I couldn't stop reading.
The Farfield Curse: It was a re-read this year, but it was still amazing. Wonderful middle grade novel.
Hate List: Breathtaking. Truly. I loved it.

Perfect: My absolute favorite from this year. Touching characters you loved to hate, and a story anyone can relate to.
Triangles: Ellen's first adult book with incredible moments of love and passion. I can't wait to read her next adult novel.
Wither: Didn't do a review when I first read this book, but it was wonderful. A fresh new story with exceptional characters.
Unearthly: A new angel story that moves very well, and the bit at the end? Wow. Just wow. Can't wait for Hallowed.
Twenty Boy Summer: One of the few contemporary books I've read this year and I'm a fan of Ockler's already. Definitely going to have to check out the rest of her work.
The Girl Who Played With Fire: I loved The Hunger Games and it was a joy reading what others thought of these books.
The Dark Divine: Read this because a friend of my recommended it. Couldn't be happier with the story. I loved it and I need to read The Lost Saint and The Savage Grace.
Such a Pretty Girl: Another book recommended by a friend, and it was incredible. I can't even...it was just great.
Seduced by the Wolf: One word: Liedolf
Dreaming of the Wolf: The return of dream-mating and Jake. He was delish.
Sleeping in Parking Lots: A wonderful non-fiction book about keeping your faith in God while enduring the struggles of being on the road.
Rage: Jackie is a brilliant writer. Incorporating self-harm into a story like this was brilliant and I can't wait to read Loss!
Hunger: Much like Rage, this first book brought a tough topic to the public in an interesting way. I love the way Jackie brings these things up in her stories.
Shifters series: To be fair, I read the first 2 at the end of 2010, but this is my favorite UF series. It was wonderful. Faythe is a great character. I adored her.
Nightshade: One of the best werewolf books I've read ever. Period.
Fahrenheit 451: I read this for banned books week and I can see why it's considered a classic. I think everyone should read this book at least once. I would hate to live in a world like this were books are burned out of fear. They should be treasured. Always.
Delirium: It's Lauren Oliver. She blew me away with Before I Fall, and Delirium showed me how well she can adjust to a new kind of story. She's an auto buy author.
Darkest Mercy: A fabulous end to an exciting series. Melissa Marr is a wonderful storyteller.
The Dark and Hollow Places: My favorite book of the series. It is so, so wonderful. I loved it.
Angelfire: This was a great book. End of story. Wings of the Wicked cannot come soon enough. It was brilliant.

New In the Den (IMM 23)-Christmas edition

2011-12-26T13:50:00.001-08:00

From Draper

Do I need to explain how much I love this show?

From Nikki:

Yoshi beanie!

From Candace:

*jumps up and down* YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I haven't read any of Maggie Shayne's books so if anyone has let me know how they are.

3 books from an amazing faerie series!

From parents:

I have been wanting this system for a while and I finally got it! I'm loving it! And I get to play Ocarina of Time anytime I want now!

Bought:

3 movies

Never saw it, but I wanted to. It was only $10. Couldn't resist!
One of my favorite movies as a kid. We only had it on VHS, but now I have it on DVD!
I've seen this movie a couple of times and I liked it, but I never had my own copy. Now I do!
Finally bought this book. It'll be a while before I can get to it, but at least I have it.
Finally bought this one too. A stand-alone Maggie Stiefvater book? Yes please!

I also got sugar cookies from Desire', and I apparently have gifts from Kaitlyn and Michelle. I just haven't gotten them yet. I had a pretty great Christmas. Hope you all did too!

The Specter Key by Kaleb Nation

2011-12-25T14:14:00.000-08:00

Summary: Blogging phenom Kaleb Nation delivers an exceptional follow-up to his debut hit, The Farfield Curse. Re-enter the world of Dunce where magical hero Bran Hambric has recently discovered a safe deposit box in his mother's name-in the very vault where he was discovered as a boy. Now he's on a frightening path that eventually leads to his father, whom Bran believed to be dead. When Bran's best friend, Astara, is kidnapped and turned into a Specter, he must explore a side of himself he never knew existed. But will the magic destroy him the way it destroyed his mother?

Review: Bran is back along with some old friends (Adi, Polland, and Astara), as well as some new ones. The old characters were still fabulous to read about. I savored every scene with Adi, Polland, and Astara because there were new characters for Bran to meet. Let's get into some of those, shall we? Thomas. Um no. He just...no. He's going to have to do a lot of redeeming to make him even remotely appealing to me. Gary was interesting, but I'm on the fence with him. I don't quite know what to do with him at the moment. If he returns in another book, maybe he'll be able to convince me he's a decent guy. My biggest problem with him was how much of a jerk he seemed to be to
Bran when Bran first met him. Maybe that's just me, but I'm keeping my eye on him. Then there's Nim. I didn't know if I was going to like her or not because of Thomas, BUT she turned out to be an interesting little character. And I mean little. She's a fairy...sprite...thing...? She's some fierce little something or other and I thought she was great. A very cute character.

Now let's talk story. The writing and the story itself was excellent, but really Kaleb? Why did you do that to Astara? I'm not going to say any more because I don't want this to be a spoilery review, but dang. I started making weird noises and my friends gave me odd looks. I didn't know how to contain all of the emotions I felt while reading this book. Once again, Kaleb blew me away with his storytelling. I'm very excited to see what Bran's next adventure will be. Even if it means I will once again be emotionally distraught by the end. So yeah, Kaleb, anytime you want to finish Bran's next book feel free. ;D

5 howls

Bran Hambric: The Farfield Curse by Kaleb Nation (new review)

2011-12-23T20:09:00.000-08:00

Summary: A six-year-old child, his only history a scrap of paper with his name (Bran Hambric), is found inside a securely locked vault in a large city bank. He grows into a strapping teenager, remembering nothing before the vault, mostly forgotten even by his foster parents. But elsewhere, Bran is not only remembered; he is sought by those who want him back. dead or alive.

Review: (Note: I'm sort of re-doing my review for The Farfield Curse because my original review was written in April 2010. My blog was only a couple of months old and middle grade isn't my usual read so I didn't really know how to review it without comparing it to another series. Here is a link to my old review. I'll keep it just so I can see how I have changed as a reviewer.)

Bran Hambric. He's a sweet kid, but he wasn't my favorite character. He had some great moments and as main characters go, he's definitely up there. Kaleb just wrote better secondary characters in my opinion. He is a solid character, but he might be a bit too innocent for my tastes. I think that's why he fell short as my favorite. Astara, Polland, and Adi were all strong characters and I loved the different perspectives they gave to Bran. Astara is the girl going through similar things Bran is going through with her age and magic. She gives Bran a young female's Polland is a gnome so he has to hide through most of the book and he gives Bran that underground perspective. Adi is a more experienced woman (not in a sexual way) so she gives insight that seems more wise. I don't know which of those 3 would be my favorite. Probably Astara, but they all come pretty close so well done Kaleb on writing characters that are just plain likable. Let's not forget about Rosie. If she was more central to the story then she might be in the running as a fav, but she kept life in the Wilomas house interesting.

The story was dark in my opinion. I didn't think much of it when I read The Farfield Curse the first time, but it didn't escape my notice this go around. That isn't a bad thing. Not at all. It isn't overpoweringly (not sure if that's a word) dark so it would scare kids away. It's just a different flavor from other middle-grade books I've read. Granted, I don't read a lot of MG so it might fit in perfectly. Someone that does read more of that genre can tell me if I'm crazy or not. The main story with Emry and the Farfield Curse and Baslyn was dark, but it was balanced quite well with the happenings at the Wilomas house. There is a sort of silliness that goes along well in this book because of how it balances the darker parts of the story. As an added note, when I was reading this book I could hear Kaleb in my head. Not the entire time, but while reading some of the dialogue he was definitely there. Not sure if that's because I've been watching too many of his videos or what. Anyways I certainly recommend this book to anyone looking for a good fantasy series to start.

I originally gave the book 4.5 howls and I'm going to have to keep the rating at 4.5 howls. Great story!

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Hope Santa Will Bring

2011-12-20T08:52:00.000-08:00

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

This is the first time I've done a TTT, but I was bored so I figured why not? I might have cheated and put 11 books on here. Sorry

This is one of those informative books that I think would be interesting to read. The best part is that it focuses on Harry Potter, Star Wars, and Narnia. I've enjoyed all 3 of these worlds very much, and I think I would enjoy this book too.
I have all of David's books except for this one. I've loved them all (except The Telling Pool). Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if this book ended up being like The Telling Pool for me, but I don't care. I want it. I want to read it. I need something to help me deal with The Scream of the White Bears mess.
Of course I've seen reviews out the rear for this book and I haven't read it myself. I'm cautious about my fantasy books, but I'm convinced that I should read this book.
I loved Sister's Red, but I haven't gotten Sweetly yet. I guess I'm not dying to buy it because it isn't part of a series really. New story, new characters so I haven't gotten around to getting it. I've heard it's great though so I want it.
Shade was brilliant and I've heard Shift is brilliant as well. I have no excuse for not picking up this book. I just haven't gotten around to it. And I'm broke.
I enjoyed Angel Star a LOT so I need to get my hands on Lemniscate at some point.
I haven't read any of these books yet, but if I get Inheritance then I'll start reading them. I have all of them except this one. Reading these books was going to be my Summer project, but that didn't happen.
Ash was incredible and I can't help but look at this book when I go to the bookstore. I want it so bad.
Another book I want because I have the others. I haven't read the other books in this series, but I own them. I loved Scott's Uglies series so I'm certain I'll love these as well.
I've heard good things about this book, and I love Jen's Raised by Wolves series so I have high hopes for this one.
I loved the other 2 books in this series and I am aching to see how it all ends!

There are other books that I want as well, but I should probably stop here. Though there is THIS site which has some other books I would love to get as well.

Yeah well that's my list. :D

Triangles by Ellen Hopkins

2011-12-18T02:56:00.000-08:00

Summary: In this emotionally powerful novel, three women face the age-old midlife question: If I’m halfway to death, is this all I’ve got to show for it? Holly, filled with regret for being a stay-at-home mom, sheds sixty pounds and loses herself in the world of extramarital sex. Andrea, a single mom and avowed celibate, watches her friend Holly’s meltdown with a mixture of concern and contempt. Holly is throwing away what Andrea has spent her whole life searching for—a committed relationship with a decent guy. So what if Andrea picks up Holly’s castaway husband? Then there’s Marissa. She has more than her fair share of challenges—a gay teenage son, a terminally ill daughter, and a husband who buries himself in his work rather than face the facts. As one woman’s marriage unravels, another one’s rekindles. As one woman’s family comes apart at the seams, another’s is reconfigured into something bigger and better. In this story of connections and disconnections, one woman’s up is another one’s down, and all three of them will learn the meaning of friendship, betrayal, and forgiveness before it is through.

Review: One of these days I'll learn to not be nervous when my favorite author puts out a new book. I wasn't sure how I was going to take Ellen's first adult book, but it was wonderful. I see this trend in her characters where they're so screwed up where I just want to hate them, but at the same time I see a bit of myself in them and I know I'm not supposed to fully hate them. I'm always a bit torn when it comes to her characters because of this. I don't know if this is just me or if other people get this way too. Shane was my favorite character. It's probably because I have a gay friend and he's very special to me. I know he has been having a hard time lately with the exposure of his orientation. I read Shane and hoped to God that wasn't what was how my friend was being treated at his house. I don't think I can bring myself to every say that Holly, Andrea, or Missy are favorites. Ellen also knows how to drop the bombshells. The sad thing is it's stuff that you would rightly suspect because of the situations of the characters, but I had this voice in the back of my head telling me it wasn't going to happen. One of the relationships happened later than I expected. I won't say more than that. I don't think it's a spoiler if I do, but I'll stop there just in case. Ellen has proved that she can smoothly transition from YA to adult and she fits there just as well as she fits in YA. I'm looking forward to Collateral, but at the same time I'm not because my best friend is in the military and my biggest fear is that he will get deployed. I'll still pick up Ellen's book because it's Ellen and she's awesome. Oh and Tilt? The companion to Triangles? If it's told from Shane and Mik's POV then Identical, Impulse, and Perfect better watch out. Some competition for my favorite is on its way!

If you're late to the party and you haven't read any of Ellen's books then you need to go get one now!

5 howls

Video Game Review: Skyward Sword

2011-12-12T16:40:00.000-08:00

This is a bit unusual as I run a book review blog and not a video game review blog, but I'm a huge fan of Nintendo and I wanted to post a filler review real quick. I watch a guy named Chuggaaconroy do Let's Plays on Youtube, and he did his own review of SS. I decided to post a review with my own thoughts as a sort of response to his. Before I get to my review though, this is the link to his review, and this is a link to his Youtube channel if you want to check him out. He just finished an LP so you can check out his past work or wait for his new piece. Chugga's review is more detailed than mine I think, so if you are interested in fuller game reviews then by all means check his out. (Yes I'm promoting him big-time)

Now to my review. I should note that I haven't finished the game quite yet so I'm not going to put any big spoilers in here. I will talk about some stuff that happens early in the game, but that's it.

I like the controls for Skyward Sword. I didn't play Twilight Princess on the Wii so I never had to deal with those controls, but my friend played it and he didn't like it. I think the Wii Motion Plus made it easier to work with the controls which was nice. Though I did find myself having to center the camera a LOT when using items like the Bow and the Beetle. I thought the run button was a nice touch. It was annoying having to watch your stamina, but if you've played a Zelda game before then you know how annoying it can be to walk/roll everywhere.

I liked the characters in this game. I thought the relationship between Zelda and Link was a nice touch. Except for when she tries to push you off buildings and things. I didn't know Zelda could be so harsh. It was good how the whole "save Zelda" mechanic is still in SS, but it's slightly different than most other Zelda games. My first thought when you see Zelda's dad..."THAT DAMN OWL!" I'm not going to say anymore than that. Hopefully that got a chuckle or two out of someone. Let's talk about Fi now. She's your little "sidekick" I guess you could say. I have found a character more annoying than Navi. I'm not a Navi hater, but she can be annoying at times. Fi is worse. A person will tell you where you need to go and she'll pop in with required dialogue, "There's a 90% probability you need to go to *insert area*" Umm yeah thanks Fi. She was nice though. Midna was verbally abusive to Link in Twilight Princess so Fi was a good change of pace.

Downfalls? The way to change day/night. That can be a pain when you have other stuff to do. I was content with the time automatically changing when you are in fields. Another thing I wasn't big on was playing the harp. I like that it incorporated motion-control, but sometimes I was annoyed with it. Maybe I'm just an idiot. I don't know. There were a couple times that I struggled with the timing so it took forever to play songs. I'm not sure how I feel about the Silent Realm areas either. That's one of those things that could be spoilery so I'll just leave it there.

Overall? Ocarina of Time is still my favorite, but SS comes really close. The story was fresh, but it still had some classic additions to it. I think the story is better than that of Twilight Princess by far, but if you prefer darker games then TP might be more up your alley. I think Miyamoto might have been dealing with some depression when he worked on TP because it's very dark. Whereas, SS is far lighter. If you haven't picked up a Zelda game yet and you want to check one out then I definitely recommend Skyward Sword.

This is another little area for promotion. Another reason why I wanted to post a review up now is because I wanted to talk a little about this weekend. The Speed Gamers are doing another marathon, and it's Zelda. I think I've put a post or two on here about them. I like these guys a lot and as I just reviewed the new Zelda game I thought it was appropriate to talk about their marathon. If you want to check out some Zelda gameplay then you can watch them play. It starts this Friday at 6, and it runs for 72 hours. At the end, Brit (founder) said if they reach their goal of $15,000 then they'll add Skyward Sword to their list of games to play. This is a great opportunity to look at Zelda as a franchise and see if it's something you would be interested in.

New In the Den (IMM 22)

2011-12-06T16:42:00.001-08:00

This is a day late, but I didn't get any new books until today. I managed to buy 3 of them, and I'm excited to get to them.

Knightley Academy by Violet Haberdasher. I've heard good things about it, and it was a hardback for $4. I couldn't say no!
John Green. I haven't read any of his books and with another $4 hardback staring at me I figured it was time to try him out.
^^THIS! The bookstore in my hometown doesn't have this book in. It has all of the other Soul Screamers books except this one! I finally get to read it! I won't get to it for a little while, but at least I own it!

Dreaming of the Wolf by Terry Spear

2011-12-05T21:26:00.000-08:00

Summary: Terry Spear's debut Heart of the Wolf was a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year. Known for her research into how wolves live in nature, Spear writes her werewolves as they would behave realistically, including pack dynamics, mating behavior, and hierarchies.

Werewolf pack leader Jake Silver is an acclaimed photographer. He sees a beautiful woman at the art gallery where his photos are on display, and his intrigue turns into wolfish protectiveness. Alicia Greiston has never met anyone like Jake-he's sexy, alpha, and totally irresistible, and he calls to something primal in her soul.

Review: I want Jake for Christmas. I do. He is just another one of those wolves that I couldn't help but admire as I was reading him. Alicia was interesting too. A bounty hunter? Hmmm. I didn't know what to think when I first met her, but I'm glad she got introduced because I think she adds a lot of color to the story. I was interested to see how the story was going to go since Alicia is a human. It was nice to catch up with old characters again. I was happy to see how Darien and Lelandi were doing, as well as the rest of the pack. I was excited to read about dream mating again. That is probably my favorite thing about these books even though it has only happened a couple of times. I don't know why, but I love read that. I liked that there was a gap in time too because it shows that Jake truly loved Alicia, and he was searching for her and hoping she would come back to him. Overall this is a pretty phenomenal book. It isn't my favorite, but it's quite close. I'm hoping we get to revisit this pack some more so we can see other characters find mates. Of course we have to see how Jake and Alicia are holding up in the future as well. The end was cute too. The last chapter was a nice little end to the story. After the hectic life Alicia has had I think she deserved to find someone to love.

5 howls

I got this book free for an honest review.

Heart of the Highland Wolf by Terry Spear

2011-11-26T17:38:00.000-08:00

Summary: Ian McNeill, laird of Argent Castle finds his capital squandered through unwise investments and the wolf clan's home that has been theirs for centuries is in danger of being forfeit for nonpayment of taxes. When a movie producer contacts him with the notion of using his castle to produce a movie, Ian abhores the idea, but it's his only salvation. Even worse, his people become extras in this epic Highland movie. But when one American werewolf romance author, Julia Wildthorn, slips into the castle under the guise of being with the movie company, except she is trying to jumpstart her muse with writing a book set in old-world Scotland--specifically about his castle and his people as the characters in her newest book venture--she and Ian tangle.

Review: I was a little nervous starting this book because none of these characters are familiar. At least with past books there is at least 1 or 2 characters that you have previously read about and gotten a bit used to. I've heard Julia's name mentioned some, but I didn't know how she was as a character. When am I going to learn to trust in my authors? Julia was fun to read even though I don't think she is an alpha. Ian was incredibly dreamy. I couldn't get the Scottish accent right in my head because I hardly ever hear it. He isn't nearly as awesome as Dev, but he was still great. Flynn might have been my favorite character. I think he redeems from his past in this book. The story was great. I knew Julia was an author so I couldn't figure out why she would be trying to steal something, but then you get to the meat of this story. As usual, Terry packs the last couple of chapters full of awesomeness. This is a solid addition to Terry's werewolf series. Really guys. If you haven't tried this series yet I completely recommend it.

4 howls

Wolf Fever by Terry Spear

2011-11-20T21:20:00.000-08:00

Summary: Fate turned nurse Carol Woods into a wolf, but she refuses to let being alupus garou define her life. Ordered by her pack leader to find a mate and commit to shifting, there is only one gray wolf that catches Carol's interest; but Chaz McKinley makes it very clear that unless she's willing to accept what she is, he wants nothing to do with her. When a virus outbreak leaves local pack members trapped in their wolf form, will Chaz and Carol learn to trust each other before it's too late for the pack and their one chance at true love?

Review: I had low expectations about this book to be honest with you. Not because I was tired of Terry's writing. Gosh of course not. I thought Carol would annoy me though. "I don't want to be a werewolf" blah blah blah. Yeah I assumed she was going to whine about that through the entire book. Luckily, Terry proved what an amazing writer she is as she proved me very wrong. I didn't like this book as much as Seduced, but it came pretty close. Ryan was all kinds of fun to read about, and Carol wasn't a pain like I thought she would be. Actually her not wanting to be a werewolf was a more minor detail compared to that of the illness that was spreading to the wolves. It was fun getting to know Carol a bit better. She's a very interesting character. I'm not going to elaborate on this next bit for those who haven't read this book yet, but Terry literally waits until the last minute in this book. I was getting a bit nervous at the end there. I want Rosalind to have a book soon. I don't know if that will happen or not, but I think she would be a fun read, and that way Ryan can pay her back and give her the same crap she gave him.

4.5 howls

Seduced by the Wolf by Terry Spear

2011-11-17T10:56:00.000-08:00

Summary: Fascinating aspects of real-life wolf behavior based on extensive research on how wolves live in the wild make Terry Spear's werewolf paranormal series stand out and attract a growing audience. The fifth in the series features heroine Cassie Roux, a biologist who has studied wolves for years, trying to prove to the world they're not evil predators. A red lupus garou (werewolf), who lost her pack and was raised by real wolves, she has dedicated her life to their preservation. Leidolf Wildhaven is a red lupus garou pack leader who has more troubles than he ever thought possible, what with running a pack, a ranch, and other businesses. When Cassie—a rare red female— is spotted in his territory, Leidolf figures he's found the answer to his pack's threatened extinction. Only the headstrong woman has other priorities…

Review: I flipping loved this book. I wasn't sure how I would feel about Leidolf's book because I wasn't sure if I really liked his character or not. He was an absolute delight to read. He wasn't too bad as far as alphas go, and let's talk about Cassie for a minute. She was such fun to read. I loved her attitude and the way she handled Leidolf was hilarious. I was actually surprised that I didn't get bored with the beginning of the story because it's Cassie trying to run from Leidolf, but I thought it was done very well and it wasn't dull at all. I thought some of the minor characters were great fun to read about as well. I'm wondering if some of Leidolf's pack mates will get their own books soon. Or, at the very least, be mentioned in later books so we can see how well they are going along with some of their relationships. This might be my new favorite, but I still have to read the rest of the books so that could very well change.

5 howls

New in the Den (IMM 21)

2011-11-14T13:42:00.000-08:00

It has been a loooooooooooooong time since I did IMM, but here it is again. The super cool Terry Spear sent me a copy of the newest book in her werewolf romance series:

A massive thank you to her!

I only bought 3 books for myself at YALLFest this weekend:

I brought a bunch of books from home to get signed, but I won't list them all. I got a few books that night because there was a big sale going on. I picked up these:

That's a pretty good haul if I do say so myself. :)

Bengal's Heart by Lora Leigh

2011-11-14T13:18:00.000-08:00

Summary: Reporter Cassa Hawkins has always supported Breed rights-especially in light of a specimen like Cabal St. Laurents, the epitome of the male animal. But when the Breeds are incriminated in a series of violent murders, it's left to Cassa and Cabal to discover the truth before they become prey.

Review: I wanted to read this book after I read Tanner's book, and I wasn't disappointed. Cabal was hot and Cassa was fierce. The scenes they had together were great. I didn't like Cabal's attitude at some parts, but he was still a pretty likable character. There were a few jaw-drop moments when I read this book. I love it when that happens. Cabal and Tanner are both getting the same score, though I liked Tanner's book more. Overall I thought it was a great addition to the Breeds series.

4 howls

YALLFest 2011

2011-11-13T19:47:00.000-08:00

YALLFest 2011

Saturday I went to YALLFest in Charleston with Michelle and it was the most incredible experience ever. I think it might have beaten the Skillet concert. It was that wonderful. Nikki was supposed to come with, but she told me Friday night that she wouldn’t be able to go, but I was nice and got the Melissa and Heather books she gave me signed for her. I didn’t make it to any of the panels and we left before YA Smackdown, but it was still worth the 2 hour drive. Shoot it would have been worth an 8 hour drive. I’m going to pretty much run through the day so this might be kinda long. Be warned.

We got there a bit late because we had to find parking, and after we actually found parking we had to walk back. We ended up walking the wrong way down King Street so we had to walk all the way back. That was definitely my fault. Oops. So we get to Blue Bicycle Books (the used bookstore the fest was held) and we checked the scene out. Beside the store was a lot with a huge white tent. This is where they had books by the authors out to sign, and this was where some of the authors did signings. I got a few books while I was there so that was great.

(Might be the longest part) We went back in to check out, and I’m just chatting with Michelle when a couple guys walk by us. It took a minute, but I realized the guy in the dark shirt was Kaleb Nation. My reaction: “Ohmygod Michelle! That’s Kaleb! The guy in the blue is Kaleb!” I bought the books I was carrying and I went back into the signing line. I’ve never been to one of these book signings before so I was patiently waiting behind some kids that wanted to see Pseudonymous Bosch, but Kaleb saw that I had his books so he told me I could go over to him. Wicked. I’m not going to transcribe our entire conversation, but here’s some of it:

Kaleb: What’s you name?
Me: Kim
Kaleb: Kim? Did you tweet me saying you were coming here?
Me: Yeah…

I don’t know if he could tell, but I was freaking out at that point. I told him I watched his youtube channel, and congrats on his new show that’s being filmed. He asked me if I was doing NaNoWriMo and I told him I didn’t have enough confidence in my writing to do that. He reminded me that Farfield Curse took 6 years to write. I was so freaked out about meeting him I forgot to ask for a picture. Luckily, Michelle was there with mom’s camera and she asked him if he would take a picture with me. He stood up and put his arm around me so I put my arm around him, but it was shaking. I wonder if he felt it at all. Hmmm. He was a sweet guy though. I would definitely love to see him again when he releases more books. Now that I’m away from him I can think of more things I could have said and I didn’t. Nothing serious, just stuff so he knows that I actually do watch his videos and all. Instead of just saying, “I watch your videos…” Oh well.

We got out of his way and a woman approached us and told us she needed us to sign release forms. I knew they were filming Kaleb’s show at YALLFest, but I completely forgot that when I was talking to him. So we had to sign release forms to be in the show. Not sure if we’ll definitely be in it, but there’s a chance which is cool/terrifying.

Next we saw Andrea Cremer and Heather Brewer. I only had a couple of books for both of them, but they were both really nice and they were cool about signing Nikki’s books for me. I got a snazzy picture with Andrea.

Then we went inside and saw Melissa de la Cruz and Margaret Stohl. Melissa was nice, but Margaret…

Just kidding. She was nice too. She saw my red and yellow scarf and started messing with me.

Me: Can you sign these books for me?
Margaret: No. What are you? Gryffindor?
Me: Yep
Margaret: Well *gestures to herself and Melissa* we’re Hufflepuff.
Michelle: Actually she *me* is Slytherin.
Margaret: Well that’s even worse

It was all good fun though. Got a picture with those 2 as well.

Sarah Rees Brennan and Caitlin Kittredge were next. I felt kinda bad because I didn’t have anything for them to sign really. I had 1 antho that Caitlin had a story in, and 4 that Sarah had stories/essays in. I thought about buying The Iron Thorn, but I decided last minute not to. Then we waited in line to get the Caster books signed again, but this time Kami Garcia got to sign them. She was with Victoria Schwab (Another author I decided not to get a book from. I know. Shame.). I got a picture with them together.

We stood in line for David Levithan so Michelle could get a copy of Nick and Nora signed. No I haven’t read any of his books. Yes I know this is close to a sin. I’ll get to it. I promise! I took a picture of her and him together.

Ellen Hopkins was next and I was most excited about her. Actually Friday night I had to buy a copy of Identical because it’s my favorite book of hers, but I never owned my own copy. I have an e-book on my nook, but I wanted a hardcopy for her to sign. I finally bought a copy of Triangles while I was there. I also had Ellen sign Dear Bully and Impulse. I was looking for my copy of A New Dawn since she helped with that as well, but I couldn’t find it. I’m glad I didn’t freak out when seeing her, but I felt bad because I didn’t know what to say. I’ve tweeted with her before, but face-to-face I was drawing blanks. She was nice though and she and Michelle got a good laugh at my expense.

Michelle: I was taking bets on if she would pass out when she met you.
Ellen: She’s doing so well. She’s not even hyperventilating.

I’d much rather be in a stunned silence than freaking out. Of course I got a picture with her.

Carrie Ryan was the next author I wanted to see and she signed my anthos as well as my copy of The Dark and Hollow Places. I didn’t have my copies of The Forest of Hands and Teeth or The Dead Tossed Waves, but TDHP was my favorite of the 3 so it was ok. Got a picture with her as well.

Finally, yes there is an end, I met Diana Peterfreund and Beth Revis. Meeting them was a great way to end the day. I told Diana I haven’t read Ascendent because she hurt my favorite from Rampant, but she assured me everything was going to be okay so I’m not quite as scared as I was before. Beth was nice too, but I haven’t read Across the Universe yet so I didn’t know anything to say. I had a copy of AtU to get signed so I’ll definitely have to read that one soon.

Thanks to all the authors that came to Charleston! And thanks to Michelle for being a sport even though she only knew David! I have to go to more book signings. This was so fantastic. All of the authors were wonderful!

Mercury's War by Lora Leigh

2011-10-31T18:10:00.000-07:00

Summary: Someone has been slipping the Sanctuary’s secure information to a pharmaceutical company. Now it’s up to Ria Rodriguez to pose as a clerk and uncover the leak. Yet she has no idea of the danger she’s about to encounter—or the passion she’s about to ignite in one of the greatest Breeds ever created.

Review: I was pretty darn happy to read Mercury's book. I'm curious about him, Rule, and Lawe so reading Merc's book was a treat. I enjoyed it very much. Ria got on my nerves a good bit, but Merc was fab. It was nice to see Jonas in a better light too. I still don't like him a whole lot, but he was far more bearable in this book than he was in Harmony's Way. I thought the story was done very well too. My only real beef with this story was the end seemed slapped together. I thought this book was more about the romance than the rest of the story. If that makes an sense at all. That's fine because Merc and Ria's relationship was written very well and I enjoyed reading them together. I still think it's a great story worth picking up.

4 howls

Harmony's Way by Lora Leigh

2011-10-26T22:00:00.000-07:00

Summary: Harmony Lancaster is of the Lion Breed, created to be a huntress with a thirst to kill. But the way she seeks justice outside of the law makes her a liability to her own kind. Yet she also possesses information that they need on the existence of the first Leo-who holds the precious secrets of desire.

To save her life, Harmony is paired with Sheriff Lance Jacobs, who tries to tame the killer within her, while protecting the gentle woman he longs to possess. But a dangerous cult leader, bent on destroying the Breeds, could change the way Lance looks at Harmony forever...

Review: First off, characters. Harmony might be my favorite female. Wolf breeds are my favorite, but I liked Harmony's spunk. She was fun to read, and I felt bad for her throughout the story. I hated Lance. He will probably be my least favorite male. He bothered me so much it was unbelievable. If I was reading this book for characters alone then I would have probably given up on finishing it. It's a good story, but Lance was just...ugh. And Jonas? Is he that much of a jerk to everyone? I can't recall as it has been a while since I've read a Breeds book. He didn't piss me off nearly as much in other books I've read though so hopefully he was just being a jerk to Harmony. I'm curious about Dane too. I want to learn more about him.

Like I said before, the story was good. I'm probably going to have to re-read all of these books in order though so I can have the story straight in my head. Sometimes I felt like I was missing a big part of the story, but that's probably my fault for reading these books out of order to begin with. Not my favorite Breeds book, but I enjoyed it.

3.5 howls

To Tempt the Wolf by Terry Spear

2011-10-22T21:14:00.000-07:00

Summary: In this third in the series, wildlife photographer Tessa Anderson must prove her brother innocent of murder charges. But when she discovers a gorgeous naked man barely alive on her beach, she's got a new world of troubles to deal with, not least of which is how he affects her with just a look, a touch, or a whispered word.

Hunter Greymore is a lupus garou, a grey werewolf. Hoping to keep a low profile at Tessa's cabin on the coast, he's drawn into her life—and into her bed. His animal instincts war with his human half, but in the end, the only thing he can do about this fascinating, adorable woman is to leave her forever —unless she becomes one of them.

Review: Oh Hunter was dreamy! Dev is still my favorite male, but Hunter was pretty darn close. And I liked Tessa a lot as a female. She seemed pretty strong and clear-headed which is always nice when you're reading about the mate of an alpha. I thought Meara was interesting too. I would be curious to read her story if she gets one. The only thing I wasn't super big on was how chill Hunter, Ashton, and Rourke seemed to be together considering they all had some kind of physical relationship with Tessa. Other than that, I thought this was a very well done book and I can't wait to keep reading this series.

4 howls

The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett

2011-10-18T11:40:00.000-07:00

Summary: On a world supported on the back of a giant turtle (sex unknown), a gleeful, explosive, wickedly eccentric expedition sets out. There's an avaricious but inept wizard, a naive tourist whose luggage moves on hundreds of dear little legs, dragons who only exist if you believe in them, and of course THE EDGE of the planet...

Review: I have an off/on Fantasy mood so I wasn't sure when I was going to get around to reading this book when I bought it, but I wanted something short to read and The Color of Magic is a bit over 200 pages. I laughed pretty stinking hard when I read this book. The story is incredible and I enjoyed reading about Rincewind and Twoflower's adventures. I found the first half more entertaining than the second half, but it was all enjoyable.

Now, let's talk characters. Rincewind is so great to read about. He's far too serious for his own good. Twoflower was fun as well, but he's not serious enough. I don't think I would like them apart, but put them together and that's good fun. Death is my favorite character. I don't know why, but He is. Rincewind might have been my favorite if it wasn't for death.

4 howls

Blood Bound by Rachel Vincent

2011-10-11T20:02:00.000-07:00

Summary: Most can't touch the power. But Liv Warren is special – a paranormal tracker who follows the scent of blood.

Liv makes her own rules, and the most important one is trust no one.

But when her friend's daughter goes missing, Liv has no choice but to find the girl. Thanks to a childhood oath, Liv can't rest until the child is home safe. But that means trusting Cam Caballero, the former lover forbidden to her.

Bound by oath and lost in desire for a man she cannot have, Liv is racing to save the child from a dark criminal underworld where secrets, lies, trauma and danger lurk around every corner...every touch...every kiss.

And more blood will be spilled before it's over...

Review: Ahh Rachel. You are so brilliant it's scary. I'm not quite sure who my favorite character in this series will be, but I loved Cam to death. I felt so bad for him and I hated him and I loved him all at once. It was actually a bit frustrating. Another incredible story! When I first heard the book was coming out, way back when, I didn't even care what it was about to be honest. I just knew that Rachel was writing a new UF series and I had to get ahold of it. I did read what it was about right before I started the story so I wasn't completely clueless the whole way through. So many bombshells in this book. My jaw kept dropping. I clued into one of them a bit before the characters. It was nice to have a little nugget of information tucked away in my head. I wasn't sure if I was right about my theory, but turns out I was. This series will definitely give the Shifters series a run for its money, but one thing I like more about this series is the romance is strictly between Cam and Liv. Shifters was great, but it was hard for me to root for Mark or Jace when they're both so likable. Rachel could pull someone else out of thin air though. I wasn't sure how I felt about the alternating viewpoints. I cringed a bit when I first read Cam's chapter because I'm not a big fan of doing that, BUT one of the bombshells could have only been done from Cam's POV I think so it worked very well. Go read this. Just go. Now.

5 howls

Cloaked by Alex Flinn

2011-10-04T15:33:00.000-07:00

Summary: I'm not your average hero. I actually wasn't your average anything. Just a poor guy working an after-school job at a South Beach shoe repair shop to help his mom make ends meet. But a little magic changed it all.

It all started with a curse. And a frognapping. And one hot-looking princess, who asked me to lead a rescue mission.

There wasn't a fairy godmother or any of that. And even though I fell in love along the way, what happened to me is unlike any fairy tale I've ever heard. Before I knew it, I was spying with a flock of enchanted swans, talking (yes, talking!) to a fox named Todd, and nearly trampled by giants in the Everglades.

Don't believe me? I didn't believe it either. But you'll see. Because I knew it all was true, the second I got cloaked.

Review: I like Alex Flinn's books. I can't wait to read what else she has to give us. Granted, I've only read a few of her books. Cloaked was really good. Not my favorite. I think Beastly is still my favorite for now, but Cloaked was really good. I kind of liked Johnny as a character, but Meg was more likable in my opinion. I don't know how I feel about everyone accepting magic as easily in this book. In Beastly and A Kiss in Time, the characters still hid what they did and how they did it because they knew that no one would believe them. At the same time, it helps the story progress much faster so I didn't get too bogged down by it. I was confused when I first picked up this book though. The title makes me think of Little Red Riding Hood. Maybe it's just me, but I thought this was going to be a re-vamped version of Red's story. I was in no way disappointed though. I thought the story was interesting and the characters were likable. Even Ryan, the jerky "friend" of Johnny's. I'm not quite sure they really were friends, but that's just me. Magic was a more obvious focus of this book but, in the other two books I read, it was just love breaking a spell. Witches helped and hurt Johnny as he tried to fulfill his quest. Another great story from Alex's brilliant mind.

4 howls

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

2011-09-29T08:01:00.000-07:00

Summary: Guy Montag was a fireman whose job it was to start fires. And he enjoyed his job. He had been a fireman for ten years, and he had never questioned the pleasure of the midnight runs or the joy of watching pages consumed by flames, never questioned anything until he met a seventeen-year-old girl who told him of a past when people were not afraid. Then Guy met a professor who told him of a future in which people could think. And Guy Montag suddenly realized what he had to do...

Review: This is one of those books I wish I knew about before hand so I could read it earlier in my life. This is a great book and I will definitely have to re-read it again. Clarisse is my favorite character. She is so fun and light. In a world where books get destroyed and people are living in fear, she is a nice little addition. Guy was a sad character, but I liked him. He fooled himself into thinking his life was right, but his world gets shattered. The hounds were scary. They really were. The idea of banning books is hard enough to deal with. Burning books? I hope I never live in a society that believes doing that is okay, because it is NEVER okay. Here are some quotes I was rather fond of:

"Books were only one type of receptacle where we stored a lot of things we were afraid we might forget. There is nothing magical about them at all. The magic is only in what books say, how they stitched the patches of the universe together into one garment for us."

"So now do you see why books are hated and feared? They show the pores in the face of life. The comfortable people only want wax moon faces, poreless, hairless, expressionless."

"What traitors books can be! You think they're backing you up, and they turn on you. Others can use them, too, and there you are, lost in the middle of the moor, in a great welter of nouns and verbs and adjectives."

This book undoubtedly gets 5 howls out of me. Short, emotional read. Absolutely loved it.

Perfect by Ellen Hopkins

2011-09-26T20:30:00.000-07:00

Summary: Everyone has something, someone, somewhere else that they’d rather be. For four high-school seniors, their goals of perfection are just as different as the paths they take to get there.

Cara’s parents’ unrealistic expectations have already sent her twin brother Conner spiraling toward suicide. For her, perfect means rejecting their ideals to take a chance on a new kind of love. Kendra covets the perfect face and body—no matter what surgeries and drugs she needs to get there. To score his perfect home run—on the field and off—Sean will sacrifice more than he can ever win back. And Andre realizes that to follow his heart and achieve his perfect performance, he’ll be living a life his ancestors would never have understood.

Everyone wants to be perfect, but when perfection loses its meaning, how far will you go? What would you give up to be perfect?

A riveting and startling companion to the bestselling Impulse, Ellen Hopkins's Perfect exposes the harsh truths about what it takes to grow up and grow into our own skins, our own selves.

Review: Oh. My. God. At this point, I'm not really surprised that Ellen can give the world something this incredible. Andre was my favorite. Easily. I liked and hated each character which was weird because usually I either really like a character, or I can't stand them. I probably hated Cara the most though because she reminded me of myself and that's rough. Just little things about her and I knew I was going to relate to her because I related to Conner the most when reading Impulse. That was hard to relive. Her relationship with Sean was uncomfortably familiar since I had an interesting conversation with my friend Sean. I wondered if my relationship with him would have been like Cara's relationship with Sean. I won't say anymore because of spoilers, but that was definitely on my mind throughout this book. Sean bothered me. A lot. I can't even say anything more than that, but he did. I still felt bad for him though. Getting in his head was interesting and it was actually my favorite part of the book. Oh Kendra. What to do with you? I wanted to hug her and punch her at the same time. She brings Jenna into the picture. Even though Jenna isn't one of the core speakers, she is still important to the story because of her relationship with Andre. I have to say I hated Jenna. Partially because I know what it's like to be the younger sibling and to feel screwed up. I never took it as far as Jenna though. I also hated her because Andre was my favorite and she doesn't deserve him. I might have a bit of a thing for Andre so I'm just jealous. This was a great story. It might be tied with Impulse for my second favorite. Love! Love! Love!

5 howls

Banned Books Week 2011

2011-09-24T13:44:00.000-07:00

I don't know what to write about today for Banned Books week so I'll just share the essay I wrote in my english class last semester. It's long so be prepared if you want to read it. And yes it is terrifying for me to post something I wrote on here, but as it's Banned Books week I wanted to do something and this was the only thing I could think of. There are spoilers for Harry Potter, even though most of the people I know probably already read the books/seen the movies. Yes, I do defend Twilight too because (even though I wasn't a fan) I can admit that it doesn't need to be banned either. Enjoy!

You walk into a library hoping to check out some books. Want to read Harry Potter? You will have to look somewhere else for that one. How about a paranormal romance? Even a book as popular asTwilight cannot be found. What about a classic? No one would dare take a classic out of your hands.Of Mice and Men, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and To Kill A Mockingbird have all been challenged. Parents are trying to take them out of public libraries and school libraries. Some of these books are being banned for sex, violence, language, and religious context; but they are also required reading for many public high schools. Parents think they are protecting students by taking books away, but they are really doing more harm than good. If a student goes to a public high school, chances are he/she knows enough about sex to make their parents blush. They probably also heard enough foul language to shame a sailor.

There are many assumptions about certain books/genres so it is easier to lump books together and say they are all bad instead of actually reading them. Books with Vampires, Witches, and Werewolves are “obviously” bad and they promote Satanism and the occult so they must be taken away from people. Even books with children as main characters are getting attacked because people confuse imagination with the occult. Realistic fiction books are under fire as well because sometimes young children in the story die or adults find them too graphic for their kids to handle. These books also hold some of the best messages, but students are not discovering them because of the ignorance of others.

Harry Potter is the name if the most popular children’s book series in the world. Of course it is also one of the most challenged series too. The story is of the orphaned little boy, Harry Potter, who is abused by his aunt, uncle and cousin. He finds out he is a wizard and gets sent to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He faces many struggles as he explores this new, magical world. With his best friends, Ron and Hermione, he learns about love, hate, friendship, honor, and bravery. He also promotes Witchcraft and Satanism. At least that is what some of the attackers say. Journalist Pat Scales explains, “The Harry Potter books remain troublesome to some adults, especially the Christian right. They object to any book that challenges their ‘Christian views’ and believe that children who are exposed to witches and wizards may be tempted to engage in ‘evil’ activities themselves”. Religion is all about choice. Each person can choose to worship God, many gods, Buddha, etc. In Harry Potter’s world there is no choice. A person is either born a witch or a wizard and they must take these powers and use them for good or evil. The funny thing about the religious people attacking the series is at the end of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the final book in the series, Harry dies and comes back to life in order to save humanity from the evil Lord Voldemort. This parallels to the story who died and rose again to protect humanity from sin. Interesting since J.K. Rowling is allegedly trying so hard to push Witchcraft onto America’s children. Some people have even gone so far as to say Satan is using Rowling without her knowledge so she is not really at fault for the popularity of her books (“Religious right”). This series is a children’s fantasy series. If kids figure out the underlying message in the stories, love always beats out hate, then great. If not, that is fine too. Harry Potter was meant to be enjoyed for what it is-a fantasy series to take people out of the harsh reality and into a world where good always overcomes evil. Another book many readers have fallen in love with is Twilight. It, too, has been challenged for its content.

Twilight by Stephanie Meyer has recently caught the attention of many. It follows the life of a teenage girl, Bella Swan, as she moves in with her dad in Forks, Washington. While she is there, she meets the alluring Edward Cullen and they fall in love. Little does she know he and his family are all Vampires. This series takes readers on a journey through the romance of a girl and her Vampire. One of the reasons why this series has gotten negative attention is the graphic sexual content. Anyone who has read this book can go ahead and laugh at how silly this is. Yes, the Twilight series is a paranormal romance series so there is male/female interaction, but there is no sex until Breaking Dawn, book four. Even then, Bella and Edward do not have sex until they are married, and the sex is more implied. It is certainly not graphic in any sense. Meyer has also been dealing with issues in Australia as her books have been pulled off library shelves there. Students have even been asked to leave their personal copies at home when they go to school. (Doyle 7). Meyer does not get down to the nitty gritty and write graphic sex scenes. Authors of all kinds can get their books challenged. From realistic fiction to fantasy, the attacks will not let up.

Ellen Hopkins writes raw books about the ugly side of reality. Her books are brutally honest as she writes about sex, abuse, religion, and drugs. One book, Identical, caught a lot of unwanted attention because pop-sensation Miley Cyrus tweeted about what a great book it is. Identical is the story of twin sisters, Kaeleigh and Raeanne. Kaeleigh suffers from constant sexual abuse from her father. She will always misunderstand love and affection. Raeanne craves her father’s love. When she cannot get it, she seeks the company of older males to quell her desires. A book like this obviously was not popular with the parents of the 10-13 year old girls who look up to Miley. This is just one instance where Hopkins has been judged for her books. She was scheduled to speak at a local high school in Humble, Texas as part of the Teen Lit Fest. A middle school teacher decided Hopkins’ books were inappropriate for the students so she asked that Hopkins be removed from the list of authors attending the festival. She wrote a response to the incident on her blog where she talks about how the superintendent was rude and tried to make excuses as for why she was uninvited. He even claimed there was no contract made so Hopkins was not actually invited (Bernfeld). Hopkins responded by saying,

“I am not just another author. I’m an author who is a voice for a generation that faces real problems every day. An author who tries to dissect those problems, look for reasons, suggest solutions, show outcomes to choices through characters who walk off the page. I’m an author who cares about her readership in a very real way. I am thoughtful, respectful of my readers, and not afraid to tell the truth.”

In a way of showing support readers and authors sent e-mails to the people behind the festival. Some other authors who were scheduled to speak at the festival also backed out as a way of supporting Hopkins (Bernfeld). All of this heat caused the cancellation of the festival.

Another author who had to face the wrath of parents for the content of her books is Judy Blume. Blume is a well known children’s author, so when people read Forever it was not well-received.Forever is about the sexual experiences of a teenage girl. This book is pretty graphic. The assumption seems to be that Blume is only allowed to write children’s books and has no business writing young adult books filled with sex. No parent can get upset at an author for writing a book. If someone putsForever with Blume’s other books without reading or researching the book themselves then they are at fault if it reaches the hands of children. What are we teaching some of these children though? Blume refers to a letter she got from a 9-year-old kid in which she was referred to as “Jewdy” and she said she was unnerved by the amount of hate that was in it. Blume also thinks parents do not know how to approach sexuality because it makes them uncomfortable. She also believes this is the reason why parents do not approach the topic with their children (Foerstel 105).

Phillip Pullman is yet another author who has had to face the same accusations as J.K. Rowling, but for slightly different reasons. Pullman writes the popular His Dark Materials series, and the books are banned for religious context as well as references to drugs and alcohol (Pilkington). Sounds a lot likeHarry Potter, right? The difference is in one of Pullman’s books he “kills” God. This would be an understandable concern if Pullman’s books were realistic fiction, but they are fantasy. This brings up the issue of whether kids are able to distinguish between fantasy and reality. Plus, if the people who are against this book really knew anything about God they would not be worried about an author killing him in a fantasy novel. It would take quite a lot more than a pen and paper to kill the master of all creation. Or the problem is Pullman’s religious views, because is against organized religion (Pilkington). Not everyone in the world has the same religious beliefs. Even if everyone did believe in God they do not all like him. No one can change this. While this is not a problem younger children should have to deal with, it is pretty much guaranteed that by the time a student enters high school he/she will have encountered at least one person with different religious beliefs.

Some books are not just getting banned. They are getting changed altogether. Alan Gribben took it upon himself to edit the word “nigger” out of Mark Twain’s novels. That is not a pretty word, but the time Twain wrote those books was not a pretty time. Gribben claims to be doing this to protect the books from any future attacks (cite). While his intentions may be good, it looks as if he is trying to pretend like no one ever used that phrasing. No one can rewrite the past, but that appears to be exactly what Gribben is trying to do. Joan DelFattore, an English professor, talks of her own experiences with racism and how it made her uncomfortable, but even she thinks that such issues are important for students to learn. “In, reality, being required to confront difficult, embarrassing and controversial matters and to learn how to deal with them does not constitute a hostile learning environment. It constitutes education.” She goes on to say that keeping students from such issues in classrooms does nothing to protect them from the world where these issues still remain.

Religious context, sex, and language are just a few of the reasons why books are banned. Books should not be banned from schools or libraries just because a handful of parents do not agree with them. If one parent does not want their child to read a story for whatever reason then fine, but they should read the book for themselves first. If they do not like to read or if they do not have the time then they should do a little research. It will not take long for someone to find a decent review on books like Harry Potter, Twilight, and classics. There are reviews and in-depth discussions all over the place. There is no reason for a parent to force books out of the hands of others just because they think their children cannot comprehend the meaning of the books. Can books be harmful to young minds? Yes, but not necessarily because of the content. Parents should be there to guide their kids through these stories. The issues these books present should be explored by readers with guidance from their parents. Many books are meant to help people deal with real-life situations, but some adults do not understand this so they try to get rid of good books.

Works Cited

Bernfeld, Linda Rodriguez. “Author finds no censorship at Miami International Book Fair”.

Community Newspapers. http://www.communitynewspapers.com/?p=6152.

DelFattore, Joan. “Huck Finn, Hostile? Hardly.” Chornicle of Higher Education. 13 February 2011.

Doyle, Robert P. “Books Challenged or Banned in 2009-2010.” www.ala.org PDF file.

Foerstel, Herbert N. Banned in the U.S.A. Wesport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1994.

Gribben, Alan. "Trouble on the raft: defending an 'other' Huck Finn." Publishers Weekly 258.3

(2011): 52. Expanded Academic ASAP. Web. 2 Mar. 2011.

Hopkins, Ellen. “Censorship Bites”. Livejournal. n.p. 10 August 2010. Web. 21 February 2011.

Pilkington, Ed. “Children’s writer Phillip Pullman ranked second on US banned books list”.

Guardian.co.uk. Guardian, 30 September 2009.

"Religious right groups take aim at popular `Harry Potter' books. (People & Events)." Church &

State 54.11 (2001): 18.

Dear Bully

2011-09-21T17:54:00.000-07:00

Summary: Discover how Lauren Kate transformed the feeling of that one mean girl getting under her skin into her first novel, how Lauren Oliver learned to celebrate ambiguity in her classmates and in herself, and how R.L. Stine turned being the “funny guy” into the best defense against the bullies in his class.

Today’s top authors for teens come together to share their stories about bullying—as silent observers on the sidelines of high school, as victims, and as perpetrators—in a collection at turns moving and self-effacing, but always deeply personal.

Review: This book blew my mind as I knew it would. I'm not familiar with even half of the authors that contributed, but it was still incredible knowing that so many authors suffered from the similar issues growing up. My favorite story might be Luz by Melodye Shore or Frenemies are not Friends by Michelle Zink. Those stories stuck out for me. It was nice to read so many different perspectives. Some authors were bullied, some authors were the bullies, and some authors just stood there in the background watching others getting tormented.

I didn't think about it until I started reading some of these stories, but I was bullied and I even WAS a bully. It was not a very nice realization. Of course I was one of those people that didn't realize I was doing it, but now that I look back I wish I hadn't said anything. I also realized that my parents are bullies and that was a hard thing to swallow. I'm not close with my parents, but I never put them in the same league as the kids that found it fun to pick on me and make me feel like crap.

This was a wonderful read and I will certainly be sharing it with my kids in the future.

5 howls

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

2011-09-14T07:31:00.000-07:00

Summary: When alchemist Sydney is ordered into hiding to protect the life of Moroi princess Jill Dragomir, the last place she expects to be sent is a human private school in Palm Springs, California. But at their new school, the drama is only just beginning.

Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, Bloodlines explores all the friendship, romance, battles and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive - this time in a part-vampire, part-human setting where the stakes are even higher and everyone's out for blood.

Review: I was excited to step back into this series because Vampire Academy was incredible and it will probably be one of my favorite YA series of all time. I was glad that Richelle wasted no time on silly character introductions when you know most of the characters you will be interacting with. Sydney and Adrian got on my nerves, but they did that in VA too so I was not at all surprised. That might keep me from enjoying this series as much as VA, but I want to see Sydney grow out of her current state as a character. I want to see her break rules again and defy her people. I really want to see how she handles Adrian in the future. I wanted to smack him so much in this book, but Syd gave him a good chewing out a couple of time.

The story sucked me in as I started and it was hard for me to concentrate on school or anything sort of important, but it was definitely worth it. I had a few theories about how the story/characters were going to go. Some were right, some were wrong. I can tell you I will absolutely be picking up The Golden Lily when it releases. This was such a nice break from reading new YA books and being unfamiliar with characters and relationships. If you loved VA then you should pick up this book if you have not already done so.

4.5 howls

Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton

2011-09-05T10:48:00.000-07:00

Summary: When St. Louis's most powerful vampire comes to Anita Blake for help, she is faced with her greatest fear-a man capable of arousing in her a hunger strong enough to match his own.

Review: I wanted to read Guilty Pleasures because it was laying around my house, and I have heard lots of good and bad things about these books. One thing I heard a lot of was that Laurell writes really intense, graphic sex scenes in her books. The summary of this book led me to believe I would encounter some of that. I didn't see any at all. I'm not sure whether I'm disappointed or not. Sex scenes are not my favorite to read,but I had already prepared myself for what I might find. The story was good, but the characters were not. Anita was fun to read, but I think Jean-Claude is my favorite. Except he is hardly in the book which is very disappointing. Overall, it's a decent start to the series. I want to read more and see if I can get a better feel for the books, but I'm not in a rush to go out and buy them right now.

3 howls

Tanner's Scheme by Lora Leigh

2011-09-05T10:33:00.000-07:00

Summary: A one-time high-ranking member of the Genetics Council, Scheme Tallant's father will stop at nothing to see the Feline Breeds eradicated.

Even if it means killing his own daughter...
After the Breeds' main base is attacked, Tanner Reynolds desires revenge—and knows just how to get it. In a bold move, he kidnaps Scheme Tallant and takes her deep into the Kentucky mountains.
Yet when Tanner discovers that Scheme herself is a target of her father's ruthless mission,
his vengeance must take a backseat to saving the life of the woman he hopes to claim as his mate.
But can Scheme trust Tanner—
or is she just a pawn of his passion and ploys?

Review: I was told before I even picked up one of Lora's books that she wrote erotica.

I think this book proves that very much. I can't say for certain, but this might be one of her dirtier books. For a good portion of the book, Tanner and Scheme are alone together in a hiding spot of Tanner's. With no where to go and no one to talk to they had a lot of sex. It didn't take away from the story though. It was written very well so you could see Scheme's walls crumbling as she got closer to Tanner. The most interesting part I think came when Cabal is brought into the picture. Tanner starts to wonder if Scheme is not his mate, but Cabal's. Of course she is Tanner's mate, but after reading this story I am very interested in reading Cabal's book.

4 howls

Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs

2011-09-04T13:55:00.000-07:00

Summary: When her former boss and mentor is arrested for murder and left to rot behind bars by his own kind, it's up to shapeshifting car mechanic Mercy Thompson to clear his name, whether he wants her to or not. And she'll have to choose between the two werewolves in her life-whether she wants to or not.

Review: I was excited to read this book because it is mostly about the fae and I think magic is pretty incredible so this might be one of my favorites of the series. You get introduced to some pretty powerful fae and you get a look at one of the reservations where they stay at so that was fun. Yo-yo girl will probably be my favorite fae/part fae except for Tad. Mercy has some great experiences with the fae which is always fun to read. She decides who she wants to be with in this book too. I like that because there are more books in the series and I want more to develop in a romance instead of having Mercy bounce between Sam and Adam. The ending was sad. I'm not going to say anymore than that for anyone who hasn't read this amazing series, but the ending was almost too much for me. I couldn't believe Patricia would do that to one of her own characters. I think this series is rad. If you haven't picked it up yet then you need to go do it now.

5 howls

Blood Bound by Patricia Briggs

2011-08-19T20:26:00.000-07:00

Summary: Mechanic Mercy Thompson has friends in low places-and in dark ones. And now she owes one of them a favor. Since she can shapeshif at will, she agrees to act as some extra muscle when her vampire friend Stefan goes to deliver a message to another of his kind.

But this new vampire is hardly ordinary-and neither is the demon inside of him.

Review: What I love most about the world Patricia Briggs has created is that she lets each book focus on a specific paranormal aspect. Moon Called focused on the werewolves in Mercy's life, and Blood Bound focuses on the vampires. I like Stefan as a character so I was excited to read more about him, but you still get your fair share of wolves in this book as well. You meet other interesting characters like Wulfe, Andre, Lily, Estelle, and Marsilia. The seethe sounds like a terrifying place to be. This new vampire causes a lot a problems for Mercy, the wolves, and the vamps so naturally they want to stop him. Of course if things went smoothly then it wouldn't be a very interesting story. Some characters got hurt. Some characters died. I am very pleased with this book and I can't wait to finish catching up on the series.

5 howls

Moon Called by Patricia Briggs

2011-08-05T08:13:00.000-07:00

Summary: Mercy Thompson's sexy next-door neighbor is a werewolf.

She's tinkering with a VW bus at her mechanic shop that happens to belong to a vampire.

But then, Mercy Thompson is not exactly normal herself...and her connection to the world of things that go bump in the night is about to get her into a whole lot of trouble.

Review: I can't begin to express how excited I was to start this series over again. I read the first 3 books a couple of years ago, but I never got around to reading the rest as they came out. Now I have all the ones released so I can finally get to it. The characters are all wonderful. Mercy is strong, but kind and Adam is all kinds of hot. Sam? Oh yeah. Sam is pretty amazing too. My favorite character is probably Jesse, but Warren is a pretty close second. I think they're both pretty great considering how different they are compared to everyone else they surround themselves with.

The story was great. I like how you get introduced to the weres, vamps, and fae in this book, but the story mostly sticks with the wolves. I like the introduction of walkers as well. I've never heard of that, but I like the connection to Native American culture. I also like how a few characters die in this book. That probably sounds awful, but it shows that Patricia isn't going to hold back when she writes. You get introduced to some potentially great characters, but some of them die. It's sad, but great. I am so happy to be back in this world. I've missed it quite a lot. I recommend this book for any fan of Urban Fantasy.

5 howls

Dael and the Painted People by Allan Richard Shickman

2011-07-18T21:10:00.000-07:00

Summary: When Dael, guilty and tormented, came to live with the painted people, he longed for peace and restoration; but without knowing it he made a powerful enemy.

A story of conflict, healing, hate, and love.

Review: I absolutely loved this book. Dael was a much better character to read and I was excited to see him deal with his past so he could get on with life. I could actually relate to him better in this book too. For example:

"Dael-Gah!" the victor thought to himself, remembering his twin brother's name of honor. But Zan-Gah had confronted a lion, Dael reflected. This was only a large pig.

I know what it's like to live in the shadow of a sibling. When I read that, all I wanted was to hug poor Dael. I adored Sparrow as well. I don't think I gave her a fair shot in the second book, but she was wonderful in this one. Koli was a nice, new character and I wonder if he will play a bigger part in future books.

I liked the story far more this time than in either of the other 2 books. I think it does a great job of showing that everyone can be healed of their past, and different environments can affect our growth as people. The part towards the end where Lissa-Na appeared to Dael in a dream was touching. The only thing that seemed out of place to me was this little piece in italics. It was like there was a different person talking and it never appears again. That didn't bother me too much though so I let it slide.

5 howls

Tempting the Beast by Lora Leigh

2011-06-21T20:02:00.000-07:00

Summary: Callan Lyons is a genetic experiment. One of six fighting for freedom and the survival of their Pride. Merinus Tyler is the reporter who will tempt him, draw him, until the fury of the "mating frenzy" locks them into a battle of sexual heat there is no escape from. Deception, blood, and the evil Genetics Council are hot on their trail. Callan will use his strength to try and save them both...and do all in his power to keep his woman in the process.

Review: I was pretty darn excited to read this book because (even though the wolves are my favorite so far) this book started everything off. I enjoyed reading about Callan and Merinus very much, and I loved Merinus' attitude. She made me laugh so hard it was fantastic. I was amused at how everyone was freaking out about the "mating frenzy". I was probably only amused because I've read later books where people pretty much say, "You're super horny? You're just in a mating frenzy." I'm so glad I read this book. Definitely worth the read in my opinion.

5 howls

Sleeping in Parking Lots by Joe Lengson

2011-06-18T11:24:00.000-07:00

Summary: Follow Joe Lengson as he experiences heart break and struggles with the acceptance of faith. Learn how Lengsons life changed as he joins mychildren mybride. Experience all the struggles Joe faces out on the road. Read about how Joe learns about himself and learn about yourself along the way.

Review: There are 2 things I'm not a huge fan of: non-fiction and metal. The first can be fixed by easing myself into the world of non-fic as I've been doing. I don't see much helping the second. This is the story of a guy named Joe who was asked to play bass for a Christian metal band. A friend told me to read this book and I figured, "Why not?" This book is more than just about a guy who found God. It's about inspiration too, and dealing with crap when you don't have your usual support system around you. Dealing with new struggles as they come, and old struggles as they resurface. I'm having a hard time writing a review for this book because there is so much in it. I can't possibly limit it so just a few words. This only happens when I find a really good book and this has only happened with a few books. It was a comfort knowing that someone else has struggled with prayer. That is currently one of my biggest issues with God. I'm so used to being let down and I'm afraid of not getting prayers answered because I don't want to be let down again. I have 2 favorite stories. The one about Sunshine because that was just amazing, and the one about the woman who offered to put the band up for the night because that was hilarious. I can't say much else, but this book was incredible. I loved it very much. Here are a few quotes I took to heart:

"I once head this story of a guy who wanted to change the world. So he wnet out and tried to change the world, but the world was too big and he was unsuccessful. So he tried to change the nation, but the nation was too big and he was unsuccessful. So then he tried to change his state, but his state was too big and he was unsucccessful. He then tried to change his community, but his community was too big and he was unsuccessful. He then tried to change his street, but his street was too big and he was unsuccessful. He then tried to change his family, but his family was too big and he was unsuccessful. So then he sat and contemplated for a long time and finally concluded he should try to change himself...And he was successful.

When he changed himself he became an example, then he changed his family. His family went out and then changed his street. His street went out and changed his community. His community went out and changed his state; his state went out and changed his nation. Then finally his nation was such a good example, that they changed the world. It all starts with one person. You."

"To trust in something, is expsoing your vulnerabilities and only hope your openness will not be taken advantage of."

"Listen, I know there wer days you wanted to die. It happens. We all have had that feeling. You might know what I was going through, if you do, well I'm sorry, but it's not the end of the world."

"My heart one minute was shattered, then the next minute, I can feel it being mended back together. I knew somehow things were going to be all right. This is where my journey began."

I think those are the only quotes I'm going to put up, but there are so many more. Check this book out.

5 howls

Wolfe's Hope by Lora Leigh

2011-06-18T11:12:00.000-07:00

Summary: Hope believed Wolfe was dead, but he was only waiting for teh right time to claim her. The scientist who created him, Hope's mother, has forced his hand. She wants her creation back, and she wants any children he may breed on her daughter.

He is a man whose DNA was altered, infused with the genetic code of the wolf. His unique genetic makeup has created a male unlike any other and will make itself known in the most surprising ways. Now Hope must convince her mate she hasn't betrayed him, and they must defeat the plans of a scientist gone mad.

Review: This was the first book I got on my snazzy new e-reader and I thought I got robbed when I saw it was only 40+ pages. Of course I was wrong and this story is actually that short. I'm not really sure how I feel about it though. As short as it was it did manage to fit in a decent story as well as plenty of play between Wolfe and Hope. I enjoy reading both characters very much in later books, but this book made me sad. I hated seeing Hope and Wolfe at odds against each other. And I wasn't a fan of the torture sex. There is a big difference between BDSM and what went on in this book. Overall, it was decent considering it is (I believe) the first book of the wolf breeds.

3 howls

Hate List by Jennifer Brown

2011-06-09T21:32:00.000-07:00

Summary: Five months ago, Valerie Leftman's boyfriend, Nick, opened fire on their school cafeteria. Shot trying to stop him, Valerie inadvertently saved the lfie of a classmate, but was implicated in the shootings because of the list she helped create. A list of people and things she and Nick hated. The list he used to pick his targets.

Now, after a summer of seclusion, Val is forced to confront her guilt as she returns to school to complete her senior year. Haunted by the memory of the boyfriend she still loves and navigating rocky relationships with her family, former friends and the girl whose lfie she saved, Val must come to grips with the tragedy that took place and her role in it. in order to make aments and move on with her life.

Review: This is a book I have heard many great things about. I don't usually read a lot of contemporary novels, but I had to check this one out. I'm glad I did. Valerie annoyed me quite a bit at the beginning of Hate List, but towards the end she had grown on me. Val's parents annoyed me, but I liked her little brother very much. The other characters were more meh to me than anything, but the story was fantastic. I loved how it switched between memories from before the shooting to after the shooting. I think it does a great job of showing Old Nick versus New Nick. I loved the concept of this book. It isn't about a guy getting pissed and shooting up a school. It's about the survivors of a horrible incident and how they have been managing. I think graduation was my favorite part. This is a book everyone should read. Some parts of this book were similar to things I had to deal with and some things I had actually thought about. People need to know what little words/actions can do. This book does a great job of showing that.

4.5 howls

Concert Review: Carolina Rebellion

2011-05-12T12:31:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I attended Carolina Rebellion in Charlotte, NC. The bands I went for were Skillet, Three Days Grace, and Avenged Sevenfold. Some other bands watched were Saving Abel, Hinder, Bullet for my Valentine, Alter Bridge, Halestorm, Seether, and Godsmack. Some of those bands (Halestorm and Alter Bridge) I had never heard before. Others (Godsmack and Bullet) aren't really my style of music. Each band had incredible live shows and I would gladly see any of them over again. I have to gush for a moment over certain moments that made my life.

Skillet had an amazing live show and I freaked out when I saw them. They opened with "Sometimes" which is a song that has helped me out a lot in recent months so I was pretty excited to see them sing that one life. Their set also included "Whispers in the Dark", "Comatose", "Savior", "Hero", "Monster", and "Rebirthing". Yep so they had a great set.

Seether I'm not a super-huge fan of, but I greatly enjoyed their performance. Some of the songs they sang include "Fine Again", "Fake It", "Remedy", and "Rise Above This". One of the highlights was when Lizzy (Halestorm's frontwoman) came up on stage and sang "Broken". It was outstanding.

Three Days Grace did an incredible job with their set. They sang "World So Cold", "Break", "I Hate Everything About You", "Home", and "The Good Life". Adam also decided to treat us to a couple of covers. One of which was by Eminem, and the other was by Limp Bizcut. I'm not a fan of either really, but I like Adam so it was okay. I flipped out when Adam started singing "I Don't Care". It is a beautiful song and I wish Adam had gotten the guys from Skillet to do the song instead of subbing the strings for a guitar. It was still pretty, but I think it would have been better that way.

That's all I'm going to talk about on here, but I have a friend who did a great run-down of the whole weekend while we were there. Check out her blog here if you want to see her fangirl over Avenged. I loved this concert and I would glady go back and experience Saturday all over again.

Rage by Jackie Morse Kessler

2011-04-30T07:00:00.000-07:00

Summary: Missy didn't mean to cut so deep. But after the party where she was humiliated in fromt of practically everyone in school, who could blame her for wanting dome comfort? Sure, most people don't find comfort in the touch of a razor blade, but Missy always was...different.

That's why she was chosen to become one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: War. Now Missy weilds a new kind of blade - a big, brutal sword taht can cut down anyone and anything in her path. But it's with this weapon in her hand that Missy learns something that could help her triumph over her own pain: control.

Review: I always seem to end up speechless after I finish one of Jackie's books. This one was especially difficult for me to read. Missy is another broken character to has to use War to deal with her problems. This is the only book that hit me so hard I actually had to close it and push it away for a whole day. Don't let that keep you from reading it! Rage was incredible. Rage does something else that a lot of books about self-harm doesn't do. It shows you how horrible kids in school can be. They all assume that Missy is a cutter, but none except Adam knows the truth. They call her "emo" and other foul names to make her feel bad. Unfortuanately at the party everyone finds out the truth. One of the text messages she got from someone after the party was what made my heart break. I won't say what it said, but it definitely crossed a line and when I saw it I just wanted to jump into the book and hold Missy. This is another story where the presence of a male companion isn't necessary for Missy to cope which is always nice to read. Another thing I liked was Missy's best friend Erica. She stayed with Missy and tried to help. That's a wonderful feeling. To know that there are people out there who won't run away and leave you to deal with stuff on your own. Another fabulous book.

5 howls

Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler

2011-04-30T06:47:00.000-07:00

Summary: Lisabeth Lewis has a black steed, a set of scales, and a new job: she's been appointed Famine. How will an anorexic seventeen-year-old girl from the suburbs fare as one of the Four Hosemen of the Apocalypse?

Traveling the world on her steed gives Lisa the freedom to hide from her troubles at home: her constant battle with hunger, and her struggle to hide it from the people who care about her. But being Famine forces her to go places where hunger is a painful part of everyday life, and to face the horrifying effects of her phenomenal power. Can Lisa find a way to harness that power - and the courage to battle her own inner demons?

Review: I've seen a couple of reviews around the blogger community and I wanted to check them out. I'm so glad I did. First off, there are a lot of books about eating disorders out there and it is a tough topic to write about so props to Jackie for being able to write such a wonderful novel. This is the first book I've read about eating disorders where the main character has at least one friend she doesn't have to keep her secret from because that friend is Bulimic. I like the addition of sick secondary characters because you can see the internal battle going on inside of Lisa as she keeps comparing herself to others. And the Thin Voice? I think we all have that going on. It might not be a Thin Voice telling us we're fat and we need to stop eating, but it's definitely another voice repeating all of our flaws to us so we hate ourselves. Another thing I loved about this book was Lisa didn't rely on her boyfriend to help her with her problem so she had to look deep down inside herself to find the strength needed to overcome her issues. This book was absolutely fantastic and I'm so glad I was able to pick it up and read it.

4.5 howls

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

2011-04-06T07:35:00.000-07:00

Summary: In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . . .

Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.

Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.

As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make—between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?

Unearthly is a moving tale of love and fate, and the struggle between following the rules and following your heart.

Review: This is another book I can't believe I just haven't read yet. I liked how different it was from most YA paranormal stories. Instead of the teenage girl finding out she's part-whatever and has to deal without the help of her parents, Clara only knows she's part-angel because her mom told her. Another thing I like is the summary on the flap clearly states how Christian is this super important male character so the natural assumption is that Clara will fall in love with him, but Tucker also has a fighting chance which is awesome. I'm hoping to read some really great scenes with both guys so we can see the strengths and weaknesses of both. And the big twist at the end? Oh I can't even spill on that. It was pretty amazing. I am very much looking forward to Cynthia's next book.

5 howls

The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

2011-04-06T07:25:00.000-07:00

Summary: Grace Divine—daughter of the local pastor—always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared and her brother Jude came home covered in his own blood.

Now that Daniel's returned, Grace must choose between her growing attraction to him and her loyalty to her brother.

As Grace gets closer to Daniel, she learns the truth about that mysterious night and how to save the ones she loves, but it might cost her the one thing she cherishes most: her soul.

Review: After some constant pushing I finally got around to buying this book. Then, after many other books, I finally got around to reading it. This is one of the instances where I have to call myself an idiot for waiting around this long. The story this book provided was fantastic and the characters were great. I definitely had a bit of a thing for Jude. I liked that the characters were preacher kids. I know a few of those and it's always interesting seeing bits of them in characters you read about. I thought Grace was very likable, but I did feel bad for Jude. He might be my favorite. And the end? Oh wow. I felt even worse for Jude then. I don't want to say much more for fear of spoilers, but definitely check out this book. Now I have to get the money to buy The Lost Saint.

5 howls

The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan

2011-04-06T07:19:00.000-07:00

Summary: There are many things that Annah would like to forget: the look on her sister's face before Annah left her behind in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, her first glimpse of the Horde as they swarmed the Dark City, the sear of the barbed wire that would scar her for life. But most of all, Annah would like to forget the morning Elias left her for the Recruiters.
Annah's world stopped that day, and she's been waiting for Elias to come home ever since. Somehow, without him, her life doesn't feel much different than the dead that roam the wasted city around her. Until she meets Catcher, and everything feels alive again.
But Catcher has his own secrets. Dark, terrifying truths that link him to a past Annah has longed to forget, and to a future too deadly to consider. And now it's up to Annah: can she continue to live in a world covered in the blood of the living? Or is death the only escape from the Return's destruction?

Review: Carrie's books were the first to really get me into zombie fiction. Now it's like a drug and I want to read as much as I can so I can see how other people use these creatures in their stories. My heart hurts now that this series is over, but what a way to end it. I have been waiting for Annah's story since the end of The Dead-Tossed Waves. The story was so good. I was with the characters when they were about to give up hope. In a world like this there doesn't seem to be much more of an option. I absolutely related to Annah more than any other character and I was so happy when everyone came together. It was rough for them all to get used to the idea of forgiveness, but they got the hang of it eventually. Such a beautiful story and I will most certainly be re-reading these books in the future. I am very excited for whatever Carrie has waiting for us to sink into next.

5 howls

A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket

2011-03-28T19:03:00.000-07:00

I was going to do the rest of these reviews seperately, but then I remembered, "Oh wow. There are 13 books in this series." So yeah even if I doubled up there would be a good number of reviews on here which is okay (duh, review blog) but the books are repetative so I'm just going to crunch them together into one review. Overall the series has a good central theme that no where is safe from bad people doing bad things. I still love the kids. Klaus is, of course, my favorite. While the stories are set in different places and around different people there is a lot of the same stuff going on. I usually run out of steam after reading The Hostile Hospital simply because I feel like the same story just goes on and on. I like the stories a lot. The characters are always interesting, but I think 13 books is too much. Yes I get why there are 13 books, but for a story like this I think it's not the best. I don't think these books should be read in a row. I stupidly did that with maybe 2 other books between so my brain might forever hate me. Good middle grade series, but do not read them stright through. The series as a whole gets 3.5 howls.

Mini-Challenge entry

2011-03-17T19:48:00.000-07:00

This book comes out in a couple of weeks and I am dying to get it in my hands. First off, it's in Payne's POV and I have been wanting to read her book since she was introduced. I'm so excited to see how she is adjusting to the world of the Brothers. Payne seems like such an interesting character and I want to see how her relationship with V works.

Plus, maybe after this book J.R. can work more on Qhuinn and Blay's book.

Contest entry for Princess Bookie

Hades cover

2011-03-16T12:20:00.000-07:00

I haven't seen any posts about this. Then again I haven't been able to get on here every day so I'm probably just late to the party again. Well I like it and I'm excited for it. I enjoyed Halo.

Angel Star by Jennifer Murgia

2011-03-16T11:56:00.000-07:00

Summary: Seventeen-year-old Teagan McNeel falls for captivating Garreth Adams and soon discovers that her crush has an eight-point star etched into the palm of his right hand-the mark of an angel.
But where there is light, dark follows, and she and Garreth suddenly find themselves vulnerable to a dark angel's malicious plan that could threaten not only her life, but the lives of everyone she knows.
Divinely woven together, Angel Star takes readers on a reflective journey when one angel's sacrifice collides with another angel's vicious ambition in a way that is sure to have readers searching for their own willpower.

Review: I have heard tons of great things about this book so when I found out I won it in a contest I was pretty darn excited. I liked the story very much. I'm not sure if I believe in guardian angels or not, but the idea that everyone has their own special guardian to watch over them fascinates me. I thought Teagan was a very likable character. I didn't really relate to her except we are both book-addicts. I still thought she was a great character to read and I enjoyed her scenes with Garreth. Garreth was a little too perfect for my tastes, but he was still very crush-worthy. I'm hoping find out more about Teagan's dad in Lemniscate. I also want to know where she's going with Hadrian. I was impressed with this debut novel and I very much look forward to reading the next book.

4 howls

Darkest Mercy by Melissa Marr

2011-03-16T11:27:00.000-07:00

Summary: The Summer King is missing; the Dark Court is bleeding; and a stranger walks the streets of Huntsdale, his presence signifying the deaths of powerful fey.

Aislinn tends to the Summer Court, searching for her absent king and yearning for Seth. Torn between his new queen and his old love, Keenan works from afar to strengthen his court against the coming war. Donia longs for fiery passion even as she coolly readies the Winter Court for battle. And Seth, sworn brother of the Dark King and heir to the High Queen, is about to make a mistake that could cost his life.

Love, despair, and betrayal ignite the Faery Courts, and in the final conflict, some will win . . . and some will lose everything.

Review: I just finished this book and I had to write a review of it ASAP. Darkest Mercy might be my new favorite in this series because Melissa ends everything very well, but the story itself isn't all rainbows and butterflies. Some really good characters die and I felt a blow from every one of the deaths. It hurt to read some of these characters literally walk to their own demise, but it had to happen and I understand that. I like how Melissa wrote the battle scene against War. It wasn't every court is fighting all at once from the beginning. The courts come in shifts. I liked that because she was able to write the entire battle over multiple chapters without it being dull. First, the Darkness fights against War. Then, the Summer arrives. Finally, the Cold. And in doing that, we can see how each King/Queen feels when they enter the battle. The end made me want to stop reading though. Right at the end of the battle my heart just couldn't handle it. I did manage to push through to the end of the book, but it was very hard. Darkest Mercy wrapped everything up very nicely and I am very happy to have had the pleasure of reading this fantastic series.

5 howls

Contest from Beth Revis

2011-03-13T12:34:00.001-07:00

Cover Reveal: Crossed by Ally Condie

2011-03-13T12:06:00.001-07:00

I'm digging this cover. I love how she is breaking out of the sphere. I hope to see her grow a lot in this new book. *excited*

Beautiful Chaos Cover

2011-03-04T07:30:00.000-08:00

I still need to read Beautiful Darkness! Grrr!

The Reptile Room by Lemony Snicket

2011-03-04T07:07:00.000-08:00

Summary: After narrowly escaping the menacing clutches of the dastardly Count Olaf, the three Baudelaire orphans are taken in by a kindly herpetologist with whom they live happily for an all-too-brief time.

Review: This is probably always going to be one of my favorites in the series simply because I love Uncle Monty. He is such a great character and he knows the kids so well without even trying. Of course Count Olaf returns to cause problems for the children, but what else is new? I think another reason why I enjoy this book is because Violet turns into super-spy and breaks into someone's briefcase. That amused me because she should not be doing that as a 14 year old. Sunny is absolutely adorable in this book. Especially when it comes to the IDV. I just wanted to be their and watch the panic and nonsense. Poe still annoys me, but as this is a re-read of the series I already knew that.

4 howls

The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket

2011-02-25T07:32:00.000-08:00

Summary: Dear Reader,

I'm sorry to say that the book you are holding in your hands is extremely unpleasant. It tells an unhappy tale about three very unlucky children. Even though they are charming and clever, the Baudelaire siblings lead lives filled with misery and woe. From the very first page of this book when the children are at the beach and receive terrible news, continuing on through the entire story, disaster lurks at their heels. One might say they are magnets for misfortune.

In this short book alone, the three youngsters encounter a greedy and repulsive villain, itchy clothing, a disastrous fire, a plot to steal their fortune, and cold porridge for breakfast.

It is my sad duty to write down these unpleasant tales, but there is nothing stopping you from putting this book down at once and reading something happy, if you prefer that sort of thing.

With all due respect,

Lemony Snicket

Review: I have not read this series in years, but I had a really strong urge to read it for some reason. This is a very short read and even though Snicket claims it isn't meant to be enjoyed, I found it pretty darn entertaining. If you have ever seen the Final Destination movies, this is pretty much the same thing except with kids. All the worst things that could happen to three siblings happens to the Baudelaire children. I don't think I can pick a favorite of the three because they are all so wonderful and unique and they add so much to the story with their personalities. I'm happy I'm taking the time out to re-read these books because I have missed them a great deal.

4 howls

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

2011-02-25T07:18:00.000-08:00

Summary: Jay Asher's brilliant first novel is a moving, highly original story that focuses on a set of audiotapes made by a girl before she committed suicide, and which explain to 13 people the reasons why she decided to end her life. Told in a highly effective duel narrative -- alternating between the girl s voice and the thoughts of a boy who is listening -- this honest, poignant story reveals how other people's actions shape, and by extension can ruin, an individual's faith in people. Intensely powerful and painfully real, Thirteen Reasons Why reveals how brutal high school can be, the consequences of spreading rumors, and the lasting effects of suicide on those left behind.

Review: This is one of those books that leave you thinking long after you put it down. The story is just there. From the first page you're wondering what is going to happen next and with each tape you learn more and more about this poor girl who could not find a way out. Did I like the characters? That is so hard to answer. I love Clay. Absolutely. And I felt awful when he got the tapes because he doesn't deserve to be put on the spot like that. Hannah? I'm split on her. Not because she was a bad character. Not at all. I saw so much of myself in her it scared the hell out of me. Not that I didn't already know I was a bit screwed up, but I haven't read this book in years so I haven't had my problems thrust in my face like that for a while. I understand the snowball effect 100%. Hannah is a wonderful character and I will very much miss her. I think everyone should read this book. Now!

5 howls

Pleasure Unbound by Larissa Ione

2011-02-23T07:32:00.000-08:00

Summary: She's a demon-slayer who hungers for sensual pleasure-but fears it will always be denied her. Until Tayla Mancuso lands in a hospital run by demons in disguise, and the head doctor, Eidolon, makes her body burn with unslakable desire. But to prove her ultimate loyalty to her peers, she must betray the surgeon who saved her life.

Two lovers will dare to risk all.

Eidolon cannot resist this fiery, dangerous woman who fills him with both rage and passion. Not only is she his avowed enemy, but she could very well be the hunter who has been preying upon his people. Torn between his need for the truth and his quest to find his perfect mate before a horrific transformation claims him forever, Eidolon will dare the unthinkable-and let Tayla possess him, body and soul...

Review: I've heard good things about these books and as there are only 5 or 6 in the series I thought I would try them out. I loved the premise and the characters were pretty great. I think Shade might be my favorite character of this lot and I'm pretty ready to read his book. I just have to get around to ordering it first. There was one part that made my jaw drop when I read this book and I'm honestly trying to forget about it. Let me just say that I can understand Tayla's problem with men now and I wish she did not have to deal with that. Definitely going to have to check out the rest of these books sometime.

4 howls

Bitten by Kelley Armstrong

2011-02-23T07:24:00.000-08:00

Summary: Ever since her parents were killed in a car accident when she was five, Elena Michaels has longed for a normal family life. Smart, beautiful, and engaged to be married, Elena hopes to fulfill that dream when disaster strikes. Not only has her fiancé lied about his secret life as a werewolf, but he's made her one, too. She has no choice but to join him at Stonehaven, the upstate New York home of an elite pack of werewolves.

In an attempt to break away, she moves to Toronto to lead a normal life. Working as a journalist, Elena now lives with her new architect boyfriend, works out in the basement gym of their high-rise apartment, lunches with girlfriends from the office, and once a week, at four in the morning runs naked and furred through a downtown Toronto ravine, ripping out the throats of her animal prey. But when a band of outlaw werewolves threatens the Stonehaven pack, Elena's feral instincts drive her back there to join the defense. What follows is a war for territory, for pride, and ultimately for Elena herself.

Review: Why did it take me this long to read this book? It has been sitting on my shelf for months and I never had any strong urge to read it even though I loved Kelley's Darkest Power books. Well this book was pretty darn good. I honestly probably would have enjoyed it more if I had not read it at the end of my Urban Fantasy/Romance run because I was pretty burned out at that point. That was probably why it took me a week to actually finish it. Well that plus school. Anyways I liked Elena a lot. She was pretty good. My only problem with her was that she could not let Clay off the hook for his moment of stupidity. I would be more sympathetic if it had recently happened, but it was years ago. I liked Clay and Jeremy, but I think I liked Jer more. I was kinda pissed that Kelley killed off the character who was most likely to be my favorite. That always happens. *pout* I'm very excited to read the rest of this series if I ever get the other books.

4 howls

Destiny of the Wolf and Legend of the White Wolf by Terry Spear

2011-02-18T07:23:00.000-08:00

Summary: All she wants is the truth…
Lelandi Wildhaven is determined to discover the truth about her beloved sister's mysterious death. But everyone thinks she's out to make a bid for her sister's widowed mate…

He's a pack leader tormented by memories…
Darien Silver blames himself for his mate's death. When her twin arrives in his town, he finds himself bewitched, and when someone attempts to silence her, he realizes that protecting the beautiful stranger might be the only way to protect his pack—and himself… (Destiny of the Wolf)

Cameron arrives in the Canadian Arctic to search for his partners in his P.I. business who are late returning from a hunting trip. Faith is there to discover what her father had seen in the same area years earlier that had made him lose touch with reality—man-wolves, he called them.

The two tumble into an icy world of enemies bent on destroying the lupus garou kind. As they turn into lupus garou themselves, and bond with the pack that only they can rescue from destruction, Cameron and Faith find their soul mates in each other. (Legend of the White Wolf)

Review: In Destiny of the Wolf I loved the idea of dream-mating, and this book might be my favorite in the series simply because it brings up the question, "What if you mate the wrong person?" Not everyone gets a do-over like Darien did, but it was interesting how Terry managed to work the story. And the bit about Larissa? That was sad. I agree with Lelandi when she said her sister didn't deserve that. She might have done some stupid stuff, but no one deserves to die.

Legend of the White Wolf was harder for me to get into. It was good, but I couldn't get into the beginning. Once the story picked up though it was quite good. I was kind of hoping the idea of dream-mating was going to continue, but no such luck. It was neat having this story start out with humans instead of wolves though. I thought that was a nice touch. I read this book right after Destiny of the Wolf, but I know there is a book between them. I was just too impatient to wait for it to come in. I'm kind of glad I did go ahead and read Legend of the White Wolf because one of the minor characters in Destiny shows himself in Legend which made me smile.

Destiny of the Wolf: 5 howls
Legend of the White Wolf: 4 howls

Cover of Supernaturally!

2011-02-18T07:18:00.001-08:00

I loved Paranormalcy and this cover is beautiful!

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

2011-02-16T07:46:00.000-08:00

Summary: Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -- the deliria -- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

Review: I was blown away by Before I Fall so when I heard Lauren Oliver was coming out with a new YA series I put in on my TBR list instantly. I was very impressed with this book. I enjoyed Lena and Alex a lot. I thought it was great reading about their relationship and I thought it was funny to see Lena's reaction when she thought she caught the "love" disease. I think Lena grew very well in this book and the ending made my breath catch.

The story itself was very emotional to me. I'm not in a relationship, but thinking that I won't be able to really love my friends or family in this world was hard to think about. I couldn't read this book for a couple of hours because I had to sit and let my emotions clear up before I continued. Lauren is an amazing writer and both of her books have given me reason to think about life and love. I'm very much looking forward to the rest of this series.

5 howls

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

2011-02-09T07:29:00.000-08:00

Summary: When Richard Mayhew stops one day to help a girl he finds bleeding on a London sidewalk, his life is forever altered, for he finds himself propelled into an alternate reality that exists in a subterranean labyrinth of sewer canals and abandoned subway stations. He has fallen through the cracks of reality and has landed somewhere different, somewhere that is Neverwhere.

Review: This book was creepy and weird and wonderful. I had only read Gaiman's MG books so far, but i am certainly looking forward to his Fiction books now. I liked Richard because he makes the change from timid man to fighter very well. I think Door might have been my favorite character simply because she was pretty cool. There was talk in the book about a betrayer in the group, but you kind of have it narrowed down by the time you find out who the betrayer is. That's probably the only thing I didn't like. I was kind of hoping it was going to be this grand surprise. Then again what happens after was pretty shocking. And finding out who killed Door's family was surprising too. If you are looking for an odd sort of fiction book with good twists and characters then I ask you to pick up this one.

4 howls

Tricks by Ellen Hopkins

2011-02-07T07:08:00.000-08:00

Summary: Five teenagers from different parts of the country. Three girls. Two guys. Four straight. One gay. Some rich. Some poor. Some from great families. Some with no one at all. All living their lives as best they can, but all searching...for freedom, safety, community, family, love. What they don't expect, though, is all that can happen when those powerful little words "I love you" are said for all the wrong reasons.

Five moving stories remain separate at first, then interweave to tell a larger, powerful story -- a story about making choices, taking leaps of faith, falling down, and growing up. A story about kids figuring out what sex and love are all about, at all costs, while asking themselves, "Can I ever feel okay about myself?"

Review: This book has such a great message because sex is something that a lot of teens and young adults don't really understand. Ellen took another bold risk by talking about sex in this way, but I think it had paid off. My favorite character is probably Whitney because I relate the most to her. We both have older siblings we feel we have to compete with. The only difference is her sister appears to be perfect, whereas my brother is a screw-up so I have to pull up the slack. I was pretty impressed that she managed to write from the points of view of so many diverse people. Although I do think 5 POVs is pushing it. This was my second read through this book so I could follow things a lot easier now, but my first time around I had to keep looking back to see whose story I was reading. I think it would have helped if she changed the font for each POV like she did in Fallout. That's really my only complaint about this book and it isn't even a big one because I still kept the story straight. This is yet another beautifully crafted story and I most certainly recommend it.

5 howls

Archangel's Kiss and Archangel's Consort by Nalini Singh spoilers

2011-02-04T07:04:00.000-08:00

Summary: Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux wakes from a year-long coma to find that she has become an angel-and that her lover, the stunningly dangerous archangel Raphael, likes having her under his control. But almost immediately, Raphael must ready Elena for a flight to Beijing, to attend a ball thrown by the archangel Lijuan. Ancient and without conscience, Lijuan's power lies with the dead. And she has organized the most perfect and most vicious of welcomes for Elena... (Archangel's Kiss)

Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux and her lover, the lethally beautiful archangel Raphael, have returned home to New York only to face an uncompromising new evil…

A vampire has attacked a girls’ school—the assault one of sheer, vicious madness—and it is only the first act. Rampant bloodlust takes vampire after vampire, threatening to make the streets run with blood. Then Raphael himself begins to show signs of an uncontrolled rage, as inexplicable storms darken the city skyline and the earth itself shudders.

The omens are suddenly terrifyingly clear.

An ancient and malevolent immortal is rising. The violent winds whisper her name: Caliane. She has returned to reclaim her son, Raphael. Only one thing stands in her way: Elena, the consort who must be destroyed… (Archangel's Consort)

Review: I read these 2 books back-to-back so I'm putting them in a post together. It was nice to get back to Elena's world and now she has wings! *stares* I have decided my favorite character is Illium, but Sam is a pretty close second and Elijah is up there too. I don't really know why, but I love Bluebell and my mood always brightens when he is in a chapter. The stories were both done very well and I enjoyed all of the archangel's getting together to fight Lijuan in AK. I enjoyed the introduction of Caliane in AC. I think that will bring up problems for Elena and Raphael, but they can get through it. I also greatly enjoyed getting inside Elena's head and learning more about her past. I still think her dad is a jerk though.

4.5 howls

Covet by J.R. Ward

2011-02-02T14:27:00.000-08:00

Summary: Redemption isn't a word Jim Heron knows much about-his specialty, both personally and professionally, is revenge, and to him, sin is all relative.

Vincent Di Pietro has surrendered himself to his business-until fate intervenes in the form of tough-talking, Harley-riding, self-professed savior, and a woman who will make him question his destiny.

Review: I haven't read a J.R. book since I finished Lover Mine and it was very nice to get back into her writing again. I really enjoyed the direction this series is going, but it restricts her to writing only 7 books in this series. That's okay if she only wants to write 7, but I guess it just seems weird to me because in her BDB books she can keep introducing more characters and writing more books about them.

I liked Jim a lot even though I'm not really into the whole "tough guy" thing. I thought he was a great character with a lot of potential. I liked Marie too. I loved every scene she and her son were in because you can tell she is a really great mother and she would do anything for him. Vincent was actually a decent character too and I though even he didn't deserve some of the crap that happened to him throughout the book. I guess that's what makes the story so good though. I hope Jim comes across these characters again in a future book.

4 howls

Heart of the Wolf by Terry Spear

2011-01-26T11:08:00.000-08:00

Summary: Bella is a red werewolf, sole survivor of the fire that killed her entire pack.

Devlyn is a beta male werewolf in a pack of grays.

Forced to flee her adopted gray pack when the alpha male becomes a vicious threat, she struggles to live as a lone wolf, until Devlyn, the gray male who rescued her as a pup, comes to bring her home.

When a local red werewolf goes on a killing spree, Bella and Devlyn must flee the murderer, the police and their vengeful pack leader. With the full moon rising, and her heat upon her, Bella can't resist the pull to her destined mate, even if means Devlyn will have to face the wicked alpha male in a fight to the death...

A sizzling paranormal romance based on extensive research on how wolves live and behave in the wild, creating a fascinating world of nature and fantasy.

Review: I enjoyed this story very much. I thought it was a great romance novel and I thought Bella and Dev were both wonderful characters. I enjoyed reading them together because they were so obviously in love and I thought their relationship was really sweet. Bella is quite the tease which was cute to read, and Dev is so strong and so brave I fell in love with him so fast. I added Terry's books to my TBR list and they are pretty high up. I would recommend this book to any wolf lover.

4 howls

Styx's Storm and Lion's Heat by Lora Leigh

2011-01-24T07:01:00.000-08:00

Summary: Styx's Storm is a standalone novel that sustains the pulse of this erotic epic. In the novel, Wolf Breed Styx has saved the virginal young Storme Montague from the grasp of slave traders, but to fulfill a pledge, he must seduce her by sunrise. This pleasurable saga of carnal craving continues.

Bad boy Jonas Wyatt knows it is fate that Rachel becomes his mate. He can sense it. He can also sense her reluctance. But she has little power over the mating heat of the Breeds. It is Jonas's destiny to claim her. And nothing will stop him from having his way.

Review: Overall, very good. I didn't really like Styx. He seemed to be an asshole. And I wasn't really digging the fact that he had a Scottish accent mostly because I couldn't really his voice right in my head. I thought Storme was a great character. The story was done well, but I thought these books were about shifters. I got a bit confused about that. Still this is definitely worth checking out.

My feelings towards Lion's Heat was much like those towards Styx's Storm. I thought Rachel was a great character and I enjoyed reading her. It took a bit of time for me to warm up to Jonas. I enjoyed the story in Styx's Storm more than this story, but both were very good.

I give both books 4 howls.

Tomorrow my blog is 1 year old!

2011-01-21T07:19:00.001-08:00

I was freaking out because I neglected my blog and I realized it was already January and I thought I missed my blog's birthday. I realized it is actually tomorrow, and I'm not posting this tomorrow because I won't be able to get to a computer. Unfortunately I don't have a massive post or giveaway to do, but I want to thank you all for following my blog even though it's been forgotten recently. I might get a review up today. I'm hoping. Have a good day all. :)

Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

2011-01-19T07:33:00.000-08:00

Summary: When seventeen-year-old Ellie starts seeing reapers - monstrous creatures who devour humans and send their souls to Hell - she finds herself on the front lines of a supernatural war between archangels and the Fallen and faced with the possible destruction of her soul. A mysterious boy named Will reveals she is the reincarnation of an ancient warrior, the only one capable of wielding swords of angelfire to fight the reapers, and he is an immortal sworn to protect her in battle. Now that Ellie's powers have been awakened, a powerful reaper called Bastian has come forward to challenge her. He has employed a fierce assassin to eliminate her - an assassin who has already killed her once. While balancing her dwindling social life and reaper-hunting duties, she and Will discover Bastian is searching for a dormant creature believed to be a true soul reaper. Bastian plans to use this weapon to ignite the End of Days and to destroy Ellie's soul, ending her rebirth cycle forever. Now, she must face an army of Bastian's most frightening reapers, prevent the soul reaper from consuming her soul, and uncover the secrets of her past lives - including truths that may be too frightening to remember.

Review: I managed to win an ARC of this from a contest and I was absolutely excited because this book has been buzzing around blogs like crazy. I think it is well worth the wait as it is a quick read with a good story. As far as characters go I really liked all of them (even some of the minor characters), and I related to Ellie alot. I am very familiar with disappointing parents and getting yelled at by them so I was very sympathetic towards that. Will seems to be a very sweet character and I can't wait to see their relationship grow.
As for the story I was honestly a bit concerned when I sarted reading. It sounded a lot like Bleach if you've ever read/seen that. Girl is a normal human girl when she is suddenly attacked by monsters from death who come to the mortal world to eat souls. While that sounds similar the story itself is much different as it also incorporates Satan and God into it. You learn a lot about Ellie and Will thoughout this story and I most certainly recommend getting it if you want to read a good, quick paranormal YA book.

4/5 howls

*thanks to Vampire Book Club for supplying this book*

I have NOT been neglecting my blog. Okay maybe a little bit. shame

2011-01-03T20:35:00.000-08:00

Yeah I've been out of school for about a month now and I haven't done any new posts. I feel awful about that. I've been reading pretty much nonstop though so I should have tons of reviews to put up. To lessen the load I'll be doing a lot of posts together. I'll do a massive review of The Hunger Games Trilogy, Blood Promise-The Last Sacrifice, Pride-Alpha, etc.

I still won't be able to post for a few more days because my computer is messed up, but it will *hopefully* be fixed soon.

I hope everyone has a swell new year. My 2011 isn't starting off all that well, but I'm hoping it will get better.

Thanks for sticking with me and I hope to have some new reviews up soon.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (movie+spoilers)

2010-11-30T18:14:00.000-08:00

I had a huge problem with how Half-Blood Prince was made into a movie, but after a lot of encouragement from friends I decided to give movie-makers another shot. Boy am I glad I did. This movie definitely did the book justice. There were some minor differences and I really wished they had introduced Bill into the movies before this one, but overall it was really good. The scenes they took from the book were mostly on key. Of course some parts had to be condensed like when Harry, Ron and Hermione waited and observed the Ministry of Magic in order to sneak in. That entire part of the book took a bit of time, but they shortened it well for the movie. I also loved how they incorporated Dobby in this movie. He was always a secondary character, but I hated how he was neglected after Chamber of Secrets. Even the smallest moments with Dobby had the greatest impact. The end when he was stabbed was especially tragic after having all these refreshing memories of such a light character. I loved the dance scene! That and the scene with Harry and Hermione at the Potter's grave are tied for my favorite. No the dance was not in the book, but I think it was a great way of showing what a fantastic friend Harry is. I thought it was beautifully done and I have no problem with them adding that into the movie. The two scenes that made me want to cry the most were both towards the beginning. The first was when Hermione wiped her parents' memories. Reading it in the book didn't bother me, but seeing her images disappear from the pictures around the house was especially hard to watch. I've always respected Hermione for being proud of being muggle-born, but I never realized how much I cared for her as a character until that scene. The other scene that was difficult to watch was when George and Lupin came to the burrow and George's ear was cursed. The twins are my second favorite characters so to watch Lupin stumble into scene while supporting George was rough to watch. I'm sure part 2 will be extremely sad for me because of the final battle. There were some little details that were wrong, and there were some things I would have liked to see but they didn't include them. It was still a fantastic movie and I most certainly look forward to part 2.

4 howls

New in the Den (IMM 20)

2010-11-11T17:03:00.000-08:00

Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead

2010-11-01T07:04:00.000-07:00

Summary: Rose Hathaway knows it is forbidden to love another guardian. Her best friend, Lissa-the last Dragomir princess-must always come first. Unfortunately, when it comes to gorgeous Dimitri Belikov, some rules are meant to be broken...

But since making her first Strigoi kills, Rose hasn't been feeling right. Something dark has begun to grow in her mind, and ghostly shadows warn of a terrible evil drawing nearer to the Academy's iron gates. And now that Lissa and Rose's sworn enemy, Victor Dashkov, is on trial for his freedom, tensions in the Moroi world are higher than ever.

Lying to Lissa about Dimitri is one thing but suddenly there's way more than friendship at stake. The immortal undead are on the prowl, and they want vengeance for the lives that Rose has stolen. In a heart-stopping battle to rival her worst nightmare, Rose will have to choose between life, love, and the two people who matter most..but will her choice mean that only one can survive?

Review: I was really hoping to see more Strigoi in this book. The summary makes me think that there would be this huge thing throughout the book with them, but they only appear in the last few chapters. The whole ghost part was really interesting though, and I wonder how Rose will deal with being shadow-kissed later on. I'm a already a bit thorough Blood Promise as I write this and there have already been new developments surrounding that. I will say that Rose's mom has slightly redeemed herself in Shadow Kiss. I'm still not a huge fan of hers, but she's getting there. I can't think too much less of her than I did in Frostbite. I think it would be pretty great if she turned Strigoi though. It would be pretty amazing to read an epic battle between mother and daughter when both of them are such great fighters. Ah but that is only my speculation of what could happen. I enjoyed this book, and I'm ready to catch up so I can get The Last Sacrifice when it releases.

4.5 howls

Lover Aveneged by J.R. Ward

2010-10-21T10:22:00.000-07:00

Summary: Caldwell, New York, has long been the battleground for the vampires and their enemies, the Lessening Society. It's also where Rehvenge has staked out his turf as a drug lord and owner of a notorious night club that caters to the rich and heavily armed. His shadowy reputation is exactly why he's approached to kill Wrath, the Blind King and leader of the Brotherhood.

Rehvenge has always kept his distance from the Brotherhood-even though his sister is married to a member, for he harbors a deadly secret that could make him a huge liability in their war against the lessers. As plots within and outside of the Brotherhood threaten to reveal the truth about Rehvenge, he turns to the only source of light in his darkening world, Ehlena, a vampire untouched by the corruption that has its hold on him-and the only thing standing between him and eternal destruction.

Review: I think Ehlena might be my favorite female right now. I don't really know why, but I like her attitude and how she wasn't instantly in love with Rehv when she first met him. He actually had to work to be with her. I loved that we got a better look at iAm and Tez. I wonder if they will ever get mates of their own and how that will affect the flow of the rest of the books. I thought the story was done very well, and I like that you get a bit more info on sympaths. Learning more about Rehv and Xhex is always fun, but I kinda started to get annoyed at Xhex after a while. I loved Rehv though. He's still not my favorite. I don't think anyone can beat out Tohr, but they can try. This is another great installment in this series.

4 howls

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

2010-10-07T12:11:00.000-07:00

Summary: Ever since Harry Potter had come home for the summer, the Dursleys were so mean and hideous that all Harry wanted was to get back to the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. But just as he's packing his bags, Harry receives a warning from a strange, impish creature named Dobby who says that if Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts, disaster will strike.

And strike it does. For in Harry's second year at Hogwarts, fresh torments and horrors arise, including an outrageously stuck-up new professor and a spirit who haunts the girls' bathroom. But then the real trouble begins--someone is turning Hogwarts students to stone. Could it be Draco Malfoy, a more poisonous rival than ever? Could it possibly be Hagrid, whose mysterious past is finally told? Or could it be the one everyone at Hogwarts most suspects...Harry Potter himself!

Review: I freaking love Dobby! He isn't a favorite character, but he's such a cute one. It's hard to stay mad at him for almost killing Harry through most of this book. I like the new elements that come with CoS. You really get to learn more about the history of Hogwarts and of the four Houses. You also learn more about Voldemort which is always very exciting. I've been brushing up on my snake-language, but if there was anyway I could really learn how to speak it I think that would be really cool. Even though I'm not Slytherin I still think it would be a really neat thing to learn. I loved the Polyjuice Potion bit and I enjoyed Moaning Myrtle more now than I did when I was a kid. This is yet another wonderful book in this amazing series. I have really been enjoying these re-reads a lot.

5 howls

New In The Den (IMM 19)

2010-09-27T19:56:00.000-07:00

I'm Such a Horrible Blogger + Contest Crazy Mini-Challenge 1

2010-09-27T07:31:00.000-07:00

I haven't done IMM in weeks, and I haven't really promoted the Banned Books Challenge that I've been doing. *sigh* School has been beyond hectic. Meh

Anyways, here's a list of all the books I've read/reviewed for the Banned Books Challenge.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Burned
The Golden Compass
Identical

Now for Princess Bookie's blog post. Sorry for no pictures, but I'm a bit short on time because of (go figure) school.

My top 5 books for 2011:

1. My Soul to Steal by Rachel Vincent (My Soul to Keep was so great. I'm pretty much dying to get my hands on this.)
2. Darkest Mercy by Melissa Marr (Does this really need an explanation? Didn't think so.)
3. The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan (The end to another fantastic series. So sad to have it go, but I needed this book months ago when I finished Dead-Tossed Waves.)
4. The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong (I loved her other YA books so I know this one won't disappoint.)
5. Teeth (anthology) (So many great authors. 'Nuff said.)

Fallout by Ellen Hopkins

2010-09-23T12:04:00.000-07:00

Summary: Hunter, Autumn, and Summer—three of Kristina Snow's five children—live in different homes, with different guardians and different last names. They share only a predisposition for addiction and a host of troubled feelings toward the mother who barely knows them, a mother who has been riding with the monster, crank, for twenty years.

Hunter is nineteen, angry, getting by in college with a job at a radio station, a girlfriend he loves in the only way he knows how, and the occasional party. He's struggling to understand why his mother left him, when he unexpectedly meets his rapist father, and things get even more complicated. Autumn lives with her single aunt and alcoholic grandfather. When her aunt gets married, and the only family she's ever known crumbles, Autumn's compulsive habits lead her to drink. And the consequences of her decisions suggest that there's more of Kristina in her than she'd like to believe. Summer doesn't know about Hunter, Autumn, or their two youngest brothers, Donald and David. To her, family is only abuse at the hands of her father's girlfriends and a slew of foster parents. Doubt and loneliness overwhelm her, and she, too, teeters on the edge of her mother's notorious legacy. As each searches for real love and true family, they find themselves pulled toward the one person who links them together—Kristina, Bree, mother, addict. But it is in each other, and in themselves, that they find the trust, the courage, the hope to break the cycle.

Told in three voices and punctuated by news articles chronicling the family's story, FALLOUT is the stunning conclusion to the trilogy begun by CRANK and GLASS, and a testament to the harsh reality that addiction is never just one person's problem.

Review: *sigh*

I'm a bit out of practice with reading Ellen's books. I was getting so confused between Summer and Autumn's stories, but I got everything figured out. I liked all 3 of Kristina's children, but I think Hunter might have been my favorite. I don't know why, but he was just a great character. Each of these stories were as beautiful and broken as Kristina's. I don't want to say a lot for fear of spoilers, but if you guys haven't read this series yet then you absolutely have to. The end was pretty awesome.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling

2010-09-22T08:04:00.000-07:00

Summary: Harry Potter has never been the star of a Quidditch team, scoring points while riding a broom far above the ground. He knows no spells, has never helped to hatch a dragon, and has never worn a cloak of invisibility.

All he knows is a miserable life with the Dursleys, his horrible aunt and uncle, and their abominable son, Dudley--a great big swollen spoiled bully. Harry's room is a tiny closet at the foot of the stairs, and he hasn't had a birthday party in eleven years.

But all of that is about to change when a mysterious letter arrives by owl messenger: a letter with an invitation to an incredible place that Harry--and anyone who reads about him--will find unforgettable.

For it's there that he finds not only friends, aerial sports, and magic in everything from classes to meals, but a great destiny that's been waiting for him...if Harry can survive the encounter.

Why it is Banned: Satanism/occult

Review:This is the series that helped me fall in love with reading. Returning to Harry's world was such a wonderful experience and I'm only sad that I don't take time out to re-read this wonderful series more often. I'm not a fan of the parts with the Dursley's, but I know it's necessary to the story so I'm not going to complain about it. I can't really read these books without having the movie also play in my head. That isn't really a bad thing with these early books, but later on it gets annoying. The reason why this series is banned is because people seem to have it in their heads that it supports Satanism. Really? I cannot stress how much this annoys me. Religion is a choice and no work of fiction should sway anyone towards a specific religion. And where would Satanism be in this book? Voldemort? Harry is trying to kill Voldemort so how is the series promoting Satanism. Wicca? Don't even get me started. Again, religion is a choice in the real world. In Harry Potter's world you don't get the option. You are either born a witch/wizard, or you aren't. This series in no way says, "Come join this religion kiddies!" This is a series that is loved by man children and adults. I don't understand why it keeps coming under fire, but it does.

Burned by Ellen Hopkins

2010-09-13T07:10:00.000-07:00

Summary: Raised in a stern, abusive Mormon household, a teenage girl starts to question her religion and struggles to find her destiny.

Her father is abusive, her mother is submissive, and her church looks the other way. Confused and angry, Pattyn Von Stratten acts out and is sent to live with an aunt on a Nevada ranch. She finds the love and acceptance she craves, with disturbing consequences.

Why It's Banned: Language, explicit sexual context, religious context, abuse

Review: It's because of books like this that I love reading. When you can read a book that makes you look at religion in general and say, "What the hell?" then you know you've found a book worth reading. I like Pattyn because she is much stronger than I probably would be if I was in that situation. She has the guts to defy her father and she can still stand with her head held high. I love that Ellen's books have very real characters and very real situations. They're all gritty and beautiful, and until you read that last line you have no idea what's going to happen next. This was one of those books I thought I was going to be able to predict what happens, but I was stunned at the ending. And of course it really isn't an ending is it? You get to try to figure it out on your own, but it seems pretty obvious what happens next. I give Ellen major props for being able to write such strong stories without needing a paranormal aspect to make them catch. While Burned is not a favorite of mine, it is really good and I will always love this book.

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman

2010-09-11T19:16:00.000-07:00

Summary: Sorry can't find a good one. And I don't have the book on me anymore. I'm sure most of you know what this book is about anyways.

Why It's Banned: Religious context

Review: I have heard so many good and so many bad things about this series. After reading this book I'm still not quite sure what people have against it. I thought it was a cute MG Fantasy that any child would be happy to read. I love the idea of humans all having personal daemons as their partners. It's really nice that the story takes place in the real world. Other great fantasy novels (Harry Potter and Graceling) take place in magical worlds. That's great and everything, but sometimes it's nice for children have adventures in the real world too. I'm quite excited to read The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass. I've heard that the movie is good so I'm going to have to check it out and see if it stays true to the original story.

4 howls

Identical by Ellen Hopkins

2010-09-07T15:56:00.000-07:00

Summary: Kaeleigh and Raeanne are 16-year-old identical twins, the daughters of a district court judge father and politician mother running for Congress. Everything on the surface of their lives seems Norman Rockwell perfect, but underneath run deep and damaging secrets.

Kaeleigh is the good girl-her father's perfect flower, something she has tried so hard to be since she was nine and he started sexually abusing her. She cuts herself and vomits after every binge, desperate to feel something normal. Raeanne uses painkillers, drugs, alcohol, and sex to numb the pain of not being Daddy's favorite. Both girls must figure out how to become whole, but how can they when their world has been torn to shreds?

Why It Is Banned: Sexual references, language, drug use

Review: I think so far this is my favorite Ellen Hopkins book. This is the second time I read this book, and let me tell you that after finding out the end and re-reading it I feel so stupid for not letting everything click the first time. Of course I guess that's what makes Ellen an amazing writer. The story is to die for and I can't stop loving Ian. He is beyond perfect. You want your silly supernatural boyfriend? I'm more than happy with my own personal Ian. Oh and Greta? She is super great. Greta is hands down my favorite character because of everything she does and says in the book. I don't know what else to say without sounding too fangirly. I'll just leave off with I love Ellen's books and I'm so happy I'm re-reading them. I need to get my own copies of all of her beautiful books.

5 howls

New in the Den (IMM 18)

2010-09-06T13:01:00.000-07:00

Again sorry for no pictures. I'm hoping to have a vlog next week.

Borrowed from friends:

Identical by Ellen Hopkins

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman

Bought:

The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins (yes I finally get to read these books)

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Out of Dust by Karen Hesse

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

A Lion Among Men by Gregory McGuire

A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

Alice by Whoopi Goldberg

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Stray by Rachel Vincent

2010-09-04T12:07:00.000-07:00

Summary: There are only eight breeding female werecats left . . .
And I'm one of them.

I look like an all-American grad student. But I am a werecat, a shape-shifter, and I live in two worlds.

Despite reservations from my family and my Pride, I escaped the pressure to continue my species and carved out a normal life for myself. Until the night a Stray attacked.

I'd been warned about Strays -- werecats without a Pride, constantly on the lookout for someone like me: attractive, female, and fertile. I fought him off, but then learned two of my fellow tabbies had disappeared.

This brush with danger was all my Pride needed to summon me back . . . for my own protection. Yeah, right. But I'm no meek kitty. I'll take on whatever -- and whoever -- I have to in order to find my friends. Watch out, Strays -- 'cause I got claws, and I'm not afraid to use them . . .

Review: I love Rachel's YA series (Soul Screamers) and when I saw this in my bookstore I bought it instantly. I finally got around to reading it and it was super amazing. Faythe as a character is really wonderful. I was a bit confused at first because there seemed to be some bad air between her and Marc. You finally figure out what went down between them, and I'm curious to see how it all works out. I'm also curious to see where Jace ends up in all of this because I quite like him. I loved all of the characters because they all had a good mixture of strength and softness to make them very likable. You get to know Faythe very well in this book and you get to know one of her big weaknesses. I hope we learn more about her brothers in the later books. The story was just fantastic and I loved how everything played out. This wasn't some dainty little introduction book where you just meet all the characters and nothing bad happens. Oh no. From the first chapter you are put in the mystery of the story and you get to figure everything out with Faythe and the Pride. I'm very excited to get my paws on Rogue, but I have to order it since my bookstore doesn't have it. Ahh the wait.

5 howls

Book Blogger Pounce

2010-09-03T05:04:00.000-07:00

Do you judge a book by its cover?

Yeah I do very much, but I try not to. There are some books that you just can't help, but adore the covers (Forgive My Fins, Raised by Wolves, Shade) and the stories are hits. Others you love the cover (Wings) and the stories are misses. It's all about the risk you take when reading the books.

Where the Wolves Read

Torn by Erica O'Rourke

New in the Den (IMM 25)

Die for Me by Amy Plum

The Vampire Diaries: The Fury and Dark Runion by L.J. Smith

New In the Den (IMM 24)

Book Blogger Confessions 2

The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening and The Struggle by L.J. Smith

The Naughty List by Jodi Redford

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Ascendant by Diana Peterfreund (spoilers)

Harper Imprint Challenge (update)

Book Blogger Confessions 1

Harper Imprint Challenge

Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Favorites from 2011

New In the Den (IMM 23)-Christmas edition

The Specter Key by Kaleb Nation

Bran Hambric: The Farfield Curse by Kaleb Nation (new review)

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Hope Santa Will Bring

Triangles by Ellen Hopkins

Video Game Review: Skyward Sword

New In the Den (IMM 22)

Dreaming of the Wolf by Terry Spear

Heart of the Highland Wolf by Terry Spear

Wolf Fever by Terry Spear

Seduced by the Wolf by Terry Spear

New in the Den (IMM 21)

Bengal's Heart by Lora Leigh

YALLFest 2011

Mercury's War by Lora Leigh

Harmony's Way by Lora Leigh

To Tempt the Wolf by Terry Spear

The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett

Blood Bound by Rachel Vincent

Cloaked by Alex Flinn

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Perfect by Ellen Hopkins

Banned Books Week 2011

Dear Bully

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton

Tanner's Scheme by Lora Leigh

Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs

Blood Bound by Patricia Briggs

Moon Called by Patricia Briggs

Dael and the Painted People by Allan Richard Shickman

Tempting the Beast by Lora Leigh

Sleeping in Parking Lots by Joe Lengson

Wolfe's Hope by Lora Leigh

Hate List by Jennifer Brown

Concert Review: Carolina Rebellion

Rage by Jackie Morse Kessler

Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan

A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket

Mini-Challenge entry

Hades cover

Angel Star by Jennifer Murgia

Darkest Mercy by Melissa Marr

Contest from Beth Revis

Cover Reveal: Crossed by Ally Condie

Beautiful Chaos Cover

The Reptile Room by Lemony Snicket

The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Pleasure Unbound by Larissa Ione

Bitten by Kelley Armstrong

Destiny of the Wolf and Legend of the White Wolf by Terry Spear

Cover of Supernaturally!

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

Tricks by Ellen Hopkins

Archangel's Kiss and Archangel's Consort by Nalini Singh *spoilers*

Covet by J.R. Ward

Heart of the Wolf by Terry Spear

Archangel's Kiss and Archangel's Consort by Nalini Singh spoilers

I have NOT been neglecting my blog. Okay maybe a little bit. shame