Awh the sheer craziness!!!

Hello everyone,

Awh, I haven't blogged on here in a while. I have been crazy busy with the holidays here I have been working like crazy. In the process I have managed to finish a couple books (13 to Life and Jay's Journal). I am currently reading The Lying Game by Sara Shepard and am about half way done with it. Tomorrow I actually have a day off so be expecting reviews for the two books I have already read.

ALSO, I am planning on a doing a giveaway again once I reach 300 followers which is only 2 followers away. You can tell I haven't been on in a while because the last time I was I was 75 followers away from 300. So spread the word that I am doing a book of your choice up to $20 from either Borders or Book Depository. Right now, the Borders part is for US only unless I can find out if my Borders Plus Card's free shipping covers international. But more details on that when I hit 300 followers.

HAVE A GREAT DAY!

Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

Hardcover, 452 pages

Penguin Group, USA, Incorporated

October 2010

Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she'll be the mate of a sexy alpha wolf, Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers.

But when she violates her masters' laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known.

By following her heart, she might lose everything-including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice

----------------------------------------------------

First off I am disappointed in myself in how long I spent reading this book. School and work seem to be taking up alot of my time lately.

Second this may have a few not so important spoilers in it. I will avoid spoilers that are crucial to the storyline but if you wish to remain spoiler free than do not read this just know for me it gets 5 out of 5 stars.

This book is really full of so many questions and choices. By the end you are pretty much in the same spot as Calla is. You won't know whether to love Shay or Ren. You may be question who is good or bad the Keepers or the Searchers? It is absolutely a good book. I was really into it but I am still torn between Ren or Shay. Most books with two possible love interest I can chose easily which "team" I am routing for, however, I can not for this book.

For Ren, we have "roughness" so to speak. His ability to let every girl fall for him and he just adds them as another notch on his belt but when he is with Calla he is different. He tries to use his smooth sexually ways on her but she stands her ground and won't break the rules.

Then for Shay, you have his vulnerability. How he may understand or be learning exactly what is going on for Ren and Calla but still has hopes that he can be Calla's love. His determination to prove he is not afraid of Ren or Calla's pack. How he befriends both packs in an act to show his determination as well as piss off Ren.

The rivalry between Ren and Shay really makes it even harder to choose who your heart wants. You can't just go 'Ooo Ren/Shay you will so win Calla' because even you don't know who to chose.

Towards the end I did get really confused with the whole are the Keepers good or are the Searchers. There are so many lies between the worlds that with them all be revealed and then said to be lies you are pretty much in Calla's boat not knowing which is the truth and which is a lie.

As stated before I loved this book to much to give it less than the full amount of 5 Stars. I hate that it is a cliffhanger ending and I have to wait for the next book but I will live and dream of Ren and Shay.

Ereader VS Physical Copies

I have begun to learn while reading Nightshade that if you want to go back and forth from an ereader to the actual book your pages not all line that well. Nightshade book is over 500 pages or so long the ebook is only 290 pages long. So I have had to go from chapter to chapter in order to switch.

Thus making me take a bit more time to finish it.

Follow Friday(8?)

To join the fun and make now book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

1. Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host { Parajunkee.com } and any one else you want to follow on the list
2. Follow our Featured Bloggers - http://insanehussein.com/blog/
3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing.
4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments
5. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can
6. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
7. If you want to show the link list, just follow the link below the entries and copy and paste it within your post!
8. If your new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

Happy Follow Friday!

New Books are Fun(7)

Today I went out and bought myself an ereader. I got myself the Libre ereader. I then got a little book happy and got the following ebooks:

Siren by Tricia Rayburn

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Monster High by Lisi Harrison

Got Fangs by Katie Maxwell

Circus of the Damned by Katie Maxwell

Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

Torment by Lauren Kate

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

Firelight by Sophie Jordan

Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

Hardcover, 427 pages

Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

October 2010

Nora Grey's life is still far from perfect. Surviving an attempt on her life wasn't pleasant, but at least she got a guardian angel out of it. A mysterious, magnetic, gorgeous guardian angel. But despite his role in her life, Patch has been acting anything but angelic. He's more elusive than ever (if that's possible) and what's worse, he seems to be spending time with Nora's archenemy, Marcie Millar.

Nora would have hardly noticed Scott Parnell, an old family friend who has moved back to town, if Patch hadn't been acting so distant. Even with Scott's totally infuriating attitude, Nora finds herself drawn to him--despite her lingering feelings that he is hiding something.

If that weren't enough, Nora is haunted by images of her murdered father, and comes to question whether her Nephilim bloodline has anything to do with his death. Desperate to figure out what happened, she puts herself in increasingly dangerous situations to get the answer. But some things are better left buried, because the truth could destroy everything--and everyone--she trusts.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Let me tell you if you loved Patch in Hush, Hush you are bound to love him in Crescendo.

This review may end up being short because I am trying to find ways to write it without giving away to big of spoilers or any spoilers for that matter. So for the contents of this review what I will consider a spoiler is something that is crucial to the storyline.

I loved the way that throughout the book when Patch was being intimate with Nora, trying to show her his affection or so to her, he called her Angel. I loved that the irony in it but also the intimacy you felt from it. I absolutely could not put this book down. I literally read it in 15 hours. I got so angry at Nora so much but I still loved Patch. Everytime Patch came into play I was always getting a bit giddy so to speak. Whenever Nora started being stupid or acting like an idiot with Patch I would get pissed off at her. I have to say that for me I loved this one alot more than Hush, Hush then again in Hush, Hush I really did fall Patch until about halfway through so for Crescendo I was already in love with him. Patch does still has his jackass, jerk, bad boy moments which I love.

I absolutely can not wait until the third installment comes out next year. Unfortunately I can not write much more without giving any crucial away. But I have created a chat box that should (if it works right) act as a pop up in which case if you are someone who wants to talk about in depth feel free to join in however, if you have not read it and wish to have no spoilers simply ignore the chatbox below.

Shadow of the Sun by Laura Kreitzer

Shadow of the Sun by Laura Kreitzer

Paperback, 510 pages

Obsidian Mountain Publishing

Gabriella's past is a mystery, but that never stopped her from achieving her goals. As a supernatural specialist, and far more intelligent than anyone her age, she has always been ignored by her peers. Because of the isolation she has always felt, she put her life and soul into her job. Being a supernatural specialist hasn't given her the divine intervention she always longed for, until one day a shipment arrives from Italy containing three dead bodies with an uncanny ability to regenerate. Gabriella is frightened and intrigued, but not as scared as she becomes when a dark creature attacks her.

As the bodies come back to life, the plot takes an unexpected twist that you won't see coming. The supernatural world only begins to unfold before her as angels appear, her dreams start to haunt her, and the very past she has forgotten comes back with startling clarity. Romance blooms, escape plans are made, an assassin is out to kill her, and death is only around the corner. But what is more terrifying than all of it is the fact she is the chosen one, the Illuminator, the one who will save them all.

----------------------------------

I was sent this book from the publishing company asking me to read and review it. So after reading the information on what the book was about I thought "It seems like a book I would enjoy." Boy, do I know myself. After the first chapter, or rather first few pages, I was hooked. I was reading another book at the same time as this and bouncing between the two often. They both had my attention and were complete opposites when it came to genre. Once I finished the other book this one got all my attention. I work full-time and go to college full-time but I still found ways to fit this book into my schedule.

Gabriella is one of the few female leads in a paranormal book that hasn't annoyed me. Yes, she did give me the impression of being a big bitch at times but I still loved her character. I loved how she did things just to piss off her assistant to send a message to her as to who is in charge. Let me tell you too, I loved Aiden. I felt Gabriella's emotions to him just as much as she did. At the same time I found myself falling for Andrew. If I had to chose between the two guys I couldn't I'd want them both.

This is as much as I can say without giving away spoilers. If you are someone who likes paranormal books, particularly ones about angels you should definitely stop by Barnes & Noble or go to Laura Kreitzer's website and purchase the book. Keep in mind there is a sequel to it as well. Which I can not wait to start. Unfortunately, Borders does not sell any of her books so the two methods I have listed are the only ways to obtain her book.

So......about Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

I just finished it this morning. In fact I read it in 15 hours. However, none of my friends have read it yet so I have no one to discuss certain things with. So before I post a review I would like to know how many of you have read it?

Just leave a comment saying you read it and whatever BUT don't leave spoilers. I am going to be starting up something but want to see how many people have read it as well.

PS THE REVIEW WILL COME SOON. Trying to figure out how to write it spoiler free and what not.

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Hardcover, 400 pages

Scholastic Incorporated

August 2010

My name is Katniss Everdeen.

Why am I not dead?

I should be dead.

Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived, even though her home has been destroyed. Gale has escaped. Katniss'sfamily is safe. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol. District 13 really does exist. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding.

It is by design that Katniss was rescued from the arena in the cruel and haunting Quarter Quell, and it is by designs that she has long been part of the revolution without knowing it. District 13 has come out of the shadows and is plotting to overthrow the Capitol. Everyone, it seems, has had a hand in the carefully laid plans --- except Katniss.

The success of the rebellions hinges on Katniss's willingness to be a pawn, to accept responsibility for countless lives, and to change the course of the future of Panem. To do this, she must put aside her feelings of anger and distrust. She must become the rebels' Mockingjay-- no matter what the personal cost.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

First thing first I do not know how to write this with giving slight spoilers away so if you wish to not have spoilers do not continue reading.

What I love about all these books is that they pick up right were they left off from the last book. Unlike so many other books in series. You can't possibly top the Hunger Games but I think this one really gets you active in it. Between finding out District 13 exist to seeing Prim dying (which pisses me off but more on that later). You see more of Gale's personality in this book and you may even love Finnick (which I did). So since I already said this won't be spoiler free I am going to continue the review with each part being on a character.

Gale- Being that Peeta was captured by the Capitol you get more Gale in this book. You see how his mind is always working as if he is hunting. I see the connections between Katniss and Gale as brotherly and sisterly. Yes, they kissed sometimes but I think that was because Katniss wanted the physical attention. When Peeta and Gale were in the cellar of Tigris' show talking I liked that they were bonding and agreeing in the end it was up to Katniss who she would chose. I could really see that when Gale said "Katniss will pick whoever she thinks she can't survive without" he was suggesting that he knew Katniss would pick Peeta. I think Gale was seeing that everything Katniss did was for Peeta's safety and he was being a man and helping her.

Finnick- I didn't care much for Finnick in Catching Fire but I grew to love him so much that when the lizard-human mutts killed I was mad. He had just got married to Annie and then didn't even get to know he was a father. Ultimately, Katniss and Peeta owe their lives to Finnick. He was the best character. He was serious when necessary but yet still have his humorous moments. Finnick went through such a struggle back in 13 that when he got to marry Annie all you wanted was him to have a happy ending but instead he gets killed.

Prim- I fully believe that this series would not be the same if Prim's name wasn't drawn back in the Hunger Games at the reaping. To kill her off was the stupidest thing ever. Even though, you don't see much of Prim til Mockingjay you can sense her closeness with Katniss throughout it all. I was looking forward to reading the end and finding out everyone lived happily and Prim becoming a doctor. Her death shocked and pissed me off so much I had to take breaks from reading the rest of the book because I was so distracted I wasn't really reading the words. Because you know if her name was never drawn and they killed her it would not have been that big of deal but instead it was.

Peeta- Finding out Peeta wasn't rescued in the arena because Katniss was their main focus really shocked me but in the end I saw how it was necessary. Before they rescue Peeta from the Capitol hearing about torture and seeing how it tore up Katniss really made you believe all they were maybe doing was beating him or stuff. When you find out they "hijacked" him into hating and wanting to kill Katniss really irritated me. I was sitting there reading thinking "Nooo, he loves Katniss and even though she won't admit she loves him too." In the end, seeing him struggle a bit with the urges after he realized it was false, his hatred toward Katniss, was realistic and something you could see in real life but the quickness in which he got over the "hijacking" seems a bit unreal. I think something like that would take years. In the epilogue, seeing him be the strong one and reading that Katniss isn't over everything made really think that maybe deep down he was still struggling but putting on the strong for Katniss and his children's sake.

and finally the last character I will address is the main star, the Mockingjay....

Katniss- The fact that she was in denial the whole, pretty much, of her love for Peeta really bugged me. When I say of her love for Peeta I don't necessarily just mean the love he has for her. I mean like a best friend or brotherly type of love. I fully believe she loved him the whole time otherwise I don't see her protecting him or wanting to save him. Alot of her actions wouldn't make sense if she didn't love him. So I truly, loved it when in the end Peeta says "You love me. Real or not real?" and she replies "Real." I ultimately, fully, believe that her love for Gale was strictly a family type of love. I didn't like how easily Katniss into essentially being "the puppet" for the rebellion. But if she didn't then Peeta might as well be dead. After, having Peeta try and kill her for Katniss to still want to save him shows how she is not selfish. Then when you think about everything she does is not just for her safety but for everyone else's, like her mother, Gale, Peeta, and Prim's safety or even just the people she meets in each district. I think the only selfish thing she ever did was deny her feelings to Peeta and when she killed Coin but even then killing Coin could easily be justified as a selfless act.

All in all this book was amazing. Not as good as the rest but still worth reading. I loved it. Of course I really love Peeta the most.

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Hardcover, 400 pages

Scholastics Incorporated

September 2009

Sparks are igniting.

Flames are spreading.

And the Capitol wants revenge.

Against all odds, Katniss has won the Hunger Games. She and fellow District 12 tribute Peeta Mellark are miraculously still alive. Katniss should be relieved, happy even. After all, she has returned to her family and her longtime friend, Gale. Yet nothing is the way Katniss wishes it to be. Gale holds her at an icy distance. Peeta has turned his back on her completely. And there are whispers of a rebellion against the Capitol--a rebellion that Katniss and Peeta may have helped create.

Much to her shock, Katniss has fueled an unrest she's afraid she cannot stop. And what scares her even more is that she's not entirely convinced she should try. As time draws near for Katniss and Peeta to visit the districts on the Capitol's cruel Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever. If they can't prove, without a shadow of doubt, that they are lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying.

--------------------------------------------------------

Where do I begin? This book had my attention just as much as Hunger Games did. There were times when I wanted to just smack Katniss and say "wake up! can't you see you do, deep down, love Peeta." (Trying to say this next part without spoilers) I did not see what they had in store the next Hunger Games coming at all. I have completely fallen for Peeta. I believe he is the true definition of a nice guy. Katniss can't do much better than him. Gale isn't in the story enough for me to get a real grasp of him.

I will admit I loved Hunger Games more but this was still a good book. I can not wait to tackle Mockingjay and see where the adventure continues. I only hope that Katniss wakes up and realizes all this wanting to be in Peeta's arms while she sleeps and the sparks she feels when she kisses him at times is not just because. She loves in!!!! That is what bugs me most about Katniss. She is so built up on not marrying and having kids she has blinded herself from seeing how much she truly has developed feelings for Peeta.

New Books are Fun(6)

Well in the last two weeks I have gotten 4 new books.

-Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

-Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

-Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

-Shadow of the Sun by Laura Kreitzer*

*Part of a book tour through the publishing company.

I can't wait to read them all. Actually I am about halfway or so through Catching Fire.

Follow Friday (7)

I haven't done a FF in a while but here it is this week

To join the fun and make now book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

1. Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host { Parajunkee.com } and any one else you want to follow on the list
2. Follow our Featured Bloggers - whatbookisthat.com
3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing.
4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments
5. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can
6. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
7. If you want to show the link list, just follow the link below the entries and copy and paste it within your post!
8. If your new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

Happy Follow Friday!

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Paperback, 384 pages

Scholastic

July 2010

Could you survive on your own, in the wild, with everyone out to make sure you don't live to see the morning?

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before--and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weight survival against humanity and life against love.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

This book had me from the first page to the last. I liked that it didn't just jump into the reaping or the Games instead it gave us a little history. I think what Katniss did was very brave. If I was in her place I don't know if I could have done the same knowing that there is a good chance I would not come back. Gale gave me the sense of a big brother out there to protect Katniss and her family. Now, he wasn't in the book for a great deal of it but that is what I perceived him as so far. Peeta now I absolutely love him. I wasn't like Katniss in the beginning of the Games I actually saw through what he doing and knew he was doing it for her safety.

Even though Katniss was against everyone else in there, their game tatics make you think "if you were to have to be in that arena and fight to the death what would you do to stay alive?" I am particularly fond that Haymitch told Katniss and Peeta not to reveal their strengths to everyone beforehand. I thought it was very smart. Well I can't go on without giving spoilers.

I absolutely can not wait to go and get Catching Fire and MockingJay to read and finish the series.

Torn between two Lovers....books.

Alrighty, I can't decide which book to read next. I have narrowed it down to either Strange Angels by Lili St. Crow, Blue Bloods by Melissa De La Cruz or Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. So I thought I would get feedback and see which one comes out on top to read. Help me decide!

Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel

Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel

Paperback, 326 pages

St. Martin's Press

August 2010

"Throughout all my histories, I found no one I loved more than you... no one."

Those were some of Rhode's last words to me. The last time he would pronounce his love. The last time I would see his face.

It was the first time in 592 years I could take a breath. Lay in the sun. Taste. Rhode sacrificed himself so I, Lenah Beaudonte, could be human again. So I could stop the blood lust.

I never expected to fall in love with someone else who wasn't Rhode. But Justin was... daring. Exciting. More beautiful than I could dream. I never expected to be sixteen again... but then again, I never expected my past to come back and haunt me.

-------------------------------------------------

I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about this book. But to be honest, I did end up liking this book. However, for me it had a very slow start. I felt like I had to force myself to keep reading. Once I got to about page 65 it began to draw me in but it didn't fully have my attention until about 100 pages into it.

I am not saying I hated or disliked the book. I did throughly enjoy it and will more than likely read the next book. Okay, I will read the next book. At first I thought it was going to be one chapter in present time and then one chapter going through her past with flashbacks. However, the flashbacks/memories started occurring in the middle of the chapter or in random places of the chapter and then go back to present time. That really bugged me. For me I didn't find her memories really that important until near the end of the book.

I loved how realistic high school clique's were in a way. When Lenah was being treated rudely or talked about behind her back by the "Three Piece" for me that was an accurate display of high school. However, how easily the "Three Piece" became her friends when she started dating Justin was a little fishy.

I really did enjoy how this was a unique vampire story. A story of a vampire being turned back into a human. Ultimately that is what caught my attention in wanting to read this book. Seeing Lenah's struggles for adapting to human life were very interesting and realistic too. I am glad Rebecca Maizel didn't just have Lenah all adapted to human life right away. She portrayed it in a sense that if this were real life this is how it would really happen.

One thing that has begun to bug me not just for this book but for most paranormal books is how when someone who is say a vampire tells a human that they are a vampire the human is all cool with it and acts like it is no big deal. When Lenah's friend Tony found out that she was a vampire he was all cool with it however, when it was revealed to Justin his reaction was more realistic.

I read the sneak peek at the end of the book for Stolen Nights and I must say I will definitely be getting that book to read the sneak peek was only the prologue and first chapter but it had me going "OMG."

Crescendo Book Trailer

ARE YOU AS EXCITED AS I AM FOR CRESCENDO BY BECCA FITZPATRICK? IT COMES OUT THIS MONTH!!!!

Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender

Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender

Alexis thought she led a typically dysfunctional high school existence. Dysfunctional like her parents' marriage; her doll-crazy twelve-year-old sister, Kasey; and even her own anti-social, anti-cheerleader attitude.

When a family fight results in some tearful sisterly bonding, Alexis realizes that her life is creeping from dysfunction into danger. Kasey is acting stranger than ever: her blue eyes go green sometimes; she uses old-fashioned language; and she even loses track of chunks of time, claiming to know nothing about her strange behavior. Their old house is changing, too. Doors open and close by themselves; water boils on the unlit stove; and an unplugged air conditioner turns the house cold enough to see their breath in.

Alexis wants to think that it's all in her head, but soon, what she liked to think of as silly parlor tricks are becoming life-threatening—to her, her family, and to her budding relationship with the class president. Alexis knows she's the only person who can stop Kasey — but what if that green-eyed girl isn't even Kasey anymore?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This was a delightfully, creepy book to read. I love reading before bed but there were times I had to put it down because I was creeping myself out (this could have to do with the combination of late at night, tired, and the book).

I didn't like the fact that the most intense part was at the end because it sort of felt unfinished and then they had a few months later type of ending. That really bugged me. I would have loved to see it end the way it did before the few months later and then have a sequel of some sort. I say it was kind of fairy-tale, cheesy ending with the few months later.

I did overall love this book though. I don't typically like paranormal ghost stories or ghost possessing type of stories but I absolutely loved this one, despite the ending.