In My Mailbox (#2)

I am, once again, joining in on In My Mailbox, hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.  In My Mailbox is where everyone can see what books I bought or received that week.
This was another week that I didn't purchase any books, but received several from the library.  I went in to pick up ONE book off of the holdshelf, and this is what I came home with....

Enter the Enchanted - K.A. Applegate

Prowlers - Christopher Golden

The Night of the Solstice - L.J. Smith

The Vampire Diaries - The Awakening and the Struggle - L.J. Smith

The Boyfriend of the Month Club - Maria Geraci

Aurelia - Anne Osterlund

The Body Finder - Kimberly Derting

The Surgeon - Tess Gerritsen

The Strange Power - L.J. Smith

Fallen - Lauren Kate

On My Wishlist (#2)

On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It's where I list all the books I desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming.

These books are books I found this week.  I found several others, but these are the ones that I need ASAP!

Lies that Chelsea Handler Told Me
Chelsea Handler
Release Date: May 10, 2011

Goodreads Description:

"My tendency to make up stories and lie compulsively for the sake of my own amusement takes up a good portion of my day and provides me with a peace of mind not easily attainable in this economic climate."--Chelsea Handler, from Chapter 10 of Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang

It's no lie: Chelsea Handler loves to smoke out "dumbassness," the condition people suffer from that allows them to fall prey to her brand of complete and utter nonsense. Friends, family, co-workers--they've all been tricked by Chelsea into believing stories of total foolishness and into behaving like total fools. Luckily, they've lived to tell the tales and, for the very first time, write about them.

Stray

Rachel Vincent

Shifters # 1

Goodreads Description:

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 . . .

DarkFever
Karen Marie Moning
Fever # 1

Goodreads Description:
MacKayla Lane’s life is good. She has great friends, a decent job, and a car that breaks down only every other week or so. In other words, she’s your perfectly ordinary twenty-first-century woman. Or so she thinks…until something extraordinary happens.
When her sister is murdered, leaving a single clue to her death–a cryptic message on Mac’s cell phone–Mac journeys to Ireland in search of answers. The quest to find her sister’s killer draws her into a shadowy realm where nothing is as it seems, where good and evil wear the same treacherously seductive mask. She is soon faced with an even greater challenge: staying alive long enough to learn how to handle a power she had no idea she possessed–a gift that allows her to see beyond the world of man, into the dangerous realm of the Fae….
As Mac delves deeper into the mystery of her sister’s death, her every move is shadowed by the dark, mysterious Jericho, a man with no past and only mockery for a future. As she begins to close in on the truth, the ruthless Vlane–an alpha Fae who makes sex an addiction for human women–closes in on her. And as the boundary between worlds begins to crumble, Mac’s true mission becomes clear: find the elusive Sinsar Dubh before someone else claims the all-powerful Dark Book–because whoever gets to it first holds nothing less than complete control of the very fabric of both worlds in their hands….

REVIEW: Vanish

Vanish - Tess Gerritsen
Jane Rizolli & Maura Isles # 5

Goodreads Description:

No pregnancy guide could have prepared homicide detective Jane Rizzoli for these travails. First, her water broke while she was testifying against a man she had arrested. Then, as she is awaiting an emergency ultrasound, she and five other people are taken hostage in the hospital. The feds come to the rescue and the baby is born without further incident, but Rizzoli can't forget the last words spoken by one of the hostage takers...

My thoughts:

I just love the surprises in Tess Gerritsen's novels!  This book was definitely a 5 star read.  The first couple of pages really shocked me, and it was actually quite horrifying to read.  However, the human trafficking she was writing about actually happens in our real world, which is what made it so horrifying.  After the first couple of pages, I couldn't stop reading.  Throughout this whole story, I thought I knew what was going on...the who and why especially.  Every time I thought I had everything figured out, I would come across something that would tell me I am completely wrong!  The ending was a complete surprise to me, and I would have to say that I didn't see it coming. 

My rating: ☺☺☺☺☺
Next book in series: The Mephisto Club

In My Mailbox (#1)

I have decided to join in on In My Mailbox, hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.  In My Mailbox is where everyone can see what books I bought or received that week.

This week, I picked up several books from the library.  Normally, I just put them on hold and get a few at a time.  This time, they all became available at the same time and I had more than I expected!

How to Bake a Perfect Life by Barbara O'Neal

Flat-Out Sexy by Erin McCarthy

Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

Dark Flame by Alyson Noel

The House at Riverton by Kate Morton

The Sister Wife by Diane Noble

Strange Angels by Lilith Saintcrow

Radiant Shadows by Melissa Marr

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead

On My Wishlist (#1)

On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It's where I list all the books I desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming.

These books are books I found this week.  I absolutely need to get my hands on these soon!  And because there are so many, I am not going to add my own description.
                                                   
 

 

 

 

 

Here's my list:
One September Morning - Rosalind Noonan
Camille - Tess Oliver
The Iron King - Julie Kagawa
The Body Finder - Kimberly Derting
Clockwork Angel - Cassandra Clare
Aurelia - Anne Osterlund
Angelfire - Courtney Allison Moulton
The Iron Witch - Karen Mahoney
Unearthly - Cynthia Hand
The Demon Trapper's Daughter - Jana Oliver
All Is Bright - Sarah Pekkanen
Entwined - Heather Dixon
If I Stay - Gayle Forman
Passion - Lauren Kate
Last Sacrifice - Richelle Mead

2011 Reading Challenges

I decided I would post what reading challenges I am participating in.  I have not joined any reading challenges put on by other bloggers, although I may sometime.  The challenges I have joined are through a Goodreads group called Romance Readers Reading Challenges. Here they are:

2011 A-Z Book Challenge 

Read-the-Season Challenge

Read-the-Month Challenge

Create-Your-Own Reading Challenge

Pick-It-For-Me Challenge

I will be keeping track of these challenges on the goodreads website, along with keeping a counter on the right side of my blog.

REVIEW: The Lying Game

The Lying Game - Sara Shepard
The Lying Game # 1

I was so impressed with this book.  This is the first time I have read anything by this author.  I am now, however, disappointed that the next book in this series hasn't been released yet!  I will be one of the first people in line to get the next book!
Both Emma and Sutton were given up by their mother.  Sutton was given up as a baby, and Emma was given up as a child.  Neither of them knew that they had a twin...until Sutton is gone.  Sutton "wakes up" at Emma's house and realizes that no one can see her or hear her.  She also realizes that Emma looks exactly like her.  Emma finds a video online of Sutton being stangled, and goes to find her.  However, when she gets there, everyone thinks she is Sutton, and Sutton is nowhere to be found.  Emma find a note stating that Sutton is dead and she needs to keep acting like she is Sutton, or she will be dead too.  Emma decides to follow along, as she had been kicked out of her foster home and had nowhere else to go anyway.  Once she thinks she has it all figured out, she realizes that she is actually back at square one.

My Rating: ☺☺☺☺☺
Next book in series: Never Have I Ever

REVIEW: The Confession

The Confession - John Grisham

I knew before I even read this book that it would be great.  John Grisham has never let me down.  This story made me sad, I think due to the amount of truth that is in it.  Although the story itself is not true, I imagine plenty of what is said about the Texas justice system is true.
Donte Drumm, a young African American, is found guilty for a crime he did not commit.  There is no body or any evidence against him.  He was forced into making a confession, which he later recanted.  Meanwhile, the real killer, Travis Boyette, is on the outside wondering how in the world the Texas justice system messed this up.  As it gets closer to the execution of Donte, Travis decides he wants to make it right.  He finds a minister who helps him try to right his wrong.  He tells everyone that he is the real killer, but nobody believes him because they are so set on this African American being guilty.  It isn't until after the execution that Travis is able to convince everyone that he is the real killer...when it is too late.

My Rating: ☺☺☺☺☺

REVIEW: Undead and Unpopular

Undead and Unpopular - MaryJanice Davidson
Undead # 5

This book was quite boring compared to the others in this series so far.  I was looking forward to more drama between Betsy and Sinclair and even another killer on the loose coming after Betsy.  However, the drama was almost nonexistent.  Lots of things happened in this book, but nothing that made me read it all in one sitting, like the others have done.
Betsy has clearly stated that she does not want anyone to throw a surprise party for her.  She decides to come up with her own guest list anyway.  She is sure that they have decided to throw her a surprise party two weeks early, but it is just several European vampires who have come to pay their respects.  Betsy still does not have everything lined up for her wedding, but when does she have time to plan?  Sinclair is avoiding wedding plans, a friend of Betsy's wants permission to turn her mortal lover into a vampire, Jessica may have a life-threatening illness, and on top of that, Betsy needs to figure out a punishment for one of the European vampires who turned her friend into a vampire over 100 years ago!

My Rating: ☺☺☺
Next book in series: Undead and Uneasy

REVIEW: Blue Bloods

Blue Bloods - Melissa de la Cruz
Blue Bloods # 1

I wasn't too sure about this book when I first started.  However, I became glued about half way through.  I'm excited for another new series.
Schuyler Van Alen is a sophomore at a private school in New York City.  She is a loner who lives with her grandmother.  When she turns 15, she notices changes in her body and is having flashbacks to ancient times.  When a popular girl from school is found dead and her blood drained, Schuyler is unwilling to let it go.  She knows that the Blue Bloods are keeping secrets....secrets that she needs to figure out in order to find out what has happened to her classmate...and what is happening to her.

My Rating: ☺☺☺☺
Next book in series: Masquerade

REVIEW: Fragile Eternity

Fragile Eternity - Melissa Marr
Wicked Lovely # 3


The third book in the Wicked Lovely series, Fragile Eternity, was not as exciting as the first two.  I didn't have to force myself to read this, and still intend on reading the next book, but I certainly hope the next one picks it up a bit!
Aislinn has become an immortal faery, along with becoming the Summer Queen.  By becoming the Summer Queen, she is eternally bonded to the Summer King, Keenan.  When Aislinn made the decision to become the Summer Queen, she made sure that Keenan understood that her heart belonged to Seth, a mortal.  Seth can no longer take the thought of dying and leaving Aislinn to an eternity alone, or worse, with Keenan, so he decides to do something about it.  He leaves a note for Aislinn telling her that he is leaving, but will be back.  After several months, the attraction between Aislinn and Keenan becomes stronger, and Aislinn questions whether Seth will ever come back.


My rating: ☺☺☺
Next book in series: Radiant Shadows

REVIEW: Shadow Kiss

Shadow Kiss - Richelle Mead
Vampire Academy # 3

I am so in love with this series!  Just when I thought it was going to be so predictable, something happened that completely threw off what I thought would happen.  I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone, even if that person isn't into the whole vampire thing.
 Rose Hathaway knows that she cannot love another guardian....especially the guardian who she will be working with in guarding Lissa.  However, Dimitri Belikov isn't like any other guy.  Changes begin occurring in Rose and she doesn't know what to do, but Dimitri is always there for her.  He is the only one that will believe and listen to her.  When Strigoi capture several Moroi and dhampirs from the academy, Rose is the only one who can find them, but she needs more than just Dimitri to believe in her.

My Rating: ☺☺☺☺☺
Next book in series: Blood Promise

REVIEW: Undead and Unreturnable

Undead and Unreturnable - 
MaryJanice Davidson
 Undead # 4

 This series just gets better and better.  I always find myself laughing at something completely ridiculous.  The characters in this series keep me on edge by the gutsy things they do.  That is one of my favorite parts of this series.....there is no way any of this would ever happen in my life.
 Betsy Taylor, the vampire queen, is busy planning her wedding.  The date of her wedding keeps getting pushed back further and further.  Detective Nick begins dating Betsy's best friend, Jessica, while trying to find the Driveway Killer, who is targeting women who look just like Betsy.  Betsy joins her sister Laura, daughter of the devil, and a ghost of one of the Driveway Killer victims to save the Driveway Killer's latest target. 

My rating:☺☺☺☺
Next book in series: Undead and Unpopular

2010 Book Survey

Now that 2010 is over, I figured this survey would be a good way to reflect back on what I've read and move on into the new year!  I've read so many good books this year, and only a few that I couldn't finish.  So here it is, The Best of 2010 in Books, a survey created by The Perpetual Page Turner.

1. Best book of 2010?  I read quite a few 5 star reads this year, but one completely stands out above all the others....and that is The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton.  This is a book that is nothing like what I would normally read and it completely surprised me in the end.

2. Worst book of 2010? It  is really hard for me to come up with the worst book, mostly because I haven't had anything that is that completely awful.  However, one book that I was unable to finish was Outside the Ordinary World by Dori Ostermiller.  Maybe it wouldn't have been my worst read of 2010 if I had actually finished it, but I see no reason to waste my time on books that I have no want to read.

3. Most Disappointing Book of 2010?  The most disappointing book of 2010, hands down, is The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan.  I absolutely loved the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series, so my hopes were high when I picked up The Red Pyramid.  It just was not as good as his earlier series though.

4. Most Surprising (in a good way) book of 2010? Such a Pretty Face by Cathy Lamb surprised me the most this year.  I actually had started it and read about 2 chapters and had to put it down because I didn't think I could read it.  I picked it back up about a week later and decided to try it again.  I absolutely loved it.

5. Book you recommended to people most in 2010? I recommended Maybe This Time by Jennifer Crusie the most in 2010.  It seems as though everyone is so into vampires lately, and although this book is not about vampires, it involved ghosts.  I have also become addicted to these vampire books, so it was a wonderful change to read this book with ghosts instead of vampires.

6. Best series you discovered in 2010? This is a hard one!  I have discovered so many new series in 2010.  I think that the Undead series by MaryJanice Davidson, which starts with Undead and Unwed, has been the best series I have discovered.  I am currently reading the 4th book in this series.

7. Favorite new authors you discovered in 2010?  There are several new authors I have discovered, including: Rachel Vincent, Richelle Mead, Tess Gerritsen, MaryJanice Davidson, Melissa Marr, Janet Evanovich, and Alyson Noel.

8. Most hilarious read of 2010? This is definitely Undead and Unwed by MaryJanice Davidson.  This book was so wonderfully refreshing!  I laughed throughout the whole book.

9. Most thrilling, unputdownable book of 2010? This would have to be Maybe This Time by Jennifer Crusie.  I couldn't put this book down because I just had to know what comes next.  This book left me thinking after I was done reading it.  It left me putting the pieces together.

10. Book you most anticipated in 2010? The book I most anticipated in 2010 was Happy Ever After by Nora Roberts.  This was the 4th and final book in the Bride Quartet series.

11. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2010?  The favorite cover has to go to Frostbite by Richelle Mead.  I don't know how long I sat and stared at the cover of this book.  Both of the characters shown on the cover are gorgeous.

12. Most memorable character in 2010?  The most memorable character in 2010 is Stephanie Plum, in the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich, starting with One for the Money.  This character is hilarious and she does absolutely whatever she wants.  I love this character mostly because she takes risks that I would never take.

13. Most beautifully written book in 2010? I think Murder at Mansfield Park by Lynn Shepherd was beautifully written.  This book was meant to be written like a Jane Austen novel, and I think that goal was accomplished.

14. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2010? I tend to read books that are about something that would never occur in my life, which makes it hard for a book to have a real impact on me.  However, True Colors by Kristin Hannah did have an impact.  This book about sisters made me really think about my relationship with my sister.

15. Book you can't believe you waited UNTIL 2010 to finally read? I can't believe I waited until 2010 to start the Rizzoli and Isles series by Tess Gerritsen, starting with The Surgeon.  I have not completed this series yet, but every book I have read in this series has been astonishing.

REVIEW: Blue Moon

Blue Moon - Alyson Noel

The Immortals # 2

The first book in The Immortals series, Evermore, left me wondering if this would be a series I would finish.  I liked it, but it wasn't a 5 star read...and why waste my time when there are so many good reads out there?  I was extremely impressed with this second book, though.  Actually, I couldn't stop reading it....I even went as far as switching back and forth between a hard copy and the audio book depending on what I was doing at the time.  That would be a first for me.
In Blue Moon, Ever is learning more and more about her abilities.  Everything is going well with her new boyfriend, Damen, and her friends....until they meet Roman.  Ever's friends and boyfriend start hanging out with Stacia and her crowd.  Roman tries to be there for Ever, but she still isn't quite sure about him.  She thinks he is like Drina, but finds no proof.  Ever begins traveling to Summerland to find the answer to what is going on with everyone.  When she gets there, she is faced with the decision to go back in time and save her family from the accident that took them away from her or staying in the present and saving Damen.

My Rating:☺☺☺☺☺
Next book in series: Shadowland