REVIEW: Eve

Eve

Anna Carey

The Eve Trilogy # 1

Goodreads Description:  The year is 2032, sixteen years after a deadly virus—and the vaccine intended to protect against it—wiped out most of the earth’s population. The night before eighteen-year-old Eve’s graduation from her all-girls school she discovers what really happens to new graduates, and the horrifying fate that awaits her.

Fleeing the only home she’s ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust...and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.

My thoughts:  WOW!  This was awesome!  I was hooked on the first page.  The story is just amazing and reading about what Eve goes through, and the references to Harriet Tubman and The Underground Railroad, made me read and finish it in one sitting.

Eve starts out as being a very naive girl.  A classmate tells her about what happens after graduation just before she flees to avoid that fate.  Eve decides to check it out for herself.  Once she realizes that her classmate told the truth, she decides to flee herself, but wants to take others with her.  She gets some "inside help" to flee and is told that she needs to go alone.  So she does.  Eve becomes very brave.  She makes bad decisions often, but it all works out in the end.  She meets Caleb and quickly trusts him.  That was kind of odd because she was taught to fear men for most of her life.  She was taught about how horrible they are and really was fed complete garbage about everything.  I was surprised that she trusted him so quickly, but I think part of her knew that she had been lied to by the teachers.

Caleb really did seem very likeable and trustworthy too.  He realized how naive Eve was, but knew that it wasn't her own fault.  He was very nice to her and really cared for her.  He was there for Eve throughout the whole story, even after feeling betrayed by her.

The setting was really neat.  It was 2032, 16 years after a deadly virus that wiped out most of the population.  So, as Eve is travelling, she comes across many places that are abandoned.  She ends up with Caleb in his tunnel/cave thing, where she ends up teaching young boys how to read.  I think Carey painted a vivid picture of what Eve was seeing.

I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the next.  It ended very well and I can't wait to find out what happens!

My rating:☺ ☺ ☺ ☺ ☺

Random Acts of Kindness: September Wrap-Up

I was SO excited this month to receive a RAK.  Sarah from The Book Life sent me Between by Jessica Warman.  Yay!

Too bad I haven't had a chance to read it yet!

I sent The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell and Cruel Summer by Alyson Noel to Amanda at The Vintage Bookworm .

Book Trailer: The Name of the Star

The Name of the Star
Maureen Johnson
Shades of London # 1

Goodreads Description:  The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it's the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.

Soon “Rippermania” takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn't notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities.

This book releases today!!  I am so excited to go pick it up.  If you've read it already, let me know what you thought!

"Waiting On" Wednesday (#26)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine. Here is what I am waiting on:

A Beautiful Evil
Kelly Keaton
Gods and Monsters # 2

Goodreads Description:
A power she can’t deny. A destiny she’s determined to fight.

When Ari first arrived in the dilapidated city of New 2, all she wanted was to figure out who she was. But what she discovered was beyond her worst nightmare. Ari can already sense the evil growing inside her—a power the goddess Athena will stop at nothing to possess.

Desperate to hold on to her humanity and protect her loved ones, Ari must fight back. But Athena’s playing mind games, not just with Ari but with those she cares about most. And Athena has a very special plan for the brooding and sexy Sebastian.

Ari is determined to defeat Athena, but time is running out. With no other options, Ari must unleash the very thing she’s afraid of: herself.

What are you waiting on?

Top Ten Tuesday (#2)

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This feature includes some sort of a top ten list, related to books.  I have decided to participate again this week.  I really like this topic as well, but still am not completely sure if I will keep up with this!  Stay tuned!

Top Ten Books I Want to Reread

1. Vampire Academy series - Richelle Mead
2. The Chronicles of Narnia series - C.S. Lewis
3. Harry Potter series - J.K. Rowling
4. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series - Ann Brashares
5. Undead series - MaryJanice Davidson
6. Percy Jackson and the Olympians series - Rick Riordan
7. The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes - Diane Chamberlain
8. L.A. Candy series - Lauren Conrad
9. Bride Quartet series - Nora Roberts
10. The Last Song - Nicholas Sparks

I absolutely love books that are part of a series.  I do read standalone books, but I love reading a book knowing that there is more to come.  A really great story seems to take a few books to get it out.  So here are several series (and some standalones) that I want to reread.  I started The Chronicles of Narnia and Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, but there are way too many new books out there for me to start rereading any quite yet!

REVIEW: Darkness Becomes Her

Darkness Becomes Her

Kelly Keaton

Gods and Monsters # 1

Goodreads Description:
Ari can’t help feeling lost and alone. With teal eyes and freakish silver hair that can’t be changed or destroyed, Ari has always stood out. And after growing up in foster care, she longs for some understanding of where she came from and who she is.
Her search for answers uncovers just one message from her long dead mother: Run. Ari can sense that someone, or something, is getting closer than they should. But it’s impossible to protect herself when she doesn’t know what she’s running from or why she is being pursued.
She knows only one thing: she must return to her birthplace of New 2, the lush rebuilt city of New Orleans. Upon arriving, she discovers that New 2 is very...different. Here, Ari is seemingly normal. But every creature she encounters, no matter how deadly or horrifying, is afraid of her.
Ari won’t stop until she knows why. But some truths are too haunting, too terrifying, to ever be revealed.

My thoughts:
This book was WAY better than I expected!  I was expecting a mediocre storyline based on the summary, but there is so much more to this book than what is included in the summary!  I loved all the references to ancient mythology; it was a great surprise in this book!

My favorite part of this book is how kick-ass Ari is.  I felt like I was cheering her on as if she was in some sort of a wrestling/boxing match or something!  She was absolutely awesome.  She can take care of herself, and isn't willing to just give up.  Sure leaving New 2 crossed her mind several times, but she didn't run away.  In the end, Ari is focused on vengeance.  And I love that about her.  I am not typically supportive of revenge, but I'm all for it when I'm reading fiction!

I loved learning about Ari and New 2 as she was learning about it.  I also loved feeling as if I was traveling with her as she was going from place to place to figure it all out!  She just was not down with the ending her mother and grandmother had, and she was willing to do what it takes to learn about the past and make a plan for the future.

I really wasn't too sure about New 2 at first.  Before reading the book, all I knew was that New 2 was the rebuilt city of New Orleans.  And honestly, what I initially thought was "What a dumb name", and "Couldn't the author come up with their own idea and make up a completely new place?"  But after reading the book, I don't think it was such a bad idea.  The author still could have come up with a different place.  I don't know that it would have mattered in the end.

I absolutely loved this book.  It was very easy to sit and read the whole thing all at once.  I felt like there was a real plot that was actually going somewhere....instead of just a "story".  I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will absolutely be purchasing the next one!

My rating: ☺ ☺ ☺ ☺ ☺ 

Cover Crazy: Wander Dust

This weekly meme is hosted by The Book Worms and is used to show the covers we are crazy about!

 Wander Dust
Michelle Warren
The Seraphina Parrish Trilogy # 1

What I love:

*I love that she is running.  I like seeing action on a cover.  I also love that her dress is flowing so perfectly and gracefully.  Her hair is beautiful as it is blowing back.  And her arms make it appear as though she's not really running from anything, she is just running because she can.
 
*The field is beautiful.  There is really nothing too it, and actually, on it's own it would be quite ugly.  So I guess the girl makes it quite beautiful.

 *I like seeing the city off in the distance.  It just adds a little something else to the cover.  The field she is in would be so much more peaceful than that city. 

*The sky is the perfect color for this cover.  It isn't a typical color you would see in the sky, but it does look a little stormy, so maybe with the right angle and surroundings you would see a color like this.
 
*I love the "dust" and bubbles.  I think it is all supposed to be dust, but a lot of it looks like bubbles.  Either way, I like it. 

REVIEW: A Beautiful Dark

A Beautiful Dark

Jocelyn Davies

Goodreads Description:

On the night of Skye’s seventeenth birthday, she meets two enigmatic strangers. Complete opposites—like fire and ice—Asher is dark and wild, while Devin is fair and aloof. Their sudden appearance sends Skye’s life into a tailspin. She has no idea what they want, or why they seem to follow her every move—only that their presence coincides with a flurry of strange events. Soon she begins to doubt not just the identity of the two boys, but also the truth about her own past.
In the dead of a bitingly cold Colorado winter, Skye finds herself coming to terms with the impossible secret that threatens to shatter her world. Torn between Asher, who she can’t help falling for, and Devin, who she can’t stay away from, the consequences of Skye’s choice will reach further than the three of them could ever imagine.

My thoughts:
I honestly wasn't too sure about this book when it started, but it didn't take me long at all to get hooked.  Skye is just a regular teenage girl, who happens to be an orphan living with her Aunt Jo.  She is a straight-A student, has great friends, and live is just going good.  Then she meets Asher and Devin, the mysterious cousins who cannot get along.  Skye is caught in a love triangle with two boys that seem to be complete opposites, although their intentions are the same.  Skye knows that there is something different about these boys.  They decide to reveal themselves to her and teach her about who she really is.  She does a lot of discovering and although the love triangle still exists, Skye begins backing away from the boys again.  Nobody is sure what Skye's capabilities are, not even Skye herself, so the boys begin testing her to find out.  By the end of the book, Skye is really coming to terms with who she is, what her parents were and why they died, and what the cousins' real intentions are for her.

I loved the characters of this book.  Many times I found myself angry at the cousins because they were acting like complete idiots, but by the end of the book, I could tell that everything was very well thought out and they had reasoning for just about everything they did.  Devin always follows the rules.  He doesn't do anything without being told by his "superiors" to do it.  Asher is a rule-breaker.  He is there for a purpose, but will do what he wants to get there.  Skye is discovering herself and this new world of hers throughout the whole book.  She figures things out very quickly, and probably learned about out more than the boys' intended her to know.  While learning about herself and this new world, she still doesn't let anyone control her or tell her what to do.  She is a strong person who in the end I think will do what she wants. 

This book had the perfect ending, one that really leaves you thinking and wanting to read the next book NOW!  I read somewhere that this is going to be a trilogy, but haven't seen or heard anything about when to expect the next book.  I am very much looking forward to reading the rest of this series.

My rating: ☺ ☺ ☺ ☺ ☺  

In My Mailbox (#35)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. These are the books I bought or received this week.

Small Town Sinners - Melissa Walker

The Midwife's Confession - Diane Chamberlain

Awake at Dawn - C.C. Hunter

What did you get in your mailbox?

On My Wishlist (#36)

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. 

 Dreamland
Alyson Noel
Riley Bloom #3

Goodreads Description:
Riley’s finding that the afterlife can be a lonely place when all you do is focus on work. So she goes to the place where dreams happen, hoping to find a way to contact her sister, Ever. She meets the director, who tells her about the two ways to send dreams. As a Dream Jumper, a person can jump into a dreamer’s dream, share a message, and participate. As a Dreamweaver, an entire dream can be created in a studio and sent to the dreamer. But Dreamweaving was outlawed decades ago, and the studio was boarded up. Thinking it’s her only way to reach out to her sister, Riley goes in search of the old studio. There she finds a ghost boy, who’s been creating and sending nightmares to people for years. In order to stop him and reach out to Ever, Riley is going to have to confront and overcome her own fears.

"Waiting On" Wednesday (#25)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine. Here is what I am waiting on:

You are My Only
Beth Kephart

Goodreads Description: Emmy Rane is married at nineteen , a mother by twenty. Trapped in a life with a husband she no longer loves, Baby is her only joy. Then one sunny day in September, Emmy takes a few fateful steps away from her baby and returns to find her missing. All that is left behind is a yellow sock. Fourteen years later, Sophie, a homeschooled, reclusive teenage girl is forced to move frequently and abruptly from place to place, perpetually running from what her mother calls the “No Good.” One afternoon, Sophie breaks the rules, ventures out, and meets Joey and his two aunts. It is this loving family that opens Sophie’s eyes, giving her the courage to look into her past. What she discovers changes her world forever…
The riveting stories of Emmy and Sophie—alternating narratives of loss, imprisonment, and freedom regained—escalate with breathless suspense toward an unforgettable climax.

What are you waiting on?

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.  This feature includes some sort of a top ten list, related to books.  This is my first time participating in this, and I am not sure if I will participate every week, but I liked the "Top Ten" for this week.

Top Ten Books I Feel as Though Everyone Has Read But Me

 

1. Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare - I actually got this as a RAK a couple of months ago.  I have every intention of reading it, but I keep getting more and more from the library and have to read those first!

2. Blood Bound by Rachel Vincent - I can't believe that I haven't read this yet!  I absolutely love Rachel Vincent! I do have this one from the library right now and I think I even have it in ebook too...so I will read it very soon!

3. Divergent by Veronica Roth - This is on my tbr list, but I can't even think of what this book is about right now.  This is probably going to be one of those books that is on my tbr list for quite a while, as I don't have plans of reading it anytime soon.

4. Matched by Ally Condie - I have this book from the library right now, and have 2 books to read before I get to this one.  I have this one in ebook also, but sometimes I just like the feel of the book.  This has been on my tbr list for a long time, but I will finally get to it!

5. Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini - I am not sure why I haven't read this one yet.  It is one of those books that draws me in from the cover, and the summary makes it even more amazing.

6. The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan - I won the second book in this series in a giveaway.  At the time, I didn't realize it was the second one.  So I will hang onto it until I get the first from the library or buy it.

7. Tithe by Holly Black - This hasn't been on my tbr list for too awful long...maybe a few months.  I have heard really good things about this series, just haven't gotten to it yet. 

8. The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau - This is another one that I am surprised I haven't read yet.  I probably won't start this series until I finish some other series I have been working on.

9. Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck - I stumbled upon an interview of this author on a blog one time.  I remember thinking she was someone I could really like.  She seemed so down to earth.  This book has been on my tbr list since before it came out.  I do have it in an ebook, but this is probably one that I will have to get from the library because the book is too beautiful to read it in ebook format. :)

10. Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick - I can't even think of what this book is about, but it is one that I have seen several times on other people's blogs.  I do have it on my tbr list, and I absolutely love the cover.

 

What books do you feel everyone has read but you?  Answer in the comments, I'm really curious!

REVIEW: Hereafter

Hereafter

Tara Hudson

Goodreads Description: 

Can there truly be love after death?
Drifting in the dark waters of a mysterious river, the only thing Amelia knows for sure is that she's dead. With no recollection of her past life—or her actual death—she's trapped alone in a nightmarish existence. All of this changes when she tries to rescue a boy, Joshua, from drowning in her river. As a ghost, she can do nothing but will him to live. Yet in an unforgettable moment of connection, she helps him survive.
Amelia and Joshua grow ever closer as they begin to uncover the strange circumstances of her death and the secrets of the dark river that held her captive for so long. But even while they struggle to keep their bond hidden from the living world, a frightening spirit named Eli is doing everything in his power to destroy their newfound happiness and drag Amelia back into the ghost world . . . forever.

My thoughts:
This book was really great.  I was hooked after the first few pages.  It was a really easy read and really kept me interested.  Amelia is a ghost.  All she knows is that her name is Amelia, she is dead, she's been lost for quite a while, and she drowned.  She keeps having these reoccuring nightmares, that aren't really nightmares because she doesn't/can't sleep.  However, she seems to be unconscious when these nightmares happen.  And when she wakes up, many times she is in the cemetery where she is buried.  She doesn't know that though, as she doesn't want to look at the headstones to see her name.  She is too scared to find out who she really is. 

That is, until she meets Joshua.  Joshua drove his car over the very bridge where Amelia drowned.  As Joshua's body was sinking deeper and deeper into the water, Amelia followed him as she was trying to figure out what she could do to save him.  Eventually, he wakes up and looks directly at her.  They meet again later, and Amelia realizes that he really can see her.  She thinks that it is because they have some sort of connection from his almost-drowning.  That is partly true.  Joshua is a Seer and that was his "awakening".  Amelia is initially scared to even talk to Joshua, but once she gets comfortable with him, she is afraid he will run away once he realizes she is dead.  When Amelia tells him, he doesn't really seem surprised.  He doesn't run away either.  He is actually quite interested and tries to help her figure out who she is and find her family.

While all of this is going on, Amelia meets Eli, another ghost.  She seems to know right off the bat that she shouldn't associate with him.  He seems a little off.  He tells Amelia that they are meant to be together and that he chose her.  Now Amelia must figure out what to do as she loves someone else.

I loved the characters in this story.  Amelia is sweet and innocent.  She is too scared to know who she really is.  She is a great friend to Joshua, and I loved it when she even went to class with him.    Amelia knows right from wrong and wants to save the trapped souls.  She also offers up her own "life" for another life. 

Joshua is very sweet too, and openminded!  He didn't run when he found out that Amelia was dead.  He didn't even call her crazy.  He listened to what she had to say and was actually ok with it all.  He invited her to school with him, and even sat in his car to talk to her while looking crazy to everyone around him.

Eli is a jerk, but I think he is that way because he is so upset with the way he died.  It was his own fault and he had a huge life ahead of him.  So I think he wanted to take that out on the other ghosts.  He doesn't care how others feel and completely puts Amelia down.  He really doesn't believe in her power, even as he is watching it.  He doesn't believe that she can win.

I really really enjoyed this book.  The whole story is just great, and the detail is amazing.  I couldn't put this one down.

My rating:☺ ☺ ☺ ☺ ☺ 

Cover Crazy: Shattered Souls

This weekly meme is hosted by The Book Worms and is used to show the covers we are crazy about!

Shattered Souls
Mary Lindsey

What I love:
*I love that the girl is literally shattered.  It's very beautiful.  Her pieces are like rose petals though.  So maybe she has a beautiful shattered soul?

*The colors are gorgeous.  The background is very plain, but her dress is a beautiful maroon.

*I love the way she is laying there....actually, it is more as if she is floating or levitating as a spirit or soul might do.

*I love the font.  It fits perfectly with the cover and the title.  The letters are shattered pieces put back together. 

100 Follower Giveaway!!!

<a href="http://annabellsbooknook.blogspot.com/2011/09/100-follower-giveaway.html" target="_blank"><img alt="Annabell's Book Nook" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7XPLPGMxNzo/TnZ0scMcVEI/AAAAAAAAAhc/4FDjydQJrjs/s1600/Untitled1.jpg"/></a>

I finally get to do another giveaway!  And since I am now officially at 100 followers, I thought I would make it an official "100 Follower Giveaway".  I will be giving away....

Between by Jessica Warman

Contest Rules:

* You must be 13 or older.

* You must live in the U.S.

* You must be a follower.

* Giveaway ends October 8.

Enter Giveaway HERE.

REVIEW: Overbite

Overbite

Meg Cabot

Goodreads Description:

Meena Harper has a special gift, but it's only now that anyone's ever appreciated it. The Palatine Guard — a powerful secret demon-hunting unit of the Vatican — has hired her to work at their new branch in Lower Manhattan. With Meena's ability to predict how everyone she meets will die, the Palatine finally has a chance against the undead.

Sure, her ex-boyfriend was Lucien Antonescu, son of Dracula, the prince of darkness. But that was before he (and their relationship) went up in flames. Now Meena's sworn off vampires for good ... at least until she can prove her theory that just because they've lost their souls doesn't mean demons have lost the ability to love.

Meena knows convincing her co-workers — including her partner, über-demon-hunter Alaric Wulf — that vampires can be redeemed won't be easy ... especially when a deadly new threat seems to be endangering not just lives of the Palatine, but Meena's friends and family as well.

But Meena isn't the Palatine's only hope. Father Henrique — aka Padre Caliente — New York City's youngest, most charming priest, has also been assigned to the case.  So why doesn't Meena — or Alaric — trust him?  As she begins unraveling the truth, Meena finds her loyalties tested, her true feelings laid bare ... and temptations she never even imagined existed, but finds impossible to resist.  This time, Meena may finally have bitten off more than she can chew.

My thoughts:

This book was a little hard to get into at first.  Even when I did get into it, it wasn't one of those books that keeps me hooked so much that I can't put it down.  It was pretty good, but nothing to be overly excited about.

One thing I did really like was the setting, which was for the most part the same as in book one, Insatiable.  However, we learned a lot more about the setting.  We learned about the Minetta Stream that exists underground.  It hadn't always been underground.  Because of the number of children who drowned in this stream, the town began building over the stream.  Manette means Devil's Water.  This stream plays a big part in this story.  What I love the most about it is that it is a real stream!  At the end of the story, Meg tells us about the real stream, which really has been built over. 

The characters were very plain.  Meena didn't take any risks, develop any new relationships, or even really take control of any situations going on in her life.  Everything was going on around her and it seemed like she never really reacted.  There was always someone else there to take care of the problem.  I liked that she believed that their was some good in everyone, even vampires.  She even still believed that Lucien, the prince of darkness, still maybe had part of his soul left in him.  Lucien was changing quite a bit, but it never really got into why he was changing or exactly what was happening to him.  His character seemed quite a bit different than in the first book.  However, he was still protective of Meena and ensured her safety, even if she didn't realize it.

The other characters, such as Jon and Alaric, were kind of the same.  They were really quite boring to read about.  I did like Alaric in the end, but there was nothing building him up along the way.  I think that the foundation was there for all of these characters, but more needed to be built upon them.  I like to feel some sort of a connection, or be able to relate to characters...and I felt nothing with these characters.

I really do like the overall story.  And I don't think this book could have ended in a better way.  I just hope that Meg isn't planning another book in this series.  It just wouldn't make sense to add any more. 

My rating:☺ ☺ ☺

In My Mailbox (#34)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. These are the books I bought or received this week.

Between - Jessica Warman

No One You Know - Michelle Richmond

Bloodlines - Richelle Mead

Where the Heart Cries - Cindy Woodsmall

Circle of Fire - Michelle Zink

I am so excited for all of these books!  What did you get in your mailbox?

On My Wishlist (#35)

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.

Wildflower Hill
Kimberley Freeman

Goodreads Description:
Emma, a prima ballerina in London, is at a crossroads after an injured knee ruins her career. Forced to rest and take stock of her life, she finds that she’s mistaken fame and achievement for love and fulfillment. Returning home to Australia, she learns of her grandmother Beattie’s death and a strange inheritance: a sheep station in isolated rural Australia. Certain she has been saddled with an irritating burden, Emma prepares to leave for Wildflower Hill to sell the estate.
Beattie also found herself at a crossroads as a young woman, but she was pregnant and unwed. She eventually found success—but only after following an unconventional path that was often dangerous and heartbreaking. Beattie knew the lessons she learned in life would be important to Emma one day, and she wanted to make sure Emma’s heart remained open to love, no matter what life brought. She knew the magic of the Australian wilderness would show Emma the way.
Wildflower Hill is a compelling, atmospheric, and romantic novel about taking risks, starting again, and believing in yourself. It’s about finding out what you really want and discovering that the answer might be not at all what you’d expect.

"Waiting On" Wednesday (#24)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine. Here is what I am waiting on:

Crave
Melissa Darnell
The Clann # 1

Goodreads Description:
Savannah Colbert has been shunned all her life by the kids of the Clann. And when she undergoes some drastic changes after a strange illness, Savannah learns secrets about the group and about herself—dangerous secrets. For the Clann are powerful magic users, and Savannah herself is half Clann and half vampire—a forbidden, unheard of combination. Falling for Clann golden boy Tristan Coleman isn't just a bad idea—it could be deadly if anyone finds out. But her attraction to Tristan—and his to her—isn't something either of them can resist for long.

What are you "Waiting On"?

REVIEW: Always a Witch

Always a Witch

Carolyn MacCullough

Witch # 2

Goodreads Description: The adventures of Tam and Gabriel continue with more time travel, Talents, spy work, and of course, the evil Knights.  Since the gripping conclusion of Once A Witch, Tamsin Greene has been haunted by her grandmother's prophecy that she will soon be forced to make a crucial decision—one so terrible that it could harm her family forever. When she discovers that her enemy, Alistair Knight, went back in time to Victorian-era New York in order to destroy her family, Tamsin is forced to follow him into the past. Stranded all alone in the nineteenth century, Tamsin soon finds herself disguised as a lady's maid in the terrifying mansion of the evil Knight family, avoiding the watchful eye of the vicious matron, La Spider, and fending off the advances of Liam Knight. As time runs out, both families square off in a thrilling display of magic. And to her horror, Tamsin finally understands the nature of her fateful choice.

My thoughts:
I absolutely loved this book!  When I finally had time to read it, I couldn't put it down!  In the end, this book is all about what you would do for family I think.  The whole story is about two families...the Knights and the Greenes.  Back in the 1800s, both families had powers.  The Knights were using it for evil, so the Greenes decided to put a stop to it and took their powers away.  In the present day, Alistair Knight decides to go back in time, to before the Greenes took the Knights power away, and change it so that the Knights never lost their power.  Eventually, the Greenes would have been destroyed if that happened.  So Tamsin goes back in time to fight Alistair and make sure her family is safe.

I just love the time changing stuff!  It really makes me think.  I love a book that makes me keep thinking about it long after I have finished reading it. 

I love the characters.  Tamsin is strong, independent, smart, and in the end, is willing to change her own life to save her family.  She seems to really understand what is going on with her family, after being shut out of it all for so long.  She is always thinking everything out and putting others first, especially Gabriel.  Tamsin knew that if she had Gabriel help her time-travel, he may get hurt, but she also knew that without him, she may not be able to come back.  She put his safety first.  Gabriel cares about Tamsin as well though, which I love about him.  When he found out that she went back in time, he went back to find her and help her.  He wasn't going to just wait around and see if she comes back.  He even found exactly where she was and put himself in danger just to help her.

This was really just a great book.  It was written really well.  I can tell that the author put a lot of thought into it.  There were several times when I thought I knew what was going to happen, just because it seemed as though there was an easy "route" to take the book.  But I was wrong every single time!  This author decided to take a chance and make it a little more complicated, which is what made it such an awesome story.

My rating:☺ ☺ ☺ ☺ ☺

Cover Crazy: Hunting Lila

This weekly meme is hosted by The Book Worms and is used to show the covers we are crazy about!

 Hunting Lila
Sarah Alderson
Lila #1


What I love:
*I love that the cover is showing action.  She has the door wide open and is running away from something.

*I love the bright red shoes.  It really pops out from the cover.  I like that they don't match her dress either.  Some people can make that style work, but I am not one of them.

*I love the angle.  I like that the cover isn't showing her whole body.  I feel like there is more mystery in this cover by not showing who this girl actually is.

*The font is quite interesting.  I haven't seen this on any other cover, but I really like it.  It kind of reminds me of the font used on old murder case shows because it's almost a typewritten font.

In My Mailbox (#33)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. These are the books I bought or received this week.

I actually won a giveaway!  I got 3 awesome books this past week from All-Consuming Books.  I am so excited to read them!

Elixir - Hilary Duff

White Cat - Holly Black

If I Die - Rachel Vincent

These ones I got here and there.

Love Finds a Home - Wanda E. Brunstetter

Never Let Me Go - Kauzo Ishiguro

The Sheriff's Surrender - Susan Page Davis

Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden

Top 8 - Katie Finn

I am a little unsure about Memoirs of a Geisha as it is not something I would typically read.  If you have read it, let me know how it was!

Also, what is in your mailbox? :)



On My Wishlist (#34)

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. 

 The Other Life
Susanne Winnacker


Goodreads Description:
Sherry and her family have lived sealed in a bunker in the garden since things went wrong up above. Her grandfather has been in the freezer for the last three months, her parents are at each other’s throats and two minutes ago they ran out of food.

Sherry and her father leave the safety of the bunker and find a devastated and empty LA, smashed to pieces by bombs and haunted by ‘Weepers’ - rabid humans infected with a weaponized rabies virus.

While searching for food in a supermarket, Sherry’s father disappears and Sherry is saved by Joshua, a boy-hunter. He takes her to Safe-haven, a tumble-down vineyard in the hills outside LA, where a handful of other survivors are picking up the pieces of their ‘other lives’. As she falls in love for the first time, Sherry must save her father, stay alive and keep Joshua safe when his desire for vengeance threatens them all. 

"Waiting On" Wednesday (#23)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine. Here is what I am waiting on:

 Destined
Jessie Harrell

Goodreads Description:
When Psyche receives a prophecy gone horribly wrong, she learns that even the most beautiful girl in Greece can have a hideous future. Her fate? Fall in love with the one creature even the gods fear.

As she feels herself slipping closer into the arms of the prophecy, Psyche must choose between the terrifyingly tender touch she feels almost powerless to resist and the one constant she's come to expect out of life: you cannot escape what is destined.

Destined is a fresh and heartachingly romantic retelling of the Cupid & Psyche myth from debut novelist, Jessie Harrell.