Back to the Books Blog Hop!

 

Welcome to our stop on the hop!!! We are so excited, so we will get right down to it.

On this stop we are giving away a HarperCollins prize pack filled with hot new books released by HarperTeen this summer!!

 

One lucky winner will get all four of these books...

 

All you have to do to enter is fill out the Rafflecopter form below, and be a follower of this blog on GFC, or Twitter.

Easy Peasy and open Internationally!!

 

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Now check out the rest of the stops on the hop!

Over You by Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus

Over You
By Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus
Published August 21st 2012 by HarperTeen
Pick up your copy at Amazon, B&N, or your local indie today!
Synopsis borrowed from Goodreads:

After the grand explosion of her relationship, seventeen-year-old Max Scott developed what every girl in the history of the world has been waiting for: a way to get over being dumped. Now Max is the go-to guru for heartbroken high-school girls all over NYC. But when her ex unexpectedly shows up in her neighborhood, Max’s carefully controlled world starts to unravel. With her clients’ hearts hanging in the balance, Max will have to do the seemingly impossible: get over him once and for all.

Brilliant at bringing humor to the trials and tribulations of the lovestruck, #1 New York Times bestselling authors Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus have crafted a tale that will resonate with any girl who has ever been in love or had her heart broken. It brims with smart observations, features a pitch-perfect teen voice, and will attract fans of Jenny Han, Sarah Mlynowski, and Lauren Barnholdt. Readers are sure to fall head-over-heels for this sharp spin on breaking up, making up, and getting even.

Darkfallen's thoughts:

Over You isn't exactly what I thought it was going to be. Still is was a cute, light read.

We meet Max, a girl that has had her heart broken. Like most teenagers she didn't handle it so well. In fact you might say that she went a little crazy. That's when it hits her...there has to be a way to deal with a break up to make the guy realize his mistake, right? One thing leads to another and Ex. Inc. is born. Now with Max on a mission to make all guys swallow their own foot and every broken hearted girl over it she thinks she has it all figured out. That is until it's her foot that she is left choking on.

This reads like Gossip Girl is narrating it. This is the part that surprised me. The way it's written, in third person narrative, leaves it a little jumbled and hard to read at times. The flow is just off in places. This just made it not as enjoyable for me. Still I was stuck needing to know how it was going to end which pushed me to keep reading. This story just has a way of sucking you in. And I'm pretty sure that reason is a boy named Ben. I loved him and couldn't get enough of him. He was just so sweet and funny, with his heart on his sleeve. I also loved the comedy in this book. It had me laughing out loud over and over again.

Overall I think this could have been written in a way that was easier to read but still it's a cute, quick, sweet, beach read that I would recommend to anyone whose a fan of contemporary ya.

Lymi...





12 Rounds (Knockout Series) Blog Tour!

Today we sit down with author, Lauren Hammond, as we learn a little something about her latest character from her new book 12 Rounds!

 

First just let me say that Sean is super crazy, 1000 watt HOT! And since he likes to keep his body in shape I thought it would be nice to know what songs he likes to listen to while training for a fight. I mean, come on, don't you want to know what is blasting on that iPod while he is getting all sweaty and worked up?! Preferably without  a shirt on?! All tight abs, bulging muscles, and tattoos....*swwoooonnnn*

 

But before I start drooling on myself here, guess what else you get today? One lucky winner will get a paperback copy of 12 Rounds and get to spend a little more time getting to know the sexy Sean O'Riley!!!!

 

But first let me tell you what the book is about:





12 Rounds (Knockout Series #1)
By Lauren Hammond
Published July 31st 2012 by S.B. Addison Books
Pick up your own copy today at Amazon or B&N!
Synopsis borrowed from Goodreads:
Sean (Right-Hook) Reilly knows a few things about himself. One, he's the middle-weight boxing champion of the world with an undefeated record. Two, women find his cocky persona, chiseled biceps, and inked body sexy. Also, the fact that it's known that he doesn't do relationships only adds to his sex appeal. And three, he's Irish, proud of it, and a member of the Braithreachas Don Saol, a branch of the Irish mafia and king pins of the drug cartel taking over the streets of Cleveland.

Connor Doyle(aka Connie) the boss and leader of the Braithreachas Don Saol, has been like a father to Sean, taking him under his wing and teaching him how to survive on the streets after the death of his parents. Sean has never been ungrateful, but has always wanted one thing...

More. More to live for. More to fight for. More to believe in. A chance at a future without drugs or guns. A chance at a future without wondering which day will be his last.

There's only one problem with that. You live by the braithreachas. You die by the braithreachas. And Sean knows whether Connie considers him to be family or not, the only way he'll be leaving the braithreachas is in a body bag.

Hadlee Flax has had a year to overcome her issues. After almost being raped and brutalized, she's putting her best foot forward, seeing a therapist, and has even(with some persuasion from her best friend, Lara) enrolled in self defense classes. And she's doing well moving on with her life until she meets the dark, and conflicted Irish boxing champion of the world, Sean Reilly.

Hadlee is immediately drawn to the gorgeous, cold, and mysterious man who speaks with a slight Irish brogue. She soon learns that there is much more to him than his darkened gaze, cool demeanor, and body covered in tattoos. He's not the type of man she thought he was. And Hadlee finds herself doing something she never thought she would do in the last year...

Falling for a guy.

Falling for Sean Reilly. A man who is on the path to becoming a boxing legend.

One thing Hadlee doesn't know is the other part of Seans' life. His life of drug running, and killing. Or the fact that when he's not boxing he's walking the streets with a gat tucked into the back of his loose jeans, and glancing over his shoulder at every turn.

But it doesn't take Hadlee long to learn that some attractions and relationships can be fatal.

And sometimes...

They just might be worth fighting for.

And now here's Lauren to tell us the top five songs on Sean's workout playlist:

 

Thanks so much for having me on the blog today!

As for what Sean works out to…

These would without a doubt be his top five picks!

1.    Stricken – Disturbed

2.    Dear God – Avenged Sevenfold

3.    Invincible – MGK

4.    The Fighter – Gym Class Heroes(feat Ryan Tedder)

5.    One Last Breath – Creed

 

Thanks again so much for having me!

If you guys get a chance be sure to check out 12 Rounds, the first book in The Knockout Series!

 

To enter to win a paperback copy of the book simply fill out the Rafflecopter form below!

This giveaway is open internationally!!

 

 



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About the Lauren:

It all began with a dinosaur, a T-Rex to be exact. He was the main character in my very first short story. Me and T, well, we went places. He is the reason I won my first essay contest at age ten. And he is probably one of the number one reasons, I pursued a career in writing.

Throughout highschool, I was what you would call a rebel. Someone who had convinced herself that she had life figured out at age sixteen. Still, writing was my only safe-haven during that time. I wrote notebooks full of poetry, even writing fellow classmates papers for them.

Unbeknowest to me, creative writing, seemed to be my one, true calling, my passion in life.

At age twenty, I began writing my first novel. After that, everything seemed to fall into place.

I won Best Poets and Poems of 2007, and The Editor's Choice award for my poem, Summer Days.

Also, during that time I wrote or co-wrote fifteen different screenplays, some which earned me finalist spot in various screenplay competitions.

In 2010, I've come full force, with my novel Love Sucks, that was released by Punkin House Press, in August of 2010. On top of Love Sucks, I have six novels that are slated to be released through the next five years. Also, doing some various marketing work for authors and publishers.

I pride myself in telling fellow writers to always follow their dreams. Who knows where I would be if I would have given up.

 

You can catch up with Lauren and all her other books on her website here!

 

Lymi...

 

 

 

 

WoW: Fathomless

Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we just can't wait to get our sticky fingers on.

Title: Fathomless
Series: Fairytale Retellings #3
Author: Jackson Pearce 
Release Date: September 4, 2012
Synopsis from Goodreads


Celia Reynolds is the youngest in a set of triplets and the one with the least valuable power. Anne can see the future, and Jane can see the present, but all Celia can see is the past. And the past seems so insignificant -- until Celia meets Lo.

Lo doesn't know who she is. Or who she was. Once a human, she is now almost entirely a creature of the sea -- a nymph, an ocean girl, a mermaid -- all terms too pretty for the soulless monster she knows she's becoming. Lo clings to shreds of her former self, fighting to remember her past, even as she's tempted to embrace her dark immortality.

When a handsome boy named Jude falls off a pier and into the ocean, Celia and Lo work together to rescue him from the waves. The two form a friendship, but soon they find themselves competing for Jude's affection. Lo wants more than that, though. According to the ocean girls, there's only one way for Lo to earn back her humanity. She must persuade a mortal to love her . . . and steal his soul.


We here at Paranormal Wastelands have a weird hankering to listen to C-Lo sing "Hey Jude" just from reading that description. Anyone else? Oh well, might just be us. Anyways, we loved the past two books and can't wait for this one.

 Must have NOWS! 

We needs it!! 

We wants it!! 

We can't lives without it!! 

Now that you've heard what our CAN'T WAIT book is... What's yours? Drop us a comment so we can find out what has you on pins and needles.

Teaser Tuesday/Giveaway: Don't Turn Around

Welcome to Teaser Tuesday!

This meme is sponsored by MizB over at Should Be Reading.

(wanna learn more about how you too can join in and play along? click here)


This weeks teaser is from....

 

"The only exception she ever made was for the jade bracelet. Not that is had been fancy or exspensive or anything; it was just a narrow sliver of jade, plain and undecorated, a child's bracelet that now barely fit her wrist. But it was the sole thing left over from her previous life, the last remaining tie to her parents."

page 64 (ARC addition)

 

This book is chalked full of action and nail biting suspence! And to celebrate it's release this week TWO lucky winners will get their own  paperback copy of the book!

 

All you have to do to enter is fill out the Rafflecopter form below. This giveaway is open Internationally!

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

Now c'mon...Tease me!!

A Hunger Like No Other - Audible Review

Title: A Hunger Like No Other 

Series: Immortals After Dark

Author: Kresley Cole

Narrator: Robert Petkoff 

Published: 2006

Synopsis from Goodreads

Acclaimed author Kresley Cole introduces a sizzling new series with this tale of a fierce werewolf and a bewitching vampire -- unlikely soul mates whose passion will test the boundaries of life and death.

A mythic warrior who'll stop at nothing to possess her . . .

After enduring years of torture from the vampire horde, Lachlain MacRieve, leader of the Lykae Clan, is enraged to find the predestined mate he's waited millennia for is a vampire. Or partly one. This Emmaline is a small, ethereal half Valkyrie/half vampire, who somehow begins to soothe the fury burning within him.

A vampire captured by her wildest fantasy . . .

Sheltered Emmaline Troy finally sets out to uncover the truth about her deceased parents -- until a powerful Lykae claims her as his mate and forces her back to his ancestral Scottish castle. There, her fear of the Lykae -- and their notorious dark desires -- ebbs as he begins a slow, wicked seduction to sate her own dark cravings. 

An all-consuming desire . . .

Yet when an ancient evil from her past resurfaces, will their desire deepen into a love that can bring a proud warrior to his knees and turn a gentle beauty into the fighter she was born to be?

Today is my 34th birthday and because of that I am going to review one of my most favorite books.... but this time... in audioform!  So, reader beware! There will be spoilers.

This review is for the audible version

Wow! Never in my life have I ever had the patience to sit through an audiobook. I don't know why. Probably because of my attentionspan... or lack there of.

Ever since Little Dude (My turtle) entered my life I have been HUNGERING for something to do while he walks through the yard. I mean... it's not like I can read a book. If I took my eyes of Little Dude (he's smaller than a silver dollar) then there's no telling where he might wind up at.

Then one day my friend told me that I should try an audiobook. I told her there wasn't any way that I could do it... but what was the harm?

I started listening to HUNGER and zomg was I hooked! I loved it! I loved the dude that told the story (even if he made Nix sound ALL ALL WRONG!). And it was so cool to listen to one of my favorite stories acted out. I couldn't wait to listen to it every day.

I then discovered I could do simple knitting and clean the house while listening to an audiobook. This just gave me a thrill. I can read while working?!! Hurrah!!

I also seemed to pay more attention with the audiobook. I started thinking about Christoph, Emma, and Lothaire's bloodline. I also started wondering where Heath was. I mean... he has to get a story. These are things I did not think about after so many paperback re-reads. 

All in all... if you are wanting to try out audiobooks then might I suggest starting with one you have read a jillion times. YOu might just find out that you are more focused than you thought you were :)

Noah's Knits: Create the Story of Noah's Ark with 16 Knitted Projects

Title: Noah's Knits: Create the Story of Noah's Ark with 16 Knitted Projects

Author:  Fiona Goble
Published: March 2012
Synopsis from Goodreads 

From the author of the sensational Knit Your Own Royal Wedding and Knitivity, Noah's Knits lets you bring to life the story of Noah's ark. Included are instructions for creating cute and cuddly knitted dolls of Noah, his wife, and 15 pairs of adorable animals, all of which fit inside the book's cardboard fold-out ark.The patterns vary in complexity, so crafters can work at their own paces, advancing from simple to more challenging projects as they watch this beloved Bible story unfold through the gorgeously illustrated and photographed pages of the book. The dolls are also perfect accessories for a Noah's Ark nursery theme!

 It all started with me wanting to find a pattern of a turtle. This is one of the best animal knitting books that I have ever worked with. Super simple! If you can increase and decrease plus cast on during a knit then you can make these creatures! And the best part? It's all done on straight needles!

I for one am not good with dpns. My tension is always way too tight and I tend to get frustrated. This book is perfect for knitters who love to knit flat. This is also great for a moderate beginner.

The animals in this book are super cute! And I love how there are girl and boy directions. And how every girl animal gets eyelashes. You even make Noah and his wife! And there's an Ark cardboard cut-out in the back of the book. Sadly, I couldn't put it together because this is a library book.

 Recently, I made the turtle and the goat. The only changes that I did was that I used US 4 needles (because let's face it... US 2 is just too cumbersome) and instead of making french knots for eyes - I sewed on buttons and superglued googly eyes. I love this effect.

I plan on making the pig later today. These are great patterns and only take a couple hours to knit up. The animals are hand size and perfect for any kid who loves to play with stuffies.

Great book!

Alice and Greta: A Tale of Two Witches

Title: Alice and Greta: A Tale of Two Witches 

Author: Steven J. Simmons

Illustrator: Cyd Moore 

Published: 1999

Synopsis from Goodreads

Alice spends her time casting helpful spells but Greta loves to wreak havoc until a spirited spell comes back to haunt her.

Alice is a cute bubbly fun witch. She dances in flowers and has a happy kitty and a happy bat and everything around her is just so super happy!


Greta is a misunderstood witch who likes to pull practical jokes and turn prince frogs into evil toads and rain marshmallow fluff down on sticky children to make them stand still.


I honestly don't see why everone is so mad at Greta. I mean... didn't anyone get the memo? All Gretas are fabulous!!


But, the writer of this book has a different view. He created a Greta who is the villain. And while a villainous Greta can be a fabulous Greta, I guess the children this book is read to will root for Alice.


Bahs!!


LOLZ!!


Greta's (the bad witch) Thoughts
This book was super cute! A nice picture book that would be perfect when learning the Golden Rule, 

or Read around Halloween,

or even at a girl's slumber party.


I can just imagine a little girl falling in love with this!


While "Greta and Alice" is boy friendly, it does revolve around two girls. So, I think girls would like it more.


The illustrations are very colorful and have a lot going on. I enjoyed looking at everything in each picture. Super cute and kawaii!!


I wish this was out when I was a kid. I would have squeed at it every time it was read to me!!

Wrong Bed, Right Guy by Katee Robert: Review

Wrong Bed, Right Guy
By Katee Robert
Published July 20th 2012 by Entangled Publishing
Pick up your copy at Amazon, B&N, or your local indie today!
Synopsis borrowed from Goodreads:

Seducing Mr. Wrong has never felt so right...

Prim and proper art gallery coordinator Elle Walser is no good at seducing men. Heck, she’s been throwing hints at her boss for months, but he’s completely clueless. Desperate to escape her mother’s matchmaking efforts, she comes up with a plan—buy some lingerie and climb into her boss’s bed. The plan goes brilliantly…until she accidentally seduces a sexy stranger instead.

Bad boy nightclub mogul Gabe Schultz just had the best almost-sex of his life. Too bad the smoking hot blonde thought he was his brother and bolted before he could finish what they started. Though her holier-than-thou attitude puts a serious damper on his mood, Gabe’s never been one to give up on something he wants. And he wants Elle. But does a man who lives on the dark side really have a chance with a proper lady?

Darkfallen's thoughts:

 

Katee Robert hits it out of the park with Wrong Bed, Right Guy! There's just no other way to put it. This book is sexy, hot, passionate, and flawlessly written.

We meet Elle who is your normal straight laced girl. She keeps her house spotless, works in a art gallery, and is looking for Mr. Straight-laced to settle down with. To most people she appears to have a stick up her ass, and heavy on the snobby side, but the truth is she's been hurt by the bad boy type and she is trying to protect her heart. That's why her boss, Nathan, looks to be Mr. Perfect. He owns his own art gallery. He seems on the straight and arrow. He is the type of man you take home to meet the parents. Only things take a drastic turn when her plans to seduce him wind up with her in bed with his brother, Gabe. Gabe being the epitome of bad boys, and the opposite of Nathan, is pleasantly surprised to have this girl in his bed. What neither of them realized is that it's the start to something more. After all...opposites attract!

My heart pulled for Elle. Even though she comes off as a frigid, stuck up chick I couldn't help but like her and root for her and Gabe from the very beginning. They are just perfect together. Even when they are arguing, which they are most of the time. Not to mention that Gabe, with all his tattoos, is super scorching hot! Like For The Love Of Hustler HOT! LOL

Overall Katee Robert has proved that she can, hands down, right a sexy bad boy that you'll never be able to get enough of. I devoured each and every page!

Lymi...

 







Beautiful Lies by Jessica Warman: Review

Beautiful Lies
By Jessica Warman
Published August 21st 2012 by Bloomsbury Press
Pick up your copy today at Amazon, B&N, or your local indie!
Synopsis borrowed from Goodreads:

A shocking, ambitious mystery full of twists and turns from the globally embraced author of Between.

Rachel and Alice are an extremely rare kind of identical twins—so identical that even their aunt and uncle, whom they've lived with since their parents passed away, can't tell them apart. But the sisters are connected in a way that goes well beyond their surfaces: when one experiences pain, the other exhibits the exact same signs of distress. So when one twin mysteriously disappears, the other immediately knows something is wrong-especially when she starts experiencing serious physical traumas, despite the fact that nobody has touched her. As the search commences to find her sister, the twin left behind must rely on their intense bond to uncover the truth. But is there anyone around her she can trust, when everyone could be a suspect? And ultimately, can she even trust herself?

Master storyteller Jessica Warman will keep readers guessing when everything they see-and everything they are told-suddenly becomes unreliable in this page-turning literary thriller.

Darkfallen's thoughts:

I have to say that the synopsis of this book reeled me in right away. I was so super excited to get my hands on an ARC of this book, and couldn't wait to start reading. After I started reading it though my enthusiasm waned a bit.

You start off meeting twins Alice and Rachel. And like most twins they are very different from each other except for their looks. Alice is the artistic trouble making, while Rachel is the rational book smart girl. So when Alice goes missing after a carnival it comes as no surprise to their aunt and uncle, but Rachel is panicking. She knows something is different this time, because Rachel has a secret. Can Rachel keep her secrets and find her sister? Or will holding on to all these lies be the death of her?

I will say that has the story unfolds I felt sorry for Alice more and more. All the secrets and lies that everyone was keeping from her, and the way she found them out, broke my heart. It did take a long while to get into this story though. I blame that on the writing style. This book is loaded with so many run on sentences that it's hard to read. In spots it even makes it boring, when in fact there isn't anything boring about this story. I think breaking up all the run on sentences could really make this story more enjoyable. Still I loved Alice and there is a twist at the end that brought tears to my eyes, and completely shocked me. It also made me a little mad that it didn't end the way I was hoping it would.

Overall this was a good story that makes you think. You can't help but try to figure out what is going on and the suspense is never ending.

Lymi...









The Fire Of Dawn by V.V. Aku: Review

The Fire Of Dawn
By V.V. Aku
Published April 12th 2012
Pick up your copy at Amazon, Smashwords, or Create Space today!
Synopsis borrowed from Goodreads:

It’s the last day of the summer holiday in The Hague when Leah Koopmans’s carefree life as a teen is brutally flipped upside down. Her pale skin turns a dazzling gold, her senses heighten, and her muscles possess an uncanny strength. But with these exhilarating new powers comes a thirst that can only be quenched by one thing: human blood.

While her body craves for fresh victims and her heart drowns in guilt, she meets inhumanly handsome Max Machiavelli, who claims that Leah is an immortal like him. Infatuation ignites into blistering passion when Leah joins his coven in Amsterdam. But as the mysteries shrouding her sudden change to immortality unravel, she quickly learns that her aversion to taking life isn’t the only thing that sets her apart from this group of herculean strangers.

From the picturesque canals of Amsterdam to Corsica’s limestone cliffs and the untamed Siberian wilderness; from first loves to fierce battles, The Fire of Dawn is an extraordinary tale packed with romance, betrayal, and bloodsucking suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat till the very last page.

Darkfallen's thoughts:

I just want to start by saying that this is more like 3.5 stars.

Leah has always thought she was just a normal girl. That is until her 18th birthday when everything changes without warning. One minute she is out partying with her friends and the next she's running away from the club that is now on fire. She doesn't know how she did it, but she knows that she is to blame. Not knowing what is going on with her, but she knows she can't go home, she runs into a group of people that tell her that they know who she is. Turning to them for help it isn't long before she is immersed in a new world of immortals that she never knew existed.

I really enjoyed Leah and the gang of immortals. I liked how they are basically a take on the vampire lore yet their very existence proves that vampires aren't real. Still I consider them vampires. lol And while they may be the beautiful, and slightly sparkly type, they are definitely not the passive "nice" vampires that seem to have taken over today's PNR. No they are vicious and have no remorse for what they are, and who they eat. It was refreshing to read about vampires that are actually acting like vampires. They hunt, they feed, and they have no problem admitting that humans are simply breakfast.

The only reason why this didn't get 5 stars from me is because it could use some editing, and I had a hard time with how fast the love relationship between Max and Leah happened. It happened so fast it wasn't really believable at first, but by the end you learn why that is and it makes it a bit easier. When it comes to editing, along with your basic typo errors, there are lots of times when the story was over-explained using run on sentences stuffed with descriptive words. While you need some, to many describing words in a row just tends to leave the reader lost in the explanation. I think it could have been thinned out a bit and it would have made it easier to flow with.

Overall this was a great read about vampires in their true nature with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing!

Lymi...





WoW: Starling (Starling #1)

Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we just can't wait to get our sticky fingers on.

Title: Starling
Author: Lesley Livingston
Release Date: August 28, 2012
Synopsis from Goodreads

"Love is just the beginning... of the end."

Mason Starling is a champion fencer for Gosforth Academy, but she’s never had to fight for her life. Until now. When a ferocious storm rips through Manhattan and unleashes terrifying creatures onto Gosforth’s campus, Mason barely escapes alive. Without help from the mysterious stranger who appeared in the midst of the storm, she might not have made it at all. But now, in the aftermath, Mason’s life begins to spin dramatically, mystically out of control, and the only one who seems able to help her is the stranger who can remember nothing but his name: Fennrys Wolf.

As Mason and Fenn uncover more about Fenn’s past and the strange events that surround them, they realize that Mason’s family — and its dark allegiance to the ancient Norse gods — is at the center of everything. A predetermined fate seems to be closing in on Mason, but is it possible to change one’s destiny?

Readers who fell in love with Lesley Livingston’s Wondrous Strange trilogy and those who love Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments series will be captivated by the sweeping romance and pulse-pounding action of Starling.


We here at Paranormal Wastelands are super stoked about any book that mentions Norse Gods. Because that means if it were ever to be made a movie, and Thor is included, Chis Hemsworth gets to be in it!!

Hammer!!!

 Must have NOWS! 

We needs it!! 

We wants it!! 

We can't lives without it!! 


*call us Chris!!

Now that you've heard what our CAN'T WAIT book is... What's yours? Drop us a comment so we can find out what has you on pins and needles.

Two Or Three Things I Forgot To Tell You by Joyce Carol Oates

Two Or Three Things I Forgot To Tell You
Joyce Carol Oates
Published August 21st 2012 by Harper Collins
Pick up your copy at Amazon, B&N, or your local indie!
Synopsis borrowed from Goodreads:

Joyce Carol Oates masterfully captures the unique experience of being a teenage girl in this provocative and poignant new novel in the vein of Wintergirls and Thirteen Reasons Why.

It wasn't like she had not warned us.

It wasn't like she had not prepared us.

We'd known that something was wrong those last several months.

But then, Tink hasn't actually vanished. Tink is gone, and yet—she is here somewhere, even if we can't see her.

Tink? Are you—here?

Darkfallen's thoughts:

Okay so I am really disappointed. Maybe it's because I was so SUPER excited to read this, that the let down is hitting even harder, but whatever it is I'm so upset to say that I couldn't finish this book.

There is a number of things wrong with this. First of all the writing it, for the most part, a jumbled mess. It's a series of run on sentences separated by even longer parenthesis. I mean by the time you get to the end of the sentence you've already forgot where you were when it started. All the sentences being broken up by dashes and parenthesis just makes the flow off and you almost stumble over reading it.

Then there is the everything that is going on in here. You are constantly jumping from one thing, to another, to the next, and OMG What Is Going On?!?!? You have Merissa and her friends are all in high school. Dealing with all the pressures that go along with that, and the fact that their friend, Tink, killed herself. Merissa is under even more pressure because she is known as The Perfect One and therefore she has no room for failure. And while I should feel sorry for her, or just feel for her period, I can't. Mostly because of the heartless way she talks about her friends, and the way she handles her life. For instance she refers to her friend, Nadia, as being soft, flabby, and fat throughout the book, and then you find out that poor Nadia only weighs a measly 119 pounds. Then Merissa starts cutting on herself because it's more thrilling than having an eating disorder? REALLY?!

Overall I am just flabbergasted at how this book turned out. I really thought this was going to be one of those reads that changed your life and broke your heart, but I was terribly mistaken. Sadly this only gets 1 star from me:-(

Lymi...





Angels' Blood (Guild Hunter #1)

Title: Angels' Blood (Guild Hunter #1) 

Author: Nalini Singh

Narrator: Justine Eyre

Published: 2010

Synopsis from Goodreads

Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux knows she's the best—but she doesn't know if she's good enough for this job. Hired by the dangerously beautiful Archangel Raphael, a being so lethal that no mortal wants his attention, only one thing is clear—failure is not an option...even if the task is impossible.

Because this time, it's not a wayward vamp she has to track. It's an archangel gone bad.

The job will put Elena in the midst of a killing spree like no other…and pull her to the razor's edge of passion. Even if the hunt doesn't destroy her, succumbing to Raphael's seductive touch just may. For when archangels play, mortals break…

Greta Cliff Notes
Blonde babe underworld chick, Elena, is a vampire hunter. Which means she works for the guild. And she's the best bad ass kinda hunter because she was a born hunter.


The Guild is a bunch of angels big shot dudes that have to keep an eye on everything and have been around for like ever.


Raphael is a powerful Archangel dude that is all top dog and scary and makes Elena all yummy inside. He hires Elena because that's what you do to go after a insane in the membrane Angel who is reverting to vamperism.


Archangels can make vampires.


Elena takes the job only cuz Raphael threatens to kill the people she loves, falls for the bad boy, and doesn't think twice about her puny mortal life when it comes to saving someone she loves.


That is what I took from "Angel's Blood".


Greta's Thoughts
This wasn't really my kind of book. I wasn't really into the angel politics nor was I into the weapons and the bounty hunt over the insane angel dude.


I did however really enjoy Sarah, who was like the Mama Grizzly over everyone. I wouldn't mind reading about her.


Audio
I don't feel the best was chosen to narrate this book. She kind of sounded stuck-up, at times bored, and at others as though she had a cold. I will admit that at the end her voice seemed to have gotten better. Maybe it was her accent but she just seemed too high society to be the voice of Elena.


Epilogue
The ending was my favorite part of the whole story which makes me curious about the 2nd book in the series. I believe I will need to talk with a friend or two before I continue. Not too sure at the moment if I want to.


All in All
While this wasn't my favorite book to listen to it was quite entertaining while I sat outside and let my turtle walk around. I could have given up but the story made me stick with it. If you like the "Magic Bites" series then I believe you will dig this.

Hacienda Moon

Title: Hacienda Moon
Author: KaSonndra Leigh 
Published: July 2012
Synopsis from Goodreads

Love, obsession, and betrayal, the most powerful human emotions, are spun together in this gothic novel. Tandie Harrison is a police medium who has just suffered a divorce after losing both her psychic visions and her daughter in a car accident. When she leaves New York City to start a new life near her hometown, she moves into the alluring plantation house, Chelby Rose, and falls for its charismatic caretaker, Eric Fontalvo. Their burgeoning affair ignites a centuries old curse, ensnaring them in a web of danger, deceit, and intrigue. Soon Tandie learns that in placid Bolivia, the worlds of the living and the dead are dangerously connected.

Hacienda Moon is a seductive tale of one woman’s journey to confront the demons of her past and find the courage to face her future. It is a mesmerizing novel that explores the deepest depths of human nature, and the characters will hold and haunt you long after you have read the final chapter.


KaSonndra Leigh's is a name you will soon remember because she's about to hit the big time. A while ago, I read her novel Copper Suns and while reading Hacienda Moon I have noticed that her writing has greatly improved. She's ready for the big time! Unlike When Copper Suns Fall, Hacienda Moon is not a YA novel. No sir re bobby! This one is for the adults!

A gothic romance you won't want to put down. This book is full of ghosties, bumpities, psychic visions, and ahhhhh!! SPIDERS!!!

There's also a bit of swoon in it, too! And your heart will ache for Tandie (the main character) who has lost her child and is trying to get on with her life.

One thing that I enjoyed about this book was that it was based in the South. And because KaSonndra Leigh is a southern girl she did the South proud by not adding a jillion idioms. Thank Bob!! It always makes me so mad when southerners are portrayed as poor speaking ninnies who just sit on the front porch drinking iced tea saying phrases that maybe their great great grandmothers said. KaSonndra also doesn't go all Gone With the Wind like others tend to do. Sure, Tandie lives in an old plantation house but this house has nothing on Tara.

 Hacienda Moon is a great read. If you're looking for a mystery, a ghost story, a romance, or even a contemporary... somehow... KaSonndra Leigh wrote just that ;)