Radiant Shadows Giveaway!

Melissa Marr is one of my FAVORITE authors, so to celebrate the release of her latest installment written in the Wicked Lovely world, I am giving away a signed copy of Radiant Shadows, the fourth book in the series.

Synopsis:

Hunger for nourishment.
Hunger for touch.
Hunger to belong.

Half-human and half-faery, Ani is driven by her hungers.

Those same appetites also attract powerful enemies and uncertain allies, including Devlin. He was created as an assassin and is brother to the faeries' coolly logical High Queen and to her chaotic twin, the embodiment of War. Devlin wants to keep Ani safe from his sisters, knowing that if he fails, he will be the instrument of Ani's death.

Ani isn't one to be guarded while others fight battles for her, though. She has the courage to protect herself and the ability to alter Devlin's plans - and his life. The two are drawn together, each with reason to fear the other and to fear for one another. But as they grow closer, a larger threat imperils the whole of Faerie. Will saving the faery realm mean losing each other?

Alluring romance, heart-stopping danger, and sinister intrigue combine in the penultimate volume of Melissa Marr's New York Times bestselling Wicked Lovely series.

Here are the Radiant Shadows Giveaway Rules:
-You must be a follower of my blog
-You have to have a US address for me to mail to (I'll have international giveaways in the future, not to worry!)
-Winner will be chosen by http://www.random.org/

To enter, please comment with the following:
-Your name
-Email address (in case you win!)
-Total entries:
+1 Email (official entry)
+2 Old Follower
+1 New Follower
+2 Twitter Follower @nflbabygirl (your name on there)
+1 Tweet (link please)
+1 Blog sidebar (link please)
+5 Blog post (link please)
+1 Friends with me on Goodreads (your name on there)

The Giveaway ends on May 21st! The winner will be announced Monday, May 24th on this blog (and through email!) The winner has 48 hours to email me their address or I choose another winner. Thanks so much for entering! Happy Reading! *XOXO*

PS: If you want another opportunity to win a book by Melissa Marr, please check out The Marr Awards. Information is in the sidebar of my blog!

Waiting on Wednesday (#4)

Synopsis:

A plane crash in Alaska takes Winter’s first love away forever . . .

When Winter's boyfriend is killed in a plane crash in the Alaskan wilderness, she's robbed of the future she'd only just allowed herself to believe might be hers. Winter and Spencer had been destined for one another. And after his death, Spencer's presence continues to haunt her.

But when her next-door neighbor becomes an unlikely friend, Winter begins to accept all that she can't change. Can she open herself to a new future . . . and a possible new love?

Release Date: August 19, 2010

I am very excited to read this book. A couple people have reviewed it already on goodreads and the reviews I have seen are very, very good. I'm going to be preordering my copy today! Happy Reading! *XOXO*

Teaser Tuesday: BURNED

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading!

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

-Grab your current read
-Open to a random page
-Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title and author, too, so that other Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

This week's Teaser Tuesday comes from BURNED by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast.

"That's just part of you. Hey, maybe it's part of you that needs to grow up." He spoke gently in a voice that sounded suddenly too old and wise for my Heath.

"No." As I said the word, I saw a skittering, inky darkness slide past the edge of my vision. My stomach tightened, and I thought I caught the sharp shape of horns. pg 41

Manic Monday! (#5)

Welcome to the fifth edition of Manic Monday! Manic Monday is all about finding things to look forward to on Tuesday, because who loves Monday? And we all know Tuesday means NEW RELEASES!! So each Monday, I'll highlight some books, music, or movies that are coming out the next day. Just a little something to help you find that silver lining!

I am THRILLED about the next installment of House of Night coming out tomorrow! *squee*

Synopsis:

When friends stop trusting each other, Darkness is there to fan the flames….

Things have turned black at the House of Night. Zoey Redbird’s soul has shattered. With everything she’s ever stood for falling apart, and a broken heart making her want to stay in the Otherworld forever, Zoey’s fading fast. It’s seeming more and more doubtful that she will be able pull herself back together in time to rejoin her friends and set the world to rights. As the only living person who can reach her, Stark must find a way to get to her. But how? He will have to die to do so, the Vampyre High Council stipulates. And then Zoey will give up for sure. There are only 7 days left…

Enter BFF Stevie Rae. She wants to help Z but she has massive problems of her own. The rogue Red Fledglings are acting up, and this time not even Stevie Rae can protect them from the consequences. Her kinda boyfriend, Dallas, is sweet but too nosy for his own good. The truth is, Stevie Rae’s hiding a secret that might be the key to getting Zoey home but also threatens to explode her whole world.

In the middle of the whole mess is Aphrodite: ex-Fledgling, trust-fund baby, total hag from Hell (and proud of it). She’s always been blessed (if you could call it that) with visions that can reveal the future, but now it seems Nyx has decided to speak through her with the goddess’s own voice, whether she wants it or not. Aphrodite’s loyalty can swing a lot of different ways, but right now Zoey’s fate hangs in the balance.

Three girls… playing with fire… if they don’t watch out, everyone will get Burned.

I can't wait to see what happens next. The end of the last House of Night book was a real shocker, so I'm impatient to get my hands on the above book to continue the journey.

I'm also super excited about The Carrie Diaries coming out! *happy dance* I previewed it on a Waiting on Wednesday post, find it here.

That's all I've got for you this week... no movies or music jumped out at me. But a week where two books are coming out that I've just got to have? That's an amazing week! Hope Monday is treating you all ok! *XOXO*

*REVIEW* The Iron King

Synopsis:

Meghan Chase has a secret destiny—one she could never have imagined…

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school…or at home.

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.

But she could never have guessed the truth—that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face…and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

I am in love with this book. I adore stories about the fey, ever since reading Melissa Marr's Wicked Lovely series, and this new series by Julie Kagawa is another unique and intriguing take on the world of faeries.

The story follows the protagonist, Meghan, as she learns about her fey heritage and must make the choice to travel to the Nevernever to save her little brother who has been kidnapped and replaced by a faery changeling. Meghan is accompanied on her journey by Puck, the lovable trickster readers will remember from A Midsummer Night's Dream. Joining them is Grimalkin, a talking cat who has the indifference and sarcasm that all real-life cats seem to muster with a simple look. Add speech to the mannerisms of a cat and the result is perfection. The final companion on Meghan's journey is Ash, one of the princes of the Unseelie Court, the Court that is in direct opposition to Meghan's own.

Meghan's journey is not an easy one as danger seems to lurk around each and every corner. The pacing of this story is impeccable and you will find yourself unable to put the book down, dying to know what happens next. The twists and turns will keep you hooked, and the budding forbidden romance between Meghan and Ash will have you holding your breath, desperately hoping that they will give in to the feelings they are forming for one another.

One of my favorite parts of this story is the invention of the Iron Court. This is truly unique as we are aware from this story, and other fey stories, that iron is lethal to the fey. To have fey borne of human's attachment and passion for technological growth is such an interesting storyline. I am in awe of Julie Kagawa's creativity to meld this concept together with a traditional fey story.

I simply cannot wait to see what the next installment of this series, The Iron Daughter, has in store for us. The Iron King is an entertaining, compelling, and suspenseful story full of action, romance, and personal sacrifice and if the next installment is as good as the first, we readers are in for a real treat!

If you haven't picked up this book yet, what are you waiting for? Happy Reading! *XOXO*

In My Mailbox (#4)

In My Mailbox (IMM) is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren. Here are books I've either won, been given, or bought this past week:

Bought:
Beat the Reaper by Josh Bazell
Airhead by Meg Cabot
If I Stay by Gayle Forman

A slow week again... I had gone on a book buying frenzy the first few months of the year so things have been a bit more calm the past couple weeks. I'm super excited to dig into the above reads though. Beat the Reaper comes highly recommended by the amazing Tiger. She has never led me wrong on a rec before so I'm sure it will be amazing. Airhead is a book I've been meaning to pick up for quite some time and If I Stay jumped off the shelf at me, didn't know a thing about it. Hopefully, they'll all be good!

What did you get this week? Leave me a link so I can check it out! *XOXO*

The Marr Awards!

I am very excited about the 2010 Marr Awards! *squee* The Marr Awards are fan awards, given TO fans BY fans for contributions to the Wicked Lovely fandom. We're also celebrating the world of Melissa Marr by voting on fun categories such as Best Kiss, Favorite Character, and Deserves a Slap! There are over 20 fun categories for nominations. The best thing is that anyone can be nominated.

The awards are being organized by members of the Rath & Ruins community, the fan forum on wickedlovely.com. I am blessed to be one of the moderators on the site and have been very involved in the planning of the awards so I am SUPER excited to be sharing this information with my amazing followers! We have TONS of great prizes and fun ways to get involved, nominate people for a Marr, and more!

Click here to see what the Marr Awards have in store for you! It's going to be sooo much fun. And if you love Melissa Marr, you definitely don't want to miss this. Plus, who wants to miss the chance to win some awesome prizes? I hope you all have had a chance to pick up Radiant Shadows, the latest installment in the Wicked Lovely world by Melissa. It's an incredible read. Enjoy! *XOXO*

Waiting on Wednesday (#3)

Synopsis:

At the start of this mesmerizing new installment of the Immortals series, Ever is helping her friend Haven transition into life as an immortal. But with Haven drunk on her new powers and carelessly putting them all at risk, their friendship becomes more and more strained. At the same time, Ever delves deeper into magick in order to get control over her enemy Roman and free Damen from his power. But when the spell she casts on Roman backfires, she’s bound to her deadliest enemy. Frantic to reverse the spell the moment the moon enters a new phase, she finds her efforts are fruitless—there’s a strange, foreign pulse coursing through her, one that propels her toward Roman. Desperate to break free of this terrible curse before Damen or the twins can discover what she’s done, she turns to Jude and delves deeper and deeper into dark magick, ultimately risking everything she knows and loves—including Damen.

Release Date: June 22, 2010

The next installment of The Immortals by Alyson Noel looks to be as addictive as the previous three books have been. I can't wait to see what happens next to Ever, Damen, Haven, and all the other characters as well. The last book frustrated me a bit, so I'm hoping that this coming installment renews my love for this series.

If you haven't checked this series out yet and are interested, the first 3 books are Evermore, Blue Moon, and Shadowland. Happy Reading! *XOXO*

Teaser Tuesday: The Iron King

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading!

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

-Grab your current read
-Open to a random page
-Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title and author, too, so that other Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

This week's Teaser Tuesday comes from The Iron King by Julie Kagawa.

"I swallowed and turned to face the faery queen, who glared at me as if hoping the blood would boil in my veins."

"Well, you heard His Majesty, half-breed," she cooed, her voice laced with poison. "Get out of my sight before I forget my promise and change you into a snail." pg. 148

Manic Monday! (#4)

Welcome to the fourth edition of Manic Monday! Manic Monday is all about finding things to look forward to on Tuesday, because who loves Monday? And we all know Tuesday means NEW RELEASES!! So each Monday, I'll highlight some books, music, or movies that are coming out the next day. Just a little something to help you find that silver lining!

I am beyond excited about the book I'm highlighting this week: Radiant Shadows by Melissa Marr!! I am completely in love with Melissa's writing and her Wicked Lovely/Faery Courts books are incredible.

Synopsis:

Hunger for nourishment.

Hunger for touch.

Hunger to belong.

Half-human and half-faery, Ani is driven by her hungers.
Those same appetites also attract powerful enemies and uncertain allies, including Devlin. He was created as an assassin and is brother to the faeries’ coolly logical High Queen and to her chaotic twin, the embodiment of War. Devlin wants to keep Ani safe from his sisters, knowing that if he fails, he will be the instrument of Ani’s death.

Ani isn’t one to be guarded while others fight battles for her, though. She has the courage to protect herself and the ability to alter Devlin’s plans—and his life. The two are drawn together, each with reason to fear the other and to fear for one another. But as they grow closer, a larger threat imperils the whole of Faerie. Will saving the faery realm mean losing each other?

Alluring romance, heart-stopping danger, and sinister intrigue combine in Melissa Marr’s next volume of Melissa Marr’s New York Times bestselling Wicked Lovely series.

I've actually already read this, I had the pleasure of receiving an ARC this year and I can guarantee that fans of this series will not be disappointed with this installment. The Dark Court and High Court are featured predominantly in this book and some old fan favorites, such as Irial and Niall are in abundance, as are some characters that you get to know much more deeply than before, like Devlin and Ani. You will fly through this book!

The movie I'm highlighting doesn't actually come out tomorrow, but it does come out this week, on Earth Day, which is April 22nd.


I didn't see this movie in the theaters... by the time I got around to it, it wasn't showing in 3D anymore in my area so I decided to wait for the DVD. I have only heard amazing things about it though so I'm super excited to see if it exceeds my expectations.

And I actually have a CD release this week that I'm excited about too:


I am a total GLEEK... and Madonna? Awesome! I'll definitely be getting my hands on that CD as soon as possible!

Well, that's all I've got for this week. Hope Monday is treating you ok! *XOXO*

*REVIEW* The Body Finder

Synopsis:

Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her "power" to sense dead bodies—or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes the dead leave behind in the world... and the imprints that attach to their killers.

Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find dead birds her cat left for her. But now that a serial killer is terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he's claimed haunt her daily, Violet realizes she might be the only person who can stop him.

Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet find the murderer—and Violet is unnerved by her hope that Jay's intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she's falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer... and becoming his prey herself.

Wow. This book was AMAZING. The debut novel of Kimberly Derting will keep you glued to the book, frantically flipping the pages to see where the story goes next. It's a chilling tale of a teenage girl with a unique ability of finding dead bodies, and the ability to sense echoes of the heinous crimes on the people who commit awful acts. The story follows Violet as she makes the brave and courageous decision to use her gifts to stop a serial killer, one who is preying on young girls from her town.

The suspense will literally drive you crazy in this book and the truly unusual look into the mind of the killer will horrify and enthrall you. There were times when I could feel goosebumps rising on my arms... putting yourself into the mind of a murderer is scary as hell, but also super intriguing.

On top of a chilling and suspenseful tale, there is also a heartwarming story of romance in this book. We watch as Violet and her best friend, Jay, realize that their feelings for one another far surpass the friendship that they have always known. Jay is the epitome of what you're looking for in a lit crush: Devastatingly good looking, protective, sweet, loving, attentive... I could go on and on. The scenes between him and Violet once they realize their true feelings for one another? RAWR. Very good stuff.

I highly recommend this book to... well, everyone, haha. Can you tell I liked it? It is suspenseful, the writing is wonderful, the characters are relatable, the romance is swoon-worthy, and the ending makes your jaw drop. Add to that a cast of secondary characters, mainly Violet's parents and uncle, that are wonderful as well, and you've got the makings of a truly amazing read. Cannot wait to see what Kimberly Derting has for us in the sequel! What are you still doing reading this? Go find The Body Finder NOW. You won't regret it. Happy Reading! *XOXO*

In My Mailbox (#3)

In My Mailbox (IMM) is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren. Here are books I've either won, been given, or bought this past week:

Bought:
Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles
Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
Radiant Shadows by Melissa Marr
Twilight: The Graphic Novel, Volume 1 by Stephenie Meyer

It was a slow week for me, only buying 4 books... my bank account appreciates slow weeks every now and then though! What did you get this week? Leave me a link so I can check it out! *XOXO*

New Favorite: Blue Bloods!

So... I read through these way too quickly to write a review of each one, so I thought I would just share my thoughts about the whole series to date. To be honest, I had held off on these for a very long time because frankly, the covers just didn't do much for me. I know that makes me sound shallow, because everyone knows you're not supposed to judge a book by the cover! But the cover of Blue Bloods really did not wow me. I think the covers have gotten a little better, I quite liked the cover of The Van Alen Legacy. Anywho...

The Blue Bloods Series by Melissa de la Cruz is a truly unique take on vampires. In her world, vampires are actually fallen angels who are reincarnated roughly every one hundred years or so. The main character, Schuyler Van Alen, is a half-blood, born to a vampire mother and human father. The books are very easy-to-read, but there is honestly too much focus on fashion in the earlier books. Seriously... you even get to read what designer lingerie one of the characters is wearing. It gets old.. fast.

But there's a good story buried underneath it and each volume in the series expands on the story and we get to see more depth of the characters. There are characters you will fall in love with, and characters you will imagine stabbing. Typical high school fare, haha. There's heartwarming romance, sacrifice in the name of love, and twists and turns that leave you wondering who the good guys are, who the bad guys are, and who could be hiding unimaginable horrors inside of themselves.

So if you're looking for a fun read that will keep you flipping the pages, rooting for true love, and dying to see where things go next, you might quite enjoy this series. Happy Reading! *XOXO*

Waiting on Wednesday (#2)

Synopsis:

Before Carrie Bradshaw hit the big time in the City, she was a regular girl growing up in the suburbs of Connecticut. How did she turn into one of the most-read social observers of our generation?

The Carrie Diaries opens up in Carrie's senior year of high school. She and her best friends -- Walt, Lali, Maggie, and the Mouse -- are inseparable, amid the sea of Jens, Jocks and Jets. And then Sebastian Kydd comes into the picture. Sebastian is a bad boy-older, intriguing, and unpredictable. Carrie falls into the relationship that she was always supposed to have in high school-until a friend's betrayal makes her question everything. With her high school days coming to a close, Carrie will realize it's finally time to go after everything she ever wanted.

Rabid fans of Sex and the City will love seeing Carrie Bradshaw evolve from a regular girl into a sharp, insightful writer. They'll learn about her family background -- how she found her writing voice, and the indelible impression her early friendships and relationships left on her. We'll see what brings Carrie to her beloved New York City, where the next Carrie Diaries book will take place.

Release date: April 27, 2010

I love Carrie Bradshaw! I am sooo stoked to read this book and to see Carrie at a younger age. And it's coming out at a perfect time with the next SATC movie set to launch a month later. Will we ever get enough of Carrie? I seriously doubt it! *XOXO*

Tuesday Favorites (#4)

Each Tuesday, I gush about some favorites of mine and this week I'm focusing on some of my favorite lit crushes. You know what I'm talking about... the literary boys that make you swoon and say RAWR! Because there are SO many, I'm only going to focus on four this week:

1. Keenan from the Wicked Lovely Series by Melissa Marr. Ah, the Summer King... how I adore him. Keenan seems to be one of those polarizing characters that readers either love or hate but this girl right here is a devoted follower and super intense fangirl. Keenan can woo me any day of the week! Devoted Summer Girl, that's me!

2. Patch from Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick. Wow... Patch has the whole bad boy act down to an art form. And let me tell you: It. Is. Hot. And he's a fallen angel? Does it get any better? He's got that charisma and charm that make you drool.

3. Damon Salvatore from The Vampire Diaries by L.J. Smith. Damon is sinfully delicious and makes you want to take a walk on the dark side. He's charming, intriguing, and sexy as hell. And the best thing? Underneath that tough as nails exterior, he seems to have some sweet emotions deep down inside. I wouldn't mind taking a crack at that hard shell!

4. Eric from the Sookie Stackhouse Series by Charlaine Harris. Never has being a vampire looked so damn good! Ex-Viking turned vampire, Eric sizzles up the pages in these books. He's powerful, smokin' hot, and charming. What's a little blood loss?

Teaser Tuesday: The Van Alen Legacy

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading!

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

-Grab your current read
-Open to a random page
-Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title and author, too, so that other Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

This week's Teaser Tuesday is coming from The Van Alen Legacy, book four in the popular Blue Bloods Series by Melissa de la Cruz.

"The darkness that surrounded her was absolute: so complete, even vampire sight was useless. She hid in a tunnel until the screams and sounds of the skirmish subsided, fading into blackness."

"Schuyler called Jack's name for what seemed like hours, but there was no answer. There was no sign of the Silver Bloods either, but that didn't mean anything." pg. 167

Clean Away the Clutter Challenge: Results!

I participated in the Clean Away the Clutter Read-A-Thon which was hosted by The Neverending Shelf. The point of this challenge was to help us put a dent in our always growing TBR piles.

My goal was to read 6 books and I'm happy to say that I reached my goal! Well, counting manga. And since it was spring break and I had so much going on, I'm going to be proud of what I accomplished, rather than being bummed that I didn't accomplish more.

What I read:
The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong
Wicked Lovely Series, Desert Tales: Sanctuary by Melissa Marr
Wicked Lovely Series, Desert Tales: Challenge by Melissa Marr
The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong
The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong
Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz

Hope you're all finding time to hit your own TBR piles. Happy Reading! *XOXO*

In My Mailbox (#2)

In My Mailbox (IMM) is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren. Here are books I've either won, been given, or bought this past week:


Bought:
The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong
The Unwritten Rule by Elizabeth Scott
Beastly by Alex Flinn
Wicked Lovely Series, Desert Tales: Challenge by Melissa Marr
My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent
My Soul to Save by Rachel Vincent
Stray by Rachel Vincent
Rogue by Rachel Vincent
Pride by Rachel Vincent
Prey by Rachel Vincent
Shift by Rachel Vincent

What did you get this week? *XOXO*

*REVIEW* The Reckoning

Synopsis:

My name is Chloe Saunders. I'm fifteen, and I would love to be normal.

But normal is one thing I'm not.

For one thing, I'm having these feelings for a certain antisocial werewolf and his sweet-tempered brother—who just happens to be a sorcerer—but, between you and me, I'm leaning toward the werewolf.

Not normal.

My friends and I are also on the run from an evil corporation that wants to get rid of us—permanently.

Definitely not normal.

And finally, I'm a genetically altered necro-mancer who can raise the dead, rotting corpses and all, without even trying.

As far away from normal as it gets.

The Reckoning is the riveting conclusion of The Darkest Powers Trilogy by Kelley Armstrong. I picked up this book and could NOT put it down! Kelley's writing was as amazing as usual and the story picked up right where it left us off, following along as Chloe and the rest of the gang navigate the dark and dangerous waters of the supernatural world they've now become a part of.

This story, like the two proceeding it, is fast-paced, packed with action, intrigue, and twists and turns that leave you wondering who, if anyone, can be trusted. This is truly an exciting read that will have you flipping the pages as quickly as possible, dying to see what happens next.

For those of you who need tightly wrapped up storylines, you're bound to be slightly disappointed with how this trilogy ends. While we see the resolution of the immediate danger to Chloe, Simon, Derek and Tori, a lot remains open. The good news? Chloe makes a choice between Simon and Derek, a choice that I think is going to make a LOT of fans very happy. The better news? Kelley Armstrong is currently writing a new trilogy based in the same world, though with different characters. But I wouldn't be surprised if we see Chloe, Derek, Simon and the rest again.

I highly recommend this book. The writing and story is immensely engaging, the characters are relatable, and we get to see a young heroine as she matures and grows. Throw in danger around every corner, and touching romance, and you've got the makings of an amazing thing. Happy Reading! *XOXO*

Crescendo Cover Revealed!

I'll admit... my first thought was: "No Patch?! Nooooooo!" But then I took another look and fell in love. This cover is AMAZING. Do I love it as much as the first cover? Well, no. But the Hush, Hush cover was the type of brilliance that is hard to match.

This cover makes me happy though for several reasons: 1) I love the gray grittiness. I love how it matches so well with the Hush, Hush cover in terms of color and such. 2) The rain is stunning visually. I love the lightning and I think the "storm" theme is perfection for the book. 3) I love the splash of red on it. It's JUST the right amount of color to be distinctive and interesting.

So my thoughts are actually really, really good ones. While I definitely miss Patch, I think the cover is stunning and I can't wait to see it in person! *XOXO*

Clean Away the Clutter: Challenge Update!

I'm participating in the Clean Away the Clutter Read-A-Thon which is being hosted by The Neverending Shelf. The point of this challenge is to help us put a dent in our always growing TBR piles.

The challenge ends at 11:ooPM on Sunday, April 11th. My original goal was to read 6 books during the challenge. I'm not doing that well! Spring Break turned out to be a lot busier than I anticipated so thus far, I've read:

The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong
Wicked Lovely Series, Desert Tales: Sanctuary by Melissa Marr
Wicked Lovely Series, Desert Tales: Challenge by Melissa Marr
The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong

I'm plowing through The Reckoning right now, the conclusion of The Darkest Powers Trilogy by Kelley Armstrong. It is sooo good, it's hard to put down. Unfortunately, this is another jam-packed weekend so I don't know if I'll make it through that and another book by Sunday evening. Ah, well. Better to have tried and failed than to have not tried at all!

Thank you to everyone that has entered the Book Addiction Giveaway so far! I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend and that you're all able to carve out some time to tackle your own TBR pile. Happy Reading! *XOXO*

Book Addiction Giveaway!

To say that I have fallen in love with blogging would be a total understatement! I've been amazed at the collaboration and kindness I've found in the book blogosphere and am proud to be a member of it. To celebrate my excitement, and the fact that I have some great followers already, I'd like to have my first ever GIVEAWAY!

I have some books to give away in the future, but wanted to give out something special for my first ever giveaway. Barnes & Noble plays a HUGE role in feeding my book addiction, with at least weekly visits to my local store, so what better to give away than a $25 gift card?

Here are the Book Addiction Giveaway Rules:
-You must be a follower of my blog
-You have to have a US address for me to mail to (I'll have international giveaways in the future, not to worry!)
-Winner will be chosen by http://www.random.org/

To enter, please comment with the following:
-Your name
-Email address (in case you win!)
-Total entries:
+1 Email (official entry)
+2 Old Follower
+1 New Follower
+2 Twitter Follower @nflbabygirl (your name on there)
+1 Tweet (link please)
+1 Blog sidebar (link please)
+5 Blog post (link please)
+1 Friends with me on Goodreads (your name on there)

The Giveaway ends on April 30th! The winner will be announced Monday, May 3rd on this blog (and through email!) The winner has 48 hours to email me their address or I choose another winner. Thanks so much for entering! Happy Reading! *XOXO*

*REVIEW* The Summoning

Synopsis:

My name is Chloe Saunders and my life will never be the same again.

All I wanted was to make friends, meet boys, and keep on being ordinary. I don't even know what that means anymore. It all started on the day that I saw my first ghost—and the ghost saw me.

Now there are ghosts everywhere and they won't leave me alone. To top it all off, I somehow got myself locked up in Lyle House, a "special home" for troubled teens. Yet the home isn't what it seems. Don't tell anyone, but I think there might be more to my housemates than meets the eye. The question is, whose side are they on? It's up to me to figure out the dangerous secrets behind Lyle House . . . before its skeletons come back to haunt me.

The Summoning is the first of The Darkest Powers Series by Kelley Armstrong. Kelley takes the world she created and applies it to the YA genre in a book that is fast paced and well-written, with just the right amount of mystery and intrique to keep you turning the pages. So if you've read some of Kelley's Otherworld Series, but were unsure about trying the YA, rest easy... you're not likely to be disappointed with this one!

This story follows Chloe, a fifteen-year old girl who ends up in Lyle House, a home for "troubled teens". We're introduced to a host of other characters, some more likeable than others, as they deal with the issues that have landed them at the group home. But is this just a home for teens dealing with mental illness or is there more to Lyle House than meets the eye?

This book will keep you flipping the pages and the cliffhanger at the end will have you scrambling to get your hands on the next one. I highly recommend this book. Kelley's writing is engaging, and the storyline is intriguing and perfectly paced. Happy Reading! *XOXO*

Waiting on Wednesday!

Synopsis:

Atlanta would be a nice place to live, if it weren’t for the magic. When the magic is up, rogue mages cast their spells and monsters appear, while guns refuse to fire and cars fail to start. But then technology returns, and the magic recedes as unpredictably as it rose.

Kate Daniels works for the Order of the Knights of Merciful Aid, officially as a liaison with the mercenary guild. Unofficially, she cleans up the paranormal problems no one else wants to handle—especially if they involve Atlanta’s shapeshifting community.

When she’s called in to investigate a fight at the Steel Horse, a bar midway between the territories of the shapeshifters and the necromancers, Kate quickly discovers there’s a new player in town. One who’s been around for thousands of years—and rode to war at the side of Kate’s father.

This foe may be too much even for Kate and Curran, the Lord of the Beasts, to handle. Because this time, Kate will be taking on family…

Release date: May 25, 2010

I cannot wait to read this book! The first three Kate Daniels books were AMAZING and the chemistry between Kate and Curran makes me squee. The Beast Lord? RAWR, baby. RAWR.

Tuesday Favorites (#3) and Contest Updates!

Each Tuesday, I gush about some favorites of mine and this week I'm focusing on some of my favorite vampire series. Want some books you can really sink your teeth into? Look no further!

First is The Southern Vampire Series by Charlaine Harris. It also is known as the Sookie Stackhouse Series. The next book in the series, Dead in the Family, comes out on May 4th! What's next for Sookie, Eric, and all the others? I can't wait to find out!

Second is the Vampire Academy Series by Richelle Mead. The next book in the series, Spirit Bound, comes out on May 18th! Did Rose make the right choice at the end of the last book? This next installment will likely answer that question and others as we pick up with Rose, Lissa, and the rest of the gang.

Third is The Morganville Vampires Series by Rachel Caine. The next book in the series, Kiss of Death, comes out on April 27th. What happens when Michael catches the attention of a big-time music producer? I can't wait to read all about it!

Last, but not least, is the House of Night Series by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast. The next book in the series, Burned, comes out on April 27th. Will Zoey be able to pull herself back together, or did the events of the last book damage her irreparably? And what's the latest with Stevie Rae, Aphrodite, and the others? I can't wait to find out!

The above series all have something special to offer fans of vamps. So go ahead and take a bite... And in terms of CONTESTS: Please check my sidebar contest links because I update these each and every day to ensure that we all have as many opportunities as possible to win FREE BOOKS! Thanks and Happy Reading! *XOXO*

Teaser Tuesday: The Summoning

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading!

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

-Grab your current read
-Open to a random page
-Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title and author, too, so that other Teaser Tuesday participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

The book I'm reading right now is The Summoning, the first in The Darkest Powers Trilogy by Kelley Armstrong:

"A thick musty smell filled my nostrils. Then icy fingertips brushed my bare arm."

"Then it touched me again. Long, dry, cold, fingerlike things tickled at the back of my neck. An indescribable smacking, cracking, rustling sound set my every hair on end." pg. 235

Manic Monday! (#3)

Welcome to the third edition of Manic Monday! Manic Monday is all about finding things to look forward to on Tuesday, because who loves Monday? And we all know Tuesday means NEW RELEASES!! So each Monday, I'll highlight some books, music, or movies that are coming out the next day. Just a little something to help you find that silver lining!

I am completely giddy about the book release I'm highlighting: The Reckoning, the conclusion of The Darkest Powers Trilogy by Kelley Armstrong.

Synopsis:

My name is Chloe Saunders. I'm fifteen, and I would love to be normal.

But normal is one thing I'm not.

For one thing, I'm having these feelings for a certain antisocial werewolf and his sweet-tempered brother—who just happens to be a sorcerer—but, between you and me, I'm leaning toward the werewolf.

Not normal.

My friends and I are also on the run from an evil corporation that wants to get rid of us—permanently.

Definitely not normal.

And finally, I'm a genetically altered necro-mancer who can raise the dead, rotting corpses and all, without even trying.

As far away from normal as it gets.

Another thing I'm super excited about, the next manga by Melissa Marr! Challenge, the second volume in the Wicked Lovely Series: Desert Tales comes out tomorrow and I'm super hopeful to find out what my dear Keenan has been up to since the end of Fragile Eternity.

Synopsis:

The stakes are rising, and Rika finds it harder to ignore Faerie politics. As a former mortal and now a solitary faery, she has relished the isolation and freedom of the desert. But new players are seeking power, and old allies are imperiled. As tensions mount, Rika must decide whether—and how—to act to save her independence and her romance with Jayce.

I didn't find a DVD or CD release that made me squeeful, so that's all I've got for today! I'll be at Barnes and Noble bright and early to snag the above though, you should consider doing the same! *XOXO*

Clean Away the Clutter Challenge!

I will be participating in the Clean Away the Clutter Read-A-Thon which is being hosted by The Neverending Shelf. The point of this challenge is to help participants put a dent in their always growing TBR piles. So if you have a ton of books that you've been meaning to read, this challenge is for you!

The challenge begins at 7:00AM on Monday, April 5th and ends at 11:ooPM on Sunday, April 11th. The good thing about the challenge is that it is totally up to YOU when it comes to the goals you set. Anyone can participate, so think about joining!

I'll update my blog as the week progresses. I don't have a set goal in mind at this point... so for now, I'll say that I'd like to read at least 6 books this week. I may up that goal as the week goes, but for now, I'd be happy with that number. Hope to see you all participating. Happy Reading! *XOXO*

In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox (IMM) is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren. Very excited to be participating in my first one! *squee* Here are books I've either won, been given, or bought this past week:

Bought:
Revelations (Blue Bloods #3) by Melissa De La Cruz
Van Alen Legacy (Blue Bloods #4) by Melissa De La Cruz
Immortal by Gillian Shields
The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting
Bartlett's Shakespeare Quotations by John Bartlett

Won:
Dead Witch Walking (and swag!) by Kim Harrison
Thanks to Aine!

What did you get this week? *XOXO*

*REVIEW* Bones of Faerie

Synopsis:

The war between humanity and Faerie devastated both sides. Or so 15-year-old Liza has been told. Nothing has been seen or heard from Faerie since, and Liza’s world bears the scars of its encounter with magic. Trees move with sinister intention, and the town Liza calls home is surrounded by a forest that threatens to harm all those who wander into it. Then Liza discovers she has the Faerie ability to see—into the past, into the future—and she has no choice but to flee her town. Liza’s quest will take her into Faerie and back again, and what she finds along the way may be the key to healing both worlds.

Janni Lee Simner’s first novel for young adults is a dark fairy-tale twist on apocalyptic fiction—as familiar as a nightmare, yet altogether unique.

I debated not writing a review for this book... while it wasn't a DNF, because personal hangups make that close to impossible for me, this book turned out to be a DNC, which is "Did Not Care". Normally when reading a book, I'm counting the minutes until I can get back to the story to see where things go next, what the protagonist will do, etc. But with this book, I found that I frankly did not give a damn.

It's not that the makings of a good story are missing here. The problem is this book drops you into a post-war world where we read vivid descriptions of the destruction of the war, and see consequences of it, yet never learn why the war happened in the first place. A consistent trend in this book is a lack of important information that makes the readers become invested in the story. Add to that the lack of character development, and you're left with a story that is hard to relate to, identify with, or care about.

I saw on the author's website that a sequel is in the works for 2011, tentatively. I will not be reading the sequel. And that saddens me because I think this story had great potential... a war between faeries and humans, the subsequent consequences in Faerie and the human world, the evolution of magic, including wicked nature magic with the desire to kill... there's a story in there. It's a shame that it was not written more indepth and with the needed character developments and intricate details that hook readers.

That being said, this was a very quick and easy read and there are people who enjoyed the story. So you'll have to use your judgment: to read or not to read. Good luck! *XOXO*

*REVIEW* The Vampire Diaries, The Return: Shadow Souls

Synopsis:

On the run . . .

Elena Gilbert's love, the vampire Stefan Salvatore, has been captured and imprisoned by demonic spirits who are wreaking havoc in Fell's Church. While her friends Bonnie and Meredith explore the evil that has taken over their town, Elena goes in search of Stefan.

In order to find him, she entrusts her life to Stefan's brother, Damon Salvatore, the handsome but deadly vampire who wants Elena, body and soul. Along with her childhood friend Matt, they set out for the slums of the Dark Dimension, where Stefan is being held captive. It is rumored to be a world where vampires and demons roam free, but humans must live enslaved to their supernatural masters. . . .

Elena will stop at nothing to free Stefan. Yet with each passing day the tension between Elena and Damon grows, and she is faced with a terrible decision: Which brother does she really want?

Back in Fell's Church, Bonnie and Meredith have made some dire discoveries. They hastily try to follow Elena and warn her—only to be caught up in Elena's most dangerous adventure yet.

Finally! L.J. Smith is back on top of her game with the latest installment in the popular Vampire Diaries series. This volumes picks up and follows the adventures of Elena, Damon and Matt as they travel to Arizona to enter the Dark Dimension where Stefan is being held prisoner. Predictably, Damon and Matt don't get along so well with each other and Matt ends up abandoning the mission and returning to Fell's Church to handle the mischief that is still brewing there, sending Bonnie and Meredith in his place to assist Elena in her desperate attempt to save Stefan.

This book is packed with action, drama, and romance. The chemistry between Elena and Damon sizzles and keeps you turning the page to read more and more. The characters face a multitude of challenges as they navigate the dangerous domain of the Dark Dimension. New characters are introduced and sacrifices are made. Will it be enough to safe Stefan from the true death?

I highly recommend this book to fans of the series. This volume far surpassed the last volume, in my opinion. And a jaw-dropping cliffhanger at the end will leave you dying to read more. So, if you made it through the last book, which was admittedly not the best, you should definitely give this volume a try. I don't think you'll be disappointed. Happy reading! *XOXO*