Manic Monday! (#7)

Welcome to the seventh 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 that are coming out the next day. Just a little something to help you find that silver lining!

Well, this week's Manic Monday is a little different... the book I'm highlighting actually comes out on Friday, but I wanted to promote it anyway:

Synopsis:

Fans of The Twilight Saga will be enthralled by this riveting story of Bree Tanner, a character first introduced in Eclipse, and the darker side of the newborn vampire world she inhabits. In another irresistible combination of danger, mystery, and romance, Stephenie Meyer tells the devastating story of Bree and the newborn army as they prepare to close in on Bella Swan and the Cullens, following their encounter to its unforgettable conclusion.


I know that the Twilight Series takes a lot of heat from people, but I have no problem admitting that I'm a fan. I'm very excited to get something new in the Twilight world. I'm planning a re-read of the entire series before the Eclipse movie comes out so the addition of this short story is perfect! *XOXO*

*REVIEW* Spirit Bound

Synopsis:

After a long and heartbreaking journey to Dimitri's birthplace in Siberia, Rose Hathaway has finally returned to St. Vladimir's—and to her best friend, Lissa. It is nearly graduation, and the girls can't wait for their real lives beyond the Academy's iron gates to begin. But Rose's heart still aches for Dimitri, and she knows he's out there, somewhere.

She failed to kill him when she had the chance. And now her worst fears are about to come true. Dimitri has tasted her blood, and now he is hunting her. And this time he won't rest until Rose joins him... forever.


Wow. This book was AMAZING. I am a huge fan of the Vampire Academy Series and Spirit Bound is another incredible volume in the fantastic world that Richelle Mead has created.

Spirit Bound picks up a couple months after the events of Blood Promise. We watch as Rose and Lissa graduate from St. Vladimir's Academy and move on to the next phase of their life at the Royal Court. A lot remains up in the air about their future... has Rose redeemed herself enough during her final guardian trials to have a chance of being assigned to Lissa? Or did her trip to Russia permanently alter her path?

Not long after getting situated at the Royal Court, Rose and Lissa embark on a journey that is as dangerous as it is illegal. Will they find the answers they seek with the aid of an unlikely ally? And will being outside of the magical wards that protect them at the Royal Court cost Rose her life, as Dimitri has promised countless times? And if she does survive and make it back to the Royal Court, what consequences will she face for taking the last member of the Dragomir line outside of safety?

These questions and more are answered as this book takes you on a nonstop ride of action and suspense. I found myself holding my breath at times, terrified to flip the page to see what would happen next. A dangerous journey, horrifying attacks, and ruthless enemies threaten all that Rose holds dear. And through it all, there's that nagging question... can she save the man that she loves? Or should she move on, as she has been somewhat trying to do?

Love, friendship, and loyalty are common themes in this book, as they are in the other Vampire Academy novels as well. I think a truly fabulous thing about this volume is the growth that we see in the character of Lissa. We see how much stronger the friendship and bond between Rose and Lissa has grown and we see Lissa willing to sacrifice as much for Rose as Rose has been willing to sacrifice for her. It truly feels that their friendship has attained a level of equality that was missing before. And Lissa performs an act that requires so much strength and courage, it is truly inspiring.

I don't want to say much else because it would be very easy to spoiler if I did. Just know that this book was incredible. If you're a fan of this series, you will NOT be disappointed. I laughed, I cried, I cheered, and I had serious thoughts about chucking the book at the wall, haha. Seriously. But I loved each and every emotion this book created in me. There's suspense, action, mystery, love, sacrifice, frustration, and heartbreak. Richelle's writing was phenomenal as usual.

I think my only real disappoint in this book comes from what, in my opinion, felt like an anticlimatic moment. I really cannot go into more detail here without seriously spoiling people, but something happened and it did not match my expectations at all, mainly because a character is not acting at ALL like I expected them to. I'm seriously hopeful that the final book, Last Sacrifice, will make up for my disappoint about that "situation". If only December wasn't sooo far away! *whine*

But really, even with the above situation, I loved this book. So go read it RIGHT NOW! You will love it... Happy Reading! *XOXO*

In My Mailbox (#9)

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:

Borrowed:
ARC of Winter Longing by Tricia Mills from my BFF and brain twin, LENA!

Bought:
Magic Bleeds by Ilona Andrews
Bone Crossed by Patricia Briggs
Lipstick Jungle by Candace Bushnell
Being Nikki by Meg Cabot
Size 12 Is Not Fat by Meg Cabot
Size 14 Is Not Fat Either by Mag Cabot
Big Boned by Meg Cabot
Destined for an Early Grave by Jeaniene Frost
Once Dead, Twice Shy by Kim Harrison
Early to Death, Early to Rise by Kim Harrison
White Witch, Black Curse by Kim Harrison
Amy & Roger's Epic Tour by Morgan Matson
The Book of Dreams by O.R. Melling
Birthmarked by Caragh O'Brien
3rd Degree by James Patterson
The Necromancer by Michael Scott
Angels' Blood by Nalini Singh
Magic Study by Maria Snyder
Lover Avenged by J.R. Ward

I went just a teeny bit crazy on B&N.com this week, haha. I was forced to make an online order because my local store didn't have Magic Bleeds and I figured if buying one, why not buy more? Logic that completely stays true to my book addictive nature. If you can't be true to yourself, who can you be true to? :D

What did you get this week? Leave me a link! And as always, Happy Reading! *XOXO*

*REVIEW* The Iron Daughter

Synopsis:

Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron Fey, iron-bound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her. Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's alone in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.


The Iron Daughter, the second book in The Iron Fey Series by Julie Kagawa is a fast-paced, action-filled story full of romance, betrayal, friendship, and heartbreaking sacrifice.

The story picks up where The Iron King leaves us, with Meghan accompanying Ash to the Winter Queen's realm. Readers will be unpleasantly suprised to see the change that has come over the Winter Prince. The good news: It doesn't take long to see the motives behind the change and readers will once again find themselves swooning over the dark and brooding prince.

An infiltration, murder, and theft by the Iron Fey forces Meghan and Ash to flee from the Winter Court and they subsequently go on an amazing adventure to stop the Faery war that is brewing between the Summer and Winter Courts. They are joined on this adventure by friendly familiar faces and we meet some new and interesting characters along the way. The action will keep you flipping the pages in a frenzy, dying to know what happens next. This is one of those books you will NOT want to put down.

An unlikely alliance tests our beliefs about the Iron Fey as we see the good they are capable of inside. And heartbreaking sacrifice will have you crying over the pages. The ending is bittersweet as we watch Meghan and Ash make a truly heartwrenching decision... will they choose Faery and the Courts they love, or will they choose to throw all of that away for the love they feel for each other?

This book is truly amazing and if you loved The Iron King, this installment will not disappoint. The writing is stellar, the story is moving and intriguing, and the characters are loveable and real. When this book releases in August, you will definitely want to get your hands on a copy. And then make sure you have a chunk of time to read because once you start, you won't want to put it down. Happy Reading! *XOXO*

RADIANT SHADOWS GIVEAWAY: WINNER ANNOUNCED!

Sorry this was a day late! I meant to do this yesterday, but life decided that wasn't going to happen. Thanks to everyone who entered the contest!

The winner of a signed copy of Radiant Shadows by the lovely Melissa Marr, chosen by random.org is...

*drumroll*

Donna!

Congratulations, dear! *tosses confetti* An email will be headed your way. Please respond within 48 hours or I'll have to choose someone else. Thanks again to everyone who entered! Another contest will be posted soon. *XOXO*

Crescendo: Prologue and Chapter One!

I'm sure everyone has been posting about this today, but I just can't help it! I LOVED Hush, Hush soooo much. Patch? RAWR. Does not get much better than that boy! Couple a sizzling lit crush with an awesome story, amazing writing, and relatable characters, and you've got a book made of win.

The second book, Crescendo, hits the shelves on October 19th. Becca Fitzpatrick blessed her fans today by releasing a preview of the book. Check out the fallenarchangel site to read the prologue and chapter one. Happy Reading! *XOXO*

Teaser Tuesday: Shadow Kiss

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 Shadow Kiss, the third book in the Vampire Academy Series by Richelle Mead. I'm in the midst of a re-read of the series since the fifth book, Spirit Bound, just came out last week.

The hair on the back of my neck stood up. I froze, unable to move or finish going for my stake. I forgot about what I'd been doing and completely lost track of the people and commotion around me. The world slowed down, everything fading around me. There was only Mason-- that ghostly, shimmering Mason who glowed in the dark and seemed like he so badly wanted to tell me something.

Suddenly, something slammed into my shoulder, and I stumbled forward. The world suddenly started up again, snapping me out of the dreamy state I'd just been in. pg 56


I sooo love these books! If you haven't tried this series yet, I HIGHLY recommend you do so right now. A unique take on vamps, friendship, love and deadly sacrifice... this series has it all! Happy Reading! *XOXO*

In My Mailbox (#8)

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:

Won:
The Iron King signed by Julie Kagawa and a painted Grimalkin rock! I won this as part of the Team Ash/Puck Faceoff Contest. I received my goodies from Gail of Ticket to Anywhere. The Grim rock is one of the coolest things ever... huge thanks to Julie!

Wings signed by Aprilynne Pike. Aprilynne mailed out the prizes herself and boy, did she surprise me! I thought I had just won the book but with it came an awesome shirt, bracelet, temporary tattoos, and a button! What an awesome surprise! Much thanks to Aprilynne!

Bought:
Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead

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

Waiting on Wednesday (#6)

Synopsis:

While other teenage girls daydream about boys, Calla Tor imagines ripping out her enemies’ throats. And she wouldn’t have it any other way. Calla was born a warrior and on her eighteenth-birthday she’ll become the alpha female of the next generation of Guardian wolves. But Calla’s predestined path veers off course the moment she saves the life of a wayward hiker, a boy her own age. This human boy’s secret will turn the young pack's world upside down and forever alter the outcome of the centuries-old Witches' War that surrounds them all.


Release date: October 19, 2010

I cannot wait to read this book!! Mainly because my BFF, Lena Beana, adored it and told me numerous times how AMAZING it is! Seriously, I have the texts to prove it, haha. Sounds super amazing and with a rec from her, I'm all about it! What are you looking forward to? *XOXO*

Teaser Tuesday: My Soul to Take

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 My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent.

My heart beat harder with every step she took. My hand curled around my glass until my knuckles were white. And that familiar sense of melancholy swelled into an overwhelming feeling of grief. Of dark foreboding.

Horror washed over me in a devastating wave of intuition. My throat closed. I choked on a scream of terror. My glass slipped from my hand and shattered on the floor. pg 14


I read the prequel novella, My Soul to Lose, and was very intrigued by this series. And Nash? RAWR. I love hot lit boys! What are you reading? Leave me a link! *XOXO*

Manic Monday! (#6)

Welcome to the sixth 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've been naughty, missed two Manic Mondays in a row! *sheepish grin* But I couldn't pass up the chance to squee about this book coming out tomorrow:

Synopsis:

After a long and heartbreaking journey to Dimitri's birthplace in Siberia, Rose Hathaway has finally returned to St. Vladimir's—and to her best friend, Lissa. It is nearly graduation, and the girls can't wait for their real lives beyond the Academy's iron gates to begin. But Rose's heart still aches for Dimitri, and she knows he's out there, somewhere.

She failed to kill him when she had the chance. And now her worst fears are about to come true. Dimitri has tasted her blood, and now he is hunting her. And this time he won't rest until Rose joins him... forever.


I adore this series and CANNOT wait to scoop this book up tomorrow. Spirit Bound is the fifth book in the extremely popular Vampire Academy Series by Richelle Mead. What's going to happen now that Rose failed to kill Dimitri? And is it only me that finds bad-boy Dimitri just as hot as the good version? RAWR. And what will happen with Adrian? Must. Read. NOW!

I'm also excited to get this movie on DVD:

Movie Description:

All those stars, all those laughs! An all-star cast sparkles in this hilarious and heartwarming romantic comedy from the director of Pretty Woman and The Princess Diaries. Stories crisscross, collide and boomerang in this look at a day in the life of love. There's a proposal. Flowers that didn't get sent. A big far secret that's finally told. The "I'll show up and surprise him" that ended up surprising her. Fights, kisses, wrong turns, right moves and so much more. Whether new to love or through with love, you'll fall in love with this 19-star, funny-side-up celebration of romance.

I saw it in the theaters and really liked it. I'm a sucker for the romance movies so I was bound to find it enjoyable. Can't wait to get it on DVD!

And because I'm a TOTAL Gleek... the CD I'm looking forward to:

Yay for more music from Glee! I adore that show... awesome talent and quirky characters? Made of win!

Ok, that's it for this week! Hope Monday was kind to everyone! *XOXO*

In My Mailbox (#7)

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:

Won:
Dark Deceptions by Dee Davis from Dark Faerie Tales
Poison Study by Maria Snyder from Cherry Mischievous
Presumed Innocent by Scott Turow from A Journey of Books

Bought:
The Six Rules of Maybe by Deb Caletti
Thirteen Days to Midnight by Patrick Carman
Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia by Elizabeth Gilbert

It was an awesome week... much thanks to the amazing bloggers I won books from. It was awesome for them to all come in this week! I can't wait to read them! What did you get this week? Leave me a link so I can check it out! And as always, Happy Reading! *XOXO*

*REVIEW* Kiss of Death

Synopsis:

A new chapter in the New York Times bestselling Morganville Vampires saga.

Vampire musician Michael Glass has attracted the attention of a big- time producer who wants to cut a demo and play some gigs-which means Michael will have to enter the human world. For this, he's been assigned escorts that include both a dangerous immortal as well as Michael's all-too-human friends. And with that mix of personalities, this is going to be a road trip from hell...


This book was awesome, no other word for it. The latest installment in the Morganville Vampires Series packs the same punch as the books that come before it. It's got intense action, numerous adversaries, unlikely alliances, love, devotion, and loyal friendship. Looking for a book that you'll want to sink your teeth into? Look no further!


Kiss of Death
follows our favorite foursome as they get to do the unthinkable: leave Morganville. Michael has been offered the opportunity of a lifetime, the chance to travel to Dallas to record some songs with a major company and Claire, Shane, and Eve are granted the right to accompany him. Only one small catch... they have to take an official escort and it's none other than major Morganville baddie, Oliver.


The road trip the characters are stoked about quickly becomes the road trip from hell as they deal with super angry rednecks, transportation going up in flames, and some renegade vamps from Morganville that are tired of following the rules. And just when it seems that things can't get any worse, a town is stumbled upon that has an infestation of vampires worse off than they've ever seen. Because what is worse than a normal Morganville Vamp? How about vampires that are absolutely insane with the illness that used to plague Morganville before the cure was developed? Yep, that's some scary mess!


The action is fast-paced and never ending in this book. Just when one situation seems to be resolved, another pops up, more terrifying than the last. I had a hard time putting the book down and was pleased to see some major growth from Claire. She's really maturing and growing up and I found myself feeling proud of her. Watching her story across the series has been wonderful. The other characters were as loveable as always, even Oliver. I think we're supposed to have some level of dislike for him, but I just can't seem to get there with him. I like him! Can't help it.


I highly recommend this book to others who have been reading the series. And if you haven't read any of them yet, go out and get the first one, Glass Houses. You won't be disappointed! Rachel Caine is a wonderful author and her books are always guaranteed to satisfy. Happy Reading! *XOXO*

Waiting on Wednesday (#5)

Synopsis:

Kayla McHenry’s sweet sixteenth sucks! Her dad left, her grades dropped, and her BFF is dating the boy Kayla’s secretly loved for years. Blowing out her candles, Kayla thinks: I wish my birthday wishes actually came true. Because they never freakin’ do.

Kayla wakes the next day to a life-sized, bright pink My Little Pony outside her window. Then a year’s supply of gumballs arrives. And a boy named Ken with a disturbing resemblance to the doll of same name stalks her. As the ghosts of Kayla’s wishes-past appear, they take her on a wild ride… but they MUST STOP. Because when she was 15? She wished Ben Mackenzie would kiss her.

And Ben is her best friend's boyfriend.

Release date: August 5, 2010

Sometimes, you just need a light and fun read and this book looks to be JUST that. Reviews that I've seen from people who have already been fortunate enough to read it have all been favorable so I can't wait to get my hands on this book! Happy Reading! *XOXO*

Teaser Tuesday: Kiss of Death

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 Kiss of Death, the latest installment in The Morganville Vampires Series by Rachel Caine.


Oliver got in the front, turned, and drove a fist through the metal grating that separated the back of the squad car from the front. He peeled back the metal, grabbed Michael's arm, and said, "You can't help them by dying. You tried. We'll try again. This isn't over."


Michael was still tense, ready to fight, but Oliver held him there, staring him down, until Michael finally let go of Oliver's arm and held up both hands in surrender. His whole body slumped. Defeated. pg 148


I'm loving this book so far! Rachel Caine hasn't missed a step with this latest book, it's got the same great chemistry, action, and suspense that the previous books in this series have all had. If you haven't tried this series yet, what are you waiting for? Happy Reading! *XOXO*

My First Blog Award!

I am completely thrilled and honored... I received my first blog award from the lovely Elizabeth of Swords for Fighting! To accept the Sunshine Award, you must link to the person who awarded it to you and then pass it on to twelve deserving bloggers. So here goes!

1. Lena of Addicted2Novels

2. Alaine of Queen of Happy Endings

3. Tiger of All-Consuming Books: Reviews by Tiger

4. Book Crazy Jenn of Book Crazy

5. Sarah of Book Reviews from Inside an Igloo

6. Cherry of Cherry Mischievous

7. Amanda Leigh of Not-Really-Southern Vamp Chick

8. Pixie of Page Turners

9. Jennifer of Reading with Tequila

10. Rhiana of Rhiana Reads...

11. Mavie of The Bookologist

12. Taylor of The Library Lurker

All of your blogs bring some sunshine into my day... *XOXO*

In My Mailbox (#6)

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:

Won:
The Cinderella Society by Kay Cassidy from my BFF and brain twin, the lovely LENA!

Bought:
Something Like Fate by Susane Colasanti
Mistwood by Leah Cypess
Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan
Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready
Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner
Hush by Kate White

I went a little crazy in Barnes and Noble this week, hehe. I'm trying to look shameful, but can't seem to manage it. I cannot wait to sink my teeth into some of these! *squee* What did you get this week? Leave me a link and I'll check it out! Happy Reading! *XOXO*

*REVIEW* Burned

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 absolutely adored this book! I don't think I had realized how much I had been missing the House of Night Series until I started reading it. This latest installment contains the same elements that make the other House of Night books so good: Drama, intrigue, loyalty, friendship, sacrifice, and love. You will definitely find yourself unable to put this book down!

The book picks up where the events of Tempted left us off. Zoey's soul has been shattered and she is trapped in the Otherworld, while Stevie Rae has imprinted with Rephaim, the big baddie of the Raven Mockers. The story switches between several POV's, giving us a broader picture of all that is going on in the House of Night world.

The amazing things about this book: The romance. Stark is swoon-worthy, risking everything to travel to the Otherworld to save Zoey. Heath performs an act of bravery, doing something extremely difficult, but necessary, to save not only Zoey, but the entire world. And then there's Rephaim. Watching him and Stevie Rae figure out their bond and feelings for one another is one of the true gems of this book. You find yourself falling for Rephaim and wanting to see only the good that is inside of him.

More goods: The friendships. They stay true and loyal in this book as we watch Aphrodite, Damien, and the rest spend countless hours researching how to help Zoey, and we see that Stevie Rae has a loyal group of red fledglings. The action. This book has got some SERIOUS action going on. You'll find yourself torn... what's going on across the world? What's going on in Tulsa? Each time the story switches back and forth between locations, you'll want to scream in a good way. The intrigue. Who is good? Who is bad? Who has the potential for both? What will happen when Stevie Rae's secrets are revealed? Soooo many questions, you'll be dying for more at the end of this book.

While I obviously loved this book, rarely is a book perfect. The dialogue still bothers me quite a bit. I found myself CRINGING each time Kramisha was speaking. And some of the things Stevie Rae said? Ick. I get that the authors are really trying to let us see the individual characters' voices and that they're trying to "speak teen"... but I work in a high school, and not all teens speak like that! I actually found myself really missing Zoey because at least I'm used to her "voice". She doesn't feature as prominently in this book and I'm hoping that will change for the next one.

Overall? Highly recommend this book! I think this series is getting better and better and that's impressive once you have reached book seven. I found this to be a super entertaining read that I couldn't stand to put down for a minute. If you're a HoN fan, scoop this one up today! Happy Reading! *XOXO*

Teaser Tuesday: The Iron Daughter

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 Julie Kagawa. The Iron Daughter is the sequel to The Iron King and it releases on August 1st, 2010. I am reading the ARC through Net Galley so the page numbers are likely to be different.

"I don't know how long I stood there, hours or only a few minutes, when a shadowy figure slipped into the room. Though I could still see out, the ice made everything cracked and distorted, so I couldn't tell who it was."

"Even through my air-starved delirium, my heart leaped. Ash's silvery eyes peered through the wall separating us, as bright and soulful as ever. The torment on his face shocked me, as if he were the one trapped and unable to breathe." pg. 69

I am in serious love with this book. I'm well past this point now and let me tell you, this book is as amazing as the first. I can hardly stand to put my nook down! Be looking for my review once I've finished it. I'm trying to savor it but it's a hard thing to do when the book is this good! As always, Happy Reading!! *XOXO*

BOOK ADDICTION GIVEAWAY: WINNER ANNOUNCED!

I want to take a moment to thank all of you who entered and made my first giveaway such a success... you all ROCK!

The winner of the random draw is...

*DRUMROLL*

The Book Vixen!!

Congratulations, dear! *tosses confetti* An email is headed your way, requesting your address. You have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen. Thanks again to all who entered! And don't forget to enter the Radiant Shadows Giveaway! *XOXO*

In My Mailbox (#5)

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 Carrie Diaries by Candace Bushnell
Kiss of Death by Rachel Caine
Burned by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

Won:
The Dark Divine Nail Polish from The Story Siren!

I've already devoured Burned, review to come. But let me say... it was AMAZING! Stark is love. I can't wait to read The Carrie Diaries, especially when I keep seeing all these previews for the new SATC movie! *squee* And diving into Kiss of Death is going to be great, I've definitely missed the Morganville Vamps series.

I'm super stoked that I won the Dark Divine Nail Polish. It's such a beautiful color and matches The Dark Divine cover perfectly! I plan on painting my toes before I read the book, hehe.

So what did YOU get this week? Leave me a link so I can check it out! *XOXO*

*REVIEW* The Unwritten Rule

Synopsis:

Everyone knows the unwritten rule: You don't like your best friend's boyfriend.

Sarah has had a crush on Ryan for years. He's easy to talk to, supersmart, and totally gets her. Lately it even seems like he's paying extra attention to her. Everything would be perfect except for two things: Ryan is Brianna's boyfriend, and Brianna is Sarah's best friend.

Sarah forces herself to avoid Ryan and tries to convince herself not to like him. She feels so guilty for wanting him, and the last thing she wants is to hurt her best friend. But when she's thrown together with Ryan one night, something happens. It's wonderful...and awful.

Sarah is torn apart by guilt, but what she feels is nothing short of addiction, and she can't stop herself from wanting more...

I debated not writing a review for this book, not that I didn't enjoy reading it, but the story itself is very simplistic and predictable and I find that I don't have all that much to say about the book that the synopsis couldn't tell you.

I liked the book, but didn't love it, for a couple main reasons. First off, I think it's definitely geared towards a younger reader. Yes, I'm adult and I read YA but this book felt VERY young to me. I'm not even sure I would have loved it at 17 or 18 years old. That being said, the author wonderfully captures the emotions, feelings, and insecurities so common to adolescents during the teenage years.

Another major problem for me with this book was the characters and my inability to form an attachment to them. I found Sarah to be annoying in her overly insecure willingness to put up with unbelievable rudeness and crap from her so-called BFF. Which brings me to Brianna... I know that she is, unfortunately, a fairly good representation of many insecure, needing to put down other people, teenage girls but I really wanted to smack her for most of the book. Yes, she does not have a great homelife and it's easy to see how this has affected her but I still found it very hard to feel much sympathy for her.

I do think that the majority of my hangups about this book come from the fact that it is geared towards a younger reader. It's an accurate representation of friendship and teenage love, but being so removed from that age, and having grown so far past it, I found a lot of it to be annoying and had to contain my eye rolls. That being said, it's a quick and easy read and you do get to see the main character finally take a stand for herself. In my opinion, it just takes her way too long to get there.

My final complaint is the constant switching between present and past tense in the writing itself. I understand why the author wrote it that way, but found myself thrown off by it some and it did actually distract me from the story a few times.

A lot of this has been negative, and while I doubt I would re-read this book, I wouldn't necessarily discourage others from reading it. I just would caution readers that it is very juvenile and to expect a very predictable story about friendship, love, and intense insecurity. *XOXO*

 
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