*REVIEW* Blackwood


Synopsis:

On Roanoke Island, the legend of the 114 people who mysteriously vanished from the Lost Colony hundreds of years ago is just an outdoor drama for the tourists, a story people tell. But when the island faces the sudden disappearance of 114 people now, an unlikely pair of 17-year-olds may be the only hope of bringing them back.

Miranda, a misfit girl from the island’s most infamous family, and Phillips, an exiled teen criminal who hears the voices of the dead, must dodge everyone from federal agents to long-dead alchemists as they work to uncover the secrets of the new Lost Colony. The one thing they can’t dodge is each other.

Blackwood is a dark, witty coming of age story that combines America’s oldest mystery with a thoroughly contemporary romance.

I had high hopes for Blackwood because the premise is really interesting... ESPECIALLY since I live within driving distance of Roanoke Island, and who isn't intrigued by the mystery surrounding the lost colony?! Unfortunately, Blackwood fell short of my expectations. While the potential for a really good story was definitely present, the execution was lacking and I was left very disappointed.

Blackwood introduces us to Miranda Blackwood, a teenage girl literally trapped on Roanoke Island due to an old family curse, a curse that leads the people of Roanoke Island to treat Miranda and her family like second class citizens. Not helping this is the fact that Miranda's father is the town drunk. Unable to cope with Miranda's mother's death, Mr. Blackwood turns to the bottle for relief. Miranda soon learns, however, that her father was seeking relief from more than just his wife's death...

Another mass disappearance on the island, her father included, sends Miranda into a desperate search for the truth about the lost colonists, and her family's role in the past and present. Aiding Miranda is Phillips, a teenage boy who returns to the island to help Miranda when he learns of the recent events. Phillips had escaped the island and the voices of the dead that plagued him while he remained in it's borders, but he knows that he will have a part to play before it is all said and done. Together, the two delve deep into the mysteries of Roanoke Island, their families' roles, their destiny, and their newfound feelings for one another. Will they solve the mystery in time to save the missing? Or will they lose everything they hold dear, including each other?

This book just sounds GOOD which is so disappointing to me considering the way it was in reality. I STRUGGLED to get into the story and the first third of the book was painful at times. After that, the story did pick up some but I found that I was only minimally invested in the characters. I think that the story itself has a LOT of potential, but the follow through with the story TELLING was lacking and the transitions were simply awful at times. The POV switched often and the transitions between them were very poor. In fact, there were times that I had to re-read passages to figure out who the POV belonged to! That was beyond frustrating and really pulled me out of the story at times.

My other major complaint about this book is the lack of explanation. I truly felt lost sometimes and wasn't quite sure what was going on and what the significance of some things were, and I really think this could have been helped by more information. I'm hoping that there will be some editing done to the book (I read an ARC through NetGalley) and that maybe some of the above will be changed, at least the transitions. I really think that could take this from an OK book to a fairly decent book.

Anywho... those are my thoughts. Worth a read? That really depends on you. It wasn't an overly difficult read so if you can get past the beginning, you can fly through it. I just don't know if you'll care enough to devote the time. I seriously considered making this a DNF but my extreme Type A-ness made that impossible. So I'll let you be the judge on whether or not it's worth your time.

Expected publication: September 4, 2012 by Strange Chemistry

Happy Memorial Day!


Happy Memorial Day!! :)

It's been a super busy weekend for me, I hope you all have enjoyed the weekend as well! I haven't gotten much reading done in the past few days so nothing new to report there. I hope you all have a wonderful day with family and friends and I hope my American friends take the time to reflect on how lucky we are to have the military that we do. God Bless the USA!

Now go have some hotdogs and hamburgers. This weekend doesn't feel complete without a cookout! Enjoy and take care! *XOXO*

*REVIEW* Waiting for You


Synopsis:

At the beginning of her sophomore year, Marisa is ready for a fresh start and, more importantly, a boyfriend. So when the handsome and popular Derek asks her out, Marisa thinks her long wait for happiness is over. But several bumps in the road—including her parents’ unexpected separation, a fight with her best friend, and a shocking disappointment in her relationship with Derek—test Marisa’s ability to maintain her new outlook. Only the anonymous DJ, whose underground podcasts have the school’s ear, seems to understand what Marisa is going through. But she has no idea who he is—or does she? In Waiting For You, this third romantic novel from Susane Colasanti, Marisa learns how to “be in the Now” and realizes that the love she’s been waiting for has been right in front of her all along.

Waiting for You is my favorite Susane Colasanti book BY FAR. I've always been a little on the fence with her books, but this one was really, really good. Even though I am well removed from high school, I was completely able to relate to this book and what all of the characters were going through. And even though you could smell the ending coming a mile away, I still found the journey to the end entertaining, engaging, and well worth the ride.

Waiting for You introduces us to Marisa, a sophomore in high school, who is waiting for her first boyfriend. Her best friend, Sterling, and her have decided that this will be the year that their lives truly begin, and having a relationship is the ultimate goal. Marisa had suffered the previous year from a serious case of depression and anxiety and wants to make sure that she stays stable and happy. If only she could have predicted the things that would happen that would test that goal more than she ever thought possible...

See, Marisa's life is falling apart. Her perfect parents are separating, and while she finally got her dream boyfriend, she's finding that their relationship is far from ideal. She's also worried about Sterling who has decided that online dating is the way to go. The one bright spot in her existence is her renewed friendship with her neighbor, Nash. Nash seems to understand her better than anyone and the nights they spend hanging out together keep her sane more than anything else. There's also Dirk, an online DJ who seems to speak right to her soul on his nightly show. Who is Dirk and how does he know just what to say to make her feel better?

This book was SO good. For the first time ever, I truly connected with Colasanti's story and I felt myself rooting for Marisa and hoping to see her find the happiness she craves. I think anyone could relate to Marisa... the pain, the longing, the insecurities... most teenagers experience these emotions on an almost daily basis. Colasanti captures the difficulty of adolescence brilliantly. In addition to that, I simply loved these characters! Marisa, Nash, Sterling, Derek, Sandra, Marisa's parents, they ALL had something interesting about them, something that made me want to know more. I think it's a sign of a really good book when even the B-list characters are intriguing!

If you're like me and had previously read a Colasanti book that didn't really impress you, please don't let that keep you from picking up Waiting for You. It's really a fantastic book. In fact, I'm thinking about having a Colasanti-themed giveaway so someone else has the opportunity to read it! It's one of those books you really want to pay forward.

250 Follower Giveaway: WINNER!


Thank you to everyone who entered my 250 FOLLOWER GIVEAWAY! I'm really excited to be back in the blogosphere and adore each and every one of you who follow and comment on the things here at Karen's Addictions. It means more than you know!

Anywho... let's get to it! The winner, who gets the book of his or her choice from The Book Depository is...

*drumroll*


a Rafflecopter giveaway

The winner has been contacted and has 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen. Thanks again to all who entered! *XOXO*

*REVIEW* Thumped


Synopsis:

THE CONCLUSION TO ONE OF THE MOST TALKED-ABOUT NOVELS OF LAST YEAR.

It’s been thirty-five weeks since twin sisters Harmony and Melody went their separate ways. And now their story has become irresistible: twins separated at birth, each due to deliver twins…on the same day!

Married to Ram and living in Goodside, Harmony spends her time trying to fit back into the community she once believed in. But she can’t forget about Jondoe, the guy she fell for under the strangest of circumstances.

To her adoring fans, Melody has achieved everything: a major contract and a coupling with the hottest bump prospect around. But this image is costing her the one guy she really wants.

The girls’ every move is analyzed by millions of fans eagerly counting down to “Double Double Due Date.” They’re two of the most powerful teen girls on the planet, and they could do only one thing to make them even more famous: Tell the truth.

Thumped is the conclusion to Megan McCafferty's Bumped and I have to say that it was a VERY satisfying conclusion to the story. While there were still some things that bothered me, much like in Bumped, I very much enjoyed this installment and was pleased and happy with where the characters ended up.

Thumped picks up many months after the ending of Bumped and we quickly learn that Melody and Harmony have become the hottest thing to ever hit the MiNet because both girls are pregnant with twins and should deliver around the same time. It's a story the world is following and both girls are the epitome of celebrity in their own worlds: Melody in Otherside, serving as role model for all teens hoping to hump and bump their way to fame and riches, and Harmony in Goodside, a role model on the power of redemption and coming back from a sinful past. If only everything was as it appeared to be...

Readers realize that Harmony and Melody are both living a lie, though of a very different nature. Will Harmony remain in Goodside, although deep inside, she knows that it's not the place for her or her twins to be? What will become of her and Jondoe if she never returns to Otherside? Will Melody tell the truth to the world, a truth that has the potential to ruin many lives but also may hold the key to radical change? Will she finally be honest with herself about her true feelings for Zen? Does a happily ever after await them all?

EEP! So many questions need to be answered and Thumped will answer them all. I think McCafferty does a good job pacing the story and letting the characters develop even more than they did in Bumped. I was able to discern a real difference between Melody and Harmony this time around, something that was lacking a bit in the first book. I like the direction the characters ended up going in and I'm happy to see growth in all of the characters, not just Melody and Harmony. I was most pleased with the growth in Ram and liked seeing more of him in this installment.

Unfortunately, it's not ALL positive... though I know it's a sign of the times in the book, some of the language of Otherside still plucked my nerves. I know that it's intended to be that way though so I don't truly fault the book for it. It just makes me feel a little neggy, if you know what I mean. My other complaint is something that should have been corrected and that was the number of errors in the text. I know that errors are common in books because authors and editors are human and it happens. But this book seemed to contain a LOT of them and my OCD-ness kept finding them as I scrolled through the pages (Kindle edition). Misspelled words, words being left out of sentences, ARGH. One or two or even three is one thing but I found NUMEROUS errors and that always bothers me.

The negatives of this book are definitely not reason enough to skip it though. Especially if you read Bumped and want to see all that happens. It's undoubtedly a strange world that McCafferty created but it's strange in an interesting way and it really makes you think what life could be like if something like "The Virus" were to become a reality. Enjoy! *XOXO*

FUN FRIDAY (12)


Happy Friday!! :) Welcome to FUN FRIDAY where I reveal something about me, some personal tidbit that will allow my followers to get to know me better. I follow several blogs and I sometimes wonder who the bloggers REALLY are behind the words, so I thought it would be a cool thing to open up a bit and to reveal more about who Karen really is.

Today I'd like to talk about my indecisiveness... cause it is HORRIBLE!!!! Even the most simple of decisions can leave me torn, confused and frustrated. Trying to choose a restaurant? Forget about it! What kind of chips do I want at the store?! Should I go to the gym or the park?! Simple choices can leave me debating for WAYYYY too long. And the big things? Talk about some anxiety! Big decisions are the WORST.

My case in point right now is bridesmaids. I'm getting married June 2013 and I CANNOT decide what to do. We're having a smaller wedding, we're hoping to keep the guests to under 90 so it doesn't make sense to have a wedding party of outrageous proportions. We've been saying three for the longest time but therein lies my dilemma because I can't choose between four of my friends. To further complicate matters, three of them already assume they will be in it because of previous conversations I've had with them. Which I know is MY fault but when I got engaged, there was so much excitement and, "Omigosh, of COURSE you'll be in my wedding" flew from my lips without me really thinking about it.

So now I'm stuck and I don't know what to do. The easy solution would be to have all four but my fiance really only has three people he wants up there and I am NOT one of those people who can roll with the unbalanced thing. That's a result of my slight OCD-like qualities. The other easy solution would be to choose the three people who already think they'll be in it. My problem with that is that the fourth friend is someone I really would like to have up there with me. We had grown a little distant but have been renewed our friendship as of late and she's one of the most amazing friends. UGH. Choices!

Anywho... hope you all have a FABULOUS weekend. I'll be posting the winner of my 250 Follower Contest later this weekend, or the beginning of the week, so be on the lookout for that. Cheers!

*REVIEW* Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter


Synopsis:

Indiana, 1818. Moonlight falls through the dense woods that surround a one-room cabin, where a nine-year-old Abraham Lincoln kneels at his suffering mother's bedside. She's been stricken with something the old-timers call "Milk Sickness."

"My baby boy..." she whispers before dying.

Only later will the grieving Abe learn that his mother's fatal affliction was actually the work of a vampire.

When the truth becomes known to young Lincoln, he writes in his journal, "henceforth my life shall be one of rigorous study and devotion. I shall become a master of mind and body. And this mastery shall have but one purpose..." Gifted with his legendary height, strength, and skill with an ax, Abe sets out on a path of vengeance that will lead him all the way to the White House.

While Abraham Lincoln is widely lauded for saving a Union and freeing millions of slaves, his valiant fight against the forces of the undead has remained in the shadows for hundreds of years. That is, until Seth Grahame-Smith stumbled upon The Secret Journal of Abraham Lincoln, and became the first living person to lay eyes on it in more than 140 years.

Using the journal as his guide and writing in the grand biographical style of Doris Kearns Goodwin and David McCullough, Seth has reconstructed the true life story of our greatest president for the first time-all while revealing the hidden history behind the Civil War and uncovering the role vampires played in the birth, growth, and near-death of our nation...

I really didn't know what to expect from this one... I have not read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies so I didn't know what to expect from Seth Grahame-Smith. Couple that with my complete lack of history retention, and I assumed this one was not going to go so well for me. I'm happy to say I could not have been more wrong in my prediction. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter is a fantastic book full of history, action, horror, loss, and hope. It's also full of some ridiculousness but you had to guess that from the title!

The book starts out by introducing us to a very young Abe Lincoln who is about to lose his mother who he is extremely attached and devoted to. Later he learns that his mother's death was actually the work of a vampire. Yep, a VAMPIRE. Abe decides then and there that he will devote his life to the eradication of vampires in America. Early in his "hunts", he stumbles upon Henry Sturges, a vampire who decides to take him under his wing and teach him all there is to know about hunting and killing vampires. Henry says that not all vampires are created equal and hopes to see the more evil ones banished from the land.

The book treats us to a wide history that shows us how Abraham Lincoln became the greatest President of the United States. We see his rise in the legal field, his first dips into politics, and much much more. We also see his first experience of love, his eventual marriage, and the birth of several children. Unfortunately, Abe also deals with a tremendous amount of loss that is truly heartbreaking. Throughout all of this, we get to witness Abe's battle against the vampires. His numerous hunts and kills and his eventual alignment with the Union, a group of vampires intent on winning the Civil War for the North and destroying the South's most capable combatants.

I really, really liked this one. So much of this history had been lost to me. When I learned about Lincoln and the Civil War, I was one of those students who believed in memorization, then reguritation, and then it would all be lost to me not long after. Reading this book was like hearing these stories for the first time all over again. Then add into the mix the fanciful tales of the vampires and it became an engaging and interesting read that I struggled to put down. And the reality of slavery in the book? Horrifying!! It's easy to not think about those dark days of our country's past but being reminded about the things that went on back then was sobering. Once again, I am in awe of Abraham Lincoln and all the men who fought with him to turn things around.

So would I recommend this to a friend? I sure as heck would! I quite enjoyed the author's writing style and think this book would appeal to many. I think I owe it to myself to check out Pride and Prejudice and Zombies now!

*REVIEW* Fated



Synopsis:

The first book in a magnificent new series about a girl who can navigate between the worlds of the living and the dead by #1 New York Times bestselling author Alyson Noël.

Lately strange things have been happening to Daire Santos. Animals follow her, crows mock her, and glowing people appear out of nowhere. Worried that Daire is having a nervous breakdown, her mother packs her off to stay in the dusty plains of Enchantment, New Mexico with a grandmother she’s never met.

There she crosses paths with Dace, a gorgeous guy with unearthly blue eyes who she’s encountered before...but only in her dreams. And she’ll get to know her grandmother—a woman who recognizes Daire’s bizarre episodes for what they are. A call to her true destiny as a Soul Seeker, one who can navigate between the worlds of the living and the dead. Her grandmother immediately begins teaching her to harness her powers—but it’s an art that must be mastered quickly. Because Dace’s brother is an evil shape-shifter who’s out to steal her powers. Now Daire must embrace her fate as a Soul Seeker and find out if Dace is one guy she’s meant to be with...or if he’s allied with the enemy she’s destined to destroy.

I couldn't wait to read this book! I really enjoyed The Immortals by Alyson Noel... well, at least the first few books. The series went down a little for me towards the end but I still enjoyed them! So I was REALLY excited to dive into the new world Noel has created with The Soul Seekers. And although the book had a pretty slow start for me in terms of my excitement over it, I'm happy to say that things picked up and by the end I was quite pleased.

Fated introduces us to Daire, a teenage girl being plagued by strange visions and glowing people. Doctors are convinced that she is mentally unstable and needs to be institutionalized, but Daire knows deep inside that it's more than that. In an effort to save her daughter, Daire's mother sends her to live with her grandmother, Paloma, a woman that she has never met and who practices and believes in otherworldly things.

Daire quickly learns that she hails from a long line of Soul Seekers, individuals who work in the light to bring down the darkness that plagues the world, a darkness brought on by the Coyotes. The Coyotes stem from an evil family who control the entire town. As Daire is thrust into this world, she must learn to overcome her fears and to have faith in who she was always destined to be. The trick will be knowing who to trust, and who to avoid, and ensuring that she doesn't get in too deep. If she does, she may lose something more valuable than life itself... she could lose her soul.

I really don't want to spoiler this one for anyone! I can say that I did find the beginning VERY confusing and that at times, I felt like the author skipped some needed information about what is going on. It's like, BAM! Daire finds out she's a Soul Seeker, here comes a spirit quest, and then BOOM! She's got all these powers and is facing off against the bad guy. It's alluded to that she's received a great deal of training but you don't see much of it so for me, I felt very uninformed at times.

Other than that, once the story got going, and I pieced together what was going on, I found myself quite pleased with it. I'm intrigued to see where the story goes since a lot was left hanging. Definitely some mysteries that need to be unraveled in the next book! All in all, I very much enjoyed this book. Hope you do the same! Happy Reading! *XOXO*

Teaser Tuesday: Fated



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 comes from Fated by Alyson Noel:

The group presses forward, their gruesome faces naked with craving, as I brace for a big, messy pile of squishy gray matter. Figuring the brains will most likely be human, since, according to legend, that's the preferred undead/demon/monster treat. pg. 213

After a somewhat slow start for me, this book has really picked up some steam! I've only got a few chapters left and I cannot WAIT to find out what happens! BOO work!! Fans of Noel's The Immortals owe it to themselves to pick this one up. Happy Reading! *XOXO*

*REVIEW* Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Vol. 1: The Long Way Home


Synopsis:

Since the destruction of the Hellmouth, the Slayers - newly legion - have gotten organized and are kicking some serious undead butt. But not everything's fun and firearms, as an old enemy reappears and Dawn experiences some serious growing pains. Meanwhile, one of the "Buffy" decoy slayers is going through major pain of her own.

Buffy creator Joss Whedon brings Buffy back to Dark Horse in this direct follow-up to season seven of the smash-hit TV series. The bestselling and critically acclaimed issues #1-5 are collected here for the first time, as are their covers by Jo Chen and Georges Jeanty.

I have to admit that I'm not the HUGEST comic book fan. While I do enjoy some of them, especially some of the Marvel comics about my favorites (Iron Man and Thor), I just can't seem to get fully on the bandwagon. And it would be easy to assume this could be in part because I'm a chick and comics seem to be more favored by the male species, but I know several girls who quite enjoy comics so I'm not sure it's as simple as that. But more on that later, let's talk about BUFFY!

The Long Way Home picks up where the hit TV show left us, with tons of slayers joining the mix. No longer is Buffy THE slayer, she's more like the head slayer, the teacher, the Commander. Buffy and Co. have been working tirelessly, continuing to protect the world from evil. However, the government feels that Buffy and her crew are a major threat to the human race and plot to kill her. Joining the government is Amy and Warren, who has some serious revenge plans for Willow. And Dawn? Let's say she's got some supersized problems of her own!

While I really enjoyed getting back into the world of Buffy (cause let's face it, that show was awesomesauce!) I have to admit that I thought I would love this more than I did. While the artwork was great for the majority of the characters, I was left a little puzzled by how little Buffy resembled Sarah Michelle Gellar. The other characters looked MUCH more like the TV versions, so that was a little surprising and frankly, it pulled me out of the story because I couldn't help thinking, "wow, that so doesn't look like Buffy" at key moments. I'm hoping the next volume will be a little different in that regard.

I think the other thing that disappointed me is probably my own fault, and that was my confusion level. It's been a VERY long time since I've seen the last season of Buffy and I kind of felt like I was thrown into a movie at the midway point. I was LOST. But things have come back, with the help of Wikipedia, and I'm looking forward to picking up the next volume. Because the one AMAZING thing was that Joss Whedon's voice is THERE. The wit, the humor, the banter that made the show oh-so-enjoyable is completely present in the book. If you're a Buffy fan, you owe it to yourself to see what happens next. Enjoy! *XOXO*

FUN FRIDAY (11)


Happy Friday!! :) Welcome to FUN FRIDAY where I reveal something about me, some personal tidbit that will allow my followers to get to know me better. I follow several blogs and I sometimes wonder who the bloggers REALLY are behind the words, so I thought it would be a cool thing to open up a bit and to reveal more about who Karen really is.

Today's insight: I have an eating out problem. I eat out ALL. THE. TIME. I'd like to blame how crazy busy work has been for me lately but I think that would be a lie because this has ALWAYS been an issue. I think what is really to blame is my laziness. I am SO lazy! Yeah, I work hard and it can be exhausting emotionally and the last thing I feel like doing at night is cooking. So the easy solution? Take out, baby! But it's SOOOOOO bad for you, I've got to get a handle on it!

For example, this week alone: Monday night we had Chick-fil-a. Which is freakin' AMAZING. I am in love with their chicken strips and waffle fries? Yes, please!! Tuesday night we had Tropical Smoothie. Their strawberry beach smoothie is my ultimate fave! Wednesday night we had Hardees, which I wasn't that impressed with. I tried their jalapeno burger jank and it gave me heartburn like a champ. But their cheese and bacon fries were pretty good! And that all leads us to last night where we had Chinese. A LOT of Chinese. Yeah, yeah... I coordinate AP testing at the high school I work at and we've been giving tests all week and it's been super stressful but still. Eating out every single night? Not good for the wallet OR the waistline!

I'm hoping we correct this starting next week as we begin a 5K training program. We're participating in a Color Me Rad 5K in July and while 3.1 miles isn't hard to walk, I know there's NO way I'm going to be able to run even a small portion of it without some serious training. So goodbye fast food and take out and HELLO! eating at home. Joy. I suppose it's the grown up thing to do and it is sure as HECK more healthy than what I've been doing. Cheers! *XOXO*

*REVIEW* One Moment


Synopsis:

This was supposed to be the best summer of Maggie’s life. Now it’s the one she’d do anything to forget.

Maggie Reynolds remembers hanging out at the gorge with her closest friends after a blowout party the night before. She remembers climbing the trail hand in hand with her perfect boyfriend, Joey. She remembers that last kiss, soft, lingering, and meant to reassure her. So why can’t she remember what happened in the moment before they were supposed to dive? Why was she left cowering at the top of the cliff, while Joey floated in the water below—dead?

As Maggie’s memories return in snatches, nothing seems to make sense. Why was Joey acting so strangely at the party? Where did he go after taking her home? And if Joey was keeping these secrets, what else was he hiding?

The latest novel from the author of The Tension of Opposites, One Moment is a mysterious, searing look at how an instant can change everything you believe about the world around you.

One Moment was a pleasant surprise for me. I hadn't read Kristina McBride's previous book, The Tension of Opposites, so I was not sure what her writing would be like. I found myself completely immersed in the story... McBride has a way of hooking you in with wonderful, multi-faceted characters and deep and heart-felt emotions. I was very touched by One Moment and would highly recommend it!

One Moment is the story of six incredibly close friends who have grown up with each other and shared more good times and memories than can possibly be counted. Their junior year of high school is winding down and they are all looking forward to a fun and memorable Memorial Day weekend. Friday night finds the friends at a raging party where strange emotions seem to be brewing beneath the surface. The next day, the group ventures to one of their favorite spots for some cliff diving, sunbathing, tossing back some drinks, and just enjoying their friendships. No one could have predicted the tragic turn of events that would leave Joey, Maggie's boyfriend and fellow group member, lying shattered on the ground.

Following the accident, Maggie and the group try to begin picking up the pieces. Maggie's memory loss is alarming and forces her into therapy to try to figure out what exactly happened during those last moments on the cliff with Joey. As Maggie works on recovering her lost memories, secrets and mysteries begin to be revealed making Maggie question everything: What was Joey hiding from her? Where was he the night before the accident? Why do Adam and Shannon seem to be holding things back from her? As Maggie delves deeper and deeper into the truth, one thing becomes certain--this group of friends will never be the same.

I don't want to spoiler the book for anyone because it really is a good read. It's a QUICK read, but it's emotional, touching, and will stay with you after you've turned the final page. I WAS slightly disappointed by how quickly I had sussed out one of the main secrets of the book. I smelled that one coming WAYYY before the big reveal, but surprisingly, even knowing it was coming didn't ruin it for me.

And one thing I really and truly loved about the book was the friendship the six characters had. It was far from perfect, but it was realistic. Friends that grow up together and go through such a tumultuous phase of life, like adolescence, are bound to hit snags. It's not going to be pretty and perfect and honest and all of that ALL the time. That's not realistic. There will be jealousy, lies, secrets and possibly even betrayal as six people grow up and learn who they really are and what they really want. I commend Kristina McBride for beautifully showing that with these characters.

So to sum it up, you should read this! Definitely worth it. It releases on June 26th and would be a PERFECT beach read for you fellow beach readers out there... enjoy! *XOXO*

*thanks to Around the World Tours for the ARC*

*REVIEW* Black City


Synopsis: A dark and tender post-apocalyptic love story set in the aftermath of a bloody war. In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable--they fall in love. Bonded by a mysterious connection that causes Ash's long-dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they're caught, they'll be executed--but their feelings are too strong. When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths.

Omigosh, I love, love, LOVE this book! The synopsis alone was more than enough for me to want to get my grubby little hands on it so I jumped at the chance to get on the tour at Around the World Tours. And let me tell you... once I started reading this one, I did NOT want to put it down! It's got romance, mystery, evil political agendas, warring factions, you name it. This is one you will not want to miss!

Black City introduces us to Ash and Natalie, two individuals leading VERY different lives. Natalie is the daughter of the most powerful woman in the city, the emissary, who is fighting to instill the values of Purian Rose, a dictatorial leader who wants to ensure that segregation between Darklings and Humans becomes a lasting and permanent way of life. Ash is a twin-blood, a half-blood Darkling living with his human father while secretly desiring to meet his Darkling kin on the other side of the boundary wall. Tensions between the races are at an all-time high and the threat of another war is never quite forgotten.

A chance encounter under a bridge leads to Ash and Natalie's lives becoming entangled as the two fall inexplicably in love. The young lovers know that nothing but danger lies ahead as it is a capital offense to date outside one's race, but they can't seem to help themselves, especially once they realize that they've bonded and that it's due to Natalie that Ash's long-dormant heart is now beating in time with hers. Shocking revelations come to light that have the lovers questioning everything: Are they meant to be together or did a cruel and shocking twist of fate force them into feelings that they cannot control?

In addition to figuring out their confusing feelings for one another, Natalie and Ash are thrust into a world of mystery as questions begin to arise about the Golden Haze, a drug that is killing human teenagers at an alarming rate. Coupled with that fact that more and more Darklings are sucumbing to the Wrath, a killer disease that literally eats away at their flesh, it seems that no one is truly safe. Who is to blame for the death plaguing both sides of the wall? Could there ever be peace or is another war inevitable? And will none of these questions matter as Natalie deals with a stalker intent on scaring her, or possibly doing more harm than that? You're going to have to wait to find this all out!

You've GOT to grab this one when it releases on November 13, 2012. It's just SO GOOD. It's entertaining, fast-paced, I LOVE the switching of POV's between Natalie and Ash! It's the type of book that keeps you frantically flipping the pages and if you're like me, you'll end up super bummed to have to wait to find out what happens when book two is released. ARGHHHH, slow release schedules can be brutal when a book is that freakin' good. I want to know what happens NOWWWW.

Okay, whine over. But seriously, scoop this one up for yourself when it comes out this fall and you'll know exactly how I feel! Way to go, Elizabeth Richards. You've got me hooked! :)

Expected publication: November 13, 2012 by G.P. Putnam's Sons BYR
*thanks to Around the World Tours!*

In My Mailbox (23)

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

For Review:
*thanks to Around the World Tours*

Synopsis: A dark and tender post-apocalyptic love story set in the aftermath of a bloody war. In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable--they fall in love. Bonded by a mysterious connection that causes Ash's long-dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they're caught, they'll be executed--but their feelings are too strong. When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths.

Synopsis: This was supposed to be the best summer of Maggie’s life. Now it’s the one she’d do anything to forget... Maggie Reynolds remembers hanging out at the gorge with her closest friends after a blowout party the night before. She remembers climbing the trail hand in hand with her perfect boyfriend, Joey. She remembers that last kiss, soft, lingering, and meant to reassure her. So why can’t she remember what happened in the moment before they were supposed to dive? Why was she left cowering at the top of the cliff, while Joey floated in the water below—dead? As Maggie’s memories return in snatches, nothing seems to make sense. Why was Joey acting so strangely at the party? Where did he go after taking her home? And if Joey was keeping these secrets, what else was he hiding?

Bought:

Synopsis: It’s been thirty-five weeks since twin sisters Harmony and Melody went their separate ways. And now their story has become irresistible: twins separated at birth, each due to deliver twins…on the same day! Married to Ram and living in Goodside, Harmony spends her time trying to fit back into the community she once believed in. But she can’t forget about Jondoe, the guy she fell for under the strangest of circumstances. To her adoring fans, Melody has achieved everything: a major contract and a coupling with the hottest bump prospect around. But this image is costing her the one guy she really wants. The girls’ every move is analyzed by millions of fans eagerly counting down to “Double Double Due Date.” They’re two of the most powerful teen girls on the planet, and they could do only one thing to make them even more famous: Tell the truth.

I love good book weeks!! *squee* I've started Black City and I'm LOVING it so far, what a great book! What did YOU get this week? Leave me a link and I'll check it out! *XOXO*

*REVIEW* Hush


Synopsis:

"New York Times" bestselling author and "Cosmopolitan"'s editor-in-chief returns with a sizzling, page-turning thriller in which an ordinary woman flees the scene of a murder--and realizes it's not just the law that's hunting her.

When Lake Warren learns that her husband, Jack, is suing for full custody of their two kids four months after their separation, she's pretty certain that things can't get any worse. The upside is that she's working with the Advanced Fertility Center as a marketing consultant, alongside the attractive, flirtatious Dr. Keaton. But the morning after their one-night stand, Lake finds Keaton with his throat slashed and discovers that things can indeed become worse--they can become deadly.

So as not to jeopardize her case for custody, Lake is forced to lie to the police. Having just been intimate with a man who has been murdered, and wanting to protect herself from being charged with the crime, she begins her own search for the truth. Meanwhile, the police start looking at her closely, people at the clinic start treating her with hostility, and strange clues begin dropping--quite literally--on her doorstep, and Lake realizes that she is dangerously close to dark secrets, both about Keaton and the clinic. But can Lake stop what she's started before it's too late?

I'm a huge fan of Kate White. I mean, she's the editor-in-chief of COSMO which remains to this day one of my fave magazines! But she's also a talented mystery writer and her Bailey Weggins series is a fave of mine. When I saw her stand-alone book, Hush, I knew it was bound to be full of the same intrigue, mystery, and danger of her other books.

Hush introduces us to Lake Warren, a marketing consultant who has just found out that her soon-to-be ex-husband is filing for full custody of their two kids. This news is devastating to Lake who knows she has to remain on top of her game so as not to give her ex any ammunition for their court date. Planning to throw herself into work, she participates in some not-so-innocent flirting with Dr. Keaton, a gorgeous doctor who is about to join the Advanced Fertility Center where she currently is working. A celebatory dinner for Keaton morphs into a night of hot passion for Lake as she decides to give in this one time and go home with a man. Her kids are away at summer camp and once they come home, Lake knows she will be flying solo so she figures what the hell and rolls with it.

Turns out, that night was way more than Lake bargained for. She wakes to find that Keaton has been brutally murdered and her DNA is all over the scene. Terrified that she'll be a prime suspect, Lake flees the scene and begins a chain of events that involve her lying to the police, someone purposely trying to scare her, and huge revelations about the Advanced Fertility Center. As Lake learns more and more details, it's clear that she's stepping into something she may not be able to step out of. Will she be able to learn the truth or will someone silence her before she figures it all out?

I quite enjoyed Hush. It was fast-paced and there's enough action and intrigue to keep you interested in flipping the pages. In addition to the murder mystery, the mystery about the potential wrong-doing of the fertility clinic adds an extra element to the book because readers aren't quite sure how the two events are related, or if they're related at all. It's like having two mystery books in one! Kate White's writing style is fun and easy to read and she has a way of hooking you at the end of each chapter so that it's hard to put the book down. If you've read her stuff before and liked it, you won't be disappointed with Hush. While I still prefer the Bailey Weggins books, Hush was an entertaining read. Enjoy! *XOXO*

FUN FRIDAY: The Avengers

Happy Friday!! :) Normally, FUN FRIDAY is where I reveal something about me, some personal tidbit that will allow my followers to get to know me better. Since I follow several blogs and I often wonder who the bloggers REALLY are behind the words, I thought it would be a cool thing to open up a bit and to reveal more about who I really am. Today, however, there's only one thing I want to talk about:



Ever since my fiance convinced me to watch the Iron Man movies, I have been ADDICTED to Marvel and their hottie superheroes. While the Iron Man movies remain my favorite (come on, Robert Downey, Jr. is BRILLIANT!), I've really enjoyed Captain America and Thor as well. These movies have all been leading up to a MAJOR motion picture, a collaboration that includes all the characters Marvel fans have grown to love. That movie is THE AVENGERS and let me tell you, it was AMAZING!!!

I'm actually surprised by how much I liked it because I was worried my main man, Iron Man, wouldn't get much screen time and I would feel jilted. That SO wasn't the case and I found myself not being all that upset when he WASN'T on camera because the rest of the movie and characters were SO good. I credit this in large part to Joss Whedon. For those who don't know who he is, he was the writer and creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer which remains to this day one of my all-time favorite TV shows. The same humor, wit, and superb writing that was a staple of Buffy was brought to The Avengers and the result is a movie so entertaining, even non-comic book/superhero fans will enjoy it.

Okaaaaaay, gushing is over. But seriously, if you have time this weekend, go out and see this one. Especially if you've got a man in your life, he'll adore you forEVER if you surprise him and take him to see it. Make sure to get some snacks, you'll need something to do with your hands if you're like me and found yourself on the edge of your seat! Hope you all have a magical and fantastic and SUPER weekend! *XOXO*

2012 TBR PILE Reading Challenge: April Update!


April was another fairly busy month for me, just for very different reasons than March was! I did read quite a few books in April, but only two met the criteria for the challenge:



I'm still loving this challenge because it's forcing me to make time for books that are often neglected and passed over. It's not too late to get in on this if you'd like! Check out my sidebar for information and HAPPY, HAPPY READING! :)

Teaser Tuesday: Hush


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 comes from Hush by Kate White:

She moved closer to the bed, nervous about the dog. She soon saw it wasn't a dog. It was a huge dark stain on the sheet. She glanced over at Keaton. His eyes were open but blank, and his mouth was frozen in a grimace. On his neck was a bloodied gash, rippled with muscle and gaping like a horrible grin from one end to the other. pg. 36

For those who are unaware, Kate White is the editor-in-chief of Cosmo magazine and she also writes mystery novels. Her Bailey Weggins series is a FAVE of mine so I was stoked to see Hush on shelves. I've had it for forever it seems but kept putting it off for some reason. I'm glad I started it though because it's SO good so far! If you like mystery/murder books, you'll definitely dig Kate White's writing. And there's just enough sexy scenes to remind you that she is the editor of a FAB women's magazine. Enjoy!! *XOXO*
 
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