On My Wish List (39)

On My Wish List is a fun weekly event hosted by Cosy Books and runs every Saturday. It's where we list all the books we desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming.

Title: A Visit From The Goon Squad
Author: Jennifer Egan
Publication Date: June 8, 2010


From Goodreads:


Bennie is an aging former punk rocker and record executive.  Sasha is  the passionate, troubled young woman he employs. Here Jennifer Egan brilliantly reveals their pasts, along with the inner lives of a host of other characters whose paths intersect with theirs. With music pulsing on every page, A Visit from the Goon Squad is a  startling, exhilarating novel of self-destruction and redemption.

This is another one of those books that I was desperate to get my hands on when it first came out because everyone and their mothers were talking about it's awesomeness. When I didn't get it right away, it slowly fell off my radar. Has anyone read it? Does it live up to the hype?

What is your heart's desire this week? Leave me a link in the comments and I'll be sure to stop by!

Review: Candid by Michelle Pennington

Title: Candid
Author: Michelle Pennington
Publication Date: April 17, 2012

From Goodreads:


Life is simple for high school senior, Sienna Whitfield. With a few good friends, a camera, and a dream, she has everything she needs to be happy. But when Jordan Rubio, the most popular girl at Haskins High, makes her mad, she decides to use the power of photography to right a few social wrongs. As if that doesn’t cause enough drama in her life, she realizes she’s falling for the new guy, Lee Franklin. Strong and protective, he’s just what she needs to survive the craziness she’s stirred up at school. If only she didn’t have to keep her feelings for Lee a secret from her mom…

My Thoughts:

Sienna Whitfield is a high school senior with a great head on her shoulders. She works hard, gets good grades and has a great relationship with her mother. Even though she is somewhat invisible at school, she keeps her head down and is just trying to survive the last few months before her real life starts. That is until a new boy, Lee Franklin, moves into town and throws her off her plan completely. Even though all the girls in school want to get his attention, it's Sienna that does. Unfortunately for her, her mother has given her strict rules about dating. As in, not at all until she graduates. But Sienna and Lee are becoming closer and Sienna is starting to wonder if maybe her mom's rules aren't really right for her.

As if this isn't stressful enough, being with Lee does have it's downside. Jordan Rubio, the school's most popular girl, has Sienna in her sights and she is having a great time making her life miserable. However, after being bullied too many times, Sienna is finally ready to fight back. She decides to put her two favorite hobbies, photography and blogging, to good use and to put Jordan in her place.

The Characters: Sienna is a remarkable teenager and I really admired her work ethic and relationship with her mother. I know how it feels to want to lay low at school and just make it through as quickly and painlessly as possible. I felt truly connected with her and was anxious for her to open up and see that there is a lot more to life than just photography.

As much as I connected with Sienna, it was that hard for me to connect with Lee. All I really knew about him was that he was handsome and played basketball. He also seemed to be very jealous and I was concerned as the story went on that he may become violent towards Sienna.

As for the other side characters, I felt they were entertaining and believable. Several times I wanted to jump into this story and smack Jordan and her groupies!

The Storyline: One of my favorite thing about this story is that there were several storylines going on at once. Yes, there was the relationship between Sienna and Lee, but there was also the relationship between Sienna and her mother, as well as Sienna's school life.

Sienna's mother is very protective, too much so. Having Sienna as a teenager herself, she doesn't want Sienna to make the same mistakes. What starts out as a strong relationship between mother and daughter quickly turns into a tense situation. There was definitely something to be learned here and I hope all young readers will pick up on it.

As for Sienna's school life, yikes! She is so close to graduating and has been doing a fairly decent job of staying off of Jordan's radar for the most part. This is why I was a little confused at first as to why Sienna would deliberately pick a fight with her and purposely make her last few months of school torture. But as the story went on, I quickly learned why Sienna had finally had enough. Maybe she didn't handle it in the right way, but I think someone can only take so much before you have to fight back any way you know how.

The Writing: With so much going on in one story, you'd think things would become overwhelming. Not here! Michelle Pennington really knows how to suck you into her world. The story was evenly spaced and the dialogue was smart and witty. I cruised right through this story because I just couldn't put it down. Sienna was a real, likable character that you just need to see succeed.

Overall, I really enjoyed Candid. Even though I did have a few concerns along the way, I was very satisfied with the outcome. I always find it refreshing when a story comes along that portrays a strong teen female who doesn't live for boys. I am quite happy to see that there will be another book in this series coming out soon. I'll be reading it for sure.

I recommend this to anyone and everyone who loves YA, has been the not-so-popular kid in school or is just looking for a fun new read!



Want to read Candid for yourself? Right now you can purchase the ebook for just $2.99 from Amazon! If you would like to learn more about Michelle Pennington, check out her blog!






*I received a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. This did not influence my opinion in any way and all views and opinions expressed are 100% my own.

Waiting On Wednesday (39)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Title: The Opposite of Hallelujah
Author: Anna Jarzab
Expected Publication Date: October 9, 2012

From Goodreads: 


Caro Mitchell considers herself an only child—and she likes it that way. After all, her much older sister, Hannah, left home eight years ago, and Caro barely remembers her. So when Caro’s parents drop the bombshell news that Hannah is returning to live with them, Caro feels as if an interloper is crashing her family. To her, Hannah’s a total stranger, someone who haunts their home with her meek and withdrawn presence, and who refuses to talk about her life and why she went away. Caro can’t understand why her parents cut her sister so much slack, and why they’re not pushing for answers.

Unable to understand Hannah, Caro resorts to telling lies about her mysterious reappearance. But when those lies alienate Caro’s new boyfriend and put her on the outs with her friends and her parents, she seeks solace from an unexpected source. And when she unearths a clue about Hannah’s past—one that could save Hannah from the dark secret that possesses her—Caro begins to see her sister in a whole new light.

Besides the fact that this cover is screaming at me to pick it up, this book sounds utterly awesome. Missing sister comes back and nobody wants to talk about it? Oh yes, sign me up! Like always, I think I have this one figured out, so let's hope I am completely wrong. I love when I'm wrong- well, when it comes to books anyway lol.

What are you waiting on this week? Leave me a link in the comments and I'll be sure to check it out!

Teaser Tuesday (39)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “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 & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This Week's Teaser Is From:

The Water Children by Anne Berry

"He gripped his sheets, his palms damp with sweat, and felt his small craft pitch and toss under him. In his struggle there were times when the deck seemed virtually perpendicular, and he was fighting with all his might not to slide off the wall of it." page 16

Winners! Blink & I Couldn't Love You More + Special Offer!

Hi there! I've got a quick post tonight to bring you the winners of two giveaways that ended last week. 

First up is Blink by Lloyd Poast. The lucky winners are:

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Next up are the winners for I Couldn't Love You More by Jillian Medoff. As a bonus to this giveaway, Jillian has been super kind and has offered anyone who purchases I Couldn't Love You More (print or ebook) a signed book plate! Simply send your name, address and the name of the person to whom she should address the bookplate to jillianmedoff(at)gmail(dot)com! The three lucky winners are:

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Congrats to all the winners and thank you to everyone who entered!

Showcase Sunday (9)

Welcome to Showcase Sunday, hosted by Books, Biscuits and Tea. The aim of this event is to showcase our newest books or book related swag and to see what everyone else received for review, borrowed form the libraries, bought in bookshops and downloaded onto eReaders this week. For more information about how this feature works and to join in, click here.

Gifted:

Playing Dead by Julia Heaberlin

Grace T. Greenwood

Thanks, Mumsy!

Won:

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa - Massive thanks to Emilie at Emilie's Book World! Not only did she host a great contest, but when the book never arrived at my door she did her best to make sure it finally made it to me. Thank you again, Emilie!!!

The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D. by Nichole Bernier - Huge thanks to Marcie at To Read or Not To Read! This book looks fantastic!!!

Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend by Matthew Green - Big thanks to St. Martin's Press! My sister has already read this one and said it was amazing so I think I'll be starting it very, very soon!

Once again, massive thanks to those awesome bloggers and publishers who provided me with these great reads. And also to my mom, who I can't seem to go shopping with without coming out of the store with a few new books :)

What came for you this week? Leave me a link in the comments and I'll stop by and check it out!

On My Wish List (38)

On My Wish List is a fun weekly event hosted by Cosy Books and runs every Saturday. It's where we list all the books we desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming.

Title: Kill Me Softly
Author: Sarah Cross
Publication Date: April 10, 2012


From Goodreads:


Mirabelle's past is shrouded in secrecy, from her parents' tragic deaths to her guardians' half-truths about why she can't return to her birthplace, Beau Rivage. Desperate to see the town, Mira runs away a week before her sixteenth birthday—and discovers a world she never could have imagined.

In Beau Rivage, nothing is what it seems—the strangely pale girl with a morbid interest in apples, the obnoxious playboy who's a beast to everyone he meets, and the chivalrous guy who has a thing for damsels in distress. Here, fairy tales come to life, curses are awakened, and ancient stories are played out again and again.

But fairy tales aren't pretty things, and they don't always end in happily ever after. Mira has a role to play, a fairy tale destiny to embrace or resist. As she struggles to take control of her fate, Mira is drawn into the lives of two brothers with fairy tale curses of their own . . . brothers who share a dark secret. And she'll find that love, just like fairy tales, can have sharp edges and hidden thorns.

Even though I've seen mixed reviews for this one, I'm still looking forward to getting my hands on it. I'll admit that the cover is what first grabbed my interest, but it sounds like a promising read. Hopefully I will come across a copy soon!!

What is your heart's desire this week? Leave me a link in the comments and I'll be sure to stop by!

Review: Changes: A Randall Lee Mystery by Charles Colyott

Title: Changes: A Randall Lee Mystery
Author: Charles Colyott
Publication Date: February 8, 2012

From Goodreads:


When a young woman is found murdered in a seedy massage parlor near his neighborhood, the police recruit Randall Lee - an American acupuncturist and Tai Chi master -- as a translator and expert in Chinese culture, to assist in the investigation. Lee discovers that the murderer is an expert in a forbidden Chinese martial art - the dark mirror to his own healing practices - and joins in the hunt for the killer to escape his own inner demons and save the woman he loves.

My Thoughts:

The Characters: Can I just say that I may have developed quite the literary crush on Dr. Randall Lee? He is everything a girl like me looks for in a man: smart, hard working and quite the smart ass. Even in dangerous situations, Randall is just whipping out these hilarious lines that I just couldn't get enough of. In fact, I enjoyed all of the characters in this story, not one of them disappointed me. Each character was strong and believable and had their own special quirks that I loved, especially the foul-mouthed, cranky old Master Cheng!

The Setting: I was truly impressed with the author's ability to set a scene. I've never been to a very large city, nor to Chinatown, so the fact that I could easily picture Randall's shop and neighborhood was a great thing. Buildings, streets, and parks among other landscapes were expertly detailed in order to give the reader a clear view of the area without long winded descriptions.

The Storyline: Not only is this a great mystery, but there are so many other aspects to the story that make you want to sit and read straight through the night. What starts out as just a "who done it" quickly turns into a very emotional journey for Randall. Dr. Lee is initially called by Detective Knox to help translate for witnesses after a girl is found murdered. However, Randall quickly becomes more involved in the case when it's clear that he can be of better assistance. As time goes on, we learn that Randall is dealing with a pretty huge personal crisis of his own and maybe finding this killer will not only save others, but also himself.

The Writing: So, so good! There isn't a dull moment in this book, the author keeps you permanently on your toes. Once you think you have everything figured out, you are pulled in a completely different direction. His writing is clear and clever, adding in some pretty hilarious one liners that made me appreciate his work even more. I originally thought that the martial arts talk might weigh down the story, but it doesn't at all. Everything is explained in a way that even the most clueless person (me lol) would be able to understand the moves and styles. I was thrilled to see that there will be more stories involving Dr. Randall Lee and I will be buying them for sure!

Overall, I absolutely loved this book. It was funny, yet intense at the same time. I can't recommend it enough!


Want to check out Changes: A Randall Lee Mystery for yourself? Now is the time! You can get your copy for only $2.99(!!!) from Amazon or BN.com.






*I received a free digital copy of this book in exchange of my honest review. This did not influence my opinion in any way and all views and opinions expressed are 100% my own

Waiting On Wednesday (38)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Title: Blind Spot
Author: Lauren Ellen
Expected Publication Date: October 23, 2012

From Goodreads:


There’s none so blind as they that won’t see.

Seventeen-year-old Tricia Farni’s body floated to the surface of Alaska’s Birch River six months after the night she disappeared. The night Roz Hart had a fight with her. The night Roz can’t remember. Roz, who struggles with macular degeneration, is used to assembling fragments to make sense of the world around her. But this time it’s her memory that needs piecing together—to clear her name . . . to find a murderer. This unflinchingly emotional novel is written in the powerful first-person voice of a legally blind teen who just wants to be like everyone else.

Isn't this cover just stunning? I didn't even need to read the synopsis to know that I wanted to read it. But I read it anyway, and now I'm just more anxious to get my hands on it. I'll be counting down the days to release day!

What are you waiting on this week? Leave me a link in the comments and I'll be sure to check it out!

Teaser Tuesday (38)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “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 & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This Week's Teaser Is From:

Changes: A Randall Lee Mystery by Charles Colyott

"A few beginners were on the mat; I think they were trying to practice Pushing Hands, but I couldn't be sure.  They may have been performing a dramatization of young girls slap-fighting over who the cutest Backstreet Boy was, I don't know." 18% Kindle ebook

Review: Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

Title: Code Name Verity
Author: Elizabeth Wein
Publication Date: May 15, 2012

From Goodreads:


Oct. 11th, 1943—A British spy plane crashes in Nazi-occupied France. Its pilot and passenger are best friends. One of the girls has a chance at survival. The other has lost the game before it's barely begun.

When “Verity” is arrested by the Gestapo, she's sure she doesn’t stand a chance. As a secret agent captured in enemy territory, she’s living a spy’s worst nightmare. Her Nazi interrogators give her a simple choice: reveal her mission or face a grisly execution.

As she intricately weaves her confession, Verity uncovers her past, how she became friends with the pilot Maddie, and why she left Maddie in the wrecked fuselage of their plane. On each new scrap of paper, Verity battles for her life, confronting her views on courage and failure and her desperate hope to make it home. But will trading her secrets be enough to save her from the enemy? 

My Thoughts:

There isn't really anything more I can tell you about this book without giving away important plot points so I'm just going to tell you how I felt about it. I had seen this book for the first time a few months ago and was anxious to read it. I love WWII stories and this one sounded especially promising. A pilot and a secret agent, both girls and best friends? Oh yea, sign me up! So I picked up a copy as soon as possible and sat down to read.

What I thought was going to be an amazing and heart breaking read was anything but. In fact, I was extremely bored through most of it. It wasn't until well into the book, I'm talking 200 pages in, that it even began to gain my interest. Why did I continue to read up until that point? Because I seem to be the only person on the planet who did not absolutely love this book and I was desperate to finish it in hopes that it would change my mind. That, and it is very hard for me to not finish a book. There have only been three or four books that I can think of that I didn't finish.

I think the main reason why I was so bored throughout this story was the technical talk. I had no interest in what planes Maddie flew, or anything related to that. I wanted more story between her and Verity. Sadly, there is little. I found it hard to believe that these two girls became such great friends after only seeing each other  few times. There was very little interaction between the two and even those scenes weren't enough to get me past all the boring airplane details. Yes, I understand why those are completely important to the story, but it just wasn't working for me.

I really wanted to love this story, honestly I did. It just wasn't for me. Too much of the book was spent on war specifics, airplane details and pilot talk. But I seem to be in the minority here, so perhaps you will have a different view. I will say that the second half of the book is far more interesting than the first, so if you find yourself in the same situation as me, desperately trying to get through the whole thing, keep reading.

Showcase Sunday (8)

Welcome to Showcase Sunday, hosted by Books, Biscuits and Tea. The aim of this event is to showcase our newest books or book related swag and to see what everyone else received for review, borrowed form the libraries, bought in bookshops and downloaded onto eReaders this week. For more information about how this feature works and to join in, click here.

Won:

Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter - Thank you Liza at Reading With ABC!

Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins - Thank you Ephrielle at Hope, Love and Happy Endings!

The Cottage at Glass Beach by Heather Barbieri - Thank you Bless Their Hearts Mom!

Making Piece by Beth M. Howard - Thank you to Melissa and Melissa at Chick Lit Central!

Arctic Thunder by Robert Feagan

Wherever Nine Lies by Lynn Weingarten

The Den of Shadows Quartet by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

The Liar Society by Lisa & Laura Roecker

My Life, The Theater, and Other Tragedies by Allen Zadoff

Will Work for Prom Dress by Aimee Ferris

Instructions for a Broken Heart by Kim Culbertson

Fall For Anything by Courtney Summers

And Then I Found Out The Truth by Jennifer Sturman

And Then Everything Unraveled by Jennifer Sturman 

I want to say a MASSIVE thank you Briana at The Book Pixie for this extremely awesome box of books! I nearly died when I received an email from her saying I won this amazing giveaway. Thank you again so, so much Briana!!!

Thank you again to all the bloggers and publishers who provided me with these awesome goodies!!!

What came for you this week? Leave me a link in the comments and I'll be sure to check it out!

On My Wish List (37)

On My Wish List is a fun weekly event hosted by Cosy Books and runs every Saturday. It's where we list all the books we desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming.

Title: The Lost Wife
Author: Alyson Richman
Publication Date: September 6, 2011


From Goodreads:


In pre-war Prague, the dreams of two young lovers are shattered when they are separated by the Nazi invasion. Then, decades later, thousands of miles away in New York, there's an inescapable glance of recognition between two strangers. Providence is giving Lenka and Josef one more chance. From the glamorous ease of life in Prague before the Occupation, to the horrors of Nazi Europe, The Lost Wife explores the power of first love, the resilience of the human spirit- and the strength of memory.

This one sounds very intense and emotional. Just my kind of read! Has anyone read it? What did you think?

What is your heart's desire this week? Leave me a link in the comments and I'll be by to check it out!

Waiting On Wednesday (37)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Title: The Farm
Author: Emily McKay
Expected Publication Date: December 4, 2012


From Goodreads:


Life was different in the Before: before the Ticks began devouring humans in a deadly swarm across America; before the surviving young people were rounded up and quarantined “for their own protection.” These days, we know what those quarantines are—holding pens where human blood is turned into more food for the Ticks. Surrounded by electrical fences, most kids try to survive the Farms by turning on each other…

And when trust is a thing of the past, escape is nearly impossible.

Lily and her twin sister Mel have a plan. Though Mel can barely communicate, her autism helps her notice things no one else notices—like the portion of electrical fence that gets turned off every night. Getting across won’t be easy, but as Lily gathers what they need to escape, a familiar face appears out of nowhere, offering to help…

Carter was a schoolmate of Lily’s in the Before. Managing to evade capture until now, he has valuable knowledge of the outside world. But like everyone on the Farm, Carter has his own agenda, and he knows that behind the Ticks is an even more dangerous threat to the human race...

I know that I'm going to regret reading this due to nightmares (I hate bugs!), but I just can't help myself. It sounds absolutely AWESOME! I'm on a desperate search for the always elusive ARC. I hope to find one, I don't think I can make it until December...

What are you desperately waiting on this week? Leave me a link in the comments and I'll check it out!

My Favorite Reads Giveaway Winner!

I'm sorry that it has taken be a few days to announce the winner of the My Favorite Reads Giveaway, I've been incredibly busy. Thank you to everyone who took part in this hop, whether it was hosting a giveaway on your blog or entering! 

The lucky winner was:

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Congrats, Debora! She chose Saving June as her prize and I hope she loves it as much as I did. Once again, all entries were verified and the winner was chosen via random.

Didn't win? Try again! You can always find a current list of giveaways at the top of the posts :) Good luck!

The Ferryman & The Flame $100 Giveaway!!!

Flame of Surrender (The Ferryman & the Flame Book 1)




Kaliel and Krishani weren't meant to meet or fall in love but they did. Krishani’s dreams of death lead him to a fate he’s terrified of - becoming the next Ferryman. His only refuge is Kaliel, the peculiar girl that swims with merfolk and talks to trees. Kaliel has a secret of her own. She’s the Amethyst Flame, one of nine apocalyptic weapons. The Valtanyana will destroy everything on Avristar to get to her. Kaliel has to choose: face them, hide or unleash the Flame. 



How far would you go to save everything you ever loved?

Book praise:

"Rhiannon Paille is the J.R.R. Tolkien of today's young adult generation. She's a visionary with a phenomenal talent for words, and I just can't tell you how much I love her!" - Bookish Blog



"Rhiannon Paille creates a unique and beautiful world that will draw you in and make you remember what it was like to be young, innocent, and full of wonder." - Cory Putnam Oakes, author of The Veil 



"I totally and completely lost myself in this book." - One a Day YA 

 Countdown Widget:







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Rhiannon Paille

I was never a normal girl. My life was an urban fantasy wrapped in a paranormal romance and served with a side of horror. To escape my everyday weirdness I began writing fantasy. I studied at U of Sedona and MIMT, obtaining a PhD in Metaphysical Science and Parapsychology. I'm married to a chef/comic book shop owner and I have a fondness for architecture. I frequent twitter and facebook, but if you really want to get to know me you should visit my site: www.yafantasyauthor.com

Author of The Ferryman and The Flame Series

Flame of Surrender on Goodreads, Amazon, Smashwords, B&N, Indigo, Kobo, 

Flame of Justice release date: October 2012

Flame of the Apocalypse release date: October 2013
Follow Me: Twitter, Facebook, Blog, Website

Giveaway Details:

$100 Amazon.com Gift Card

Terms and conditions
Open to anyone who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent's permission. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way affiliated with Amazon, Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway