Stacking the Shelves

This weekly meme is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.
Stacking The Shelves is all about the books we are adding to our shelves each week, sharing with you our excitement for our newest titles and maybe have you discover a new book in the process!


Well it was a good Christmas week! I got a few books at Christmastime and some gift cards for more books. So all in all very good! So this is my picture from Follow Friday and it remained to be my book haul for the week! So again, I got:

The Werewolf Handbook: An Essential Guide to Werewolves and, More Importantly, How to Avoid Them * by Dr. Robert Curran

Biblio Vampiro: An Essential Guide to Vampires and, More Importantly, How to Avoid Them* by Dr. Robert Curran

Curtsies and Conspiracies by Gail Carriger

Rebel Spring by Morgan Rhodes

Snakeroot by Andrea Cremer

The Fairest of Them All by Carolyn Turgeon

Then I got a gift card to Barnes & Noble from my sister
Then changed that BooksaMillion card to an Amazon one (since the previous is from last week) from my aunt and uncle

*As mentioned on Friday, I asked for these because I thought I could learn a few things about the creatures to add into my writing to maybe jazz it up a bit!

That's what I got this week! What did you get?!

Top 5 Sundays

Top 5 Sundays is a weekly blog meme created by Larissa at Larissa's Bookish Life.

Every Sunday I will post a TOP 5 list on the blog. It can be about anything and every week I'll have a new theme {You can vote on next week’s theme on my left sidebar!} and I will ad the Mr.Linky bellow the post so you can do a list with the theme and add you link to it.

Rules:

1 - Write a post listing your TOP 5 choices within the theme I chose (or was chosen on a poll) for the week.

2 - Mention this Blog on the post and link back to it.

3 - Feel free to use the Feature's image (there is a smaller size version of it bellow)

4 - After you've finished your post, add you link (of the post, not your blog's main page) to the Mr.Linky at the end of that week's post.

5 – If you don’t have a blog to post, just leave your list in the comments =)

This week's question is: Favorite Xmas Movie!

*in no particular order

A CHRISTMAS STORY

A classic in my house! Every year we watch--meaning I put on the TV and give evil looks when anyone wants to change the channel--it for 24 hours on TBS! It's just such a funny movie! How Ralphie goes to every possible length to get his BB gun!

ELF

How can one not love this movie?! SANNNNTAAAAAAA! Oh my god! I know him! I know him! Sadly, I didn't get around to watching this one this year. Been pretty busy and then bam, Christmas is here! I didn't even see it on TV either. Oh well! I have the DVD!

HOME ALONE 2: LOST IN NEW YORK

I think I liked this one just a bit more than the original. The original definitely set this one up to be a great movie. Otherwise you wouldn't get all the little jokes and whatnot!

HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS

I absolutely LOVE this version! Jim Carrey is true to his character in his role as the Grinch! He's so funny!

THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL

This is the movie that basically taught me the story of A Christmas Carol! I did really enjoy it as a kid! Loooved the Muppets and how they played major roles. Rizzo and Gonzo were faves as they were our narrators and those two old guys--can't think of their names--that always criticize the Muppets Show are the Marley Brothers and they're always funny with their laugh! Ohhohohoho!

2013 End of the Year Survey

Hosted by The Perpetual Page Turner

1. Best Book You Read In 2013? (If you have to cheat — you can break it down by genre if you want or 2013 release vs. backlist) 

Hmm...so many to choose from but I think I might say Taste of Darkness by Maria V. Snyder, because I LOVE her books and this was a fabulous end to the trilogy!


2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t? 

That would be Cinder by Marissa Meyer. I finally read that this year, though not published this year, but it wasn't at all what I was hoping it to be.


3. Most surprising (in a good way!) book of 2013? 

I think that would be A Shade of Vampire by Bella Forrest. I bought it awhile back and finally read it in November. It was actually quite good and I was just blown away! Quite a few ebooks did that to me during that month!


4. Book you read in 2013 that you recommended to people most in 2013? 

Hmm...possibly Wicked as They Come by Delilah S. Dawson. That was one that really surprised me as well, in its awesomeness. It has a nice kind of fairy tale, yet not vibe and I loved it!



5. Best series you discovered in 2013? 

That is likely Alyssa Rose Ivy's Crescent Chronicles. I read a review of the first one, then won it. And when I finally got around to reading it, I was so intrigued with the story! Finally a New Adult series with a paranormal twist!


6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2013? 

I guess we could say Alyssa Rose Ivy! She was really awesome and I enjoyed reading the new series that is a spinoff of the Crescent Chronicles!


7. Best book that was out of your comfort zone or was a new genre for you? 

That's sort of tough. I don't think I really read outside my comfort zone, which is basically anything paranormal! Any amount of paranormal will do! But I guess we could say J. Lynn's Unchained. It was a New Adult series and I wasn't sure what to expect from it being New Adult and how a lot of those lately seem to be more about sex than anything paranormal. Luckily, this one wasn't in that category! It was a total paranormal story!


8. Most thrilling, unputdownable book in 2013? 

That definitely might have been Allegiant by Veronica Roth or even Through the Zombie Glass by Gena Showalter. Two amazing YA series, one the finale and the other book 2! They were just well paced reads that I didn't want to put down!


9. Book You Read In 2013 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year? 

Well, sadly, I don't have much time for re-reads. There are too many books in the TBR mountain to do such things. But if I could, I might re-read Origin by Jennifer L. Armentrout, because there is just never enough Daemon! 


10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2013? 

Speaking of...

 


11. Most memorable character in 2013? 

Think I have to say Daemon! Read three Lux books this year and still can't get him out of my head. I so wish I was 17 again...you know so crushing on Daemon isn't creepy. ;) But to make it not creepy another character was Reyes from Darynda Jones' Charley Davidson series.


12. Most beautifully written book read in 2013? 

That would probably be Strands of Bronze and Gold by Jane Nickerson. It was sort of a fairy tale retelling and I thought it was just remarkable! 


13. Book that had the greatest impact on you in 2013? 

I guess that would be Allegiant by Veronica Roth. Seriously, that one haunted me for days!


14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2013 to finally read? 

Why did I read so many books?! That would likely be Flight by Alyssa Rose Ivy! 


15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2013? 

Uh...yeah...I can't remember those. Sorry. Those are definitely spur of the moment kind of things that impact me when I read them. I don't write them down like I should. I am sure there were some good ones in Twice Tempted by Jeaniene Frost and any of the Lux books 2-4 that I read by Jennifer L. Armentrout!


16. Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2013? 

Not sure about shortest, there were quite a few novellas that I read that tend to run under 100. Looked on goodreads and can't find "shortest book read", found the longest which was: 
The longest I read was Angel Fire by L.A. Weatherly (636 pages)


17. Book That Had A Scene In It That Had You Reeling And Dying To Talk To Somebody About It? (a WTF moment, an epic revelation, a steamy kiss, etc. etc.) Be careful of spoilers! 

Definitely Allegiant by Veronica Roth, because OOOOOOMG, that ending!
 

18. Favorite Relationship From A Book You Read In 2013 (be it romantic, friendship, etc). 

So many! Hmm...I guess I'll go with Avry and Kerrick from Maria V. Snyder's Taste of Darkness. There were some intense moments where I feared for them and definitely some more tender ones too! 


19. Favorite Book You Read in 2013 From An Author You’ve Read Previously 

Oh crud...how about like 85-90% of the books I read? There were a lot of books I read by previous fave authors! If I have to pick then let's go with Twice Tempted by Jeaniene Frost, because I love her vampires and Vlad rocks!


20. Best Book You Read In 2013 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else: 

I guess that was one I read recently...which was Captivate by Vanessa Garden. I read a review and it sounded pretty awesome so I requested it on Netgalley, got it, read it and really enjoyed it! 


21. Genre You Read The Most From in 2013? 

Haha! Urban Fantasy! Tougher question is, what genre other than UF did I read? I love my paranormal books and there's a lot of them that I read! Of course they all have varying degrees of paranormal. Some don't have it even. Those are my few dystopians I read and fairy tale retellings or fairy tale "like" books. 


22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2013? 

 I guess we could say that might be Levi from Alyssa Rose Ivy's Crescent Chronicles! He really warmed up to me and I loved his personality!


23. Best 2013 debut you read? 

I think we could say The Beautiful and the Cursed by Page Morgan was one! I really enjoyed reading that one! Gargoyles! Finally! She was a debut author and I'm already a fan!

Although I do want to add one other, because it warrants mentioning...Marianne Curley's Hidden was awesome! This was her come-back debut as she was out of the writing world for a few years due to illness, but she's all better now and writing again! I was beyond ecstatic to see this one out earlier this year! 


24. Most vivid world/imagery in a book you read in 2013? 

Hmm...I think I have to go back to Maria V. Snyder again and use her book from the year, Taste of Darkness! She writes about these magical worlds--literally--and they always blow me away! It's how I get so swept up into them and want no disruptions whenever I am reading a book by her! Especially next winter when she returns to her original characters!


25. Book That Was The Most Fun To Read in 2013? 

I guess I would say Origin by Jennifer L. Armentrout, because any book with Daemon in it, is fun! That being said, Jennifer's other books that released this year, Obsession and Unchained were also incredible reads! I love her heroes. They can come off as a-holes at times, but they all have good hearts! Just takes the heroine to knock some sense into them! 


26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2013? 

Allegiant by Veronica Roth. I did not see that ending coming! And another was Undead to the World by DD Barant. There was another mini-happenstance of a sidekick character that tore at my heart and I was bawling! This really didn't have a huge impact to the story and there was a somewhat lighter side to it, but I was still bawling! 


27. Book You Read in 2013 That You Think Got Overlooked This Year Or When It Came Out? 

I am thinking maybe Angelfall by Susan Ee. When I first bought the ebook I thought, sure someday I'll read it. Then, hee hee, I bought it again in paperback format when it was super cheap and then actually read it this year and I was so blown away! I don't know why I think it got overlooked. Perhaps seeing it as another "angel" book. But that can be said with any book based on its creature category. But yeah, definitely LOVED that one!! Bring on book 3 which has yet to be titled! 

ARC Review--The Sharpest Blade by Sandy Williams

Torn between two worlds.
Torn between two lives.

McKenzie Lewis’s ability to read the shadows has put her—and …those she loves—in harm’s way again and again. The violence must end, but will the cost of peace be more devastating than anyone ever imagined?

After ten years of turmoil, the life McKenzie has always longed for may finally be within her grasp. No one is swinging a sword at her head or asking her to track the fae, and she finally has a regular—albeit boring—job. But when a ruthless enemy strikes against her friends, McKenzie abandons her attempt at normalcy and rushes back to the Realm.

With the fae she loves and the fae she’s tied to pulling her in different directions, McKenzie must uncover the truth behind the war and accept the painful sacrifices that must be made to end it. Armed with dangerous secrets and with powerful allies at her side, her actions will either rip the Realm apart—or save it.

I received this ARC from the publishers via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, I was in no way compensated for this review.


The Sharpest Blade is Sandy Williams' conclusion to the Shadow Reader trilogy, and while I am always sad to see a series go, I have to say Sandy did end it superbly! It's the kind of ending you are left happy and content with upon finishing and I am definitely happy and content!

McKenzie has definitely had one helluva year. The trilogy seems to have happened all within a span of months. And McKenzie is trying to get a breath of normal in. She has her own place, her own car, a new job at the library; things are going well. Until they aren't. She still has a life bond with Kyol and it is definitely putting a major cramp into her relationship with Aren. The worst part is that she does care for Kyol even without the added life bond thing, so feeling his emotions all the time gets pretty intense.

Then there's still the problems within the world of the fae. Lena hasn't officially been crowned Queen yet. There are still many high society people questioning her right to rule. Then to add to the problems, the false king is upping his attack. Who the false king is still remains a mystery--but never fear for it does get revealed!

Other issues include the Sight serum being loose in the real world and McKenzie is trying to find out who has it and more importantly, which formula they have. The one that actually works or an earlier version that results in death. And she still has to figure out which version her best friend, Paige took and in order to do that she needs to find Paige as a lot of telephone tag goes on between the two and it's not until the very end that we ever see Paige.

The Sharpest Blade was definitely one wild ride! There was so much tension and mystery that I kept wondering how was this going to all end! There was tons and tons of action! And it was exhilarating and thralling. I will admit to a few tears at one point, but won't get into why. This one was definitely one emotional read and probably makes my list of emotional reads this year.

Despite the friction between McKenzie and Aren, I will say that there is still some romance going on between the two. The best part about just a little romance in a book is when the author makes that little appearance of romance totally swoon worthy! And Sandy definitely does that! It's all about quality, not quantity and the romance scenes here are definitely the quality variety!

The Shadow Reader trilogy has been quite the exciting read! With so many twists and turns and surprises galore, the whole thing has become quite the adventure! There was romance, action, humor...everything one could want in a read! While I am sad that the series is over, I am very happy with how it all ended. I look forward to more of Sandy Williams' work and cannot wait for her next book to release!


Overall Rating 5/5 stars


The Sharpest Blade releases December 31, 2013

ARC Review--Captivate by Vanessa Garden

In a glittering underwater world, nothing is as it seems...

For the past twelve months since her parents’ death, seventeen-year-old Miranda Sun has harboured a dark secret — a secret that has strained the close relationship she once shared with her older sister, Lauren. In an effort to repair this broken bond, Miranda’s grandparents whisk the siblings away on a secluded beach holiday. Except before Miranda gets a chance to confess her life-changing secret, she’s dragged underwater by a mysterious stranger while taking a midnight swim.

Awakening days later, Miranda discovers that she’s being held captive in a glittering underwater city by an arrogant young man named Marko...the King of this underwater civilisation.

Nineteen-year-old Marko intends to marry Miranda in order to keep his crown from falling into the sinister clutches of his half-brother, Damir. There’s only one problem. Miranda is desperate to return home to right things with her sister and she wants nothing to do with Marko. Trying to secure her freedom, Miranda quickly forms an alliance with Robbie — Marko’s personal guard. However, she soon discovers that even underwater, people are hiding dangerous secrets...

I received this ARC from the publishers via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, I was in no way compensated for this review.


Vanessa Garden's Captivate was in itself, quite a captivating story! Although, in honesty, it didn't start out as such. It took awhile to grow on me and by the halfway point I was finally getting into the book and by the end, I found myself very intrigued and wanting more.

Miranda is your average girl with average looks--typical of YA heroines I suppose, but here we get details and find that she does seem to be more of the average variety. Especially compared to her glamorous older sister. It's been almost a year since their parents died on Miranda's birthday and she's been harboring a secret about their deaths fro awhile and just as she's about to confess all to her sister while they take a swim in the ocean, Miranda is kidnapped from someone below.

She awakens and finds herself in a strange land, her kidnapper by her bedside. She's freaked out and even moreso when she learns she it to be the king's wife in order to help populate the city. Apparently, most women here cannot get pregnant so they must take someone from above to help populate the city, so Marko, the king, can still be in rule.

Surprisingly, this was not a total Stockholm Syndrome love story. Miranda didn't fall in love with Marko with the drop of the hat. If fact, she kind of hated him for awhile. It was just assumed that she would be okay with this marriage and childbearing idea. Miranda wants nothing more than to go home and it seems that Robbie, her kidnapper, sympathizes with her and she plans to exploit that sympathy to the fullest.

Now you might be thinking, oh gawd, not another love triangle. Believe me, I was too. But it didn't really seem to be one between Robbie, Miranda, and Marko. Miranda just wanted to go home so badly, she wasn't thinking of starting a romance with anyone. And that's what made the story a tad more interesting. True, a romance does begin to blossom--won't say with who--but it was the nice, slow building kind. None of that insta love that becomes so tedious--yet can still be equally enjoyable!

There are a few other plot devices set up in this one to make the story more engaging, such as the evil brother Marko has. And there's a sister too, who likes to give Miranda a hard time. Definite plotting going around, but it's hard to tell just exactly who are nefarious villains are. Marko's brother for sure, since it's stated that he is a villain--so to speak--but there seems to be a few spies working inside the castle.

There are a few other little tidbit mysteries too that may or may nor mean something. Just little details I caught that were repeated, so who knows what will come of it. Towards the middle of this book, I wasn't sure I was going to like it, but past midway I was really starting to enjoy it. The ending was a bittersweet kind that definitely makes me want to pick up the second book asap, but that's going to have to wait obviously! There are still many more mysteries and secrets within this tale that have yet to be revealed or resolved, so I think I might be sticking around for awhile now!


Overall Rating 3.75/5 stars--the awkward rating again, for it was one that started out pretty slow, but definitely picks up


Captivate releases January 1, 2014

Follow Friday

This is a weekly blog meme hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read.

Here are the general rules to Follow Friday:

1. Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts and any one else you want to follow on the list

2. Follow our Featured Bloggers

3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing.

4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments

5. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can

6. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers

7. If you want to show the link list, just follow the link below the entries and copy and paste it within your post!

8. If your new to the follow Friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

This week's question is: Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! What books did Santa stuff your stocking with this holiday season? Do a holiday book haul for us! If you don’t celebrate just show off your books that you got this week. Pictures!!!

MY ANSWER:

Okay, so first I got these two books I recall picking out at TJ Maxx, I thought I could browse through them for tips with my writing in writing about werewolves and vampires. The first is: The Werewolf Handbook: An Essential Guide to Werewolves and, More Importantly, How to Avoid Them & Biblo Vampiro: An Essential Guide to Vampires and, More Importantly, How to Avoid Them (both) by Dr. Robert Curran.

Then there's Curtsies and Conspiracies by Gail Carriger
Rebel Spring by Morgan Rhodes
Snakeroot by Andrea Cremer
The Fairest of Them All by Carolyn Turgeon

not pictured is Throne of Glass by Sarah Maas

And then there's two gift cards, one to Barnes and Noble, the other to Books-a-Million!

That was my bookish haul at Christmas! Yay!

Random Thursday

 

It's the day after Christmas! And Kawanzaa and Boxing Day! I hope everyone who celebrated Christmas yesterday had a wonderful holiday and all who celebrate Kawanzaa and Boxing Day have a good holiday!

I decided this year as a belated sort of Christmas post, I'd just share some pictures of my favorite ornaments that I put on the tree every year! We literally have 100s of these ornaments, wayyy too many, but most of them were apart of my sister and my childhood. But these are some of my all time faves that have to go on the tree EVERY year! Normally, we select a different variety each year.

Okay so from left to right from the top, we have Belle READING A BOOK! So she was definitely a must have that year!

Then we have a Christmas fairy. Around 7th grade I developed a sudden obsession with fairies! I thought they were just soooo awesome and ironically, this ornament came out right around that time!

Then there was THE BOOKSTORE! This was apart of some series, I can't recall. But the fact that it was a bookstore, made it a MUST HAVE!

Then in the middle we have a BALLERINA BUNNY! When I was a child, I did some dance classes, ballet being one of them! I also love rabbits and always wanted one of my own--had one later in life, but soon realized I was way too old to have one, so my mom knew of someone at her work with a daughter wanting her own rabbit! But I do love this ornament, it's been with me since my early days of elementary school.

And the final one is definitely MY FAVORITE of all time! Sleeping Beauty was one of my fave Disney movies growing up. Mostly because I loved when the fairies used their magic to make Briar Rose's 16th birthday such a big deal! And when the fairies are fighting over the color of the dress, pink, blue, pink, blue! This ornament scene is from the end of the movie with Aurora and Prince Phillip dancing in the clouds...but the fairies are still arguing over the dress color. And as the theme music (Once Upon a Dream) plays, the dress magically changes color from pink to blue and over again with the sound of the magic playing between--you know that kind of sound that their wands make in the movie?

Yes, definitely my favorite ornament! There's 3 pictures here, 1: the dress before the magic, then PINK!, then BLUE! (of course blue is looking a little purpley since I took the picture in the morning sunlight through the window!)


And those are a few of the ornaments on "my side" of the tree that must go up every year! Anyone else have a favorite ornament or decoration that MUST go up every year?

Waiting on Wednesday

I hate waiting...

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blog post by Jill over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights releases we're eagerly awaiting.

A contortionist and a rakish brigand navigate the cabarets of Paris to rescue a girl taken by slavers in the third steampunk-tinged romance of the Blud series.

Life as a contortionist in Criminy’s Clockwork Caravan should be the height of exotic adventure, but for Demi Ward, it’s total dullsville. Until her best friend, Cherie, is stolen by slavers outside of Paris, and Demi is determined to find her.

On the run from his own past, Vale Hildebrand, a dashing rogue of a highwayman, hides Demi from the slavers…but why? He pledges to help her explore the glittering cabarets of Paris to find her friend, but much to Vale’s frustration, Demi soon attracts a host of wealthy admirers. The pleasures of music, blood, and absinthe could turn anyone’s head, and it would be all too easy to accept Cherie’s disappearance as inevitable—but with Vale’s ferocious will and Demi’s drive to find her friend, they soon have a lead on a depraved society of Parisian notables with a taste for beautiful lost girls. Can Demi wind her way through the seedy underbelly of Paris and save her best friend before she, too, is lost?

I LOOOOOVE this series! It's so fun and wicked! Cannot wait to dive back into this world again!


TITLE: Wicked After Midnight
AUTHOR: Delilah S. Dawson
PUBLISHER: Pocket
GENRE: Steampunk Paranormal
RELEASE DATE: January 28, 2014

There’s always one more grave to dig.

Lately, life has been unnaturally calm for vampires Cat Crawfield and her husband Bones. They should have known better than to relax their guard, because a shocking revelation sends them back into action to stop an all-out war…

A rogue CIA agent is involved in horrifying secret activities that threaten to raise tensions between humans and the undead to dangerous heights. Now Cat and Bones are in a race against time to save their friends from a fate worse than death…because the more secrets they unravel, the deadlier the consequences. And if they fail, their lives—and those of everyone they hold dear— will be hovering on the edge of the grave.

SOB! It's the end of one of my most favorite series, but yet, I am still excited to see how Jeaniene wraps it all up! Fingers are still tightly crossed on that Ian book!


TITLE: Up From the Grave
AUTHOR: Jeaniene Frost
PUBLISHER: Avon
GENRE: Urban Fantasy
RELEASE DATE: January 28, 2014

Merry Christmas!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!

Hope to everyone celebrating that you all have a happy holiday!

 

Review--After Dead by Charlaine Harris

Dead Ever After marked the end of the Sookie Stackhouse novels—a series that garnered millions of fans and spawned the hit HBO television show True Blood. It also stoked a hunger that will never die…a hunger to know what happened next.

With characters arranged alphabetically—from the Ancient Pythoness to Bethany Zanelli—bestselling author Charlaine Harris takes fans into the future of their favorite residents of Bon Temps and environs. You’ll learn how Michele and Jason’s marriage fared, what happened to Sookie’s cousin Hunter, and whether Tara and JB’s twins grew up to be solid citizens.

This coda provides the answers to your lingering questions—including details of Sookie’s own happily-ever-after…

The book will feature extensive interior art by acclaimed Sookie artist Lisa Desimini, including a Sookieverse Alphabet, color endpapers, and several full-page black and white interior illustrations.

Leave it to me to accomplish two one-day reads and then not have another at the ready! I truly didn't expect to breeze through two of these in under three hours, but oh well.

Charlaine Harris' After Dead was quite an unexpected read. After reading the final book Dead Ever After, I was left wondering what happened with a few of our other more popular secondary characters; Bill, Eric, Alcide, Sam, Quinn, Tara...and more! Well we get the answers here. Quite literally too.

Although as most people have been saying, the book is short. We learn what happened to the characters in a short paragraph. Sentences really. But I went into this from the description alone, knowing it wouldn't be a story. It's really a matter of what kind of happy or not so happy ending did these other characters get. And we get that. 

Quite a few of these characters I couldn't remember. The series ran for 13 books and I started reading them just shy of book 5's release, but even then, that's quite a few years and time. So yeah, I didn't remember quite a few of these characters. But I still got to know what happened to them. 

While it may not have been enjoyable to many people--as I did notice B&N already has it marked 50% off in stores--I did find I enjoyed knowing what happened to everyone. We even get further HEA details with Sookie and her chosen beau. I was actually quite shocked to read some of the endings for some of the characters. A few even died some years after the events of Dead Ever After! 

But basically, I got the answers to my questions from reading the last book and I am quite satisfied. This is basically a quick and dirty way of getting to know what happened to everyone else from the series. Although I wouldn't say it's necessary to rush out and get this one, library would work best if they have it. The illustrations inside were nice, I liked some of the details of them and on the page with the letter, as it was alphabetized and within each letter segment you get the characters' happy or not so happy endings.


Overall Rating 3/5 stars

Graphic Novel Review--Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick & Ill. by Jennyson Rosero

For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She''s never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch came along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment. But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora''s not sure who to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can''t decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel. For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life! 

This title also contains an exclusive, original story written especially for this book by the author. This bonus story tells what happens to the characters between Book 1 and Book 2 of this series and will only be available in this book.

So I've finally cracked open Hush, Hush: the Graphic Novel by Becca Fitzpatrick and illustrated by Jennyson Rosero. What I didn't quite know upon reading this is that it's volume 1, meaning that the story is far from over by the time the graphic novel is over. And the worst part? We're now one year later from its release and there's no word of a continuance. Even though I know the story, I would've liked to seen it finished.

It's been years since I last read the book Hush, Hush, so reading this has been nice! It's like a quick version of the novel, but since it's been too long since I read the book, I can't quite place where the graphic novel ended. If it was the middle or almost middle...can't say. 

I definitely loved the cover for this one. Patch looks freaking awesome! The black feathers flying everywhere, the sparks! Totally awesome! The illustrations inside were nice too. All illustrators design things differently than I imagine the characters looking, same goes with movies. For instance, I didn't like the fact that Vee is considered fat when she looks really normal. But then when you look at all the other female characters in the book, they are thin and super skinny. So I don't know, it was kind of discouraging I think for young girls because we all know weight is always an issue there. Won't get further into self-images and all that jazz, so no worries!

Patch didn't quite look like how I imagined either. But again, it's been years since I read this one. So I guess for an illustration, he's not too bad! Other things that tended to nag at me were some of the facial expressions. At times, I thought the characters, mainly Nora, wore the wrong expression for whatever it was she just said. Like she would look sad after answering something from Patch and then the next scene she's frowning. I just thought that looked a little off. And then a few frames were repeated illustration-wise, but all things considered, that's not that big of deal!

I really hope that this one continues, but it seems a few graphic novel book series aren't doing so well, I'd say this and The Dark Swan comics, because there hasn't been anymore since they both released. It's kind of a letdown, I mean yeah we know the stories by heart, but I still want to see them! 

The bonus story was interesting. Sadly, it too gets cutoff and we're left wondering what will happen. I didn't quite know that it took place between books 1 and 2 and was trying to figure that out as I was reading, then I glimpse in the Goodreads description and get my answer after I finished it. Yay Goodreads! But as I said, that too ended with no resolution. I figured it meant that with each graphic novel story we would get another few chapters, but since that's not looking likely, now I won't even know how this predicament got resolved! 

Despite those few hangups, I did enjoy the graphic novel! It was a very fast read too. Faster than I had expected and I was stuck somewhere without another read available! Eep! I guess I would recommend reading this one if you were a fan of Hush, Hush. Although, it's a tough call only because I am not sure if there's going to be another installment. It's hard to push people to read a series that might not continue, but hey if we all keep buying and reading it, maybe sales will go up and the second installment will appear! I've seen it happen! Although that was a 6 year gap. Eep! (again!)


Overall Rating 4/5 stars

Cover (Copy) Reveals--Stiefvater & Banks

A standalone companion book to the internationally bestselling Shiver Trilogy.

Sinner follows Cole St. Clair, a pivotal character from the #1 New York Times bestselling Shiver Trilogy. Everybody thinks they know Cole's story. Stardom. Addiction. Downfall. Disappearance. But only a few people know Cole's darkest secret -- his ability to shift into a wolf. One of these people is Isabel. At one point, they may have even loved each other. But that feels like a lifetime ago. Now Cole is back. Back in the spotlight. Back in the danger zone. Back in Isabel's life. Can this sinner be saved? 

I sooo need a refresher in this series! I know I know the name, but I can't quite remember the character! Guess I have to wait til July to find out!

Sinner releases July 1, 2014 

Okay, so there wasn't a description like I thought, saw the cover and couldn't remember if I posted of not! So it's a cover reveal! Definitely will post again come description time! I have to say I do like the cover. Although the first one still remains to be my fave because there was just something magical and cool about it. These last two we see real people, but still cool. :)











Of Neptune releases May 13, 2014

Review--Flamebound by Tessa Adams

After Xandra’s run in with the Arcadian Council of Witches—where she was almost killed and her boyfriend, Declan, was almost framed for it—her plan is to lay low and figure out why its members would torment the people they are supposed to protect. Declan, temperamental and protective warlock that he is, doesn’t feel so reticent. As Xandra discovers, there may be no stopping his single-minded pursuit of revenge...

When a council member is murdered in a fashion that screams dark magic, Declan claims someone else beat him to it. Xandra isn’t sure she believes him, and to make matters worse, the Council seems convinced that she's the guilty one. But then an explosion rocks her family home and kills her sister, and Xandra realizes someone is hoping to pull the Council and her family into a war--a war she and Declan may not be able to win...

It seems like ages ago since I last read Tess Adams' Soulbound, but in reality it was only earlier this year, diving into Flamebound proved a tad difficult at first, but I was quickly rolling with the story that takes place just a few weeks after the events from last time.

Xandra and Declan are trying to get used to their soulbound status. It's a bit of struggle, but the two continue to make it work. In the meantime, they also work at their relationship. Declan is definitely an alpha male variety. He can seem to be a bit controlling at times and not letting Xandra do what she wants to do. Though in part, that's because she usually wants to do something that's a tiny bit dangerous. Such as finding a missing child.

Xandra gets roped into looking for a child who was kidnapped from her friend Nick's neighborhood. She is able to psychically connect with the child, but cannot get much from her on where's she is at. So there's still a bit of mystery to solve here. Plus the Council is out to get her it seems. After already having learned some pretty dark secrets about them, it's easy to say she and the Council aren't amicable. And when Council members begin to show up brutally murdered, she and Declan become the number one suspects.

I was really quite surprised with this one! The mystery elements were done superbly, for never once did I suspect our bad guy! Kudos to Tessa for that! And upon reading the cover description, I was on my toes nearly the entire time waiting to see which sister would bite the dust. And even still when it happened it became a shock. Nothing can prepare you for that kind of shock, even knowing about it before you read the book!

The action was well paced in this one! Xandra goes from problem to problem as they all pile up on her. It was a very adventurous kind of story, as you never knew what would happen next! And this Council! They are completely diabolical! They didn't play as big of a role as I had expected, but I think that might come in the next book. Or just continue to be an underlying problem for Xandra, but in no way is the business with the Council finished!

There was a good deal amount of romance! More than I initially thought would happen. Mostly in the beginning with quite a few lovin scenes! Then the relationship continues to grow and gets a lot more depth to it. We see Xandra and Declan struggle through quite a lot, and not just with the outside problems, but with little issues that are popping up in their lives. The two definitely make a great couple!

Overall Flamebound was a great read! I truly loved every moment of it, I was dying to see what would happen next and I never wanted to stop reading it! I am very much looking forward to seeing what other adventures and chaos will be thrown Xandra and Declan's way! This is one urban fantasy series not to be missed! Here there be magic and witches and wizards and warlocks! 


Overall Rating 5/5 stars