Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

September 28, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday # 66 - The Other Life by Susanne Winnacker

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

My pick:

Summary from Goodreads
Sherry and her family have lived sealed in a bunker in the garden since things went wrong up above. Her grandfather has been in the freezer for the last three months, her parents are at each other’s throats and two minutes ago they ran out of food.

Sherry and her father leave the safety of the bunker and find a devastated and empty LA, smashed to pieces by bombs and haunted by ‘Weepers’ - rabid humans infected with a weaponized rabies virus.

While searching for food in a supermarket, Sherry’s father disappears and Sherry is saved by Joshua, a boy-hunter. He takes her to Safe-haven, a tumble-down vineyard in the hills outside LA, where a handful of other survivors are picking up the pieces of their ‘other lives’. As she falls in love for the first time, Sherry must save her father, stay alive and keep Joshua safe when his desire for vengeance threatens them all.
The Other Life by Susanne Winnacker
February 1st, 2012 by Usborne

September 25, 2011

In My Mailbox # 44

In My Mailbox is a weekly bookish meme hosted @ The Story Siren




Not much, but wow, I won it from the author and want to read it so much! :)

What did you get this week?

September 24, 2011

Banned Books Week Hop (Giveaway)



I don't believe in banning books (or anything at all). I believe that we are capable of thinking for ourselves and we are able (and have the right) to choose what we want to read/see/think/believe.

The Banned Books Week is basically a week where readers decide to defend their right to read whatever they want. It's the perfect week to decide four yourself it you want to read read that book some people is tying to challenge or ban...
Intellectual freedom—the freedom to access information and express ideas, even if the information and ideas might be considered unorthodox or unpopular—provides the foundation for Banned Books Week. BBW stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints for all who wish to read and access them. More information about the Banned Books Week here.
I'm sure there is a lot to say about this topic. But I think if all can be resumed with this question: Are you the yellow eyed robot or the blue eyed robot?

Giveaway: One person will win 10$ to buy a banned book from Amazon or The Book Depository. It's open to everyone and ends 10/1.

In order to be eligible you have to leave a comment about a banned book you want to read, and fill out the form below.

If you're not sure about which books are being challenge, here is a list.


More giveaways:

September 23, 2011

Book Review: The Perfect Play by Jaci Burton

The Perfect Play by Jaci Burton
The Perfect Play
Author: Jaci Burton
Series: Play by Play #1
Release Date: February 1st 2011
Publisher: Berkley
Age: Adult
Football pro Mick Riley is an all-star, both on the field and in the bedroom. But a sexy, determinedly single mom just might be the one to throw him off his game…
For years Mick has been taking full advantage of the life available to a pro athlete: fame, fortune, and a different girl in every city. But when he meets and beds confident, beautiful event planner Tara Lincoln, he wants much more than the typical one-night stand. Too bad Tara’s not interested in getting to know football’s most notorious playboy any better.
As the single mother of a teenage son, the last thing Tara needs is the jet-set lifestyle of Mick Riley; even though their steamy and passionate one-night stand was unforgettable. Tara’s life is complicated enough without being thrust into the spotlight as Mick’s latest girl du jour. Tara played the game of love once and lost big, and she doesn’t intend to put herself out there again, especially with a heartbreaker like Mick.
But when Mick sets his mind to win, nothing will stop him. And he has the perfect play in mind.
OMG! This book is hot! And not only for the cover ;)

The Perfect Play is the story of Mick and Tara. Mick is a football star, with a rocking body but a really sweet heart. One night at an event, he met Tara, the cute event planner and instantly likes her. After a hot night at his suite, he ins't ready to let her go, but Tara has other plans.

Tara is a single mother, and a successful event planner. She barely has time for herself, between work and her son. But when Mick seems interested in her, she decides to give herself only one night with the hot football star.

Tara was a little bit complicated for me. She had so many issues from her past, but at the same time she moved on and now is having a very good life. But she kept pushing away Mick, which I didn't really understand. I mean, Mick is sweet, hot, millionaire and he loves her!

Mick at fist seemed to be a casanova, but he's actually a very sweet/good man. He has some secrets from his past, but nothing so bad that I couldn't like him. Also, I loved how good he was with Tara's son. But Mick is HOT stuff on bed. And I mean it. He isn't a good boy when he's with Tara, he's just in flames! Their romance scenes are not for women who might faint...

Overall, I really liked The Perfect Play. I'm planning to continue reading this series, and learn what's going to happen with Mick's brothers. As I said before, Tara didn't totally convince me (really girl, Mick has everything!), but I was happy with their ending.


More about this book at www.jaciburton.comGoodreads, Amazon, The Book Depository.

September 21, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday # 65 - Shooting Stars by Allison Rushby

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

My pick:

Summary from Goodreads:
Meet Josephine Foster, or Zo Jo as she’s called in the biz. The best pint-sized photographer of them all, Jo doesn’t mind doing what it takes to get that perfect shot, until she’s sent on an undercover assignment to shoot Ned Hartnett—teen superstar and the only celebrity who’s ever been kind to her—at an exclusive rehabilitation retreat in Boston. The money will be enough to pay for Jo’s dream: real photography classes, and maybe even quitting her paparazzi gig for good. Everyone wants to know what Ned’s in for. But Jo certainly doesn’t know what she’s in for: falling in love with Ned was never supposed to be part of her assignment.

Shooting Stars by Allison Rushby
February 28th 2012 by Walker & Co

Sounds cute!

September 19, 2011

Read Your Own Books Read-A-Thon: Finish Line!

The Read Your Own Books Read-A-Thon is over! Thanks to ww.bibliophilicbookblog.com for hosting it :)

My goal was to read 3 books....I fail. :/ The only day I could really read was Saturday, and I read 1 book.

But still, I'm glad I finally read Divergent by Veronica Roth. It has been on my TBR pile for so long!



I also managed to read a couple of pages from Going Bovine by Libba Bray. It was my goal to finish it, but I guess it will have to be in another time :)

Anyway, did you meet your goal?

September 18, 2011

Book Review: The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson
Author: Rae Carson
Series: Fire and Thorns #1
Release Date: September 20th, 2011
Publisher: Harper Collins
Age: Young Adult
Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.

Elisa is the chosen one.

But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can’t see how she ever will.

Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.

And he’s not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people’s savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.

Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young.

Most of the chosen do.
I was so excited about this book! Elisa sounded different than the usual protagonist and I'm glad it didn't disappointed me.

Elisa is sixteen years old and the chosen one. One day, when she was just newly born, a light surrounded her and now she has a jewel in her body, marking her as the chosen one. The chosen one is destined to fulfill a prophecy, but no one can see Elisa as the chosen one. She's just a young, fat and dumb princess.

I really liked Elisa. She starts as this shy and sometimes dumb girl but transforms into a strong and intelligent woman. It wasn't easy, and her journey is long and difficult, starting with her "secret" marriage and then being kidnapped.

Sometimes I thought the other characters asked too much from her. From the beginning it is kind of obvious nobody thinks she can fulfill the prophecy, but at the same time nobody helped her. They kept secrets from her, like what exactly does the prophecy says, or what are the dangers she has to face when the time comes.

But it works out because Elisa finally realizes she has to be strong and do things for herself to survive. Her journey is full of adventures and a sweet and very innocent romance, which left me surprised and kind of sad at the end.

They only thing that kept me from loving this book 100% was that I thought it was kind of ridiculous (and not at all realistic) the fact that she had a jewel in her belly, or that the jewel seemed to had a life of it own.

Overall, I really liked The Girl of Fire and Thorns and I can't wait for the sequel, The Crown of Embers. I enjoyed Elisa's adventures and I think she's a great example for young girls.


More about this book at www.raecarson.comGoodreads, Amazon, The Book Depository.

September 16, 2011

Cover Reveal: Insurgent by Veronica Roth



Look what I found at EW.com! Do you like it? Insurgent is the sequel of Divergent, by Veronica Roth.

I have only read amazing revies about this book, and it's on my list to read for the Read Your Own Books Read-A-Thon!

What do you think?

Here is the cover of Divergent, in case you want to compare it:

September 15, 2011

Read Your Own Books Read-a-Thon: Starting Line!


The Read Your Own Books Read-A-Thon is starting now!

- Runs from 9pm on Thursday the 15th (EST) until Sunday the 18th at 9pm (EST).
- Twitter hashtag: #SIRYOBM

My goal:
Read 3 of my own books! :)

- ??
- ??

I must read Divergent, everybody keeps saying it's fantastic! But for the other two books, how about random books? I just want to grab one and read it :) Here is my IMM shelf, feel free to make recommendations!

Oh, and I also should finish reading Going Bovine by Libba Bray!

September 14, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday # 64 - Scarlet by A. C. Gaughen

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

My pick:

Summary from Goodreads:
Many readers know the tale of Robin Hood, but they will be swept away by this new version full of action, secrets, and romance. Posing as one of Robin Hood’s thieves to avoid the wrath of the evil Thief Taker Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire. Only the Hood and his band know the truth: the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. Helping the people of Nottingham outwit the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham could cost Scarlet her life as Gisbourne closes in. It’s only her fierce loyalty to Robin—whose quick smiles and sharp temper have the rare power to unsettle her—that keeps Scarlet going and makes this fight worth dying for.

February 14th 2012 by Walker & Co

Doesn't it sounds amazing! Robin Hood is one of my favorite stories :)

September 13, 2011

Read Your Own Books Read-a-Thon

Since I started working, I have found it is very difficult to balance my time between work / enjoy with my family & boyfriend / read! But I know that when I'm participating on a read-a-thon, I really try to read. Maybe because I don't like failing. Anyway, here is another read-a-thon! This time it's the Read Your Own Books Read-A-Thon, hosted by The Bibliophilic Book Blog:

So...it's time for another iteration of the Read Your OWN books read-a-thon. A lot of bloggers get wrapped up in reviewing and forget all about the lovely books they own or bought for themselves, it's time to show them some love. So...the particulars:
- Read Your OWN books
- Runs from 9pm on Thursday the 15th (EST)...some of my posts might be a bit off since I am 11 hours ahead of EST in KST. Sorry for that...anyway it will run until Sunday the 18th at 9pm (EST). This should give everyone some time to participate.
- GIVEAWAYS (DUH!?!) I personally am giving away a Nook original in a cover. I am also giving away multiple audiobooks and whatever else strikes my fancy. In order to enter the giveaway for the Nook you must participate....it will be finished when the read-a-thon is over. So...start planning. (International Welcome)
To enter this read-a-thon, you must go here.

September 12, 2011

Book Review: SEALed Forever by Mary Margret Daughtridge

Tittle: SEALed Forever
Author: Mary Margret Daughtridge
Series: SEALed #4
Release Date: May 1st 2011
Publisher: Sourcebooks, Incorporated
Age: Adult
He's got a living, breathing dilemma...
In the midst of running an undercover CIA mission, Navy SEAL Lt. Garth Vale finds an abandoned baby, and his superiors sure don't want to know about it. The only person who can help him is the beautiful new doctor in town, but she's got another surprise for him...
She's got a solution...at a price...
Dr. Bronwyn Whitescarver has left the frantic pace of big city ER medicine for a small town medical practice. Her bags aren't even unpacked yet when gorgeous, intense Garth Vale shows up on her doorstep in the middle of the night with a sick baby...
But his story somehow doesn't add up, and Bronwyn isn't quite sure who she's saving-the baby, or the man...
SEALed forever is the story of Garth, a Navy SEAL and Bronwyn, a young doctor. Garth, while on an undercover mission, finds an abandoned baby. He doesn't know what do to with her, except he knows he has to keep it. But the baby isn't right, and the only doctor near is Bronwyn Whitescarver.

Bronwyn is still dealing with her boyfriend's death when Garth comes to her new house asking for her medical advice. She knows something is off with his story about the baby, but decides to take care of both of them.

Their story started good. They had met before, but it wasn't important for any of them until now. Garth feels attracted to her from the beginning and always is very sure of his feelings for Brownyn, but she isn't ready. Of course, their attraction isn't easy to ignore, and soon they are "together".

The romance was sweet, but full of complications, as Bronwyn indecision and Garth desire to keep his job no matter what, that made the story much longer than what I expected. The baby was an unnecessary complication, but it gave the story a sweet touch.

Although I haven't read the previous SEALed books, SEALed forever was easy to follow. As I said before, it took longer that necessarily to reach it ending, but I still enjoyed Garth's and Bronwyn's romance. 


September 11, 2011

In My Mailbox # 43

In My Mailbox is a weekly bookish meme hosted @ The Story Siren

This week I got:


What did you get this week?

Remember to enter my 800 followers giveaway! You can win an ARC of A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford.

September 9, 2011

Book Review: Falling in Love with English Boys by Melissa Jensen

Title: Falling in Love with English Boys
Author: Melissa Jensen
Release Date: October 28th 2010
Publisher: Speak
Age: Young Adult
Sixteen-year-old Catherine Vernon has been stranded in London for the summer—no friends, no ex-boyfriend Adam the Scum (good riddance!), and absolutely nothing to do but blog about her misery to her friends back home. Desperate for something—anything—to do in London while her (s)mother’s off researching boring historical things, Cat starts reading the 1815 diary of Katherine Percival her mom gives her—and finds the similarities between their lives to be oddly close. But where Katherine has the whirls of the society, the parties and the gossip over who is engaged to who, Cat’s only got some really excellent English chocolate. Then she meets William Percival—the uber-hot descendant of Katherine—and things start looking up . . .
Catherine is a sixteen years old girl whose mother is an expert of antique things. It's because of that reason that her mother decides to go to London for the summer, and to drag Catherine with her.

Catherine was such a fun girl. At first she's angry with her mother and very very bored without her friends, but decides to blog about her boring summer in London. I loved her personality and her thoughts, she had that thing to know what to say and make you laugh at the right moment.

At first it's just about Cat, but it is not to long until Katherine is introduced. She is from the past, 1815. Cat's mother gives Katherine's diary to her, hoping she will find out they aren't so different, even when they obviously have very different lives.

At this moment the book began to alternate between Cat and Kat. At first I wasn't liking this kind of writing, specially because Cat's story was beginning to be more interesting with the addittion of Will, the British hottie. But soon I was caught in Kat's story too.

I liked both stories, and at the end I wished to know more about both of the girls. Both stories are sweet and romantic, and all the secondary characters are great. Specially Cat's friends, which are just so cool!

Overall, Falling in Love with English Boys is a fun young adult book, filled with great characters, sweet romance and a cute ending.


September 8, 2011

Giveaway: 800 followers!

800 followers! o_o wow! Thank you so much for following my blog :)



International. Ends September 30th, 2011. Just fill out the form below:



September 7, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday # 63 - Out of Sight, Out of Time

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

My pick:

With more than a million Gallagher Girls books sold, a legion of fans have fallen in love with the New York Times best-selling spy-girl series, and the fifth book delivers the most nerve-wracking, high-stakes adventure yet.

The last thing Cammie Morgan remembers is leaving the Gallagher Academy to protect her friends and family. But when Cammie wakes up in an alpine convent and discovers months have passed, her memory is a black hole. The only traces left of Cammie’s summer vacation are the bruises on her body and dirt under her nails. All she wants is to go home. But even the Gallagher Academy now holds more questions than answers as Cammie and her friends face their most difficult challenge yet. With only their training and a few clues to guide them, the girls go in search of answers on the other side of the world. But the Circle is hot on their trail and will stop at nothing to prevent Cammie from remembering what she did last summer.
March 20, 2012 by Hyperion Book

I just love the Gallagher Girl series! If you haven't tried it, you should! It's the perfect chick lit YA series.

September 6, 2011

Book Review: Vanish by Sophie Jordan

Title: Vanish
Author: Sophie Jordan
Series: Firelight #2
Release Date: September 6th, 2011
Publisher: HarperTeen
Age: Young Adult
To save the life of the boy she loves, Jacinda did the unthinkable: She betrayed the most closely-guarded secret of her kind. Now she must return to the protection of her pride knowing she might never see Will again—and worse, that because his mind has been shaded, Will’s memories of that fateful night and why she had to flee are gone.
Back home, Jacinda is greeted with hostility and must work to prove her loyalty for both her sake and her family’s. Among the few who will even talk to her are Cassian, the pride’s heir apparent who has always wanted her, and her sister, Tamra, who has been forever changed by a twist of fate. Jacinda knows that she should forget Will and move on—that if he managed to remember and keep his promise to find her, it would only endanger them both. Yet she clings to the hope that someday they will be together again. When the chance arrives to follow her heart, will she risk everything for love?
In bestselling author Sophie Jordan’s dramatic follow-up to Firelight, forbidden love burns brighter than ever.
I loved Firelight, so it wasn't really a surprise for me to read Vanish in only a couple of hours!

Vanish follows Firelight from the exact point where Jacinda, Cassian, Tamra and their mother are in the car, escaping from hunters. It's almost impossible, but Tamra gives everybody a surprise and saves them.

It's obvious Jacinda isn't welcome in the pride, and her mother either. But Tamra is more welcome now, and everyone wants her.

Vanish is full of action. I thought it was going to be a dramatic book, thinking that Jacinda was going to probably be crying all the time. She cries, but she's such a strong character. That's why I like her so much.

In this book Cassian has the opportunity to shine. In Firelight he was always under the shadow of doubt, but he's actually very sweet, mature, and I can see he is one of those characters who always get hurt in love triangles.

Will is also in the story, but I, as Jacinda, kind of feel in between Cassian and Will. Obviously Jacinda loves Will, but Cassian is also very sweet to her...so yes, love triangle.

I was glad Tamra had her moment to shine, but still as with the first book, I'm not a fan of her or Jacinda's mother.

Overall, Vanish is the perfect continuation for Firelight. I got the feeling Firelight is actually one book split in three parts. Of course, the ending is another cliffhanger, even worse than the one at the first book....so I can't wait to read the next book!


September 5, 2011

Book Review: The Dog Who Knew Too Much by Spencer Quinn

The Dog Who Knew Too Much by Spencer Quinn
The Dog Who Knew Too Much
Author: Spencer Quinn
Series: A Chet and Bernie Mystery #4
Release Date: September 6th, 2011
Publisher: Atria Books
The fourth entry in the irresistible New York Times bestselling mystery series featuring canine narrator Chet and his human companion Bernie—"the coolest human/pooch duo this side of Wallace and Gromit" (Kirkus Reviews), marks a triumphant return in a tale that's full of surprises. Bernie is invited to give the keynote speech at the Great Western Private Eye Convention, but it's Chet that the bigshot P.I. in charge has secret plans for. Meanwhile Chet and Bernie are hired to find a kid who has gone missing from a wilderness camp in the high country. The boy's mother thinks the boy's father—her ex—has snatched the boy, but Chet makes a find that sends the case in a new and dangerous direction. As if that weren't enough, matters get complicated at home when a stray puppy that looks suspiciously like Chet shows up. Affairs of the heart collide with a job that's never been tougher, requiring our two intrepid sleuths to depend on each other as never before. The Dog Who Knew Too Much is classic Spencer Quinn, offering page-turning entertainment that's not just for dog-lovers.
I've been meaning to read Chet and Bernie Mystery books but never had the opportunity, until I got book #4 of the series from Simon and Schuster Galley Grab. I  had heard great things about it, and it didn't disappointed me.

The Dog Who Knew Too Much continues the story of Chet, a dog, and Bernie, his human. They work together as private investigators and in this case, they have to found a missing boy. The mother think it's her ex-husband fault, but the case take an awful direction when Bernie is sent to prison and Chet is left alone!

I simply loved Chet. He's the narrator and is totally cute. Yes, he's a dog, and the narrator. I had a smile all the time while reading him, the way he saw things as a dog was just hilarious!

"Do you feel that breeze? Where's that breeze coming from?!? Oh, it's my tail!"

"Sometimes human pat you without knowing they're doing it. This had the feeling of one of those, as thought the hand was acting on its own. Nothing crazy about that: my tail does the same thing."

The story is the typical mystery that begins with a missing child and ends with drugs dealers and dog  robbery. I'd say it's a cozy mystery because Chet is a lovely and fun character, but at the same time Bernie is very serious.

Overall, I loved The Dog Who Knew Too Much! I wish I'd have read the first three books before reading this one, but it wasn't necessary to understand the story. Chet is my new favorite character, and if you are a dog lover, I think you will love him too!


September 2, 2011

August Wrap Up + winner!

August is over. Wow, I can't believe it's already September! Anyway, this month was good for me. I found a good job and also read 9 books!




SEALed Forever by Mary Daughtridge



A Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson
The Perfect Play by Jaci Burton


The Dog Who Knew Too Much by Spencer Quinn


Falling in Love with English Boys by Melissa Jensen


Also reviewed this month:









WINNER:

The winner of my +750 followers giveaway is Adele!

Congratulations! I'm sending you an email right now :)