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November 30, 2010

"No Hope for Gomez!" Birthday Party

No Hope for Gomez! is having a Birthday Party and Oh My Books! have been invited! And yes, you have been invited too! Check it out:

"No Hope for Gomez!" Birthday Party. Win kindles, iPods, and get free books!




“It's the age-old tale:      Boy meets girl.      Boy stalks girl.      Girl already has a stalker.      Boy becomes her stalker-stalker.”

It's hard to believe, but it's been a year since I handed in the final proofs for my weird little book ‘No Hope for Gomez!’ To celebrate this, and the fact that it just became a finalist in 2010's Best Book Awards, I decided to throw an international party. As I’ve had a debilitating fear of throwing parties and no-one showing up since early childhood, I’d be more than delighted if you’d come!

Of course, with every cool, international party comes a gift bag. Here's just some of the stuff attendants will get:
  • Exclusive short story collection
  • No Hope for Gomez: The Lost Chapters
  • Making of Gomez: behind the scenes eBook
  • Signed hi-res poster + bookplate
(These are all exclusive items and will not be available again)

Additionally, several lucky attendants will win a Kindle or an iPod!

Oh yeah, you can bring as many friends as you like, just don't bring your crazy uncle who drinks too much and then tries to get me to go to the attic with him to see something wonderful. I've fallen for that before and I don't mind telling you, I came away very disappointed!

Find out how to attend HERE.

1st in a Series Challenge 2011

COMPLETE!



1. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate. If you're not a blogger, leave your information in the comments.

2. There are four levels for this challenge:

-Series Novice: Read 3 books that are the first in any series.
-Series Lover: Read 6 books that are the first in any series.
-Series Expert: Read 12 books that are the first in any series.
-Series Fanatic: Read 20 books that are the first in any series.

You can list your books in advance or just put them in a wrap up post. If you list them, feel free to change them as the mood takes you. Any genre counts.

3. The challenge runs from January 1 through December 31, 2011.

4. You can join anytime between now and December 31, 2011.

5. If you're a blogger, write up a sign-up post that includes the URL to this post so that others can join in. Feel free to use the button above. When you sign up in the Linky, put the direct link to your 1st in a Series Challenge sign-up post.


My Challenge:

I will join this challenge as a Series Lover, and I will read 6 books that are first in any series. Maybe in the future I'll add more books, but I want to take it easy :)

Update: I decided to erase the list I made last year of books to read and read whatever I felt like reading :)

1.- Truly, Madly (A Lucy Valentine Novel, #1) by Heather Webber
2.- How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf (Naked Werewolf, #1) by Molly Harper
3.- Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake (Love By Number, #1) by Sarah MacLean
4.- The Goddess Test (Goddess Test #1) by Aimee Carter
5.- Across the Universe (Across the Universe, #1) by Beth Revis
6.- Love in the Time of Dragons (Light Dragons, #1) by Katie MacAlister


6 / 6 books. 100% done!

Book-Trailer: Matched (+Release Day)

Today is the release day of MATCHED, the new dystopian book by Ally Condie (5 stars).

Watch the trailer and if you still aren't sure about reading it, read my review! It's an awesome book :)

November 28, 2010

Review: Sweet Inspiration by Penny Watson

Sweet Inspiration by Penny Watson
Author: Penny Watson
Series: Klaus Brothers #1
Release Date: December 2nd, 2009
Publisher: Wild Rose Press
Pages: 206
Age: Adult
What if the legend of Santa Claus is in fact, true? What if Santa has five big strapping sons who help him run his empire? Five single, sexy sons looking for romance...
Nicholas Klaus is a master pastry chef, a strict disciplinarian, and the eldest son of the legendary Santa Claus. One look at café owner Lucy Brewster sends him into an unexpected tailspin of lusty desires. When Lucy is injured, Nicholas makes a decision that catapults both of their lives into turmoil ....
Lucy Brewster, the free-spirited proprietor of Sweet Inspiration, has a flair for concocting sugary confections but no time for adventure. She gets more than she bargained for when she awakens in the North Pole...rambunctious elves, a fitness-obsessed Santa, and the man of her dreams. Does she have what it takes to become the next Mrs. Klaus?
Nicholas Klaus is the eldest son and destined to be the next Santa. But his real love is baking. He's an excellent chef, and while looking for new flavors and recipes, he found Sweet Inspiration bakery.

Lucy is the owner of Sweet Inspiration. She loves and enjoys to bake, and her cookies are the best. She is very sweet and cute, but also lonely. But when she sees Nicholas at her store, it's love at first sight.

Both felt in love instantly, but it wasn't until two weeks later that they finally talk to each other and it turns out both of them have been having hot dreams with the other one.

Personally, I never thought Nicholas Klaus, Santa's son, could be so sexy. I always imagine Santa as a fat, cute and red old man. But obviously that's all a lie! Santa is in shape and all of his sons are sexy.

Nicholas Jr. is definitely hot! He's very serious, but he's sweet and charming with Lucy. Their romance was cute and sometimes too sweet, but their love scenes were exactly as I like them, spicy and romantic. And I was very happy with the ending, it's the perfect HEA. They are made for each other.

This book is perfect if you want to get in the Christmas mood. It's heartwarming, and while I read it I felt as if I was surrounded by snow (which it's impossibly with 32C). I loved the elves and that the author included the Klaus family, they are so funny.

Overall, it's a perfect light romantic read, excellent for Christmas. I can't wait to read the sequel, Sweet Magik, which is going to be available Christmas 2011, and features Oskar Klaus, the bad boy.


More about this book at www.pennywatsonbooks.com, Goodreads, Amazon.

November 24, 2010

2011 Debutante Event



From the 1st-25th of December, Badass Bookie is going to be your guide to next year's hottest debuts! My lovely Debs just simply can't wait to meet you all so they are debuting early! Everything you need to know about your Debs and their amazing book will be here! Oh! and did I mention Giveaways Galore? Not only do you guys get to know the Debs better, YOU also get to win their books!!!

What is a Deb? Well, my lovely poppets, a Deb is short for a Debutante which is a New Author to the YA genre. Basically, their first book is coming out next year!

However, the Debs and I need your help! We want to make this event bigger and better, we want EVERYONE to know about this event! SO we are giving away a PRIZE for anyone who spreads the word about it!!! So spread the word and WIN!

Some of the prizes....




What do you think? I can't wait to learn more about this new authors and their books! :) 


P.S.  It's international!

Waiting On Wednesday # 26 - Prom & Prejudice


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

My pick:


It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single guy in his spring semester at Pemberly Academy must be in want of a prom date. 
After winter break, the girls at very prestigious, very wealthy, girls-only Longbourn Academy are suddenly obsessed with the prom, which they share with the nearby, equally elitist, all-boys Pemberly school. Lizzie Bennett, who attends Longbourn on scholarship, isn't exactly interested in designer dresses and expensive shoes, but her best friend, Jane, might be - especially now that Charles Bingley is back from a semester in London.
Lizzie is happy about her friend's burgeoning romance, but less than impressed by Will Darcy, Charles's friend, who's as snobby and pretentious as his friend is nice. He doesn't seem to like Lizzie either, but she assumes it's because her family doesn't have money. It doesn't help that Charles doesn't seem to be asking Jane to be his prom date, or that Lizzie meets George Wickham, who tells her that Will Darcy sabotaged his scholarship at Pemberly. Clearly Will Darcy is a pompous jerk who looks down on the middle class--so imagine Lizzie's surprise when he asks her to the prom! Will Lizzie's prejudice and Will's pride keep them apart? Or are they a prom couple in the making? From Elizabeth Eulberg comes a very funny, completely stylish prom-season delight of Jane Austen proportions.
Elizabeth Eulberg
January 1st 2011 by Point
Hardcover, 288 pages
Amazon (Pre-Order)

November 22, 2010

Interview: Daniel Arenson (+Giveaway)

** The winner is Jaidis **

Hi everyone! Please welcome Daniel Arenson, author of Flaming Dove, who came here to answer some of my questions about his book.

Can you tell us a little bit about Flaming Dove?

The battle of Armageddon was finally fought... and ended with no clear victor. Upon the mountain, the armies of Hell and Heaven beat each other into a bloody, uneasy standstill, leaving the Earth in ruins. Armageddon should have ended with Heaven winning, ushering in an era of peace. That's what the prophecies said. Instead, the two armies--one of angels, one of demons--hunker down in the scorched planet, lick their wounds, and gear up for a prolonged war with no end in sight.

In this chaos of warring armies and ruined landscapes, Laila doesn't want to take sides. Her mother was an angel, her father a demon; she is outcast from both camps. And yet both armies need her, for with her mixed blood, Laila can become the ultimate spy... or ultimate soldier. As the armies of Heaven and Hell pursue her, Laila's only war is within her heart--a struggle between her demonic and heavenly blood.

Who is your favorite character from Flaming Dove?

I enjoyed writing about Laila, the main character, and Beelzebub, the antagonist. Laila is half angel, half demon. She's dark, tortured, and deadly with her Uzi. In her own words: "I am Laila, of the night. I have walked through godlight and through darkness. I have fought demons and I have slain angels. I am Laila, of the shadows. I have hidden and run, and I have stood up and striven. I am Laila, of tears and blood, of sins and of piety. I am Laila, outcast from Hell, banished from Heaven. I am alone, in darkness. I am Laila, of light and of fire. I am fallen. I rise again."

I enjoyed writing the outcast, the character who is powerful and deadly, but secretely vulnerable.
Beelzebub was also fun to write. He's a fallen angel and the ruler of Hell. He's also Laila's former lover. He now fights Laila for the throne of Hell, but he's not truly a villain, and still has feelings for Laila. He's suave, intelligent, witty, a hopeless womanizer, but also carries old pain within him. He's very much an anti-hero. Pitting him against Laila created lots of drama and emotion to explore in the novel.

What/Who was your inspiration to write this book?

I decided to write Flaming Dove after a visit to Israel. I discovered a crumbling old Crusader fort beside the sea, and thought about how men fought for so long over the Holy Land. I decided to write a novel about Heaven and Hell themselves battling here. I set the first chapter in this old seaside fort, now an outpost of angels battling demons.

I decided to give my book a few twists. First of all, Flaming Dove is set years after the epic battle of Armageddon. Heaven was foretold to win that battle, but instead, it ended at a stalemate. Both camps -- Heaven and Hell -- are now hunkered down and fighting an endless war of attrition.

To give things another twist, I decided to give my angels and demons human personalities. Angels are not always pure and pious; they have doubts, fears, flaws. My demons, too, are not stock characters of evil. I gave them human qualities too; they can feel compassion, love, longing. I feel that this gives my story a new depth, and makes it more interesting than just another "good vs. evil" fantasy.

Finally, I decided to make my main character a half breed. Her father was a demon, her mother an angel, and she is outcast from both camps. This allowed me to explore themes of alienation and loneliness.
I think, in some ways, the wars of Heaven and Hell in Flaming Dove mirror the wars of us humans.

Are you going to write a sequel?

If there is enough demand for it. If you want a sequel, let me know! Send me an email (Daniel@DanielArenson.com), spread the word about Flaming Dove, post an Amazon review... once I hear enough voices wanting more, I'll write more.

Can you recommend us a book?

If you're looking for another novel by yours truly, you can try my fantasy novel Firefly Island. This novel was first released in 2007, and is about a slave girl who fights a cruel king made of stone.

If you'd like to read fantasy novels by other authors, I recommend exploring the works of George R. R. Martin, Roger Zelazny, J.R.R. Tolkien, Weis and Hickman, Mike Resnick, and many others. In fact, I have a list of some recommended fantasy novels on my website. Drop by and take a look: http://www.DanielArenson.com/GreatFantasyNovels.aspx

Thank you so much Daniel, for taking the time to answer these questions :D

If you want to know more about this author or his books, check out his links:

Flaming Dove at the Kindle store
Flaming Dove paperback

GIVEAWAY


I have some amazon-money that I don't think I'll be spending, so I was thinking, why not use it to giveaway an awesome book for my readers?


So, I'm going to giveaway 1 ebook of Flaming Dove to 1 lucky winner (via Amazon - You would be able to read the ebook on your registered Kindle device or any free Kindle reading application, you just need to have an email address.) (more info here)


Rules:
- Read this interview and leave a meaningful comment with your email address. (and your extra points).
- Follow my blog.


Extras: (leave them in the same comment)
- Leave a comment on my review of Flaming Dove +1
- Tweet about this giveaway +1 (leave link)
- Link this giveaway at your blog / facebook +1 (leave link)


It's International and it ends November 30, 2010. I'm going to pick the winner via random.org.

November 21, 2010

Book Review: Flaming Dove by Daniel Arenson

Flaming Dove by Daniel Arenson
Flaming Dove
Author: Daniel Arenson
Release Date: August 19th, 2010
Outcast from Hell. Banished from Heaven. Lost on Earth.
The battle of Armageddon was finally fought... and ended with no clear victor. Upon the mountain, the armies of Hell and Heaven beat each other into a bloody, uneasy standstill, leaving the Earth in ruins. Armageddon should have ended with Heaven winning, ushering in an era of peace. That's what the prophecies said. Instead, the two armies--one of angels, one of demons--hunker down in the scorched planet, lick their wounds, and gear up for a prolonged war with no end in sight.
In this chaos of warring armies and ruined landscapes, Laila doesn't want to take sides. Her mother was an angel, her father a demon; she is outcast from both camps. And yet both armies need her, for with her mixed blood, Laila can become the ultimate spy... or ultimate soldier. As the armies of Heaven and Hell pursue her, Laila's only war is within her heart--a struggle between her demonic and heavenly blood.
The Armageddon has taken place, and now angels and demons are fighting for the Earth.

In the middle of this fight is Laila, the half angel, half demon. Her only place to live is Earth, since the light at Heaven or the hellfire at Hell would burn her. 

Laila was an intriguing character. Since the begging of her story, we know she isn't interested in this war. It doesn't matter to her who wins, since she would still die. She only cares for her wolf, and drinking. But when she discover she may have a future after this war, she decides it's time for her to take her rightful place.

Besides Laila, the other characters were also interesting. They were all angels or demons, but it was difficult to think of them only as good or bad. For example, Michael, the good archangel, likes to lie. And Beelzebud, Michael's brother and the ruler of Hell, can be kind and charming when he wants. As if it wasn't difficult to fight your own family, love is also present, mixing things more, specially when the characters fall for someone at the wrong side.

Personally, I wasn't immediately caught in the story. The first chapters were slow, only trying to explain the war and Laila's life. But as the story unfold, I found myself wanting to know more about the characters and wondering how was this story going to end. It wasn't a light reading, and it took me more time to read it than normally because sometimes I stopped, and continued after a couple of hours.

Overall, I liked the story even when it wasn't the page turner - fast-paced book I prefer. I recommend it if you're interested in the fight between good and bad, angels and demons.


More about this book at www.danielarenson.comGoodreads, Amazon.

P.S. I really liked the cover. It was made by Timothy Lantz. You can see the original artwork here.

Tomorrow I'm going to post an interview with the author and a little gift for you!!

In My Mailbox #20


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

Hi everyone! :D How was your week? I hope it was great. I'm finally feeling better from my cold.

Anyway, I couldn't take pictures because my camera's battery are dead.....so instead I'll show you the covers.

WON

The Secrets of the Cheese Syndicate by Donna St.Cyr
Vordak the Incomprehensible: How to Grow Up and Rule the World
I, Mona Lisa by Jeanne Kalogridis



NETGALLEY

The Cellar by A.J. Whitten
- A Homemade Christmas: Creative Ideas for an Earth-Friendly, Frugal, Festive Holiday by Barseghian


What about you?? Please leave your links at the comments :)

November 20, 2010

Review: Good Old Dog: Expert Advice for Keeping Your Aging Dog Happy, Healthy, and Comfortable

Title: Good Old Dog: Expert Advice for Keeping Your Aging Dog Happy, Healthy, and Comfortable
Faculty of the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, Nicholas H. Dodman BVMS (Editor), Lawrence Lindner (Contributor)
Release Date: November 22nd, 2010
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Pages: 288
Our dogs are living longer than ever thanks to enormous advances in medical treatment and a highly evolved understanding of what they need to thrive. No one knows this better than the faculty of the Cummings Veterinary School at Tufts, who treat more than 8,000 older dogs annually. Their philosophy of caring for aging dogs combines empathy for each individual dog and owner, a comprehensive approach to patient care, cutting-edge science and technology, and a commitment to innovation. Good Old Dog brings their renowned clinic into your living room, arming you with essential advice to see your dog through his golden years. Featuring• Nutritional advice —not every senior diet is right for every senior dog• Emphasis on treating conditions common to older dogs so they live longer. How to evaluate complicated procedures and decide what’s right for your dog• The cost of caring for an older dog and how to shoulder the burden• How to identify cognitive decline and how to manage it• Advice on creating a healthy and comfortable environment• How to determine when “it’s time” and how to cope with the loss• And much more.
Probably you already know that I'm a veterinary student but I am also a dog owner. Cotton is ten years old and lately he have been sick.

I have experienced the worry and sadness you feel when your beloved pet is sick. And sometimes I have to help people understand their old pets, and teach them how to take better care of them and not be afraid to go with them to the vet. We want the best for your pet.

Personally, I liked a lot this book, and think it is a good way to learn about what is normal or not about your old pet. In an easy way, they explain you about the most common sickness of ours dogs and when you should be more careful. Also, they give you advices, for example about diets, and explain you the best ways to feed your dog and maintain him healthy.

Overall, it is a good read, specially it your loved pet is growing old and you want to give him/her the best care and aren't sure how to do it. Of course, always consult with your veterinarian first.


More about this book at Goodreads and Amazon.

P.S. I just discovered there is another book about dogs, called Puppy's First Steps: A Proven Approach to Raising a Happy, Healthy, Well-Behaved Companion.

2011 GLBT Reading Challenge


I've only read My Invented Life and Hero, but both were amazing. So, I'd like to read more amazing GLBT books.

Rules/Guidelines:
  • The basic idea of this challenge is to read books about GLBT topics and/or by GLBT authors.
  • The challenge runs year-round as usual, but instead of requiring a certain number of books, this year I'm handling this challenge in a more do-it-yourself sort of fashion. You set your own goal. It doesn't matter if that goal is 1 book, 10 books, a percentage of your books, or to read from various age groups/genres. Your goal is completely up to you. Design this the way you want. Make it work for you. The important thing here is simply to get us reading GLBT lit.
  • You don't need to choose your books right away, and they can change at any time. Overlaps with other challenges are fine.
  • In January, I will put up a review linky. Those links help serve as a reference for others. They are also how I will track participants for the end of year prize drawing. For each book you review and link up, the greater your chance will be at winning. At the end of 2011, I will use random.org to select one participant - from the review linky - to win a book of their choice (up to $20) from the Book Depository.

My Goal:
Read 10 books.

Update: I decided to erase the list I made last year of books to read and read whatever I felt like reading :)

1.
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10.



0 / 10 books. 0% done!

November 18, 2010

Book Review: 'Twas the Night by Sandra Hill, Kate Holmes, Trish Jensen

Authors: Sandra Hill, Kate Holmes, Trish Jensen
Release Date: October 18th, 2010
Publisher: Bell Bridge Books
Age: Adult
“Christmas or Bust!” What do a Blue Angels pilot, a bounty hunter and an ex-NFL football player have in common? The three bad-boy bachelors of Snowdon, Maine have to make a friend’s Christmas Eve wedding on time or die trying! They’re willing to risk anything to make that happen—even dashing through the snow in the goofiest bus on Earth, bright red and filled with a bunch of merry, meddling senior citizens known as the Santa Brigade. All too soon, these men will have met their matches in three special women: a woman from their past, a forest ranger so hot she ought to be declared a fire hazard, and a woman on the run. Ho, ho, OH!While serving up holiday cheer with the Santa Brigade, the guys will discover ‘tis the season for good will and folly. Wise men or not, they are well and truly caught, which means these roguish St. Nicks are willing to jingle a few bells along the way if that’s what it takes to find what they truly want for Christmas nestled in their beds after the stockings are stuffed and the gifts placed under the tree.
Three friends are returning to their hometown for a wedding. No one feels like going, but they can't miss it. But when the weather get them stuck, the only way to travel for the wedding is with the Santa Brigade.

The Santa Brigade is a basically a bus full of senior citizens doing good things for the poor kids, etc. It isn't exactly what they were thinking for traveling, except if maybe, in that bus, are the women of their dreams.

Each love story is cute and funny. The men, Sam, Stan and Kevin, were very stubborn at the beginning, but as the story unfolds, you learn aspects of their life and the reasons why they are that way.

The women weren't so easy either. Each one of them have their reasons to not be with their man, but obviously love is stronger than anything else.

What I liked most was that each story remind you that love is never easy, not even on Christmas. And that you always have to give something back.

Every character was well developed and each one had a personality. Not only the protagonists, but the other characters too. Sometimes the men were unrealistic, but I think that happens in almost every romance book.

I loved the three couples and the senior people were so funny. It's difficult to combine a love story with seniors, but the authors manage to write something heartwarming, romantic and funny at the same time.

It was amazing how these three authors wrote each one a chapter. If I didn't know this, I would have thought it was only one writer. Each chapter was from the point of view of a couple and it's always interesting to know what the others have in mind.

Overall, 'Twas the Night is a sweet romantic story perfect if you want to read something light to get in the Christmas mood.


More about this book at Goodreads, Amazon.

Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge 2011



Details:

  • Runs January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011 (books read prior to 1/1/11 do not count towards the challenge).
  • You can join at anytime. You can sign up on The Book Vixen’s blog.
  • The goal is to outdo yourself by reading more books in 2011 than you did in 2010. See the different levels below and pick the one that works best for you. Nothing is set in stone; you can change levels at any time during the challenge.
  • Books can be any format (bound, eBook, audio).
  • Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are fine.
  • You can list your books in advance or list them as you read them. It is not required that you review the books you read for this challenge but feel free to do so.
  • Post this reading challenge on your blog so you can keep a list of the books you’ve read for this challenge. Please include a link back to this post so readers can join the challenge too.
  • You do not have to be a book blogger to participate. You can keep tabs on books you’ve read for this challenge on Goodreads or LibraryThing if you’d like (maybe make a shelf for “Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge”). If you are not on either of those sites then you can list the books you read for this challenge in the comments on my wrap-up post, which will be up at the end of 2011.
Levels:
  • Getting my heart rate up – Read 1–5 more books
  • Out of breath – Read 6–10 more books
  • Breaking a sweat – Read 11–15 more books
  • I’m on fire! – Read 16+ more books
MY CHALLENGE

My goal for 2010 was to read 100 books. I've read 92 books, so hopefully I will read 100 by the end of the year.

So, I think I'll join this challenge in level "Out breath", and read 6 to 10 more books. That will be reading 106 to 110 books next year. UPDATE: In 2010 I read 113 books, so for this year I will be reading 10 books more. That means 123 books. Wish me Luck!

I'm finishing college this December and next year it will be only 3 months of practice, then graduation and work. Maybe I will have more free time, right? xD



27 / 123 books. 22% done!

November 17, 2010

Waiting on Wednesday # 25 ~ Vesper

"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.com
Emily Webb is a geek—and happy that way. She’s never been the kind of girl who sneaks out for parties. And she definitely doesn’t start fights or flirt with other girls’ boyfriends. Until one night Emily finds herself doing exactly that … the same night a classmate—also named Emily—is found mysteriously murdered.

The thing is, Emily doesn’t know why she’s doing this. Every night, she gets wilder until it’s not just her personality that changes; she’s also becoming strong, fast, and utterly fearless. Has she been bewitched by the soul of the other, murdered Emily? Or is Emily Webb becoming something else entirely—something not human?
Jeff Sampson
January 25th 2011 by Balzer + Bray / HarperCollins
Hardcover, 304 pages

November 14, 2010

Review: Nightshade by Andrea Cermer

Title: Nightshade
Series: Nightshade #1
Author: Andrea Cremer
Release Date: October 19th, 2010
Publisher: Philomel
Pages: 454
Age: Young Adult

Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she'll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But when she violates her masters' laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might lose everything--including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice?
First of all, I want to warn you. Maybe after you read this review you'll want to kill me. Or send me to therapy. Just saying.

Nightshade is one of the most popular books of this year. With this amazing cover and blurb, who wouldn't want it to read?. So, when it was finally released, I bought a copy. Werewolves are one of my favorite paranormals themes, so I was really happy to read this book.

Calla is an alpha female. She's destined to mate with Ren, the alpha male. At first, she's very strong, and I loved her character because she was independent. She wasn't that kind of dumb girl who can/won't take care of herself and knows her limits. She was totally sure about her future, until she met Shay.

And now she's confused. Her heart and her mind aren't working at the same page. She likes this guy, but she can't be with him.

And as the story begins to unfold, Calla turned to be vulnerable. It was interesting, but annoying. She made some decisions that I wasn't totally sure about it.

The Ren - Calla - Shay trio didn't fulfill me. I always fall in love with the alpha males, so yes, I like Ren (some people said I needed therapy ;P). He wasn't the good guy. He maybe isn't the right guy for Calla, but he did like her. Even more than like her. And he is sooo intense.

Instead, Shay was just kind of dull. I felt as if the author took more time creating Ren than him, so when he appeared, I just didn't understand why Calla was so crazy in love. Their relationship was instant, and between him and Ren, he didn't seem the best choice, specially at the ending.

But, it's interesting to see a different relationship, in which the paranormal character is a girl and the human is a boy. I was waiting for an author who was brave enough to change things.

The good thing? The plot, wow!. Andrea Cremer did a great job making werewolves interesting again!! She created a world were werewolves may not be the strongest, and where the characters have to open their eyes and understand the reality in which they have been living.

Also, the ending definitely was s-h-o-c-k-i-n-g. Why, WHY, did it have to end that way? *huge cliff hanger*

Overall, I was expecting more but I enjoyed it very much. I'll read the sequel, Wolfsbane, because really, I want to know what is going to happen to Calla!


More about this book at www.andreacremer.com, Amazon, Goodreads.

In My Mailbox #19


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

WON


Moon Rising by Laurie Bowler


NETGALLEY



What about you?? Leave your IMM links in the comments :D

*** UPDATE***
I always forget to post my new Kindle books....xD Anyway, these are for the Holiday Reading Challenge.

KINDLE




Must Love Mistletoe by Christie Ridgway
Not Another New Year's by Christie Ridgway