It's Monday! What Are You Reading?



It’s Monday!  What Are You Reading is a weekly event hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through a World of Books so we can share what we read this past week and what we hope to read this week.

Last week :

I had the week off so I spent lots of time reading! :)

1) Wildflower Hill by Kimberley Freeman

LOVED this book! You can read my 5 star review here.

2) Act of Redemption by C. C. Cole

The first book in a series. A great fantasy read! Here's my review.

3) Truth of Fire by Abby Wood



4) Children of Discord by C. C. Cole

Book #2 in the Gastar series. You can read my review here.

5) Ecstasy by Bella Andre

You can download this book for free here. It's a very hot read! ;)

6) Cruelty to Innocents by CK Webb and DJ Weaver

A great debut novel by the mother and daughter writing duo. Here's my review and you can also enter to win a copy of the book.

7) The Virgin Diaries by Kimberley Johnson and Ann Werner

Here's my review. I think every teen thinking about having sex for the first time should read this book!

8) Ain't No Sunshine : Men Reveal the Pain of Heartbreak by Kimberley Johnson and Ann Werner

Check out my review here.

9) Nighttime Is My Time by Mary Higgins Clark

10) Passion Unleashed by Larissa Ione

I actually started AND finished this book yesterday. It might be my favorite Demonica novel so far! :)

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Okay...I had no idea I read that many books.  Can you tell I didn't have anything else to do this week? :)

This week:

I honestly have no idea what I'm going to read this week.  I'm probably going to be able to read a lot of books again since I was supposed to start work tomorrow but now I only start the next one.

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So what are you guys planning on reading this week?

Oh, and don't forget to enter my giveaway. Chances of winning are pretty good so far since there's not a lot of entries! Enter here.

Until next time, happy reading!!

REVIEW : Ain't No Sunshine : Men Reveal the Pain of Heartbreak by Kimberley Johnson & Ann Werner

Title : Ain't No Sunshine : Men Reveal the Pain of Heartbreak

Authors : Kimberley Johnson and Ann Werner

Published May 18th 2011 by CreateSpace

*Ebook courtesy of Kimberley Johnson

Ain't No Sunshine is a compilation of true stories about heartbreaks.  The authors requested the help of men to answer some questions.  The answers, written in a form of essay, were anonymous so the men weren't ashamed to write down their true feelings.  Ain't No Sunshine helps us understand what really goes on inside a man's head. Whether it's from a divorce or death, men struggle from a broken heart.  They have some of the same emotions and feelings as women.  They have to deal with pain and often, depression. Some admitted they considered suicide while others needed therapy.  A few men mentioned not being able to talk about their feelings with their friends because in our society, men are simply not allowed to.  Society portrays men as being tough and having no feelings.  Women think they have it easy when it comes to breaking up in a relationship but from reading Ain't No Sunshine, this is not the case. 

 The book even offers interviews with therapists, psychics and bartenders.  They each share what they've seen and heard from broken-hearted men.  The book is also filled with quotes which I thought were very fascinating to read.

Ain't No Sunshine is a very interesting read for both men and women. 

4 stars!!

REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Cruelty to Innocents by CK Webb and DJ Weaver

Title : Cruelty to Innocents
Authors : CK Webb and DJ Weaver
Published May 26th 2011
E-book

*E-book courtesy of the authors

Children are being abducted at 911 emergency scenes.  Whether it's a fire or a car accident, as soon as the parents stop at the scene to lend a hand to the victims, someone sneaks and abducts the children who are sitting alone in the car.  One of those children is Sloanne's goddaughter.  Sloanne rushes back to her hometown to try to find the kids and capture the criminal, along with her best friend and the local fireman, before things get worse.

I had just started reading Cruelty to Innocents when I thought, "Holy wow! This is going to be great!". In fact, I was on page 8 when I had that thought.  Cruelty to Innocents doesn't disappoint.  It starts with a bang and ends with a great twist.  I somewhat predicted the ending but it still left me surprised. 

It's hard to think that this is the mother and daughter writing duo's first novel.  They did an amazing job with the characters. I felt their pain and I did shed a few tears which almost never happens to me while reading a book.  Sloanne's a tough woman.  Even through tough times, she's determined to help the others and put an end to those abductions devastating the town she never wanted to see again after losing her parents.  Shawn, the firefighter, is such a caring guy. I'd love to see some romance between him and Sloanne.

Cruelty to Innocents is a well-written suspense novel that keeps you reading for hours at a time.  You might laugh and cry but I can guarantee you'll be on the edge of your seat flipping the pages to find out what happens next.  After reading this book, I can't wait to read the next one in this 911 abduction series.

I highly recommend you read this book!

5 stars!!

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Now for the giveaway, the authors are offering a copy of Cruelty to Innocents to one luky winner who'll receive a Smashword coupon code.

All you need to do is leave a comment on this post along with a way for me to contact you if you win.

Open to all!

Ends June 7th and the next day the randomly selected winner will be announced when I interview both CK and DJ. Don't forget to stop by!



REVIEW : The Virgin Diaries by Kimberley A. Johnson, Ann Werner and Ralph Faust

Title : The Virgin Diaries
Authors : Kimberley A. Johnson and Ann Werner
Designer: Ralph Faust
Published April 14th 2010 by CreateSpace


*E-book courtesy of Kimberly A. Johnson

When Kimberley approached me to review The Virgin Diaries, a book she collaborated with her mother, I was immediately amazed.  The Virgin Diaries is written for virgins. I mean, how many books out there are created to help virgins understand what really goes on during sex?  None that I can think of!

The Virgin Diaries contains a series of true stories.  Both men and women from 20 to 77 recall one of their most personal moments : the loss of their virginity. They were sent a series of questions to answer in a form of essay.  One of the questions was if they ever had any advice from their parents.  Most people said no. Teens are curious about sex but they also have fears.  Not everything happens like in movies or books. If the parents are too uncomfortable to talk about sex with their kids, I'd recommend they purchase this book.  The Virgin Diaries is not vulgar so parents don't have to worry.  Teens can find great advice and understand how it feels, both physically and mentally, to lose your virginity.  The Virgin Diaries is a great tool to help them make an important and informed decision.

Virgin or not, you can enjoy this book.  I found it very interesting to read the male perspective. 

It's a must-read for teens!

4 stars!!

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we share the upcoming releases we're eagarly anticipating.



Title: Tunnel Vision
Author : Susan Shaw
Publication Date : August 2011 by Simon & Schuester

On her way home one evening, Liza has to force her way through a group of men in a train underpass. She doesn't think anything of it, but when her mom is shot dead moments later, Liza's world turns upside down. Even worse, Liza was really the target. Only hours after her mother's death, Liza is nearly killed again and she and her dad are placed in the witness protection program. Leaving everything she's ever known behind, Liza and her dad pick up and move, never staying in one place for long. It's too big of a risk--and Liza's worst fear is realized when she gets recognized. The would-be killer is still on their trail, so all Liza ad her dad can do is keep running. Unsure whom to trust and where to go, they're just trying to stay alive.

 

REVIEW : Children of Discord (Second Book of the Gastar Series) by C. C. Cole

Title: Children of Discord
Author : C. C. Cole
Published January 12th 2011 by CreateSpace




* E-book courtesy of the author
 
Read my review of the first book in the series, Act of Redemption here.
 

After two centuries, the City of Gastar grows and thrives since the devastating years of a prolonged war and invasion of a demon lord. Two centuries later, dark forces from its past emerge to achieve their own gains. Unknown to the citizens of Gastar, the evil boy Goldeon plans to manipulate creatures under his control to topple the existing leadership. Shevata, his long time enemy, finds herself propelled from tracking him in hell back into the city by unlikely allies. The city is now the place where old scores between the two powerful children will be settled, with the people unknowingly wedged between their secret war. Who is the greatest risk to the people, Goldeon and his army of creatures, Shevata, an assassin with a horrific curse, or the war between the two? Follow Shevata as she faces her enemies and realizes the important role of humanity driven by a touching love story and considers the consequences of her own past actions.

The teenage assassin, Shevata is back in this second installment of the Gastar series.  Shevata must now find Goldean, an ageless kid she once rescued from hell, and put an end to his evil plans with the help of a few Gastar citizens.


New characters are introduced in this book along with a new villain. The author gives us more details in Children of Discord. In this book, we learn more about Shevata's background and the magical world of Gastar.  Demons were present throughout the first book but in this one, vampires are the ones causing fear in Gastar.  It's nice and refreshing to have a new set of characters and get to learn more about some of our favorites.  Now I'm curious to find out if the author will decide to keep some of these characters for the next book.


C. C. Cole has crafted a dark action-packed story. I read this book in one sitting and couldn't turn the pages fast enough! I'm definitely hooked and can't wait to read the third book. This is a dark fantasy series you don't want to miss!

5 stars!!

REVIEW : Act of Redemption First Book of the Gastar Series) by C. C. Cole

Title : Act of Redemption
Author : C. C. Cole
Published  April 29th 2009 by AuthorHouse




  *E-book courtesy of the author.

The once-great city of Gastar now stands underpopulated and in ruins following centuries of war against an evil priesthood. Now a demon lord arrives with plans for annihilation of the people and plans to create a half-demon, half-human son to stay and rule after Gastar becomes an extension of hell. A trio of former soldiers arrive to help the people regain their battle skills and hope for victory. An unexpected ally arrives, the teen assassin Shevata, who participated in a rescue mission in hell to rescue living hostages. Upon her return to the human world, she was cursed by having her soul removed after killing an evil priest without a death order. Her presence gets the attention of the demon lord, as he knows her from the experience in the underworld as a powerful adversary. Shevata, the humans, a human traitor, the demon lord, his son, and Shevata's dragon mentor ignite the spark that drives this fast paced action story to its dramatic end with more to come.

Act of Redemption is the first in a series of four books. This first dark fantasy novel by author C. C. Cole is much more than I expected.  It's very engaging and I couldn't stop reading.  In fact, I finished Act of Redemption in only a few hours.  It may be a short read but the story is fast-paced and full of action from the beginning to the end.  C. C. Cole has created a dark and magical universe filled with a teenage assassin, dragons, demons, half-demons, half-humans..

The characters introduced throughout the book are very unique and well developed. My favorite would have to be Shevata. She's brave, tough and one kick-ass heroine with her magic swords and her ability to move objects with her mind.   Being a child assassin back from hell, Shevata proves to be a great help to the  Gastar citizens battling demons.  The other characters, some evil and some good, are just as colorful. Although, I admit it was a bit hard sometimes to keep up with all of them.

Act of Redemption is a fantastic read.  It's a great start to a series I'm sure will be just as amazing.  A must-read for any fantasy lovers!

4 stars!!

ARC Review : Wildflower Hill by Kimberley Freeman

Title: Wildflower Hill
Author: Kimberley Freeman
Published on August 23rd 2011 by Touchstone


Book courtesy of Simon & Schuester Canada

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My Thoughts

 

Kimberley Freeman has written a beautiful story of two women, a grandmother and her grandchild, told in two different time periods.  The books takes us to the 1920's where we learn about Beattie's life as an unwed mother struggling at first but then ends up running a successful sheep farm.  Beattie has many secrets not even her family knows about.

 

In modern day, we meet Emma, a recently injured ballet dancer forced to end her career.  When her boyfriend leaves her for another woman, Emma decides do head back home in Australia where she learns she's inherited her grandmother's sheep farm.  While going through her grandmother's belongings, Emma finds out about her grandmother's past and secrets she's kept from them all these years.  In the process of cleaning her grandmother's house, Emma discovers what she really wants in life.

 

Wildflower Hill is a moving and amazingly written story that takes you on an incredible journey filled with joy, tragedy and love.  It was hard to put down and ended too quickly in my opinion.  I would've loved to find out more at the end (don't want to reveal too much but once you'll read the book, you'll know what I mean).

Wildflower Hill is definitely a great summer read and I highly recommend you pick it up.

5 stars!!

I Can Now Review Ebooks!

Hey there everyone!

Got an early birthday gift from my parents this week...an e-reader!!! Those who've read my blog post a while back can remember my struggle to decide which one to get. I wanted a Kindle but thought it was too expensive so I went with the Kobo instead. I LOVE it! It's very easy to use and I now think my book buying addiction will get even worse!

So, I'll update my review policy. I'm now available to review e-books. Yay!


Until next time, happy reading & have a great weekend!

In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.

Bought :

Sweet Valley Confidential : 10 Years Later by Francine Pascal

I've been dying to read this!

From This Moment On by Shania Twain

Again, this is a book I couldn't wait to get my hands on! I have so much respect for her. She's the first country artist I fell in love with.

Won:

Net Present Value of Life by Michaek Di Lauro

Won this book from Jessica at Mark of the Stars.

What did you get this week?

Help me decide which e-reader to get!

Hey there fellow book lovers!

My birthday is coming up next month and my parents asked if I wanted an e-reader for my birthday. I never even thought of getting one since I prefer reading a print copy but the more I thought about it, the more I wanted one.

So, my question to you guys : which one should I get? Kobo? Kindle? Nook?... Too many to choose from!  What do you guys have? Do you like it?