From the Review Pile #5

From the Review Pile is a new meme hosted by Stepping Out of the Page every Thursday.

The aim of this meme is to showcase books that you've received for review (or any book that you own and really want to read/review) but haven't yet got around to reading, in order to give the book some extra publicity.

My pick for this week is an unexpected ARC that arrived in the mail a few weeks ago. I'm very excited to read it. I received another ARC with this one but I will save that book for next week's post. :)


Title : The Blessed
Author : Tonya Hurley
Release date : September 2012 by Simon & Schuster

From the author of the "New York Times" bestselling ghostgirl series, the start to a captivating and haunting teen trilogy about three girls who become entangled with an enigmatic boy--a boy who believes he is a saint.What if martyrs and saints lived among us? And what if you were told you were one of them? Meet Agnes, Cecilia, and Lucy. Three lost girls, each searching for something. But what they find is Beyond Belief. (From Goodreads)








Is it just me or does the girl look a bit like Dakota Fanning? That's the first thing that came to mind when I opened the package.

*****

You know the drill, leave the link to your post so I can stop by!

Until next time,

HAPPY READING!!!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a fun weekly meme created by Sheila at Book Journey.

Click on the title for the Goodreads link.

Read last week  :

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

Lockdown (Escape From Furnace #1) by Alexander Gordon Smith

Silence (Hush, Hush #3) by Becca Fitzpatrick

The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Ice by Sarah Beth Durst

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Currently reading :

I've read so many good reviews about this one and I really hoped I was going to enjoy it. So far, I can't seem to get interested in the plot. Maybe if I continue reading it'll get better. I really hope it does.



Reading next :

I've taken a short break from reading review books to read books that have been on my wish list for so long. Gotta love libraries!

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
Unwind by Neal Shusterman
Legend by Marie Lu
Paranormalcy by Kiersten White
Ashfall by Mike Mullin
Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier
Solitary (Escape From Furnace #3) by Alexander Gordon Smith
Matched by Ally Condie


I also bought books this week with the gift card I received for my birthday. I hope to read them soon :


Of Poseidon by Anna Banks
Stunning (Pretty Liars #11) by Sara Shepard
Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne
Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin

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I'm predicting a busy reading week for me! How about you guys? What are you reading this week? Share your link and I will stop by!

Hope you all have a great week!

Until next time,

HAPPY READING!!!





From the Review Pile #5

From the Review Pile is a new meme hosted by Stepping Out of the Page every Thursday.

The aim of this meme is to showcase books that you've received for review (or any book that you own and really want to read/review) but haven't yet got around to reading, in order to give the book some extra publicity.

"I know that a lot of you have a huge pile of books that you want to read/review, but it understandably takes a while to get around to reading them all - here you can give a book (or two!) some of the publicity that it deserves, even if you haven't read it yet!"

- Stepping Out of the Page

Today I'm featuring a book by a dear Twitter friend of mine, Doug Hardin @Det_JohnDrake. His new book,Wooing the Fates, has been released this week. After reading and enjoying both his two previous novels Hidden and Immenent Dangers and A Time to Lie, I can't wait to see what he has in store for us next with his new release. It sounds really good! See for yourself :

An investigation of the murder of a call girl leads Detective John Drake into murky water. Conflict with his upper command and another law enforcement agency complicates and hinders the investigation. National security and international consideration enters into the investigation. A second murder is committed using the same modus operandi. Is this the beginning of a serial killer with international ties? It is up to John Drake and his partner, Ken Wilson, to navigate the politics and solve the murder. What will be the ramifications if they solve the murder? (From Amazon)

Show More

Show Less

The Kindle edition is only $3.49. Click here to purchase yourself a copy.


Don't forget to leave the link to your post so I can stop by!

Teaser Tuesday - The Night Circus

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly book meme hosted by MizB of Should be Reading.

1. Grab your current read and open to a random page.
2. Share two teaser sentences from somewhere on your random pages (but be careful to avoid spoilers!)
3. Share the name of the book and author so inquiring minds know what book to add to their TBR list!

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night. But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands. True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per­formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead. Written in rich, seductive prose, this spell-casting novel is a feast for the senses and the heart. - From Goodreads

My teaser

He reads histories and mythologies and fairy tales, wondering why it seems that only girls are swept away from their mundane lives on farms by knights or princes or wolves. It strikes him as unfair to not have the same fanciful opportunity himself. (page 88)

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You know how once in a while you stumble upon a book you love so much that you're actually reading at a slower pace to enjoy every word and make it last longer? Well, I'm doing exactly that with The Night Circus. I'm almost halfway through and I can honestly say it's better than what I imagined it would be. It will possibly be one of my favorite books read so far this year! It's THAT good!

I'm curious, has anyone read it? Thoughts?

Oh and don't forget to leave the link to your post. I'm working all day tomorrow but as soon as I get home in the evening I will stop by.

Until next time,

Happy Reading!!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a fun weekly meme created by Sheila at Book Journey.

BOOKS READ LAST WEEK:

Sun Mage by John Forrester
Stay tuned for my review!!

The Stories That Haunt Us by Bill Jessome
Great ghost stories from the maritimes! Some were truly terrifying!

Triple Shot Bettys in Love by Jody Gehrman
Not the most amazing book I've read but it was a nice read.

Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick
I hesitated a bit before reading this one. I've read Hush, Hush when it first came out and well, honestly, I don't remember anything. Surprisingly I was able to follow the story and enjoy it.

Two Truths and A Lie (Lying Games #3) by Sara Shepard
Love this series! Not as good as  PLL but I still enjoy reading them. Has anyone seen the TV show?

Bamboo People by Mitali Perkins
Great read!

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
HUGE disappointment! The first few chapters were so good but I can't say that for the rest of the book.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
I have one word for this book: AMAZING! Love the creepy pictures!

CURRENTLY READING:



The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Started this one last night and it's really good so far!

READING NEXT:

Click on the title for the Goodreads link

I have a bunch of library books coming this week that I'm going to read (hopefully):

Pandemonium (Delirium #2) by Lauren Oliver 

Lockdown : Escape from Furnace by Alexander Gordon Smith

Fracture by Megan Miranda

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Silence (Hush, Hush #3) by Becca Fitzpatrick

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

The Future of Us by Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler 

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

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Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them?

Don't forget to leave your link so I can stop by!

From the Review Pile #4

From the Review Pile is a new meme hosted by Stepping Out of the Page every Thursday.

The aim of this meme is to showcase books that you've received for review (or any book that you own and really want to read/review) but haven't yet got around to reading, in order to give the book some extra publicity.


 

"I know that a lot of you have a huge pile of books that you want to read/review, but it understandably takes a while to get around to reading them all - here you can give a book (or two!) some of the publicity that it deserves, even if you haven't read it yet!"

- Stepping Out of the Page

Today I'm featuring a book I received this week for review : Let Love Find You by Johanna Lindsey. I haven't read a lot of her work but I've heard good things. Can't wait to read this one!

From Goodreads

 

#1 New York Times bestselling author Johanna Lindsey sweeps readers into the ballrooms and country houses of England’s elite society in the sparkling, passion-filled tale of a desperate debutante who learns in a most delightful way that she can’t fight her scandalous attraction to her virile matchmaker.

Lady Amanda Locke has struck out miserably in her two Seasons on the marriage mart. Beautiful, titled, and charming – even if she does talk a bit too much, Amanda doesn’t understand why love eludes her. Even her father, the Duke of Norford, is so perplexed he is prepared to take drastic measures to ensure his daughter’s happiness. Now, as Amanda begins her third Season, she gets a little help from Cupid, a darkly handsome horse breeder whose knowledge of basic animal attraction has guided him in arranging more than a few successful matches between the young ladies and gentlemen of the ton. Hired by Amanda’s family, Devin Baldwin produces results for Amanda and soon she is happy to be courted by one of his clients, the dashing Viscount Altone. In order to secure Amanda’s match to a nobleman obsessed with horse racing, Devin must teach Amanda how to overcome her fear of horses. But as Devin shows her the joys of riding, hunting, and racing, will their own hearts run astray as Amanda finds herself falling in love with Cupid himself? Experience Johanna Lindsey’s “mastery of historical romance!”—Entertainment Weekly

 

 

 

 

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Can't wait to see what's in your review pile! Leave your link and I'll stop by!

 

 

 

 

Teaser Tuesday : Sun Mage by John Forrester

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly book meme hosted by MizB of Should be Reading.

1. Grab your current read and open to a random page.
2. Share two teaser sentences from somewhere on your random pages (but be careful to avoid spoilers!)
3. Share the name of the book and author so inquiring minds know what book to add to their TBR list!

Sun Mage (Book 2 of the Blacklight Chronicles) by John Forrester

"Ah yes, and then the special today. Pig intestines served with seaweed and drenched in butter. " page 19

"The forest was so quiet that Talis could feel the birds and insects and animals retreating to some protected place. Something had descended with the storm clouds, and that something was stalking them now". page 44

******

Can't wait to read your teasers! Leave your link and I'll stop by.  

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a fun weekly meme created by Sheila at Book Journey.

Book read last week :

The Vast Fields of Ordinary by Nick Burd

Get Well Soon by Julie Halpern

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson (Didn't really like this one!)

The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella (My first book by this author and it won't be my last.)

Visitors by Laura Anne Gilman & Josepha Sherman (I'm a huge Buffy fan but this deserves a one star in my opinion.)

Jessi's Baby-sitter by Ann M. Martin (LOVED that series as a kid. I'm looking to complete my collection and found this one at a book sale. Let's just say, I couldn't resist! :) )

Blog posts last week :

It's Monday! What Are You Reading
Teaser Tuesday & Review : The Vast Fields of Ordinary by Nick Burd
Review : Twined by A.L. Collins
From the Review Pile #3
Review : A Song Apart by Jeffrey Baer




Currently reading:

Sun Mage by John Forrester

Reading next :

I hate planning in advance what I'm going to read but it'll probably be some books I need to review. 

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Overall I had plenty of time reading despite my first week at work. I probably would've read more if I didn't get hooked on watching Pretty Little Liars. My weekend was spent watching the second season all day. I think I actually love the show more than the books which rarely happens. I tend to get mixed up with the books and the show. Some people are dead in the book but not in the show, some characters are on the show but not in the books...Confusing! Hopefully I can finish the remaining episodes today so I can catch up with the 3rd season on TV.

I'm curious what are you guys reading this week? Leave your link and I'll stop by. :D

Review : A Song Apart by Jeffrey Baer

Title : A Song Apart
Author : Jeffrey Baer
Published March 15th 2011 by Createspace         

Paperback, 354 pages

ISBN : 1456492926

ISBN13: 9781456492922

Shannon and Kevin's lives are far different. One is a pop star, the other is a fan and an aspiring singer/songwriter himself. Their lives are about to get intertwined. First, Kevin gets a wave from Shannon who notices he is wearing her concert t-shirt. - Before going any further, let me tell you something about this t-shirt. It's bringing drama EVERYWHERE it goes. Co-workers and fellow classmates are making fun of Kevin for wearing it which makes me wonder why is he still wearing it in public?  That t-shirt even puts his job in jeopardy! On the street, strangers are stopping to make fun of him. All for one concert t-shirt. Pretty dramatic, don't you think? At first I thought it was highly unlikely that this would happen but then I remembered the Beliebers. I've witnessed kids being ridiculed because of some Justin Bieber merchandise they had. It's far from being similar to Kevin's situation but even if it could be a plausible scenario it still doesn't ring true to me. Let's continue on with the story, shall we? - Kevin then decides to attend an autograph session, one that he will never forget. Shannon gives him more than a simple autograph, she gives him her phone number. (Shouldn't she be more careful who she's handing out her number to?) He gives her a call and they hang out together.  Are their worlds too far apart for them to fall in love? You will have to read it to find out.

 

Shannon is a great character. She seems genuine and likable. I don't understand why some of the people, including Kevin's parents, had trouble being in the same room with her. It's clear they don't like her.  They judge her on her celebrity status without really knowing her. I felt bad for her. I was glad she had Kevin to spend time with and do normal things. As for Kevin, he's going to college instead of pursuing music. Shannon is having the career he always wanted. It's evident he has a strong admiration for the pop singer. Shannon is really getting him out of his shell and helping him gain confidence with his music. Both Shannon and Kevin are lovable characters and I was rooting for their relationship to work.

Autism and Asperger's are also made reference of in this book. Shannon's brother has autism and she is the spokesperson for an autism organisation. As for Kevin, he thinks he might suffer from Asperger's after reading the symptoms and being asked if he's autistic by his boss. We are left wondering if he really suffers from Asperger's as it is never mentioned in the book. I would've like to learn more about this.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading A Song Apart despite the unlikely scenarios. The book offers a glimpse into the music world and the drama that celebrities and their fans may face.

 

3.5 stars

To learn more, follow the author on Twitter @JBaer10314 . To purchase an e-copy, click here, to purchase a paperback copy, click here.

From the Review Pile #3

From the Review Pile is a new meme hosted by Stepping Out of the Page every Thursday.

The aim of this meme is to showcase books that you've received for review (or any book that you own and really want to read/review) but haven't yet got around to reading, in order to give the book some extra publicity.

"I know that a lot of you have a huge pile of books that you want to read/review, but it understandably takes a while to get around to reading them all - here you can give a book (or two!) some of the publicity that it deserves, even if you haven't read it yet!"

- Stepping Out of the Page

I'm featuring two books this week by Candy Ann Little : The Unwilling Bride and Death by Broken Heart

Beautiful and high-spirited Caitlin Gallagher has no desire to be married, especially to someone born in England. Her family was forced to flee Ireland and move to America because of the war with England. This arranged marriage is stripping her freedom away. Gentle Dillon Cade has lived a quiet life for thirteen years in Norfolk, Virginia. When he agrees to marry a young maiden so she can stay in America while her parents are deported back to Ireland, he gets more than he bargains for. He must now deal with an unwilling bride, who disturbs his peaceful life.  Can Caitlin work through her anger, finding faith in God and love in Dillon’s arms? Can Dillon tolerate her behavior long enough to win her trust?

 

Bailey Rhodes is used to running away from problems. When she returns to her hometown for a class reunion, and runs into her old boyfriend, Randy, she struggles to keep her emotions and past hurts hid deep in her heart. When a local landlord is found at the bottom of the ledges, she doesn't believe it's an accident. Randy and his parents are prime suspects. In her pursuit to find the killer, she may lose her friends, and gain a broken heart in the process. Can she solve the murder before her heart is broken again?

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Feel free to leave your link in the comments and I'll make sure to stop by!

Review : Twined by A.L. Collins

Title : Twined
Author : A.L. Collins
Published March 25th 2012 by CreateSpace
Paperback 258 pages
ISBN 1475110936
ISBN13: 9781475110937


Amazon - Barnes & Noble


*Book courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest review*

Avalin Marsh is used to disappointment. When her mother murdered a woman in the kitchen of her home on her eleventh birthday, Avalin decided that the people in your life were only there to let you down. She built up walls over the years making a mental fortress impervious to disappointment, heartache and sadness. However it also isolated her from others, making her bitter... and lonely.When her mother was diagnosed with schizophrenia after the murder, Avalin began to see and experience things that she couldn't explain. She thought she could handle these episodes by pushing them back into her mind. Until the day she sees one of her classmates morph into a monster right in front of her eyes. Pushed to the brink of paranoia, Avalin truly believes she's insane. Then a mysterious man named Albert comes into her life. She's wary of his motives yet for some reason finds herself drawn to him even though they've never met. What's even more inexplicable is that Albert knows who Avalin is. She's the daughter of the famous Abigail Marsh. Her mother. Now the two of them will need to put their differences aside and trust one another. If Avalin can't let her guard down long enough to let Albert in, then there might be dire and far reaching consequences in store for them. It turns out Avalin Marsh isn't as crazy as she thought.

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A.L. Collins first brought us into a fantasy world in Bastion - Prequel to War and then he made us smile in his motivational and feel-good YA debut, Scarlett's. What does he have in store for us now with Twined? A supernatural novel for young adults. But don't be mistaken, this is not a vampire or werewolf story. Oh no! A.L. Collins has created a unique new world where supernatural beings seek a human in order to survive past their teens. I won't tell you more about it. I'll let you guys discover it for yourselves.

It all starts with a flashback to Avalin's eleventh birthday. What promised to be a fun birthday full of surprises and friends turned out to be a nightmare. None of her friends showed up and her schizophrenic mother murdered a woman. Now in the present day, Avalin starts hearing voices and seeing unimaginable things. She fears she might be turning out exactly like her mother. Albert seems to understand what she is going through but Avalin senses something's not right with the new guy.  Avalin discovers a whole new world and realizes that maybe she isn't crazy after all, neither was her mother.

Avalin is a very strong young woman. Her story and voice captivated me from the beginning. The author managed to really mirror the thoughts and dialogue of a teenage girl. She's smart and not afraid to say what's on her mind. She's a bit depressed and whiny in the beginning but who can blame her? Every character, even the supernatural ones, seem very real and could be your next-door neighbors. Albert is an intriguing character from the start but we quickly realize that he will stop at nothing to protect Avalin. He's also very respectful and sweet. Twined has a lot of fun characters and some will definitely surprise you.

The plot has enough action and mystery to make this a one-sitting read. The supernatural aspects of the book are new and well-thought of. There's a major cliffhanger at the end. Book #2 won't come out soon enough for me!

Overall, Twined is a unique read by an author you need to keep an eye on. 

5 out of 5 stars!

Teaser Tuesday & Review : The Vast Fields of Ordinary by Nick Burd

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly book meme hosted by MizB of Should be Reading.

1. Grab your current read and open to a random page.
2. Share two teaser sentences from somewhere on your random pages (but be careful to avoid spoilers!)
3. Share the name of the book and author so inquiring minds know what book to add to their TBR list!

The Vast Fields of Ordinary
Author : Nick Burd
Published May 14th 2009 by Dial

ISBN : 0803733402

ISBN13: 9780803733404

"We are now officially called Dingo and the Side Effects. Pretty cool, right? I'm Dizziness, Thomas is Vomiting, and if we get this dude that Dingo knows to play keyboard, he's going to be Diarrhea. Genius, right?"

Hmm! Not really!

"There was something almost apocalyptic about the way kids were coming toward the house from both end of the street like blank-minded zombies slouching toward the scent of beer. "



Love this one! 

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I actually finished reading this book last night after my post was ready. I really enjoyed reading it. It's not very often you get to read a book with a gay protagonist.

Dade knows he's gay. He's telling it to the ceiling and everything but he will not admit it to his friends and most importantly, to his parents. But when Alex, Dade's dream guy, comes in the picture, he gets the confidence he needs to come out of the closet. But then there's also Pablo. He was Dade's first "boyfriend" although he never wanted to address it publicly because you see, he has a girlfriend. The new romance between Alex and Dade makes him jealous and he regrets some of the things he's done. Tragedy strikes at the end (slightly predictable) and Dade's future will change.

This  book made me smile, laugh and made me sad all at the same time. The romance is sweet! There's also a lesbian character, Lucy who becomes Dade's friend. Having a gay main character is unlikely but having both a gay and lesbian character is even more rare. I loved it! There should be more books like this one. 

Dade has a lot going on right now. His parents' marriage is in Jeopardy and Pablo the guy he's somewhat seeing in secrecy won't admit he's gay. Dade didn't deserve that guy and I'm glad he found love with Alex. Alex is really a sweet guy, the total opposite of Pablo. He brings Dade flowers and everything! Dade is also lucky to have Lucy he can talk to. She really brings him out of his shell and is not afraid to stand-up for him. She can understand what he's going through.

The only thing I didn't particularly like about The Vast Fields of Ordinary is the missing nine-year-old girl that everyone expects to be dead even though her body has never been  found. People are apparently "seeing" her ghost everywhere and are positive it's her. Even Dade swears he saw her but I blame  it on the booze! I thought it didn't fit with the plot and it annoyed me more than anything. This isn't paranormal fiction but with that added to the plot it almost felt like it. I would've given the book 5 stars if not for that.

Overall, I think gay teens will relate to this story in more ways than one and might even find courage and strength to come out of the closet themselves.  I know my friend who's been out of the closet for a few years was up all night reading this book and I don't blame him! He was able to relate to Dade and  really thinks this book will help others. We both definitely recommend this book.

Warning : A lot of substance abuse



4 out of 5 stars!

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Okay, so this was only supposed to be a short paragraph but it turned out to be a full review! Oh well, you got two teasers and a review. What more could you ask for? :)