Book Review: Hexed (Iron Druid Chronicles #2) by Kevin Hearne

Title: Hexed (Iron Druid Chronicles #2)
Author: Kevin Hearne
Details: Mass market Paperback, 320 pgs.
Published: June 7th, 2011 by Del Rey
Reading Level: Adult
Source: Purchased


Description: (may contain spoilers from first book)

Atticus O’Sullivan, last of the Druids, doesn’t care much for witches. Still, he’s about to make nice with the local coven by signing a mutually beneficial nonaggression treaty—when suddenly the witch population in modern-day Tempe, Arizona, quadruples overnight. And the new girls are not just bad, they’re badasses with a dark history on the German side of World War II.
With a fallen angel feasting on local high school students, a horde of Bacchants blowing in from Vegas with their special brand of deadly decadence, and a dangerously sexy Celtic goddess of fire vying for his attention, Atticus is having trouble scheduling the witch hunt. But aided by his magical sword, his neighbor’s rocket-propelled grenade launcher, and his vampire attorney, Atticus is ready to sweep the town and show the witchy women they picked the wrong Druid to hex.

Spoiler free, even from the first book!


There's not much to say other then what I said in the review of the first one.   This is seriously my new favorite series.  It's fun (and very funny!) while still having lots of serious with some awesome kick ass fight scenes.   Atticus is the perfect character and I pretty much love everything about him.  His personality really pops and he can kick serious butt!  He can also talk to his dog, Oberon (not the fairy King!) and this dog is hilarious!  
The book was fast to read, hard to put down, and set off lots of giggle fits.  It's all Atticus' personality because even while he's kicking some ass he's still thinking things that are hilarious.  I love a good urban fantasy that's as balanced as this one and I'll be impatient the whole month I have to wait for the next one (thank goodness they are in rapid release!).  
Kevin Hearne, you're my hero!

Find the author:

Website

Book Review: Hourglass by Myra McEntire

Title: Hourglass
Author: Myra McEntire
Details: ARC, Final copy published in hardcover, 400 pgs.
Published: June 14, 2011 by Egmont USA
isbn: 1606841440 (ISBN13: 9781606841440)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Publisher

Description:

One hour to rewrite the past . . .
 
For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.
So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.
Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

Full of atmosphere, mystery, and romance, Hourglass merges the very best of the paranormal and science-fiction genres in a seductive, remarkable young adult debut.

Okay, this book took me by surprise.  Not about it being really good, but what it's about.  It's about everything described in the description, but that only hints at it.  Trust me, it's AWESOME!   This book blew me away once I got into it a bit and found out the craziness that is Hourglass.

Emerson is an awesome main character.  She's snarky and outspoken and says exactly what's on her mind.  But we also see the vulnerable side of her.  How she has a hard time trusting people, is afraid that everyone will just turn away from her.  How she can't really confide in people.  Seeing that made her more real.
The other characters also had memorable personalities and Michael I especially loved.  He had to balance some things a bit carefully, which I can't explain without spoilers, but he was just downright lovable!   Really, I'll take him for myself ;)

The story line was AWESOME!  I loved how things had twists and turns and although a thing or two I guessed ahead of time for the most part it surprised me.  Who was good, who was bad, etc.  It all played out excellent and this book even got a tear or two from me.

The romance in this book was pretty awesome.  I felt irritated at each of them at times.  Once again communicate people!  But in this book it didn't bother me as much as with other books.  I think the twists and turns explain things pretty well and it's all for a good reason.   But really, it's pretty freaking intense.  And awesome.

This book is clean!  I don't recall any cursing, no real violence (in the bloody and gory way) and no sex!  Although the characters are older, Emerson is 17 and the rest are all older, it didn't really have anything that would make me say that it's better for older readers.  There was kissing, and maybe some talk about sex, but nothing that I noted in my head so I'm going to say it wasn't much (if anything) since I automatically notice that kind of stuff.  


Overall I LOVED this book!  Definitely one of the best I've read this year and I'm just sad I have to wait forever for the next one!

Find the author:
Blog | Twitter

Purchase:
Hourglass at Indiebound

Hourglass at Amazon

Disclosure: I received an advance copy of the book from the publisher.  The final edition may have changes to the story and the cover.  All opinions expressed are my own and I was not paid or influenced in any way.

Book Review: Zombies Don't Cry by Rusty Fischer

Title: Zombies Don't Cry
Author: Rusty Fischer
Details: ARC 371 pgs. (published in paperback)
Published: May 1st, 2011 by Medallion
isbn: 1605423823 (ISBN13: 9781605423821)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Publisher 
 

In the sleepy small town of Barracuda Bay, Maddy Swift leads the life of a fairly typical teenager, but while attending a party one night, Maddy is struck by lightning and awakens to realize she has been reanimated and turned into a zombie. While becoming acquainted with her new "lifestyle," Maddy stumbles upon two unexpected undead chaperones, fellow students Dane and Chloe, who begin to teach her the ways of zombie life, including defending the populace from Zerkers—the bad zombies. Together, on prom night, the three teens must ultimately defend Barracuda Bay High from an all-out zombie Armageddon.

This ended up a fabulous read.  The characters were great, the writing was awesome and the story line was intriguing.  I wasn't exactly sure what to expect.  I'm not a huge zombie fan, but it's mostly just because of the ideas of zombies.  I haven't read many zombie books and I've actually enjoyed all that I have.  So far.

I thought this was going to be a sort of ridiculous funny.  And it was.  But it got pretty serious, far more serious then I ever expected.  It all worked together, but it wasn't what I would guess would work so I kept being surprised. 

I liked the main character, Maddy, and I liked all the side characters as well.  I never knew where things were going with them and they all kept you on your toes.  You didn't always know who was good, and sometimes they changed so I was constantly guessing.  Were they really bad?  Or were they still good?  It was surprising some of the places the author took the characters.

The romance never really had a chance to get off the ground.  Maddy was busy learning about being a zombie and all the rules that go with it.  While also trying to keep herself  'alive', or at least not dead dead or a bad zombie (yes, there are good zombies and bad zombies).  I look forward to seeing where the romance goes in the next one (that hasn't been wrote yet but he's now thinking on writing one).  It definitely left off like there's more to come, though it wasn't a cliffhanger. 

I really liked the tone that Rusty set with this book.  It really felt different and was very well done.  I really felt like the voices seemed authentic, and for an adult male writing the story~ well, he did an AMAZING job writing a teenage girl!  I really never would have guessed.

I'm anxious to read more from Rusty Fischer and see where he takes things with Maddy in the next book.  I really think everyone will surprised how this book goes.  From the ridiculous (in a good way) funny to very serious.  The twists and turns thrown in the path that you may not see coming.  Anyway, give it a try!

You can find the author:

Website |Twitter

Purchase:

Zombies Don't Cry on Indiebound

Zombies Don't Cry on Amazon

Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher for review purposes.  All opinions expressed are my own, I was not paid or influenced in any way. 

Book Review: Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

Title: Between Shades of Gray
Author: Ruta Sepetys
Details: Hardcover, 338 pgs.
Published: March 22nd, 2011 by Philomel Books (Penguin)

isbn: 0399254129 (ISBN13: 9780399254123)

Reading Level: Young Adult

Source: Purchased

 

Lina is just like any other fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. Until one night when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they've known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded and dirty train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother slowly make their way north, crossing the Arctic Circle, to a work camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here they are forced, under Stalin's orders, to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the cruelest of conditions.
Lina finds solace in her art, meticulously—and at great risk—documenting events by drawing, hoping these messages will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive. It is a long and harrowing journey, spanning years and covering 6,500 miles, but it is through incredible strength, love, and hope that Lina ultimately survives. Between Shades of Gray is a novel that will steal your breath and capture your heart.

Wow.  Okay, I'm not sure where to start.  This book was so amazing that finding the words is rather difficult.  I have to say that in the description it says: 

Between Shades of Gray is a novel that will steal your breath and capture your heart. 

That says it so well.  I finished the book yesterday and when I think back I find myself with tears in my eyes and a catch in my throat.  This isn't just another World War II book.  This isn't about Hitler and his rein of terror, but it's just as horrific.  And this is stuff that we didn't learn about in school (at least most schools).  This is the untold story of some of the horrific things that Stalin did.  And I think knowing that this is not a terribly well known thing made the story touch me even more.  Knowing that those people went through all that and then the ones that survived couldn't even tell the world of the horrors they suffered.  

This book was full of pain and heartache and suffering, but it was full of incredible strength and determination.  Of bravery, and love and compassion.  This book had it all.  It even had romance, though it didn't get much of a chance to play out, we felt it and saw it and knew how they felt about each other.

The first half of the book was excellent but it was the second half that really got to me.  That really had me crying.  Especially toward the end.  I can't even imagine!  The things these people went through, it's really  stuff of our nightmares.  And it really happened!

I could probably go on, but really all you need to know is this~ get this book, and read it!

Find the author on her:

Website | Between Shades of Gray Website

Purchase:

Between Shades of Gray Indiebound

Between Shades of Gray on Amazon

Do you still need convinced?  Please, please, PLEASE watch this video.  Grab some some kleenex first though.

 

Book Review: Prom & Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg

Title: Prom & Prejudice

Author: Elizabeth Eulberg

Details: Hardcover, 231 pgs.

Published: Jan. 1st, 2011 by Point (I believe it was published early, but this is still the date given)

isbn: 0545240778 (ISBN13: 9780545240772)

Reading Level: Young Adult

Source: Borrowed from Lori

Description:

After winter break, the girls at the very prestigious Longbourn Academy become obsessed with the prom. Lizzie Bennet, who attends Longbourn on a scholarship, isn’t 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 Charles’s friend, Will Darcy, who’s snobby and pretentious. Darcy doesn’t seem to like Lizzie either, but she assumes it’s because her family doesn’t have money. Clearly, Will Darcy is a pompous jerk — so why does Lizzie find herself drawn to him anyway?

Will Lizzie’s pride and Will’s prejudice keep them apart? Or are they a prom couple in the making? Whatever the result, Elizabeth Eulberg, author of The Lonely Hearts Club, has concocted a very funny, completely stylish delight for any season — prom or otherwise. 

My Thoughts:

This was a really fun book!  But it wasn't all about the fun.  It had some more serious issues as well and made some excellent points.  It teaches us a bit about judging everyone by a few people's actions and not taking the time to get to know the person yourself, or their side of the story.  

I really liked the MC Lizzie but she drove me nuts for awhile.  She was so sure she was right and even when I was figuring things out she was being a pig headed idiot!  I understood her standpoint though, and I forgive her ;) 

I loved Darcy!  Right from the beginning when he was a bit of an idiot and not so smooth with his words I still saw through it and loved him.  I knew he was a good guy underneath all his idiocy.  

I thought the story line of this was great!  I thought Elizabeth Eulberg was great in this retelling and came up with a creative story.  It's not one that keeps you guessing, because we all know what the outcome is, right?  Even if you haven't read the original your probably going to know.  It's just figuring out how it all happens and when. 

This was also a very fast read.  I read it in a couple hours, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

You can find Elizabeth Eulberg on her Website.

You can purchase at your favorite bookstore, or support by blog and giveaways by using any of my affiliate links, now located at the very bottom of my blog.

Young Adult Book Review: Darkness Becomes Her by Kelly Keaton

Title: Darkness Becomes Her

Author: Kelly Keaton

Details: ARC, 288 pgs. (Published in Hardcover)

Published: Feb. 22nd, 2011 by Simon Pulse

isbn: 144240924X (ISBN13: 9781442409248)

Reading Level: Young Adult

Source: Borrowed ARC from friend

Description:

Ari can’t help feeling lost and alone. With teal eyes and freakish silver hair that can’t be changed or destroyed, Ari has always stood out. And after growing up in foster care, she longs for some understanding of where she came from and who she is. Her search for answers uncovers just one message from her long dead mother: Run. Ari can sense that someone, or something, is getting closer than they should. But it’s impossible to protect herself when she doesn’t know what she’s running from or why she is being pursued.
She knows only one thing: she must return to her birthplace of New 2, the lush rebuilt city of New Orleans. Upon arriving, she discovers that New 2 is very...different. Here, Ari is seemingly normal. But every creature she encounters, no matter how deadly or horrifying, is afraid of her.
Ari won’t stop until she knows why. But some truths are too haunting, too terrifying, to ever be revealed.

My Thoughts:

This book ended up being totally, completely and utterly different.  It was a world completely different from anything else and full of character's you would never see coming.   It was a post disaster New Orleans which gave it a dystopian feel.  Making this book a mixed bag of dystopian and paranormal, with the paranormal being very different from the average...

The book started out with action immediately, there was no skirting around issues or waiting for things to happen.  It all progressed rapidly but yet I felt like we didn't have things thrown at us so quickly we couldn't absorb them.  We were introduced to everything as Ari was, so we saw it all through her eyes.  It all worked out very well.

I liked Ari a lot.  She was kick butt and a strong person.  But there were a few times she got on my nerves.  Even when she knew that there were some strange things going on she had a hard time accepting them.  It seems like once she saw something strange it would be easier for her to accept but she kept having this urge to run.  Maybe it was more realistic that way, but I just felt annoyed with her.  Overall it ended up not being a big deal because everything else that was amazing far overshadowed it.  But it was the biggest downfall to the book.

The romance was good but wasn't a major factor of the story.  It was also insta-romance, which I'm not a fan of, but it really wasn't a big negative to me with this book.  It just didn't bother me as much as it usually does.  I can't say I got a chance to really 'feel' the romance because it was so fast, but I think things between them haven't really come to head yet, that's in the future.  They were too busy trying to stay alive in this book...

This book was full of characters and they were all important in there own ways.  But even though there were a lot of characters I never felt confused or overwhelmed.  They each had a very strong personality and were interesting in the way they looked, acted and what they could do.  

The story line was amazing!  I loved how everything played out.  I was able to predict some things and I realized that was because of small hints that I hadn't really noticed until I knew for sure that what I was thinking was actually true.  

I really look forward to reading the next book and anything else this author writes!

You can find Kelly Keaton:
Website | Twitter

Disclosure: I borrowed an ARC of this book from a friend and was under no obligation to write a review.  I was not paid or influenced and all opinions expressed are my own.

Children's Review: Brownie Groundhog and the February Fox

Title: Brownie Groundhog and the February Fox
Author: Susan Blackaby
Illustrator: Carmen Segovia
Details: Hardcover, 24 pgs.
Published: Jan. 4, 2011 by Sterling
isbn: 140274336X (ISBN13: 9781402743368)
Reading Level: Children Age 3 and up
Source: Sterling Publishing, for review

Description:

Happy Groundhog Day! But when Brownie steps outside, there's not even the slightest sign of spring-just her shadow, a frosty field, and a hungry fox who wants to munch her for lunch. Determined not to become a meal, Brownie finds a clever and tasty way to melt the ice and turn Fox into a friend and make the wait for winter's end a little warmer. Susan Blackaby's deliciously witty writing and Carmen Segovia's adorable animals and stunning landscapes combine to create a picture book filled with springtime joy. Just right for reading with a cup of cocoa and cinnamon toast;  Brownie's favorite meal!

Our Thoughts:

What an adorable book!  It came just in time as Groundhog Day is next week.  But this book doesn't talk about Groundhog day, though it talks about finding Spring.  So although it's a Groundhog Day book it really is appropriate for all winter.  

I thought it was a cute book the second I saw it even though it's not bright in colors.  There's snow through the entire thing so that makes for a lot of white, but the illustrator fills the pages.  It's not just a little portion of the page with the illustrations.  I love it when they are full pages of illustrations and it takes your eyes over the full pages, looking for little things like maybe a bird in a tree, or a leaf starting to grow.  

My kids loved this book, and that's what's important right?  I read it to my one year old who has zero attention span but he actually stopped playing to look up and see the book.  When my daughter got home and heard there was a new book she spun circles, she was so excited!  But when she saw it she was even more excited.  We haven't had much snow at all this year so that has made her even more obsessed with it.  She was enthralled with the story from the beginning and didn't interrupt me at all.  When I finished the kids sat down and looked at the pictures without me but when they finished they asked me to read it again!  

The book was fun to read though it wasn't rhyming or anything.  It was just a fun story with Brownie Groundhog tricking the fox over and over again and in the end them becoming friends.  

It was a middle length story.  It didn't take long to read but wasn't too short.  It was just perfect, I'd say!

I give it 4/5 for illustrations.

4/5 for the story.

And the kids give it 5/5!

You can purchase at your favorite bookstore or support my blog and giveaways by using my affiliate links.

Disclosure: I received this book free of charge in return for an honest review.  I was not paid or influenced in any way and all opinions expressed are my own.

Book Review: Not That Kind of Girl by Siobhan Vivian

Title: Not That Kind of Girl
Author: Siobhan Vivian
Details: Hardcover, 336 pgs.
Published: Sept. 1st, 2010 by Push
isbn: 0545169151 (ISBN13: 9780545169158)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Source: Borrowed from friend Lori


Description:

Natalie Sterling wants to be in control. She wants her friends to be loyal. She wants her classmates to elect her student council president. She wants to find the right guy, not the usual jerk her school has to offer. She wants a good reputation, because she believes that will lead to good things.
But life is messy, and it's very hard to be in control of it. Not when there are freshman girls running around in a pack, trying to get senior guys to sleep with them. Not when your friends have secrets they're no longer comfortable sharing. Not when the boy you once dismissed ends up being the boy you wants to sleep with yourself - but only in secret, with nobody ever finding out.
Slut or saint? Winner or loser? Natalie is getting tired of these forced choices - and is now going to find a way to live life in the sometimes messy, sometimes wonderful in-between.

My Thoughts:
I wanted to read this book because my friend Lori said the main character, Natalie, is very different.  And she was right, she is definitely a different MC.  In some ways this book is a bit similar to The Duff by Kody Keplinger, but yet it's still quite different.
Natalie is a perfectionist.  She wants to have perfect grades, be the teachers pet, president of student council, have a perfect reputation... the list goes on.  She's quite judgmental of people, but yet she wasn't quite mean.  At least I didn't think she was mean, but she was a bit blunt and just saw things in black and white.  No in between.  Spencer comes along and is the complete opposite.  But yet they are friends.
I really thought that the author did a fantastic job of creating her characters.  Natalie and Spencer are two extremes and then Autumn, Natalie's best friend is the only one that hits more of the middle ground.   And Connor, well, he's a bit in the middle ground as well.  He's not a bad kid, and he's not a jerk like his friends, but he still parties and does things that Natalie completely frowns upon.  So when things develop between them it's almost shocking, but yet, not quite.  It was nice to see things happen and watch Natalie make some mistakes and then find her way to what she really wanted, no, needed. 
I think this is a fantastic book for teens.  To see that finding a middle ground and not being one extreme or another is important.  

 
You can find Siobhan Vivian on her Website. 
You can purchase at your favorite bookstore, or using any of my affiliate links and help me fund my contests.

Merry Sparkling Christmas by Elizabeth Spurr and Colleen Madden (Illustrator) and Jingle- Jingle by Nicola Smee

Details: Board Book, 14 pgs.
Published: Oct 10, 2010 by Sterling

isbn: 1402771398 (ISBN13: 9781402771392)

Reading Level: Young Child

Received from: Sterling for Review

Description:

Glistening icicles, sparkling wrap on festive gifts, and merrily twinkling lights on trees make a child's Christmas-and this book-absolutely magical. Every page captures the holiday spirit and features something that shimmers and shines.

My Thoughts:
This is just a simple board book but it's a really cute one!  The pictures are engaging and the sparkles really catch your eye.  The entire pages are covered in illustrations, so no white, which I like.  It's a quick read (duh, it's a board book) but it's a very cute story.  It's one I enjoy reading and one my kids enjoy listening to and looking at on their own.  
For what it is, a simple board book, I give it 4/5 moons.

Details: Board Book, 26 pgs.
Published: August 3rd by Boxer Books
isbn: 1906250650 (ISBN13: 9781906250652)
Reading Level: Young Children
Received from: Sterling Publishing for review


Description:


Hear the music of those sleigh bells jingling? Nicola Smee’s seasonal favorite is now in board!
The beloved characters from Smee’s Clip-Clop are off on a wild and wintry ride. Mr. Horse has invited all the barnyard animals into his sleigh, and Cat, Dog, Pig, and Duck couldn’t be more excited. Soon, they’re holding on tight and dashing through the snow with bells jingle-jingling all the way. Over the fields they fly—but when they reach the hill, everyone wants to slide down…even Mr. Horse, of course. Is there room for them all?
Like the happy Mr. Horse, toddlers will think “THAT WAS SO COOL!”

My Thoughts:

This too, is just a simple board book but it's a fun story that gets my kids in giggles.  I think there's a bit too much white, and not enough color, but they are in the snow so maybe I should just ignore that?  I don't know, but I can say the the picture's don't capture my attention quite as much as I would like.  But my kids seem to like it and they are the ones that matter!  
The story is cute, and like I said, it gets my kids in giggles.  I felt a bit like it was choppy.  Or something.  Just not the funnest book to read.  But it's fast and the kids like it okay, so that's what's important!
I give this one 3/5 moons.

You can purchase these books at your favorite bookstore or my affiliate links, to the left and below.  All commission made is used to fund contests here, on my blog.
  Disclosure: I received both of these books for the review.  The opinions expressed are my own and I was not paid or influenced in any way.

Steampunkery Review- Steamed by Katie MacAlister

Details: Mass market paperback, 342 pgs.
Published: Feb. 2nd, 2010 by Signet
isbn: 0451229312 (ISBN13: 9780451229311)

Series: Steampunk romance #1

Reading Level: Adult

Received from: Publisher for review

Description:

Computer technician Jack Fletcher is no hero, despite his unwelcome reputation as one. In fact, he's just been the victim of bizarre circumstances. Like now. His sister happens to disturb one of his nanoelectromechanical system experiments, and now they aren't where they're supposed to be. In fact, they're not sure where they are when…

…they wake up to see a woman with the reddest hair Jack has ever seen-and a gun. Octavia Pye is an Aerocorps captain with a whole lot of secrets, and she's not about to see her maiden voyage ruined by stowaways. But the sparks flying between her and Jack just may cause her airship to combust and ignite a passion that will forever change the world as she knows it…

My thoughts:

This was a quirky and fun book with some crazy and unique characters.  But what else would you expect from the lovely Katie MacAlister?  She has a knack for quirky and crazy characters with super strong personalities.  I have to say that I like and dislike that at the same time.  I think sometimes they are a little over the top, but they also make me laugh.  So although I would maybe tone them down a notch, I do like them.  Most of the time.  

I think this one was fascinating in the way the author laid out the story.  See, Jack and his sister are from 'our' world.  Now you would think they traveled back in time, right?  Well, it appears that this is a something like a parallel world.  It's the same year, but it's very very different.  It's a Steampunk world and is full of airships, steam cars and engines and aether guns.  And goggles.  Cause according to Jack a good airship captain has to have goggles. 

The first half of the book was a little slow for me.  I felt like not much happened other then Jack wooing Octavia.  But the second half is when the action started and it got much more interesting.  As Jack, Octavia and the the ship mates travel to Rome, then back to London, with a quick stop in France, the lot of them can't seem to stay out of trouble!  

This book is definitely adult and there are quite a few sex scenes.  Some aren't descriptive, others are.  They weren't too long and drawn out but fairly frequent.  

I give this one 3/5 moons.

You can find Katie MacAlister on her website.

Shop Indie Bookstores, 

Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher for review and giveaway purposes.  I was not paid or influenced in any way and the opinions expressed are my own. 

Blood Feud by Alyxandra Harvey

Details: Paperback, 272 pgs.
Published: June 22nd, 2010 by Bloomsbury US

isbn: 0802720978 (ISBN13: 9780802720979)

Reading Level: Young Adult

Received from: Purchased

Series:  The Drake Chronicles #2 

 

Description:
The action and romance continue as the Drakes face a new vampire with a 200-year-old grudge. It’s been centuries since Isabeau St. Croix barely survived the French Revolution. Now she’s made her way back to the living and she must face the ultimate test by confronting the evil British lord who left her for dead the day she turned into a vampire. That’s if she can control her affection for Logan Drake, a vampire whose bite is as sweet as the revenge she seeks.

The clans are gathering for Helena’s royal coronation as the next vampire queen, and new alliances are beginning to form now that the old rifts of Lady Natasha’s reign have started to heal. But with a new common enemy, Leander Montmarte—a vicious leader who hopes to force Solange to marry him and usurp the power of the throne for himself—the clans must stand together to preserve the peace he threatens to destroy.

This second adventure in the Drake Chronicles—told from both Logan’s and Isabeau’s perspectives—has all the same butt-kicking action, heart-pounding romances and snarky humor that readers loved in Hearts at Stake, as well as exciting new revelations about the vampire dynasties to keep readers coming back for more.

You can find my review of Hearts At Stake (#1) HERE.

My Thoughts:

I didn't like this book quite as much as the first one.  Mainly because of the main characters.  I liked them, just not as much as Nicholas, Lucy, Solange and Kieran.  Although we do get glimpses of them in this book it wasn't enough for me!  However, I did like Logan and his ridiculous idea of style (somehow it's just hot that he dresses as though he's in the Victorian age).  I liked Isabeau as well but didn't feel like I really quite connected with her.  

I loved seeing Isabeau's past when she was young and the French Revolution.  I've read books about it and it's a fascinating time period.  Those chapters with shots of her past were great and one of my favorite things about this book.

This book also had more magic.  The Hounds, which we learned about in the first book, have more magic, and a more ancient magic, then other vampires.  They know how to use it anyway.  It was fascinating seeing some of the things they could do with it.  And learning more about the Hounds.

Like the first book this one had some action.  I often don't care for fighting scenes and skim over them but they weren't overdone or drawn out so I didn't mind them and I don't think I skimmed a single time.

This book may not have been as good as the first one, but it certainly wasn't disappointing.  

I give it 4/5 moons.

You can find Alyxandra Harvey at her website 

 

Disclosure: Links are affiliate links to amazon.  If you purchase then the amount earned will be used to fund contests.


This book was purchased by me and I was not paid or influenced in any way.  The opinions stated are my own.

Adios, Nirvana by Conrad Wesselhoeft- ARC Review

Details: Hardcover, 240 pgs. (I read an ARC)
Published: Oct. 25, 2010 by Houghton Mifflin

isbn: 054736895X (ISBN13: 9780547368955)

Reading Level: Young Adult

Received from: Won an ARC 

Description:
  When you piss off a bridge into a snowstorm, it feels like you’re connecting with eternal things. Paying homage to something or someone. But who? The Druids? Walt Whitman? No, I pay homage to one person only, my brother, my twin.
       In life. In death.
       Telemachus. Since the death of his brother, Jonathan’s been losing his grip on reality. Last year’s Best Young Poet and gifted guitarist is now Taft High School’s resident tortured artist, when he bothers to show up. He's on track to repeat eleventh grade, but his English teacher, his principal, and his crew of Thicks (who refuse to be seniors without him) won’t sit back and let him fail.

My Thoughts:

Where to start?  This book went way beyond any expectations I had.  Well, I really had no expectations.  I've seen it everywhere in the blogosphere but hadn't heard anything about it being good so I put off reading my ARC.  When I picked it up and started reading I was impressed immediately by the writing, but the story didn't completely blow me away until later.  

I think I thought this book would have something about Nirvana in it, or maybe just be about some horny teenage boy.  And it wasn't like that at all.  The Nirvana being referred to is bliss.  You know, the actual meaning of Nirvana?  Not to say there wasn't any mention of Nirvana, the music group, because the story takes place in Seattle, and its about a boy that is a poet and a musician.  So of course there are a couple of Nirvana songs mentioned.  

This story is about a boy who's twin has died.  It's been awhile since it happened, but he's been going through some tough times.  He's been given a chance to redeem himself in the schools eyes and will pass his junior year if he can write the biography of an old World War II veteran and has to sing and play a song in front of  the entire school on graduation.  On top of this he has to do his homework, paint his house so his mother can open a wedding chapel in it, and he is unable to sleep.  

Jonathan is a poet and his words used through out the book are beautiful.  This author was able to bring to life a teenage boy so well!  He made a fictional character real.  This book is about a boy who searches high and low for himself.  And he finds himself through poetry, music and an old dying man.  Not to mention all the other great characters in the hospice home.  Old Agnes who is 99 and has dementia and always says "Float a turd" (which becomes his favorite saying), and Katie, the beautiful girl who may have more going on then he is aware of.  

This is also about true friends, as Jonathans won't let him give up.  They won't let him fail and thicks (best friends) are forever.  They stick by each other through thick and thin.  And Jonathan will do anything for them as they've been by his side through his misery and grief.

I could take quotes out of this book all day to share with you guys.  There's just so many beautiful words and phrases.  This book is poetic.  Beautiful.  Heart wrenching.  Read this book with a box of kleenex.  But be sure you read it.   

5/5 moons!

The Secret Lives of Princesses- Kids Pick

Author: Philippe Lechermeier
Illustrator: Rebecca Dautremer
Details: Hardcover, 88 pgs
Published: May 12, 2010 by Sterling Publishing
isbn: 1402766777 (ISBN13: 9781402766770)
Reading Level: Childrens
Received from: Sterling publishing for an honest review





Description:

Go beyond Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella! Some princesses are well-known to all children—but others, equally magical (and sometimes, a lot funnier) have remained anonymous, mysterious, and far from the fairy-tale crowd.
Now these captivating ladies are finally stepping out of the shadows where they’ve remained hidden for far too long. With wit, sublime humor, and beautiful art, The Secret Lives of Princesses introduces a bevy of royal daughters to the court of young readers.  While it alludes to some of their more famous sisters, this large and lusciously illustrated compendium presents such unique and unforgettable characters as the petite Princess Claire Voyant, who can see very far into tomorrow (but muddles her predictions); Princess Oblivia, who forgets everything and misses all her appointments; Princess Tangra-La, who does the tango, the fandango, and any dance that comes her way; and Princess Babbling Brooke, who chatters on and on about everything and nothing. Plus, you’ll learn about such princessy matters as the language of fans; coats of arms; and how not to offend dangerous fairies who cast evil spells.
Poetic, often humorous, and always enchanting, this is the perfect collection for princess-loving girls who long for more than just the traditional fairy tale.

My Thoughts:

This book was very cute!  It really stands out and is very girly but not in the pink frilly way.  

The illustrations are beautiful but somewhat dark and chilling.  It is certainly not your average children's book, that's for sure!  They aren't scary, not by any means, just more 'adult' I guess.  You can judge for yourself by my pictures.  

This is a looooonnnnggg book!  It's 88 pages and isn't a few sentences on a page.  I had to split it up to read it to my daughter because I got tired of reading it and she grew bored.  I'm not saying the story is boring, but a 5 year old can only sit still for so long.  But I don't take that as a negative.  I have no problem spreading a book out over a couple days.  And it's wrote so that it can be.  Each Princess kind of has it's own story and it's a new Princess for each page.

Now the story itself is fabulous!  Seriously, it'll have you in fits of giggles.  Here are some examples: Princess Somnia comes from a lazy family, she sleeps all day.  Princess Paige reads everything she can find (she's my favorite, of course).   Princess Babbling Brooke talks A LOT.  Princess Molly Coddle is spoiled.  Princess Miss Hap is a clumsy mess.  Princess Oblivia forgets everything.    Now that's just a few of these unique Princesses.  But not every page is about a Princess.  There are other pages thrown in as well.  For example there's a page about how you become a Queen.  

Each page has it's normal little bit, and then there's little paragraphs in smaller print off to the side that gives a few other facts.  Like for Princess Somnia it gives some facts on the four poster bed and how it's adorned with silk, etc.  It also tells you who the Princess is related to.  Princess Somnia is related to Sleeping Beauty.  

My daughter had fun for hours looking through this book.  And it was entertaining for myself as well, which is always a plus!

I give this one 5/5 Moons for both illustrations and story!

There is an awesome website for The Secret Lives of Princesses where you can play games, do a personality quiz and learn more about the book and the author and illustrator.  Be sure to check it out! 

Disclosure: I received this book in return for an honest review.  I was not paid or compensated in any way.  The opinions expressed are my own!

Minder by Kate Kaynak Review and Giveaway!

Product Description: 

Sixteen-year-old Maddie Dunn is special, but she needs to figure out how to use her new abilities before somebody else gets hurt.  Ganzfield is a secret training facility full of people like her, but it's not exactly a nurturing place.

Every social interaction carries the threat of mind-control. A stray thought can burn a building to the ground. And people's nightmares don't always stay in their own heads.

But it's still better than New Jersey.  Especially once she meets the man of her dreams…

My Thoughts:

I wasn't sure what I was going to think when I heard all the Twilight comparisons, I guess I just think if it's compared to Twilight then it's just a knock off of the real thing.  This was very different from Twilight.  In a good way!  The love between the two characters was very sweet and mostly uncomplicated which was actually quite refreshing.

I liked the main character and I loved all the different powers involved.  I really love reading characters that can read minds.  That's one reason I love Sookie Stackhouse.  I think it's a great power.  In this case her being able to read minds makes a relationship much easier.  No secrets (at least others can't keep secrets).  

The book was wrote well, but I did think it focused too much on the relationship and didn't get to more action and 'saving the world' stuff sooner.  BUT I think since this is the first in a series she was introducing us to Ganzfield and the characters.  She could have focused a little less on their obsession for each other, but that's just my opinion.  Others may like it more for that.

I thought this was a fun and intriguing read that pulled me in immediately and not once was hard to read.  I'll be sending it on to my sister to read as she's currently 'in love' (she's 17) and may enjoy a good bit of sweet teen love.  And you guys are lucky!  Kate has offered up to one of YOU the book AND a t-shirt!  How awesome is that?  

You can find Kate on the Ganzfield website where it also lists the entire series of books. You can also find her on her blog. Adversary comes out August 20th.   

RULES:

Open to US and Canada only

Must be 13 or older

Must enter before August 9th

Must fill out the form below.

Extra entries include following Reading Angel and Pure Imagination.  

I received a review copy of Minder for the purpose of an honest review.  The opinions expressed are solely my own.  

The book is being provided by Kate Kaynak.  Once the contest is over and the winner is picked I will email Kate the winner's info.  At that point it is out of my hands.  It is not my responsibility that you receive the items. 

Crank by Ellen Hopkins Review

Description:

Kristina Georgia Snow is the perfect daughter: gifted high school junior, quiet, never any trouble. But on a trip to visit her absentee father, Kristi...more

Kristina Georgia Snow is the perfect daughter: gifted high school junior, quiet, never any trouble. But on a trip to visit her absentee father, Kristina disappears and Bree takes her place. Bree is the exact opposite of Kristina -- she's fearless. Through a boy, Bree meets the monster: crank. And what begins as a wild, ecstatic ride turns into a struggle through hell for her mind, her soul -- her life.

My Thoughts:
Wow.  That was pretty much what this book left me with.  I have my own history that I'm not really up to sharing, but I'll just say this book hit home.  It wasn't easy to read because of the subject matter, but I found it easier to read then some books with the same subject matter and perhaps that was because it was in verse.
I think that it being in verse brought the whole story forth in a different way.  But perhaps my own memories are just beginning to fade and things don't affect me as strongly.

I really don't have a lot to say other then this was an emotional read that made me want to reach in and change things.  Seeing where she was taking her life was hard to watch.

It was wrote beautifully and the writing was like artwork.  It wasn't only the words being poetic, but she was creative in how she shaped the verse.  It was nice, but yet I think in some ways it made it harder to read.  I kept catching myself skipping what was WAY over on the right side (for example) and would have to re-read the entire page.  It's still not a negative enough thing to bring down my rating though.
I give it 5/5 moons!

I am now a devoted Ellen Hopkins fan.  I can't wait to read Glass!
You can find Ellen Hopkins on her website | twitter | Blog

This book was purchased by myself.  The opinions expressed are my own and weren't influenced in any way.