Sunday, April 28, 2013

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa



It seems like I am handing out 4 stars left and right around here huh?! I guess it's a good thing that I have been reading so many decent books lately! Hopefully soon I will find a 5 star one again!

I don't really know what I was expecting going in, but for some reason this book was nothing like I thought it would be. I guess it's because it was "another vampire series" in my head. I was sooooooo wrong! This was more "I am legend" (which I haven't actually read..only watched) than it was say...Vampire Academy. It was gritty and intense and kind of gross at times honestly. It wasn't lovey dovey or sweet or even romantic, though we do get a couple glimpses of that...but that's all they were..glimpses. If you were to blink you would miss them.

The story takes place in a futuristic society where vampires rule and most of the population has been wiped out by a virus called Red Lung. The people who weren't wiped out have turned into scavengers...or rabids. Allison, our heroine, is a scavenger but when given the choice to die or become a vampire she chooses the latter. She is forced to flee from her home town of New Covington and stumbles upon a group of people on a quest to find Eden. She decides to travel with them while hiding what she really is.

The whole time I was literally just shaking my head. How it could all work out was beyond me, but I was totally rooting for her in a weird way because honestly I didn't think she was that likable. Most people aren't that easy going and friendly when they have been fighting for survival though, and I could recognize that and relate to her because of everything she had been through.

The "love interest", if you can call it that, was Ezekiel Cross aka Zeke. I loved him. I can see why some people wouldn't....he's very good and the trend now a days is a bad boy. While I too can appreciate the appeal of the bad boys in this world, I so love a good hero on occasion. Someone you can always root for because you know their intentions are always good. You never have to wonder about their motives. They are steady and Zeke was definitely steady for me.

I am getting rambly..but I am almost done!!

The vampires in this book are good old fashioned vampires for the most part. They are the bad guys. They kill and hunt and they enjoy it while they do. I know people say they wish there more books like that again and this was one of them. They aren't as creepy as the rabids...but they are definitely not the good guys here.

My biggest complaint is that at times it was slow. There is a lot of descriptive writing, which is nice for visualization, it did make some of the chapters really drawn out. I read somewhere that these were being made into a movie and honestly while reading them, I felt like it was written for that purpose. It wasn't annoying enough to detract from the story..just enough to make it drag for me sometimes.

I haven't read anything else by Julie Kagawa before now but I definitely think I will pick up the Fey series one day soon!

Saturday, April 27, 2013

Snagged this Week

Ok...so this week I kind of went one click happy.  It seems like every week there are more and more books on sale! Here's what I snagged this week
See..I seriously went nuts this week! I didn't even spend very much money! The only one I got not on sale is Crush because I just couldn't wait for more Jude. <3 <3  And there will be more next week I am sure.

I so hope you all have a beautiful weekend!

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Gameboard of the Gods by Richelle Mead




I seriously was sooo excited when I was approved for this book from NetGalley. I love love love love Richelle Mead. She is one of my all time favorite authors. Everything she does is awesome and has a way of taking me to a whole new place and getting totally lost. When I start a book of hers I always wish I had 12 more to go with it just to lose a week in her world/s.

This book was no exception. It was a totally brand new and unique idea and I loved it. So many books are kind of the same plot, just with minor tweaks. This is so not. It totally a creative and original work and I love Richelle for that!!! She never fails me!

The story takes place in a futuristic society where everything can be explained and controlled...or so they thought. Unknown powers and forces are in the background doing things trying to take back over the world they once owned. They are not wanting to be in the background any longer.

At first I confess I was a bit confused. There were backstories to our two main characters, Justin and Mae, that weren't fully explained until about half way through. Things were hinted at and we were given little snippets here and there, but their main stories were kind of vague up until one point and then everything is finally laid out on the table. When that finally happened I totally sighed in relief...so grateful to finally "get it" so to speak. Up until that point I spent a lot of time trying to piece everything together and get it to make sense.

The story switched between three different point of views. We have Justin and Mae who are working closely together. Mae is Justin's body guard while he is off solving cases and studying religious/ super natural groups. Then we have Tessa who is just a teenager and has been brought to the RUNA. She is still young and I am really excited to see her character develop more over the series. I feel like she's going to have a big part to play in the story as a whole...but I am not quite sure what it is yet. It is done in a way that isn't confusing which I so appreciate. It is great getting to see different things from different perspectives. It gives so much more depth to all the characters instead of just one.

I have read every single series by Richelle and knew I wouldn't be disappointed by this one. My only complaint is that it did start a wee bit slow...but I think it is interesting still. Like I said earlier, it just took me a bit to get that "aha!" moment. Oh and also....I am really annoyed that I have to wait so long for the next ones *sigh* It's like waiting between her Bloodlines series *sob* I need more of these characters and fast!

Don't go in to this book thinking you know what it is. It's totally different from everything else I have read. It's dystopian, paranormal, and sci-fi with some romance thrown in as well. 4 big stars from me!

Monday, April 22, 2013

Up Next | Snagged this week

So I totally ran out of my book budget for this month a week ago...but my hubby loves me bunches and I still snagged some new books this week. Too many deals going on that I could not resist! Here are my snags this week
Not tons..but like I said I am over my budget already! haha! At the beginning of the month I buy a gift card for myself at Barnes and Noble and then when it's gone..that's my budget. Or that's supposed to be how it works. It helps me keep myself in check!

I have decided to go in a different direction for a bit since I have been reading a lot of heavy stuff lately. So here's my currently/up next reads:

Charley Davidson Series
  1. First Grave on the Right
    Amazon | Barnes and Noble
  2. Second Grave on the Left
    Amazon | Barnes and Noble
  3. Third Grave Dead Ahead
    Amazon | Barnes and Noble
  4. Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet
    Amazon | Barnes and Noble
There are going to be two more books in this series that are not out yet. I have already read the first two and loved them so I would totally recommend them!!! If you like Sookie Stackhouse type books you have to read these!

Then I am going to read these two books by Julie Kagawa:
Bood of Eden Series
  1. The Immortal Rules
    Amazon | Barnes and Noble
  2. The Eternity Cure
    Amazon | Barnes and Noble
Then I will get back to my regular books full of romance, and angsty, etc. I hope you all have a great book week! I have two reviews coming up this week. Hope to get those up soon!!

Friday, April 19, 2013

Going Under by S. Walden




“I’m talking about the kind of indignity that changes you as a person, makes you withdraw, hide from the world because suddenly it’s turned into something frightening—full of dark corners and monsters.”

So...I have been sitting on this book for a few days. Totally not at all sure how to review/rate it. I have a hard time knowing how I feel about books like this one. Ones that are raw and gritty...and not all sunshine and rainbows.

Warning from the author: This is a New Adult fiction book with mature themes. It contains graphic sex and language and a description of sexual violence. The scene she is alluding to is very raw, but it is not over done, nor is it sensationalized.  You kind of know it is coming, but you hope...you so hope...that maybe you're wrong. Maybe there is something redeeming about the "bad guys". Sometimes people are just bad though. Afterwards you totally do feel edgy and shaken. If you have been a victim of sexual violence I don't think this book is for you and I urge you to talk to someone if you haven't. 

I didn’t want my own fucking forgiveness anyway. I wanted Beth’s, and she was no longer here to give it to me.

The premise of the book is that Brooke Wright is trying so hard to atone for the death of her best friend and the wrongs she did to her before she died. The things she never got forgiveness for but so desperately needs. It's her senior year and she moves in with her dad and starts going to the school Beth went to. The school with a sick group of guys who take advantage of girls with their "Fantasy Slut League". Brooke is determined to infiltrate the group and exact her revenge on them. Make them pay for the things they did to Beth and to other unsuspecting girls. 


“It’s always described as melting, and I finally understood why. I thought my body was turning to liquid. I could feel my bones giving way, threatening to dissolve and leave me one big puddle of goo.”

Along the way, Brooke meets Ryan. She cannot avoid him. She knows she should. That she is on a mission and she can't falter. She has to keep going...for Beth. For the other girls. The chemistry they have was awesome to "see". They really are two dysfunctional people who find each other...and they totally work together. I do so wish we had more moments between them, but the mysteriousness of Ryan, and the secrets they are keeping from each other, really get you hooked and keep you guessing. 

However, it's not their relationship that is the center of the story. For me it was Brooke and her revenge and her healing...or lack of healing at times. She is so not a perfect heroine. She's not one that you automatically root for and want to see succeed. She's done terrible things...and to her own best friend. Who does that?! Lots of people do and I think that's why she is so easy to relate to at times. We have all done things to our "friends" in high school or junior high. Maybe not to the extreme Brooke has...but we all have so I think we can look at Brooke and all her flaws and understand her pain and motives. 
 
“You think you know what to expect. You think you have it all planned out. But something in you always surprises you, and it’s a buzzing undercurrent that keeps you silently guessing until your picture is complete.” 

Although this book deals with such strong and awful subject matter, it's not a super dark book. At least it didn't feel like it to me. There are light moments and happy moments. Moments that make you hope...because there is always hope. Always.


I definitely recommend this one, but please go in prepared so you aren't caught off guard. I think if you were it would be really hard to digest.


There are a couple additional scenes over on S. Walden's blog: Ryan Meets Gretchen and Ryan's Reaction. Do not read these if you haven't read the book!

Thursday, April 18, 2013

The Secret of Ella and Micha by Jessica Sorensen



“It's what's buried deep inside that frightens me because it's broken, like a shattered mirror.” 
Ella

 Ella and Micha are two broken people who have known each other nearly their whole lives. They have struggled with the line in their friendship for a long time. It scares Ella I think, to think of being more with Micha. He knows her better than anyone and after one tragic night, she doesn't want to remember her past. She doesn't want to think about the things that Micha makes her think about. She's trying so hard to be someone different but when she has to come back home, after leaving without a trace, she is forced to face things she has buried deep inside.

“you can't just change who you are on the outside and expect it to change who you are on the inside.” 
Micha

 Micha totally sees through this new Ella. He sees her for who she is and for who she was and he loves her anyways. After all these years, he still loves her. I absolutely loved the relationship between Ella and Micha. I loved watching him try to bring the old Ella out. The one that she has pushed deep down and hidden from the rest of the world. He has made it his mission to help her remember who she was and be ok with it. 

“I love you, Ella May and nothing will ever change that. You can push me away -run away – and I will still love you.” 
Micha

Micha loves her, and you totally feel it while reading. I looooved him! He would seriously do anything for her. He's totally swoon worthy...but not ridiculously unrealistic. He has his own issues, but you know and love him anyways. You love him for how long and how well he has stuck by the people he loves..like his mom and like Ella. He is a great character and one of my fave book boys.

I don't know..but I was surprised by how much I loved this book. It kind of snuck up on me and I am mad at myself for waiting a bit to read it. I bought it weeks ago and finally decided to pick it up. It was such a great read. The characters were awesome..and relatable...if that's even a word. I really understood where they were coming from with their decisions and actions. I am super excited for the next book and finding out what is going to come next for Ella and Micha. They really are two of my favorites! 

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Quick Little Update

So, I have been super sick for over 12 days now! It's insane. I have been reading lots but haven't gotten all my reviews posted. Just wanted to update that I totally will be doing that in the next couple of days! xoxo!


Monday, April 15, 2013

Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A. Tucker




 " 'Just Breathe,' my mom would say. 'Ten tiny breaths...Seize them. Feel them. Love them.'..... I didn't understand it then. I do now."
Kacey Cleary

From the moment I started this book I was hooked. The prologue sucks you right in and you need to find out what is going to happen to Kacey. How is she going to survive this? 

The book is written in sections, going through stages of Kacey's healing...or sometimes lack of healing. I like this, in the sense that it sets you up for what to expect...grief, anger, dependence...etc. However, it doesn't spoil anything or give anything away in the big picture. The writing of this book is done in such a way that you feel everything and picture everything and I LOVE that. I love having such a clear picture in my head of what is going on. It just was really well done.

"I want to make you smile. For real. Always. We're going to go for dinners, and see movies, and walk on the beach. We'll go hang-gliding, or bungee jumping, or whatever you want to do. Whatever makes you smile and laugh more." His fingers toy with my bottom lip. "Let me make you smile."
Trent Emerson

*sigh* I love Trent. He's so passionate and swoon worthy. You can tell he wants nothing more than to see Kacey happy...and she is rarely happy anymore. She pushes people away always, but Trent is determined to get through. You know he has secrets, but so does Kacey and they just feel right for each other. It's an instant connection, but it's not cheesy or over done like so many other books. I figured out his secret really early in the story, but it didn't ruin it for me. I needed to see how it would play out and I was holding my breath the whole time. The anticipation was excruciating at times, but so worth it!

"You hate me, don't you? You must hate me. I can't help it. I'm broken." Trent squeezes me close to him. "I don't hate you. I could never hate you. Give me your heart, Kacey. I'll take everything that comes with it."

Kacey was such a damaged person. Who wouldn't be after what she went through??? I loved her though. I loved seeing little bits of the "real kacey", as her sister Livie would say, slip through. Little by little we were getting to know who she really was before she put up all her walls. It was really endearing and I was rooting for her the whole time. Rooting for her to find peace and love and healing.

All in all I loved this book. It was a really good, hopeful, romantic read. Full of emotions. My only complaint is that the major plot twist was obvious to me. Maybe it won't be to you though? Like I said though, it didn't ruin the story for me though. I thoroughly enjoyed it still. 
 
"Our past isn't who we are. I'm me and you're you and that's who we need to be."

Book two is going to going center around her sister Livie and I am so super excited about that!

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Up Next!

I snagged a few books this week because there were such awesome sales this weekend! Plus I scored a couple books from NetGalley I had been wanting to read. WOOT! Here are the books added to my library this past week!

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Rush Me by Alison Parr




I was pleasantly surprised by this book! I did look at a lot of reviews (just the ratings. I didn't read all of them) and I really was preparing to not like it that well. In some ways, I think that helped me with this one. I didn't have really high expectations and I really enjoyed it! I think that that sounds bad...but what I mean is that most books people build up sooooooo much I tend to be really disappointed with. With this one I hadn't heard a lot about it..just saw a lot of 3 star ratings.

Rachael is one of those leading ladies that will drive some people nuts, but I loved her. I was always waiting to see what she would say next. She was really harsh with Ryan sometimes, but honestly, he was harsh with her too. I loved that she defended herself, but would always have that moment afterwards where she would wish she hadn't. It felt normal and realistic to me, because I am so like this! Constantly smacking my forehead later for the things I let slide off my tongue.

I felt like the book was paced really well too. It moved pretty fast which was nice. Some books drag on and on and on and this really wasn't like that. It was a short, easy read (a wee bit predictable) but fun and had nice closure.

I do wish there would be more books. Like spin off ones with the other players and people in their little group. Some of the characters we only got snippets of and I feel like I would like to read more about them!

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

A Shimmer of Angels by Lisa M. Basso



I quite enjoyed this one. Partially because I was ready for a bit of a change of pace from the books I had been reading lately. 

People tend to say books like these are unoriginal. There's a love triangle, good angels and bad angels etc etc. I think that in this genre what else do you expect? I do think Lisa M. Basso does a good job of approaching the story from a different perspective. It is a new take on this kind of a story IMO. 

Rayna doesn't want to see angels AT ALL. She's been told they aren't real and she's crazy so she tries her best to avoid them completely, but that is easier said than done. Of course she ends up in a war she knew nothing about and does her best to get through it.

This is an easy, simple read (which is what I was needing so I liked that). The only major flaw for me is that the characters (other than Rayna) don't have any depth to them so I honestly had zero opinions about them. I felt like there were supposed to be moments where we felt a romantic connection and I just didn't get them for some reason.

Would definitely recommend this to someone who likes this genre and looking for something lighter. I will be reading the next ones in the series.

Monday, April 8, 2013

Love Unrehearsed by Tina Reber

 


 I liked this one. I know sometimes my star rating are way off from everyone else's. I guess I am a bit star stingy though I don't mean to be.

This was a good, entertaining read. It just didn't WOW me. I felt like there was a ton of filler. In the first book there are sex scenes...but they felt really romantic and special. In this one I felt like there were twice as many sex scenes and that they were made more graphic and things just to fill pages. It wasn't necessary. I already loved the relationship between Ryan and Taryn. It was almost as if there just wasn't much else going on so they have sex 3 times a day instead.

It was just a bit anti climactic for me. Every once in a while there was a little bump and then it would get resolved immediately and then another little bump. There were just lots of little things here and there. There is one thing that comes up with Taryn, but even though that was alluded to in such a suspenseful way in the prologue it wasn't developed in a suspenseful way so it felt odd.

"Dreams really do come true if you point yourself in their direction."
Taryn Mitchell- Tina Reber, Love Unrehearsed
I did enjoy this though. I liked seeing the "conclusion" of their relationship and their happy ending. I was rooting for them the whole time and it ends wrapped up very nicely. I would definitely recommend this series to others, but like so many other series...the first book is the best!


Saturday, April 6, 2013

What I am reading and Up Next!

Because it's Sunday (nearly) and the first day of a new week I thought I would start a trend of posting what I am currently reading and what is up next on the docket for me.

I can only read one book at a time or I go crazy. It just boggles my mind to try to balance more than that. Between being a wife, mom, and the other things that are on my plate any given day it totally doesn't take much to confuse me.

Also, I read a HUGE variety of books. I just love tons of different genres so I always mix up my books. It keeps it interesting!

Currently:
Love Unrehearsed by Tina Reber



Amazon | Barnes and Noble

#1: Love Unscripted
Amazon | Barnes and Noble







 It is taking me a while to get through this series, which is crazy for me! I love them but my kids have been on Spring Break and that takes a lot of out of me for some reason! Should get this one finished soon!

Up Next (in no particular order)
Whew! That's quite a list and there are others I am dying to read and have bought and just haven't made it to yet. I try to give anything I have been given an ARC copy of precedence. 

So...I guess since I have tons of reading to do this week I better get off here and finish the one I am on! xoxo!

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Love Unscripted by Tina Reber



I am so excited to post this book as my first review. I so loved it. It is such a nice change of pace from some of the other books I have read lately. It is such a love story and not a lust story...though I had a few visions of my Ryan in my head.

Our heroine in this story is Taryn Mitchell, who has known her fair share of heart ache and is a bit jaded. One fateful afternoon she happens to meet the wildly famous and drop dead gorgeous Ryan Christensen. Unsure of what to expect with the man so many people long to be with, Taryn keeps her distance as best as she can, but finds herself drawn to him.

Ryan hates the spotlight which is so surprising for someone of his caliber but it definitely helps for him to seem attainable in this book and not completely unrealistic like it could have been. I mean...who hasn't dreamed of some super hot and famous movie star all the while knowing how insanely unrealistic it is? With this book, the way the characters are developed it doesn't feel like that. It feels totally plausible that he would be a regular guy (because movie stars really probably are...as crazy as that seems!) and that he really would fall for just a regular girl.

“So… am I to understand that you’re mine”” I asked teasingly.
“I can be yours if you want me to be, Taryn,” he whispered.”
― Tina Reber, Love Unscripted
I loved watching their relationship develop and wondering what was going to happen next...because we all know that life really isn't a movie so things weren't going to be all sunshine and rainbows and I was dying to know what the obstacles would end up being exactly. Each of them is flawed in their own way and it was really great being able to watch them grow together and figure things out. The dynamic between them made my heart race but it wasn't full of lust like I said earlier. This was about love and was much deeper. 
I don’t want anyone else - just you. And no matter where I am, wherever I go, you’re the only one who is holding my heart.Ryan Christensen― Tina Reber, Love Unscripted

All in all I really loved this book! My only complaint is that I do so feel like it could have been shorter. There were moments that were drawn out, but it wasn't boring by any means.


Welcome!

Welcome to my little corner of the interwebs! I am super excited to be here an to start sharing my love of books with you all! Please bear with me while I get all my ducks in a row over here and everything looking all nice and pretty for you. I will be back soon with my first big review! xoxo