I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

From GoodReads: In the beginning they were a group of nine. Nine aliens who left their home planet of Lorien when it fell under attack by the evil Mogadorian. Nine aliens who scattered on Earth. Nine aliens who look like ordinary teenagers living ordinary lives, but who have extraordinary, paranormal skills. Nine aliens who might be sitting next to you now. 

The Nine had to separate and go into hiding. The Mogadorian caught Number One in Malaysia, Number Two in England, and Number Three in Kenya. All of them were killed. John Smith, of Paradise, Ohio, is Number Four. He knows that he is next. 
I AM NUMBER FOUR is the thrilling launch of a series about an exceptional group of teens as they struggle to outrun their past, discover their future—and live a normal life on Earth. 
I AM NUMBER FOUR. 
I AM NEXT.

I didn't know what I was going to think of this book at first, or if it was even something I really wanted to read.  Now that I have read it, I am glad I did.  

I enjoyed this book, though I fully believe that the next book in the series will be even better.  I was a little disappointed that there wasn't more action, I got a little sick of the love-story side of it.  Sometimes a girl just needs a good aliens-bringing-the-end-of-the-world action, like Independence Day! (such a good movie) But all-in-all I liked this book, and I most definitely will read book 2 in the Lorien Legacies.

Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

From GoodReads: Nora Grey's life is still far from perfect. Surviving an attempt on her life wasn't pleasant, but atleast she got a guardian angel out of it: a mysterious, magnetic, gorgeous guardian angel. But, despite his role in her life, Patch has been acting anything but angelic. He's more elusive than ever and even worse, he's started spending time with Nora's arch-enemy, Marcie Millar. 

Nora would have hardly noticed Scott Parnell, an old family friend who has moved back to town, if Path hadnt been acting so distant. Even with Scott's totally infuriating attitude Nora finds herself drawn to him - despite her lingering feeling that he's hiding something. 
Haunted by images of her murdered father, and questioning whether her nephilim bloodline has anything to do with his death, Nora puts herself increasingly in dangerous situations as she desperatly searches for answers. But maybe some things are better left buried, because the truth could destroy everything - and everyone - she trusts.

I have to start out by saying that, yes, I am a Patch girl.  I LOVED him after Hush, Hush.  

Which makes what I am about to say so hard..... I HATED Patch through this book!!! However, I think that was exactly what Becca Fitzpatrick was trying to make me feel.  Crescendo is filled with twists and turns that not only keep you guessing, but keep the emotions and tensions running high. I adored this book, even though, once again, Becca Fitzpatrick leaves me screaming NOOOOOOO!!! at the end.

In My Mailbox

So this week I FINALLY got books! Yay!!! I will be a reading fool again! Look for the upcoming reviews! I got four books in the mail, 1 book off Netgalley, and 1 book from the Fort Dodge Library!

Entice by Carrie Jones

From GoodReads: Zara and Nick are soul mates, meant to be together forever. But that's not quite how things have worked out.
For starters, well, Nick is dead. Supposedly, he's been taken to a mythic place for warriors known as Valhalla, so Zara and her friends might be able to get him back. But it's taking time, and meanwhile a group of evil pixies is devastating Bedford, with more teens going missing every day. An all-out war seems imminent, and the good guys need all the warriors they can find. But how to get to Valhalla?
And even if Zara and her friends discover the way, there's that other small problem: Zara's been pixie kissed. When she finds Nick, will he even want to go with her? Especially since she hasn't just turned. She's Astley's queen.

Once again Carrie Jones brings it all to the table and kept me hooked from the very beginning.  I LOVE the Norse mythology she is bringing into the storyline and am ADORING this series entirely!   Even though I am completely a Team Nick gal, I am slowly warming to Astley.  The characters in this story are so well written and brought to life so much that I feel a connection to each and everyone of them.  Most of all I am blown away by all the treachery and deceit in Entice.  Hats off to Carrie Jones!

Waiting On Wednesday

From GoodReads:Betrayal, loss, pain, fear. How many trials can love endure and still survive?

I really liked Nightshade (though HATED how it ended. Cliffhangers are a killer!) and I can't wait to get my hands on the next book, Wolfsbane!

Bite Club by Rachel Caine

Bite Club is the 10th book in the Morganville Vampires series by Rachel Caine.  As most of you know, Rachel is my boss.  As a special little gift she emailed me a draft of Bite Club.  

Oh. My. Gosh!!  I devoured this book in less than a day.  Carpe Corpus (MV#6) has always been my favorite, but Bite Club went and blew past it!  I would love to get into specifics about this book, but unfortuantely I don't feel that I am able to without getting into spoilers.  What I can tell you is that this book made me yell at it, gasp, get scared, get angry, and even wind-up in tears.  For those of you who are Morganville fans, be prepared for the best one yet! For those of you who are unfamiliar with this series, WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU WAITING FOR!!!!! 

In My Mailbox

So I only got one new book this week, unfortunately I have been so busy that I haven't had time to go to Fort Dodge and get new books.  Also, no new books have come in to either of my libraries! I did, however, get one new book at the beginning of the week. I also got a new one last week that I didn't get a chance to post!  So here they are! And the reviews of both are up!

The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman

From GoodReads: Elizabeth has a new job at an unusual library— a lending library of objects, not books. In a secret room in the basement lies the Grimm Collection. That's where the librarians lock away powerful items straight out of the Brothers Grimm fairy tales: seven-league boots, a table that produces a feast at the blink of an eye, Snow White's stepmother's sinister mirror that talks in riddles.

When the magical objects start to disappear, Elizabeth embarks on a dangerous quest to catch the thief before she can be accused of the crime—or captured by the thief.

Polly Shulman has created a contemporary fantasy with a fascinating setting and premise, starring an ordinary girl whose after-school job is far from ordinary— and leads to a world of excitement, romance and magical intrigue.

I stumbled upon this book at the library, never having heard of it or having any expectations.  I will admit that I was solely drawn in by the cover.  (Yes, I am a cover-picker, I admit it)  But I was instantly drawn in to this book, loving the storyline, the characters, and the vivd images it brought into my head. 

Polly Shulman does an AMAZING job of mixing legend, fairy tale, and modern day to create a brilliant and complex story that reminds me of the movie 'The Librarian'.  (One of my FAVORITE movies)  I suggest that if you are looking to try something new, give The Grimm Legacy a shot, it won't disappoint you!

Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

From GoodReads:The astonishing final novel in Richelle Mead's epic series!

Murder. Love. Jealousy. And the ultimate sacrifice. Now, with Rose on trial for her life and Lissa first in line for the Royal Throne, nothing will ever be the same between them.

So I just, at this very moment, finished Last Sacrifice, and I could not wait to post this review.  I have been reading this series since the day the first book came out and can honestly say that I have enjoyed every book immensely.  

I went through a succession of different emotions during the course of this book, starting and ending with disappointment that this was the final Vampire Academy novel.  (Though I am looking forward to the new series and hope to see if Lissa, Rose, Dimitri, and crew show up now and again!)  Last Sacrifice was a never-ending thrill ride from start to finish.  It was overflowing with plots and conspiracies, tugging you in every direction all at once.  I think every fan of VA will love the way that Richelle Mead wraps everything up, leaving nothing unfinished.  Hats of to Ms. Mead and a huge thank you for a series that never let its readers down. 

Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers

From GoodReads: Frannie Cavanaugh is a good Catholic girl with a bit of a wicked streak. She's spent years keeping everyone at a distance—even her closest friends—and it seems her senior year will be more of the same...until Luc Cain enrolls in her class. No one knows where he came from, but Frannie can't seem to stay away from him. What she doesn't know is that Luc works in Acquisitions—for Hell—and she possesses a unique skill set that has the King of Hell tingling with anticipation. All Luc has to do is get her to sin, and he’s as tempting as they come. Frannie doesn’t stand a chance.

Unfortunately for Luc, Heaven has other plans, and the angel, Gabe, is going to do whatever it takes to make sure that Luc doesn’t get what he came for. And it isn't long before they find themselves fighting for more than just her soul.
But if Luc fails, there will be Hell to pay…for all of them.

I didn't know what to expect when I started this book, I had heard good reviews, but I was still disappointed by the let-down from Halo.  But even after just a few pages, I knew this book was not going to let me down. 
The characters were really enjoyable and really brought the story to life.  I enjoyed the twists and turns, and especially liked the ending.  I hope to see this become a small series, I really want to know what comes next.

Halo by Alexandra Adornetto

From GoodReads: Nothing much happens in the sleepy town of Venus Cove. But everything changes when three angels are sent from heaven to protect the town against the gathering forces of darkness: Gabriel, the warrior; Ivy, the healer; and Bethany, a teenage girl who is the least experienced of the trio. They work hard to conceal their true identity and, most of all, their wings.

But the mission is threatened when the youngest angel, Bethany, is sent to high school and falls in love with the handsome school captain, Xavier Woods. Will she defy the laws of Heaven by loving him? Things come to a head when the angels realize they are not the only supernatural power in Venus Cove. There′s a new kid in town and he′s charming, seductive and deadly. Worst of all, he′s after Beth.

So, if you're like me, then you've heard all the other bloogers raving about this book.  I can honestly say that I have not heard a bad review of it yet.... until now.
I found this book to be agonizingly long with no real substance to it.  By page 250 I felt like I was getting nowhere.  I regret that I didn't like this book.  After all the reviews I expected better.

Hey Everyone!

So I just wanted to say hey everyone! I know I've been M.I.A. lately, but my laptop died on me and I am waiting on a new one.  Unfortunately, the only time I really get to use a computer is at work and I'm not allowed to blog! So my review of Halo, Bite Me, Personal Demons, and Sea are all on hold for now.  The worst part is that I have my In My Mailbox and my Waiting on Wednesdays all typed and scheduled, but I've been down so long now that I'm even out of those! 

So I may be silent here for a little while longer, but I promise to make up for it as soon as I get my new computer!!!! In the meantime, I decorated a little early for Christmas, I hope you like it! And Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

Stork by Wendy Delsol

From GoodReads: Sixteen-year-old Katla has just moved from Los Angeles to the sticks of Minnesota. As if it weren’t enough that her trendy fashion sense draws stares, she learns to her horror that she’s a member of an ancient order of women who decide to whom certain babies will be born. Add to that Wade, the arrogant football star whom Katla regrettably fooled around with, and Jack, a gorgeous farm boy who initially seems to hate her. Soon Katla is having freaky dreams about a crying infant and learns that, as children, she and Jack shared a near-fatal, possibly mystical experience. Can Katla survive this major life makeover and find a dress for the homecoming dance? Drawing from Norse mythology and inspired by The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen, debut author Wendy Delsol conceives an irreverent, highly entertaining novel about embracing change and the (baby) bumps along the way.

So I read this book in anticipation of meeting author, Wendy Delsol, this coming Saturday.  She is indeed from my home state of Iowa and will be signing Stork at both of my libraries this weekend.  I didn't know what to expect with this book going in, but not far into I realized that it was right up my alley. 
I loved Stork's originality in it's storyline, characters, and even setting.  Not often does an author in the Teen/YA Sci-Fi/Fantasy genre stray from the typical vampires, werewolves, fae, spirits, etc.  I really enjoyed the mythology behind it, as well as the intermingling of old and young characters.  I found this book to be a really fun read and can't wait to read the next book in this series, Frost.
(Also, not to pimp my libraries, but if you are in Iowa and want to meet Wendy Delsol, she will be signing this Saturday, November 13th at the Pomeroy, Fort Dodge, and Rockwell City Public Libraries!)

Torment by Lauren Kate

From GoodReads: How many lives do you need to live before you find someone worth dying for? In the aftermath of what happened at Sword & Cross, Luce has been hidden away by her cursed angelic boyfriend, Daniel, in a new school filled with Nephilim, the offspring of fallen angels and humans. Daniel promises she will be safe here, protected from those who would kill her. At the school Luce discovers what the Shadows that have followed her all her life mean - and how to manipulate them to see into her other lives. Yet the more Luce learns about herself, the more she realizes that the past is her only key to unlocking her future...and that Daniel hasn't told her everything. What if his version of the past isn't actually the way things happened...what if Luce was really meant to be with someone else?

I really, really wish that I could rave on and on about this book, I mean, I had been expecting to rave about this book.  Fallen was so amazing and wildly original that I was anticipating Torment to be AMAZING!!!
Boy, was I let down.  It is my honest opinion that this book was basically just Fallen all over again, only this time on the West Coast.  I was highly disappointed in it.  Although, I will say that I am not giving up on this series.  With the little smidges of clues that Ms. Kate gave us in Fallen and Torment, I expect all the answers to just explode in the third book, Passion, due out next spring. 

Waiting on Wednesday

This week's Waiting on Wednesday is the second book in the Horsemen of the Apocalypse series by Jackie Morse Kessler.  If you read my review of the first book, Hunger, you will know that I ADORED this book.  It was brilliant and I truly feel that every young girl should read it.  It put eating disorders into a new perspective and really gave a voice to all girls suffering from anorexia.  I am positive that the second book will be twice as brilliant and am anxiously awaiting it's release in April 2011.  In the meantime, if you haven't read Hunger yet, GO BUY IT!!!!!

In My Mailbox

So since I am still recovering from surgery, my In My Mailbox is only one book this week.  Thank you to my wonderful hubby for running to get it for me!!!

Waiting on Wednesday

So for Waiting on Wednesday today I have the second book from Kimberly Derting.  I am sure that I am not alone in my need to have this book.  Her first book, The Bodyfinder, was an AMAZING supernatural who-done-it.  It kept me guessing through the whole book and didn't leave me feeling like I had known what was going to happen.  I am EAGERLY awaiting Desires of the Dead.

Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

From GoodReads: Ethan Wate used to think of Gatlin, the small Southern town he had always called home, as a place where nothing ever changed. Then he met mysterious newcomer Lena Duchannes, who revealed a secret world that had been hidden in plain sight all along. A Gatlin that harbored ancient secrets beneath its moss-covered oaks and cracked sidewalks. A Gatlin where a curse has marked Lena's family of powerful supernaturals for generations. A Gatlin where impossible, magical, life-altering events happen.

Sometimes life-ending.
Together they can face anything Gatlin throws at them, but after suffering a tragic loss, Lena starts to pull away, keeping secrets that test their relationship. And now that Ethan's eyes have been opened to the darker side of Gatlin, there's no going back. Haunted by strange visions only he can see, Ethan is pulled deeper into his town's tangled history and finds himself caught up in the dangerous network of underground passageways endlessly crisscrossing the South, where nothing is as it seems.

The second book in the Caster Chronicles, Beautiful Darkness lived up to the standard set by the first book in this series.  Full of twists and turns, heart-wrenching emotion, and characters that you just fall for.  In this book, Stohl and Garcia take us for an emotional rollercoaster ride as Lena tries to deal with the loss of Macon and pushes herself away from Ethan.  There were scenes that made me want to cry with the characters.  This book was amazingly written and I look forward to the third installment in this series.

The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

From GoodReads:

Mackie Doyle is not one of us. Though he lives in the small town of Gentry, he comes from a world of tunnels and black murky water, a world of living dead girls ruled by a little tattooed princess. He is a Replacement, left in the crib of a human baby sixteen years ago. Now, because of fatal allergies to iron, blood, and consecrated ground, Mackie is fighting to survive in ...more Mackie Doyle is not one of us. Though he lives in the small town of Gentry, he comes from a world of tunnels and black murky water, a world of living dead girls ruled by a little tattooed princess. He is a Replacement, left in the crib of a human baby sixteen years ago. Now, because of fatal allergies to iron, blood, and consecrated ground, Mackie is fighting to survive in the human world.
Mackie would give anything to live among us, to practice on his bass or spend time with his crush, Tate. But when Tate's baby sister goes missing, Mackie is drawn irrevocably into the underworld of Gentry, known as Mayhem. He must face the dark creatures of the Slag Heaps and find his rightful place, in our world, or theirs.

I don't even know where to begin reviewing this book, the words to describe it won't come out right. I adored it.  It was creepy, saddening, exciting, heart-poundingly brilliant.  Mackie is so well written that  I found myself feeling everything he was feeling from scene to scene.  The hairs on my arms stood up from the eerie-factor of some of the scenes, especially the ones with the Morrigan in them.  This book was descriptive and detailed in such a way that sometimes you felt like you were actually in the story too.  It was an amazing book that I highly reccommend and will definitely read anything Brenna Yovanoff writes from here on out!

Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

From GoodReads: Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she'll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But when she violates her masters' laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might lose everything--including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice?

So I started this book not really knowing what to think, I had read numerous reviews raving about it, but had to see for myself.  So I started it one evening and by morning I had finished it.  I loved it!  The characters were strong and extremely well written, the story was new and fresh.  I definitely think that if you are into Teen and YA Sci-Fi/Fantasy, this is a book for you!  My only complaint about the book, the wait for the next one!!!! I will warn you now that this book ends with a MAJOR cliffhanger that will leave you begging for more!

Misguided Angel by Melissa De La Cruz

From GoodReads: After inheriting the dark Van Alen Legacy, Schuyler fled to Florence with her forbidden love, Jack. Now the two of them must embark on the mission Schuyler was destined to complete: to find and protect the five remaining gates that guard the earth from Lucifer, lord of the Silver Bloods.

Back in New York, Mimi has been elected Regent of a crumbling coven. Struggling with her heartache over the loss of Kingsley and with her overwhelming desire to destroy Jack, she must focus all of her energy on a perilous new threat. Vampires are being abducted and their captors are planning to burn them alive online…for all the world to see. Help arrives in the form of Deming Chen, a Venator from Shanghai, who must untangle the web of deceptions before the killers strike again.
As the young vampires struggle for the survival of the coven, they uncover a deadly secret, a truth first discovered by Schuyler’s mother during the Renaissance but kept buried for centuries. And as the Blue Blood enclave weakens yet further, fate leads Schuyler to a terrible choice that will ultimately map the destiny of her heart.

I must start out by saying Melissa De La Cruz, you my dear, are a TEASE!!!!
This book was just a small taste of things to come.  You get to see only bits and pieces of the big picture, ending in yet another of Melissa's, now famous, clif-hangers.  I loved it!  The story jumps from Jack and Schuyler to Mimi and Oliver, to scenes from past lives, to a new character (I won't tell you about her, you'll have to read to find out more!).  As Misguided Angel bounces from storyline to storyline you pick up new pieces to the puzzle, and just when you think you will get some answers, the book is done! So once again, Melissa has hooked me for another book, and, as only Melissa De La Cruz can,  has me counting the days until the next Blue Bloods novel.

Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

From GoodReads: Jason has a problem. He doesn’t remember anything before waking up in a bus full of kids on a field trip. Apparently he has a girlfriend named Piper and a best friend named Leo. They’re all students at a boarding school for “bad kids.” What did Jason do to end up here? And where is here, exactly?
Piper has a secret. Her father has been missing for three days, ever since she had that terrifying nightmare. Piper doesn’t understand her dream, or why her boyfriend suddenly doesn’t recognize her. When a freak storm hits, unleashing strange creatures and whisking her, Jason, and Leo away to someplace called Camp Half-Blood, she has a feeling she’s going to find out.
Leo has a way with tools. When he sees his cabin at Camp Half-Blood, filled with power tools and machine parts, he feels right at home. But there’s weird stuff, too—like the curse everyone keeps talking about. Weirdest of all, his bunkmates insist that each of them—including Leo—is related to a god.
Join new and old friends from Camp Half-Blood in this thrilling first audiobook in The Heroes of Olympus series.

If you enjoyed the Percy Jackson series, then you will LOVE this book! I started this book at 8:30 p.m. one night and, literally, my hubby had to pry it from my hands at 1 a.m. and force me to go to bed! 
In full Rick Riordan fashion, I couldn't put it down!  The characters of Piper, Leo, and Jason were amazingly written, the story was intermixed with Roman and Greek mythology, and the twists and turns were unforseen.  I strongly reccommend everyone check this book out! I promise that you will devour it!

YA SPOOKTACULAR IS HERE!!!

Welcome to the first ever YA Spooktacular event! I am UBER excited to be a part in the YA Spooktacular hosted by onceuponareview.com & frenzyofnoise.blogspot.com. I am proud to present Part 8 of Story 2: A Soul Laid Bare!  You can begin this story at http://www.pageturnersblog.com/ 

  

So, now do you want to know how it works? Well, there are 2 spooky YA stories being told in 13 parts. Each part is written by a different author (some currently published, some aspiring) and posted on a different blog. At the end of each story, you will have a chance to enter to win a prize pack (there is one for each story and a separate one that's open internationally). To be eligible to win that story's prize pack, you must comment on each part of the story. There will also be Trick or Treats along the way for more chances to win! For all the rules, the full rundown of all the goodness as well as a list of all the story stops, go to http://frenzyofnoise.blogspot.com/2010/10/ya-spooktacular-starts-friday_17.html

Good luck and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!



 

A Soul Laid Bare

Part Eight by Saundra Mitchell

Go to http://www.pageturnersblog.com/ to start the story!

Some air. She needed some air.






Shaking off the odd sense of dread that welled in her, Sami cut through the crowd to find the back door already standing open. It made sense— people should have been winding in and out, but for some reason, the wide lawn behind the house was deserted. A thin slice of silver moonlight filtered through the trees. For an awful, flashing moment, it looked like a veil of webs, as if spiders had descended every branch to cocoon the world.


"This is the part where you run away," Sami told herself. And yet, she walked into the cool night. Pulled on hooks and wires made of sensation, Sami swallowed hard when she came to a stop.


Something in that moment felt inevitable. Tremblingly inevitable— like seeing a perfect tower of cards, and knowing that it would fall. Not that it might, that it would, this minute, or in an hour, but there would be no stopping it.


And then, lightning coursed through her.


It struck, pale blue and racing her skin, searing her blood. It was agony, fire piercing her, filling her head full of fire and fury and... then it changed. It filled her, strange power crackling through her. Though she couldn't see her own eyes, she suspected they'd changed— just as Dylan's had, just as Mr. Cooper's had.


Then Mr. Cooper spoke. "Good and evil and undecided finally come together!"


Sami whirled to find him in the dark. Instead, she found Rosie, wound with a ribbon of violet stars. They pulsed around her head, a gothic halo. Her eyes were embers in shadow, glowing from a black depth.


"Well, I guess we know which one I am," she said sarcastically. She opened her hand. A swirling globe of those violet stars turned just above her palm. It pulsed with fire; just the look of it was dangerous.


With an easy flick, Rosie tossed it in the air— and at another point of the lawn, Dylan caught it. The moment he touched it, the stars shifted to scarlet. His eyes had turned, too, his whole body bathed in a crimson mist.


"You have to keep the balance, Sami!" Mr. Cooper cried.


Sami still couldn't see him. She turned, and only when she looked down, did she realize her feet no longer touched the earth. They all floated, just a few feet from the cool ground. Fog rolled beneath them, slowly marking out a triangle in mist. They stood on each point— but Mr. Cooper remained hidden.


Rosie stretched her arms, rippling in her tight costume. She turned her head, dark lashes fluttering as she opened her hands to present two new violet globes. This time, they sparked. And this time, she threw them hard— right at Sami.


Throwing her hands up, Sami screamed. She felt slicked, with sweat or blood, or something...it took her a moment to realize the lighting that swirled around her, soft lavender power, had risen up to block the blow.


Power churned inside her, and Sami trembled— how could Rosie already be so good at this? What awful thing did Dylan have in store? Trying to find some kind of defense in this madness, Sami called out to her friends- her friends.


"You're not evil!" She told Rosie. "You're not undecided. And I'm not good!"


Thunder crashed, a sound caught entirely between them. Sami squeezed her eyes closed, and when she did, she caught a glimpse of Tonya, of the Dark Man— and suddenly she realized there was someone else lurking in that dream, in those visions.


And that someone else was Mr. Cooper.

Need to know more? Can't wait to find out?

Then continue the story at http://thebookscoop.com/  and don't forget to comment here to be entered to win!!

 

Like Saundra Mitchell?  Check out her website!

http://www.saundramitchell.com/

Also, don't forget to check out Story 1: Darkness

which starts at

 http://www.frenzyofnoise.blogspot.com

In My Mailbox

So I know I haven't posted any book reviews lately (oh I will! I have been reading a TON of good books lately!), but I had surgery and have been down on bedrest.  Most of these posts were written and scheduled a head of time.  I did stock up on more books before surgery and In My Mailbox this week were:

White Cat by Holly Black

From GoodReads: Cassel comes from a family of curse workers -- people who have the power to change your emotions, your memories, your luck, by the slightest touch of their hands. And since curse work is illegal, they're all mobsters, or con artists. Except for Cassel. He hasn't got the magic touch, so he's an outsider, the straight kid in a crooked family. You just have to ignore one small detail -- he killed his best friend, Lila, three years ago.

Ever since, Cassel has carefully built up a façade of normalcy, blending into the crowd. But his façade starts crumbling when he starts sleepwalking, propelled into the night by terrifying dreams about a white cat that wants to tell him something. He's noticing other disturbing things, too, including the strange behavior of his two brothers. They are keeping secrets from him, caught up in a mysterious plot. As Cassel begins to suspect he's part of a huge con game, he also wonders what really happened to Lila. Could she still be alive? To find that out, Cassel will have to out-con the conmen.


Now I have been a Holly Black fan since Tithe, Valiant, and Ironside, I love her detailing and her ability to bring characters to life.  In White Cat, true to her style, she has done it again.  Cassel makes you feel every emotion as he goes through them, making you want things to go his way.  I adored this book for it's originality and concept.  (Also, I LOVE the fact that this book, unike so many in the Teen and YA genre, is written from a male perspective.)  If you like strange twists and turns, as well as the supernatural, then White Cat is a book for you!

Waiting on Wednesday

So this weeks Waiting on Wednesday is the third book in the Outcast Season series by my boss, Rachel Caine.  I am DYING for this book! Excuse my language, but Cassiel is a total BADASS!!! I am eager to see where this book goes, especially following on the heels of the final Weather Warden book, Total Eclipse.  I have been told by Rachel that Jo, David, nor Louis will appear in Unseen, but will be in the fourth and final Outcast Season book!

Waiting on Wednesday

My Waiting on Wednesday this week is one that I have been waiting for since August of 2009!  Needless to say that wait has not killed me, but it was torture!  Iron Crowned, the third in the Dark Swan series by Richelle Mead.  Now if don't know what I'm talking about, that's ok.  While the Dark Swan series is not as well known as her Vampire Academy series, it does offer the same patented Richelle Mead action and adventure.  However, I have to say, this is NOT a Teen or YA series! This IS AN ADULT SERIES! There is sex, there is swearing, and there is violence.  The characters are strong and outspoken while still managing to capture you in their story.  I for one, cannot WAIT ANY LONGER FOR IRON CROWNED!!

In My Mailbox

So even though I am still reading some of  the books from my last two In My Mailboxes, I got three more in the mail at the library this week that I just had to bring home.  All are books that I have been anxiously awaiting and will devour as soon as possible!

Waiting on Wednesday

My Waiting On Wednesday this week is one that I am DYING to get my hands on. I would sell my soul for and ARC of it!  Deadly Little Games, the third in the Touch Novels, is my agonizingly, long-awaited pick of the week.  I adore this series for it's ability to bamboozle me.  By that I mean, in every book so far I would be like "that's the bad guy! I know it's them!" and everytime I would be wrong.  Laurie Faria Stolarz is the master of unsolveable who-done-its.  And I, for one, am going insane waiting for this book.  If you haven't read this series, CHECK IT OUT! I promise you it will not disappoint you!!

Great Halloween Contests!!

So, while getting in the holiday spirit, I stumbled across some great Halloween contests on some great blogs I follow! So check them out and enter to win!


Ravenous Reader's contest http://www.lushbudgetproduction.com/2010/10/contest-beautiful-darkness-and-swag.html


Courtney's contest http://courtney-allison.blogspot.com/2010/10/halloween-party-trick-r-treat-giveaway.html


Carol's http://carol-in-print.blogspot.com/2010/09/will-she-ever-stop-giving-away-arcs.html

Jessica's contest http://totalbookaholic.blogspot.com/2010/10/haunted-halloween-with-nancy-holder-and.html

And last but not least, the one that I myself and helping with... Tales From Under The Grave!!!!! Start at Once Upon A Review and follow the story from blog to blog, author to author! Participate in tricks and treats to win cool stuff! http://onceuponareview.blogspot.com/2010/09/tales-from-under-grave-ya-spooktacular.html

Redecorating

So I admit, this post is completely non book related, but as you can see, Halloween is my FAVORITE time of the year! So in honor of Halloween I have changed the look of the blog a bit, redecorated if you will, but don't worry though, all the content will still be the same, just dressed in a different wrapping. Lol I have already bought my girls and I are costumes and am TOTALLY ready for the 31st to get here already! My oldest is going to be a sorceress and my youngest is a purple bat.  I got a very Victorian dress that I will wear with a little top hat, cane, and stiletto boots, I thinking it's very steam-punk.  Hubby is again going as a Sith Lord this year, though I don't think he ever tires of being someone from Star Wars, but then again, neither would I if there were more girls in it.  Though one year I would really like to be an Ewok..... So, are you ready? I want to hear from each and everyone of you what you are going to be this year!

In My Mailbox

It was another amazing week in library scores for me! I raided two libraries for the books that are  In My Mailbox this week!  Torment came from my library, the Rockwell City Public Library, Tattoos and Tequila I won from a fellow blogger, White Cat and Early To Death, Early To Rise came from the Fort Dodge Public Library. I am eager to dive into this pile of awesome!