13 To Life

AUTHOR: Shannon Delany
PAGES: Kindle Edition
TWITTER: @Shannon_Delany
WEBSITE: http://13-to-life-a-werewolf-tale.blogspot.com/
ACQUIRED:Purchase
GENRE: YA

SUMMARY:
Everything about Jessie Gillmansen's life changed when her mother died. Now even her hometown of Junction is changing. Mysterious dark things are happening. All Jessie wants is to avoid more change. But showing a hot new guy around Junction High, she's about to discover a whole new type of change. Pietr Rusakova is more than good looks and a fascinating accent, he's a guy with a dangerous secret. And his very existence is sure to bring big trouble to Jessie's small town. It seems change is the one thing Jessie can't avoid.

OPINION:
A great YA book about werewolves. Very likable characters. The whole story was really a build up to the next book. You don't even get to really read anything about the werewolves until the very end. I still thought it was a great read. The chemistry between Pietr and Jessie was great. They struggle to try to stay apart through most of the book, which is almost impossible. I look forward to reading the next book in the series. I'm sure their will be more of the werewolves throughout the book, since we really got to understand what is going on at the end of this book. I also look forward to Jessie and Pietr developing a more intense relationship. I don't think they will be able to fight their feelings for one another in the next one.
I thought the book gave way to great promise of a fantastic series.

Need

AUTOR: Carrie Jones
PAGES: 306
GENRE: YA
WEBSITE: http://www.carriejonesbooks.com/
ACQUIRED: Purchased

SUMMARY:(from book jacket)
Zara White suspects a freaky guy is semi-stalking her. She memorizes phobias and chants them when she's nervous. And, okay, she hasn't exactly been herself since her stepfather died. But moving to a shivery Maine town to stay with her grandmother is supposed to be the perfect fix-so her mom says.
Except, this new plan of getting away to help Zara stay sane? Yeah, not working. Turns out the semi-stalker is not a figment of Zara's imagination. He's still following her, leaving behind an eerie trail of gold dust. There's something not right-not human-in this sleepy Maine town, and all signs are pointing to Zara.

OPINION:
I just really didn't get into this book. I tried, but the writing was just too simple. There was no rhythm to it. I did love the fact it had werewolves and pixies in it-love that combination.
So, we've got this crazy pixie king with his "need" stalking poor Zara and her mother. Zara is shipped off to a remote town that is full of shifters. But even with the protection of her new friends the pixie king will not stop until he gets what he wants, and that is Zara.
Zara not only discovers no one is exactly what they seem, but maybe she isn't either.
I don't understand Zara's mothers action at all, past and present, when it comes to this pixie king and his great need. I thought Nick was a great character and loved Zara's small circle of friends.
The book cover is beautiful. Captivate is book two in this series and I think I will read it eventually, but I'll probably get it at my library.

Linger

AUTHOR: Maggie Stiefvater
PAGES: 360
WEBSITE: www.maggiestiefvater.com/
TWITTER: @mstiefvater
ACQUIRED: Purchase
SUMMARY:

"This is the story of a boy who used to be a wolf and a girl who was becoming one."

Sam is having a hard time not shivering every time the wind blows in the anticipation that he will shift into a wolf again. He is a boy, a real boy, with a future ahead of him. He slowly starts to accept the cure may have actually stuck and learns to try to look past tomorrow and into a real future with Grace.

While Grace's parents have always been absent to a degree, they suddenly have an opinion on every aspect of her life. The main one being their opinion of Sam. Sam is becoming less and less welcomed in Grace's parents house. They feel her life is basically revolving around him.

Sam can't run from the wolf he was. He has to start taking responsibility for the pack, because he is the only one who can. He will always be tied to them, and with Beck gone, it's Sam role to play as guardian now.

Grace and Sam finally start planning a future, but within one night everything changes. It becomes a constant struggle just to be together. Everything seems to be trying to tear them apart. Whether it be her parents refusing to let her ever see Sam again, or the thing that is inside of Grace trying to claw its way out.

"Because you know that's not how you want it to end. You know I'd love to have you with me, and it will be that way, one day. But this isn't the way it ought to happen."

OPINION:
The book of the summer. Excellent, touching, sad and so romantic. Maggie's writing is so beautiful, lyrical and poetic.

The story is told in four POV's this time. Besides Sam and Grace, we get to hear the story from Isabel and Cole.

Cole is one of the new wolves. I found him intriguing. He is complex and I just wanted to know more and more about him. I hope he has a big role in book 3.

I didn't really care for Isabel. I started to like her, but that didn't last very long. I know deep down she's good and all, but I don't like the way she talks to Sam. I did like her with Cole, though.

I finally got to learn Sam's middle name. That has been driving me crazy. It's on page 131.

The whole book was a superb read. I just loved it. I found it hard not to just sit down and devour it, but I made myself slow down and just enjoy it. We have to wait a whole year to get book 3 anyway.

If you haven't read Shiver I think Linger still could be picked right up because the love between Grace and Sam just flows off the pages. But read Shiver if you haven't. Now go read it, listen to it on audio book, request it from your library!!! I think I might have to get the audio book also because Maggie said the person who narrates for Cole sounds like "sex- on- a- stick" and I think I'd like to know what that sounds like.

SOME OF MY FAVORITE QUOTES FROM LINGER:

"It was something that made the I love yous real." page 96

"To Grace, these were the things that mattered: my hand on her cheeks, my lips on
her mouth. The fleeting touches that meant I loved her." page 98

"Without turning on the light, I went to my bed and lay down, my arm thrown across the mattress, my hand aching because Grace wasn't underneath it." page 165

"I couldn't imagine anyone ever reading a book enough to make it look like that. It looked like it had been driven over by a school bus after someone had taken a bath with it." page 192-193

"Not dead-dying. Funny how two things could be so similar and yet so far apart." page 215

"There was something awful about terror trapped behind silence." page 216

"....she made her home in between the pages of books." page 338

Spells

AUTHOR: Aprilynne Pike
PAGES: 359
WEBSITE: http://www.aprilynnepike.com/
TWITTER: @AprilynnePike



SUMMARY: Book 2 in the Wings series
Although Laurel has come to accept her true identity as a faerie, she refuses to turn her back on her human life and especially her boyfriend, David, to return to the faerie world.
But when she is summoned to Avalon, Laurel's feelings for the charismatic faerie sentry Tamani are undeniable. She is forced to make a choice, a choice that could break her heart.

OPINION:
I really enjoyed Wings but I thought Spells was so much better.
We get a little more action in Spells, with even more evil trolls. Laurel finds comfort in the fact she can finally be herself at home, after telling her parents she is a faerie, but also finds it a little more stressful as the whole faerie thing seems to be driving her and her mother apart. The way the author described Avalon, I could totally see it as a beautiful mystical place, and understand just how hard of a choice Laurel was faced with when it came to deciding which world she belonged in.

The love triangle between Tam, Laurel and David becomes more intense as each relationship is explored farther. When Laurel was with David, I thought, without a doubt, this is the guy she should be with. He understands her and just wants her to be herself and a chance to love her. Then, when she was with Tamani, I would think, this is so the faerie man she should be with. He has loved her forever and he is the only one who truly knows her.

Laurel learns she can't do everything herself and she must rely on the help of others. And she can't keep living in two different worlds hurting both the men in her life.
Great read, can't wait to read the next.

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner

AUTHOR: Stephenie Meyer
PAGES: 178
WEBSITE: http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/
GENRE: YA
ACQUIRED: Purchase



SUMMARY: This is a novella about a minor character, Bree, in the Twilight Saga book Eclipse. Bree is a young new born vampire and this book recalls the last few days of her life as a vampire before her untimely death.

OPINION: Do I think this book was a ploy to get Twilight fans, such as myself who will buy anything Twilight, to buy this book? No.

I didn't really like this book at all. But I can't complain too much because:

1. I paid less than $10 for a hard cover installment to the Twilight Saga.

2. Since I bought a hard cover $1 went to the American Red Cross.

3. I was given the option to read it online for free. (so who could bitch about that)

Did I really like this book? NO. I found it boring. It's less than 200 pages and it took me forever to finish it. It needed chapter breaks or something. It didn't hold my attention and I basically had to make myself finish it. I love Twilight, but I wouldn't say I was totally disappointed in this book. I wasn't really expecting a whole lot from this book to begin with. I didn't really think twice about Bree in Eclipse. When I found out this book was about her I did remember her, but I didn't understand why this character deserved a novella. Bree is only talked about for around 11 pages in Eclipse. And while the Cullens do show compassion for her, they really don't dwell on the demise of Bree. So I didn't either.

The book is about a character I really didn't care about, and after reading her story, to be honest I still don't. I mean I feel sorry for her, but her story didn't impact me. The love story between Bree and Diego was kind of blah. Mainly because there just wasn't time in Bree's short life for it to develop farther.

We are introduced to a great character, Fred. He doesn't say much, but he was written so well I wanted to know more about this vampire. Maybe this novella will be a stepping stone to a whole new series of vampire books.

Prom Nights from Hell

AUTHORS: Stephenie Meyer, Kim Harrison, Meg Cabot, Lauren Myracle, Michele Jaffe
PAGES: 315
WEBSITES: http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/ http://www.kimharrison.net/ http://www.megcabot.com/ http://www.laurenmyracle.com/ http://www.michelejaffe.com/
TWITTER: @BurningBunnies @megcabot @LaurenMyracle
GENRE: YA Short stories
ACQUIRED: Purchase

This is a perfect book to take on vacation. Being full of short stories by some of your favorite YA authors its perfect for when you want to have a quick read. I loved the size of the book and the remake of the cover.

SUMMARY/OPINION:
The Exterminator's Daughter by Meg Cabot

LENGTH: 51 pages

SHORT SUMMARY: Mary is the "Buffy" vampire slaying type of girl. After her mother was turned into a vampire, Mary has taken on the role she has left behind as the exterminator. She slays vampires. Her father is locked away in his study trying to come up with a cure to vampirism.

Mary is pretty much a loner, but she does have one friend, Lila. When Lila suddenly dumps her boyfriend, which she was crazy about moments ago, and is now in some sort of love trance with this stranger named Sebastian, Mary reads the signs and steps in to save her friend. What she didn't except was for someone to save her, and that someone would be Adam. Mary learns it feels good for someone to have your back, as Adam saves her life yet again from Sebastian Drake, a direct descendant of Dracula himself.

OPINION: Great short story. Loved the characters and the writing. Was left wanting more.

SUMMARY/OPINION:
The Corsage by Lauren Myracle

LENGTH: 41 pages

SHORT SUMMARY: Frankie drags her friends, Yun Sun and Will, to a physic in the hopes that Madame Zanzibar will get a reading on how Will and Frankie are meant to be together and this will make him finally ask her to the prom. Frankie is so ready to get out of the friends zone with Will and senses he does too but he just needs a little push.

Madame Z doesn't give the clear cut answers Frankie was hoping for, instead she gives them some cliche lines of wisdom, the type you get in a fortune cookie. Looking around the strange objects on the walls Frankie notices an old corsage. Madame Z is reluctant to talk about the corsage but eventually tells the kids that it will grant three wishes. When Frankie is hell bent on taking the corsage Madame Z just gives her a simple warning, "no good will come of it."

When Frankie makes the first wish, "I wish for the boy I love to ask me to prom," she has no idea how her and her friends life is about to change. After one wish gone bad, then another to try to fix the mistake, Frankie is left with her last wish, a wish no one would want to make.

OPINION: Spooky great little tale. Be careful what you wish for. Reminded me of a really good Twilight Zone episode.

SUMMARY/OPINION:
Madison Avery and the Dim Reaper

LENGTH: 63 pages

SHORT SUMMARY: Madison has been forced to go live with her father and forced to go to prom with some jerk her dad has set her up with in this small podunk town. When the mystery guy, Seth, comes in and sweeps Madison off her feet, Madison can't help but gloat as she sees her so called "date", Josh, get a little jealous.

Madison would have never gotten in the car with Seth if she knew what would happen to her. And who she was actually getting in the car with.

Now, dead, Madison is learning there isn't just grim reapers, but many different levels to the reapers. Some good and some horrifying.

OPINION:
I thought the story was little too long and it didn't really have an ending. Didn't really seem like it was meant to be a short story. At the end of the book you get a sneak peek at Once Dead, Twice Shy which is the novel about Madison. You get to read about 11 pages and I liked it much better than the short story.

SUMMARY/OPINION
Kiss and Tell by Michele Jaffe

LENGTH: 89 pages

SHORT SUMMARY: Miranda Kiss has super powers, sort of, she has extremely well hearing and is extremely strong. She has kept this secret and has tried to help people in a subtle ways.

When, what was suppose to be an ordinary day of work, picking up a client from the airport, turns out to be hassle, Miranda pokes her nose in where maybe it doesn't belong. Sensing danger for her fourteen-boy kissing-annoying client after dropping her off, Miranda returns to save the day. She fights off the goons and rescues Sibby. But she learns Sibby is not your average annoying fourteen year old, she's some sort of golden child. Supposedly Sibby is a prophet and not only is she worshiped by some cult like people, others see her as nothing more than something that can be sold at a valuable price.

Together they kick a little butt.

Miranda and Sibby confide in one another and Miranda is able to let go of the past a little that has haunted her.

OPINION: I didn't get into this story. There wasn't enough about the boy Miranda liked in it.

SUMMARY/OPINION:
Hell on Earth by Stephenie Meyer

LENGTH: 57 pages

SHORT SUMMARY:
Gabe has the urge to save someone, Sheba has the desire to destroy everyone and everything. When a demon comes to the high school prom to cause mayhem you can only hope one of the good guys shows up before its too late.

OPINION: Entertaining read. Characters where very well described.

Wicked Lovely

AUTHOR: Melissa Marr
PAGES: 328
WEBSITE: http://www.melissa-marr.com/
TWITTER: @melissa_marr
GENRE: YA


SUMMARY:
Aislinn has always been able to see faeries. She was born with the Sight, the gift/curse her mother and grandmother passed along to her. She detests the vile little creatures and has spent most of her life pretending she can't see them. Afraid of what they might do to her if they learned of her gift, Aislinn has lived in two different worlds. One where she if just another teenage girl hanging out with friends, one where she sees the evil little creatures everywhere she goes.
When things, finally, start getting romantic with her friend Seth, everything becomes complicated, more than she could have ever imagined. Aislinn just wants to be a normal teenager where she goes to school, plans for college, and spends every moment she can discovering her first love.
When the Summer King decides Aislinn is the chosen one, there's no stopping him from pursuing her. Once the Summer King chooses you, you will be his one way or another. You slowly become one of the fey and either you chose to become a Summer Girl, one of the many that are there just to please the king, or you risk it all and take the Winter Queens staff in your hands and pray you are the true chosen one, the Summer Queen. The consequences are high if you hold the staff and are not indeed the true queen, you will become the Winter Girl. The Winter Girl's life is not one anyone would chose. It is a lonely cold existence. Many girls chose to become a Summer Girl instead, most actually do, it is quiet rare for one to have the love and confidence that they are the sure Queen.
When Keenan, the Summer King, chooses Aislinn, he soon discovers how different she is and knows without a doubt she will be the Summer Queen. The only thing is , Aislinn has no interest in Keenan, she is in love with Seth. She has no desire to be the Summer Queen. She likes her life the way it is. But even Aislinn can't deny the signs that point to her as the queen. And she must make a choice to take the staff or not.
Many could die if she denies her role. The Summer King and Winter Queen have been at war for sometime and if the Summer King finds his true queen he will be given back his full power and able to save his summer fey. The world is slowly becoming colder and colder with the Winter Queen having so much control. Soon even mortals will suffer unless balance is restored.
Saving so many could mean losing so much. Could she really stand beside and rule next to one she does not love? Could she walk away from her true love? What if she picked up the staff and was not the true queen?

OPINION:
Loved the darkness of the book. This book may be a young adult book about faeries, but it is told with more of an edge. Great characters, mortal and fey. I loved how Aislinn stood up for herself. And even when it looks hopeless, she still fights to keep what is most important to her. She doesn't just drop down and play the role that she is suppose to, she fights back.
Aislinn's relationship with Keenan is just as exciting as her relationship with Seth. I felt for both men in her life. Keenan is used to women dropping at his feet and he is thrown so off guard when Aislinn wants nothing to do with him. Seth has played the friend role so long it's hard for Aislinn to totally give herself to him. Both men are extremely good looking and each has an edges of their own. Seth, with the piercings and tattoo's. Keenan, being the Summer King, is confident and undeniably gorgeous. Both have been known to have their way with women, but both only want Aislinn.
Great read, you'll fly through it.

Blonde with a Wand

AUTHOR: Vicki Lewis Thompson
PAGES: 320
WEBSITE: http://www.vickilewisthompson.com/
GENRE: Adult Paranormal Romance

SUMMARY: (from book jacket)
Sexy witch Anica Revere has one absolutely unwavering rule: Never, under any circumstances, get involved with a man before telling him she's a witch. Still, what's one silly rule? Especially when the guy in question is as cute as Jasper Danes. But when Anica and Jasper have a spat, she breaks an even bigger rule of witchcraft and turns him into a cat. Bad news for him. Worse for her. With Anica stripped of her powers for the witchy infraction, it's up to Jasper to undo the hex, but he never expects the hardest part of the bargain to be resisting Anica. The stakes are high, and the chemistry is off the charts. But what'll happen if Anica and Jasper both fall under the strongest spell of all: love?

OPINION:
Hot, sexy, funny, entertainingly wicked, super cute read. Filled with a few little life lessons, hot steamy sex, and a whole lot of magic. Anica is not known to lose her temper, but Jasper Danes has just pushed her to the limit. With one spell she has changed both their lives forever. Wanting nothing more than to be rid of him, Anica has now made them attached more than ever. Gone with Jaspers human body, is Anica's magic. With the help of her sister Anica tries to reverse the spell and get her magic powers back.
"Funny what becoming a cat could do to a guy's perspective."
Parts in the beginning dragged a bit, but the story picks up. This is the first book in the series: A Babes on Brooms Novel. The second in the series: Chick with a Charm, continues with Anica's sister, Lily, story.

The Dead-Tossed Waves

AUTHOR: Carrie Ryan

PAGES: 407

WEBSITE: http://www.carrieryan.com/

TWITTER: @carrieryan

GENRE: YA

SUMMARY:

The sequel to The Forest of Hands and Teeth. Gabry is a girl living in the world surrounded by barriers, and for Gabry, she couldn't ask for anything more. While her friends dream of going to the Dark City, Gabry is content right where she is. Safe. Gabry is always safe.

She has heard the stories her mother has told her of the Forest. She knows beyond the barriers and into the forest there is Mudo wanting nothing more than to spread the infection. She has heard their moans, has watched from the lighthouse as her mother nightly patrols the beach decapitating the ones washed ashore. This is what must be done to keep safe. This is the way of life in Vista and so many villages.

When her best friend, Cira, brother and a group of his friends decide to cross the barrier to the ruins of the amusement park, Gabry is not tempted in the least, but Cira begs until Gabry agrees. Even when she is on the wooden barrier she still has doubts and wants to go back to the safety of the lighthouse, until Catcher slips his hand into hers and she feels his warmth and feels their relationship shift. She jumps down to the other side. She takes a chance.

With that one choice, Gabry has completely changed the course of her life. She'll learn how strong she really can be, who she really is, and just how hard it can be to just live.

"Just when I thought I was putting all the pieces back together they've cracked and fallen into different patterns, this time with sharper edges. I don't know how to make it work, how to make it right."

OPINION:

At first I was so disappointed the story wasn't being told from Mary's pov. I wanted to know what happened to her. She had so much more to tell.

Gabry seemed so weak I couldn't tell if I was going to like this book as well as The Forest of Hands and Teeth, but I did end up loving Gabry just as much as Mary. She becomes stronger and you can see Mary in her. Even though Gabry feels she is nothing like her mother, her strength comes through.

"What's she like?" I ask him. His face twists just a little but he never stops looking at me. "She's strong," he says. "Beautiful and sweet." I see the memories swimming behind his eyes. It feels as though I'm intruding too far in his life and I've already turned away when he says, so softly, "She's a lot like you."

You feel the torment Gabry goes through as she loses everything she has ever known. And you feel her incredible power as she fights for the one she loves.

Can a zombie book be beautiful? YES.

"-But rather than the feel of his lips I remember him telling me that sometimes you can think you know someone and then they say something or do something and suddenly everything changes."

The author is so good at description you feel as if you're right there beside Gabry. Gabry's adventure is definitely worth reading and , if you loved Mary as much as I did, you'll get all the answers to your questions The Forest of Hands and Teeth left you with.

The ending, OMG, all I got to say is there better be a book 3 in this series.

Beautiful Malice

AUTHOR: Rebecca James

PAGES: 256

WEBSITE: http://www.rebeccajamesbooks.com/

TWITTER: @BeckyJames1970

ACQUIRED: ARC publisher

Genre: YA

SUMMARY:

Katie is your normal teenager. She's happy and carefree. She is discovering love, she's popular, she's happy, until the night her sister is murdered. Now Katie has become Katherine. She's changed her last name, she's moved in with her aunt, and attends a different high school hoping to escape her past. She doesn't want to stand out, she just wants to make it through high school without the scrutiny of that one night, of who she was/is, of who her parents are, of who her sister was. She just wants to be normal.

When Katherine meets Alice, her world is turned upside down. Alice is popular, the center of attention and can make any situation fun. Katherine is reluctant to accept Alice's friendship, but when she does she realizes just how much she has missed having a friend and being carefree. The guilt is there, always inside her, the guilt of surviving when her sister had not.

Katherine experiences Alice erratic behavior and is shocked at how easy it is for her to hurt the people who care about her. How fast she is to lashes out at anyone. And how Alice expects everything to be like nothing happened after one of her episodes.

When Alice's behavior becomes just too dark for Katherine she ends the friendship. But Katherine will learn you can't just be rid of someone like Alice, she gets in you, tries to eat you alive and destroy all that you love.

Katherine's life may have been surrounded by secrets but Alice has a few secrets of her own.

OPINION:

This book is so hard to talk about without giving away spoilers. It was a great read. Very well written and a definite page turner. You will stay up late, not being able to put it down.

Intriguing. This book will get you from the very start. Right away you get the sense something is off with Alice. This girl is extreme, but you are just so happy Katherine is finally starting to feel her age again, you hope Alice will get herself together.

It's heartbreaking that Katherine holds the burden of her sisters death. It's a struggle for her to even begin to be happy. Katherine is consumed with survivors guilt. She feels guilty, not only for being alive, but deep down she wonders if her actions caused her sisters death.

Alice becomes so twisted and sick you just don't know how far she will go to get what she wants. Alice taints everyone she comes in contact with.

It was a fascinating read, full of mystery. Learning what happened that night Katherine's sister was murdered and learning all of Katherine's and Alice's secrets leaves you with a tale that is funny, horrific, loving and chilling. Creepy, bone chilling, beautiful story.

Her Sanctuary

AUTHOR: P.Q. Glisson

PAGES: 327
WEBSITE: http://hersanctuarybypqglisson.blogspot.com/
ACQUIRED: Purchased

GENRE: Romance

SUMMARY: (from book jacket)
Shannon Mallory was a woman on the run...not from outside forces but from her own wounded heart. When she pulled up into the parking lot of "The Last Resort Cafe" in the town of "Sanctuary," little did she know she would find the one thing she never even knew she was searching for...true love.

OPINION: The Chemistry between the main characters, Seth and Shannon, was HOT, HOT, HOT. Sexy Indian? Check. Sexy shower scenes? Check. Intense romance? Check. This book had all of those. These two are always at each other, in the sense, if they were made of candy they'd eat each other alive. I really don't think they could ever, in a lifetime, get enough of one another. Seth has a beautiful mane, mysterious eyes, rock hard tanned body. Shannon is beautiful with eyes you could swim in. If you could rely on Seth to do one thing, that would be to scoop Shannon up. He was always sweeping her off her feet. There is no doubt the author was able to betray how crazy these two where for each other. She made me blush a time or two.
I did have a few problem with the book, like how fast Shannon fell for Seth. She was in a previous abusive marriage. Her parents basically sold her when she was sixteen to be a sex slave . So,with all this abuse she once endured I figured she'd be more reserved instead of basically meeting Seth one day, and what seemed like a week later, planning their wedding. I also didn't understand how quick she considered Irene and Paddy family. I just thought she'd be more guarded towards people and especially towards men.
One of the main problems I had with the book is it contained many errors, the story was a little choppy and the switching between pov's was confusing. It is more in the shape of an arc not a polished book. That would be fine, but I paid $18 for a soft cover book. The book needed more editing in my opinion.
There where points where Seth's temper made me think Shannon was crazy for being with him. The time frames for some of the events were unbelievable. I was under the impression this was a small town. How did Seth practically build a whole downstairs apartment, with huge wall length windows, and have time to pick out the littlest details like Shannon's art smock, within the short time she was in the hospital? I had to just make myself stop questioning so much and just sit back and enjoy the story. Once I stopped trying to rationalize every little thing, it was quite an enjoyable read.
I believe the book is self published, and for that, I'm glad I purchased the book.
I also noticed the epilogue was written more smoothly. And I thought the ending was great. I was left with wishing there were more chapters to come. The author was very good at portraying the intense love scenes. I will definitely read one of her books again and wish her much success.


I just learned this author is working on a young adult book called "Fairy." Looking forward to reading it.

Green Witch

AUTHOR: Alice Hoffman
PAGES: 135
WEBSITE: http://www.alicehoffman.com/index.htm
GENRE: YA

SUMMARY: (from book jacket)
Green lives every day with feelings of loss. Her family is gone, the boy she loves is missing, and the world she once knew has been transformed by tragedy. In order to rediscover the truth about love, hope and magic, she must venture away from her home, collecting the stories of a group of women who have been branded as witches because of their mysterious powers. Only through their stories will Green find her own heart's desire.

OPINION:
Loved it. Green Witch is the continuation of Green's story from Green Angel. It's a whimsical dark fable about a girl named Green. Green finds the strength not to let the deep sadness, that is her life, consume her as she tries to find her best friend and the boy she loved. With the help of the "witches" Green finds her way. Each woman has a story to tell, a story of sadness, a story of hope. With the help of these enchanted, Green discover who she is. Who she is beyond: Green full of grief.
It's lyrical and fast paced. It's a vivid story that comes to life as you read. It's a magical little book.

What you dream, you can grow.
"Someone told me that, but I didn't believe it. I said I had nothing and that people with nothing are unable to dream. But I was wrong. Dreams are like air. They never leave you. It takes less than nothing to begin. Start with a pile of rocks. Moonstones, night stones, stones the color of snow. Start with heartache, thorns vines. Let there be mud on your clothes, nails in your boots, ink on your skin, pain deep inside you. Let it grow and don't be afraid."

Be sure to read Green Angel first, you really need to know Green's back story before starting Green Witch. The two books put together aren't even 300 pages. Short but memorable series.

After You

AUTHOR: Julie Buxbaum
PAGES: 336
WEBSITE: http://www.juliebuxbaum.com/
TWITTER: @juliebux

A moving story about dealing with loss and moving forward. When Ellie gets the news her best friend Lucy has been murdered she uproots from the life she shares with her husband in America to go and be with Lucy's daughter Sophie and husband Greg in Notting Hill.
Ellie's refusal to come back home creates tension in her own marriage. She decides its more important to devote herself to helping Lucy's eight year old daughter heal.
"I wish I were really young, like you. Eight is, like the best age."
"Really?"
"I don't know. To be honest, I don't remember being eight."
"That's good."
"Why?"
"I don't want to remember being eight either."

Ellie discovers Lucy's life was not as perfect as she had be letting on and Lucy was definitely not the perfect person she had always thought. They had been best friends since they were children and now Ellie is discovering she didn't know this Lucy, this Lucy that was capable of such horrible things, this Lucy that would be willing to destroy the people she loved to get what she wanted.
Ellie had not planned on staying in London so long but the longer she stays the more distance she is creating in her marriage. She had ran to London without a second thought. Had she come to help or escape?
Ellie has to look honestly at the person she is/was and decide if she wants to try and save her marriage. She must take responsibility for the past and try and see through her husbands eyes, see his pain and loss.
But she could always chose to live in this other world, Lucy's world, with Sophie and Greg.
"Maybe we need to eat and digest and sh!t out all of the ugly things in the world and leave the cute to frolic and nibble on leaves."

read-a-thon end of the event

1. Which hour was most daunting for you?
Hour 21
2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?
Shiver, Hush,Hush, The Forest of Hands and Teeth
3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?
This was my first one, I thought it was great.
4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?
The support
5. How many books did you read?
2
6. What were the names of the books you read?
After You by Julie Buxbaum & The Secret Circle by L.J. Smith
7. Which book did you enjoy most?
They are two totally different books one chick lit. one YA I enjoyed them both.
8. Which did you enjoy least?
Same answer from 7.
9. If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders?
I thought they were great and appreciated them a lot. My advice would be just to know that you're important part of the read-a-thon so try and visit as many as you can.
10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?
I wasn't able to read as much as I wanted to. I would definitely do it again but I think next time I do Cheerleader instead of Reader.

Read-A-Thon mini Challenge

Book made into a movie: ok I'd pick Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick but I would cast it with teenage stars from the 90's. Now I know its not possible to do that but I think they would be perfect actors for the part if it were let's say 20 years ago.
Nora: Keri Russell
Patch: Johnny Depp

Dewey's Read-a-Thon

Hi Everyone. This is my first read-a-thon!!!!
I don't know how long I will actually read, but I know I won't be doing the whole 24 hrs. straight. In between reading I'll update on here and on twitter, so please stop by and say hi.
My plan:(I have good intentions but lets see) Get up @5am, because I'm in Las Vegas, do a twitter update then begin reading. I will update periodically, not sure how often.
Above is a few books I will be reading. I don't know how many I'll finish but I wanted to have options encase reading one gets stale. I ordered Her Sanctuary and it hasn't arrived as of yet, but it might get here today or tomorrow. And Green Witch is in transit from the library so I hope it will make it in time.
My goal would be to finish book 1 of The Secret Circle and start book 2. Finish After You and Green Witch. These are probably not realistic goals for me because I'm a slow reader for one, and I won't be able to participate all 24 hours.
I'll list some mundane things like what I'm snacking on, what page I'm on and how I'm progressing. I hope you stop by and leave a comment :) Good luck to everyone who is also participating :)

IT BEGINS:
5 am: Ok I'm up. I started the coffee which the thought of is making me sick. Is that even possible?
I'm starting with After You by Julie Buxbaum I was already on page 28.
Morning everyone. :)

Hour 1: Reading time= 40 min. Pages=20
Hour 2: Reading time= 30 min. Pages=17 Snacks=coffee & donuts
Hour 3: Visiting readers websites wishing them well.
Hour 4-5: Reading time= 45 min. Pages=31
Hour 6: Reading time= 40 min. Pages: 29
Hour 7: Reading time= 26min. Pages= 13 Still reading: After You by Julie Buxbaum going to take a break now for a bit.
Hour 8: Spent time wishing others well on their blogs :) and did a mini challenge. Time for lunch and a break.
Hour 9-12: Break
Hour: 13 Reading time= 60min. Pages= 47 Snacks: Strawberries Got a book I ordered today int the mail, so that will be good for tonight.
Hour 14: Reading time= 20 min. Pages= 15 Snacks: water & Crunch'n Munch Did a mini challenge.
I'm on about page 200 of After You by Julie Buxbaum. I have to re-adjust my goals a bit. I hope to finish this book and half way through another. I'm amazed at how fast some of the read-a-thon readers read. From 7pm-10pm I won't be reading as much, but I hope late tonight to be able to read a lot without distractions. Good luck everyone :)
Hour 15-16: Break
Hour 17: Reading Time= 24min. Pages= 15
Hour 18: Reading Time= 28min. Pages= 13
Hour 19: Reading Time= 24min. Pages= 15 I'm getting distracted, need to be reading more. My goal might change again to just be able to finish one book.
Hour 20: Goal is to read most of this hour. It's hour 20!!!!
Reading Time= 45min. Pages= 28
Hour 21: I'm getting tired. Reading Time= 45min. Pages= 26
Hour 22: Reading Time= 60min. Pages= 40 Finished the book!
Hour 23: Reading Time= 15min. Pages= 10
Hour 24: Reading Time= 18 min. Pages= 20
I'm reading The Secret Circle by L.J. Smith. This is my first time reading a L.J. Smith book it's kind of cheesy but I'm liking it a lot. I was on about page 78 before the read-a-thon. I since have ordered book 2 of this series and since I enjoy watching The Vampire Diaries so much I ordered book 1 of that series.

The Swimming Pool

AUTHOR: Holly LeCraw
PAGES: 320
WEBSITE: http://hollylecraw.com/
TWITTER: @hollylecraw
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Holly LeCraw lives outside of Boston with her husband, who is a journalist, and three kids. Her short fiction and book reviews have appeared in a range of publications, including the
Edge City Review and the Boston Book Review. Her short fiction was nominated for a Pushcart Prize. Though a newcomer as a novelist, she grew up in the book industry.
ACQUIRED: ARC courtesy of publisher DOUBLEDAY

SUMMARY: (from book jacket)
Seven summers ago, Marcella Atkinson fell in love with Cecil McClatchey, a married father of two. But on the same night their romance abruptly ended, Cecil's wife was found murdered. The case was never solved, and Cecil died soon after, an uncharged suspect.

Now divorced and estranged from her only daughter, Marcella lives alone, mired in grief and guilt. Meanwhile, Cecil's grown son, Jed, returns to the Cape with his sister for the first time in years. When he finds a woman's bathing suit buried in a closet-a relic, unbeknownst to him, of his father's affair-he decides to confront Marcella on a hunch.

When, to their deep surprise, they fall into an affair of their won, passion temporarily masks their shared pain. But as we are left to believe on the last stunning page, the betrayals of the past cannot be ignored and will have a ripple effect on these two families for years to come.

OPINION:
Holly LeCraw is a mastermind at creating characters. The loneliness, the innocent, the lusting, the betrayed and hurting characters are so well written you can't hate them. You sense what has driven each character to the place they are today and even though you might find some of them morally wrong it is hard to pass judgment on them when you hear how tortured they are within their own minds and how they just long to be punished.
Jed's sister, Callie, I found particularly interesting. She was in college, just as Jed, when she lost her mother. Now with the lose of both parents and the arrival of a new baby, life has just swallowed her whole. This is a character I would normally hate but Holly wrote her so well I could understand her maddening world she was living in.
A book of mystery. Just when every character seems to have gotten their answers and some sort of peace the book takes a twist and nothing is what it seems.
Perfect beach and summer read full of mystery, love, desperation and believable characters.

Shiver

AUTHOR: Maggie Stiefvater
PAGES: 392
WEBSITE: http://www.maggiestiefvater.com
TWITTER: @mstiefvater
ACQUIRED: The Book Elf

SUMMARY: (from book jacket)
the cold.
Grace has pent years watching the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed-wolf-her wolf-watches back. He feels deeply familiar to her, but she doesn't know why.

the heat.
Sam has lived two lives. As a wolf, he keeps the silent company of the girl he loves, And then, for a short time each year, he is human, never daring to talk to Grace...until now.

the shiver.
For Grace and Sam, love has always been kept at a distance. But once it's spoken, it cannot be denied. Sam must fight to stay human-and Grace must fight to keep him-even if it means taking on the scars of the past, the fragility of the present, and the impossibility of the future.

OPINION:
I loved this book so much. The book is just so well written. The flow is fantastic, the way the chapters are broken up. Graces obsession with the wolves is beautifully portrayed. She falls in love with Sam before he is even in human form. Now that might seems kind of creepy but it doesn't come off that way. The whole thing is just so romantic.

The characters are likable. I loved the characters actually and think you will fall in love with them too. You want their relationship to work, you want to keep reading about them. That is not always the case when reading YA it seems.

Grace is bitten years earlier but, unlike Sam, she has never changed forms. Sam is approaching his last year of being able to turn human, just as his and Grace's relationship is beginning. The struggle to find a way to stay together, with her inability to change and his to stay. Grace would run into the woods and live as a wolf with Sam if she could without hesitation and Sam would do anything, even face death, to stay human to be with Grace.

I found the ending of the book beautiful and touching, just as I did the beginning and middle. Most of you have probably already read this wonderful book but if you haven't READ it. I hope you love it as much as I did.

Although I thought the story ended perfectly, I am excited that there is going to be more books on this love story. Linger, coming this summer, and Forever in 2011.

Prophecy of the Sisters

AUTHOR: Michelle Zink
PAGES: 343
TWITTER: @MichelleZink
WEBSITE: http://michellezinkbooks.wordpress.com/
ACQUIRED: Library

SUMMARY: (from book jacket) Twin sisters Lia and Alice Milthorpe have just become orphans. They have also become enemies. As they discover their roles in a prophecy that has turned generations of sisters against each other, the girls find themselves entangled in a mystery that involves a tattoo-like mark, their parents' deaths, a boy, a book, and a lifetime of secrets.
Lia and Alice don't know whom they can trust.
They just know they can't trust each other.

OPINION:
I really enjoyed this book. I like the characters. I wish there was more on the relationship between Lia and James. The book is basically about Lia discovering her part in the prophecy and trying to stop it for future generations. Lia discovers, with the help of some unusual friends, how to deal with this responsibility that has been bestowed upon her.
Nothing is really resolved by the end of this book, but there is going to be a book 2due out August 2010, Guardian of the Gate. I think there is a really good story here, the first book just had to get the story started. I have a feeling Lia might find it harder and harder to do the right thing. Looking forward to the story continuing.

Before I Fall

AUTHOR: Lauren Oliver
PAGES: 472
WEBSITE: http://www.laurenoliverbooks.com/
TWITTER: @OliverBooks
ACQUIRED: ARC B&N

SUMMARY: (from book jacket)
Samantha Kingston has it all- looks, popularity, the perfect boyfriend. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life. Instead, it's her last. The catch: Samantha still wakes up the next morning. In fact, she relives the last day of her life seven times, until she realizes that by making even the slightest changes, she may hold more power than she had ever imagined.

OPINION:
I thought the beginning of the book was really hard to get through. I really didn't like Sam and her circle of friends. The book was kind of like Mean Girls meets Groundhog Day. Over and over again reading about this girl, who is just unlikeable, trying to convince you she is not as bad as she seems. I am glad the author didn't put on the blame on Lindsay, Sam's best friend. It seemed like that was the way she was going for awhile. I believe Sam was just as rotten as her friends and they are each to blame for the path they have taken. In her desperate attempts to move on from February 12 to February 13, Sam eventually becomes more likable as she takes responsibility for the person she was and tries to change the person she will be remembered for. The book didn't end the way I wanted it to, but that is for my own selfish reasons, the ending was perfect for the story.

Beautiful Creatures

AUTHOR: Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
PAGES: 563
WEBSITE: http://beautifulcreaturesthebook.com/
TWITTER: @mstohl @kamigarcia
ACQUIRED: Library


SUMMARY:
Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the Small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps, and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.
Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.
In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

OPINION:
I love the thickness of this book at 500+ pages I was expecting a great story, not full of fillers, and I got one. I loved the story, I loved the characters, and although 500+ pages is long, I wanted the story to continue. The book cover is beautiful too. I love that the book has two authors. I wasn't sure if the story would flow having different authors but it did.
I was raised in the South and my home town did the whole Civil War reenactment thing too, MTV was banned for awhile, and everyone knew everyone's business, and ghost stories weren't just fables, so I totally got this book. I think you'll get a little taste of the South reading it too.
Yes, you will wait Forever for Lena to turn sixteen,hundreds of pages you will be waiting, but that's what the whole story is centered around. Lena knows she will never be normal, but she wants to have as many teenage experiences as possible before it may be to late. Ethan needs Lena as much as she needs him. After the death of his mother, Ethan has been a little lost. Ethan and Lena find comfort, friendship and love in one another and they might just be able to conquer anything as long as they can hold on and not let go.
When you enter Ravenwood, where Lena lives with here shut in Uncle Macon, be prepared to leave reality at the door and let your imagination lead the way. Ethan may have thought Gatlin was a little strange before but things change drastically when he meets Lena's extended family. He discovers his odd family has been hiding a few secrets of their own.
Great read. The last paragraph caught me off guard, what a great twist.

"Mortals. I envy you. You think you can change things. Stop the universe. Undo what was done long before you came along. You are such beautiful creatures." {page 446}

Eternal on the Water

AUTHOR: Joseph Monninger
PAGES: 344
WEBSITE: http://josephmonninger.com/Home.html
ACQUIRED: ARC B&N
AVAILABLE: FEB. 2010

SUMMARY: From Author's website
From the day Jonathan Cobb and Mary Fury meet on the banks of Maine’s Allagash River, they approach life with the same adventurous spirit with which they conquer the river’s treacherous rapids. But rivers do not let go so easily. And so for them, the life they love demands equally that they confront the most difficult of choices, and they vow, when time and illness necessitate, to return to the river together so that Mary can make one final journey. Set against the rugged wilderness of Maine, the exotic islands of Indonesia, the sweeping panoramas of Yellowstone National Park, and the tranquil villages of rural New England, Eternal on The Water is at once heartbreaking and uplifting—a timeless, beautifully rendered story of true love’s power.

OPINION:
The book club I was in most readers loved this book. I really never connected with the story myself. Mary and Cobb are suppose to be in their thirties but they seemed like they were in their fifties to me. I'm in my thirties and I just couldn't relate to these people. Old souls you might say but I just found them old. Not that fifty's is old but I don't think these two characters, who were suppose to be in their thirties, were written to depict them that way. Mary,as a character, is suppose to give off the impression she is spirited but to me she just came off as a nut. I get spirit, I really do,I also get crazy. There was too much description of canoe and fishing equipment to keep my interest in the first few chapters. Some of the nature descriptions were very beautiful and I felt like I was there on the river.
A lot of product names were thrown in ever chance the writer could. I get maybe a writer trying to give the reader a full description of what a person is wearing or product they are using, but book was overfilled with them. Just too much.
The first few pages you learn the main character dies and I still don't know how I feel about that. The book had touching moments that seemed to get overshadowed by over the top scenarios. Actually it had a lot of those. I just didn't get it. It didn't touch me and I really thought I'd like it. The over the topness of it all never gave me a real chance to connect or care for the characters.

Truly, Madly

AUTHOR: Heather Webber
PAGES: 305
WEBSITE: http://www.heatherwebber.com/
ACQUIRED: Publisher ARC

SUMMARY: Lucy Valentine comes from a long line of matchmakers said to be blessed by Cupid himself. With this blessing also comes a curse, no Valentine marriage has been able to survive. The Valentines are able to see people's auras and match them accordingly. Lucy's gift is zapped away after an electrical surge leaving her with a useless gift, according to Lucy, of only being able to find lost objects. Lucy feeling obsolete, where the family business is concerned, cuts herself off of her trust fund and tries to make it on her own.
When her father suffers a heart attack Lucy must run the business without ruining it. Overseeing the family business is not as easy when you don't have a magical gift of matching the right persons together. How long will she be able to fake it without losing all her fathers clients?
Lucy has to come to terms with her gift, accept herself, stop letting the fear of Cupid's curse control her love life and find her place in the family business. Along the way Lucy finds herself solving a murder case and falling in love. Who knew matchmaking could be so hot and dangerous?

OPINION: I loved everything about this book. It was sharp, witty, and moved at a fast pace. Lucy is a wonderful character you love from the start. She's quirky, funny, kindhearted and always finds a way to get in over her head. The book has the right amount of mystery laced with romance.
You feel the burden Lucy does having a gift and not being able to do anything useful with it when a local child goes missing and Lucy is haunted by the fact she can find lost objects, not people or animals.
And when she touches a clients hand and images of his lost engagement ring comes flashing in her head of the ring on a skeleton Lucy's world becomes more than complicated.
This is a perfect piece of chick lit. that you won't be able to put down.
This book will be available in Feb. 2010, so look for it. And I'm happy to say Deeply, Desperately will be coming soon.
"This stupid curse," I said, drifting off. "Charcoal gray, steely blue, me and you, one plus one is two...."
Hope you enjoy it too.