Sunday Book Soundtrack #2

Sunday Book Soundtrack is a weekly feature at Ruby's Books, where I share some of my bookish soundtracks. Since I discovered my passion for reading years ago, I've discovered that more and more of the songs I loved remind me of certain books. So I thought I'd share my playlists with you. If you want to listen to the songs, I'll post a link to a Youtube videos for each and every title. No copyright infringement intended! I'll try to find the official videos for each song. There's no set number for each playlist, sometimes I might have 10, sometimes 5, sometimes if I'm one of my moods I'll have 15. If you want to read more about this feature, click the "show more" button below. 

I read with music. If there's no music, I can't read. And not just read, but almost anything, like studying of cooking or doing chores around the house. The only time I don't have music is when I sleep. And during exams, but that's a different story.

Sometimes it happens that a certain song and a book or a scene from the book I'm reading sort of... click. It's like they were made for each other. At least for me. And so I will almost always think of that particular book when hearing that song. I thought I'd share my book soundtracks with you.

Keep in mind that I have a very... weird taste in music. You'll find mostly rock music, country or the 80s-early 90s music in these lists. I might use some "contemporary" songs from now and then, but don't bet on it being something other than those particular genres. Also, not always the songs will be in English. If I have a link to a translation for the lyrics, I'll post it. If you like a song I'm using, that's fine. If not, that's fine too, just don't say I didn't warn you.

The songs aren't always on a book's playlist for their lyrics. Sometimes they're there for an instrument or for a feeling I get when hearing them. Also, I won't always mention what scene I used them for. If it's not a spoiler, I'll share the scene, if it is a spoiler, I'll let you guess.

Anyway, I hope you like my playlists :)

This week's book soundtrack is for Sweet Evil. Before you ask, no, I didn't plan to do two soundtracks for YA books in a row, but, to be fair, with all the Bloggiesta weekend I completely forgot to dig out my other lists *blushes**is sorry* I promise I'll have an adult book for next week's soundtrack :D

Back to my soundtrack though. If you want to read my review for Sweet Evil, click here.

1. Roxette - Dressed for Success - Does it have a direct connection to Anna and Kai? No. But, to be honest, Roxette is my favorite band since my childhood. And for some reason, this song reminds me of Anna in a way.
2. Matchbox 20 - If You're Gone - This just seemed the perfect song for the very last scene. I'm sure this song would be the same if that scene was told from Kai's perspective. 
3. Kenny Chesney ft. Grace Potter - You & Tequila - If I say why I think this song is perfect for Kai and Anna, it would be a spoiler. Just know that I do believe it's perfect :D
4. Nickelback - Fight for all the wrong reasons - Oh well. I can't say this one either, sorry :D
5. Coldplay - Spies - This has nothing to do with the lyrics, but the sound of the song if that makes sense. Anyway, it did to me LOL 
6. Lynyrd Skynyrd - Sweet Home Alabama - This one is spoiler-ish too. Oops

So, this is this week's soundtrack. I hope you liked it ;) Have fun for what's left of this weekend :D

Bloggiesta: What it is & My To Do list

You know, I've heard a lot about Bloggiesta since I started book blogging. I think it's a great idea and a good opportunity to learn a few new things about blogging. If you aren't sure about it, here's what you can do:

• spiff up your blog
• try something new on your blog, fix something, add something or delete something
• catch up on reviews, Google Reader, email, or anything else that's out of control
• work and party together with other bloggers
• learn new things from blogging experts
• join several mini challenges and win prizes
• have fun for three days blogging and connecting with your blogging friends!

Also, throughout this weekend there will be many discussions and mini-challenges on various topics:

• Scheduling Posts and Organization
• Increasing Blog Traffic
• Using a Variety of Applications in Conjunction with your Blogging. (ie. Evernote, Microsoft Access, etc.)
• WordPress vs. Blogger
• Discussion Posts…How-to
• And many many more!

Cool right? So I decided this year I'll join my very first Bloggiesta round.

This round of Bloggiesta runs from September 28th – 30th and is hosted by It’s All About Books & There’s a Book.

Here's my to do list for these 3 days:

• Catch up on writing reviews
• Update the Reviews by Author page completed. *pats self* I should add some linky features to make navigating that page easier. Will do it tomorrow though. Promise!
• Update my Review Challenges pages
• Publish reviews on Goodreads, Shelfari, Barn & Noble and the likes - Done with Shelfari and Goodreads. Barnes & Noble and other book-related websites have to wait though *blush*
• Finish the summer and spring banners for my blog 
• Finish designing the book badges 
• Back up blog - Completed Well, this was the easiest one, to be honest
• Update my Facebook page - Completed  This I did on Friday :D
• Design and upload the Social Media icons
• Update the Copyright notice
• Format all the upcoming posts for blog tours
• Work on some banners for my features

On a side note, I also have to catch up on reading. Reading aside though, looks like this is going to be a full weekend. 

Book Review: Spider's Bite by Jennifer Estep

Author: Jennifer Estep
Series: Elemental Assassin #1
Publisher: Pocket Books
Release Date: January 26th 2010
My Rating: 4 cups
Blurb (from Goodreads):

My name is Gin, and I kill people.

They call me the Spider. I'm the most feared assassin in the South — when I'm not busy at the Pork Pit cooking up the best barbecue in Ashland. As a Stone elemental, I can hear everything from the whispers of the gravel beneath my feet to the vibrations of the soaring Appalachian Mountains above me. My Ice magic also comes in handy for making the occasional knife. But I don't use my powers on the job unless I absolutely have to. Call it professional pride.

Now that a ruthless Air elemental has double-crossed me and killed my handler, I'm out for revenge. And I'll exterminate anyone who gets in my way — good or bad. I may look hot, but I'm still one of the bad guys. Which is why I'm in trouble, since irresistibly rugged Detective Donovan Caine has agreed to help me. The last thing this coldhearted killer needs when I'm battling a magic more powerful than my own is a sexy distraction...especially when Donovan wants me dead just as much as the enemy.

I have to admit I was a little torn with the rating. If I had to be honest, the "real" rating is somewhere between 3.5 cups and 4 cups. Not that I didn't enjoy the book, I did. A lot. But then there were the tweaks. But I'm getting ahead of myself, so let's start at the beginning, with Gin.

I liked Gin. There's this trend with Urban Fantasy: every female assassin is afraid, deathly afraid and scared spitless before and during a fight scene. I was SO glad Gin isn't like that. Yes, she has the healthy, normal dose of fear or apprehension. But it's not overwhelming, it's not constant and it's not paralyzing. She also kicks major ass, which I liked. And she's a smart girl. She's not what I'd call funny, but she is entertaining.

Speaking of funny, Finn is hilarious in my opinion. Or maybe my sense of humor is just that twisted. He's a great character and I have a feeling there are many, many great things he'll do in the future books. I sure hope he doesn't die by the end of the series *pouts**crosses fingers*.

Here's what makes my rating go down. First, Donovan Caine, detective and potential major hottie. While he's an ok character, he's not what I'd call hot. He has too many prejudices. He seems way too judgmental for my tastes. I like to think there's more than meets the eye. Some dark secret. Some childhood trauma that makes him the way he is. I'm not talking about his sense of justice, that's fine. But about his "criminals are bad, cops are good" thinking. I felt like up until the end, he tired so hard to keep thinking that all cops are good and that no cop can be corrupt, even when everything showed differently. And I think Gin proved that even though she's an assassin, she has morals, codes and lines she won't cross. But even so, Donovan kept thinking she's bad and ruthless and every target she ever had was innocent.

The second thing that bothered me (a lot I might add) was the repetition. I've noticed it in numerous scenes throughout the book. How certain expressions were identical and were being used in similar scenes. (I'll have a button at the end of this post if you want to read more and are not afraid of spoilers, so if you want to know what I'm talking about, push the button.) They just bugged me, enough to make me want to skip a few paragraphs. And I have a high tolerance for this things.

I also kept hoping we'd get a scene with the towns "bogey woman", Mab Monroe. I want to see what she can do, how bad can she get.


Bottom Line: I enjoyed reading this book and the good parts far outweighed the not so good parts. I'll keep reading the series, as I'm very curious if Gin will find out what happened when she was a kid and who killed her family.

When Gin and Donovan looked at each other, the same expression was used: "Gold on gray". Once, twice is enough. But every time? And what about when Donovan looked at Gin and she saw how the detective had this string of emotions flickering across his eyes. It was always something like "Desire, need, want, guilt". Oh, and Gin had this moments when she was referring to Donovan and she kept saying "detective Donovan Caine". We already established that the guy is a detective and we know his full name. I might have a short memory, but I don't need to be told the same thing over and over again.

Book Review: No Humans Involved by Kelley Armstrong

Author: Kelley Armstrong
Series: Women of the Otherworld #7
Publisher: Bantam Spectra
Release Date: Februaty 26th 2008
My Rating: 5 cups
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Jaime, who knows a thing or two about showbiz, is on a television shoot in Los Angeles when weird things start to happen. As a woman whose special talent is raising the dead, her threshold for weirdness is pretty high: she’s used to not only seeing dead people but hearing them speak to her in very emphatic terms. But for the first time in her life – as invisible hands brush her skin, unintelligible fragments of words are whispered into her ears, and beings move just at the corner of her eye–she knows what humans mean when they talk about being haunted.

She is determined to get to the bottom of these manifestations, but as she sets out to solve the mystery she has no idea how scary her investigation will get, or to what depths ordinary humans will sink in their attempts to gain supernatural powers. As she digs into the dark underside of Los Angeles, she’ll need as much Otherworld help as she can get in order to survive, calling on her personal angel, Eve, and Hope, the well-meaning chaos demon. Jeremy, the alpha werewolf, is also by her side offering protection. And, Jaime hopes, maybe a little more than that.

I was so happy to finally read this book. You know, it's Jeremy!! If I had to pick a Best Werewolf of all times, it would be Jeremy. He's the perfect werewolf and yet he's so not the perfect hero. He's strong, smart, sexy, powerful, funny, caring, patient. And then there are the few moments of weakness, not in a "oh my god, I'm helpless, I don't know what to do" way. But in such a sweet way. Like when he talks to Jaime about his alpha status and what it actually means and there's a moment when you can actually feel his patience sort of dimming a little. You could see how frustrated he was. Did I say he's sexy? Yes, yes he is. He's very sexy. Swoon-worthy!

Then there's Jaime. She's a redhead first and that's always a good thing. I love redheaded heroines *grin*. But she's also extremely funny. And I loved her brain. She really is smart. She's also sexy and she isn't ashamed of acting like a sexy woman. I liked seeing her getting flustered while talking on the phone with Jeremy. There's this adorable scene with them, I think it was in Haunted? Anyway, it was very cute and sweet and funny. And I also liked the fact that she tried to not ask for help. I think anyone in her shoes would have done it, would have called for help and play the weak female card. But she didn't. Also, she was lucky that Jeremy let her do that. I have a feeling that Jeremy wanted nothing more than to make her sit quietly in a corner while he took all the risks and do all the crazy, dangerous stuff that needed to be done.

You'll get some suspense with this book. I liked that I didn't figure out who was doing the bad things. You'll also get to see some very, very hot, sexy scenes *fans self* And it's Jeremy, for God's sake. You can never go wrong if you're reading a book or scenes with or about him. 

 

News, Feedburner and other stuff

Hey everyone!

You might have heard that Google decided to shut down FeedBurner. So that means no more email subscription from them. No worries though. Karina from Nocturnal Book Reviews found Blogtrottr as an alternative. And it's so cool! You can even sign up and manage all your subscriptions and everything. And it's easy to use. So, if you want to re-subscribe by email, you can do so using the Email Subscription form on my  sidebar on the left. It should lead you to the Blogtrottr website and you put your email and how you want to subscribe (Daily Email, real-time email and other options). If it doesn't work, please let me know (my email address is rubys_books@yahoo.com - no spam, please!) Also, if you want to know more about what may happen with FeedBurner, read this post made Parajunkee.

That's one thing. Another news is that I finally finished the autumn header *points up*. I know it's a little naked, by I have a back-ache from hell and I really don't have any patience left to tweak it a little bit more. The doll was made using one of Ola's (Doll Divine) exclusive doll makers. One of the book graphics were made using a free tutorial from The Paint Shop Pro Users Group and the leaf brush and the pumpkins I made using a tutorial made by Louise G. And the shinny stars and the other book graphics were made with tutorials too, but I can't find any link right now. Will search in my history and put up a link as soon as I find it. Before you ask, yes, I use Paint Shop Pro. And no, I won't change to Photoshop. Tried that and it confused me for some reason.

I'm also half-done with my book badges graphics. I do hope I finish soon, though I can't promise when I'll start using them.

Yeah, so that's it for news and stuff. Now back to reading :D

Cover Love (26)

This feature is hosted by Carmel @ Rabid Reads. The rules are very simple. Choose a cover (or two, or three), preferably new-ish, and share what you like about it. Grab the graphic or don't just so long as you link back.


My pick this week:

 I love how her face and shoulder disintegrate into puzzle pieces and then into dust. Sort of like she's loosing her identity. It's also a tad creepy, how her eye is still intact, but half her face isn't.




Mila 2.0 - Debra Driza

What's your Cover Love this week?

Sunday Book Sountrack #1

Sunday Book Soundtrack is a weekly feature at Ruby's Books, where I share some of my bookish soundtracks. Since I discovered my passion for reading years ago, I've discovered that more and more of the songs I loved remind me of certain books. So I thought I'd share my playlists with you. If you want to listen to the songs, I'll post a link to a Youtube videos for each and every title. No copyright infringement intended! I'll try to find the official videos for each song. There's no set number for each playlist, sometimes I might have 10, sometimes 5, sometimes if I'm one of my moods I'll have 15. If you want to read more about this feature, click the "show more" button below. 

I read with music. If there's no music, I can't read. And not just read, but almost anything, like studying of cooking or doing chores around the house. The only time I don't have music is when I sleep. And during exams, but that's a different story.

Sometimes it happens that a certain song and a book or a scene from the book I'm reading sort of... click. It's like they were made for each other. At least for me. And so I will almost always think of that particular book when hearing that song. I thought I'd share my book soundtracks with you.

Keep in mind that I have a very... weird taste in music. You'll find mostly rock music, country or the 80s-early 90s music in these lists. I might use some "contemporary" songs from now and then, but don't bet on it being something other than those particular genres. Also, not always the songs will be in English. If I have a link to a translation for the lyrics, I'll post it. If you like a song I'm using, that's fine. If not, that's fine too, just don't say I didn't warn you.

The songs aren't always on a book's playlist for their lyrics. Sometimes they're there for an instrument or for a feeling I get when hearing them. Also, I won't always mention what scene I used them for. If it's not a spoiler, I'll share the scene, if it is a spoiler, I'll let you guess.

Anyway, I hope you like my playlists :)

This week's book soundtrack is for my newest literary obsession, Vampire Academy. What can I say, I love this series very, very much. If you want to read my review for Vampire Academy, go here.

1. Godsmack - Vampires  - Cliché ? Yes, yes it is and I'm not ashamed. I love that song and it seems perfect for almost every vampire book :D
2. Evanescence - Bring Me To Life - For me, this is the song for Lissa and Christian. Even the lyrics fit with how I see Lissa before she met Christian and how he helps her. Cheesy, maybe, but it still sounds perfect to me :D
3. Hugo - 99 problems - Love the song. But don't ask what it has to do with Vampire Academy. At the time it seemed like a bad-ass song meant for a bad-ass Rose  
4. Runaways - I Love Playing With Fire - If you've read the book, you might know which scene I think this is perfect for. If not, think about a certain necklace ;)
5. The Pierces - Two Can Keep a Secret 
6. Prince - When Doves Cry - If you've read the book, you know about the scene with this particular song. Can't say I'm a huge Prince fan, but now I can't hear that song without thinking about the scene. 

Fall Into Reading 2012

I remembered, I remembered! I'm actually proud of myself, since I had a very weird week and my internet connection wasn't working very well. Anyway, I really do want to be a good reader and manage to read all the books in my list. I know I said no more lists, but I was looking at my TBR pile last week and I thought that poor pile (ha! mountain is more like it) needs a little change. Fall Into Reading is hosted by Katrina at Callapidder Days. Before I share my list, here are the guidelines:

To participate, here’s what you need to do:

• Create a list of books you’d like to read or finish this fall. This is the only real requirement for participating in the challenge.

• Feel free to set some additional reading goals (such as reading to your kids two hours per week, getting through your pile of magazines, etc.). However, this is not required; setting additional goals is completely optional.

• Write a blog post that includes the list of books you want to read (and any additional goals you’ve set), and get ready to post it on your blog on September 22nd.

• Visit Callapidder Days on September 22nd to sign up for the challenge. I’ll have an official launch post up that morning, complete with an area for you to submit a link to your personal Fall Into Reading post, where it will be added to the master list of participants.

• Read! Work on your goals throughout Fall 2012.

• Report your results. Write another blog post in December to let everyone know how you did. (I’ll post an official wrap-up to the challenge on December 22nd, where you’ll be able to share your results.)

• Have fun! Visit other participants to see what they’re reading. Write reviews if you’re so inclined. But most of all, enjoy your fall reading!

So, here are a few of the books that I hope I'll read during this challenge:

1. The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa
2. Hell On Wheels by Julie Ann Walker
3. First Drop of Crimson by Jeaniene Frost
4. The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger
5. The Mists Of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
6. The Kitchen Witch by Annette Blair
7. The Clan of The Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel
8. One for the Money by Janet Evanovich
9. Infamous by Sherrilyn Kenyon
10. Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning

That's my list. Now, before you think I'm going soft, I have to tell you that I do plan to read more. But I'm trying to keep my goals simple.

If you want to participate, click on the button at the start of this post and read the guidelines. 

Re-read Book Review: Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton

Author: Laurell K. Hamilton
Series: Anita Blake #1
Publisher: Jove
Release Date: September 24th 2002
My Rating: 4 cups
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Anita Blake may be small and young, but vampires call her the Executioner. Anita is a necromancer and vampire hunter in a time when vampires are protected by law—as long as they don't get too nasty. Now someone's killing innocent vampires and Anita agrees—with a bit of vampiric arm-twisting—to help figure out who and why.

Trust is a luxury Anita can't afford when her allies aren't human. The city's most powerful vampire, Nikolaos, is 1,000 years old and looks like a 10-year-old girl. The second most powerful vampire, Jean-Claude, is interested in more than just Anita's professional talents, but the feisty necromancer isn't playing along—yet. This popular series has a wild energy and humor, and some very appealing characters—both dead and alive.

The first time I read Guilty Pleasures was about 5 years ago. I remember I was still a newbie to urban fantasy and paranormal and I wasn't quite sure what I should be expecting. A lot of the elements in this book were new to me at the time I first read it.

I liked Guilty Pleasures the first time I read it and I liked it more now. Anita Blake is a strong character and it was easy to like her. She's calculated, or so I saw her. I thought she was pretty judgmental towards anything concerning vampires, from the creatures themselves to the humans that liked, loved and/or served them. I'd like to know what makes her hate them so. I get the fact that they are evil creatures and that she's a vampire slayer and she's been through some violent moments because of vampires, but I'd like to know what the starting point was.

There was a thing that bugged me a little about her. The book starts with a scared Anita. I know that being a warrior or a vampire slayer or an assassin doesn't mean you're not allowed to be afraid. I also know that not being scared of them would've been stupid. But for some reason I was hoping she'd be more like Edward, the other vampire slayer. He's colder, he's able to detach himself more and he can control his emotions and his reactions a lot better than Anita. I would've wanted Anita to be more like that. She has the reputation of a fearless vampire slayer, why not act like one?

If you're waiting for some steamy sex scenes, let me tell you there are none. That was one of the things that left me a little disappointed the first time I read the book. Even now, I still wished to see Jean-Claude naked, but I must have a little more patience for that *sigh*

Anyway, the book was a very good read. Fast paced, with some mystery, drama, suspense and action. The only thing I'm hoping for is that Anita and Jean-Claude do get to the naked part soon in the upcoming books :)

Book Review: Frostbite by Richelle Mead

Author: Richelle Mead
Series: Vampire Academy #2
Publisher: Razorbill
Release Date: April 10th 2008
My Rating: 5 cups
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Rose loves Dimitri, Dimitri might love Tasha, and Mason would die to be with Rose...

It’s winter break at St. Vladimir’s, but Rose is feeling anything but festive. A massive Strigoi attack has put the school on high alert, and now the Academy’s crawling with Guardians—including Rose’s hard-hitting mother, Janine Hathaway. And if hand-to-hand combat with her mom wasn’t bad enough, Rose’s tutor Dimitri has his eye on someone else, her friend Mason’s got a huge crush on her, and Rose keeps getting stuck in Lissa’s head while she’s making out with her boyfriend, Christian! The Strigoi are closing in, and the Academy’s not taking any risks... This year, St. Vlad’s annual holiday ski trip is mandatory.

But the glittering winter landscape and the posh Idaho resort only create the illusion of safety. When three friends run away in an offensive move against the deadly Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to rescue them. But heroism rarely comes without a price...

In my opinion, Frostbite was just as good as the first book in this series.

The first thing that I loved and adored and made me sigh with relief was that there weren't too many "remember what happened in the previous book" moments. And those that did mention past events were waaay too short to bother me. That's one of the things that always scare me a little when it comes to series.

Rose is still as impulsive and sarcastic as she was in Vampire Academy. She'd still do anything to protect Mia and her friends. What was interesting in this book was that we get to see her interact with her mother, Janine Hathaway. Janine is a very interesting character. At first I have to say I didn't like her that much. But, seeing how acts and talks to Rose and also how she comforts her daughter at the end of the book made me completely change my opinion about Janine. Also, Dimitri's insight helped. There's this scene when he talks to Rose about her mother and the things he said helped me see Janine in a different light, so thanks Dimitri!

In Frostbite we meed another character, Adrian. Adrian is unique, sort of like the bad boy of the series. He grows on you as the story progresses. He's very funny and sarcastic. And he seems like he's always up to something. The one thing that he needs, in my opinion (and it's a constant thing until the end of the series) is maturity. He really needs to grow up a little. Don't get me wrong, I like the guy a lot, but he's a little too immature at times.

I liked the feeling of normality brought by Lissa and Christian's relationship. It's one of those "boy meets girl" kind of love story, without the unnecessary drama. Lissa changed since the events in Vampire Academy. She seems she's getting better, she's not as angry as she was then. And with each book she learns more about her powers and it's really fun to see that. I think Christian helped too, he has a good influence on her.

Dimitri is... well, Dimitri. He's still just as cute, sexy, strong, silent and powerful as before. He still loves the 80s music (and every time I think about that I love him a little bit more). We get to see a little of his control snap at a certain point and I thought he was very... sexy in that scene.

There's more drama and more heartbreak in Frostbite. The ending made me want to cry a little. I thought it was a bit unfair for one of the characters and also very tragic. I realize it was necessary to show how evil Strigoi are, but it was still heartbreaking. There's a lot of action, mostly towards the end of the book, a lot of suspense, humor, romance and some family drama.

If you're still waiting to read this series, do it now! Trust me!

Book Review: The Iron King by Julie Kagawa (YA)

Author: Julie Kagawa
Series: The Iron Fey #1
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release Date: February 1st 2010
My Rating: 3.5 cups
Source: Bought
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Meghan Chase has a secret destiny; one she could never have imagined.

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school or at home.

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.

But she could never have guessed the truth - that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face; and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

This is one of those slightly painful to write reviews.  Ever since I read The Immortal Rules I've been dying to read this series. I loved Kagawa's writing style and, since I've heard so much about The Iron Fey series, I thought I'd give it a try.

I loved the world in this series, the mythology and the whole "believe and it will exist" theme of the series. It was also interesting to see so may new creatures and the different interactions between them and the different rules and customs of the two courts.

The characters where great too. I especially liked Robbie. I wouldn't say I'm on his team, but I really enjoyed reading about him. He's very funny, charming and very, very mischievous. I was surprised to learn his real name and who he really is. I had a very different idea.

Then there's Ash. I did like his character, though at times he seemed a little too serious. But I liked that in the end he helps Meghan on her quest and that he tries to get along with Robbie.

Here comes the hard part of my review. While I liked Meghan a lot, I didn't understand her at all. I couldn't exactly figure out if she really loved Ash. I didn't feel that emotion for some reason. Yes, she was attracted to him (who wouldn't be?) but I didn't feel the love that much.

Then there's the ending. I would've wanted a little more drama, like we get in The Immortal Rules. Something big, something that leaves me staring at the computer and go "WTF? What just happened?". I don't know, something. Instead, I felt the book ended too easy, given what Meghan and Ash and Robbie had to go through to get to that point. Throughout the book there's this very nice pacing and a sense of danger and mystery and suspense and action, but right at the end it was stopped too fast in my opinion.

Even so, I did enjoy the books and I will be reading the next ones in the series.

Book Review: The Brotherhood of Piaxia by Michael Drakich

Author: Michael Drakich
Series: N/A
Release Date: March 15th 2012
My Rating: 4 cups
Source: review copy received from the author
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Years have passed since the overthrow of the monarchy by the Brotherhood of Warlocks and they rule Piaxia in peaceful accord. But now forces are at work to disrupt this rule from outside the Brotherhood as well as within! Follow Tarlok, Savan and Tessia as their paths intertwine, with the Brotherhood in pursuit and the powerful merchant’s guild manipulating the populace for their own end.

Every once in a while I read a fantasy book that reminds me why I love fantasy. The Brotherhood of Piaxia is one of those books. Warlocks, magic, corruption, war.

I thought the book started a bit slow. But it wasn't that "nothing's happening, when is the action starting?" kind of slow. Before the big turning point and before the big changes, we get to meet the main characters and see them evolve, grow up or turn into a better version of themselves. Also, during this time, we see how magic can corrupt, how power can change a person, turning them into tyrants or evil people, capable of anything - even murder.

There are a lot of twists and turns and some of them where really unexpected to me. Some were good, some not so good. There were a few characters that died and it really broke my heart. I know that they needed to die in order to show how much damage too much power can do, but it still made me sad.

I liked the writing style. And I very much enjoyed the world in this book, the history and the characters. And I loved the battle scenes. There weren't that many, but I loved the strategies they used and the action in those scenes.

If you like fantasy you should give The Brotherhood of Piaxia a try. You won't be sorry ;)

Waiting on Wednesday #10

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.


My pick this week:

Inferno - Sherrilyn Kenyon

I didn't get to read Infamous yet (and I'm mad at myself for that, but I promise to rectify that as soon as I finish reading the books I received for reviewing). BUT. I love the Dark Hunters (I bet you knew that) and the Chronicles of Nick is such a cool addition to the entire world. (Though to be honest, if the world ends before Nick gets his Dark Hunter book, I'll be one pissed off ghost. No, really! I need that book.)









Anyway, that's my WOW this week. What's yours?

Blog Tour Promo: Nine Lives by Shari Richardson

Nine Lives: The Fifth Highland Home Novel by Shari Richardson

Highland Home, Book 5

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal
Publisher: Astral Plane Publishing
Date of Publication: September 2012
ISBN: 978-1461070092

Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/5vjPdfSuy0I

Book Description:

I felt a familiar ripple and knew it was too late for me. I saw her, so tiny, so perfect and I knew that I could die content. When Xavier admitted his love for me, I was complete.

Kerry Cote's story may sound familiar, but it's not. Sure there are a lot of unmarried, pregnant teenagers in the world, but how many of them know the child they carry is a miracle? How many have a vampire body guard? How many are alone because the mother of us all and the father of all vampires has a jealous daughter who covets the baby's father? Kerry must survive to bring her child into the world, for if she fails, humanity may not survive.

Books 1-4 Highland Home Series


Mourning Sun

I should have known when he walked into my life that things would never be the same. Hadn't I dreamed of him and the things he'd done before I was born? If only he weren't so fascinating, so beautiful, so much more than any other guy. Maybe then I could walk away.

Mairin Cote is a magnet for weird. Her dreams come true, she can see auras and her mother is in love with an angel. Now the monsters are finding her too. Vampires, demigods and werepanthers have flocked to this small town girl who must find a way to keep her family safe, love the man of her dreams, and navigate the shark-infested waters of Highland Home High School.

Captured Sun

My first kiss was going to be my last, but it was worth it. His cool lips, his sweet taste, they were my salvation. I would never regret it, no matter what happened.

Mairin Cote thought loving a vampire was hard, but losing him to others of his kind was worse. When the death toll in East Hampton points to a rampaging vampire, the vampires and werepanthers must form an uneasy alliance to stop the destruction. To save the love of her life, Mairin must decide if living life without Mathias is worth risking an eternity with him.

Seven Days

The pain was sharp and deep, but it was nothing compared to the anguish in Xavier's eyes. I wanted to tell him I would be okay, but the words wouldn't come. The pain kept them at bay and even if I could have spoken, I knew the words would be a lie.

Kerry Cote has a pretty normal life for a teenager. Of course normal is a relative term. Her sister dates a vampire and her boyfriend turns furry once a month, but that's not the problem. It isn't until she meets the father of the man she loves that her whole existence narrows to a mere seven days.

Banished Sun

Eternity. How many times since Mathias came into my life had I considered it? Had I not taken risks that would have left us together for eternity? What I hadn't expected was to have the choice taken from us. Vampires are independent creatures and the old ones definitely don't like being bound to a human. When an ancient vampire comes to Highland Home bent on Mairin's destruction so he can free himself from his bond to her, Mathias is forced to choose between what he is and who he wishes to be.

About the Author:


Shari Richardson holds a master's degree in English Education and has spent much of her life teaching students the joy of reading and writing. Her love of writing began when she was in elementary school and has carried through her entire adult life. Shari lives in Pennsylvania with her two Chihuahuas.

Website: www.astralplanepublishing.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Shari-Richardson/344353211751

Book Review: Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Author: Richelle Mead
Series: Vampire Academy #1
Publisher: Razorbill
Release Date: August 16th 2007
My Rating: 5 cups
Blurb (from Goodreads):

St. Vladimir’s Academy isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger...

Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever.

Whenever I search for some good vampire series, the Vampire Academy series always pops up. I remember when Last Sacrifice (the last book of the series) was released and almost every blogger I followed was talking about it. I wanted to know what the fuss was all about, but at the time I was a tad afraid. I mean, I had no experience with the YA genre and, to be completely honest, I didn't exactly want to touch that area (think already too huge TBR pile).

Now, 2 years later (older, but definitely not wiser), I gave in. And boy, am I glad I did.

Fist of all, I loved Rose. I know you usually have to like the main character of a book to be able to like the story, especially if it's told in 1st person, but still. The first thing that I loved about her was that she was fiercely loyal to Lissa. I don't know if I ever read about a friendship like that. Throughout this book (and, actually, the whole series) Rose is ready to do anything for Lissa. And not just Lissa, she'd do anything for anyone able to win her love or loyalty. Secondly, I love that she's incredibly reckless. Not suicidal, but reckless and impulsive enough to not let her fear overcome her in situations where others would have fainted. Yes, she feels fear. But it's not a constant state of her. I also loved her sarcasm. A lot.

Then there's Dimitri. Besides the fact that he's a warrior, very sexy, lethal in a fight or the fact that he's Russian, he has GREAT taste in music. Hell, he could have been ugly, short and fat, the fact that he loves the '80s music makes him awesome (I might have sounded a little like Barney Stinson there for a second. Ignore that *sheepish*)

Lissa sounded a bit... too fragile at times, but she did see her parents die and she has some personal problems, so maybe it's understandable. I felt like she keeps Rose grounded sometimes.

I liked Christian too, more than I thought possible. I was surprised by him in a lot of situations, and over the course of this series I've grown to love him actually. Not as much as Dimitri, but that's another story.

The book is fast paced, full of action and suspense, a lot of drama and some romance here and there. I loooved the mythology of this series (more than you can imagine). I'm actually a bit angry at myself for waiting this long to pick up this series.

So if you're like me and you still have doubts about reading this book (and the entire series) or if you simply have it on your TBR pile/shelf, do pick it up and read it. You won't be sorry!

Timeless Desire Shoe Giveaway

Enter to Win a Pair of Sexy, Sky-high Snake Skin Print Kelsi Dagger Pumps (or a Zappos gift card)! $125 Value!

Five easy ways to enter:

1. Forward this email or URL to five friends, copying gwyn@cready.com by September 14, 2012 at midnight EST.

2. Send a picture of you holding Timeless Desire to gwyn@cready.com by September 14, 2012 at midnight EST.

3. Send a copy of a purchase receipt forTimeless Desire to gwyn@cready.com by September 14, 2012 at midnight EST

4. Tweet about Timeless Desire and mention @GwynCready in your tweet by Septemnber 14, 2012 at midnight EST.

5. Click here to go to the "Gwyn Cready, Romance Novelist" Facebook page and share any post on the page with your friends by clicking the "Share" button (not the "Like" button) under the post by September 14, 2012 at midnight EST.

You can enter each way, for up to five entries.

Contest rules: Open only to residents of U.S. and Canada. Void where prohibited. Entering this contest will automatically add you to the Gwyn Cready mailing list. Friends to whom you forward this email will not be added to the Gwyn Cready mailing list unless they, too, enter the contest. Limit of one entry per type per person. No personal information or email addresses will be sold or shared. Entries must be received by midnight EST on September 14, 2012. Winner will be posted at cready.com on September 15, 2012.

Timeless Desire by Gwyn Cready

Praise for Gwyn Cready:

"Cready's writing is romantic and wickedly witty."--NY Times bestselling author Rachel Gibson

"Gwyn Cready is the master of time travel romance."--Royal Reviews

Message from Author Gwyn Cready: 

Librarians are about the most kick-ass people on earth, and I've had some pretty wonderful librarians in my life, from my cousin Donna who keeps the library in South Park, Pennsylvania, humming, to my friend Manuel, a music librarian at UC Berkeley who has saved my sorry writer's butt many times with some handy bit of research, to Mrs. White, my first grade librarian, who read books aloud as if it was the most joy-filled thing on earth and to whom I owe a debt of gratitude for helping me discover the magic of a great story.

My librarian heroine in Timeless Desire, Panna Kennedy, is no exception. Battling budget cuts to distract herself from the grief of losing her husband, Panna discovers a mysterious opening under her library's careworn stairs and finds herself transported to the magnificent, book-filled quarters of the handsome eighteenth century English war hero whose larger-than-life statue looms over her desk. However, Captain Bridgewater is not as she imagined. Under house arrest as a traitor to England, the dashing Bridgewater warms to his beautiful and unexpected visitor despite his belief she's a spy. Bridgewater pulls Panna into his escape, and they share soul-baring secrets as well as a heart-racing kiss. But when he gives her a message that must be delivered to his secret allies and she is swept into the shocking intrigue that takes them from Hadrian's Wall to the forbidding borderland castle of Bridgewater's maternal grandfather, Panna must decide whether her loyalties lay with the memory of her dead husband or with the man whose life and reputation may depend on her.

Timeless Desire is my personal shout-out to all the wonderful librarians who've helped me over the years and to everyone out there who does the thing they're afraid to do. Enjoy!

Best,
Gwyn
www.cready.com

Waiting on Wednesday (9)

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.


My pick this week:


The Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead

In the aftermath of a forbidden moment that rocked Sydney to her core, she finds herself struggling to draw the line between her Alchemist teachings and what her heart is urging her to do. Then she meets alluring, rebellious Marcus Finch--a former Alchemist who escaped against all odds, and is now on the run. Marcus wants to teach Sydney the secrets he claims the Alchemists are hiding from her. But as he pushes her to rebel against the people who raised her, Sydney finds that breaking free is harder than she thought. There is an old and mysterious magic rooted deeply within her. And as she searches for an evil magic user targeting powerful young witches, she realizes that her only hope is to embrace her magical blood--or else she might be next.

Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, the Bloodlines series explores all the friendship, romance, battles, and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive—this time in a part-vampire, part-human setting where the stakes are even higher and everyone’s out for blood.

 I need this book now *sob*

Anyhow, what book are you eagerly anticipating?