• Splintered - AG HowardSplintered
  •  graceling - kristin cashore
  •  someone to love - addison moore
  •  breaking beautiful - jennifer shaw wolf
  •  the perfect game - j sterling
  •  the edge of never - ja redmerski
  •  independence - shelly crane

Monday, April 30, 2012

April RAK Wrap-Up


Book Soulmates



I Received:
Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep
from Sarabeth over @ Chronicles of Sarita

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
from Miranda over @ The Lonely Bookshelf of a College Student


Try Not to Breathe by Jennifer R. Hubbard
Where it Began by Ann Redisch Stampler
& 2 Homemade bookmarks
from Kelly over @ Reading Kelly

from Margie over @ Bumbles and Fairy-Tales

Across the Universe by Beth Revis
from Cathy over @ The Crazy Bookworm

Tithe by Holly Black
from Andrea over @ The Busy Bibliophile





I Gave:
Croak by Gina Damico

Summoning the Night by Jenn Bennett
to Lori over @ Romancing the Dark Side

Hush Money by Susan Bischoff
to Ali over @ Ali's Bookshelf

A Hidden Fire by Elizabeth Hunter
& Cinder by Marissa Meyer
to Kelly over @ Reading Kelly






A BIG thank you to Isalys and Vanessa at Book Soulmates for hosting!!


In My Mailbox #11

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.  It is a weekly blog that allows the blogger to showcase about what they received in the mail, got for review, won in contest, purchased, ect.

In light of recent events, this will be my last IMM.  I do not condone what has happened and will no longer be participating in this meme as of next week because of it.  I always post my new books on Mondays, so if you have any suggestions on which meme to switch to, feel free to let me know in the comments!



For Review:
    Shut Up by Anne Tibbets, courtesy of Anne Tibbets - To be reviewed in May
    Redheads are Soulless by Heather M. White, courtesy of SupaGirl Tours - To be reviewed in June


    Won:
    Everything that came in my mailbox this week!


    ARC of Above by Leah Bobet
    ARC of Starters by Lissa Price
    ARC of Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
    The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa
    courtesy of Hannah @ In the Best Worlds


    Signed paperback of Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys 
    and some swag
    courtesy of Hannah @ The Book Vortex & Ruta Sepetys


    Pure by Jennifer L Armentrout, courtesy of Krist @ The Book Faery
    Wishless by Louise Caiola, courtesy of Louise Caiola @ The Hook
    Bloodlines by Richelle Mead, courtesy of Amber @ amberafterglow


    Prom Night 2012 Giveaway Prize Pack!
    Illuminate by Aimee Agresti
    The Fashion Coloring Book by carol + lulu
    courtesy of Jen @ Lost in the Library 

    When I got the package I noticed Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick had an awesome cover under the book jacket.  Isn't that adorable?


    The Gates by Rachael Wade, courtesy of Froggy @ Froggarita's Bookcase
    $10 Amazon GC, courtesy of C.J. @ Sarcasm and Lemons



      RAK:
        Across the Universe by Beth Revis
        from Cathy @ The Crazy Bookworm

        Tithe by Holly Black
        from Andrea @ The Busy Bibliophile



        Purchased:
        Meeting Destiny by Nancy Straight
        Destiny's Revenge by Nancy Straight
        Destiny's Wrath by Nancy Straight
        I had to order all 3 books in the trilogy after I read Meeting Destiny.
        Sadly, the books are not in my possession at the moment.
        They are currently visiting Nancy for signing. 

        Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter
        Business Cards




        What's in your mailbox?

        Saturday, April 28, 2012

        Time For A Short Break...

        Hey everyone!

        It has been a very long semester, but the end is near and I have to take a short break.  Finals have arrived and I have just a little more studying to do.

        My week of exams:
        I sit for my ATRI Exam at 8am tomorrow morning
        Application of Aquatic Therapy on Monday from 3pm-5pm
         Aquatic Therapy Facility Management on Tuesday from 8am-10pm
        Strength & Conditioning Methods on Wednesday from 3pm-5pm
        Nutrition on Thursday from 3pm-5pm
        Lab Techniques and Methods on Thursday from 7pm-9pm

        That being said, I will be done with my spring term & back to blogging on Friday Saturday morning! 
        (Mom's taking me to get a pedicure on Friday!)

        Until then happy reading!






        {Review} Blog Tour: When Destiny Knocks by Heather M. White





        When Destiny Knocks
        by Heather M. White
        Series:  The Destiny Saga (#1)
        Pages:  200
        Source:  SupaGurl Tours in exchange for a fair and honest review
        Available as of December 24, 2011
        Amazon | Barnes & Noble





        16 year old Karlie has had a pretty normal life... But when her Mom dies she is forced to move over 1,000 miles away to live with her Dad. That's when things start getting weird.

        She can't explain the earthquakes that nobody else feels, or why she no longer sleeps. But most of all she doesn't know why she trusts Shane so much, even though his Dad wants her dead.

        Suddenly, Karlie's normal life is turned upside down and she enters a world she never dreamed could really exist.



        Rating:


        My Review:
        Holy moly!  I didn't know what to expect when I started When Destiny Knocks, but Heather M. White blew me away with an elegantly written and action packed quick read.

        Karlie is sixteen years old when her mom dies unexpectedly and she is sent to live with her father.  Not wanting to live in a small town, she dreads her first day of school only to find everyone accepting and friendly.  At least one of her new friends is with her at all times.  They warn her about a boy who has taken interest in her.  Then everything begins to get weird, she stops sleeping at night and as her mood changes, so does the weather.

        Let's talk about Karlie.  Her mother moved her to New York City when she was little and she rarely went back to Arkansas to visit her dad because she never wanted to leave her mom alone during the holidays and her dad never really took a vacation from work.  When her mom died, she was sent off to her dads and her world began to change.  She took everything in stride even though she was unhappy with the situation, she grew to accept it. The boy she fell for probably isn't the best choice, but who can deny attraction. Karlie learns a lot about herself and who she truly is, in time embracing her new life.

        I really enjoyed reading this book because I could relate to some aspects.  When I was twelve I moved from a city where I had lists of things I could do in my free time to a small town with a movie theater, a Kroger, and Wal-Mart.  In the book Karlie talks about how Wal-Mart was the place to hang out, and it truly is when there is nothing to do. 

        When Destiny Knocks was captivating and pulled me in.  I was up until two in the morning reading because I didn't want to put the book down.  Not only was it well written, but it was also creative and brought all of the paranormal beings we have grown to love in YA into one book.  I had an idea of how the book would end, I just didn't know how shocked I would be when it finally did.

        I highly recommend this book to YA paranormal lovers.  I'm happy to have it in my collection!


        Be sure to check back on May 7 
        for my review of When Destiny Strikes
        book two in The Destiny Saga.  


        Friday, April 27, 2012

        {Winner} Meeting Destiny by Nancy Straight






        First I want to thank everyone who entered and spread the word about the giveaway!


        The winner of a signed, paperback copy of Meeting Destiny is...

        Lexie

         Congratulations!
        An email has been sent.  If I do not get a response within 48 hours I will pick a new winner.

        UPDATE:  Winner has been confirmed.

        Be on a lookout for more giveaways coming up soon!





        Feature & Follow #9






        Feature & Follow is a blog hop hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read.  It is a great way to make new friends and gain followers.  

        You can follow me via any of the following:
        GFC, Linky, Networked Blogs
        RSS or Email
        Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads 
        (all are located on the right sidebar)









        This Weeks Question:
        Have you had a character that disappointed you?  One that you fell in love with and then "broke up" with later on in either the series or a stand-alone book?  Tell us about him or her.

        This is a really hard question to answer.  I've read a lot of different series, but none of the characters come immediately to mind.  Give me a minute to think.....


        I guess if I really had to choose a character, it would be Finn from Amanda Hocking's Trylle Trilogy.  In Switched I loved Finn.  He was wonderful to Wendy and my heart was happy.  As the trilogy progressed he became an a**hat.  They had such an attraction to each other, but he kept leading her on.  Finally, when Wendy meets the guy she will spend the rest of her life with, he gets jealous.  Really?


        So there you have it.  The only character I can think of that lost my respect.



        Have you fallen out of love with a character?
        If you have a post, leave your link.
        If not, let me know in the comments.



        Thursday, April 26, 2012

        {Winner} Shower of Books Giveaway






        First and foremost I would like to thank everyone who entered and spread the word about the giveaway!
        The most popular books were
        Masque of the Red Death & The Immortal Rules

        The winner of the Showers of Books Giveaway is...

        Gale N.

         Congratulations!
        An email has been sent.  If I do not get a response within 48 hours I will pick a new winner.

        UPDATE:  The winner has been confirmed and has chosen Masque of the Red Death.

        Be on a lookout for more giveaways coming up soon!




        {Review} Pawn of Mine by Tabitha Vale




        Pawn of Mine
        by Tabitha Vale
        Series:  Fiery Water (#1)
        Pages:  350
        Source:  e-book courtesy of Tabitha Vale in exchange for a fair and honest review
        Available as of April 9, 2012
        Amazon




        The world never ended in fire and ice. The people were consumed by it and now control the elements. The Fires have harnessed the power down to an art while the Waters cower in fear of their abilities, remaining weak and hopeless. Seventeen-year-old Sage Sinclair hopes to dispel the weakness of her Water people because she knows that if she doesn’t do anything, no one will. When she discovers something special about herself, she seeks Humble Narcissist Ruler Agni in the great fire city, Saint Firefly. Once she gains his seal of approval, she’s admitted into Erra Academy where she secretly sparks a revolution among her ennui peers—a revolution to fight back against the Fires. She has every hope in her movement, just as long as her feelings for a handsome and frivolous Saffron Larkspur don’t get in the way—that, and Agni’s sudden fascination with her.



        Rating:


        My Review:
        Pawn of Mine was an adventure that has you rooting for the underdog.  Tabitha Vale created a well thought out and detailed world where people can create either fire or ice.  

        From page one we dive into the world of people who can create fire or ice depending on their ancestry.  Sage is born of ice, but has a secret that could shatter her happy world.  Her sister has come up with a plan to bring Agni down, but it is Sage's job to implement the plan and find followers who will help her on her mission.  Will she succeed in his destruction or will she put everyone she loves in jeopardy?

        Sage is unlike most everyone living under Agni's rule.  She despises him, hates him even.  Her sister, Blair, has a plan to bring him down, but she is only the brains behind the operation.  Sage must take the reins and find a way to get into Erra Academy, the private water school.  Once in, she sets aside some of her standards to get what she needs.  She befriends Zane, the flirt and private nerd, who helps her along the way. He is sweet, charming, and the one person Sage can always lean on, even in the most difficult situations.  The Narcissistic ruler, Agni, is ruthless and controlling.  He has a very short fuse and once his temper explodes all of his control is lost, but no worries, he can send a gift basket later.

        What I liked most about this book was the main character, Sage.  She is strong, courageous and a rebel, something we don't find often enough in YA fiction.  I also really liked the premise of the book.  Sage has to spark an uproar within her school to find people to join her cause, but she has to figure out how to do this before she can proceed to the next step.  Her sister only gave her so much to go on, she has to figure out the rest on her own.  

        There were only two things I didn't like.  The first is how hard it was for me to get into the book.  I was completely lost in the beginning, but once I got about halfway pieces started falling into place and I finally started flying through the pages. Oh, and then there was the cliffhanger.  A huge bomb was dropped at the end and now I'm left wondering what will happen until July when Knight of Mine is set to release.

        Overall, I enjoyed reading Pawn of Mine.  It took some time to get into, but the end was worth it.  I recommend it to anyone wanting to read a book filled with adventure and persevering main character.



        FTC Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.  I was not monetarily compensated for my opinion.  
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