Review: Awakened by P.C. Cast, Kristin Cast

Awakened
Author:P.C.Cast , Kristin Cast
Release Date: January 4, 2011
Publisher: St. Martin's
House Of Night Book #8
ISBN:  0312650248
ISBN13:  9780312650247
Genre: Young Adult

Zoey has returned from the Otherworld to her rightful place as High Priestess at the House of Night. Her friends are just glad to have her back, but after losing her human consort, Heath, will Zoey--or her relationship with her super-hot Warrior, Stark--ever be the same?

“My love, speak to me.  Tell me everything.”  Neferet went to Kalona, kneeling before him, stroking the soft, dark wings that unfurled loosely around the immortal. 

“What would you have me say?”  He didn’t meet her eyes.  

 “Zoey lives.” Neferet’s voice was flat, cold, lifeless.

“She does.”

“Then you owe me the subservience of your immortal soul.”  She started to walk away from him.

“Where are you going?  What will happen next?”

 “It is quite simple.  I will ensure Zoey is drawn back to Oklahoma.  There, on my own terms, I will complete the task you failed.”
Exonerated by the Vampyre High Council and returned to her position of High Priestess at Tulsa’s House of Night, Neferet has sworn vengeance on Zoey.  Dominion over Kalona is only one of the weapons she plans to use against Z.  But Zoey has found sanctuary on the Isle of Skye and is being groomed by Queen Sgiach to take over for her there.  Being Queen would be cool, wouldn’t it?  Why should she return to Tulsa? After losing her human consort, Heath, she will never be the same – and her relationship with her super-hot-warrior, Stark, may never be the same either…

And what about Stevie Rae and Rephaim?  The Raven Mocker refuses to be used against Stevie Rae, but what choice does he have when no one in the entire world, including Zoey, would be okay with their relationship?  Does he betray his father or his heart?
In the pulse-pounding 8th book in the bestselling House of Night series, how far will the bonds of friendship stretch and how strong are the ties that bind one girl’s heart?

After not being super crazy about the last book I am glad to see I enjoyed AWAKENED a tad bit more but i still dont feel that it was on the same page as earlier books. I enjoyed reading about Rephaim, we get to see him really change in AWAKENED and I think he will be a major part of the group as the series continues. I am entirely tired of the whole Neferet situation, it seems to just keep dragging on and on without much going on at all. I'm hoping her deal at the end will make for better stories to come.  I enjoyed the plot ideas, but the execution and dialogue wasn't up to par for me. I'm having a hard time getting excited to continue the series but seeing as I have read the books until now I cant imagine that I wont pick up STOLEN when it comes out, but I really hope the books get better or STOLEN might be the last I read.

I gave it a 3/5

Follow Friday

I am once again participating in Follow Friday Hosted by Parajunkie.com. Thank you everyone for stopping by and Follow me if you like what you see!!

Follow Friday 

This weeks question comes from

Logan E. Turner

"Who do you cheer for?"

 

I'm not a huge sports fan BUT when I cheer for someone its for the Chicago Bears, I was born and raised North of Chicago what did you expect?

Review: Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Across the Universe
Author:Beth Revis
Release Date: January 11, 2011
Publisher: Razorbill
Across the Universe Book #1
ISBN:   1595143971
ISBN13: 9781595143976
Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction/ Dystopian
Review Copy Source: ARC Win from Frenzy of Noise

A love out of time. A spaceship built of secrets and murder. 
  Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules. 

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone-one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next. 

Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.



ACROSS THE UNIVERSE is wonderfully written. The world on Godspeed is unique and engaging. The plot was easy to follow along with and kept me interested from page one. Although the ARC I received had almost 400 pages I found it to be a pretty fast read. Beth did a good job with switching from POV to POV. The characters were great and I had no problem connecting to them and cheering or yelling at them as needed but the plot is the big selling point for ACROSS THE UNIVERSE. This is a great Science Fiction novel that you should pick up if you get the chance. I'm excited to see what comes next for Amy and Elder.


I gave it 4/5 Stars

Reviewer Wanted: Down the Road by Bowie Ibarra

**UPDATE: REVIEWER PICKED AND EMAILED. Thank you for your offers**

Down the Road
Author:Bowie Ibarra
Release Date: January 4, 2011
Publisher: Gallery Books
ISBN13: 9781439180693
Genre: Horror
Review Copy Source: Publisher for blog tour

From his small apartment in Austin, Texas, George Zaragosa watches in awe as surreal reports of a bizarre plague flood the national news. Until today, his life as a local theater teacher was stable and ordinary, if overshadowed by the unsolved murder of his beautiful fiancée. Now, hearing how those who died from an unstoppable virus are coming back to life in growing numbers, George knows what he has to do: leave everything behind in the city and get home to San Uvalde, just down the road. 

It began in New York City, when the dead arose from the hospitals and morgues, attacking the living and pulling them into their growing hordes. State by state, the nation goes into lockdown, whole cities and towns fight for survival, and George must navigate military roadblocks, FEMA camps, and street thugs to make it home. But most of all, his journey down the road will require him to stave off the horrifying creatures hungering for his flesh. . . .


I got this book from the publisher for a blog tour that they were doing but the book didn't get here by the date of the blog tour and now I just dont have time to read it with the other books in my pile waiting to be reviewed. SO I'm looking for a guest reviewer to read and review it for me. Here is how it will work.
 

*This is open to U.S. residents only
*I will send my copy of DOWN THE ROAD (print copy) to you and it will then belong to you.
*You will be expected to review it within a week of receiving it.
*You will send me your review and I will post it as a guest review giving you full credit on my blog. You are also welcome to post it on your blog if you have one.
*Having your own blog is not required.

If you would like to be considered to review DOWN THE ROAD by Bowie Ibarra please leave a comment on THIS post including the following information. I will pick someone Friday night and hopefully have it in the mail on Sat morning.

1. Why do you want to review this book?
2. Do you post reviews online anywhere? e.x. Amazon, Goodreads, Librarything Barnes & Noble, Borders etc. (Not required but would like to know)
3. Will you be able to review it within a week of receiving it?
4. What is your email address so I can contact contact you?

Early Review: Burning Darkness by Jaime Rush

Burning Darkness
Author:Jaime Rush
Release Date: January 25, 2011
Publisher: Avon
Offspring Book #4
ISBN:   006201885X
ISBN13: 9780062018854
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Review Copy Source: Netgalley.com


Fonda Raine lives for one thing: killing Eric Aruda for slaying her lover. But she'll have to be careful--Eric can set fires with his mind. Seconds from plunging her knife into his heart, an assassin tries to take them both out. Now, she must choose: join forces with the man who's burning through her defenses or go down in flames. 


Finally Eric is getting his chance for love. I have always liked Eric and we finally see a totally different side of him from the Hard ass tough guy he has been through out the series. Fonda defiantly isn't who we thought she was and I enjoyed watching her and Eric bring each others true selves out. There is plenty of action, romance and twists to keep you turning the pages. I liked learning all the new info given about the offspring's and how they came to be. I enjoyed reading BURNING DARKNESS but it seemed like nothing really HAPPENED, even though there is a bunch of action it just seemed like they ran, they fought, they ran they fought and that was about it besides the relationship growing. I also found that the ending didn't really correspond with the past experiences of the book, I cant really explain more about what I mean due to spoiling it for you but I'm sure you will understand what I'm talking about after you read it. If you enjoyed the previous books in the Offspring series I'm sure you will still enjoy BURNING DARKNESS.


I gave it a 3/5 Stars 

$20 Amazon Gift card for $10

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Livingsocial is neat, if 3 people buy the deal using your link you get yours for free so please use my link and if I get 3 I will delete it so the next person who posts theirs in my comment section has a shot at getting it for free.

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Series Review: Minder and Adversary by Kate Kaynak

Minder
Author:Kate Kaynak
Release Date: May 6, 2010
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Ganzfield Book #1
ISBN:  0984531106
ISBN13: 9780984531103
Genre: Young Adult
Review Copy Source: From Author for review

Sixteen-year-old Maddie Dunn is special, but she needs to figure out how to use her new abilities before somebody else gets hurt. Ganzfield is a secret training facility full of people like her, but it's not exactly a nurturing place.

Every social interaction carries the threat of mind-control.

A stray thought can burn a building to the ground.

And people's nightmares don't always stay in their own heads. But it's still better than New Jersey. Especially once she meets the man of her dreams...

Book One in the Ganzfield series was a fantastic read. The action starts in the first paragraph of the book and although the whole book isn't filled with action the story kept my attention throughout the entire book. I enjoyed reading and learning about all the abilities that are held by G-Positive people and how they train and learn to live in the real world. MINDER is a super fast read and not very long but it defiantly isn't lacking in detail and plot. I'm about to start ADVERSARY and I'm really excited to see where Kate takes us next.

I gave it 4/5 Stars

Adversary
Author:Kate Kaynak
Release Date: August 12, 2010
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Ganzfield Book #2
ISBN:  0984531122
ISBN13: 9780984531127
Genre: Young Adult
Review Copy Source: Win from Paranormal Haven

The second book of the Ganzfield series

Things are more dangerous than they seem at Ganzfield, and not everyone will survive. Does Maddie have what it takes?
See what happens next in the sequel to Minder.

I honestly had no idea if I would like the Ganzfield series when I won ADVERSARY from Paranormal Haven. Kate Kaynak then offered me book one MINDER to review so I put it on my calendar to read them both back to back and I'm so glad I did. Just like MINDER I found ADVERSARY to be a super fast read, not long but full of information and plot. I loved the characters, I really like Maddie and Trevor's devotion and connection to each other. There is passion, danger, thrills and action. Everything Kate writes just flows perfectly, I enjoyed the story and cant wait to read LEGACY.


I gave it 4/5 Stars