Week in Review 1/23-1/29

Books Ive Bought/received

*Legacy by Kate Kaynak- From Author for review

*The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa- ARC- From Shelf Awareness

*The Demon Trappers Daughter by Jana Oliver- ARC- Win from All Things Urban Fantasy before I got my review copy in the mail. I will be giving this copy away in a contest that will go live Feb 8.

*Nights Cold Kiss by Tracey O'Hara- Win from one of Tracey's Contests on Supernatural Underground

*Night Myst by Yasmine Galenorn- Bought from Amazon

*Venom by Jennifer Estep- Bought from Amazon

*Bloodshot by Cherie Priest- Bought from Amazon




Books I read

The Demon Trappers Daughter by Jana Oliver
Delirium by Lauren Oliver
The Reckoners by Doranna Durgin
Storm of Reckoning by Doranna Durgin



Other reviews posted

Taken by the Others by Jess Haines

Nightshade by Michelle Rowen
Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning

The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

Visions of Magic by Regan Hastings 



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*Looking for books to swap? Visit my Book Swap page to see what I have. I recently joined Paperbooks Swap but will give my followers a chance first before I list books on there. Also feel free to use my link to swap with me on there but it seems everything I have listed so far was gone in an instant because people had them on their wish lists.

*New Releases for the week.

* You still have a chance to help me win a contest for ACROSS THE UNIVERSE by Beth Revis, and have a chance to win yourself PLEASE visit HERE to read how you can :) ENDS TOMORROW 1/31

*Like what you read? Make sure to leave a comment.

Early Review: Visions of Magic by Regan Hastings

Visions of Magic
Author:Regan Hastings
Release Date: February 1, 2011
Publisher: Signet
The Awakening Book #1
ISBN:  0451232461
ISBN13: 9780451232465
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Review Copy Source: Publisher for Review

In the ten years since magic has reemerged in the world, witches have become feared and hunted. For weeks Shea Jameson has been haunted by visions of fire. When she unintentionally performs a spell in public, she becomes one of the hunted. Her only hope is Torin, a dangerously sensual man who claims to be her eternal mate.

I liked it but I didn't love it. I liked the whole concept of the story, The witch was naughty a long time ago and gave up her power for a really long time and is now awakening to herself again. Her eternal is there for her in everything as she completes a task of atonement. There is some awesome world building, everything comes off as realistic as it can be with all the detail Regan Hastings has put into it. I had no problem imagining the people and places that were described. The chemistry between Shea and Torin is HOT and there is a lot of sex so be ready. I found side plots to be left to the imagination and I'm not a fan of that. I know this will be one of those series that has a new couple per book but there was a lot of little information's I would have liked to know now that might have made the story stick to me a little more. All in all its worth reading and I'll read VISIONS OF SKYFIRE when it comes out October of 2011.

I gave it a 3.5/5

Follow Friday and Book Blogger Hop

I am once again participating in Follow Friday Hosted by Parajunkie.com as well as Book Blogger Hop hosted by crazy-for-books.com Thank you everyone for stopping by and Follow me if you like what you see!!

Follow Friday 

This weeks question comes from

Marie of Mission to Read

"What is/was your favorite subject in school?"

 

School EEK. Um I dont think I really ever had a favorite subject, there were classes I liked way more then others because of the teachers. One that sticks out was American History. The teacher was young and brand new but had a wonderful personality and made class fun to be in while we learned.

Book Blogger Hop

This week's question comes from :  Aliyah who blogs at Des Absurdités:
 

"What book are you most looking forward to seeing published in 2011?  Why are you anticipating that book?"

I could not even begin to pick just one, That would be impossible. Here is the list I posted on New Years day.

Taken by the Others by Jess Haines

Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning

River Marked by Patricia Briggs

Iron Crowned by Richelle Mead

Tangled Threads by Jennifer Estep

Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris

Magic Slays by Ilona Andrews

The Neon Graveyard by Vicki Pettersson

Blood Secrets  by Jeannie Holmes

Grave Dance by Kalayna Price

Review: Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

Hex Hall
Author:Rachel Hawkins
Release Date: March 2, 2010
Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children
Hex Hall Book #1
ISBN:   1423121309
ISBN13: 9781423121305
Genre: Young Adult

Three years ago, Sophie Mercer discovered that she was a witch. It's gotten her into a few scrapes. Her non-gifted mother has been as supportive as possible, consulting Sophie's estranged father--an elusive European warlock--only when necessary. But when Sophie attracts too much human attention for a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, it's her dad who decides her punishment: exile to Hex Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward Prodigium, a.k.a. witches, faeries, and shapeshifters. 

By the end of her first day among fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tagalong ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person and only vampire student on campus. Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students, and her only friend is the number-one suspect.

As a series of blood-curdling mysteries starts to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all Prodigium, especially her.

I just recently heard of the Hex Hall Series and after reading great reviews I thought I would give it a try. I thought Sophie was a wonderful main character she was sarcastic, funny and down to earth. There were a few points in the book that my Husband looked over at me like I had lost my mind because I was cracking up so hard from all her witty comments and funny situations. HEX HALL was a fast fun read filled with tension, mystery, comic relief, great characters, a fantastic storyline and situations I had no problem picturing. There are some great twists I didn't expect and there is a big cliffhanger at the end that I wish wasn't so big that makes waiting for DEMONGLASS a tad bit harder.

 I gave it 4/5 stars

Review: The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney

The Iron Witch
Author:Karen Mahoney
Release Date: January 25, 2011
Publisher: Flux
The Iron Witch Saga Book #1
ISBN:  073872582X
ISBN13: 9780738725826
Genre: Young Adult

FREAK. That’s what her classmates call seventeen-year-old Donna Underwood. When she was seven, a horrific fey attack killed her father and drove her mother mad. Donna’s own nearly fatal injuries from the assault were fixed by magic—the iron tattoos branding her hands and arms. The child of alchemists, Donna feels cursed by the magical heritage that destroyed her parents and any chance she had for a normal life. The only thing that keeps her sane and grounded is her relationship with her best friend, Navin Sharma.

When the darkest outcasts of Faerie—the vicious wood elves—abduct Navin, Donna finally has to accept her role in the centuries old war between the humans and the fey. Assisted by Xan, a gorgeous half-fey dropout with secrets of his own, Donna races to save her friend—even if it means betraying everything her parents and the alchemist community fought to the death to protect.

This is one of those books that I picked up purely for the fact that I loved the cover. After reading the summery I thought it interesting enough to read. THE IRON WITCH is paced well with plenty of things happening to keep you in the mood to read it. The characters are like able and easy to connect with. The ending for me fell completely flat, I know this is part of a series but the ending totally left me wondering what happened to the ending.  You know when you read a book and you expect there to be pages left only to have it end while your still waiting for the ending? If that at all made sense that is how I felt with THE IRON WITCH. I will still be looking for book two when it releases as the story was good and I want to know more about Donna, her parents, and what the wood elves have to reveal about Donna's past.

I gave it a 3.5/5

Review: Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning

Shadowfever
Author:Karen Marie Moning
Release Date: January 18, 2011
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Fever Book #5
ISBN:   0385341679
ISBN13: 9780385341677
Genre: Urban Fantasy


MacKayla Lane was just a child when she and her sister, Alina were given up for adoption and banished from Ireland forever.

Twenty years later, Alina is dead and Mac has returned to the country that expelled them to hunt her sister's murderer. But after discovering that she descends from a bloodline both gifted and cursed, Mac is plunged into a secret history: an ancient conflict between humans and immortals that have lived concealed among us for thousands of years.

What follows is a shocking chain of events with devastating consequences, and now Mac struggles to cope with grief, while continuing her mission to acquire and control the Sinsar Dubh--a book of dark, forbidden magic scribed by the mythical Unseelie King that contains the power to create and destroy worlds.

In an epic battle between humans and Fae, the hunter becomes the hunted when the Sinsar Dubh turns on Mac, and begins mowing a deadly path through those she loves.
Who can she turn to? Who can she trust? Who is the woman that haunts her dreams? More importantly, who is Mac and what is the destiny she glimpses in the black and crimson designs of an ancient tarot card?

From the luxury of the Lord Master's penthouse, to the sordid depths of an Unseelie nightclub, from the erotic bed of her lover, to the terrifying bed of the Unseelie King, Mac's journey will force her to face the truth of her exile, and make a choice that will either save the world...or destroy it.

What a ride the Fever series has been. I am sad that SHADOWFEVER was the last book but I was blown away and couldn't have asked for a better last book. Everything you have been questioning or wondering about will be answered and I'm telling you you will have never guessed the things that are revealed. I am on information overload with all the revelations. I couldn't read this fast enough. I was so mad at the book in the first part but I slowly made my way back as I was reading on. I dont think I have never read about more stubborn characters in a series then what the characters were like in SHADOWFEVER, I wanted to jump in the book and smack them across the head. I dont want to list any spoilers so I will leave off saying WOW what a ride!! If you haven't picked uo and started reading the Fever series you are missing out on a fabulous series, I think I might have to start over and read the books again to see what clues I might have missed.


I gave it 5/5 Stars

Early Review: Nightshade by Michelle Rowen

Nightshade
Author:Michelle Rowen
Release Date: February 1, 2011
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Nightshade/Jillian Conrad Book #1
ISBN:  0425239829
ISBN13: 9780425239827
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Review Copy Source: Publisher for Review

DESIRE IS IN THE BLOOD

Jillian Conrad never believed in vampires. But she’s just become a living, breathing weapon against them. Attacked by a desperate scientist, she is injected with a serum that was supposed to act as a deadly poison to vampires. And when the scientist is gunned down in front of her, his secrets die with him.

Declan Reese was only half-vampire, but he hates them with all his heart. He knows that the poison in Jillian’s veins could finally destroy the undead kingdom. Also, the serum has had an unintended effect, making her blood irresistible to all vampires—including Declan, whose bloodthirsty traits are driven into a frenzy by her.

Driven by duty to protect her and by instinct to crave her, Declan takes Jillian into his shadowy world of blood and battle. But he soon realizes his increasing need for her may be a different kind of hunger…

Michelle Rowan decided to go a little darker and she pulled it off!! The Characters are all interesting and easy to like. The world building was fantastic, I could see myself in the places that were described with no difficulties. There was a lot of action. The main characters Jillian and Declan had wonderful chemistry. There is of course a big part of the book based on a budding romance but the action and storyline made the book so much more then just a romance in my opinion. The one bad thing about reading a book early is that you have to wait so much longer for the next book. BLOODLUST is scheduled to come out July 2011 and I will be pre-ordering it.

I gave it 4/5 stars