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Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Review: Switched by Amanda Hocking
Author:Amanda Hocking
Release Date: January 3, 2012
Publisher: St Martins Griffin
Trylle Trilogy Book #1
ISBN: 1250006317
ISBN13: 9781250006318
Genre: Young Adult
Review Copy Source: Librarything Early reviewers
When Wendy Everly was six-years-old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. It isn't until eleven years later that Wendy discovers her mother might have been right. With the help of Finn Holmes, Wendy finds herself in a world she never knew existed - a world both beautiful and frightening, and Wendy's not sure she wants to be a part of it.
I won a copy of of SWITCHED from Librarything's Early reviewers program. The cover was definitely the first hing that stuck out to me and the blurb left me interested in finding out more about Wendy and her life. Wendy has always wondered why her mother tried to kill her and when she discovers the truth about herself she isn't sure why she ever wanted to know the truth.
I liked Wendy but didn't think she was fantastic. She was super independent and strong willed for most of the book and then would fall back into a role of being a meek needy pushover. Finn of course ran hot and cold because of his duty and his feelings for Wendy. At times I wanted to smack him upside the head and tell him to hold her already but of course that would never happen in their situation. He was pretty consistent in wanting what was best for Wendy and his people though. I knew who Rhys was from the moment he was introduced. I'm excited to see how Wendy's family reacts to him and to see if they find out the the truth about him in book 2.
I enjoyed the story's ideas and creativity but there were many times that I found myself bored with the events, especially in times where the plot slowed and stalled a bit. I enjoyed the characters and their development. If anything will push me to read book 2 it will defiantly be because the characters drew me in and it was easy to care about them and I want to know what happens to them. The world building was nice, but I wish that the Trylle community was more mystical then it was. I will probably read some reviews before I read book 2 but I do want to know what happens next to some of the characters so I will probably pick up a copy from the library.
I gave it 3/5 stars
New Releases Jan 15-21
Tues Jan 17
Fracture by Megan Miranda
Halflings by Heather Burch
Hallowed (Unearthly, #2) by Cynthia Hand
Stolen Away by Alyxandra Harvey
Tempest (Tempest #1) by Julie Cross
Happy Reading =)
Monday, January 16, 2012
Guest Blog: Untraceable by S.R. Johannes
UFI welcomes S.R. Johannes Author of Untraceable. Thanks for Joining us!!
Teenage Garage Sale
Okay I have not thought about this in years. First of all, I’m old so I’m totally giving up my age here. (boo hiss) Here are some things from my childhood including my teen years that stick out to me.
1. The first thing would be my huge Barbie Collection. How boring is that? Didn’t every girl have a set? I had Sunset Malibu Barbie, PJ, Skipper and – of course -Ken. Along with Barbie’s Pink camper and Ken’s blue corvette. I also had the Barbie and PJ Sleep case complete with pajamas.
Okay I have not thought about this in years. First of all, I’m old so I’m totally giving up my age here. (boo hiss) Here are some things from my childhood including my teen years that stick out to me.
1. The first thing would be my huge Barbie Collection. How boring is that? Didn’t every girl have a set? I had Sunset Malibu Barbie, PJ, Skipper and – of course -Ken. Along with Barbie’s Pink camper and Ken’s blue corvette. I also had the Barbie and PJ Sleep case complete with pajamas.
2. My Girl Scout Uniform and sash with tons of badges. I was a huge Girl Scout. Started in Brownies and was in it until middle school. Then it wasn’t cool anymore but I still have my sash and horrid green uniform with the tassels on the socks. I loved everything outdoors and hated anything Home Ec related.
3. My Princess Leia collection. My brother was a huge Star Wars fan. So of course I leaned toward Princess Leia. And yes I used to wear my hair in braided buns on my ears. I still get that warm feeling when I eat CinnaBons.
4. My bright yellow Banana Boat bike. Complete with handle tassels and wicker basket. Man, I loved that bike. That bike was to me what The General Lee was to the Dukes of Hazard.
5. My Cabbage Patch doll. Only my parents would not buy me the real one so my mom had one made. I was upset at the time but still have it. I still get sad feelings when I walk down the cabbage patch aisle at Target. There are some wounds that will never heal.
6. The cassette tapes my boyfriends made me. Yes we did not have CDs then (sigh told you I was old ) my boyfriends used to make them for me. They would include Aha, Bon Jovi, Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, and Journey.
7. My hair spray and mousse. I had big hair and loved it. - Unfortunately I bought into this even though my hair was (and still is) naturally curly. If I had my yesteryear hair today, I'm pretty sure I'd be stopped by Homeland Security for harboring a possible weapon
8. My jelly bracelets and swatch watches - O-Rings (Jelly Bracelets) - the pretty colored neon plastic bracelets. I say, the more the better. Imagine one arm filled with Jelly bracelets and the other covered in Swatch Watches (so why was I always late for school)
9. My Atari complete with Pac Man and Super Mario Brothers box set. Okay fine, cassette set but you get the point. Don’t know what it is? Think of the Xbox’s great, great grandmother. Not to brag or anything, but I flipped Pac Man like a zillion times.
10. My high school varsity cheerleading outfits. Go Raiders! Yes I was a spirit leader with tons of cheer. Only I was always on the bottom of a pyramid. Which gave me a “stocky” complex after awhile. But now, I can do a mean herky. It was the only way to get off the bottom and into the spotlight.
11. My beloved car. A red Toyota Celica. Hatchback. I ran that car into the ground. My dad actually sold his Z to get it for me When I finally got a real job out of college, it had almost 200,000 miles, no radio, no air, and I had to pour in a quart of oil every morning.
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Untraceable
The Nature of Grace #1
Now Available
16-year-old Grace has lived in the Smokies all her life, patrolling with her forest ranger father who taught her about wildlife, tracking, and wilderness survival.
When her dad goes missing on a routine patrol, Grace refuses to believe he’s dead and fights the town authorities, tribal officials, and nature to find him.
One day, while out tracking clues, Grace is rescued from danger by Mo, a hot guy with an intoxicating accent and a secret. As her feelings between him and her ex-boyfriend get muddled, Grace travels deep into the wilderness to escape and find her father.
Along the way, Grace learns terrible secrets that sever relationships and lives. Soon she’s enmeshed in a web of conspiracy, deception, and murder. And it’s going to take a lot more than a compass and a motorcycle (named Lucifer) for this kick-butting heroine to save everything she loves.
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Sunday, January 15, 2012
Week in Review 1/8-1/14
Books Ive Bought/received
* Alpha Instinct by Katie Reus- Publisher
* Deliverance by Dakota Banks- E-Arc- Publisher
* Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood- ARC- Publisher
Books I read
To Walk the Night by E.S. Moore
Alpha Instinct by Katie Reus
Blood and Bullets by James Tuck
Partials by Dan Wells
Banshee Charmer by Tiffany Allee
Reviews posted
Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey
Shadow Heir by Richelle Mead
Under the Moon by Natalie J. Damschroder
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Alpha Instinct by Katie Reus
Blood and Bullets by James Tuck
Partials by Dan Wells
Banshee Charmer by Tiffany Allee
Reviews posted
Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey
Shadow Heir by Richelle Mead
Under the Moon by Natalie J. Damschroder
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* New Releases for the week. Was there anything you were looking forward to reading?
* A Special Follower giveaway went up on Monday.
* Thursday a promotional post for Bound by Kira Saito was posted.
* Friday I posted a trailer for Tempest by Julie Cross
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* A Special Follower giveaway went up on Monday.
* Thursday a promotional post for Bound by Kira Saito was posted.
* Friday I posted a trailer for Tempest by Julie Cross
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*If you see something on my books Ive read list that you are dying to know about let me know I'm back logged on reviews and can move it up on the list if I know people are wanting one.
* I love comments so if you see something you like (or not) please comment away and let me know.
* I love comments so if you see something you like (or not) please comment away and let me know.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Trailer: Tempest by Julie Cross
**January 17,2012**
Tempest
Author:Julie Cross
Publisher: St. Martins Griffin
Tempest Book #1
ISBN: 0312568894
ISBN13: 9780312568894
Genre: Young Adult
Author:Julie Cross
Publisher: St. Martins Griffin
Tempest Book #1
ISBN: 0312568894
ISBN13: 9780312568894
Genre: Young Adult
The year is 2009. Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun.
That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future.
Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.
But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler. Recruit… or kill him.
Piecing together the clues about his father, the Enemies of Time, and himself, Jackson must decide how far he’s willing to go to save Holly… and possibly the entire world.
Helpful Links:
Friday, January 13, 2012
Promotional Post: Bound by Kira Saito
The Arelia LaRue Series
First I just want to say thank you to everyone who bought a copy of Bound, I truly appreciate it, even if you ended up hating the book.
Second, I want to let readers who actually liked Bound where the series is going and why I chose to write it the way I have.
I didn't choose the concept of voodoo because I thought, hey it's never been done before, I chose it because I am fascinated by it and really find it so rich and complex, I think it deserves to be explored a bit more especially in books. However, I didn't want it to become a boring history lesson or anything so I decided to make the series a bit humorous, threw in the Dumptys and gave the spirits their own personalities. But, I did spend a lot of time researching the spirits, yes, in voodoo Erzulie, Bade and Brise all do exist, in the book they stay true to their real functions with a bit more personality.
I made the book light but still wanted to touch on real themes that are historically important to New Orleans like slavery , racial/class differences/amazing food!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When I wrote Bound, I wanted the book to be about Arelia, the Arelia show. I wanted it to be about her struggle to accept her destiny and all the confusion that it brings.
I didn't want her to just walk into Darkwood and say "Cool I'm a voodoo queen! Yay Lucus is so hot, I'm in love with him." Instead, I tried to put myself in her shoes and tried to see what I would have done at 16. Basically, I would have been emotional, irrational and very confused. If someone told me I was destined to be a great voodoo queen today, I would still be irrational, confused and emotional.
The relationship Sabrina and Arelia have is realistic in my opinion because it's the one I have with my best friend. she's not rich or anything, but we fight and argue and bicker, but in the end we still love one another. I don't think I would be best friends with her if it were a fairy tale type relationship.
**WARNING SPOILER ALERT**
**Do not read if you do not want to know spoilers **
So in the first book we find out that Lucus is well, you know....cursed.
In Punished the focus will be more on Arelia's powers and the spirits, a lot more about Lucus, Ivan and Louis Beau and their complex history as well as more focus on Arelia/Lucus.
Finally I don't want readers to think I am insulting their intelligence because I chose to make the series a bit light rather than dark and dreary
First I just want to say thank you to everyone who bought a copy of Bound, I truly appreciate it, even if you ended up hating the book.
Second, I want to let readers who actually liked Bound where the series is going and why I chose to write it the way I have.
I didn't choose the concept of voodoo because I thought, hey it's never been done before, I chose it because I am fascinated by it and really find it so rich and complex, I think it deserves to be explored a bit more especially in books. However, I didn't want it to become a boring history lesson or anything so I decided to make the series a bit humorous, threw in the Dumptys and gave the spirits their own personalities. But, I did spend a lot of time researching the spirits, yes, in voodoo Erzulie, Bade and Brise all do exist, in the book they stay true to their real functions with a bit more personality.
I made the book light but still wanted to touch on real themes that are historically important to New Orleans like slavery , racial/class differences/amazing food!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When I wrote Bound, I wanted the book to be about Arelia, the Arelia show. I wanted it to be about her struggle to accept her destiny and all the confusion that it brings.
I didn't want her to just walk into Darkwood and say "Cool I'm a voodoo queen! Yay Lucus is so hot, I'm in love with him." Instead, I tried to put myself in her shoes and tried to see what I would have done at 16. Basically, I would have been emotional, irrational and very confused. If someone told me I was destined to be a great voodoo queen today, I would still be irrational, confused and emotional.
The relationship Sabrina and Arelia have is realistic in my opinion because it's the one I have with my best friend. she's not rich or anything, but we fight and argue and bicker, but in the end we still love one another. I don't think I would be best friends with her if it were a fairy tale type relationship.
**WARNING SPOILER ALERT**
**Do not read if you do not want to know spoilers **
So in the first book we find out that Lucus is well, you know....cursed.
In Punished the focus will be more on Arelia's powers and the spirits, a lot more about Lucus, Ivan and Louis Beau and their complex history as well as more focus on Arelia/Lucus.
Finally I don't want readers to think I am insulting their intelligence because I chose to make the series a bit light rather than dark and dreary
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Kira is a magic junkie and loves writing YA paranormal romances. Some of her heroes include: Jack the Pumpkin King, Willy Wonka, Larry David, Princess Jasmine, the vampire Lestat, Andy and her Maltese Costanza.
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Bound
Arelia LaRue #1
Now Available
Now Available
Sixteen year old Arelia LaRue lives in New Orleans where the music is loud, voodoo queens inhabit every street corner, and the ghosts are alive and well. Despite her surroundings, all she wants is to help her Grand-mere Bea pay the rent and save up for college.
When her best friend Sabrina convinces her to take a well-paying summer job at the infamous Darkwood plantation, owned by the wealthy LaPlante family, Arelia agrees.
However, at Darkwood strange things start to happen, and gorgeous Lucus LaPlante insists that he needs her help. Soon, the powers that Arelia has been denying all her life, come out to play and she discovers mysteries about herself that she could have never imagined.
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