Teaser Tuesday: I Heart You, You Haunt Me


"So if I got up the nerve to ask you out again, and promised to be good, would you even consider saying yes?"

[...]

"Not in a million sunsets, Nick."


p. 86, I Heart You, You Haunt Me by Lisa Schroeder 


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others.
  • Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Review: Stray by Rachel Vincent


There are only eight breeding female werecats left . . . And I'm one of them.

I look like an all-American grad student. But I am a werecat, a shape-shifter, and I live in two worlds. 

Despite reservations from my family and my Pride, I escaped the pressure to continue my species and carved out a normal life for myself. Until the night a Stray attacked.

I'd been warned about Strays -- werecats without a Pride, constantly on the lookout for someone like me: attractive, female, and fertile. I fought him off, but then learned two of my fellow tabbies had disappeared.


This brush with danger was all my Pride needed to summon me back . . . for my own protection. Yeah, right. But I'm no meek kitty. I'll take on whatever -- and whoever -- I have to in order to find my friends. Watch out, Strays -- 'cause I got claws, and I'm not afraid to use them . . .


TITLE: Stray (Shifters, #1)
AUTHOR: Rachel Vincent
FORMAT: Paperback, 618 pages
GENRE: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
SOURCE: Paperback Swap
AVAILABLE: Now 

My Thoughts
Faythe is a shifter, a werecat, a Panther. More importantly, she’s one of only eight tabbies left and this makes her very special and quite valuable.

Faythe is very much like one of the guys. She’s no meek kitty; she can definitely hold her own and do a little ass-kicking. She is stubborn, difficult and whiny at times. There were times I wanted to reach through the pages and slap the woman! She desperately wants her independence and will stop at nothing to get it. She doesn’t take shit from anybody.

Faythe wants to live a normal life without the pressures of settling down and having her own litter of tabbies. She’s been away at college for the past five years. Away from the Pride and from Marc, her father’s second in command. She’s been avoiding the pressure from her family, especially her father, for as long as she can. Unfortunately for Faythe, that time is up and her freedom didn’t last long enough. When tabbies start getting snatched, Marc is sent to bring Faythe home. The focal point of the plot is the disappearance of the tabbies. First, Sara is kidnapped. Then Abby. And eventually Faythe.

Marc is also Faythe’s ex-boyfriend, the one she was suppose to marry. He remains extremely protective of her. Then there’s Jace, a member of the Pride who has an infatuation with Faythe. Things get a little heated between Jace and Faythe. There’s one part where Jace and Faythe make an interesting wager on a race; if she wins, she gets the keys to his car (an escape and freedom) and if he wins, then he gets to show her that he’s more than just talk. You can read between the lines there and make up your mind on what that entails. Marc overhears this conversation and certainly isn’t having any of that nonsense going on. Marc is determined to get Faythe back and marry her. There is a bit of self-discovery going on for Faythe, especially in the love department. I can’t wait to see where things go from here.

I hadn’t heard of this series, or the author, until I starting reading blog posts about Vincent’s most recent release: Shift. The series seemed interesting enough and I really like the covers. I also like a strong, female heroine (don’t we all?). I was lucky enough to get a copy of Stray through Paperback Swap and thus began reading the Shifters series. I love that Stray just takes off right from the beginning; Vincent just dives right into the action. I wasn’t waiting for something to happen, it was happening! Here's how it starts off:

The moment the door opened I knew an ass-kicking was inevitable. Whether I’d be giving it or receiving it was still a bit of a mystery.

Stray is just a little over 600 pages. I didn’t feel it to be overwhelming at all. I wish the story (especially the love triangle) would keep going, which I presume it does in the next book Rogue. My only wish is that there was some more action….between the sheets.

Stray was fun to read and I was instantly drawn into the story. Vincent does one heck of job with the world building in Stray. I am definitely reading the rest of this series!



The Book Vixen's Rating


Where to find Rachel Vincent
Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | MySpace 


Buy the Book
Book Depo

On My Wishlist (19)


On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every  Saturday. It's where I list all the books I desperately want but haven't  actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming. It's also an  event that you can join in with too - Mr Linky is always at the ready  for you to link your own 'On My Wishlist' post. If you want to know more  click here.


Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Some secrets are life-altering...
Others are life-ENDING.






Kiss Me Deadly: 13 Tales of Paranormal Love
Full of dark seduction and modern romance, this short story collection presents a variety of talented voices sure to satisfy every werewolf, ghost, fallen angel, zombie, and shape-shifter’s dark desires. 


Sinner Takes All by Tera Patrick
How does a girl go from being a shy, awkward bookworm to the biggest porn star in the world? In Sinner Takes All, Tera Patrick reveals all, including: her career as an international model; losing her virginity at fourteen to a thirtysomething photographer; learning oral sex techniques backstage at a Guns N' Roses concert; having an orgy with a team of firefighters; her unglamorous job in a nursing home; her first forays into the adult movie business; and how, with her husband's help, she launched her own multimillion-dollar empire.

Along the way, she dishes on the emotional side of being Tera Patrick, writing candidly about her battles with depression and anxiety. She also discusses finding true love and building a healthy marriage, achievements that many consider to be impossible in the world of porn. Featuring hundreds of photos, plus diary pages and scintillating sidebars, Sinner Takes All takes the tell-all to raunchy new heights. 


Beastly by Alex Flinn
I am a beast.
A beast. Not quite wolf or bear, gorilla or dog but a horrible new creature who walks upright—a creature with fangs and claws and hair springing from every pore. I am a monster.
You think I'm talking fairy tales? No way. The place is New York City. The time is now. It's no deformity, no disease. And I'll stay this way forever—ruined—unless I can break the spell.
Yes, the spell, the one the witch in my English class cast on me. Why did she turn me into a beast who hides by day and prowls by night? I'll tell you. I'll tell you how I used to be Kyle Kingsbury, the guy you wished you were, with money, perfect looks, and the perfect life. And then, I'll tell you how I became perfectly . . . beastly. 


Paranormalcy by Kiersten White
Sixteen-year-old Evie's job is bagging and tagging paranormals. Possessing the strange ability to see through their glamours, she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency. But when someone--or something--starts taking out the vamps, werewolves, and other odd beasties she's worked hard to help become productive members of society, she's got to figure it out before they all disappear and the world becomes utterly normal.

Normal is so overrated.



What's on your wishlist?

Teaser Tuesday: The Dark Divine

"Grace! You have got to see the new guy."


p. 3, The Dark Divine by Bree Despain









Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others.
  • Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

DNF: Beautiful Americans by Lucy Silag


Pretty Little Liars meets My So-Called Life in this story of four American teens in Paris and the scandals that haunt each of them.

There's rich New York girl Alex; Cali-born dancer Olivia; closeted Memphis boy Zack; and finally PJ, an elusive beauty from Vermont who's hiding a dark past.

Studying abroad for their junior year of high school, they run wild in the Tuileries, hold clandestine parties in their host families' luxe apartments, take over tiny crowded cafes and generally live the glamorous life. But in the end they all must face the lies they've told and secrets they've kept when the unthinkable happens.


This is not a review per se since I did not finish reading the book. I was at the library perusing the Teen section (Hi, my name is Book Vixen. I'm 30-years old and I'm addicted to YA.) and spotted this beauty: Beautiful Americans by Lucy Silag. The cover is stunning, eye-catching, provocative. The dim lighting on the cover, the Eiffel Tower in the background, the peek-a-boo glance, the smooching. I liked the cover so much, I grabbed the book off the shelf and took it home with me. 

I liked that the book has alternating point-of-views. But I got as far as page 86 and nothing was happening. Nothing. Unfortunately, this book didn't grab my attention and I gave up. 


Have you read Beautiful Americans? Link your review in the comments.

Giveaway [CLOSED]: Shadows of Myth and Legend

Thanks to E.J. Stevens, I have a signed copy of Shadows of Myth and Legend and a swag pack to giveaway! E.J. Stevens is also the author of From the Shadows. Be sure to check out her blog for more information on her books!


ABOUT THE BOOK

Shadows of Myth and Legend by E.J. Stevens

Paranormal poetry anthology by dark poet E.J. Stevens.

A collection of dark faerie tales inspired by folklore, myth and legend told in the haunting lyrical style of dark poet E.J. Stevens. Filled with poems about vampires, werewolves, and other paranormal creatures of the night.

Take a journey into the pages of Shadows of Myth and Legend and discover what creatures lurk within the shadows.


GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.

There will be 2 winners:

*1st Place winner* will receive a signed copy of Shadows of Myth and Legend!

*2nd Place winner* will receive a swag pack with bookmarks, a Shadows of Myth and Legend magnet, autograph sheet and a signed bookplate!

Giveaway ends April 10th, 2010. Giveaway open to U.S.A. residents only.Winners will be randomly selected, emailed shortly after. Winners will have 72 hours to contact me or a new winner will be selected. Once I have the mailing addresses for the 2 winners, I will forward that information onto E.J. Stevens. Book and swag will be mailed directly from the author. The Book Vixen is not responsible for lost or damaged books/items. Good luck to all who enter!

Discussion: eReaders

Did you hear that? That was my eBook cherry. I finally did it. I read my very first eBook!

I had finished reading The Secret Year and I didn't have any other books with me. I was waiting for The Hubby to get off work and had nothing else to read. *GASP* I know. So I went through my iTouch, looked through my Kindle App and decided to try out Kiss of Midnight by Lara Adrian (it was a free Kindle download some time ago). I got really into the book and before I knew it, I had forgotten that I was reading an eBook. Amazing, really.

I really like the convenience of reading practically anywhere. My iTouch is very convenient and I take it with me everywhere. I have many eBooks on my B&N App, Stanza App and Kindle App but I never really had the urge to read an eBook. Now that I have given it a shot, I like it.

I never thought I'd say this, but I really want an eReader now. I've been chit-chatting with Fiction Vixen and she just makes me want one even more! I want the real deal; not just my small iTouch but a normal sized reader with the e-ink. I have my eyes on the Kindle 2 and I might check out the Nook. I'm going to ask for one for my birthday. Wishful thinking.

 

Do you have an eReader? If so, which one? Pros? Cons? Do you still buy actual books? If you don't have one, are you thinking about getting one? I'd like to hear your thoughts...Let's discuss!

On My Wishlist (18)


On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every  Saturday. It's where I list all the books I desperately want but haven't  actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming. It's also an  event that you can join in with too - Mr Linky is always at the ready  for you to link your own 'On My Wishlist' post. If you want to know more  click here.

Gimme a Call by Sarah Mlynowski
A new life is just a phone call away!

Devi's life isn't turning out at all like she wanted. She wasted the past three years going out with Bryan—cute, adorable, break-your-heart Bryan. Devi let her friendships fade, blew off studying, didn't join any clubs . . . and now that Bryan has broken up with her, she has nothing left.

Not even her stupid cell phone—she dropped it in the mall fountain. Now it only calls one number . . . hers. At age fourteen, three years ago!

Once Devi gets over the shock—and convinces her younger self that she isn't some wacko—she realizes that she's been given an awesome gift. She can tell herself all the right things to do . . . because she's already done all the wrong ones! Who better to take advice from than your future self?

Except . . .what if getting what you think you want changes everything?

Fans of Sarah Mlynowski's Magic in Manhattan series will love this hilarious new novel with a high-concept premise .
A new life is just a phone call away!

Devi's life isn't turning out at all like she wanted. She wasted the past three years going out with Bryan—cute, adorable, break-your-heart Bryan. Devi let her friendships fade, blew off studying, didn't join any clubs . . . and now that Bryan has broken up with her, she has nothing left.

Not even her stupid cell phone—she dropped it in the mall fountain. Now it only calls one number . . . hers. At age fourteen, three years ago!

Once Devi gets over the shock—and convinces her younger self that she isn't some wacko—she realizes that she's been given an awesome gift. She can tell herself all the right things to do . . . because she's already done all the wrong ones! Who better to take advice from than your future self?

Except . . .what if getting what you think you want changes everything?
 Methinks this is an interesting premise!



The Darkest Hunger by Juliana Stone
Jaxon Castille: jaguar shifter, warrior, assassin. He has long hungered for the chance to make his former lover, Libby Jamieson, pay for her deadly betrayal. After three long years he’s finally found her. The hunt is over…

But the Libby that he finds is not what he expected. She has no memory of their tumultuous affair; of her treachery; of anything beyond her own name. A shadowy and deadly clan has marked them both for death, and in an instant the game changes: the hunter has become the hunted.

On the run, with the ghosts of their past between them and a dark, desperate hunger quickly reclaiming their bodies and souls, Libby and Jaxon must discover the truth behind the dark forces working against them. Together, they must grab hold of a destiny that has the power to either heal them or destroy them.


But the truth is far more shattering than anyone could imagine…  

Methinks this is going to be one hot read!




Anxious Hearts by Tucker Shaw
“Evangeline,” he repeated, calling at a whisper. “Evangeline.” He was not calling that she may hear, he was calling that somehow her soul might know that he was devoted entirely to her, only to her. “Evangeline, I will find you.”

Eva and Gabe explore the golden forest of their seaside Maine town, unknowingly tracing the footsteps of two teens, Evangeline and Gabriel, who once lived in the idyllic wooded village of Acadia more than one hundred years ago. On the day that Evangeline and Gabriel were be wed, their village was attacked and the two were separated. And now in the present, Gabe has mysteriously disappeared from Eva.

A dreamlike, loose retelling of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s famous love poem “Evangeline,” Anxious Hearts tells an epic tale of unrequited love and the hope that true love can be reunited. 

 Methinks this is going to be one good love story!



Seth Baumgartner's Love Manifesto by Eric Luper
Seth Baumgartner just had the worst day of his life: His girlfriend dumped him (at Applebee’s), he spied his father on a date with a woman who is not his mother (also at Applebee’s!), and he lost his fourth job of the year. It’s like every relationship he cares about is imploding, and he can’t figure out what’s going on.

To find answers, Seth decides to start an anonymous podcast called The Love Manifesto, exploring “what love is, why love is, and why we’re stupid enough to keep going back for more.” Things start looking up when Seth gets a job at a golf club with his hilarious and smut-minded best friend, Dimitri, and Dimitri’s sister, Audrey. With their help, Seth tracks down his father’s mystery date, hits the most infamous bogey in the history of golf, and discovers that sometimes love means eating the worst chicken-salad sandwich you can ever imagine.

Methinks this is going to be interesting.




Exit Strategy by Ryan Potter
Who are you supposed to look up to when it seems like every adult you know is more screwed up than yourself?

Looming above Zach Ramsey's hometown are the smokestacks of the truck assembly plant, the greasy lifeblood of this Detroit suburb. Surrounded by drunks, broken marriages, and factory rats living in fear of the pink slip, Zach is getting out of Blaine after graduation. But first, he's going to enjoy the summer before his senior year.

And Zach's having a blast until he uncovers dark secrets that shake his faith in everyone, including his best friend Tank (a state wrestling champion), whose 'roid rages betray a shocking habit. Falling in love with Tank's twin sister Sarah, an Ivy League-bound scholar, doesn't exactly make Zach's life any easier.

Eventually, with enough evidence to nail the town's steroid kingpin, Zach is faced with the toughest decision of his life—one that will prove just what kind of adult he's destined to be. 

 Methinks this one will be interesting.



What's on your wishlist?

Poll Results and a DNF

Thank you to all who voted and helped me pick the next book from my library stash to read! Here are the results:

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld - 31% (17 votes)
Candor by Pam Bachorz - 29% (16 votes)
Pretty Dead by Francesca Lia Block - 20% (11 votes)
Wounded by Stephen Cole - 16% (9 votes)
24 Girls in 7 Days by Alex Bradley - 4% (2 votes)


I started reading Leviathan but honestly, it's not a book for me. At least, not at this point in time. The cover is beautiful! The illustrations inside the book are amazing. I tried to read outside of my comfort zone but I'm just not into it. So unfortunately, I have given up reading this book. By no means does that mean that Leviathan is not a good book. Not at all. Every review I've seen for this book has been stellar. I really wanted to enjoy reading it but I can't fool myself into reading a genre that I'm not into at the moment. Maybe one day I will be in the mood for Leviathan. Until then, it's going back to the library for someone else to enjoy.

C'est la vie.

Have you read a book that was outside of your comfort zone? Did you enjoy it?

Review: Arson by Estevan Vega

TITLE: Arson
AUTHOR: Estevan Vega
FORMAT: Paperback, 318 pages
GENRE: Thriller (?)
SOURCE: Received book from the author
AVAILABLE: May 4, 2010


Description from the author:

Arson Gable feels like a freak. He can create fire. He never asked for it. He never wanted it. But he can’t shut it off. Before now, three things were true: he both loved and despised his grandmother; his life was going nowhere; and he was alone. But when a strange girl—who feels more normal behind a mask than inside her own skin—moves in next door, Arson hopes to find something he’s never had: purpose. Using what he fears most about himself, Arson must face his consuming past and confront the nightmare that is his present as he walks the fine line between boy and monster. Dark, moody, and breathtakingly relevant, Arson, the chilling chronicle of an isolated boy with unimaginable ability, is sure to ignite the hearts and minds of a new generation.


My Thoughts:
Arson is an unique 17-year old who can create fire with his mind. He lives with his bipolar grandmother, whom he has a love-hate relationship with, and works at an ice-cream shop. He's haunted by his dreams and doesn't have much control over his supernatural power, though he's working on it. He feels so alone but all that changes when Emery moves into the house next door. Emery has problems of her own; her parents are fighting, they keep moving, never to stay in the same place for long, and she always wears a mask. 

Each being a loner, Arson and Emery don't immediately hit it off but slowly learn to let each other in. Both are very candid with each other. I love Emery's up front honestly and wittiness; her remarks made me laugh.

"It's a mask." [...] "What, you've never seen a mask before?"
"I have, but not one like this. It's freaky. You know, for a girl. You friends with Michael Myers?"

Both the blurb and the cover for Arson caught my immediate attention. The story is unique and compelling. Arson is told from a 3rd person narrative but Vega's direction and character shift is easy to follow. The beginning was a little rough around the edges for me. I didn't feel a connection with the story at first. I found it difficult to stay focused and in tune with Arson (I had to start over from the beginning and read it again). But things quickly picked up on page 21, when Arson is at work and Mandy walks in, and well made-up for the rough start.

The ending to have had a bit of a comic book feel to it. I can't wait for the sequel to where Vega takes the story next. Arson has a killer cliffhanger ending. I kept turning the last page, over and over again, thinking there has to be more of the story left in this book somewhere...? But no, that was it. Lucky for Vega, he is currently working on the sequel. I may hound him from time to time until he gets it done....I am anxiously awaiting the sequel *hint hint*. I'm definitely getting my hands on that sucker as soon as it comes out!

Vega's writing is raw, gritty and dark yet there is a soft side hidden between the text. There were even some times when I laughed out loud. He certainly has a craft for depicting a world like no other. His writing proves that he is wise beyond his years. This is Vega’s third novel and he’s only 21! He’s definitely an author to watch out for! 


The Book Vixen's Rating



Where to find Estevan Vega
Website | Twitter | Facebook

You Decide: Which Book Should I Read Next?

I got quite a stash from my library recently. Yeah, I went a little overboard. I didn't know they had an amazing YA section. I am currently reading Beautiful Americans. And YOU, my readers, will decided which book I will read next. Isn't this fun? Here's the selection:


Wounded by Stephen Cole
Kate Folan comes from a family of werewolves. She'll only become fully 'wolf herself when she mates with a male werewolf. But she vows that will never happen. The last thing she wants is to give in to her evil heritage.
Then she meets Tom Anderson. Tom is a wereling-a werewolf who retains his humanity even in his wolf form. He was "turned" by Kate's mother, who chose wisely.
Tom and Kate can't help falling for each other. But if they give in to their feelings, Kate will become the thing she hates most. Unless they can find a cure. . . . 

Pretty Dead by Francesca Lia Block

The object of envy and desire, Charlotte Emerson seems to have the perfect life...but she’s been dead for almost a century. When a new romance converges with the return of her first love, Charlotte becomes the subject of a dark bargain that might give her the only thing she’s ever coveted—the chance to be human again.

Critically acclaimed writer Francesca Lia Block gives the undead a second chance at life in Pretty Dead. This provocative, riveting, and wonderfully accessible new novel will reach a new generation of readers who have yet to discover Francesca Lia Block. 


24 Girls in 7 Days by Alex Bradley
Jack Grammar, average American senior, has no date to the prom. Or so he thinks. Percy and Natalie, Jack's so-called best friends, posted an ad in the classified section of the online version of the school newspaper. They figured it couldn't hurt-after all, there's not much in this world sadder than Jack's love life. Soon Percy and Natalie have assembled a list of girls eager to go to the prom with Jack, including one mysterious girl known only as FancyPants. He has just seven days to meet and date them before he will ask one special girl to the prom.
Newcomer Alex Bradley shares a fresh and funny boy perspective in a genre dominated by girls. With snappy dialogue and hip, smart writing, this is a hilarious take on the trauma and pageantry that is prom.  


Candor by Pam Bachorz
Oscar Banks has everything under control. In a town where his father brainwashes everyone, he's found a way to secretly fight the subliminal Messages. He's got them all fooled: Oscar's the top student and the best-behaved teen in town. Nobody knows he's made his own Messages to deprogram his brain. Oscar has even found a way to get rich. For a hefty price, he helps new kids escape Candor, Florida before they're transformed into cookie-cutter teens. But then Nia Silva moves to Candor, and Oscar's carefully-controlled world crumbles. 

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

Prince Aleksander, would-be heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, is on the run. His own people have turned on him. His title is worthless. All he has is a battletorn war machine and a loyal crew of men.

Deryn Sharp is a commoner, disguised as a boy in the British Air Service. She's a brilliant airman. But her secret is in constant danger of being discovered.

With World War I brewing, Alek and Deryn's paths cross in the most unexpected way…taking them on a fantastical, around-the-world adventure that will change both their lives forever. 


So, which book should I read next? 



Giveaway: Supernatural: Heart of the Dragon [CLOSED]


Thanks to Tom Green at Titan Books, I have 3 copies of Supernatural: Heart of the Dragon by Keith R.A. DeCandido to give away! 

I love that cover! Very eye-catching (read: eye candy).


Description from Titan Books:

A Supernatural novel that reveals a previously unseen adventure for the Winchester brothers, from the hit ITV series! Twenty-three years ago, Sam and Dean Winchester lost their mother to a demonic supernatural force. Following the tragedy, their father taught the boys everything about the paranormal evil that lives in the dark corners of America… and how to kill it. Bobby Singer alerts Sam and Dean to a series of particularly brutal killings in San Francisco's Japantown. It's been 270 new moons since the last time, and it looks like the Heart of the Dragon is back… 


***Giveaway has ended*** 


You can earn *one extra entry* if you tweet about this giveaway. (Psst! You can easily tweet about this giveaway by clicking on the SHARE button on the bottom of this post.) 

Edit to Add: Contest open to U.S.A. and Canada Residents.

Giveaway ends March 31, 2010. Winners will be randomly selected, emailed and announced here on the blog shortly after. Winners will have 72 hours to contact me or a new winner will be selected. Once I have the mailing addresses for all 3 winners, I will forward that information onto Titan Books. Book will be mailed directly from Titan Books. The Book Vixen is not responsible for lost or damaged books. Good luck to all who enter!

On My Wishlist (17)


 

On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every  Saturday. It's where I list all the books I desperately want but haven't  actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming. It's also an  event that you can join in with too - Mr Linky is always at the ready  for you to link your own 'On My Wishlist' post. If you want to know more  click here.

 
Bitten by Kelley Armstrong

  


  
The Unidentified Redhead by Alice Clayton 


  
 A Match Made in High School by Kristin Walker


  
The Comeback Season by Jennifer E. Smith


What's on your wishlist?

Author Interview: Jay Asher

When I finished Thirteen Reasons Why I was so effected by Mr. Asher's writing style, I googled him to see what other books I could read by him. Imagine my surprise when I found out that Thirteen Reasons Why was his debut and only novel to date. So I contacted him to find out what he's been up to since the release of Thirteen Reasons Why and to see what we can expect from him next. Mr. Asher was kind enough to grant me an interview. You can read my review of Thirteen Reasons Why here.

Movie Trailer: Eclipse

Here is the FULL Eclipse movie trailer. I know it's plastered all over the internets but I just cannot contain myself! I cannot wait for Eclipse to come out!! Mark your calendars: June 30, 2010. I am so there!

 

Book Review: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay AsherTitle: Thirteen Reasons Why
Author: Jay Asher
Genre: Young Adult
Source: bought
Published: October 18, 2007 by Razorbill

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers thirteen cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker, his classmate and crush who committed suicide two weeks earlier.

On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list.

Through Hannah and Clay's dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.

Book Review: Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles

Leaving Paradise by Simone ElkelesTitle: Leaving Paradise
Series: Leaving Paradise, Book 1
Author: Simone Elkeles
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Young Adult
Source: borrowed from a friend
Published: April 8, 2007 by Flux

Nothing has been the same since Caleb Becker left a party drunk, got behind the wheel, and hit Maggie Armstrong. Even after months of painful physical therapy, Maggie walks with a limp. Her social life is nil and a scholarship to study abroad—her chance to escape everyone and their pitying stares—has been canceled.

After a year in juvenile jail, Caleb’s free . . . if freedom means endless nagging from a transition coach and the prying eyes of the entire town. Coming home should feel good, but his family and ex-girlfriend seem like strangers.

Caleb and Maggie are outsiders, pigeon-holed as "criminal" and "freak." Then the truth emerges about what really happened the night of the accident and, once again, everything changes. It’s a bleak and tortuous journey for Caleb and Maggie, yet they end up finding comfort and strength from a surprising source: each other.

On My Wishlist (16)


On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every  Saturday. It's where I list all the books I desperately want but haven't  actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming. It's also an  event that you can join in with too - Mr Linky is always at the ready  for you to link your own 'On My Wishlist' post. If you want to know more  click here.

 
Addicted by Charlotte Featherstone


  
Endless Summer by Jennifer Echols


  
Albatross by Josie Bloss


  
Going too Far by Jennifer Echols


  



What's on your wishlist?

Book Review: Jonas by Eden Maguire

Beautiful DeadTitle: Jonas (Amazon)
Series:
Beautiful Dead, #1
Author: Eden Maguire
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Young Adult
Source: Around the World ARC Tours
Published: March 2010 by Sourcebooks Fire

Something strange is happening in Ellerton High. Phoenix is the fourth teenager to die within a year. His street fight stabbing follows the deaths of Jonas, Summer and Arizona in equally strange and sudden circumstances.

Rumours of ghosts and strange happenings rip through the small community as it comes to terms with shock and loss. Darina,Phoenix's grief-stricken girlfriend, is on the verge. She can't escape her intense heartache, or the impossible apparitions of those that are meant to be dead. And all the while the sound of beating wings echo inside her head! And then one day Phoenix appears to Darina.

Ecstatic to be reunited, he tells her about the Beautiful Dead. Souls in limbo, they have been chosen to return to the world to set right a wrong linked to their deaths and bring about justice. Beautiful, superhuman and powerful, they are marked by a 'death mark' - a small tattoo of angel's wings. Phoenix tells her that the sound of invisible wings beating are the millions of souls in limbo, desperate to return to earth.Darina's mission is clear: she must help Jonas, Summer, Arizona, and impossibly, her beloved Phoenix, right the wrong linked to their deaths to set them free from limbo so that they can finally rest in peace. Will love conquer death? And if it does, can Darina set it free?


Book Release: Broken by Shiloh Walker


TITLE: Broken
AUTHOR: Shiloh Walker
GENRE: Romantic Suspense
WHERE TO PURCHASE:



 
REVIEWS:




Places to find Shiloh Walker: 
Website | Blog | Twitter | Myspace

Book Spotlight: Thaw by Fiona Robyn



TITLE: Thaw 
AUTHOR: Fiona Robyn 
AVAILABLE: Now

Description from the author:

Ruth is thirty two years old and doesn't know if she wants to be thirty three. Her meticulously-ordered lonely life as a microbiologist is starved of pleasure and devoid of meaning. She decides to give herself three months to decide whether or not to end her life, and we read her daily diary as she struggles to make sense of her past and grapples with the pain of the present. "Thaw" explores what makes any of our lives worth living. Can Red, the eccentric Russian artist Ruth commissions to paint her portrait, find a way to warm her frozen heart?

Ruth's diary is the new novel by Fiona Robyn, called Thaw. She has decided to blog the novel in its entirety over the next few months, so you can read it for free.

Ruth's first entry is below, and you can continue reading tomorrow here.

*

These hands are ninety-three years old. They belong to Charlotte Marie Bradley Miller. She was so frail that her grand-daughter had to carry her onto the set to take this photo. It’s a close-up. Her emaciated arms emerge from the top corners of the photo and the background is black, maybe velvet, as if we’re being protected from seeing the strings. One wrist rests on the other, and her fingers hang loose, close together, a pair of folded wings. And you can see her insides.

The bones of her knuckles bulge out of the skin, which sags like plastic that has melted in the sun and is dripping off her, wrinkling and folding. Her veins look as though they’re stuck to the outside of her hands. They’re a colour that’s difficult to describe: blue, but also silver, green; her blood runs through them, close to the surface. The book says she died shortly after they took this picture. Did she even get to see it? Maybe it was the last beautiful thing she left in the world.

I’m trying to decide whether or not I want to carry on living. I’m giving myself three months of this journal to decide. You might think that sounds melodramatic, but I don’t think I’m alone in wondering whether it’s all worth it. I’ve seen the look in people’s eyes. Stiff suits travelling to work, morning after morning, on the cramped and humid tube. Tarted-up girls and gangs of boys reeking of aftershave, reeling on the pavements on a Friday night, trying to mop up the dreariness of their week with one desperate, fake-happy night. I’ve heard the weary grief in my dad’s voice.

So where do I start with all this? What do you want to know about me? I’m Ruth White, thirty-two years old, going on a hundred. I live alone with no boyfriend and no cat in a tiny flat in central London. In fact, I had a non-relationship with a man at work, Dan, for seven years. I’m sitting in my bedroom-cum-living room right now, looking up every so often at the thin rain slanting across a flat grey sky. I work in a city hospital lab as a microbiologist. My dad is an accountant and lives with his sensible second wife Julie, in a sensible second home. Mother finished dying when I was fourteen, three years after her first diagnosis. What else? What else is there?

Charlotte Marie Bradley Miller. I looked at her hands for twelve minutes. It was odd describing what I was seeing in words. Usually the picture just sits inside my head and I swish it around like tasting wine. I have huge books all over my flat — books you have to take in both hands to lift. I’ve had the photo habit for years. Mother bought me my first book, black and white landscapes by Ansel Adams. When she got really ill, I used to take it to bed with me and look at it for hours, concentrating on the huge trees, the still water, the never-ending skies. I suppose it helped me think about something other than what was happening. I learned to focus on one photo at a time rather than flicking from scene to scene in search of something to hold me. If I concentrate, then everything stands still. Although I use them to escape the world, I also think they bring me closer to it. I’ve still got that book. When I take it out, I handle the pages as though they might flake into dust.

Mother used to write a journal. When I was small, I sat by her bed in the early mornings on a hard chair and looked at her face as her pen spat out sentences in short bursts. I imagined what she might have been writing about — princesses dressed in star-patterned silk, talking horses, adventures with pirates. More likely she was writing about what she was going to cook for dinner and how irritating Dad’s snoring was.

I’ve always wanted to write my own journal, and this is my chance. Maybe my last chance. The idea is that every night for three months, I’ll take one of these heavy sheets of pure white paper, rough under my fingertips, and fill it up on both sides. If my suicide note is nearly a hundred pages long, then no-one can accuse me of not thinking it through. No-one can say, ‘It makes no sense; she was a polite, cheerful girl, had everything to live for,’ before adding that I did keep myself to myself. It’ll all be here. I’m using a silver fountain pen with purple ink. A bit flamboyant for me, I know. I need these idiosyncratic rituals; they hold things in place. Like the way I make tea, squeezing the tea-bag three times, the exact amount of milk, seven stirs. My writing is small and neat; I’m striping the paper. I’m near the bottom of the page now. Only ninety-one more days to go before I’m allowed to make my decision. That’s it for today. It’s begun.



Where to find Fiona Robyn