Future Favorites (36)

Future Favorites is an awesome blog feature over at Electrifying Reviews. I post about a book that is yet-to-be-released and that I can't wait to read!

Absolution by Jennifer Laurens:
Release Date: October 1, 2010 by Grove Creek Publishing

Zoe’s secret is out. And the powers of Hell are ravenous to claim her soul. Her brother, Luke, knows her secret: that she sees both good and evil spirits. Her boyfriend knows. At least Matthias is her guardian angel again. But now Hell’s most ruthless leader will stop at nothing to have her soul.

Albert, Matthias’ father, is relentless in his hunger for Zoe. He wants to destroy Matthias and will use Zoe to do so.

The battle between Heaven and Hell tests everything Zoe has. As she witnesses everyone important in her life suffering, she’s brought to the ultimate choice: will she sacrifice her soul to save the ones she loves?

My Book Boyfriend (12)

My Book Boyfriend is a weekly meme hosted by Missie of The Unread Reader, in which we swoon over boys in books!
(I--as in me, Amy--don't like to use commercial photos, I like to use the authors' descriptions and my imagination.)



Cabel Strumheller
Book: Wake by Lisa McMann
Series: Wake Trilogy

Nineteen, with an angular jaw, and slightly wavy, shoulder length light brown hair. He has silky brown eyes, and his build is thin but muscular at the same time. He's haunted by events from his past, but won't allow them to interfere with his education and plans for the future he envisions with the girl he loves.

Quotes:

"Get on." He sets his [skate] board down, taking Janie's shoes from her hand. "You'll rip your feet to shreds. There's glass an' shit."

Janie looks at the board, and then up at him. He's wearing a knit beanie with a hole in it. "I don't know how."

He flashes a half grin. Shoves a long black lock of hair under his beanie. "Just stand. Bend. Balance. I'll push you."

[. . .]

The guys weave in and out the rest of the way, and take off at the corner by Janie's house. Cabel pushes her to her front porch so she can hop off. He sets her shoes on the step, picks up the board, nods, and catches up with his friends.

[. . .]That was the goth stage, where I decided I'd never get the girl of my dreams because of my scars. Not to mention hairstyle.
(pause)
But then she slammed a door handle into my gut. And when a girl does that to a boy, it means she likes him.

Wednesday Random Recommendation (52)

I invite and welcome anyone interested in participating to post their own "Random Recommendation" (original post) on their blog (and include a link back to this blog) and join in the fun! Some books might not be very recent reads, but I hope that just helps these (sometimes forgotten) books earn a spot on your own bookshelf!

Something, Maybe by Elizabeth Scott
First Published: March 2009

Everyone thinks their parents are embarrassing, but Hannah knows she's got them all beat.

Her dad made a fortune showcasing photos of pretty girls and his party lifestyle all over the Internet, and her mom was once one of her dad's 'girlfriends' and is now the star of her own website.
After getting the wrong kind of attention for way too long, Hannah has mastered the art of staying under the radar . . . and that's just how she likes it. Of course, that doesn't help her get noticed by her crush. Hannah's sure that gorgeous, sensitive Josh is her soul mate. But trying to get him to notice her; wondering why she suddenly can't stop thinking about another guy, Finn; and dealing with her parents make Hannah feel like she's going crazy. Yet she's determined to make things work out the way she wants only what she wants may not be what she needs. . . .

Once again, Elizabeth Scott has created a world so painfully funny and a cast of characters so heartbreakingly real that you'll love being a part of it from unexpected start to triumphant finish.

No Rest for the Wicked by Kresley Cole

No Rest for the Wicked:
Centuries ago, Sebastian Wroth was turned into a vampire -- a nightmare in his mind -- against his will. Burdened with hatred and alone for ages, he sees little reason to live. Until an exquisite, fey creature comes to kill him, inadvertently saving him instead.

A Valkyrie assassin dispatched to destroy him . . .

When Kaderin the Cold Hearted lost her two beloved sisters to a vampire attack long ago, a benevolent force deadened her sorrow -- accidentally extinguishing all of her emotions. Yet whenever she encounters Sebastian, her feelings -- particularly lust -- emerge multiplied. For the first time, she's unable to complete a kill.

Become competitors in a legendary hunt.

The prize of the month-long contest is powerful enough to change history, and Kaderin will do anything to win it for her sisters. Wanting only to win her, forever, Sebastian competes as well, taking every opportunity -- as they travel to ancient tombs and through catacombs, seeking relics around the world -- to use her new feelings to seduce her. But when forced to choose between the vampire she's falling for and reuniting her family, how can Kaderin live without either?

Kresley Cole's second book in her Immortals After Dark series, is a strong follow-up to the incredible A Hunger Like No Other. Her supernatural Lore is unique and has guaranteed I will definitely be picking up the rest of this series. Kresley's writing pulled me in from the first pages and it's easy to visualize the characters and story. The sexual tension runs rampant throughout this book and the constant action makes this book un-put-down-able! Kaderin was once betrayed by her soft heart, so for centuries she has lived with the Blessing; she has not felt anything since the days after her sisters were struck down in battle, by a vampire she showed mercy to. That is until she meets Sebastian--a vampire she has been sent to kill. A few minutes in his presence brings back the world of feelings for her and she runs from him thinking it is a terrible mistake. Sebastian has despised himself for being turned against his will, but upon meeting Kaderin he discovers his Bride (his mate for eternity), and is determined to find her. They enter a deadly scavenger hunt (known as the Hie, a twisted version of The Amazing Race) with a grand prize that Kaderin will kill for--a chance to save her sisters-- and the competition is fierce. Sebastian wishes only to win the competition to gain Kaderin's favor, but she is strong, independent and has won the last five competitions; she will not allow anyone to help her. The tasks take them around the globe and bring them closer together as Kaderin's prejudice against vampires weakens against Sebastian's constant search for her happiness. The soothsayer of Kaderin's coven has predicted her death before the end of the Hie, and while she is willing to sacrifice her life to save her sisters, Sebastian will stop at nothing to keep her by his side forever.

Teaser Tuesdays (46)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly event hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Today's book: Raw Blue by Kirsty Eagar

Friday morning I'm heading down to the break, feeling antsy because I slept in. I'd meant to surf early, but maybe it's not such a bad thing. Getting there after nine means I'll miss the pre-work crew. Instead, I'll join the old boys, students and shift workers who have rearranged their lives to better suit their surfing. They're more relaxed about things, not jamming waves in. On weekdays people surf the break in shifts: the sawn service, the mid-morning slackers, the lunch hour rush, the after-school grommet fest and the just-off-work party. When guys at the break ask me what I do, what they're really asking is, how is it you can surf mid-morning on a weekday? How are you making it work? That's the big question in surfing: how do you work less and surf more? (Page 1)

Here is how it works:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2 or 3) “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!)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? (45)

This is a fun weekly meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.

Books I read last week:
Awakened by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast




The book I’m reading now:
No Rest for the Wicked:
Centuries ago, Sebastian Wroth was turned into a vampire -- a nightmare in his mind -- against his will. Burdened with hatred and alone for ages, he sees little reason to live. Until an exquisite, fey creature comes to kill him, inadvertently saving him instead.

A Valkyrie assassin dispatched to destroy him . . .

When Kaderin the Cold Hearted lost her two beloved sisters to a vampire attack long ago, a benevolent force deadened her sorrow -- accidentally extinguishing all of her emotions. Yet whenever she encounters Sebastian, her feelings -- particularly lust -- emerge multiplied. For the first time, she's unable to complete a kill.

Become competitors in a legendary hunt.

The prize of the month-long contest is powerful enough to change history, and Kaderin will do anything to win it for her sisters. Wanting only to win her, forever, Sebastian competes as well, taking every opportunity -- as they travel to ancient tombs and through catacombs, seeking relics around the world -- to use her new feelings to seduce her. But when forced to choose between the vampire she's falling for and reuniting her family, how can Kaderin live without either?



Books that spark my interest this week:
Raw Blue by Kirsty Eagar
A Season of Eden by J.M. Warwick
The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan

In My Mailbox (50)

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren.

Eye of Heaven (Re-issue) by Marjorie M Liu
The Darkest Secret by Gena Showalter
Eternal Rider by Larissa Ione
Sex and the Single Vampire by Katie MacAlister
Siren's Call by Devyn Quinn

Raw Blue by Kirsty Egar
A Song For My Mother by Kat Martin
Wither by Lauren DeStefano

The newest transition in my Dirk & Steele series:

Old:


New:

On My Wishlist (45)

On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It's where we list all the books we 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 - a linky is always at the ready for you to link your own 'On My Wishlist' post. If you want to know more click here.

Bad Girls Don't Die by Katie Alender:
When Alexis's little sister Kasey becomes obsessed with an antique doll, Alexis thinks nothing of it. Kasey is a weird kid. Period. Alexis is considered weird, too, by the kids in her high school, by her parents, even by her own Goth friends. Things get weirder, though, when the old house they live in starts changing. Doors open and close by themselves; water boils on the unlit stove; and an unplugged air conditioner turns the house cold enough to see their breath in. Kasey is changing, too. Her blue eyes go green and she speaks in old-fashioned language, then forgets chunks of time.

Most disturbing of all is the dangerous new chip on Kasey's shoulder. The formerly gentle, doll-loving child is gone, and the new Kasey is angry. Alexis is the only one who can stop her sister — but what if that green-eyed girl isn't even Kasey anymore?



Die For Me by Amy Plum:
My life had always been blissfully, wonderfully normal. But it only took one moment to change everything.

Suddenly, my sister, Georgia, and I were orphans. We put our lives into storage and moved to Paris to live with my grandparents. And I knew my shattered heart, my shattered life, would never feel normal again. Then I met Vincent.

Mysterious, sexy, and unnervingly charming, Vincent Delacroix appeared out of nowhere and swept me off my feet. Just like that, I was in danger of losing my heart all over again. But I was ready to let it happen.

Of course, nothing is ever that easy. Because Vincent is no normal human. He has a terrifying destiny, one that puts his life at risk every day. He also has enemies . . . immortal, murderous enemies who are determined to destroy him and all of his kind.

While I'm fighting to piece together the remnants of my life, can I risk putting my heart—as well as my life and my family's—in jeopardy for a chance at love?



Bloodlines by Richelle Mead:
The first book in Richelle Mead’s brand-new teen fiction series—set in the same world as Vampire Academy.

When alchemist Sydney is ordered into hiding to protect the life of Moroi princess Jill Dragomir, the last place she expects to be sent is a human private school in Palm Springs, California. But at their new school, the drama is only just beginning.

Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, Bloodlines explores all the friendship, romance, battles and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive—this time in a part-vampire, part-human setting where the stakes are even higher and everyone’s out for blood.

Month in Review: March

I can't believe that March is over already! Seriously, where did the month go? I turned twenty-nine and my son had his very first "March Break" from school! This month both my author visit and my guest blogger were able to appear on my blog and I managed to read seven books. I really need to pick up my pace again!


Books I read and their "Dragon Hearts of Love" rating:
(For reviews, please go to "Books Read in 2011")


1. The Eternal Sea (ARC) by Angie Frazier 4
An excellent follow-up to her debut book, Everlasting, filled with even more sea-faring adventure and romance.

2. The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney 4
An incredible addition to the young adult paranormal genre, with unique characters and an ending that left me with a desire for more.

3. Kiss of Midnight by Lara Adrian 4
A great beginning to this series, I'll definitely be picking up the other books!

4. Lunarmorte by Samantha Young 4
More unique werewolf lore that loved with Greek mythology blended in to create an incredible world within its pages.

5. The Lost Saint by Bree Despain 3
Although not as incredible as The Dark Divine, this cliffhanger ending will leave you screaming for more!

6. Darkest Mercy by Melissa Marr 5
I was so sad to see this series end, but this action packed adventure definitely has a beautiful ending.

7. Awakened by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast 4
Just like Alex said on Twitter: "[...] HoN and drugs are alike. These books aren't that good. You should read them anyway."

The individual books in this series have become rather repetitive in my eyes, it's the over-all story arc that keeps me reading...but this was one of my favorite books in the series.

Author Visit:

Dakota Cassidy

Guest Blogger:
JP

Friday 56...Wither (52)

The book today: Wither by Lauren DeStefano

The grief of my father's loss is so sudden that my knees nearly buckle under the weight of it; I force tears back down my throat, past the lump that's forming there.

The Rules:

* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
* Post a link along with your post back to this blog.
* Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.