Moirae (the fates) book reviews

Cover Reveal The Unfailing Light by Robin Bridges

2012-02-23T16:54:00.000-08:00

We have a cover and synopsis for The Unfailing lihgt by Robin Bridges. This is the second book in the Katrina Trilogy. Book one, The Gathering Storm was released last month, book 2 is set for release on October 9 2012!

Here is the cover and synopsis taken from goodreads!

Having had no choice but to use her power has a necromancer to save Russia from dark forces, Katerina Alexandrovna, Duchess of Oldenburg, now wants to forget that she ever used her special powers. She's about to set off to pursue her lifelong dream of attending medical school when she discovers that Russia's arch nemesis--who she thought she'd destroyed--is still alive. So on imperial orders, Katerina remains at her old finishing school. She'll be safe there, because the empress has cast a potent spell to protect it against the vampires and revenants who are bent on toppling the tsar and using Katerina for their own gains. But to Katerina's horror, the spell unleashes a vengeful ghost within the school, a ghost more dangerous than any creature trying to get in.

I like it, I wish it looked a little more like the cover of book one though. Adding this to my TBR list as well, and now I am even more excited to read book one which is sitting in a pile of books on my floor.

So what do you think? Leave a comment and let me know.

New book by JK Rowling

2012-02-23T16:46:00.000-08:00

YAY!!!!! She announced she has a new book coming out! No word on a title or what it's about yet all we know is it's an adult book and it is being published by Little Brown.You can read One of many articles here.

This is so cool! I know she had said in the past she was writing for adults but now it's official with press release and everything!

Happy Book Birthday!

2012-02-21T20:00:00.000-08:00

YAY! It's February 21 and that means it's the book birthday of 2 very anticipated YA novels! It's the release day for the debut The Catastrophic history of you and me by Jess Rothenberg!

And the sophomore novel Fever by Lauren DeStefano!

YAY! This is an exciting day!

77 Shadow Street by Dean Koontz Update

2012-02-20T00:14:00.000-08:00

Okay y'all so, I'm not sure why it's taking me so long to read this one. I've been reading it for the whole month. I like it, but I keep picking up other books at the same time, I will get this one done and reviewed by Saturday. I promise!
The fact that it's taking me so long makes me feel like this:

But the book has a lot of scary stuff in it (which I love) and I like to read at night so when I am reading it I feel like this:

This is a fairly new feeling for me so it leaves me feeling like this:

I am also reading ENCHANTED which is super good as well, I am participating in the blog tour for that one on April 21! So stay tuned for that and for the review of 77 SHADOW STREET this week!

IMM 62

2012-02-18T21:37:00.000-08:00

In my mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi of The Story Siren.
This week I didn't get any books, but I did have my power cord break on me, there were a lot of blue sparks it was very scary, so I am borrowing a cord until I get paid next week and can buy myself a new one. FUN...Not really.

This week I did have Amy Plum on the blog she stopped by for an interview want to know what Vincent's most embarrassing moment was? Check out the interview the answer answer and learn how you can enter to win Amy's giveaway (open until Monday) of an ARC of Until I Die.

Author Interview with Amy Plum

2012-02-14T14:14:00.000-08:00

I am so excited to host Amy Plum for an interview on the blog, I am a huge fan of her books and I am constantly shoving them in my friends hands declaring they have to read it and saying they can call it a birthday present to me. Yes, I really do this.

Without further ado ladies and gentlemen boys and girls revenants and numa I present Amy Plum!

What is Vincent's most embarrassing moment?

It was the late 1960s, and Vincent had just saved an elderly woman from being run over by a bus. As was the style of the day, his hair was long--half-way down his back. He left the shaken woman in the hands of a competent waiter at a nearby café, and as he left, he heard her say to the waiter, “Now wasn't that a nice young lady who helped me out?” He cut his hair the next day.

What item or items does Kate have that most remind her of her parents?

When Kate and Georgia moved to Paris, they left most of their belongings in storage in New York. But Kate brought some photos with her. It took her a while to pull them out from where she had hidden them--in the back of one of her mom's poetry books--and put them into frames. It's taken a while, but now she's able to look at them and let herself remember.

Also, Kate and Georgia brought their mom's jewelry to Paris with them, and Kate often wears one of her mom's rings. As for her dad, Kate just has to look at her grandfather to remember what he looks like.

Can you share something about Vincent that we don't know yet?

He has watched every Tim Burton film at least twenty times.

What is Kate's most embarrassing moment?

When Kate's high school class in Brooklyn took a practice PSAT, the teacher let everyone add up their own scores. Kate tallied up her marks, and then compared her total to the ratings chart on the whiteboard. Horrified, she saw that her score was way below average.

After class was over, she went up to the teacher, showed her the failing mark, and asked what she could do to get a higher score. The teacher took one look and started laughing. Kate had added up her score wrong and actually had the highest score in the class. Math, unfortunately, has never been Kate's forté.

You've said before that you're a pantser, have you always known how Kate and Vincent's story will end?

I have always known what the absolute end of the trilogy will be, but as to how we get there, I have changed my mind several times.

When you write, what is the one thing you have to have with you?

Well, my Mac laptop, for one. But I think that goes without saying. J I usually have a drink within reach: coffee, tea, or San Pellegrino with a lemon-juice ice cube in it.

What is the one thing that Vincent most misses from this pre-revenant life?

Sleep. He was a big sleeper before--one of those people who is practically snoring the moment their head hits the pillow. So being dormant is actually a comfort to him.

Can you tell us a little more about Jules?

Oh, Jules. Well, you're going to hear more about his story in UNTIL I DIE, so I won't reveal that now. What can I tell you...well, whenever he needs cash, he waits until Ambrose is volant, and then talks him into going to the horse races. Seeing a few minutes into the future comes in handy when betting on horses.

Thank you so much Amy for stopping by it was such a treat! Can't wait for If I should die!
Read on to find out how you can enter to win an ARC of Until I die!

Amy Plum is the bestselling author of Die for me which debuted from Harper Teen last spring. Her next novel Until I die is set for release May 8th 2012.

For my review of Die for me click here.

For my review of Until I die click here.

You can order your own copy of Die for me at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and The Book Depository.

You can pre-order a copy of Until I die at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and The Book Depository.

You can enter to win an ARC of Until I Die by entering her giveaway here!

You can find Amy on her Website, her Facebook page, her goodreads author page and her Twitter.

I am now on Facebook

2012-02-13T16:43:00.000-08:00

Yes you read that correctly, I am now on Facebook here is my page.

Cover Reveal Embers and Echos by Karsten Knight!

2012-02-13T15:23:00.000-08:00

Hey Y'all I am SO excited that Karsten Knight has revealed the cover to Embers and Echos! Book two in the Wildefire trliogy!

Isn't it STUNNING?! But wait that is not all! More you say? Yes, mon ange there is MORE he also revealed the cover to the paperback version of Wildefire!

Just the font is different, but it's still way cool! Come on Aug 28th!

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

2012-02-13T15:06:00.000-08:00

Hardcover: 256 pages
Publisher: Poppy; 1 edition (January 2, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0316122386
Author: Jennifer E. Smith
Cover Art: Cute, it's just what you'd expect it to be based on the synopsis.
Overall rating: ***** out of 5 stars
Obtained: My personal book shelf.

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight. By Jennifer E. Smith
Reviewed by Moirae the fates book reviews.

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. She's stuck at JFK, late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's in seat 18C. Hadley's in 18A.

Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it. (Synopsis provided by goodreads)

If I had to describe this book in one word it would be adorable. That is just what this book was adorable. I sat down on the steps with this book and a cup of coffee while the child I was baby sitting was taking a nap. I almost had the book finished before the child woke up and I couldn't help but think how much I wished the kid would have napped just a little longer so I could finish the book.

Only 256 pages, but it works, Smith got to the point and she didn't use a lot of 'filler' in the book. Hadley and Oliver are a wonderful contemporary couple. I really enjoyed how well they worked together and how fluid the book was not to mention the dialogue. Everything just flowed naturally and unfolded beautifully before the reader.

What I really liked was how much Hadley grew in such a short book, we see her anger over her Father's second marriage and we see how she deals with it, we also get to see how someone like Hadley is jaded so to speak and gets over that feeling.

I loved this book and I hope there will be a sequel so we can find out what happens after this book.
I would recommend this book to someone who likes or even is thinking of picking up a YA contemporary novel. It's a quick read one could read it in a day or a few hours depending on how fast you read. Super fun and the perfect rainy day read.

RSS now up and running.

2012-02-12T21:09:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I sorta blindly set up an RSS feed for the blog I hope I did it right. I don't really understand RSS feeds, so I think I did it all correctly.
There are now 6 ways to find me online they are:
1) GFC
2)E-mail
3)Linky
4) RSS
5)Twitter
6) Goodreads ( My goodreads profile)

New way to follow

2012-02-12T15:13:00.000-08:00

Okay, I know some of my readers are on wordpress or another format, since in a few short weeks GFC will not be available for them, I have added Linky Followers to my blog. You can still use the e-mail sign up, and I am going to get better at using my Twitter. I'm thinking about doing a facebook page, but I'm not sure yet. I might do one, I might not it depends on what my readers think really.
Anyway, the Linky Followers is located in the side bar below the GFC followers so if you want to you can follow through that as well.

In my mailbox 61

2012-02-11T14:34:00.000-08:00

In my mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.

This week I got 4 books, they were:

Enchanted by Althea Kontis vis Netgalley. I am also going to be part of the blog tour for this book which is VERY exciting!

I won a copy of The Sexual History Of London by Catharine Arnold. Thank you Booktib!

I bought a copy of The Miseducation Of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth

And finally, I bought myself a SIGNED copy of Sole Survivor by Dean Koontz! I found it on ABE books for $10! I nearly had a conniption I was so happy! It occupies a very special place on my signed books "shelf" next to my signed copy of DIE FOR ME and FALLING FOR HAMLET. I have more signed books, those are my super special ones.

That's what was in my mailbox leave me a note and let me know what you got in your mailbox.

The Princesses of Iowa

2012-02-11T13:57:00.002-08:00

Hardcover: 464 pages
Publisher: Candlewick (May 8, 2012)
ISBN-10: 0763653128
Author: M. Molly Backes
Cover Art: I really like it, it's different then anything I've seen before.
Overall rating: **** out of 5 stars
Obtained: Sent to me by the publisher in exchange for a review.

The Princesses of Iowa by M. Molly Backes
Review by Moirae the fates book reviews.

What does it mean to do wrong, when no one punishes you? A smart and unflinching look at friendship, the nature of entitlement, and growing up in the heartland.

Paige Sheridan has the perfect life. She's pretty, rich, and popular, and her spot on the homecoming court is practically guaranteed. But when a night of partying ends in an it-could-have-been-so-much worse crash , everything changes. Her best friends start ignoring her, her boyfriend grows cold and distant, and her once-adoring younger sister now views her with contempt. The only bright spot is
her creative writing class, led by a charismatic new teacher who encourages students to be true to themselves. But who is Paige, if not the homecoming princess everyone expects her to be? In this arresting and witty debut, a girl who was once high-school royalty must face a truth that money and status can't fix, and choose between living the privileged life of a princess, or owning up to her mistakes and giving up everything she once held dear. (Synopsis provided by goodreads)

When I first heard about this book I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. I was so excited when I got a review copy. At first I had a hard time getting into this book as it started off slow for me. However, once I got past the slow bits the book really took off.

I really enjoyed the book and I would highly recommend it. I would say it's one for older teens though just due to it's content. The book has a powerful message at it's core and the delivery was strong, yet not heavy handed.

It's a book that will make the reader think once they have finished reading it, it makes you stop and really reflect on your life and reflect on society as a whole. I thought the characters meshed very well together and Backes did a wonderful job in grabbing the readers attention. I am looking forward to reading more of her work in the future.

This title vaguely reminded me of Like Mandarin by Kirsten Hubbard, it could be more the cover art that makes me draw that comparison though. I really enjoyed this book and would encourage everyone to pick up a copy when it comes out May 8th.

The Obsidian Blade

2012-02-10T17:57:00.001-08:00

Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Candlewick (April 10, 2012)
ISBN-10: 0763654035
Author: Pete Hautman
Cover art: I like it.
Overall rating: **** out of 5 stars.
Obtained: Sent to me from the publisher for review.

The Obsidian Blade by Pete Hautman
Reviewed by Moirae the fates book reviews.

Kicking off a riveting sci-fi trilogy, National Book Award winner Pete Hautman plunges us into a world where time is a tool - and the question is, who will control it?

The first time his father disappeared, Tucker Feye had just turned thirteen. The Reverend Feye simply climbed on the roof to fix a shingle, let out a scream, and vanished - only to walk up the driveway an hour later, looking older and worn, with a strange girl named Lahlia in tow. In the months that followed, Tucker watched his father grow distant and his once loving mother slide into madness. But then both of his parents disappear. Now in the care of his wild Uncle Kosh, Tucker begins to suspect that the disks of shimmering air he keeps seeing - one right on top of the roof - hold the answer to restoring his family. And when he dares to step into one, he's launched on a time-twisting journey
- from a small Midwestern town to a futuristic hospital run by digitally augmented healers, from the death of an ancient prophet to a forest at the end of time. Inevitably, Tucker's actions alter the past and future, changing his world forever. (Synopsis provided by goodreads)

This is a new to me author. I enjoyed the book. It's different from the other sci-fi novels I've read, but it was a good different. I liked the writing style and the fact that this book was fast-paced. The characters felt real to me and the situations they found themselves in never seemed overly far -fetched. Which is always a good thing. I've seen some people call this book dystopian, and I'm not sure what part they are referring to, it felt like standard sci-fi to me, I never found any element of dystopia in this one.

The book also felt fairly straight forward to me, I was never confused by it which can happen at times with sci-fi. The ending was fantastic, a cliff hanger of course it wouldn't be a YA book without a cliff-hanger ending.

After reading this book, I would be willing to pick up more books by this author. I liked it a lot and would recommend it to others.

Fallen in Love

2012-02-10T17:09:00.000-08:00

Hardcover: 256 pages.
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (January 24, 2012.)
ISBN-10: 0385742614.
Author: Lauren Kate.
Cover Art: I like the color of it, I wish we saw even less of the models face. Seems like it would blend better.
Overall rating: *** out of 5 stars.
Obtained: From my personal bookshelf.

Fallen in love by Lauren Kate
Reviewed by Moirae the fates book reviews.

What makes your heart race a little faster? Just in time for Valentine's Day, it's FALLEN IN LOVE, four wholly original new stories collected in a new novel set in the Middle Ages by Lauren Kate. FALLEN IN LOVE gives fans the much-talked about but never-revealed stories of FALLEN characters as they intertwine with the epic love story of Luce and Daniel. The stories include: Love (Synopsis provided by goodreads)

When Fallen first came out, I was drawn to it by the cover. I loved it! When Torment arrived I could hardly contain my excitement. When Passion was released this past summer, I met the UPS driver in the street to get my copy and it was open before I got back in the house. So you can imagine how excited I was to receive this book.
Unfortunately, I was let down by this one. I knew it was a collection of short stories and the book was only 201 pages, and the rest of the pages where the sneak peek at Rapture. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but this wasn't it. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't the best either. I think this one is my least favorite in the series.
I am pretty sure my "issue" with the book is that we never really learned anything new. (At least about Daniel and Luce's fate.) In a way this felt like a companion novel to Passion since it was set in the Middle Ages. Which I liked that part and the descriptions were great, I think I was just hoping for something more then this offered. I did not read the sneak peek for Rapture. I never do just because it makes the wait so much worse, I plan to read it when it comes out. I am very excited to see how Daniel and Luce's story ends.
I did like this book, just not as much as I'd hoped. I didn't know until the fall that it was even coming out, which was a great little treat. Overall if you are a fan of the series, pick it up and give it a read.

Introducing Mermaid Week!

2012-02-05T21:50:00.000-08:00

Hey y'all I am introducing something I've been planning for a while now. Mermaid week! It's going to be March 1-7. During the week I will reviewing Mermaid books, movies, T.V. Shows ect. There will also be a Mermaid painting of the day to accompany each post! I'm very excited about this up coming project and I hope you will join me for Mermaid Week!

In my mailbox 60

2012-02-05T15:17:00.000-08:00

In my mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.

This week I got 4 books, I bought 3 and 1 was for review.

The book I got for review was:

The Secret History of Mermaids and Creatures of the deep by Professor Ari Berk.
This book was sent to me by Candlewick press for review as part of my Mermaid week. Which is coming the first week of March! I am currently working on a button.

The last 3 are books I bought. First up is my copy of Fallen in Love by Lauren Kate. I pre-ordered this at Christmas and it finally arrived this week!

I also bought a copy of Le Divorce by Diane Johnson. And I bought the dvd, I love the movie and am looking forward to the book.

And finally I got a copy of Gilding Lily by Tatiana Boncompagni.

And lastly this has nothing to do with books, but my sister had her baby! My new nephew arrived this week both Mama and baby are home and very tired but they are safe, happy and healthy!

That is what was hiding out in my mailbox this week, leave me a note and let me know what you got in your mailbox.

RAK Wrap UP

2012-01-30T13:15:00.000-08:00

This month, I sent one RAK and I received one. I just found out who sent me The Hunger Games, a big thank you to the busy bibliophile!

I sent a copy of The Ghost and the Goth to Jeanne . I hope she likes it as much as I did!

That's my RAK for the month of January, can't wait to send another one in February!

The Highlander's Touch mini review

2012-01-28T20:30:00.000-08:00

18 and over review

Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Dell (November 7, 2000)
ISBN-10: 0440236525
Author: Karen Marie Moning
Cover Art: It's okay
Over all rating:**** out of 5 stars
Obtained: My personal book shelf

The Highlander's Touch by Karen Marie Moning
Reviewed by Moirae the fates book reviews

A Warrior Of Immortal Powers

He was a mighty Scottish warrior who lived in a world bound by ancient laws and timeless magic. But no immortal powers could prepare the laird of Castle Brodie for the lovely accursed lass who stood before him. A terrible trick of fate had sent her 700 years back in time and into his private chamber to tempt him with her beauty - and seduce him with a desire he could never fulfill. For this woman he burned to possess was also the woman he had foresworn to destroy.

A Woman Caught In The Mists Of Time

When Lisa felt the earth move under her feet, the fiercely independent 21st-century woman never dreamed she was falling...into another century. But the powerful, naked warrior who stood glaring down at her was only too real...and too dangerously arousing. Irresistibly handsome he might be, but Lisa had no intention of remaining in this savage land torn by treachery and war. How could she know that her seductive captor had other plans for her...plans that would save her from a tragic fate? Or that this man who had long ago forsaken love would defy time itself to claim her for his own... (Synopsis provided by goodreads)

This was one of the first books, by Moning that I read. I liked this book well enough, I felt this one read faster then the others. This one could be read as a stand alone, I really liked Lisa's character. She felt real and readers can more easily relate to her then some of the other heriones in Moning's books.

The relationship progressed quickly (as it normally does in a romance novel.) Some of the dialog was cheesy which for me, detracted from the book a bit. All in all, if you like romance novels or like me don't like them a whole lot, and have nothing to read, pick this up you may like it.

Read a thon wrap up

2012-01-28T20:13:00.000-08:00

Well, it's safe to say I failed miserably at this one. My week was unexpectedly busy, baby sitting, power outages, friends and family all had birthdays (4 birthdays.)
BUT I did finish my re-read of Die For Me. So that's something I guess.

In My Mailbox 59

2012-01-28T20:09:00.000-08:00

In my mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.

This week I got 3 books I bought them all. They were:

Paper Towns by John Green. I got the yellow cover, I was super excited about that part!

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.

The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong.

That's what was in my mailbox, leave me a note and let me know what you got in your mailbox.

Help out a book blogger!

2012-01-26T13:05:00.001-08:00

I copied and pasted this post from The Story Siren.

This was originally posted at Restock Yara’s Bookshelves:
I think by now most of you have probably heard that tragedy has touched one of our own. While away at the American Library Association Mid-Winter Meeting, Yara of Once Upon a Twilight lost her home in a fire.
The blaze began in the afternoon hours of Friday, January 20 and reignited in the wee morning hours Saturday. (You can read a full report in the Montgomery County Police Reporter and view more images here.) Sadly, it gutted the Santos family’s house and only the shell of it remains. This is what Yara returned to…

Thank goodness no one was injured, including the pets. That is the bright spot in all of this. As devastating and horrible as the events of the past weekend were, every member of the Santos family is physically okay. Things can be replaced and houses rebuilt, but all of that is secondary to the safety of the people. After all, possessions don’t make a home. People do. (Read Yara’s cousin Jenny’s post.)
To no one’s surprise, the book blogging community is rushing to the aid of Yara’s family. Twilight Moms is holding a donation drive to raise money and help the family in the interim and eventually get them back on their feet. Authors are pitching in to raise funds for the family. Lani Woodland and several other authors are hosting a contest for those who donate to the cause in an an effort to boost donations.
The three of us here had the same thought, knowing that while memories and so many of Yara and her family’s things cannot be replaced there are things that can be. Namely books. We’ve spent hours sifting through her blog, her Goodreads and her wishlists to compile a massive list of books she enjoyed or hoped to read. We’ve also posted one for her children in an effort not only to restock Yara’s bookshelves, but those of her kids.
Please take a look at the Yara’s Booklist and the Children’s List. We’re trying hard to avoid duplicates, and will be updating the list daily to cross out items that have already been donated.
Visit the Donation Page to donate a book for either Yara or her boys. New books and gently used copies are greatly appreciated. And if you don’t want to donate a book but want to contribute you can always donate a gift card.
Thanks in advance to everyone! We’ll keep you posted as all our efforts progress and update you on Yara’s situation whenever we can. Please keep the Santos family in your thoughts and prayers.]

Winter's Respite read a thon Mini Challenge 1

2012-01-23T00:23:00.000-08:00

All right the read a thon is now going YAY!!!! So, this week I am going to finish my re-read of Die for Me by Amy Plum and I am going to pick up my copy of 77 Shadow Street by Dean Koontz. I hope to read more, but I am going to be Aunt again any day now and, I am going to be visiting my sister when she has her baby, and helping her with her 2 year old while her husband is at work. So I might not get as much reading done as I would like, a girl still has to sleep sometime LOL! If you haven't entered the read-a-thon, you're in luck! There is still time, just head on over to Michelle's blog and sign up!

In My Mailbox 58

2012-01-21T20:58:00.000-08:00

In my mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.

This week I got 2 books, I bought them both they were:

Hounded by Kevin Hearne.

And

The Katerina Trilogy Vol I: The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges.

That's what was in my mailbox, leave me a note and tell me what you got in your mailbox, I'll be sure to check it out! Have a great weekend!

ALSO: If anyone has an ARC copy of DIE FOR ME by Amy Plum, that you are willing to part with, please e-mail me and we can work out a book trade.

ARC of Die For Me anyone?

2012-01-19T16:29:00.000-08:00

Maybe one of you lovely readers can help me, I am trying to track down an ARC copy of DIE FOR ME by Amy Plum. I have a finished copy (I love it!) I also have an ARC of UNTIL I DIE. I want an ARC of DIE FOR ME so they match.

If ANYONE has one that they are willing to part with, please e-mail me and we can work out a book trade.

The Princesses of Iowa UPDATE

2012-01-19T13:46:00.000-08:00

Hey, so I;m liking the book, but I'm having a hard time getting the energy up to pick it back up, I'll try to finish it again later and review it then.

Dreaming of books hop Winner!!

2012-01-18T23:49:00.000-08:00

I have put the names in the randomizer and we have a winner!!!! The winner will receive a copy of Die for me by Amy Plum, I loved this book and can't wait till book 3 is out! Book 2 was amazing! I hope the winner loves it as much as I do.

Without further ado, the winner is......

EMILIE!!!!!!!!!

Congratulations Emilie! I have sent you an e-mail, you have 48 hours to respond with your address or a new winner will be chosen.

Winter's Respite read a thon

2012-01-18T17:37:00.000-08:00

Hey Michelle over at The True Book Addict is hosting a Read a thon I will be participating, it's really relaxed and at your own pace, I plan to re-read Die For Me by Amy Plum as part of it, and to finish my own Amy Plum reading challenge I am hosting. (Sign up y'all, it's just me and RJ so far.)

Anyway, head on over and sign up from Michelle's read a thon!

The girl who could silence the wind

2012-01-18T14:25:00.000-08:00

Hardcover: 256 pages
Publisher: Candlewick (March 13, 2012)
ISBN-10: 0763646024
Author: Meg Medina
Cover art: Love the cover art
Overall rating :*** out of 5 stars
Obtained: Sent for review by the publisher. Thank you.

The Girl who could silence the wind by Meg Medina

Sonia's entire village believes she has a gift, but it's only in leaving home that she finds out who she truly is. A compelling tale from a rich new voice in young adult fiction.

Sixteen-year-old Sonia Ocampo was born on the night of the worst storm Tres Montes had ever seen. And when the winds mercifully stopped, an unshakable belief in the girl's protective powers began. All her life, Sonia has been asked to pray for sick mothers or missing sons, as worried parents and friends press silver milagros in her hands. Sonia knows she has no special powers, but how can she disappoint those who look to her for solace? Still, her conscience is heavy, so when she gets a chance to travel to the city and work in the home of a wealthy woman, she seizes it. At first, Sonia feels freedom in being treated like all the other girls. But when news arrives that her beloved brother has disappeared while looking for work, she learns to her sorrow that she can never truly leave the past or her family behind. With deeply realized characters, a keen sense of place, a hint of magical realism, and a flush of young romance, Meg Medina tells the tale of a strongwilled, warmhearted girl who dares to face life's harsh truths as she finds her real power. (Synopsis provided by goodreads)

I'm not really sure what I was expecting when I read this book, but I know I didn't get it. This was a fairly short read that I finished in a day. I liked it, but I didn't love it. I thought that there would be more mysticism in it then there was.
I was disappointed, the synopsis sounded amazing and I was eager to read this book when I heard about it. But, after reading it, I was let down, which was unfortunate.

I really loved Sonia. First of all, it's a name I have yet to come across in books, I've seen names that are similar but I've never seen Sonia before, so that was refreshing. I also loved her character, she was strong, funny and she loved her friends, she was a great example of a kindred spirit. That seems to be getting harder and harder to find.

The writing style was good, not great but good. There was an element of sadness to the story that I wasn't really expecting. I don't like sad books very much, because they make me sad and I like to be happy.

Aside from the sadness, it was a good story. I really hope we get to see more characters like Sonia.

I would recommend this book to people who are looking for something short, different and with a strong female protagonist.

UK Readers!

2012-01-16T11:42:00.000-08:00

Hey, so I found out that there is a new British author named Claire Merle her new book The Glimpse is out on June 7th, BUT if you live in the UK and are between the ages of 13-18 you can adution for the lead role in the book trailer.Please go to the FB page for further information.

Until I die early review

2012-01-16T00:10:00.000-08:00

Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: HarperTeen (May 8, 2012)
ISBN-10: 0062004042
Author: Amy Plum
Cover Art: Just as beautiful as the art for book one.
Overall rating: *****+ out of 5
Obtained: Gifted to me by Bibliopunkk THANK YOU!

Until I Die by Amy Plum

Kate and Vincent have overcome the odds and at last they are together in Paris, the city of lights and love.

As their romance deepens there’s one question they can’t ignore: How are they supposed to be together if Vincent can’t resist sacrificing himself to save others? Although Vincent promises that he’ll do whatever it takes to lead a normal life with Kate, will that mean letting innocent people die? When a new and surprising enemy reveals itself, Kate realizes that even more may be at stake—and that Vincent’s immortality is in jeopardy.

In Die for Me, Amy Plum created a captivating paranormal mythology with immortal revenants and a lush Paris setting. Until I Die is poised to thrill readers with more heart-pounding suspense, spellbinding romance, and a cliff-hanger ending that will leave them desperate for the third and final novel in the series. (Synopsis provided by goodreads)

WOW! This book blew me away. After book one which I loved I was really excited to get my hands on this one. This book picks up just after the ending of book one, Plum glosses over the events in book one in about half a page scattered throughout book two. (I do recommend you read book one before picking up book 2.)

We meet our heros again and we learn more about the revenants and the numa in this one then we did before. Their history really comes alive in this one! We also get to learn a little more about Jules and his human life, which was awesome. Though I admit I am a Vincent fan girl all the way! We get to see him grow as a character and we learn some surprising and great information about him that we never knew before.

This book for me was an emotional roller-coaster, there were twists and turns, some I guessed, some I didn't. I was literally laughing out loud, sighing, saying things like "Aw, that is so sweet!" and the very next page I was shouting "Holy Shit no way!"

By the end of this book I was crying thinking, no it did not just end like that, I keep picking it up hoping that magically there will be one more paragraph to let me know what happens to Kate and Vincent. I've never wanted the last book in a series this much.

If you liked Die for me you will LOVE Until I die. Both are great books, but with this installment Plum has shown she is a literary force that will go far. The wait for book three will be a long one for fans after that massive cliff hanger ending.

The Sword of Righteousness mini review

2012-01-14T16:31:00.000-08:00

Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 466 KB
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publisher: Whiskey Creek Press LLC (December 1, 2011)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
ASIN: B006H4UBRK
Author: J.W. Baccaro
Cover art: Love it, if there is a horse, it's always good!
Over all rating ***** out of 5 stars
Obtained: Sent from the author.

*This is information of the kindle version, I have a paperback*

“Darshun Luthais—Nasharin warrior and chosen Guardian of earth, continues his journey across the arctic land of Syngothra, seeking to destroy Abaddon’s Unholy Altar of Power, and bring the Second Great War to an end. But when a new and deadly sorcerer working for Abaddon discovers his plan, he sets up a trap for Darshun and his five companions, a colossal army of darkness lying in wait among the frozen elements, ready to unleash its fury once the intruders are in sight.
Now it is up to King Loreus—ruler of Loreladia to unify the scattered races of Light, and charge into Syngothra before the trap is sprung. For Loreus wields the Golden Sword of Purity, a weapon forged long ago by the Five Holy Races, before darkness had separated them. With little time to spare, the Loreladian King must stop the Elves from another civil war, gain their trust and then encounter the Centaurs of Cestmir, a pious Matriarchy and self-righteous race, where if they do not remember the Sword, they may prove to be more of an enemy than Abaddon." (Synopsis provided by Amazon)

This is a hard one to review without giving away anything, as this series progresses it gets harder and harder to do a spoiler free review.

If you haven't started reading this series, what are you waiting for? Seriously, it's one of the best adult series I have come across in years! It has everything, magic, suspense, war! Each of these books gets better and better!

This book picks up where book three left off and right away we see action! Baccaro, doesn't make his readers wait for stuff to happen, it happens right away. We get see our favorite characters develop and face new challenges, this book did throw me through a loop there were some surprises I didn't see coming which was AWESOME! I loved this book and the whole series, can't wait to see what happens next!

In My Mailbox 57

2012-01-14T16:04:00.000-08:00

In my mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.

This week I got 7 books, 2 were gifts (1 was an RAK gift) and 5 were bought.

The book I got as a RAK was The Hunger Games. Sadly there was no packing slip so I have no idea who sent this. If it was you please let me know so I can thank you properly. THANK YOU!

The book I got as a gift was an ARC of Until I die by Amy Plum. THANK YOU to Krys from bibliopunkk.

The books I bought were:

A touch Mortal by Leah Clifford

Texas Gothic by Rosemary Clement-Moroe

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

13 on Halloween by Laura A.H. Elliott.

Switched by Amnda Hocking.

That's what was i my mailbox leave a note and let me know what you got in your mailbox. Also if you want a chance to win a copy of DIE FOR ME by Amy Plum scroll down to the next post and enter!

Dreaming of books hop

2012-01-13T06:45:00.000-08:00

Thank you all for entering, the contest is now closed, the winner has been notified via e-mail.

Welcome to my stop of the hop! This hop is hosted by Kathy at I'm a reader not a writer and Martha from Martha's bookshelf. There are a TON of blogs participating!

I'm going to keep this simple. For my giveaway, I'm giving away my favorite book of 2011! A copy of Die For Me by Amy Plum.

This giveaway is open to anyone that the book depository ships to. Please check to see if they ship to you before entering. You can find the list here.
Please leave a comment with your name and a valid e-mail in the comments. This is the mandatory entry, you can get 2 extra entries as well.
+1 if you follow GFC Leave your GFC name in a SEPARATE comment.
+1 if you follow Twitter ( @moiraethefates) leave your twitter handle in a SEPARATE comment.

Please read my policy below:
Giveaway Policy.

* Must be 13 years old to enter.
* Must live in a qualifying location (Some giveaway are US only some are INT)
* Must follow ALL rules, failure to do so will result in an automatic disqualification.
* Be polite rudeness in your entry will result in your disqualification. (I say this because it happened once.)
* I am not responsible for items lost or damaged during shipping.
* Winners have 48 hours to respond to me with an address or a new winner will be chosen.
* I reserve the right to end a contest early or terminate the contest at anytime without any notice.

1. I Am A Reader, Not A Writer (Int)
2. Reviews by Marthas Bookshelf (Int)
3. Clean Romance (US)
4. Happy Endings (Int)
5. Jennifers Musings (Int)
6. mymcbooks (US)
7. Bookworm Lisa (Int)
8. Minding Spot (US)
9. In The Next Room (Int)
10. Taming the Bookshelf (Int)
11. The Guardian Legacy (Int)
12. E. B. Walters Weblog (Int)
13. Manga Maniac Cafe (US)
14. The Itzel Library (Int)
15. Happy Endings (US)
16. Babs Book Bistro (US)
17. Good Family Reads (US)
18. EDGE of ESCAPE (US)
19. Inside BJs Head (US)
20. Lah @ LazyGirl Reads (US)
21. Mommies Point of View (US)
22. Attack of the Book! (Int)
23. Laurie LC Lewis: A View From The Other Side of the Hill (Int)
24. One Book Shy of a Full Shelf (Int)
25. Genre Reviews (US/Can)
26. Dearest Dreams (Int)
27. Books Thoughts And Just A Few Adventures (US)
28. Lis Careys Library (US)
29. Books for Company (Int)
30. Nikkis Starbucks Reviews (US)
31. Read for your future! (Int)
32. PageTurners Blog (Int)
33. Ashley Suzanne (US)
34. BookHounds (Int)
35. BookHounds YA (Int)
36. Tifferz Book Review (Int)
37. Reader Girls (US)
38. MyLadyWeb Womens History and Women Authors (US)
39. A Foodie Bibliophile in Wanderlust (US)
40. Uniquely Moi Books (Int)
41. BOOKS R US (US)
42. Just One More Chapter (Int)
43. My Reading Room (US/Can)
44. Reading Challenged (US/Can)
45. At Home With Books (Int)
46. Loris Reading Corner (Int)
47. Library of Clean Reads (US/Can)
48. Simply Ali (US)
49. Reading In Wonderland (US)
50. My Inner Muse (US)
51. The Mod Podge Bookshelf (US)
52. Stories and Sweeties (US)
53. Me and Reading (Int)
54. A Family Friendly Blog (Int)
55. Beverly @ The Wormhole (US)
56. Living, Learning, and Loving Life (US)
57. To Read, Perchance to Dream (Int)
58. Pandora Poikilos - Peace from Pieces (US)
59. Letters Inside Out (Int)
60. Sugarpeach (Int)
61. Krazy Book Lady (US)
62. Kid Lit Frenzy (Int)
63. Just Childrens Books (US)
64. The Muse in the Fog Book Review (US)
65. Tune into L (US)
66. Beckys Barmy Book Blog (Int)
67. Some Like It Paranormal (US)
68. Moirae the fates book reviews (Int)
69. Good Choice Reading (Int)
70. Snarkymamma Hop (US)
71. Dianas Amazing Book Adventures (US)
72. The Book Cellar(US)
73. My{reads}da (US)
74. Michelle @ Book Briefs (US)
75. Everyday Is An Adventure (US)
76. Tiffany Reads (US)
77. Late Night Reads (US)
78. Lindsey @ Babies, Books, and Signs (US)
79. Truly Bookish (US)
80. Eli to the nth (US)
81. Bibliosaurus Text (Int)
82. Rachel Brooks Writes (Int)
83. primrose musings (Int)
84. True To Type (US)
85. Seven Things I Love (US)
86. Ashley @ Bookaholics Anonymous (US)
87. The Book Garden (Int)
88. JJ @ JJ iReads (US)
89. Chapter by Chapter (Int)
90. Mug of Moxie (Int)
91. Jessica @ Thoughts At One In The Morning (Int)
92. Melissas Eclectic Bookshelf (US)
93. Sweeping Me (Int)
94. The Irish Banana Review (Int)
95. The Bookish Babes (Int)
96. Good Family Reads (US)
97. Kristis Book Nook (US)
98. The Non Reluctant Reader (Int)
99. Page Flipperz (Int)
100. Livre De Amour-Books of Love (US)
101. Cheri Schmidt, author of YA Paranormal Romance (Int)
102. Books and Needlepoint (US)
103. Practical Frugality (US)
104. Reviews by Karen (US)
105. Darlenes Book Nook (Int)
106. Charla@ Book Talk With Charla (US)
107. Pen to Paper (Int)
108. Hippies Beauty and Books Oh My! (Int)
109. JeanBookNerd (Int)
110. Mommy Adventures With Ravina (US)
111. Isis Rushdan_Dare to Discover the Unexpected (Int)
112. Tethered Mommy (US/Can)
113. Passion for Novels (Int)
114. Keepin Up With LDS Bookstores (US)
115. Living, Loving, Laughing, Reading (US)
116. Cedar Fort Publishing (US)
117. Lauries Interviews & Reviews (Int)
118. Megan @ Reading Away The Days (Int)
119. The Spunky Diva (US)
120. Annabells Book Nook (US)
121. Chocolate Chunky Munkie (Int)
122. BookStacksOnDeck (Int)
123. Cerebral Girl in a Redneck World (Int)
124. A Thousand Wrongs (US)
125. Beck Valley Books (Int)
126. Simple Wyrdings (US)
127. Of Thoughts and Words (US)
128. Book Brats (US)
129. Orangeberry Book Tours (US)
130. the bookish mama (US)
131. Burgandy Ice @ Colorimetry (US)
132. Bonnie Gets A Say (US)
133. Dr. Stravagantes Traveling Book Circus (Int)
134. Myne Whitman Writes (US)
135. A Sense of Fiction (US)
136. I*m Loving Books (Int)
137. Joan Holubs A Kiss For You! (lift the flap board book with magnet) (US)
138. Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book (US)
139. The Stubby Pencil (US)
140. Making Time For Mommy (US)
141. Working for the Mandroid (US)
142. MamaNYC (US/Can)
143. Popcorn Reads (US)
144. Butterfly-o-Meter Books (Int)
145. The Littlereader Library (Int)
146. Getting Your Read On (Int)
147. My Devotional Thoughts (Int)
148. Sarah Ballance (Int)
149. Workaday Reads (Int)
150. icefairys Treasure Chest (US)
151. Reviews From My First Reads Shelf (Int)
152. Endlessly Bookish (Int)
153. Suzannes Place: The Magic of Writing for Children and More (US)
154. A Life Full of Laughter (US)
155. Cozy Mystery Book Review (Int)
156. Aimee Laine (Int)
157. Book Him Danno (US)
158. Epic YA Reads (US)
159. J. A. Belfield (Int)
160. Cheri Lasota (US)
161. The Companion of Lady Holmeshire (US)
162. English Historical Fiction Authors (US)
163. Juniper Grove (US/Can)
164. Dani Harper, Paranormal Romance Author, blogs at WAY PAST NORMAL (US/Can)
165. Mels Random Reviews (Int)
166. Acting Balanced (Int)
167. Sweeping The (US)
168. Jocelyn Adams (Int)
169. The Cozy Reading Corner (Int)
170. Karissas Reading Review (Int)
171. Prissy Fit (US)
172. Cicis Theories (US)
173. storyweaver (US)
174. Van @ Short and Sweet Reviews (Int)
175. The Secret Writer (Int)
176. But What Are They Eating? (US)
177. Id Rather Be At The Beach (US/Can)
178. Keeping Up With The Rheinlanders (US)
179. Book Dreaming (US)
180. Nadja Notariani ~ An Authors Adventures (US)
181. By The Book (US)
182. A Casual Readers Blog (Int)
183. Stealing Mercy (US)
184. Reading World (US)
185. Bookladys Booknotes (US)
186. The Hook (Int)
187. WriterMom (US)
188. The Write Obsession (Int)
189. Sometimes Its Cloudy, Sometimes Its Clear (US)
190. The Science of Romance (Int)
191. Boos Place (US)
192. My Bookish Ways (US)
193. Actin Up with Books (US)
194. The Busy Bibliophile (US)
195. Gypsy Mama Logs (US)
196. The Book Monsters (US)
197. Book Flame (Int)
198. From Meredith Allard (US)
199. A Three Way Tie (US)
200. Rikkis Teleidoscope (Int)
201. Empowered to Prosper (US)
202. Memrie @ darkangel88 (Int)
203. In the Mind of Ley Mesina (Int)
204. Nothought2small (US)
205. Jude @ In Between Writing and Reading (YA) (US)
206. Novel Reflections (Int)
207. A little bit of everything (US)
208. Valeries Reviews (US/Can)
209. Trini @ A Book-Lovers Review (US/Can)
210. Sarah @ The Book Life (Int)
211. Believe! author Mimi Barbour (US)
212. chanakeefer. com (US)
213. Runaway Bridal Planner (US)
214. Mimi @ Mimi Reads (Int)
215. Gotta Have YA (US)
216. Amaleen Ison - YA Author (Int)
217. Life and Love Letters (US)
218. Laurie Here Reading & Writing Reviews (US)
219. Ezmirelda @ P A R A F A N T A S Y (Int)
220. Simply Infatuated (US)
221. Kat @ The Aussie Zombie
222. Fiction Enthusiast
223. Luv My Books (INT)
224. Heaven Liegh Eldeen~The Demon Side
225. Gloria Schumann - Romance~A Book Away (Int)
226. Sam @ Falling Books (International)

I Am A Reader, Not A Writer (Int)

Reviews by Marthas Bookshelf (Int)

Clean Romance (US)

Happy Endings (Int)

Jennifers Musings (Int)

mymcbooks (US)

Bookworm Lisa (Int)

Minding Spot (US)

In The Next Room (Int)

10.

Taming the Bookshelf (Int)

11.

The Guardian Legacy (Int)

12.

E. B. Walters Weblog (Int)

13.

Manga Maniac Cafe (US)

14.

The Itzel Library (Int)

15.

Happy Endings (US)

16.

Babs Book Bistro (US)

17.

Good Family Reads (US)

18.

EDGE of ESCAPE (US)

19.

Inside BJs Head (US)

20.

Lah @ LazyGirl Reads (US)

21.

Mommies Point of View (US)

22.

Attack of the Book! (Int)

23.

Laurie LC Lewis: A View From The Other Side of the Hill (Int)

24.

One Book Shy of a Full Shelf (Int)

25.

Genre Reviews (US/Can)

26.

Dearest Dreams (Int)

27.

Books Thoughts And Just A Few Adventures (US)

28.

Lis Careys Library (US)

29.

Books for Company (Int)

30.

Nikkis Starbucks Reviews (US)

31.

Read for your future! (Int)

32.

PageTurners Blog (Int)

33.

Ashley Suzanne (US)

34.

BookHounds (Int)

35.

BookHounds YA (Int)

36.

Tifferz Book Review (Int)

37.

Reader Girls (US)

38.

MyLadyWeb Womens History and Women Authors (US)

39.

A Foodie Bibliophile in Wanderlust (US)

40.

Uniquely Moi Books (Int)

41.

BOOKS R US (US)

42.

Just One More Chapter (Int)

43.

My Reading Room (US/Can)

44.

Reading Challenged (US/Can)

45.

At Home With Books (Int)

46.

Loris Reading Corner (Int)

47.

Library of Clean Reads (US/Can)

48.

Simply Ali (US)

49.

Reading In Wonderland (US)

50.

My Inner Muse (US)

51.

The Mod Podge Bookshelf (US)

52.

Stories and Sweeties (US)

53.

Me and Reading (Int)

54.

A Family Friendly Blog (Int)

55.

Beverly @ The Wormhole (US)

56.

Living, Learning, and Loving Life (US)

57.

To Read, Perchance to Dream (Int)

58.

Pandora Poikilos - Peace from Pieces (US)

59.

Letters Inside Out (Int)

60.

Sugarpeach (Int)

61.

Krazy Book Lady (US)

62.

Kid Lit Frenzy (Int)

63.

Just Childrens Books (US)

64.

The Muse in the Fog Book Review (US)

65.

Tune into L (US)

66.

Beckys Barmy Book Blog (Int)

67.

Some Like It Paranormal (US)

68.

Moirae the fates book reviews (Int)

69.

Good Choice Reading (Int)

70.

Snarkymamma Hop (US)

71.

Dianas Amazing Book Adventures (US)

72.

The Book Cellar(US)

73.

My{reads}da (US)

74.

Michelle @ Book Briefs (US)

75.

Everyday Is An Adventure (US)

76.

Tiffany Reads (US)

77.

Late Night Reads (US)

78.

Lindsey @ Babies, Books, and Signs (US)

79.

Truly Bookish (US)

80.

Eli to the nth (US)

81.

Bibliosaurus Text (Int)

82.

Rachel Brooks Writes (Int)

83.

primrose musings (Int)

84.

True To Type (US)

85.

Seven Things I Love (US)

86.

Ashley @ Bookaholics Anonymous (US)

87.

The Book Garden (Int)

88.

JJ @ JJ iReads (US)

89.

Chapter by Chapter (Int)

90.

Mug of Moxie (Int)

91.

Jessica @ Thoughts At One In The Morning (Int)

92.

Melissas Eclectic Bookshelf (US)

93.

Sweeping Me (Int)

94.

The Irish Banana Review (Int)

95.

The Bookish Babes (Int)

96.

Good Family Reads (US)

97.

Kristis Book Nook (US)

98.

The Non Reluctant Reader (Int)

99.

Page Flipperz (Int)

100.

Livre De Amour-Books of Love (US)

101.

Cheri Schmidt, author of YA Paranormal Romance (Int)

102.

Books and Needlepoint (US)

103.

Practical Frugality (US)

104.

Reviews by Karen (US)

105.

Darlenes Book Nook (Int)

106.

Charla@ Book Talk With Charla (US)

107.

Pen to Paper (Int)

108.

Hippies Beauty and Books Oh My! (Int)

109.

JeanBookNerd (Int)

110.

Mommy Adventures With Ravina (US)

111.

Isis Rushdan_Dare to Discover the Unexpected (Int)

112.

Tethered Mommy (US/Can)

113.

Passion for Novels (Int)

114.

Keepin Up With LDS Bookstores (US)

115.

Living, Loving, Laughing, Reading (US)

116.

Cedar Fort Publishing (US)

117.

Lauries Interviews & Reviews (Int)

118.

Megan @ Reading Away The Days (Int)

119.

The Spunky Diva (US)

120.

Annabells Book Nook (US)

121.

Chocolate Chunky Munkie (Int)

122.

BookStacksOnDeck (Int)

123.

Cerebral Girl in a Redneck World (Int)

124.

A Thousand Wrongs (US)

125.

Beck Valley Books (Int)

126.

Simple Wyrdings (US)

127.

Of Thoughts and Words (US)

128.

Book Brats (US)

129.

Orangeberry Book Tours (US)

130.

the bookish mama (US)

131.

Burgandy Ice @ Colorimetry (US)

132.

Bonnie Gets A Say (US)

133.

Dr. Stravagantes Traveling Book Circus (Int)

134.

Myne Whitman Writes (US)

135.

A Sense of Fiction (US)

136.

I*m Loving Books (Int)

137.

Joan Holubs A Kiss For You! (lift the flap board book with magnet) (US)

138.

Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book (US)

139.

The Stubby Pencil (US)

140.

Making Time For Mommy (US)

141.

Working for the Mandroid (US)

142.

MamaNYC (US/Can)

143.

Popcorn Reads (US)

144.

Butterfly-o-Meter Books (Int)

145.

The Littlereader Library (Int)

146.

Getting Your Read On (Int)

147.

My Devotional Thoughts (Int)

148.

Sarah Ballance (Int)

149.

Workaday Reads (Int)

150.

icefairys Treasure Chest (US)

151.

Reviews From My First Reads Shelf (Int)

152.

Endlessly Bookish (Int)

153.

Suzannes Place: The Magic of Writing for Children and More (US)

154.

A Life Full of Laughter (US)

155.

Cozy Mystery Book Review (Int)

156.

157.

158.

159.

160.

161.

The Companion of Lady Holmeshire (US)

162.

English Historical Fiction Authors (US)

163.

Juniper Grove (US/Can)

164.

Dani Harper, Paranormal Romance Author, blogs at WAY PAST NORMAL (US/Can)

165.

Mels Random Reviews (Int)

166.

Acting Balanced (Int)

167.

Sweeping The (US)

168.

Jocelyn Adams (Int)

169.

The Cozy Reading Corner (Int)

170.

Karissas Reading Review (Int)

171.

Prissy Fit (US)

172.

Cicis Theories (US)

173.

storyweaver (US)

174.

Van @ Short and Sweet Reviews (Int)

175.

The Secret Writer (Int)

176.

But What Are They Eating? (US)

177.

Id Rather Be At The Beach (US/Can)

178.

Keeping Up With The Rheinlanders (US)

179.

Book Dreaming (US)

180.

Nadja Notariani ~ An Authors Adventures (US)

181.

By The Book (US)

182.

A Casual Readers Blog (Int)

183.

Stealing Mercy (US)

184.

Reading World (US)

185.

Bookladys Booknotes (US)

186.

The Hook (Int)

187.

WriterMom (US)

188.

The Write Obsession (Int)

189.

Sometimes Its Cloudy, Sometimes Its Clear (US)

190.

The Science of Romance (Int)

191.

Boos Place (US)

192.

My Bookish Ways (US)

193.

Actin Up with Books (US)

194.

The Busy Bibliophile (US)

195.

Gypsy Mama Logs (US)

196.

The Book Monsters (US)

197.

Book Flame (Int)

198.

From Meredith Allard (US)

199.

A Three Way Tie (US)

200.

Rikkis Teleidoscope (Int)

201.

Empowered to Prosper (US)

202.

Memrie @ darkangel88 (Int)

203.

In the Mind of Ley Mesina (Int)

204.

Nothought2small (US)

205.

Jude @ In Between Writing and Reading (YA) (US)

206.

Novel Reflections (Int)

207.

A little bit of everything (US)

208.

Valeries Reviews (US/Can)

209.

Trini @ A Book-Lovers Review (US/Can)

210.

Sarah @ The Book Life (Int)

211.

Believe! author Mimi Barbour (US)

212.

chanakeefer. com (US)

213.

Runaway Bridal Planner (US)

214.

Mimi @ Mimi Reads (Int)

215.

Gotta Have YA (US)

216.

Amaleen Ison - YA Author (Int)

217.

Life and Love Letters (US)

218.

Laurie Here Reading & Writing Reviews (US)

219.

Ezmirelda @ P A R A F A N T A S Y (Int)

220.

Simply Infatuated (US)

221.

Kat @ The Aussie Zombie

222.

Fiction Enthusiast

223.

Luv My Books (INT)

224.

Heaven Liegh Eldeen~The Demon Side

225.

Gloria Schumann - Romance~A Book Away (Int)

226.

Sam @ Falling Books (International)

Until I die dropped scene!

2012-01-11T21:53:00.000-08:00

Hey y'all on Monday Amy Plum shared with us all the scene from Until I die that was mistakenly left out of the ARC copies but it has been fixed and will be in the finished copies. You can read the dropped text on Amy's blog.
She also filmed herself reading it for us which you can watch below!

AH! I love it! I was lucky enough to get a copy of Until I Die from a fellow blogger and will have a review of it spoiler free of course up as soon as I finish it. You guys the book is AMAZING!

Cover Reveal Sweet Shadows

2012-01-11T21:46:00.000-08:00

Hey y'all the cover for book 2 in the Medusa Girls series by Tera Lynn Childs has been released! We don't have a synopsis yet but the cover is beautiful! I have book 1 and plan to read it as soon as I can!

Sweet Shadows

In my Mailbox 56

2012-01-07T13:49:00.000-08:00

In my mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.
This week I got 2 books, one I bought with my gift card I got for Christmas/Hanukkah and one was a gift from my Mum.

The book I bought was Love and leftovers by Sarah Tregay.

And the book that was a gift was 77 Shadow Street by Dean Koontz.

That's what was in my mailbox this week leave me a note and let me know what you got in your mailbox and I will be sure to check it out.

Love and Leftovers

2012-01-07T13:35:00.000-08:00

Hardcover: 448 pages
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (December 27, 2011)
ISBN-10: 0062023586
Author: Sarah Tregay
Cover Art: Very cute
Overall rating: *** out of 5
Obtained: My personal bookshelf.

Love and Leftovers by Sarah Tregay
Reviewed by Moirae the fates book reviews.

My wish
is to fall
cranium over Converse
in dizzy, daydream-worthy
love.

When her parents split, Marcie is dragged from Idaho to a family summerhouse in New Hampshire. She leaves behind her friends, a group of freaks and geeks called the Leftovers, including her emo-rocker boyfriend, and her father.

By the time Labor Day rolls around, Marcie suspects this "vacation" has become permanent. She starts at a new school where a cute boy brings her breakfast and a new romance heats up. But understanding love, especially when you've watched your parents' affections end, is elusive. What does it feel like, really? can you even know it until you've lost it?

Love and Leftovers is a beautifully written story of one girl’s journey navigating family, friends, and love, and a compelling and sexy read that teens will gobble up whole. (Synopsis provided by goodreads)

For me this book was just okay. I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it either. It's a book I will most likely forget about in a week or so. I've only read a few books in verse before. I liked the flow of this one the best so far, it got to the point and moved very quickly.
It should be said that this book is for older teens, there is a lot of talk about sex in this book, a lot. I'd say a good quarter of the book or so deals with it. There are no sex scenes just talk about it. If you are easily offended by homosexuals in books, then this book is not for you as there is a gay character in it.

I really wanted to love this book, when I picked it up, I knew it was a book in verse and set in two different places in the USA and that I liked the cover. That was it. I read this book in a few hours and while I don't regret reading it, I also am not overly glad I read it. It's just a middle of the road average okay story.

I did have an issue with the ending, it felt forced and it all wrapped up a little too neatly. In a normal high school age group the issues that were brought up and the obstetricals the characters had to over come would never have just gone away that easily.

That being said, I would pick up another book by this author again, if they write another, however, I'd get it from the library.

Due to how much talk of sex is in this book and the fact that a character is gay, I expect this book to be challenged through out the next few years.

Romeo's Ex

2012-01-05T15:33:00.000-08:00

Hardcover: 256 pages
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR); 1st edition (September 19, 2006)
ISBN-10: 0805075003
Author: Lisa Fiedler
Cover art: Love the cover art.
Overall rating * out of 5 stars
Obtained: My personal book shelf.

Romeo's Ex by Lisa Fiedler
Reviewed by Moirae the fates book reviews
Rosaline won't let anyone or anything get in the way of her future as a healer. That is, until she meets Benvolio. Where Romeo's words had been hollow and unfounded, Benvolio's are filled with sincerity and true love. Now Rosaline finds herself caught between her feelings, her ambition, and her family's long-standing feud with the Montagues.
When Romeo turns his affections toward Ros's cousin, Juliet, their relationship brings the feud of the two houses to a new level. Rosaline and Benvolio hatch a plan to bring peace to the two families. But will they succeed? (Synopsis provided by goodreads)

Okay so I wanted to love this book. I really enjoy re-tellings of Shakespeare, myths and fairytales, if they are done well. For me, this book fell flat. I felt that the author was trying too hard to sound Shakespearean. There was a massive over abundance of words like "thee", "thou" and "doth". This was mixed in with more modern day writing as well. I found myself unable to enjoy the story I was wanting the book to pick a style of writing and stay in it.
I felt like the author disliked the original story and felt that Rosaline got the shaft in the original text and wanted to change her story. That's all nice and fine, but please don't make it clear how much you seem to dislike the original story. That takes away from your book.
I found myself skimming parts just to get to the end so I could move on to the next book in my pile.
I also found myself rolling my eyes everytime actual lines from the play were in placed in the text, they were always italicized.
The book ridiculously simple and felt like Fiedler was "dumbing" down the story for the reader. Most readers are smart enough to know what's going on thank you.
The story also felt very preachy saying how Romeo and Juliet hardly knew each other. Yes, this is true, in the play they only knew each other for a few days.
I could go on, but that would lead to spoilers, so instead all I'll say is there were some ideas brought up in the book that are ludicrous for a book set in 1595.
Sadly, the only thing I liked was the cover art.

If you are looking for a good re-telling I'd recommend Michelle Ray's Falling for Hamlet or Suzanne Selfors Saving Juliet. They are some of the best I have read.

Cover reveal City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

2012-01-04T13:06:00.000-08:00

You guys! YOU GUYS! It's HERE! The COVER!!! Taken from Goodreads

This is by far by favorite of all the Cassie Clare covers beautiful!

Blue Bloods

2012-01-03T21:30:00.000-08:00

Reading level: Ages 18 and up
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Hyperion Book CH (April 25, 2006
ISBN-10: 0786838922
Author: Melissa de la Cruz
Cover art: I like the city scape at the bottom and the necklace, on the hardcover, the bites are indented into the cover AWESOME!
Overall rating: ***** out of 5
Obtained: This was a Random Act of Kindness.

Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz
Reviewed by Moirae the fates books reviews.

When the Mayflower set sail in 1620, it carried on board the men and women who would shape America: Miles Standish; John Alden; Constance Hopkins. But some among the Pilgrims were not pure of heart; they were not escaping religious persecution. Indeed, they were not even human. They were vampires.The vampires assimilated quickly into the New World. Rising to levels of enormous power, wealth, and influence, they were the celebrated blue bloods of American society.

The Blue Bloods vowed that their immortal status would remain a closely guarded secret. And they kept that secret for centuries. But now, in New York City, the secret is seeping out. Schuyler Van Alen is a sophomore at a prestigious private school. She prefers baggy, vintage clothes instead of the Prada and pearls worn by her classmates, and she lives with her reclusive grandmother in a dilapated mansion. Schuyler is a loner...and happy that way. Suddenly, when she turns fifteen, there is a visible mosaic of blue veins on her arm. She starts to crave raw food and she is having flashbacks to ancient times. Then a popular girl from her school is found dead... drained of all her blood. Schuyler doesn't know what to think, but she wants to find out the secrets the Blue Bloods are keeping. But is she herself in danger? (Synopsis provided by goodreads)

I really liked this book. I think what I liked the most was Cruz's unusual spin on vampires. This book was published a few months before Twilight and why it never got the same status is insane! Not only is the story more involved but Cruz's writing style is much more detailed, she created a beautiful world that draws you in from the first page. The history she gave to her vampires unlike anything I've read before.
The characters are very dynamic and very different to one another. There were a few theories I had while reading this book, Cruz did a great job in "tricking" the reader, just when you think you have it all figured out, Cruz turns the tables on you and you find yourself in another world you find out you are so far off from being right. It's such an awesome book! I loved every page, and the best part? There are 5 more books to read! I have no idea why I waited so long to get this series!

RAK December Wrap up

2012-01-01T11:17:00.000-08:00

I ALWAYS forget to do a wrap up post!

Okay, so I usually am only able to send one RAK when I sign up for RAK. So, this month, was my birthday month, so I received 3 RAKs.
I sent Die For Me by Amy Plum which was my favorite book of 2011 to the super cool RJ at RJ does books.

I was sent:

Frost by Marianna Baer this was sent to me from RJ at RJ does books THANK YOU!

I was sent Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz. This was sent to me by @Luvdaylilies THANK YOU!

And I have no idea who sent this last one, there was no packing slip or anything in the package so I don't know who to thank, if it was you please let me know so I can say thank you. I was kindly sent a copy of 11-22-63 by Stephen King. THANK YOU!!!!

In my Mailbox 55

2011-12-30T21:31:00.000-08:00

In my mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.

This week I got 4 books, 3 were bought with my Christmas/Hanukkah gift card! (Most of the gift card was spent on pre-orders) and 1 was a gift.

The gift was a UK copy of The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove by Lauren Kate. I love the UK cover and it matches the Fallen series covers, my friend who lives in England was kind enough to sent me a copy as a birthday gift, she's my birthday twin YAY!

The 3 I bought were:

Looking for Alaska by John Green.

Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs.

and lastly The Statistical Probability Of Love At First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith.

That's what was in my mailbox this week, leave me a note and let me know what you got in your mailbox.

Top 11 in 2011

2011-12-27T16:04:00.000-08:00

I have a list of the top 11 YA books I read in 2011. To make it simpler to decide for myself I decided that no re-reads would be allowed, no adult books are allowed and only 1 book per author.

So here is my top 11!

11) Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war-- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

In this electrifying debut, Tahereh Mafi presents a world as riveting as The Hunger Games and a superhero story as thrilling as The X-Men. Full of pulse-pounding romance, intoxicating villainy, and high-stakes choices, Shatter Me is a fresh and original dystopian novel—with a paranormal twist—that will leave readers anxiously awaiting its sequel.

10) The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.
It can.
She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.
There is.
She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.
She's wrong.

9) Wildefire by Karsten Knight

Every flame begins with a spark.
Ashline Wilde is having a rough sophomore year. She’s struggling to find her place as the only Polynesian girl in school, her boyfriend just cheated on her, and now her runaway sister, Eve, has decided to barge back into her life. When Eve’s violent behavior escalates and she does the unthinkable, Ash transfers to a remote private school nestled in California’s redwoods, hoping to put the tragedy behind her. But her fresh start at Blackwood Academy doesn’t go as planned. Just as Ash is beginning to enjoy the perks of her new school—being captain of the tennis team, a steamy romance with a hot, local park ranger—Ash discovers that a group of gods and goddesses have mysteriously enrolled at Blackwood…and she’s one of them. To make matters worse, Eve has resurfaced to haunt Ash, and she’s got some strange abilities of her own. With a war between the gods looming over campus, Ash must master the new fire smoldering within before she clashes with her sister one more time… And when warm and cold fronts collide, there’s guaranteed to be a storm.

8) Like Mandarin by Kirsten Hubbard

It's hard finding beauty in the badlands of Washokey, Wyoming, but 14-year-old Grace Carpenter knows it's not her mother's pageant obsessions, or the cowboy dances adored by her small-town classmates. True beauty is wild-girl Mandarin Ramey: 17, shameless and utterly carefree. Grace would give anything to be like Mandarin. When they're united for a project, they form an unlikely, explosive friendship, packed with nights spent skinny-dipping in the canal, liberating the town's animal-head trophies, and searching for someplace magic. Grace plays along when Mandarin suggests they run away together. Blame it on the crazy-making wildwinds plaguing their Badlands town. Because all too soon, Grace discovers Mandarin's unique beauty hides a girl who's troubled, broken, and even dangerous. And no matter how hard Grace fights to keep the magic, no friendship can withstand betrayal.

7) Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross

In 1897 England, sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne has no one except the "thing" inside her.

When a young lord tries to take advantage of Finley, she fights back. And wins. But no normal Victorian girl has a darker side that makes her capable of knocking out a full-grown man with one punch...

Only Griffin King sees the magical darkness inside her that says she's special, says she's one of them. The orphaned duke takes her in from the gaslit streets against the wishes of his band of misfits. Emily, who has her own special abilities and an unrequited love for Sam, who is part robot; and Jasper, an American cowboy with a shadowy secret.

Griffin's investigating a criminal called The Machinist, the mastermind behind several recent crimes by automatons. Finley thinks she can help-and finally be a part of something, finally fit in.

But The Machinist wants to tear Griff's little company of strays apart, and it isn't long before trust is tested on all sides. At least Finley knows whose side she's on, even if it seems no one believes her.

6) Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler

“Thou art the Black Rider. Go thee out unto the world.”

Lisabeth Lewis has a black steed, a set of scales, and a new job: she’s been appointed Famine. How will an anorexic seventeen-year-old girl from the suburbs fare as one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?

Traveling the world on her steed gives Lisa freedom from her troubles at home: her constant battle with hunger, and her struggle to hide it from the people who care about her. But being Famine forces her to go places where hunger is a painful part of everyday life, and to face the horrifying effects of her phenomenal power. Can Lisa find a way to harness that power — and the courage to battle her own inner demons?

5) Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins

Sophie Mercer thought she was a witch.

That was the whole reason she was sent to Hex Hall, a reform school for delinquent Prodigium (aka witches, shapeshifters, and fairies). But that was before she discovered the family secret, and that her hot crush, Archer Cross, is an agent for The Eye, a group bent on wiping Prodigium off the face of the earth.

Turns out, Sophie’s a demon, one of only two in the world—the other being her father. What’s worse, she has powers that threaten the lives of everyone she loves. Which is precisely why Sophie decides she must go to London for the Removal, a dangerous procedure that will destroy her powers.

But once Sophie arrives she makes a shocking discovery. Her new friends? They’re demons too. Meaning someone is raising them in secret with creepy plans to use their powers, and probably not for good. Meanwhile, The Eye is set on hunting Sophie down, and they’re using Archer to do it. But it’s not like she has feelings for him anymore. Does she?

4) Passion by Lauren Kate

Luce would die for Daniel.

And she has. Over and over again. Throughout time, Luce and Daniel have found each other, only to be painfully torn apart: Luce dead, Daniel left broken and alone. But perhaps it doesn’t need to be that way. . . .

Luce is certain that something—or someone—in a past life can help her in her present one. So she begins the most important journey of this lifetime . . . going back eternities to witness firsthand her romances with Daniel . . . and finally unlock the key to making their love last.

Cam and the legions of angels and Outcasts are desperate to catch Luce, but none are as frantic as Daniel. He chases Luce through their shared pasts, terrified of what might happen if she rewrites history.

Because their romance for the ages could go up in flames . . . forever.
Sweeping across centuries, PASSION is the third novel in the unforgettably epic FALLEN series.

3) Queen of the Dead by Stacey Kade

After being sent back from the light, Alona Dare - former homecoming queen, current Queen of the Dead - finds herself doing something she never expected: working. Instead of spending days perfecting her tan by the pool (her typical summer routine when she was, you know, alive), Alona must now cater to the needs of other lost spirits. By her side for all of this - ugh - “helping of others” is Will Killian: social outcast, seer of the dead, and someone Alona cares about more than she’d like.

Before Alona can make a final ruling on Will’s “friend” or “more” status, though, she discovers trouble at home. Her mom is tossing out Alona’s most valuable possessions, and her dad is expecting a new daughter with his wicked wife. Is it possible her family is already moving on? Hello! She’s only been dead for two months! Thankfully, Alona knows just the guy who can put a stop to this mess.

Unfortunately for Alona, Will has other stuff on his mind, and Mina, a young (and beautiful) seer, is at the top of the list. She’s the first ghost-talker Will’s ever met—aside from his father—and she may hold answers to Will’s troubled past. But can she be trusted? Alona immediately puts a check mark in the “clearly not” column. But Will is - ahem - willing to find out, even if it means leaving a hurt and angry Alona to her own devices, which is never a good idea.

Packed with romance, lovable characters, and a killer cliffhanger, Queen of the Dead is the out-of-this-world sequel to The Ghost and the Goth.

2) Falling for Hamlet by Michelle Ray

Meet Ophelia: a blonde, beautiful high-school senior and long-time girlfriend of Prince Hamlet of Denmark. Her life is dominated not only by her boyfriend's fame and his overbearing family, but also by the paparazzi who hound them wherever they go. As the devastatingly handsome Hamlet spirals into madness after the mysterious death of his father, the King, Ophelia rides out his crazy roller coaster life, and lives to tell about it. In live television interviews, of course.Passion, romance, drama, humor, and tragedy intertwine in this compulsively readable debut novel, told by a strong-willed, modern-day Ophelia.

And the number one top book I have read in 2011 is.........

1) 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?

So, that's my list of top 11 YA books I read in 2011. What's on your list?

In my Mailbox 54

2011-12-24T14:35:00.000-08:00

In my mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.

This week I got 8 books, 4 I bought, 3 I won and 1 for review.

The one for review was: The Sword Of Righteousness by J.W. Baccaro.

The books I bought were:

Revelations by Melissa de la cruz (Thinking it was book 2)

The Van Alen Legacy by Melissa de la Cruz (Thinking it was book 3)

By The Time You Read This I'll Be Dead by Julie Anne Peters.

Drink Slay Love by Sarah Beth Durst.

The 3 books I won were:

Cinder by Marissa Meyer. Thank you to the people at Feiwel and Friends for the giveaway!

Pandemonium by Daryl Gregory. I won this as part of the Frightful fall reviewers thank you Michelle and Kai!

Night's Cold Kiss by Tracey O'Hara, also won as part of the Frightful fall reviewers thanks again to Michelle and Kai for hosting it!

Well that's what was in my mailbox! Leave me a note and let me know what you got in your mailbox!
Hope y'all are having a wonderful Hanukkah and hope you have great Christmas!

Cover reveal GIRL IN THE CLOCKWORK COLLAR by Kady Cross

2011-12-21T14:00:00.000-08:00

This book has a release date of May 22 2012!

So excited I can't wait!

Happy Hanukkah!

2011-12-20T16:50:00.000-08:00

Hello y'all and Happy Hanukkah!

Getting ready to light the menorah here very exciting! It's the first time I have decided to observe the holiday. I'm a Christian, but I felt the need to celebrate Hanukkah as well since my Lord and Savior was born Jewish (and I wear a Star of David and Cross).

I found some awesome information about Hanukkah that I wanted to share with you all, I know a lot of people don't know what Hanukkah is about, so here is the story of Hanukkah copied and pasted from About.com's Judaism page.

The Hanukkah Story

In 168 B.C.E. the Jewish Temple was seized by Syrian-Greek soldiers and dedicated to the worship of the god Zeus. This upset the Jewish people, but many were afraid to fight back for fear of reprisals. Then in 167 B.C.E. the Syrian-Greek emperor Antiochus made the observance of Judaism an offense punishable by death. He also ordered all Jews to worship Greek gods. Jewish resistance began in the village of Modiin, near Jerusalem. Greek soldiers forcibly gathered the Jewish villages and told them to bow down to an idol, then eat the flesh of a pig – both practices that are forbidden to Jews. A Greek officer ordered Mattathias, a High Priest, to acquiesce to their demands, but Mattathias refused. When another villager stepped forward and offered to cooperate on Mattathias' behalf, the High Priest became outraged. He drew his sword and killed the villager, then turned on the Greek officer and killed him too. His five sons and the other villagers then attacked the remaining soldiers, killing all of them.
Mattathias and his family went into hiding in the mountains, where other Jews wishing to fight against the Greeks joined them. Eventually they succeeded in retaking their land from the Greeks. These rebels became known as the Maccabees, or Hasmoneans.
Once the Maccabees had regained control they returned to the Temple in Jerusalem. By this time it had been spiritually defiled by being used for the worship of foreign gods and also by practices such as sacrificing swine. Jewish troops were determined to purify the Temple by burning ritual oil in the Temple’s menorah for eight days. But to their dismay, they discovered that there was only one day's worth of oil left in the Temple. They lit the menorah anyway and to their surprise the small amount of oil lasted the full eight days.
This is the miracle of the Hanukkah oil that is celebrated every year when Jews light a special menorah known as a hanukkiyah for eight days. One candle is lit on the first night of Hanukkah, two on the second, and so on, until eight candles are lit.

שלום חנוכה שמח

Waiting on Wednesday 7

2011-12-20T16:40:00.000-08:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine.

This week I am waiting for Love and Leftovers by Sarah Tregay. Here is the cover art and synopsis taken from Goodreads.

My wish is to fall cranium over Converse in dizzy daydream-worthy love.

(If only it were that easy.

Marcie has been dragged away from home for the summer—from Idaho to a family summerhouse in New Hampshire. She’s left behind her friends, a group of freaks and geeks called the Leftovers, including her emo-rocker boyfriend, and her father.

By the time Labor Day rolls around, Marcie suspects this “summer vacation” has become permanent. She has to start at a new school, and there she leaves behind her Leftover status when a cute boy brings her breakfast and a new romance heats up. But understanding love, especially when you’ve watched your parents’ affections end, is elusive. What does it feel like, really? Can you even know it until you’ve lost it?

Love & Leftovers is a beautifully written story of one girl’s journey navigating family, friends, and love, and a compelling and sexy read that teens will gobble up whole.

I'm excited for a new novel in verse! I really like the verse style of writing, it makes for an interesting read! Luckily, this title is out on December 27th! So I don't have to wait long! What are you waiting for?

On The Bright Side, I'm Now The Girlfriend Of A Sex god mini review.

2011-12-19T19:21:00.000-08:00

Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: HarperTeen; First Edition edition (May 14, 2002)
ISBN-10: 0064472264
Author: Louise Rennison
Cover Art: I like the new art better.
Overall rating: **** out of 5 stars
Obtained: Local Library, purchased my own copy.

On the bright side, I'm now the girlfriend of a sex god. by Louise Rennison
Reviewed by Moirae the Fates book reviews.

Georgia Nicolson has started dating the Sex God (aka Robbie). So life should be perfect . . . except in Georgia's life, nothing is ever perfect. Her cat, Angus (the size of a small Labrador), is terrorizing the neighborhood. Her sister, Libby (who is slightly mad), hides her pooey knickers at the bottom of Georgia's bed.
Then the Sex God breaks it off because she's too young. It's time for a plan. It's time for a Red Herring. It's time for Georgia to become a "heartless boy magnet!" (Synopsis provided by Amazon)

This is book 2 in the Georgia Nicholson series. As usual, it's pretty funny. Even adults can find humor in this series and appreciate it. I love Georgia and the Ace Gang. Georgia is up to her usual antics in this book, she is now dating Robbie, the sex god, and we get to see their relationship develop and have some hard times.

Libby is her usual self in this one, we don't get to see her character develop at all in this one. If you liked book 1 (Angus, thongs and full-frontal snogging) I would recommend this book.

In my Mailbox 53

2011-12-17T14:54:00.000-08:00

In my mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.

This week I got 9 books. 3 for review, 5 I bought and 1 was a gift (RAK).

First off is the book I received as a RAK. I was gifted a copy of Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz. Thank you so much @Luvdaylilies!

I won a gift card to my local indie book store so I went on a shopping spree at Powells books.
The books I bought were:

The Juliet Club by Suzanne Harper.

Desperation by Stephen King.

Lisey's Story by Stephen King.

Life Expectancy by Dean Koontz.

We Just Want To Live Here A Palestinian Teenager, An Israeli Teenager. An Unlikely Friendship by Syle Tempel and Odelia Ainbinder.

I was sent 3 books for review all from Candlewick Press Thank you!

The Obsidian Blade by PeteHautman. (This book is due out April 10 2012)

The Girl Who Could Silence The Wind by Meg Medina. This is a YA debut novel! It is due out March 13 2012.

I was super excited to get this last one in the mail it was a copy of .....

The Princesses Of Iowa by M. Molly Backes. This is a 2012 debut novel due out May 8th 2012. I featured this on my WoW a few weeks ago.

That's all for me this week what did you get in your mailbox?

Shatter Me

2011-12-16T17:57:00.000-08:00

Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins; 1 edition (November 15, 2011)
ISBN-10: 0062085484
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Cover art: Awesome!
Overall rating:***** out of 5 stars
Obtained: A gift from my Dad.

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
Reviewed by Moirae the fates book reviews.

Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war-- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

In this electrifying debut, Tahereh Mafi presents a world as riveting as The Hunger Games and a superhero story as thrilling as The X-Men. Full of pulse-pounding romance, intoxicating villainy, and high-stakes choices, Shatter Me is a fresh and original dystopian novel—with a paranormal twist—that will leave readers anxiously awaiting its sequel. (Synopsis provided by goodreads.)

Most people who read my reviews know I am not a big fan of dystopian. However, I loved this book!
This is a dystopian book for people who don't normally care for dystopian novels.
I found Juliette to be a wonderfully likable character, she had wit, a tender side and she could hold her own and kick ass when she needed to. Her and Adam's interactions felt very genuine. With the ending of this book I had very questions, Mafi did a stellar job in answering most of my questions by the end of this book.
This book is brilliant! Run out and get a copy today! I would recommend this book to everyone!

I can't wait for book 2, it will be a long year to wait.

Waiting on Wednesday 6

2011-12-13T16:04:00.000-08:00

Wow is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking The Spine.

This week I am waiting for The Catastrophic History Of You And Me by Jess Rothenberg.
Here is the cover art and synopsis taken from Goodreads.

"Inventive, gorgeous, funny and yes . . . heartbreaking. You will absolutely love this book." — Lauren Oliver, New York Times bestselling author of Before I Fall and Delirium.

Dying of a broken heart is just the beginning.... Welcome to forever.

BRIE'S LIFE ENDS AT SIXTEEN: Her boyfriend tells her he doesn't love her, and the news breaks her heart—literally.

But now that she's D&G (dead and gone), Brie is about to discover that love is way more complicated than she ever imagined. Back in Half Moon Bay, her family has begun to unravel. Her best friend has been keeping a secret about Jacob, the boy she loved and lost—and the truth behind his shattering betrayal. And then there's Patrick, Brie's mysterious new guide and resident Lost Soul . . . who just might hold the key to her forever after.

With Patrick's help, Brie will have to pass through the five stages of grief before she's ready to move on. But how do you begin again, when your heart is still in pieces?

This book will be released on February 21 2012.

That's what I'm waiting for what are you waiting for?

Luce Advocacy

2011-12-13T00:00:00.000-08:00

Hey y’all I’m from Moirae the fates book reviews. I’ve been blogging for a bit over a year. You can find me on twitter @moiraethefates.

I am the official advocate for Luce Price from Lauren Kate’s Fallen series.

Luce is pale and has dark hair, she is 17 years old. She lives in our world, except she runs with angels. Fallen angels, some on the side of light some on the side of dark.

Luce is in love with Daniel Grigori, who is a fallen angel. They have a cycle, every 17 years they meet, fall in love, but Luce always dies. She was sent to a reform school after an incident at her old school in which a fellow student was hurt.

Best Attributes:

Luce’s has a lot of great attributes. She is fiercely loyal to her friends and to Daniel. She also thinks for herself, she doesn’t just take what others tell her for gospel truth. She seeks out her own answers and no matter what is thrown at her, she pushes through. She has a strong personality and a strong sense of self.

What makes her a heroine SPOILER WARNING:

I can’t answer this with out spoilers.

Luce is a heroine because she is fearless. In book three she takes an announcer and steps through alone exploring her and Daniel’s past lives. She finds that no matter when or where they lived she always met him, she could always find herself or her soul in the past. She learns that during the fall, the reason she and Daniel were cursed was because he refused to choose between good and evil, he chose Luce.

She also learns that Daniel doesn’t have the free will to chose her or not, but she does and she always chooses him. It doesn’t matter if it’s dangerous for her or not, she chooses him.

In this life the cycle will end when she dies, since she wasn’t baptized when she dies, her soul will not continue on and Daniel will be alone, Luce is determined to find a way to fix this so her and Daniel can truly be together. How much more brave can a girl get?!

Even when her best friend in Fallen at Sword and Cross school is murdered, Luce finds the inner strength to push on. She is away from her family and her best friend from home. When she and Daniel first meet, he's a bit of jerk to her, but we later find out that is simply because he is trying to keep her away so he doesn't have to deal with loosing her again.

Why you should vote for Luce instead of Tessa:

I’m not going to lie, Tessa is awesome as well. But Luce should get your vote for one simple reason, she is fully human. Unlike Tessa, Luce doesn’t have any special powers (That we know of so far.) She is brave in the face of danger. I’d argue that she is more brave because she has no special powers, she has no extra means to protect herself against the dark side of the fallen angels that pose a threat to her.

Anything to add:

Vote for Luce, she is a true heroine, and she is awesome!

In my Mailbox 52

2011-12-10T15:53:00.000-08:00

In my mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.

This week I got 8 books. 3 were gifts, 3 I bought and 1 was won.

The books that were gifted were:

Frost by Marianna Baer. Gifted as a R.A.K from RJ at RJ does books. Thank you!

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi. Gifted by my Parents for my birthday.

11-22-63 by Stephen King. There was no packing slip so I have no idea who sent this RAK to me. If it was you, please let me know so I can thank you!

I bought:

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare.

Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay.

Coyote's Kiss by Christa Faust.

Lady Macbeth's Daughter by Lisa M. Klein.

Lastly, the book I won was:

Dracula In Love by Karen Essex. Thank you to Michelle from The True Book Addict.

That's what was in my mailbox leave me a note and let me know what you got in your mailbox.

Knocked out by my nunga nungas mini review

2011-12-09T22:00:00.000-08:00

Reading level: Ages 13 and up
Paperback: 183 pages
Publisher: HarperTeen (March 4, 2003)
ISBN-10: 0064473627
Author: Louise Rennison
Cover art: I like the new art better.
Overall rating:**** out of 5 stars
Obtained: My local library

Knocked out by my nunga nungas by Louise Rennison
Reviewed by Moirae the fates book reviews.

Georgia Nicolson is now the girlfriend of the Sex God (aka Robbie), and things are wonderful. Except her loony parents are dragging her off to Och Aye land (aka Scotland), and the Sex God's band's chance at a record contract has left her something of a "pop widow."
Then up rears temptation in the form of old flame Dave the Laugh. Is Georgia about to become a shameless vixen? (Synopsis provided by goodreads)

In the third installment of the Georgia Nicholson series, we meet up with Georgia once again who is still dating the "sex god."
Even in my mid-twenties, this series is still hilarious! Granted, it's not as funny as it was when I was 14. I enjoy reading about Georgia's crazy antics with Jas, SG and Angus. This book is a quick read, an hour or so in an afternoon is all it takes to read it.
If you are looking for a book that is just a fun goofy read, give this a try and try all 10 of the Georgia books.

Amy Plum Reading Challenge Re-Post

2011-12-04T13:27:00.000-08:00

No one has signed up for the Amy Plum Reading Challenge yet. So far, it's just me. So I figured I would re post it.

I have decided to host my first ever challenge! YAY!!!!! It's simple, and will last from January 1 to July 1. My challenge is to read Amy Plums Die for me and Until I die (Out May 8 2012)

As you well know I LOVE Die for Me! So I thought this would be a fun easy challenge for everyone.

The rules:

1) Make a post with the button telling others about the challenge.

2) Link your post about the challenge in the linky below. (Opens at Midnight Nov 9)

3) Add the button to your side bar so others can join in on the fun!

4) Leave a link to each of the reviews on this linky as well with "review" visible.

5) Read both books between January 1 2012 and July 1 2012!

6) Please leave a comment for me so I don't miss your post and I can check out your blog in a timely manner.

7) Have fun!

**NOTE** If you don't have a blog feel free to sign up in the comments and leave your thoughts on the books there as well. I will make posts updating my progress and my thoughts and I'll include yours as well if you do not have a blog. I want everyone to be able to participate! Also, depending on funds at the end I'll try to have some sort of a giveaway between those that sign up.

Please click on the button at the top of this post to be taken to the sign up linky.

In my Mailbox 51

2011-12-03T14:15:00.000-08:00

In my mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren.

This is another big week, I have 13 items to tell you about. First up, I won a gift card from Bona Fide Reflections at her stop on a giveaway hop (the name of the hop is eluding me at the moment) THANK YOU BFR!!!

Alright, I went to my local library and picked up 9 titles! They were:

On the Bright Side I'm Now the Girlfriend of a sex god by Louise Rennison.

Knocked Out by My Nunga Nungas by Louise Rennison.

Away Laughing on a Fast Camel by Louise Rennison.

Then He Ate My Boy Entrancers by Louise Rennison.

Love is a Many Trousered Thing by Louise Rennison.

Stop in the Name of Pants by Louise Rennison.

Are these my basoomas I see before me by Louise Rennison.

I LOVE Louise Rennison's books and one day I am going to get myself the series they are just too funny!

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare.

Twenty boy summer by Sarah Ockler.

I bought:

Enter three witches by Caroline B. Cooney.

Alcestis by Katharine Beutner.

Romeo's Ex Rosaline's Story by Lisa Fiedler.

That's all for me this week, posting will be light this week, it's my birthday and some of my friends are taking me out the celebrate. So, I'll try to post more, but it will be pretty light.
Leave me a note and let me know what you got in your mailbox!

R.A.K December sign up

2011-12-01T12:18:00.000-08:00

Hey guys, it's December and the ladies of Book Soulmates, have put up the December sign up form for this month's RAK. If you aren't sure what I'm talking about R.A.K is Random Acts of Kindness. In which you can sign up to participate. How it works is you sign up and you pick someone, or somepeople on the list and you check out their wishlist, if you find something you want to send them, you get it for them and send it.
I have to wait a week or so until I get paid, then I can send someone a RAK. YAY! I'm all signed up (number 39 on the list)

Here are the rules copied and pasted from their site:

Hello December! It's now officially the most wonderful time of year!It's so hard to believe that 2011 is almost over (thank God!)

Please remember that R.A.K. is not about receiving FREE books! It's about giving as well as receiving. It's about passing on the joy of reading and books with others. If during any given month, you find that you may not be able to give at all, please reconsider signing up for that month. We've found that there have been quite a few people who have received but not given and that may seem unfair to some.

COMPLETE RULES RE-CAP:
Please read carefully & follow all rules! Thank you!

Please sign-up each month that you can participate (and by participate, we mean give as well as receive).
Show off your participation by grabbing our RAK button (code is in the right sidebar).
Create a wish list (on Amazon, Goodreads, or your blog, etc) and post it in the Google Doc located in each R.A.K post for the month.
If you choose to do a R.A.K for someone, check out their wish list and contact that blogger directly for their information.
Once you receive a RAK, send us an our new email to [rakbybooksoulmates @ gmail . com] so that we can update the Google Doc. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU SEND EMAILS TO THIS ADDRESS!
E-book participation is limited to files being gifted directly to a person from the e-book store. Amazon's Kindle Store is set up to allow this, as well as the Kobo store and we believe Barnes & Noble with Nook as well.
At the end of the month, SHOW US YOUR R.A.K by making a "RAK Wrap-Up" post. This post should include who you SENT gifts to as well who you RECEIVED gifts from :)

OPEN TO EVERYONE including all our International brethren!

Remember, there's always the Book Depository and they offer FREE shipping!

Easy peezy!!

Links you will need:

Sign up for December [HERE]
See who else is participating [HERE]
If you have any questions regarding RAK, please contact us via the following: rakbybooksoulmates @ gmail . com

Tips:

1. When talking about RAK on Twitter, please use the hastag (#RAK). It makes it much easier to keep track of the conversations, answer questions and/or tweet back! =)

2. When submitting your wish list, please make sure that it is set to PUBLIC viewing. Some people have run into trouble with wish lists that were set to private. We want to be sure that no one is left out of getting great RAKs.

3. Some of you seem to have gotten frustrated because you can't get your links to appear active. This is a very easy fix :) Just make sure that when you enter your link, do NOT hit the Enter key. Instead, hit the TAB key which will send you to the next field on the form. Additional spaces entered after the link will leave the link inactive. However, if this does happen to you...no worries, we'll fix it for you :)

Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick

2011-11-30T22:07:00.000-08:00

Reading level: Ages 12 and up
Hardcover: 192 pages
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children; 1 edition (October 25, 2011)
ISBN-10: 0547577389
Author: Joe Schreiber
Cover Art: I like it
Over all rating: ***** out of 5 stars
Obtained: Won an ARC from WatchYAreading. Thank you

Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick by Joe Schreiber
Reviewed by Moirae the fates book reviews.

Ferris Bueller meets La Femme Nikita in this funny, action-packed young adult novel.

It’s prom night—and Perry just wants to stick to his own plan and finally play a muchanticipated
gig with his band in the Big Apple. But when his mother makes him take Gobija Zaksauskas—their quiet, geeky Lithuanian exchange student—to the prom, he never expects that his ordinary high school guy life will soon turn on its head. Perry finds that Gobi is on a mission, and Perry has no other choice but to go along for a reckless ride through Manhattan’s concrete grid with a trained assassin in Dad’s red Jag.
Infused with capers, car chases, heists, hits, henchmen, and even a bear fight, this story mixes romance, comedy, and tragedy in a true teen coming-of-age adventure—and it’s not over until it’s “au revoir.”(Synopsis provided by goodreads)

This is such a fun book! Each chapter begins with an essay question or statement for the main characters college applications. Very creative! I loved this book, it was non stop action packed! It starts out at a good pace with Perry setting the stage for what is to come, once Perry and Gobi leave his house it's packed with gun fights, high speed driving and professional assassination hits.

Gobi is hilarious! Within the first 20 pages readers fall in love with her humor. This is a title that people of all ages would enjoy it's also a title that would adapt well on the big screen.

Perry and Gobi are very believable characters as well as Perry's parents. The dialogue was good and the flow of this novel was wonderful, I just wish it was a little longer!

I would highly recommend this novel!

Waiting on Wednesday 5

2011-11-29T15:54:00.000-08:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine.

This week I am waiting for The Princesses Of Iowa by Molly M. Beackes.
Here is the cover art and synopsis provided by goodreads:

What does it mean to do wrong, when no one punishes you? A smart and unflinching look at friendship, the nature of entitlement, and growing up in the heartland.

Paige Sheridan has the perfect life. She's pretty, rich, and popular, and her spot on the homecoming court is practically guaranteed. But when a night of partying ends in an it-could-have-been-so-much worse crash , everything changes. Her best friends start ignoring her, her boyfriend grows cold and distant, and her once-adoring younger sister now views her with contempt. The only bright spot is her creative writing class, led by a charismatic new teacher who encourages students to be true to themselves. But who is Paige, if not the homecoming princess everyone expects her to be? In this arresting and witty debut, a girl who was once high-school royalty must face a truth that money and status can't fix, and choose between living the privileged life of a princess, or owning up to her mistakes and giving up everything she once held dear.

This is a debut novel that will release on May 8th 2012 from Candlewick.

How awesome does this one sound? I can't wait to read it! What are you waiting for?

*** Please click on the "Vote for Luce" button and leave a comment there to let me know why you think Luce should win the YA Sisterhood's tournament of heroines. ***

Just for Fins by Tera Lynn Childs

2011-11-28T16:40:00.000-08:00

Hey guys as a member of the Splash Team I get to be one of the lucky people who gets to show off the cover for Tera's new book! Here is the cover art and synopsis for Just for Fins.

When Lily Sanderson decided to remain Crown Princess Waterlily of the mermaid kingdom Thalassinia, she knew she couldn’t just coast along in the current. But since she’s spent the last couple of years on land—with gorgeous human Quince by her side—Lily’s not sure she has the fins to lead a kingdom. Even her maddeningly pretentious cousin Dosinia seems to know more about ruling than she does. But Lily has to dive in deep to keep her promise to Tellin, her mer bond in name only, whose kingdom is suffering in the changing ocean climate. Lily knows this is a seven seas–sized problem: from sea animals dying to oil spills and threats to humans. They’ll need to create some serious waves to make the mer community aware and get it to join together to make things right. Even if that means facing one of the iciest queens in the mer kingdoms. Just when Lily thinks her double life on land and sea can’t get any more complicated, an ancient mer law might separate Lily and Quince after all. It feels as if the pair is up against a solid tsunami wave! In this third installment in the series that began with Forgive My Fins and Fins Are Forever, Lily will have to find a way to balance safety and justice for the mer people as well as for the humans she loves.

This book is due out on July 3rd, 2012

Cover reveal FADE OUT by Nova Ren Suma

2011-11-28T15:39:00.000-08:00

Hey guys Nova revealed the cover to her book Fade Out which is a reissue and renamed version of her very first novel Dani Noir. The re-issue will be released on June 5th 2012. Here is the cover art and cover synopsis provided by goodreads.

If this were a movie, you'd open to the first page of this book and be transported to a whole other world. Everything would be in black and white, except maybe for the girl in pink polka-dot tights, and this really great music would start to swell in the background. All of a sudden, you wouldn't be able to help it--you'd be a part of the story, you'd be totally sucked in. You'd be in this place, filled with big lies, mysterious secrets, and a tween girl turned sleuth....

Zoom in on thirteen-year-old Dani Callanzano. It's the summer before eighth grade, and Dani is stuck in her nothing-ever-happens town with only her favorite noir mysteries at the Little Art movie theater to keep her company.

But one day, a real-life mystery begins to unravel--at the Little Art! And it all has something to do with a girl in polka-dot tights.... Armed with a vivid imagination, a flair for the dramatic, and her knowledge of all things Rita Hayworth, Dani sets out to solve the mystery, and she learns more about herself than she ever thought she could.

What my Mother doesn't know

2011-11-28T13:43:00.000-08:00

Paperback: 259 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (February 1, 2003)
ISBN-10: 0689855532
Author: Sonya Sones
Cover art: I like it
Overall rating: *** out of 5 stars
Obtained: My personal book shelf

What my Mother doesn't know by Sonya Sones
Reviewed by Moirae the fates book reviews.
My name is Sophie.
This book is about me.
It tells
the heart-stoppingly riveting story
of my first love.
And also of my second.
And, okay, my third love too.

It's not that I'm boy crazy.
It's just that even though
I'm almost fifteen
it's like
my mind
and my body
and my heart
just don't seem to be able to agree
on anything. (Synopsis provided by goodreads)

For me this book was simply okay. After learning it was on the banned/challenge book list like many people my interest was peaked. The reasoning for the ban is all due to one line in the book. That's it.

Books told in verse are quick reads and if you have to like or at least not mind it to read this one.
I don't mind if a book is told in verse or not. I liked this one enough I just wish we knew a little more about who Sophie is not who her latest boyfriend was.

It was a fast read and the book was cute enough. My favorite part was the dance, that the most fun to read. I'd say give this one a try.

Saving Juliet

2011-11-27T17:26:00.000-08:00

Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: Walker Childrens; Reprint edition (March 31, 2009)
ISBN-10: 0802798314
Author: Suzanne Selfors
Cover art: I love the mix of modern and 16th century.
Overall rating: ***** out of 5 stars.
Obtained: My personal bookshelves.

Saving Juliet by Suzanne Selfors
Reviewed by Moirae the fates book reviews.

Manhattan meets Verona in this time-bending twist on Shakespeare.

When Mimi is magically thrust into the middle of Shakespeare’s Verona, she must find a way to help Juliet fight for her future happiness. Will she be able to give this classic tragedy a happy ending? (Synopsis provided by goodreads)

This was such a cute, fresh, fun and fast read. I loved every page of it. Mimi was hilarious and Troy was annoying in a funny way. I really liked Selfors' Romeo and Juliet. She brought a new life and a new twist to them.

I have never read a re-telling that had this twist on it, so that was great. It was a very original idea and Selfors did a fantastic job in telling her version. The descriptions of 16th century Verona were so vivid you could almost smell the decay in the streets.

All of the characters were believable and Selfors explains why the characters speak in English and not in Shakespearean English. All of the questions of why, she explained which is great.

If you like re-tellings or Shakespeare in general, I would highly recommend this book.

The YA Sisterhood's tournament of Heroines.

2011-11-26T20:29:00.000-08:00

Okay everyone I have found out that I am the official advocate for Luce from Lauren Kate's Fallen series. That means that I am representing her for Lauren and the fans. I am currently working on my defense for her. However, if any of you have any points you'd like me to include for Luce's face offs please post them in the comments below, I am going to contact Lauren as well to let her know what's going on and see if she has anything to add. This is going to be a hard tournament, Kate (whom I also LOVE) from Amy Plum's Die for me is also in the tournament as well as Clary from Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments and Sophie from Rachel Hawkins' Hex Hall series. There are so many strong deserving heroines in this one, Luce is going to have to really shine so I am asking for your help as well to bring out everything we can to show why she should win! If I read the chart right our first face off is on December 13 and we go against Tessa from Cassandra Clare's Infernal Devices series. With the next book in that series releasing on the 6th of December she will be fresh in everyone's minds, so Luce needs ALL of you! We need to get the word out and advocate long and hard for her to win! Tessa has a lot of fans as well so we need to pull together! So any points you want made leave them in the comments so I can include all the fans in the defense. Please do not insult Tessa or Clare in your comments as that is unkind and uncalled for. To see a list of all the wonderful heroines and the wonderful advocates you can see them all here.

<----- It's a button grab it!