Saturday, June 30, 2012

Movie extravaganza!

I finally went to see "Snow White and the Huntsman" on Wednesday, and I gotta tell you - that queen was one scary psycho character! I wasn't exactly pleased with Kristen Stewart's acting, but she did well enough. In a couple of scenes she almost smiled! Almost...... which is a record for her :DDDD

Anywho... I discussed my thoughts with my sis, and she made the awesome suggestion that Kristin Kreuk, who played Snow White once in a Hallmark production, would've done a much better job in the role. And I gotta tell you - I can't agree more! She's the perfect Snow White. Just look at her!

She's got an air of innocence all around her! And Kristen Stewart was just... I dunno, too weird... too Bella... !






Okay, enough Snow White talk. I wanted to share with you a movie that I really want to watch. First, because it's a motion picture. YES, a motion picture. I've no clue if it's book related, but it reminded me of Rapunzel so much, that I just knew I had to watch it. When it comes out in July, that is.

Perhaps you already figured out what I'm talking about. It's the movie BRAVE by Disney and Pixar, which talks about this disobedient princess, who is so good at fighting that she can beat any guy in archery and swordplay and all that stuff. If I were a little girl, I'd totally want to be like her. Heck, even now I want to be brave like her!

So, let's see the trailers, shall we?






You wanna know which is my favorite scene? It's when the father imitates Merida. He's so hilarious!! I crack up laughing every time I watch him! :DD

What do you think? Would you enjoy this motion picture? I know I will :)

Friday, June 29, 2012

Follow Friday #21




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Follow Me Friday is a book meme hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read. #FF is a blog hop that expands your blog following by a joint effort between bloggers. In order to join in the fun, all you need is well . . . A book blog :)


The question this week is:

Birthday Wishes - Blow out the candles and imagine what character could pop out of your cake... who is it and what book are they from?
 
My answer:

 Jace, Jace, Jace!!!!!! Oooooh, boy, I can even imagine his cocky expression, with that sexy smile of his. A little chocolate frosting smeared on his nose, making him look ridiculously gorgeous. And of course he would be all super cool about it and say something incredibly flattering... of himself. Like "Don't stop staring, sweetheart - I know I'm the best present you ever got."
Yeah.... that's so Jace! (Cassandra Clare's TMI)


Well, that's my answer, what's yours?

Please leave links to your FF's, so I can stop by!! Oh, and if you're a new follower, let me know so I could return the favor!

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Book Review: The Baron's Governess Bride by Deborah Hale

The Baron's Governess Bride
Oh my! This novel had all the romance, struggle and drama one could expect from a Jane Austen book! It was the story of Cinderella, yet quite different as well, and I could safely say that I loved every single bit of it.

I must be honest though and say that I approached "The Baron's Governess Bride" with caution. I wasn't sure whether I'd find in it what I'd expected, and indeed I didn't. I'd expected something average, but it turned out to be superior.

I'm a sucker for quality romance of the historical genre, and Ms. Hale's story completely won me over. From the very beginning, I was acquainted with both leading characters. I got to see their reasoning, their feelings, their fears. I felt sad and outraged because of their hurt and trials. And I respected them for their desire to fight for their happiness. Could you believe it if I said that I even cried a little at one point? That's how touched I felt!

The fact that both Lord Steadwell and Ms. Grace Ellerby were amiable characters with realistic personalities, made me want to cherish this story as much as I do "Pride and Prejudice".(more)

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday #27




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Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blog post by Jill over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights releases we're eagerly awaiting.

My pick this week is:




Title: Pledged
Series:  Soul Wars Saga, Book 1
Author: Gwynneth White
Release date: Has been published on Smashwords, but is being re-released in September 2012

Summary:
Everyone has a soul mate. But what do you do when your soul mate would rather give his soul to the demons than be with you?

Seventeen-year-old Erin has a problem. Seth has been hers forever, but now an ancient curse is tearing him away. And the demons who invoked it will stop at nothing – even murder – to claim him as their own.

How can she win against a curse so binding that it has damned countless others to this same fate – an eternity alone?

The answer lies in the past. To find it, Erin and Seth must risk all, traveling back in time to a dangerous world where love is forbidden, and life – and death – hang on a pledge.

Follow Erin and Seth as they travel to ancient Shenaya and confront the curse that has plagued their families for millennia. Caught in a war between the Angelic Guardians and the Gefallen, the disembodied dead, they must fight to keep their souls in tact and their love untainted.




Why I want to read it:

Because I'm a sucker for good romance and risking everything for your soul mate :) Time travel is a huge bonus too :))


Just to let you know, I'll be opening a giveaway for 5 e-copies of this title soon. So keep your eyes open! :)

So how about you? What amazing book are you waiting on this week?

Awesome Book Extras!!!!

Hey guys!

I've got some awesome news that I'd like to share with you!!!



MIRA INK has just released a new digital Paranormal sampler including four free chapters and video content from bestselling authors Rachel Vincent and Julie Kagawa and up and coming paranormal stars Michelle Rowen and Kady Cross. The whole thing is absolutely FREE - enter a dark and thrilling world of dangerous magic and unforgettable romance…
You can get it here from Kindle (with video): http://amzn.to/KKl8Vv
Here from Kindle (without video): http://amzn.to/MmN429
And here from google: http://bit.ly/MqMiPC
 
I also saw it on Netgalley, so check it out!

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

In her shoes ~ 16 ~

Every Tuesday I will pick a character I've read about recently, perhaps even the week before, and try putting myself in her shoes. What things would I do differently? What have I learned from her behavior? That kind of thing. You are welcome to participate if you want, just please link back, so we could build a nice community of followers. Thanks!!! :)


Today I'd like to introduce you to a very brave, open-hearted female, who won my affections with her great character. Her name is Cora, and she's the lead female in Lisa Tawn Bergren's new series, Glamorous Illusions. If you're interested in my review, you can find it here.

So, Cora is a young woman living in the early 20th century, who has the great ambition to become a teacher. But when she finds out the truth about her parentage, and is whisked away on the Grand Tour in Europe, she can barely identify herself. All the grandeur she witnesses in Europe almost sweeps her off her feet, until she gets back to earth, reminding herself that who she is in blood, doesn't change who she is at heart.

That moment of revelation was so incredibly important - it changed her view of everything and everyone around her. Even her arrogant half-sister seemed unable to hate Cora any longer.

What I admired most about Cora was her bravery to speak up her mind. Even in discussions between men of business, she wasn't afraid to give her opinion, and to her dismay, that only won her respect from those educated enough to see the truth behind her theories. I believe that women in her age weren't supposed to really use their brains. So when Cora did just that, she put every male at wonder. I was so incredibly proud of her then!

I can't wait to read the follow up novels and see how her character develops over the Grand Tour :)

So, whose shoes would you like to step into today?

Monday, June 25, 2012

In My Mailbox, sort of

Hey guys!!!
Those of you who have been following my posts know that I'd been approved to get an ARC of Before I Wake by Rachel Vincent. And you know what?

It arrived on Friday!!! Yay!!!! Sure, I got the UK cover, but who cares? The story inside is what counts.



So, I'm dying to read it, but I promised two of my GReeps that I'd buddy read it with them, so I'm gonna have to wait a little while longer.

Oh, and guess what other books I got over the weekend from Netgalley!!!


Awesome, no??? I think I can count myself blessed with good fortune! :)

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Book Review: Glamorous Illusions by Lisa Tawn Bergren

 Glamorous Illusions

Whaaaaat???? Nooooo!!!! This can't be the end of it?!?!?! GRRRRRR!!!

As you can imagine, I finished reading this book, and I was extremely frustrated with it. You want to know why? BECAUSE!!!!!!!!

Because when that last chapter was over I found myself madly clicking the next button on the Kindle, wondering where the rest of the story had gone. Then I wondered... perhaps Netgalley didn't send the whole thing.. you know, it's possible... (not really). And, I had almost convinced myself of it too, until I saw this horrendous message on the last page "book 2 coming out in spring 2013... book 3 coming out in fall 2012" gah!!!!!!!!!

So, it turned out this was a trilogy. A TRILOGY!!!!!!!! How unbelievably cruel!!!!! What of us readers? How are we supposed to wait a whole year for the sequel of this amazing novel??? I want it NOW!!!!!!

Lisa T. Bergren, I want to let you know that even though, in my humble opinion, you may be the next Jane Austen, you are one mean, mean woman! Yes, that's right! Very mean, and cruel and heartless! Just so you know.

Okay, now that I vented out, I'm going to proceed to explain why exactly I felt so strongly about this novel. (more)

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Cover reveal: Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

OMG!!! I've been waiting for this cover (and the book as a whole) for so long!!!! Now we have the cover - and it's gorgeous - but the book is supposed to be published in Feb 2013!!!!! What the freak?!?!?!?!?! Why, oh why does it have to take so long????? More than a year without Adam and Juliette and Warner. Gah!!!!!! If anyone dares to say this is fair, I might just throw the proverbial stones at him all the while asking if that's fair too.

Anyway, so here's the cover, which matches the new one of Shatter me, that we saw just a couple of weeks back.

What say you? Gorgeous isn't it? I know, I know, it doesn't match the story much. But it's beautiful and those little white birdies that fly above the frozen eyelashes... well they give hope that Juliette's situation will change for the better. So yeah, I LOVE IT!!! And that promise at the top? "I will find them first." Isn't it delicious??

Oh, man! I can't wait to read the summary, and the book when it comes out!!!

Friday, June 22, 2012

Follow Friday #20


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Follow Me Friday is a book meme hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read. #FF is a blog hop that expands your blog following by a joint effort between bloggers. In order to join in the fun, all you need is well . . . A book blog :)


The question this week is:

If you could “unread” a book, which one would it be? Is it because you want to start over and experience it again for the first time? Or because it was THAT bad?
 
My answer:

 Ooooh, let me think!!!
1. I would really love to experience 'anew' the Soul Screamer series. Yup! Along with Shatter Me, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer and a bunch of others.
2. I would really want to 'unread'  Flight of the Stone, Ink, Fate Fixed, The Book of Lost Fragrances and (sadly) a bunch of other novels, which IMHO were THAT bad. :(


Well, that's my answer, what's yours?

Please leave links to your FF's, so I can stop by!! Oh, and if you're a new follower, let me know so I could return the favor!

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Book Review: Lies Beneath by Anne Greenwood Brown

Lies Beneath (Lies Beneath, #1)

NOTE: I received this book to review from Netgalley.

I was very excited that I was given this book, and I'm really glad it didn't disappoint me. Granted, it wasn't anything superior, but it was a nice, light read, and I enjoyed it very much. I'm sure I could've finished it in one day, had I not been busy with a ton of other things.

Like I said, this was a very light read. Sure, there were monsters, several murders and such, but they weren't presented in a grotesque kind of way. We didn't get to see people's guts getting spilled out, or hear them scream in terror or agony or something. That was not disappointing at all.

What was slightly disappointing was (more)

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday #26



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Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blog post by Jill over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights releases we're eagerly awaiting.

My pick this week is:




Title: Dualed
Series:  Dualed, Book 1
Author: Elsie Chapman
Release date: February 26th, 2013

Summary:
Would you live through the ultimate test of survival?

The city of Kersh is a safe haven, but the price of safety is high. Everyone has a genetic Alternate—a twin raised by another family—and citizens must prove their worth by eliminating their Alts before their twentieth birthday. Survival means advanced schooling, a good job, marriage—life.

Fifteen-year-old West Grayer has trained as a fighter, preparing for the day when her assignment arrives and she will have one month to hunt down and kill her Alt. But then a tragic misstep shakes West’s confidence. Stricken with grief and guilt, she’s no longer certain that she’s the best version of herself, the version worthy of a future. If she is to have any chance of winning, she must stop running not only from her Alt, but also from love . . . though both have the power to destroy her.


*****


Why I want to read it:

It's got a gorgeous cover, intriguing, especially with that shadow being so different.  And the summary totally got to me. I really wanted this book from NetGalley, but they're only giving out limited number of ecopies at this time, which SUCKS!!!!!

So how about you? What amazing book are you waiting on this week?

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Cover reveal: All the Broken Pieces

There's this HUGE blogger campaign today, revealing the cover of this amazing new read: All the Broken Pieces by debut YA author Cindi Madsen.


Now let me tell you, I fell in love with this story when I saw the cover and read the blurb, and I just knew I had to share it with you. And of course I added to my TBR list right away. So here it is!


Blurb:

What if your life wasn’t your own?
Liv comes out of a coma with no memory of her past and two distinct, warring voices inside her head. Nothing, not even her reflection, seems familiar. As she stumbles through her junior year, the voices get louder, insisting she please the popular group while simultaneously despising them. But when Liv starts hanging around with Spencer, whose own mysterious past also has him on the fringe, life feels complete for the first time in, well, as long as she can remember.
Liv knows the details of the car accident that put her in the coma, but as the voices invade her dreams, and her dreams start feeling like memories, she and Spencer seek out answers. Yet the deeper they dig, the less things make sense. Can Liv rebuild the pieces of her broken past, when it means questioning not just who she is, but what she is?

 And the author has been sweet and kind to provide an excerpt of this amazing novel! Check it out!!


Olivia reached up, feeling the tender spots on her head. Her fingers brushed across a row of—were those little ridges made of metal?
            “Careful. The staples are almost ready to come out, but it’s still going to be sore for a while.”
           Staples?!Her stomach rolled. I have staples in my head? She lowered her now-shaking hand. “Can I get a mirror?”
           Mom looked at Dad, then back at her. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. Not until you’ve healed a little more.”
           Mom patted Olivia’s leg. “You just relax. We’ll be back in a few minutes.”
           The two of them left the room, but when Mom swung the door closed, it didn’t latch. Olivia could hear their voices in the hall.
           “I still think we should…” She couldn’t make out the rest of Dad’s muffled words. “…know if I can do this.”
           “…late for that,” Mom said. “We’d lose everything, including…” Her voice faded as they got farther away. “…have to move.”
Olivia could tell the conversation was tense, but the words were impossible to decipher now. Holding a hand in front of her face, she turned it back and forth. A plastic tube ran from her arm to a machine next to her bed. She peeked into her nightgown and stared in horror at the long red stripe running down her chest.
           Sick.
          You’re alive. You shouldn’t be thinking about looks.
          Lowering her hand, she scanned the room. I wonder how my face looks. From the way Dad stared at me, plus the fact Mom won’t let me see a mirror, it must be bad.
          Brains are more important than looks.
          That’s what ugly people say.
          Olivia put her hands on her head and squeezed. “Stop it,” she whispered to her arguing thoughts, hysteria bubbling up and squeezing the air from her lungs. What was happening to her? Why didn’t she recognize her parents or know where she was? Who she was? Tears ran warm trails down her cheeks. “Just make it all stop.”

Well, I sure did enjoy this!! Did you? If you did, make sure to support the author by connecting with her thru any or all of the following means:

Monday, June 18, 2012

The Lucky 7 Meme Award

Hey, I got another award!! How awesome :)) This one is a writer's award more than a blogger's. 

Emaginette at Shout with Emaginette tagged me for The Lucky 7 Meme. Thank you so much!! Adding another award to my wall of fame is so cool :))



Lucky 7 Meme Rules:
1. Go to page 77 of your current manuscript.
2. Go to line 7.
3. Copy the next 7 lines (sentences or paragraphs) and post them as they’re written. No cheating!
4. Tag 7 other writers to pass this meme on to.

I will post 7 paragraphs from the YA paranormal novel that I'm currently working on. So far I've changed the title several times, but for now it stays on "Angel Inside". By the way, the Prologue to this novel is posted on this blog under the "Monthly Story Treat" page. The name you should look for in the right hand-side panel is "God Given Series".

Now the excerpt:

Really, were they here to fight Death?
My eyes traveled from Jonah's bottomless black gaze to the shiny silver one of the fallen, searching for any sign of the reason for their unexpected visit. Not that it wasn't obvious – I mean, clearly their master had something to do with it – but they should've known that I never responded well to threats of any sort. Nor was it in my nature to be afraid of anything other than God Himself.
And since the shadows were now covering me too, I felt it was time to manifest my usual attire. The black suit with silver trimming was much more comfortable than any swimwear, especially when I was about to do business.
Long time no see, Frael.” I said with an air of nonchalance, now completely dressed. “Care to explain what you're doing here?”
The fallen snorted in what I could only describe as disgust, while his son growled fiercely. I winced, as the wave of Jonah's decaying scent washed over me. It was growing stronger the more he expended his energy and emotions, and I felt a dangerous excitement build up in me.
I shook my head, suppressing the hunger that threatened to rise inside. This wasn't the time to fall into the alluring embrace of my dark desires. They might not ruin me, but I couldn't say the same about those who happened to be around.
Why, Evan, we've been wondering the exact same thing.” Frael replied coldly, a healthy dose of sarcasm dripping from his voice. I didn't fail to notice however, that he'd said 'we' instead of 'I', confirming my theory that indeed, the impostor had sent him here. The only question was what for?
I had no answer to his question though, so I shrugged innocently and gave him the most truthful reply I could think of.


Here are the winners of this amazing award:

1. Faye @ A Daydreamer's Thoughts
2. Kat @ I Write, I Read, I Review
3. J.R.Wagner @ J.R.Wagner's Author Blog
4. Lindsay Cummings @ Lindsay Writes
5. Mike Mullin @ Mike Mullin, Author
6. Ruby Barnes @ Ruby Barnes - ebook author,
7. Ruth Lauren Steven @ Ruth Lauren Steven

Saturday, June 16, 2012

My first hard copy ARC!!!

You guys, I know this may be nothing new to you, but it is to me. I live in Bulgaria, which makes it pretty hard to get a hard copy ARC. Let alone of a favorite book. Which is why, now that I'm getting my first such ARC I'm sooooo excited!!!
Yeah, okay, granted-I'm more excited about the book itself, because I'm talking about.........


...............Before I Wake by Rachel Vincent!!!!!!! Wouldn't you be excited if it were you??


Friday, June 15, 2012

Follow Friday #19




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Follow Me Friday is a book meme hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read. #FF is a blog hop that expands your blog following by a joint effort between bloggers. In order to join in the fun, all you need is well . . . A book blog :)


The question this week is:

Happy Father's Day! Who is your favorite dad character in a book and why?
 
My answer:

 The first dad that popped up in my head was Aiden (I hope I spelled it right), the father of Kaylee from Rachel Vincent's Soul Screamers series. He had left Kaylee to the care of his brother for 16 years. But now that she needs him, he's back. And he's devoted to her completely. I understood his reasons for leaving, but better yet, I loved him that he is now here with her. He's truly an amazing dad character :)


Well, that's my answer, what's yours?

Please leave links to your FF's, so I can stop by!! Oh, and if you're a new follower, let me know so I could return the favor!

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Book Review: "Ghost Crown" by J. Gabriel Gates

Ghost Crown (The Tracks, #2)

NOTE: I received this book to review from Netgalley.

Finally! I'm done with this book, and I can tell you, it feels like a huge weight was just taken off my shoulders. Now, you may think this means I didn't like the story or something. But then, you may notice my rating, and you might get slightly confused.

Truth is, I really LOVED this book. The only thing about it that sort of exhausted me was the count of its pages. 480 pages!!!!!!! To be honest, not a single one of them could be taken out, but still, that number sort of weigh a whole ton.

Anyway. So, when I began reading I had no idea "Ghost Crown" was book 2 in a series. It took me entire 20 pages to realize that. And then it took me another 50 pages to realize that I didn't actually need to know much about book 1, because the author did his job well. What I mean is that Mr. Gates placed the right reminders at the right spots, so as a new reader such as myself won't get confused at who is who and what had happened and why these people were together or not. You get the idea.

Now, with a hand on my heart I can say (or write) that the story was...  (more)

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday #25


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Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blog post by Jill over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights releases we're eagerly awaiting.

My pick this week is:




Title: Sovereign Hope
Series:  Hope Series, Book 1
Author: Frankie Rose
Release date: July 1st, 2012

Summary:
Everyone has a soul

Some are just worth more than others

Farley Hope was seventeen when her mother disappeared. In the last six months not much has changed, except that her eighteenth birthday came and went and still no sign of Moira. Her life is just as complicated as it always was. Since her father died in a car crash before she was even born, she’s officially parentless, and to top it all off she’s still suffering from the hallucinations. Mind-splitting, vivid hallucinations- the kind prone to induce night terrors and leave you whimpering under your covers like a baby.

The last thing on her mind is boys. Farley is on break from St. Judes’ when she meets Daniel. It’s not some casual run in at a party, or even a blind date with friends, though. Daniel is the guy following her in his 1970′s Dodge Charger; the guy standing at her window in the LA lunch hour traffic, trying to persuade her to leave everything behind and follow him. And he's hot as all hell.

The moment Farley lays eyes on Daniel, everything changes. He is cold and withdrawn, but there are cracks in his harsh veneer- cracks that betray the secrets he is trying so hard to hide. Farley is drawn into a world that will shake apart everything she thought she ever knew. There are truths out there that she must learn: that a person’s soul is their only real currency, and there are people who would do anything to take hers; that loving someone can hurt so much more than hating them; but, most importantly, when your future is predestined, there is little you can do to change it.

Farley Hope is prophesied.

Her coming has been awaited for hundreds of years.

She is destined to end the tyranny of the Soul Reavers.

To do so she must die.


*****

Now guys, there's also an awesome book trailer to go with this absolutely beautiful cover. Check it out!





Why I want to read it:
First, the summary grabbed me from the instant I read it. It's cool, it's different, and it's totally original. So I'd really love to actually read it and see if it truly meets all those points. Second, the cover is just gorgeous. Just look at that design and tell me it's not true. And third, the author provided an eARC for me to review (which will happen as soon as I can put in order my book review list.) 




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Aaaand, just a quick reminder! There's only one day left to enter your name to win one e-copy and one signed paperback copy of Willow Rose's latest book, Savage. If you're interested, please follow this link to the GIVEAWAY!!!!

So how about you? What amazing book are you waiting on this week?

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

In her shoes ~15~

Every Tuesday I will pick a character I've read about recently, perhaps even the week before, and try putting myself in her shoes. What things would I do differently? What have I learned from her behavior? That kind of thing. You are welcome to participate if you want, just please link back, so we could build a nice community of followers. Thanks!!! :)

I am truly wondering which heroine to share today. I've only read two books in the past two weeks and the girl in one of them wasn't anything special, which makes it hard to pick the right girl. For the lack of better alternatives, I'm gonna go for Maggie from "Ghost Crown" by J. Gabriel Gates. There were more guys in there than girls, and the guys were somewhat more interesting, at least to me. But Maggie sure deserves her spot under the lights.

So, who's Maggie? She's a sophomore in Middleburg's High School. She's a cheerleader. She's dating the super star football player, Rick. But she isn't happy with either one of those things. Because:
1) Rick is more monster than human
2) She can see things that others can't
3) She can move things with her mind
4) Her former best friend (Aimee) is now dating her ex-bf (Raphael), who she still wants to be with.

To tell you the truth, I didn't like Maggie straight from the beginning. She was sort of bitchy and was driven by her jealousy of Aimee. But in the end, she had good intentions to protect Raph from disappointment and heart break. I didn't particularly love Maggie, but I totally understood where she came from.

Her mom used to be the Homecoming queen in her days, 3 years in a row. Now Maggie had to get the crown. Because it wasn't an ordinary crown. It broadened one's vision of the world, and the destiny it brought was nothing easy. It almost drove Maggie crazy, like her (mostly) looney mother. But with some help, Maggie learned that the magic she was given wasn't all that bad at all. In fact, it was good to know things the way they really were, whether they be brilliantly pure, or grotesquely evil.

I loved that Maggie's character developed through the pages, I loved that she wasn't 100% good or equally bad. I loved that she wasn't two dimensional. She had real personality, and she fought with live and what it offered her every single day.  By the end of the story, Maggie had grown to be someone others had to reckon with.

Which girl did you pick this week?


Monday, June 11, 2012

#DaemonInvasion: Meeting JLA in Jaxville, FL

Umm, yeah you'd think I've been lucky enough to actually meet JLA in person, but unfortunately I'm a continent and an ocean away from the US atm. So, I made my sister go to one of Jennifer's book signings in Jacksonville, Florida! And guess what sis said? "She's very nice!" And sis bought Obsidian for me to get it signed, and got Onyx for free!!! Signed as well!!! HOW FREAKING AMAZING IS THAT, HUH??? Now I only need to wait a couple of months for my parents to bring the books to me ;)

Anyways, let's get you some pictures then.

So here we have my absolutely lovely sister and Jen Armentrout. Sis says JLA's 5'5'' tall, but she seems a bit taller to me (unless she was wearing heels or something). And yes, I wish I was there too. But guess what? Without my sis I wouldn't even have these awesome pictures to share with you guys. In my opinion, I have THE BEST, MOST AMAZING AND SUPER COOL SISTER IN THE WORLD :))) No offense to all other sisters out there :DD
 Here my sis is among the #daemoninvasion crew: Jen, Stela and Pepe.
 Aaaaand... this is my free, SIGNED copy of pre-release ONYX!!!!!!! How amazingly awesome is that, huh??
And of course, OBSIDIAN is in the pile as well.

Saturday, June 9, 2012

Girls like boy toys

So, I was doing some research for the monthly story that I post for you guys, and I came across this:


Yeah, it's a car. Sort of. And I fell in love with it! And I thought... well, why don't I give us girls something to drool over this week? Other than boys that is ;)

I'm not going to get into technical stuff like horse powers and such. That's for boys to discuss. We girls like to talk shapes and colors. Besides, this is a dragster, not a formula 1 race car. But it totally grabbed my attention with its nice catlike shape. It looks threatening, in a way, and equally tempting. I'd love to drive this thing across the Nevada desert or something. I honestly think it would be super cool :))))

What say you?

Friday, June 8, 2012

Cover remake: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

I honestly love it when books get cover remakes. Usually the new covers look so much better, since they get more professional work and the designs are simply gorgeous. I know many of you won't agree with me, since they love their book covers (in one series) to match. I totally understand that, though when it grows into obsession, I think it's too much.

Anyway, today I thought I'd post the cover remake of "Shatter Me" by Tahereh Mafi. I know most of you have probably seen it already. But I wanted to have it on my blog, so here it is!


And if you look at it closely, you'll notice just how detailed it is. Now, I'm not sure that it's the perfect cover for this book, but it's still gorgeous.

So what do you think?

And I'd love to remind you about the giveaway I'm hosting at the moment. Check it out here:GIVEAWAY!!!

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Book review: "The Other Slipper" by Kenechi Udogu

The Other Slipper

NOTE: I received this book to review by the author.

At first, I thought that "The Other Slipper" would be a retelling of Cinderella. But it turned out that it was the story behind Cinderella's slippers. Which sort of surprised me a little, though I was glad I wasn't reading something I'd read so many times before.

So, this is the story of Jo, an ordinary girl living in an ordinary world, where nothing out of the ordinary happens. Until the night of the ball, when she finds herself in the middle of the road, this weird crystal slipper just a few feet away from her. This was seriously one of the funniest moments in this book, and there were several, where I honestly laughed out loud at Jo's reasoning. Anyway, the fairy godmother sends Jo on a mission to return the slippers to their rightful owner. Little does Jo know that her path to the mysterious Lady of Ould would be full of unanticipated adventures that would take her further away from home.

I mostly liked the (more)

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Cover and press release: JOE by H.D. Gordon

Hello hello my pretty stalkers!!! I've got magnificent news for you today! Author H.D. Gordon has a new book coming out this month!!  It's titled "JOE" and by the looks of it, it would be another amazing story!!

Just check out the gorgeous cover and tell me you don't think so!


And here's the summary:

From the author of the Alexa Montgmery Saga, comes a book that will take you into the mind of a geniune pyschopath, the lives of six ordinary people, and the world of a very special girl named Joe. Joe is seemingly an ordinary college student. She works, studies and reads. But in between these activities Joe has a gift that promises to add a dose of color to her life at any given moment. Joe sees things before they happen. Bad things, and the worst thing she has ever faced is just around the corner. Someone is planning a massacre at the college university that Joe attends, and the only person with a hope of stopping the pyschopath is her. Oh, the beauty of foresight. More like a curse. Joe has four days to figure out the mystery, make plans to take down the pyscho, and save the lives of people. People like you and me. Ordinary people.

"JOE" is coming out in e-format on June 30th, 2012, so that's less than a month away.

Here's what people have to say about the awesomeness of  the book:


“H.D. Gordon’s writing was very thought out and her words flowed and kept me reading till late in the
evening.”
tana-someofmyfavoritebooks


“Further adding to the writing skills, the world that Gordon created was so imaginative and brilliant that I
was simply enthralled.”
xxdaydreamer21xx


“H.D. Gordon has written a book that well spellbound you. She has created characters that linger long after
the book is read and put away.”
NayNay



I'd gladly have my name on that list, were I to get my hands on an ARC :)) How about you? Aren't you enthralled??

Waiting on Wednesday #24




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Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly blog post by Jill over at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights releases we're eagerly awaiting.

My pick this week is:




Title: The Vincent Brothers
Series:  The Vincent Boys, Book2
Author: Abbi Glines
Release date: June, 2012

Summary:
He may have given her up without a fight, but Sawyer Vincent is far from over losing the girl he’s loved all of his life. Instead of giving up his best friend and the girl he thought he’d spend forever with, he gave Ashton and his brother Beau his blessing. However, adjusting to seeing Ashton wrapped up in Beau’s arms isn’t easy. Complicating everything even more, Ashton’s cousin Lana is in town for the summer. Sweet, kind, soft-spoken Lana, who gets under his skin. Just being near her makes him forget all about Ashton and his broken heart. Lana is everything he wanted Ashton to be except she isn’t Ashton. She lacks the backbone to stand up for herself and confidence that Ashton wears like a crown.

Lana McDaniel has lived her life in her cousin's shadow. While Lana struggled with her grades no matter how hard she tried, her mother praised Ashton's intelligence. She hadn’t been blessed with Ashton’s blond hair and flawless skin, but that didn't keep her mother from lamenting her naturally red hair and freckles. But none of that would have mattered if Ashton hadn’t always had Sawyer Vincent wrapped around her finger -- the only boy Lana wanted. Once Ashton let Sawyer go, Lana had been so sure that he’d move on. Determined to make Sawyer finally see her, she'd talked her mother into letting her spend the summer with Ashton. But Sawyer is still in love with Ashton, and Lana isn’t going to be anyone's rebound girl. No matter how yummy Sawyer Vincent’s kisses taste.


Why I want to read it:
I haven't read book one, but I hear all great things about it. And people who had been lucky enough to have already read The Vincent Brothers say it's pretty amazing too. That summary and the cover are just tempting me so much!! It's defo on my list, and I will be reading it as soon as I'm somewhat thru my review list :)

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Okay, so I really wanted to do 2 books today, but the second book was supposed to be a cover/press release, so I did I separate post for it. But you can always check it out here and boy, it is a gorgeous book!!

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Aaaand, just a quick reminder! There's one week left for entering your name to win one e-copy and one signed paperback copy of Willow Rose's latest book, Savage. If you're interested, please follow this link to the GIVEAWAY!!!!

So how about you? What are you waiting on this week?

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

In her shoes ~14~

Every Tuesday I will pick a character I've read about recently, perhaps even the week before, and try putting myself in her shoes. What things would I do differently? What have I learned from her behavior? That kind of thing. You are welcome to participate if you want, just please link back, so we could build a nice community of followers. Thanks!!! :)


For today I've decided to discuss one of my favorite characters out there. She's been in five books already, and she's grown from a soft, timid, insecure girl into a confident, strong and resourceful warrior. I'm talking about Clarissa Fray, a.k.a. Clary from Cassandra Clare's TMI series.

If you haven't met Clary yet, let me tell you a little about her. In book 1, City of Bones, she was scared. She didn't know what was happening to her and why. She felt betrayed and weak and too much dependent on people (or not people at all) who she had just met.

Now, five books later, there's a huge transformation in her character. Now she can fight both a physical and mental battle. Now she has the power to draw ancient runes. Now she has a head on her shoulders - one that thinks quite nicely. She is in love and she isn't afraid to put her life in danger for the person who gives meaning to her life. 

I love her fighter spirit, her reasoning and the fact that she's able to make the right decisions even when they hurt like hell. Clary has grown, and she has grown well. She follows her love in truth and loyalty. And she's most certainly a person I'd love to step in the shoes of.

Also because I'd love some alone time with Jace LOL

So, whose shoes would you like to step into this week?

Monday, June 4, 2012

Book Review: "City of Lost Souls" by Cassandra Clare

City of Lost Souls (The Mortal Instruments, #5)

Okay, so I just finished this book a couple of days ago, and I'm glad I didn't write the review right away, because it might've come out a bit biased (as in, I loved the other 4 books, so by association I loved this one too). Truth is, I so loved the other four books in this series, that I was totally inclined to like this one too. And I did like it, but not as much as the rest of them. Bear with me and I'll tell you why.

So we all know how City of Fallen Angels ended, and what a killer the cliff hanger was. Jace and Sebastian missing, lots of blood splattered on the floor, etc. etc. I could say that it alone made me wait for City of Lost Souls with anticipation. But when I opened CoLS, guess what happened... I found myself submerged into Simon, Izzy, Malec, Jordan and Maya and some Clary. And no Jace. And no Seb. And grrr!!!! That was so totally disappointing. Sure, they were all playing some role in the story, but I missed Jace!!!

I was really frustrated that ... (more)

Sunday, June 3, 2012

Book Review: "Shadow Bound" by Rachel Vincent

Shadow Bound (Unbound, #2)

NOTE: I received this book for review from Netgalley.

Gosh, what can I say??? No words are good enough to explain just how embarrassingly marvelous this book is!!! You'd ask why embarrassingly, I'm sure, and here's the answer: Because it puts to shame any other urban fantasy/paranormal novels I've ever read. Then again, Rachel Vincent is one of my most favorite authors out there, so yeah...

I just want to start off with saying that the world building was freaking awesome! And I mean that with no reserve. Even though book one - Blood Bound - already gave us a pretty good clue what things are like in the fictional world of events, it was sort of like one side of the story - Ruben Cavazos's side. Shadow Bound takes it west - to Jake Tower's empire. Seen through the eyes of Korinne Daniels and Ian Holt. (more)

Friday, June 1, 2012

Follow Friday #18



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Follow Me Friday is a book meme hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read. #FF is a blog hop that expands your blog following by a joint effort between bloggers. In order to join in the fun, all you need is well . . . A book blog :)


The question this week is:

"You are a matchmaker - your goal, hook up two characters from two of your favorite books. Who would it be? How do you think it would go?"


My answer:

  Oh, why on earth do you make the questions so difficult?? Grrr!!! Now I gotta seriously think about it :(

Ok, so, how about we pair up Jessamine from The Infernal Devices with Jasper from The Steampunk Chronicles. She always wanted to not be a Shadowhunter, and he definitely isn't one. He's a nice person, loving, and is in league with a duke! What more could she possibly want?


Well, that's my answer, what's yours?

Please leave links to your FF's, so I can stop by!!

And I'd love to remind you about the giveaway I'm hosting at the moment. Check it out here:GIVEAWAY!!!

The Booker Award!

YAY!!! My blog got one more award!!! I'm so happy!!!

Katie over at The Fiction Diaries has so kindly given me The Booker Award. Thanks so much, Katie!

Rules of the award are:

This award is for book bloggers only. To receive this award the blog must be at least 50% about books (reading or writing is okay)
Along with receiving this award, you must also share your top five favorite books you have ever read. (More than five is okay)
You must give this award to 5-10 other lucky book blogs you adore.

Okay, that's an easy task. My most favorite books out there are (and I'm gonna go for series, sorry):
1. Harry Potter series by J.K.Rowling
2. The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare
3. The Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare
4. Soul Screamers series by Rachel Vincent
5. The Solitary Tales by Travis Thrasher
6. Emerald City by Alicia K. Leppert

And now, let's see who to award!

1. Faye @ A daydreamer's thoughts
2. Best @ B's Book Blog
3. Nicole, Hayley, Alvina, and Maxine @ Teenage Fiction
4. Lili @ Lili Lost in a Book
5. Kimberly @ On the wings of books 

Enjoy your award, and link back!

Introducing: Author Willow Rose

Howdy guys! I was asked by author Willow Rose to do a promotion of her newest book, Savage, here on my blog. I'm super excited by the opportunity, not only because I'll be introducing Willow and Savage on my blog, but also because she's been super cool and offered to give away one e-copy and one signed paperback copy of her book to two lucky readers!!! But, more on that later.

Now, I'm not quite sure you all know who Willow is, so I'll give you some info:


Willow Rose writes YA Paranormal Romance and fantasy. Originally from Denmark she now lives on Florida’s Space Coast with her husband and two daughters. She is a huge fan of Anne Rice and Isabel Allende. When she is not writing or reading she enjoys to watch the dolphins play in the waves of the Atlantic Ocean. She has a bunch of books out already, and you can check them out on her blog here or her Goodreads page here .

She was super awesome to share some random facts about herself, as well as give a short interview. Please read on! :)

Random info:

I love dark chocolate and red wine.
I don't hate that many things. Except maybe Brussels Sprouts.
I am terrified of snakes and fireworks ever since my husband was hit by a rocket in his eye and lost it on New Year's Eve. 
A great book or movie thrills me and dolphins playing outside our windows, friends visiting ... and red wine and chocolate again.

Interview:


1. Hello Willow, thank you for being so nice! How did your writing career begin? Any interesting story behind it? 
I was working as a journalist on a national Danish TV-station when I was fired because of cut-backs. I was devastated but my husband just looked at me and said: "this is a unique chance for you to do what you have always dreamt of." And he was right. Instead of feeling sorry for myself I sat down and wrote a thriller based on a story I did for Danish television where a Danish truck-driver was found dead in Poland in a bush behind a brothel. It took me six months to write it and then I send it to a big publishing house in Denmark. They loved it and published it. Then I continued. I wrote several mystery-novels that were translated to several European languages and sold to publishing houses in Norway and Germany. When my husband and I moved to Florida I started writing in English. The first book was a mystery-novel but then I switched genre and now I do more paranormal romance with a twist of mystery and action. I still write in Danish for my publisher in Denmark.


2. What makes your books unique? 
Savage has some pretty unique characters that I have come to simply adore. I love them and can't wait to begin writing the sequel and see how their lives develop. "Daughters of the Jaguar" is a series that develops over a huge amount of time. In the first book the characters are in their twenties, the next in their thirties and in the last one they will have grown kids of their own. We will get to know them really well.


3. How do you come up with your characters? 
They come to me. I like to say that they "pop up" in my head. That is the best way I can describe it. They are just there all of a sudden and then they start to do stuff and talk to other people and soon there is a whole story that I simply have to tell or else I will burst.


4. You've written several books so far. Which one was the easiest to write? Which one is your favorite? 
Every time you write a book you feel like this is the best you've ever written. I know I do. And that is the way it is supposed to be, I think. You get better the more you write. Savage is by far the best book I have ever written. I love the story, I love the characters, I love everything about it.


5. Tell us something about "Savage" that the readers would want to know, something special that isn't already in the summary. Something hot, intriguing, thrilling. 
Have you ever wondered if the Fountain of Youth really exists?


6. Which was the character who gave you the most difficulty? 
Heather. The girl that lives in the house where Christian is going to live while he is in Florida. She is so spoiled and not always the nicest person but she always gets her way.


7. If you got one chance to step in the shoes of one of your characters, which one would it be?
I would love to be Halona and be able to move things by the will of my mind alone. Just for a day or two. That would be fun.

Now, here's what Savage is all about:

The year is 1983. Christian is 22 years old when he leaves his home in Denmark to spend a year in Florida with a very wealthy family and go to med-school. A joyful night out with friends is shattered by an encounter with a savage predator that changes his life forever. Soon he faces challenges he had never expected. A supernatural gift he has no idea how to embrace. A haunting family in the house next door. A spirit-filled girl who seems to carry all the answers. An ancient secret hidden in the swamps of Florida. One life never the same. One love that becomes an obsession. Two destinies that will be forever entangled.

Savage is a young adult title with some language, violence, and sexual situations recommended for ages sixteen and up.


It will be released on June 15th, 2012. 





And now, what you have all been waiting for - the giveaway! Just fill out the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win an e-copy of Savage, or a signed paperback copy.
a Rafflecopter giveaway