Waiting On Wednesday (15) Toxic (Denazen #2) by Jus Accardo


"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

My choice for this week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:


Toxic (Denazen #2) by Jus Accardo

Paperback, 400 pages
Expected publication: June 12th 2012 by Entangled Teen

Buy This Book from Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Synopsis From Goodreads:

When a Six saved Kale’s life the night of Sumrun, she warned there would be consequences. A trade-off. Something taken for the life they gained. But Dez never imagined she’d lose the one thing she’d give anything to keep… And as if it’s not enough Dez finds her immunity to Kale fading, the Six brought in to help Kale learn to control his killer touch starts drooling on him the moment they meet. Worse than that? Jade can touch Kale. But bimbo Barbie is the least of Dez's problems.

After Dez and Kale got away at Sumrun, her father lost not only his most powerful weapon but an important piece of the Supremacy project. Forced by Denazen to remedy the situation, he poisons Dez and offers her a choice—surrender to Denazen for the cure…or die. Determined to find a solution that doesn’t involve being bagged and tagged—or losing someone she loves—Dez keeps the poison a secret. But when a rash of Denazen attacks hit a little too close to home, Dez is convinced there’s a traitor among them. Jade.

Sacrifices, broken promises, and secrets. Dez will have to lay it all on the line if there’s any hope of proving Jade’s guilt before they all end up Residents of Denazen. Or worse, dead...
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Review: Born Wicked (The Cahill Witch Chronicles, #1) by Jessica Spotswood

Born Wicked (The Cahill Witch Chronicles, #1)Born Wicked (The Cahill Witch Chronicles, #1) by Jessica Spotswood

Publication Date: February 7th 2012
Page Count: 330
Published by: Putnam Juvenile
Source: Library

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they're witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship--or an early grave.

Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with six months to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word... especially after she finds her mother's diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family's destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate stars scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.

If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren't safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood -- not even from each other.


My thoughts:
I love that the setting for Born Wicked was an alternate version of New England at the end of the 19th century. I also enjoyed the similarity to an actual historical event, namely the Salem Witch Trials. Watching closely over the town is the Brotherhood, who are so small minded and fearful of witches that they prosecute anyone who is 'different'. Females are scared that one look, or one wrong move, will draw the attention of the Brotherhood. The Brotherhood also believed that women should not be educated and be subservient to males, especially their husbands. (I was pretty much disgusted by the behavior of the Brotherhood. They were pretty sick minded people. At times they were just dirty old men and they really creeped me out.)

Since their mother's death, Cate has looked out for her 2 younger sisters. Now that Cate is of the age to announce her plans to either marry or enter the Sisterhood, her carefully planned life starts unraveling. New people come into Cate's life and want to befriend her. They all have secrets of their own and it's not clear who is on Cate's side and who is out to harm Cate and her sisters.

Cate’s sisters play a big part in this story. Tess is the youngest and seems to understand the importance of keeping their witchery a secret. Tess is a sweet younger sister and gets along very well with Cate. The middle sister, Maura, came off as whiny and unappreciative. One of Maura's temper tantrums could have caused disastrous results if not for the quick actions of Tess and Cate. The fear of being discovered propels Cate to make decisions about her and her sisters future.

I liked both of Cate's love interests. One was her childhood friend who returned home after being away for an apprenticeship. At the same time she meets the new gardener that her father hired. I wasn't bothered at all by the 'love triangle' aspect. Both boys would have been a good choice for Cate. And it seemed by the end of this book that the triangle was over.

My only complaint about Born Wicked is that it starts slowly. The main reason for this is because of the world building going on. Once that was out of the way the pace picked up quite nicely. Closer to the end the pace was even better and things really started happening quickly.

Overall this was a very lovely book. I am looking forward to reading the rest of this series.

I give Born Wicked 3.5 Stars
Buy This Book from Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

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I love the feathers in the trailer:


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In My Mailbox (4)


In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren. It's a great way to showcase books that you have gotten throughout the week, whether they are bought, borrowed or gifts!

WON! An ARC of The Catastrophic History of You and Me by Jessica Rothenberg and an ARC of Where It Began by Ann Redisch Stampler from Lori at Pure Imagination.

Received an ARC of Grave Mercy by Robin Lafevers from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

And at the library I picked up The Fine Art of Truth or Dare by Melissa Jensen.

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Glass Heart (Cold Kiss #2) by Amy Garvey


Look what I just found over on Bloody Bookaholic.

Glass Heart (Cold Kiss #2) by Amy Garvey. Book 2. It would have been good to know this was going to be a series! Especially considering my review for Cold Kiss was based partly on the fact that many, many issues were unresolved. It just didn't feel like a completed book. I knew things were missing. I never dreamed what was missing was the rest of the series! Such a DUH! moment.
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Follow Friday (13)



Follow Friday is a weekly feature hosted by Alison Can Read and Parajunkee. It's a great way to discover new blogs and get new followers. I follow you, you follow me.

Q: Activity!!! Take a picture or describe where you love to read the most...

I try to read every night before going to bed, so that is the only time I read in bed. Sometimes I'll sit in the family room when it's daytime. When it's dark I sit on the chaise in the living room with the reading lamp. With a fuzzy blanket and my dog snuggled up keeping warm.

Here is my dream place. I can totally see myself reading here. Sadly, it's not mine. At least not yet. I have the fireplace and mantle.... now if someone would just build the bookcases, my family room would look just like this!
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200 Followers Giveaway


I have enjoyed discovering and reading and following so many amazing blogs. I want to thank everyone who decided to follow my blog by having a giveaway. I am so excited to be celebrating 200+ followers!

Contest Rules:
  • This is open internationally as long as the Book Depository ships to your country.
  • Must be a follower of my blog to enter. Either via GFC, RSS, Email, or Networked Blogs.
  • This giveaway will end on February 29, 2012.
  • I am not responsible for lost or damaged books from The Book Depository.
  • Winner will be contacted by email and will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.
  • You must be age 13 or older to enter.

Winner will have the choice of one of the following books:

Born Wicked (The Cahill Witch Chronicles #1) by Jessica Spotswood
Never Eighteen by Megan Bostic
Tempest (Tempest #1) by Julie Cross
Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

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Waiting On Wednesday (14) Rapture (Fallen #4) by Lauren Kate


"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Rapture (Fallen #4) by Lauren Kate

Hardcover, 432 pages
Expected publication: June 12th 2012

Synopsis from Goodreads:

The sky is dark with wings. . . .

In RAPTURE, the highly anticipated fourth and final novel in the FALLEN series, Luce and Daniel are together . . . but for how long? Can history be rewritten? Or are some punishments eternal?


Buy This Book from Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

I can already hear the groans and see the eye rolls. So stop it. I know people either love or hate this series. I fall somewhere in between. Here's my story: I read Fallen when it came out because everyone was reading it, so I had to read it also. Then I read Torment when it came out. And I was confused. I had quite a few 'Huh?' moments while reading Torment and I was lost. So I went back and re-read Fallen. And....... then I was confused some more. So to be honest, I haven't read Passion yet. It sits in my little pile of neglected books and awaits a good sit down. I don't have time right now to devote to re-reading both books, and reading the 3rd book. This is something I plan on doing once the kids are out of school for the summer. I should be able to read all 3 before June 12th.

Is anyone else still sticking with this series and plan on reading Rapture when it comes out?
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Winner! I HEART YA Giveaway Hop


Thank you so much to everyone who participated in the I HEART YA Giveaway Hop! I had an incredible 231 entries. I have decided to pick 2 winners (because I am just awesome like that).

Congratulations to Rabiah and Catherine C. They have both been emailed and have 48 hours to contact me or I will choose another winner.

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Review: Destiny and Deception (13 to Life #4) Shannon Delany

Destiny and Deception (13 to Life, #4)Destiny and Deception (13 to Life #4) by Shannon Delany

Publication Date: January 31st 2012
Page Count: 289
Published by: St. Martin's Griffin
Source: Library

Synopsis from Goodreads:

The sensational fourth novel in the 13 to Life series sees Jessica and the Rusakovas fighting to overcome their biggest challenge yet.

With the threat of the mafia seemingly gone and the company's headquarters in Junction destroyed, Pietr Rusakova is adjusting to being a normal teen and Jess is realizing normalcy may not be what she wanted after all. But both Jess and Cat know the truth--that normal can't be taken for granted. Their precious cure isn't permanent--and when a new danger stalks into their small town, Alexi decides he must overcome his issues with the mother who abandoned him to be raised by wolves and make a brand new deal to save his adopted family.

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I really like the 13 to Life series, and I was eagerly awaiting the 4th book, Destiny and Deception. Sadly, I am extremely disappointed that it did not live up to my expectations. (I wrote my review a day ago, then spent today reflecting on why I felt so let down after reading this book. And that's just it - it was such a let down. After all the life or death, love and hate, and emotional ups and downs of the first 3 books, this one just didn't have the emotional impact that I had come to expect.)

Like the 3rd book, we get narration from Jessie and Alexi's POV. But a 3rd narrator is added when a NEW bad person arrives in Junction. I really didn't care for this part of the story. It was obvious that adding this this third POV is meant to set up for a showdown with the Rusakovas in the final book, but I really didn't like it.

I love Alexi even more than before. I was thrilled that we learned so much about him in the 3rd book. In Destiny and Deception we continue to learn about Alexi and how strong his family ties are. I liked that Jessie stayed strong and constant. Pietr was just a shell of his former self and I did not enjoy him, which makes me very sad. I loved Pietr and Jessie's relationship in the first 3 books, and I had looked forward to reading more about them and seeing their relationship progress. Unfortunately, a cured Pietr is a boring Pietr. Jessie even remarked that taking the wolf out of the man also took the man out of the man, and I couldn't agree more. It was hard reading about Jessie's disappointment in their relationship, and I really felt for her. Pietr was just so boring! And he showed zero interest in Jessie or their relationship. Give me back the dashing and daring, cute and charming Pietr that I loved so much.

The pacing of Destiny and Deception was very, very slow. It was missing the action that the 3 previous books had. (I felt those 3 had more than enough action to keep me reading to see what would happen next.) The mafia presence is non-existent in this book. The company is still messing around a little behind the scenes, but it is not clearly understood what kind of threat they pose. The lack of any present danger is noticeable throughout the book.

While reading, I was aware that I thought what was missing most was the Rusakova family dynamics. The family just didn't seem 'together' like before. Was this due to them being cured and not in tune with each other anymore? I am thinking that this could have been a plot device just to show them torn apart now, and how strong they are to come together in the final book. We'll have to wait and see.

Destiny and Deception sort of plodded along until the last few pages. Then things took a turn and the pace picked up and something totally unexpected happened and then.... the end. Another cliffhanger! And it's a biggie this time.

The writing in Destiny and Deception is great and flows well, even when bouncing back and forth between POVs. I love the main characters - Jessie, her friend Amy, and the Rusakovas. I really like this series and I am looking forward to reading the conclusion. And I am really hoping that Pietr gets back to being himself and resurrects the relationship that he had with Jessie.

My Rating: 3 of 5 Stars
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In My Mailbox (3)


In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren. It's a great way to showcase books that you have gotten throughout the week, whether they are bought, borrowed or gifts!


From the library:
Born Wicked (The Cahill Witch Chronicles #1) by Jessica Spotswood
Never Eighteen by Megan Bostic
Illuminated by Erica Orloff
Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

And I won a $15.00 Amazon gift certificate from The Book Garden.

Be sure to enter my I Heart YA Giveaway Hop!
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Follow Friday (12)


Follow Friday is a weekly feature hosted by Alison Can Read and Parajunkee. It's a great way to discover new blogs and get new followers. I follow you, you follow me.

Q: I like unique names for characters and am looking forward to coming up with some when I start writing. What's the most unique character name you've come across?

I recently read Lies Beneath (Lies Beneath #1) by Anne Greenwood Brown and the male lead is named Calder, which I think is different (in a good way). Cassel from Holly Black's Curse Workers series. Dashiell from Dash & Lily's Book of Dares. I actually like all of these names because they are unique, but not so different that they stand out as weird.

But my all time favorite favorite 'unique' name is from Jennifer Echols' book Going Too Far. His name is John After, but he's really called Johnafter, like it's just one name. I love it! And it really goes with the story so well.

I appreciate everyone who has followed my blog. I know GFC is going away for non-Blogger blogs. Who knows how long it will be around for those of us on Blogger. You can always follow me by email. I don't know how much interest there is in the new Linky follower thingy (yes, that IS the official name for it). Leave me a comment and let me know if you prefer to follow in some way that I don't have available. Thank you!

While you are here be sure to check out my I HEART YA Giveaway Hop
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Waiting on Wednesday (13) Grave Mercy


"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.


This week I am waiting on Grave Mercy (His Fair Assassin #1) by R.L. LaFevers.
Hardcover, 509 pages
Expected publication: April 3rd 2012 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Buy This Book from Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Description From Goodreads:
Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae's most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?
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I HEART YA Giveaway Hop

hop
Welcome to the I HEART YA Giveaway Hop!

This awesome event is hosted by For Those About To Read, Fictional Distraction, and Michelle Madow.

Giveaway runs from Feb. 14 – Feb. 20
Make sure you check out the hosts page and visit the rest of the blogs on the linky list!

I am giving away winner's choice of ONE of the following books:


Contest Rules:
Open Internationally (as long as The Book Depository ships to you)
Must be 13+ to enter
Winners will be notified via email
A new winner will be chosen if a response is not received within 48 hours
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Review: Red Glove (Curse Workers #2) by Holly Black

Red Glove (Curse Workers, #2)Red Glove (Curse Workers #2) by Holly Black

Series: Curse Workers
Hardcover, 325 Pages
Published: April 5th 2011 by Margaret K. McElderry Books
Source: Library

Synopsis From Goodreads:

The cons get craftier and the stakes rise ever higher in the riveting sequel to White Cat—now in paperback!

After rescuing his brothers from Zacharov’s retribution, Cassel is trying to reestablish some kind of normalcy in his life.

That was never going to be easy for someone from a worker family that’s tied to one of the big crime families—and whose mother’s cons get more reckless by the day. But Cassel is coming to terms with what it means to be a worker, and he’s figuring out how to have friends.

Except normal doesn’t last very long. Soon Cassel is being courted by both sides of the law and is forced to confront his past—a past he remembers only in scattered fragments, and one that could destroy his family and his future. Cassel will have to decide whose side he wants to be on, because neutrality is not an option. And then he will have to pull off his biggest con ever to survive…

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After reading White Cat I immediately started reading Red Glove. I was not disappointed. The second installment in the Curse Workers series is just as good as, if not better than, the first. After setting up the world and the characters in White Cat, I felt that the storyline flowed much smoother and the character's personalities were able to shine.

There were more mysterious goings on and quite a few surprise twists that kept up the suspense and intrigue. I find Cassel to be a very likable, interesting, and humorous protagonist. I enjoyed seeing his relationships, from his mother and brother to his friends, play out and progress.

Overall I really enjoyed this fast paced read and I can't wait for the next installment. It should be interesting to read if Cassel ends up using his powers for the good guys, or if his mafia ties bring him to the dark side.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
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I really prefer the original covers. They are so much more interesting than the new ones.


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In My Mailbox (2)


In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren. It's a great way to showcase books that you have gotten throughout the week, whether they are bought, borrowed or gifts!

I am so happy to be participating (finally!) AND I actually won something! Yay me.
I won an ARC of Slide (Slide #1) by Jill Hathaway and some cool swag.

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WINNER! 100 Follower Giveaway

Thank you all so much for making my blogging experience quite wonderful! Not only did I achieve my 100 follower goal, I now have over 200 followers. That means another giveaway! Stay tuned for more details.

The winner is Nicole A. who has been contacted and has responded. She will recieve her book of choice from The Book Depository.
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Follow Friday (11)


Follow Friday is a weekly feature hosted by Alison Can Read and Parajunkee. It's a great way to discover new blogs and get new followers. I follow you, you follow me.

Q: What would your prefer: reading your favorite book over and over again until you got sick of it OR reading 100s of mediocre books? And why?

Good question. I would definitely read my favorite book(s) over and over again rather than read 100 books that I don't like. I wouldn't want to waste time reading a mediocre book when I can jump into one I love and relive all the best scenes over and over again. I actually have kept my favs through the years on a shelf in my sewing room. I get the warm fuzzies when I take one out and flip through and re-read the yumminess.
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Review: Try Not To Breathe by Jennifer R. Hubbard

Try Not to BreatheTry Not to Breathe by Jennifer R. Hubbard

Publication Date: January 19, 2012
Page Count: 272
Published by: Viking
Source: Library

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Learning to live is more than just choosing not to die, as sixteen-year-old Ryan discovers in the year following his suicide attempt. Despite his mother’s anxious hovering and the rumors at school, he’s trying to forget the darkness from which he has escaped. But it doesn’t help that he’s still hiding guilty secrets, or that he longs for a girl who may not return his feelings. Then he befriends Nicki, who is using psychics to seek contact with her dead father. This unlikely friendship thaws Ryan to the point where he can face the worst in himself. He and Nicki confide in one another the things they never thought they’d tell anyone—but their confessions are trickier than they seem, and the fallout tests the bounds of friendship and forgiveness.

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Try Not To Breathe is not your ordinary YA book. It deals primarily with a suicide attempt by the protagonist, Ryan, and the emotionally messy aftermath. This is a very heartfelt book and it takes a direct heads-on approach to the realities of teenagers and their problems.

Ryan has intense feelings of isolation and loneliness, even when surrounded by other people. I really felt sympathy for Ryan when he was describing what it felt like at these times. I liked that he readily admitted he had a good life, but just couldn't deal with the depression. Now he just wants to be normal and feel normal, but he has such an emotional detachment that he feels disconnected from what is going on around him.

The book begins after Ryan is back home after spending time in a mental institution. He is learning how to deal with life on a day to day basis. He gets by the best he can one day at a time, dealing with the separation from the 2 friends he became close to while hospitalized. He also has to deal with his parents who, understandably, can't fully comprehend why he would want to take his own life. His mother becomes slightly obsessive with her over-protectiveness, but it is only because she loves him and wants to make sure he doesn't attempt suicide again. Ryan comes to realize just how much his actions have hurt his parents.

Ryan spends a lot of time down at the local waterfall. His parents would freak if they knew he actually went under the waterfall. Ryan knows it is dangerous, but he likes the mind-numbing blankness he feels while under the waterfall. This is where he meets Nicki, who also comes to the waterfall to stand under it. Nicki knows about Ryan's attempted suicide and shows a surprising interest in Ryan. She has no qualms about asking him all the hard questions that, up until now, everyone else was afraid to ask. It is through this friendship that Ryan opens up and is able to tell her things he's never told anyone else. Nicki wants to be around Ryan because she likes him, not because she is trying to help him or fix him.

Overall, Try Not To Breathe is an emotional read. It has a very real feel to it. It is beautifully written and I enjoyed all of the characters. I highly recommend it.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
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I still like the original cover better!
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Waiting on Wednesday (12) The Unquiet by Jeannine Garsee


"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Be sure to enter my 100 Follower Giveaway!

The Unquiet by Jeannine Garsee

Expected publication: July 17th 2012 by Bloomsbury

Description From Goodreads:
Sixteen-year-old Rinn Jacobs has secrets: One, she’s bipolar. Two, she killed her grandmother.

After a suicide attempt, and now her parents' separation, Rinn and her mom move from California to the rural Ohio town where her mother grew up. Back on her medications (again!) and hoping to stay well, Rinn settles into her new home and school. She refuses to be daunted by the fact that the previous owner hanged herself in Rinn's bedroom, or that her classmates believe the school pool is haunted by Annaliese, a girl who drowned there. But when a reckless séance goes awry, and terrible things start happening to her new friends—yet not to her—Rinn is determined to find out why she can’t be "touched" by Annaliese...or if Annaliese even exists.

With the help of Nate Brenner, the hunky “farmer boy” she’s rapidly falling for, Rinn devises a dangerous plan to uncover the truth. Soon reality and fantasy meld into one, till Rinn finds it nearly impossible to tell the difference. When a malevolent force threatens the lives of everyone she cares about--not to mention her own--she can't help wondering: who should she really be afraid of?

Annaliese? Or herself?
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Teaser Tuesday (2)

Be sure to enter my 100 Follower Giveaway!


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

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



I am currently reading (and soooo close to the end!) Everneath (Everneath #1) by Brodi Ashton.

pg. 301 - "I... I'm telling you this because you have to know that it's always been you. And it will always be you."
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Review: Ditched: A Love Story by Robin Mellom

Ditched: A Love StoryDitched: A Love Story by Robin Mellom

Publication Date: January 10, 2012
Page Count: 277
Published by: Disney Hyperion
Source: Library

Synopsis from Goodreads:

There's a girl.
Justina Griffith was never the girl who dreamed of going to prom. Designer dresses and strappy heels? Not her thing. That said, she never expected her best friend, Ian Clark, to ask her.

And there's a boy.
Ian, who always passed her the baseball bat, handle first.
Ian, who knew exactly when she needed red licorice.
Ian, who promised her the most amazing night at prom.

Then there's a ditch.
But when Justina is ditched, figuratively and literally, she must piece together--stain-by-stain on her thrift store dress--exactly how she ended up dateless...with only the help of some opinionated ladies at the 7-Eleven.

To get the whole store, Justina will have to face the boy who ditched her. Can losing out at her prom ultimately lead to finding true love?

My Thoughts:

Ditched was a fun read. It definitely held my interest from the very first sentence. Ditched opens with the protagonist, Justina, finding herself literally in a ditch the morning after Prom, and wondering how she ended up there. Through Justina's retelling we come to learn about the crazy misadventures of Prom Night and how she ended up 'ditched'.

I think it's highly unlikely that Justina would find herself in every conceivable mishap and dire circumstance possible. But I did enjoy reading about the wacky night that she endured. And I found Justina to be a great storyteller with a very likable personality.

Ditched was a quick read. It was very entertaining and comical. A perfect read for anyone looking for a light hearted and fun teen love story.

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

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The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight - Review

The Statistical Probability of Love at First SightThe Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Perhaps my expectations were too high after reading so many glowing 5 star reviews. I thought this book was just okay. It just really wasn't all that for me. I wanted to love it. I tried to at least really like it. I don't know, but maybe I am so far removed from being a teenager that it didn't do anything for me.

It was a 'nice' read and a short book at well under 300 pages, but it seemed to go on and on. Some of it was so boring! Since this book takes place in the span of 24 hours I expected it to be fast paced. That was not the case. The writing was slow moving, and despite the title, there was no 'love' at first sight. How disappointing.

The story follows Hadley as she misses her flight to London for her dad's wedding. Hadley meets a cute English boy named Oliver and they end up sitting together on the plane.

I really feel that this would have been a much more compelling read if the author had devoted more time on the two main characters together in real time. I felt disconnected from them as a potential couple when most of their initial time spent together was told in flashback form. And this story is told in third person so it lacks any personal connection to the characters. A love/romance story should be told in first person so the reader can experience the feelings and emotions.

It's not a bad book. The writing is good. It's romantic fluff with a little drama thrown in. I guess it all depends on what you really enjoy in a book. For me, I like characters that are more developed. While I did not feel that Hadley and Oliver had a deep romantic connection, I do think their friendship was heartwarming and promising.



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