f0zKg0J4zFLYz-Yq0aednQVqREE Once Upon a Prologue: August 2011
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Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Waiting On Wednesday - #13: Before Ever After by Samantha Sotto




{++ }  This weekly event/feature is graciously hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine.  You know that feeling you get when you're browsing upcoming books on Goodreads or Amazon and one strikes your fancy?  Maybe you squee.  Maybe you giggle to yourself.  Maybe you bounce in your seat.  We all get excited (I do a combination of all three of the previous choices...) about new books, be it a favorite author you're familiar with, or someone whose work you'll be reading for the first time.  Jill's meme gives us the chance to spotlight what we are anxiously awaiting this week.


Three years after her husband Max's death, Shelley feels no more adjusted to being a widow than she did that first terrible day. That is, until the doorbell rings. Standing on her front step is a young man who looks so much like Max; same smile, same eyes, same age, same adorable bump in his nose; he could be Max's long-lost relation. He introduces himself as Paolo, an Italian editor of American coffee table books, and shows Shelley some childhood photos. Paolo tells her that the man in the photos, the bearded man who Paolo says is his grandfather though he never seems to age, is Max. Her Max. And he is alive and well.

As outrageous as Paolo's claims seem; how could her husband be alive? And if he is, why hasn't he looked her up? Shelley desperately wants to know the truth. She and Paolo jet across the globe to track Max down; if it is really Max and along the way, Shelley recounts the European package tour where they had met. As she relives Max's stories of bloody Parisian barricades, medieval Austrian kitchens, and buried Roman boathouses, Shelley begins to piece together the story of who her husband was and what these new revelations mean for her "happily ever after." And as she and Paolo get closer to the truth, Shelley discovers that not all stories end where they are supposed to.


Published: 08.02.2011 (Crown)
Further info: Goodreads | Amazon
Find the author online: site | twitter


Why This Book?




I didn't get a chance to spotlight this one before it was published.  From the first time I read the synopsis, it just jumped out at me.  Something said "watch for this book."  Maybe it's the time travel element, or the romance, or just how awesome the story sounds.  But I think it's gonna be a good one.  : )


{ ++ } What's everyone's WoW pick this week?

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Teaser Tuesday: - #13: The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh




{ ++ } Miz B over at Should Be Reading hosts this weekly meme, where us book lovers get a chance to spotlight our currently-reading and basically...do a little teasing.  : ) The rules are simple: 


  • Grab your current read.
  • Open to a random page.  (Full disclosure: I actually go hunting for a good teaser.  heehee.)
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.  (Um.  Sometimes I post more than 2 sentences.  hee.)
  • 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 participants can add the book to their to-reads if they like your teaser.


On my chest bone, the mistletoe rested.  I studied its irregular rise and fall.  Neither my heartbeat, nor my breath had returned to normal since reading the stranger's response in my palm.



The Victorian language of flowers was used to express emotions: honeysuckle for devotion, azaleas for passion, and red roses for love. But for Victoria Jones, it has been more useful in communicating feelings like grief, mistrust and solitude. After a childhood spent in the foster care system, she is unable to get close to anybody, and her only connection to the world is through flowers and their meanings. Now eighteen, Victoria has nowhere to go, and sleeps in a public park, where she plants a small garden of her own. 

When her talent is discovered by a local florist, she discovers her gift for helping others through the flowers she chooses for them. But it takes meeting a mysterious vendor at the flower market for her to realise what's been missing in her own life, and as she starts to fall for him, she's forced to confront a painful secret from her past, and decide whether it's worth risking everything for a second chance at happiness. 

"The Language of Flowers" is a heartbreaking and redemptive novel about the meaning of flowers, the meaning of family, and the meaning of love.

The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
Published: 08.19.2011 (Ballantine Books)
Further info: Goodreads | Amazon

Friday, August 26, 2011

Follow Me Friday - #16 + Book Blogger Hop - #14




{ ++ } Follow Me Friday, aka "Follow My Book Blog" is probably the coolest meme I've come across in awhile.  It's hosted over at Parajunkee's View and also now at Alison Can Read, and us amazing book-a-holics get the chance to answer a reading-related question, as well as make new friends over the weekend.  It's a great way to kick off said weekend, and a really fun and easy way of stealing our way into the hearts of fellow book blogger's.

{ ++ } Each week, Rachel and Alison each feature one lucky blogger and the feature this week is Samantha @ Caught in the Pages; Alison's is Jenni Elyse.  Everyone please head on over to their blogs, follow, and show them some love!  It's a huge honor (I think!) to be featured.



Question of the Week


Q. In books like the Sookie Stackhouse (True Blood) series the paranormal creature in question "comes out of the closet" and makes itself known to the world. Which mythical creature do you wish would come out of the closet, for real?

 { ++ } Oh NO question here: werewolves.  Preferably the alpha-male-sexy-as-nobody's-business-looking-for-a-mate kind.  I love me some werewolves.  (What can I say, I gotta give Stephenie Meyer for creating the awesome/breath-taking Jacob Black.)   OOH.  Or, I'd love for Gena Showalter's Lords of the Underworld (hiii, I'll take Kane please) to make themselves known.  :)



{ ++ } Hosted by Jennifer at Crazy-for-Books, what better way to allow us book bloggers to mix and mingle than a bit of a reading-related social?  Every week she hosts this event, where we can throw our names in the hat so to speak, and hopefully end up with a few new friends who share our interests and our love (and in my case, obsession) of books.  It's also a party and it's all in fun!

Question of the Week

Q.  Non-book-related this week!! Do you have pets? 
This is Jasper.  He has a brother called Rex who looks eerily like him, except Rex is sleeker, with a longer body.  I think Jazz was in attack mode when I took this picture.  :D
{ ++ } Everyone have a happy weekend, and be sure to leave me links to your FF/Hop.  I have to be at work early tomorrow so I will do some visiting and commenting tomorrow.  And welcome in advance to any new friends!

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday - #12: Tempest by Julie Cross






{++ }  This weekly event/feature is graciously hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine.  You know that feeling you get when you're browsing upcoming books on Goodreads or Amazon and one strikes your fancy?  Maybe you squee.  Maybe you giggle to yourself.  Maybe you bounce in your seat.  We all get excited (I do a combination of all three of the previous choices...) about new books, be it a favorite author you're familiar with, or someone whose work you'll be reading for the first time.  Jill's meme gives us the chance to spotlight what we are anxiously awaiting this week.
The year is 2009.  Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun.

That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future.

Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.

But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler.  Recruit… or kill him.

Piecing together the clues about his father, the Enemies of Time, and himself, Jackson must decide how far he’s willing to go to save Holly… and possibly the entire world.



  Tempest by Julie Cross
To be published: 01.03.2010 (St Martin's Griffin)
Further info: Goodreads  | Amazon
Find the author online: blog | twitter

Why This Book?

{ ++ } Time travel!  Romance mixed in, and a male protagonist?  I'm sold!  Plus it has a gorgeous cover, and just something about the synopsis really draws me in and makes me think this one will be something worth reading!

{ ++ } What are YOUR WoW picks this week?  And what do you think of Tempest?

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Teaser Tuesday - #12: Bloodlines by Richelle Mead



{ ++ } Miz B over at Should Be Reading hosts this weekly meme, where us book lovers get a chance to spotlight our currently-reading and basically...do a little teasing.  : ) The rules are simple: 

  • Grab your current read.
  • Open to a random page.  (Full disclosure: I actually go hunting for a good teaser.  heehee.)
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.  (Um.  Sometimes I post more than 2 sentences.  hee.)
  • 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 participants can add the book to their to-reads if they like your teaser.
Jill did look better this morning, but she'd hardly had a solid's night sleep.

In fact, she'd woken in the middle of the night, screaming.

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

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


Bloodlines by Richelle Mead
Published: 08.23.2011





{ ++ } Share with me links to your Teaser Tuesday posts! 

Monday, August 22, 2011

Review + ARC Giveaway: Half-Blood by Jennifer Armentrout


Half-Blood by Jennifer Armentrout
Expected publication: 10.18.2011 (Spencer Hill Press)
Pages: 281
Series: The Covenant (1)
Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Find the author online: twitter | blog
Further info: Goodreads | Amazon

The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi-pure-bloods-have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals-well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options: become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures. 

Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1:
 

Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden. 

Unfortunately, she's crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn't her biggest problem--staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is. If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of suck
.



{ This book was sent to me by the publisher, Spencer Hill Press, in exchange for an honest review.  No money changed hands.  I review books because I adore reading. }


My Review



Alexandria Andros is my kind of heroine: shoot first, ask questions later - a no-nonsense kind of girl.  And when she is dragged, half-gratefully, half-reluctantly back to the South Carolina Covenant her mother, Rachelle, took her away from three years ago, Alex, reeling from a tragic loss, needs every bit of her spunk to re acclimate to the world she left.  I liked Alex right away, for all the qualities I mentioned, and for the fact that her quirks only made her more human, and a incredibly sympathetic character.  In creating Alex, Jennifer Armentrout reaches out and grabs the reader, pulling you headfirst into the world she has created. 

Put on a sort of probation, Alex only has a few months to prove herself worthy of staying at the Covenant as a student.  Her other choice is a life of servitude, or living with her step-father - each are equally horrible to her.  Grieving her mother, drained by daimons, Alex sets her course: she wants to become a Sentinel, a half-blood who trains to find and fight daimons.  Half-bloods like Alex can see through the elemental magic that cloaks daimons from Pures.  And right away, I fell for her trainer, Aiden St Delphi, who vouches for the fact he can have her ready by fall term.  I loved their interaction and their exchanges, and the way Jennifer Armentrout slowly developed their relationship, showing us there is more to both characters, as individuals, and as friends and possibly more, than what meets the eye.  The two of them together, as partners in training, as friends, and as two people who are drawn together, was for me, the most genuine and heart-felt theme of the novel.

I thought the plot was solid, and I am definitely, definitely interested in the idea of absentee gods.  While some characters, like Alex, scorn the idea of being guided by them, others are still quite devout, and I admit, I am very curious as to see what, if any kind of role the gods will play in the second book. 

Things I was not a fan of: several of the characters seemed a little flat, like Lea, and Zarek, and the ones who I really craved seeing more of, like Deacon, and Caleb, weren't given near enough time or attention.  I especially found Deacon appealing, and feel like Jennifer only scratched at his surface.  

I also thought the book was too short.  The pacing was spotty in places, building a little slowly in the first half of the book, and then rushing toward the climax.  However I think this book has a lot of potential that I truly think Jennifer Armentrout will fully explore in the sequel, Pure.  And again, let me say, I adored Aiden, and Alex, and thought they were just truly amazing together.  I think Jennifer has created a (possible) couple who compliment one another very well.  And I am excited for the sequel, to see where she takes these characters! 

Memorable Quote



I shook my head, doubtful that I could believe in anything at this point, and started to slip away, but Aiden's hand tightened around my shoulders.  And instant later, he gathered me close to him.  I hesitated, because being this close to him was possibly the sweetest kind of torture.  

I needed to break away...move as far away as possible, but his arms circled my shoulders.  Slowly, carefully, I rested my head against his chest.  My hands fell to the curve of his back, and I inhaled deeply.  His scent, a mixture of the sea, and soap, filled me.  The steady beat of his heart under my cheek warmed and comforted me.  It was just a hug, but gods it meant so much.  It meant everything.  - Alex
 












Friday, August 19, 2011

Follow Me Friday - #15 + Book Blogger Hop - #13




{ ++ } Follow Me Friday, aka "Follow My Book Blog" is probably the coolest meme I've come across in awhile.  It's hosted over at Parajunkee's View and also now at Alison Can Read, and us amazing book-a-holics get the chance to answer a reading-related question, as well as make new friends over the weekend.  It's a great way to kick off said weekend, and a really fun and easy way of stealing our way into the hearts of fellow book blogger's.

{ ++ } Each week, Rachel and Alison each feature one lucky blogger and the feature this week is Emma @ BelleBooks; Alison's is Valerie @ Stuck in Books.  Everyone please head on over to their blogs, follow, and show them some love!  It's a huge honor (I think!) to be featured.



Question of the Week




If you could write yourself a part in a book, what book would it be and what role would you play in that book?

{ ++ } Oh wow.  Oh wow.  GREAT question.  It all depends on the book!  I am drawn to all sorts of books - dystopian, where I'd love to be THE character rebelling and causing a fuss; fantasy, on a quest to save the world, or young adult paranormal and be a kick-ass werewolf.  heehee.

But I think I'd write myself into a women's fiction book by someone like Jodi Picoult or Jennifer Weiner and be one of those characters who, through some trials and heartaches and adventures, becomes a better version of herself.  Those are my heroines.  :)



{ ++ } Hosted by Jennifer at Crazy-for-Books, what better way to allow us book bloggers to mix and mingle than a bit of a reading-related social?  Every week she hosts this event, where we can throw our names in the hat so to speak, and hopefully end up with a few new friends who share our interests and our love (and in my case, obsession) of books.  It's also a party and it's all in fun!





Question of the Week



What’s the LONGEST book you’ve ever read? 

{ ++ } The final book in Stephen King's Dark Tower series - at once one of my favorite books ever, and also one of the few books I have ever hated.  It's a bit of a paradox, I suppose, but this book clutched my heart tight,broke it, then slapped it back together haphazardly.  There were so many moments when I cried, and at one point, I threw the book across the room vowing never to finish it.  And yet there was a lot of beauty in it, too.  I read it in 2004 and still have not had the courage to re-read it.  

{ ++ } Happy weekend, everyone!  Looking forward to seeing everyone's answers to these questions, if your participate, or heck, even if you don't.  Leave me a link to your blog and your FF/Hop, or just answer in the comments!  : )

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Review: Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer



Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer
Published: 07.26.2011
Pages:390 (Hardcover)
Series: Nightshade (2)
Rating: 5 of 5 stars
Further info: Goodreads | Amazon
Find the author online: twitter | site


When Calla Tor wakes up in the lair of the Searchers, her sworn enemies, she’s certain her days are numbered. But then the Searchers make her an offer—one that gives her the chance to destroy her former masters and save the pack—and the man—she left behind. Is Ren worth the price of her freedom? And will Shay stand by her side no matter what? Now in control of her own destiny, Calla must decide which battles are worth fighting and how many trials true love can endure and still survive.






My Review



Wolfsbane picks up right where Nightshade left off, and once again, Andrea Cremer thrusts the reader right into the thick of the action.  Calla barely has time to wake and acclimate to the fact that she is being held captive by her sworn enemies, the Searchers, before she is introduced to an entire new cadre of faces, all Searchers, all who are asking for her trust, trust our heroine is not sure she can give: but will consider if it means saving her Pack.  Once again, I admired Calla's ferocity and her loyalty to her Pack, those left behind.  Her guilt over abandoning them is so palpable that hurt me to read the scenes where she was thinking about them, be it Bryn, Ansel, or even Ren, her intended mate.

Ahh, Ren.  From the first scene he appeared in, there was never a choice for me: it has always been, will always be, Shay.  Too often authors show, and don't tell why they are linking two characters romantically - that is not true here.  Calla's interactions with both males are genuine and heart-felt, and as much as I thrilled to see her relationship with Shay growing and changing (I adored seeing him truly becoming an alpha) I was a little gutted every time she thought of Ren.  He was the ghost in between her and Shay, and I completely sympathized with Calla.  Her relationships with both males continue to feel real and gritty and sometimes, overwhelming and wonderful.  I adore her with Shay though, and all the little moments we got, especially seeing all of his character growth!

Andrea really delivers several punches with this book - and I mean that in the BEST way.  From the romance, to the shock that flows through Calla - and the reader - upon realizing she and others have been lied to, on many levels, for a very long time, to the new characters, to the overall plot, and the risks Andrea takes, I applaud her whole-heartedly.  Wolfsbane is, at times, a difficult book to read because of its intensity.  The pacing zips along, barely leaving you room to catch your breath before something else is unfolding.


The Searchers come fully into play in some awesome ways.  I loved that Monroe, as one of the leaders, proved a fantastic foil to Emile Laroche, whose darker side we truly see in this book.  Connor and Ethan are new favorite of mine - Ethan is raw and fierce, while Connor is a funnyman who uses his humor to hide his tormented soul.  (Plus, hello, sword-fighting!)  I adored Connor's interactions with Calla, and found myself craving much, much more of him.  And I thought his relationship/interactions with Adne were fascinating, as was she.  She's definitely one character I want to see more of in Bloodrose.  


I don't have any gripes with this book.  I loved it.  There was one twist that I thought was very, very obvious from the start, but evne that still worked for me, considering the emotional punch it packed for all the characters involved, and how, in some ways, I think it will end up furthering the story.  Which, again, I loved.  I applaud all the character growth - Sabine, Shay, Calla, etc.  I enjoyed all the history we learned, and how things are changing - by the end, it's clear that nothing is set in stone, as the Searchers and Calla's pack venture tentatively toward an alliance.  I even loved the heartaches that Andrea Cremer spun so well, because they just made this book feel more genuine, a little more risky, since she's not afraid of taking chances to tell the story she wants to tell.  

I feel like I should say more, but I think I will close with: just go buy the book.  : ) 



Memorable Quote



"Staring at the wreckage of the life we could have had, I knew it wasn't about love or Shay or the Searchers now. It was about sacrifice and redemption, loss that could have new meaning."- Calla

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday: - #11: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi



{++ }  This weekly event/feature is graciously hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine.  You know that feeling you get when you're browsing upcoming books on Goodreads or Amazon and one strikes your fancy?  Maybe you squee.  Maybe you giggle to yourself.  Maybe you bounce in your seat.  We all get excited (I do a combination of all three of the previous choices...) about new books, be it a favorite author you're familiar with, or someone whose work you'll be reading for the first time.  Jill's meme gives us the chance to spotlight what we are anxiously awaiting this week.

  Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
To be published: 11.15.2011 (Harper Teen)
Further info: Goodreads / Amazon
Find the author online: site | twitter


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. 




Why This Book?




Okay, where to start.  DYSTOPIAN.  The main character's name is Juliette.  *SWOONING ALREADY*  Plus the premise sounds absolutely fantastic, and after following the author for awhile on Twitter (go do it!) I can tell you she is both sweet and down-to-earth.  I cannot WAIT to read this book.  : ) 


{ ++ } What are everyone's WOW picks this week?! 

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Teaser Tuesday - #11: Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer



{ ++ } Miz B over at Should Be Reading hosts this weekly meme, where us book lovers get a chance to spotlight our currently-reading and basically...do a little teasing.  : ) The rules are simple: 

  • Grab your current read.
  • Open to a random page.  (Full disclosure: I actually go hunting for a good teaser.  heehee.)
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.  (Um.  Sometimes I post more than 2 sentences.  hee.)
  • 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 participants can add the book to their to-reads if they like your teaser.
Connor strode confidently into the light-filled image.  His body blurred for a moment, and then there he was, standing among the crates.  He paused, stretching his arms and yawning, and then suddenly dropped his pants and mooned us.  

"Oh God, Connor," Adne groaned.  "Get through there and bite him, Shay."

"I'm not coming, remember?" Shay objected, but he laughed.  "Even if I was, I wouldn't bite his ass."

    When Calla Tor wakes up in the lair of the Searchers, her sworn enemies, she’s certain her days are numbered. But then the Searchers make her an offer—one that gives her the chance to destroy her former masters and save the pack—and the man—she left behind. Is Ren worth the price of her freedom? And will Shay stand by her side no matter what? Now in control of her own destiny, Calla must decide which battles are worth fighting and how many trials true love can endure and still survive.

    Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer 
    Published: 07.26.2011

    Monday, August 15, 2011

    Review: A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young



    A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young
    Published: 06.21.2011
    Pages: 272
    Series: A Need So Beautiful (1)
    Rating:  4 of 5 books
    Further info: Goodreads | Amazon
    Find the author online: blog | twitter 


    We all want to be remembered. Charlotte's destiny is to be Forgotten...

    Charlotte’s best friend thinks Charlotte might be psychic. Her boyfriend thinks she’s cheating on him. But Charlotte knows what’s really wrong: She is one of the Forgotten, a kind of angel on earth, who feels the Need—a powerful, uncontrollable draw to help someone, usually a stranger.

    But Charlotte never wanted this responsibility. What she wants is to help her best friend, whose life is spiraling out of control. She wants to lie in her boyfriend's arms forever. But as the Need grows stronger, it begins to take a dangerous toll on Charlotte. And who she was, is, and will become--her mark on this earth, her very existence--is in jeopardy of disappearing completely.

    Charlotte will be forced to choose: should she embrace her fate as a Forgotten, a fate that promises to rip her from the lives of those she loves forever? Or is she willing to fight against her destiny--no matter how dark the consequences.




    My Review



    When I first picked up this book and started reading, I was a little unsure.  I had seen a few reviews around Goodreads and Lisa @ Read Me Bookmark Me Love Me had told me how wonderful it was; even so, I went into this book with a little trepidation - and Suzanne Young proved my fears unfounded with the first few chapters!  I was immediately swept into the story, and into the life of the main character, Charlotte. 

    Charlotte is, on the surface, a normal teenage: she goes to school.  She hangs out with her best friend.   She loves her boyfriend.  But she also has the Need, a term she uses to describe the compulsions to help others, compulsions that wash over her randomly, leading her to complete strangers.  If she ignores the Need, the symptoms - and the results - are not good.  So Charlotte juggles her everyday life with her confusion over the Need, and the complications it creates.  Charlotte is torn in two, and I really felt for her, and her struggle.  She wants more time with Harlin, her boyfriend, but she has this other task to perform, and as the book continues, and she begins to understand more about the Need, and her destiny, my sympathy for Charlotte increased twofold.  

    I really came to love the premise of this book.  It's definitely unique, and Suzanne Young did a really admirable job with the pacing of the book.  I definitely did not get bored with the story that was unfolding.  However, my heart absolutely broke for Charlotte, as she started to comprehend what being a Forgotten means: she will, in time, only exist to her Seer.  Everyone she loves will eventually forget her, even those she has helped, whose lives she has changed.  And her choice: embrace or deny that destiny, really gutted me. 

    I'm also anxious to see the sequel, because well, I loved several of the characters, including Monroe, Charlotte's doctor and friend, Alex, her adopted brother, Sarah, her best friend, and Harlin.  Oh, Harlin.  What can I say except WOW.  I loved loved loved his devotion to Charlotte, and their relationship, to me, was really unique and heartfelt.  I loved the extra special connection given to them in the latter part of the book.  And I enjoyed the fact that these characters were well-developed, and not stereotypical.  

    I definitely need A Want So Wicked!  This book was heart-pounding - literally - and so emotional at the end, that it brought me to tears.  I finished it late one night and woke up thinking about it, and it has lingered with me.  I think I wanted it to be a little longer, and to be a little more in depth on some of the history of the Forgotten and the Seers, etc, but overall, definitely a read to move up on your TBR list!


    Memorable Quote



    His mouth twitched with a smile, and his dimples deepened. "Where were you running to, Miss Cassidy?"

    My stomach fluttered as I stood there, forgetting where I was going.  Where I was supposed to be.  Instead, like it wasn't even my choice, I moved forward to stand incredibly close to him.

    "I was running here," I said, sounding confident.   - Charlotte and Harlin's first meeting

    Sunday, August 14, 2011

    In My Mailbox - #10





    { ++ } Kristi at The Story Siren hosts this weekly meme which gives bloggers a chance to highlight the books we bought, checked out, won, or otherwise procured over the last week.  And whether I've came into money (brb, laughing forever) or only had the goods to splurge on a book or two, they all deserve some love.

    { ++ } This is my IMM for the past two weeks!  : ) 




    For Review 
    Eve by Anna Carey
    Further info: Goodreads | Amazon
    Why this book: I'm getting more and more into young adult dystopian, and this one sounds really unique!  Plus, I won it, for review!

    Bought
    Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
    Further info: Goodreads | Amazon
    Why this book: Frankly, because every review I've read has been amazing.  Thought I'd give it a chance now it's out in paperback.  :)

    Wolfsbane by Andrea Cremer
    Further info: Goodreads | Amazon
    Why this book: SHAY!  hehe.  Okay it's the sequel to Nightshade and so far it looks really promising!

    Nightshade by Andrea Cremer 
    Further info: Goodreads | Amazon
    Why this book: Werewolves!  Forbidden romance!  Check out my review.



    Bought 

    A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young
    Further info: GoodreadsAmazon
    Why this book: I've actually already read this one since buying it, and it is amazing.  The premise and characters are unforgettable!

    Divergent by Veronica Roth
    Further info: Goodreads | Amazon
    Why this book: Dystopian is really appealing to me these days!  I bought this one off of a friend's rec!

    The First Day of the Rest of My Life by Cathy Lamb
    Further info: GoodreadsAmazon
    Why this book: The premise sounded really good, the main character like someone I could identify with.  And this was in with the acknowledgements:

    May the road rise up to meet you.
    May the wind be always at your back.
    May the sun shine warm upon your face;
    the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again,
    may God hold you in the palm of His hand.
    ( It has a very special meaning to me.  I cried. )

    Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey
    Further info: Goodreads | Amazon
    Why this book: It's a historical fiction ghost story.  I think it's going to be awesome!

    Paranormaly by Keirsten White
    Further info: Goodreads | Amazon
    Why this book: I've heard a LOT of good things about it!  The premise also sounds fab!

    Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost
    Further info: Goodreads | Amazon
    Why this book: I keep hearing great things about Cat & Bones! Plus I love a good paranormal romance!

    (Not pictured) Magic Bites by Illona Andrews
    Further info: Goodreads | Amazon
    Why this book: The description got me, and paranormal romance = my cup of tea!

    { ++ } What did y'all get this week?

    Friday, August 12, 2011

    Follow Friday - #14 + Book Blogger Hop - #12


    { ++ } Follow Me Friday, aka "Follow My Book Blog" is probably the coolest meme I've come across in awhile.  It's hosted over at Parajunkee's View and also now at Alison Can Read, and us amazing book-a-holics get the chance to answer a reading-related question, as well as make new friends over the weekend.  It's a great way to kick off said weekend, and a really fun and easy way of stealing our way into the hearts of fellow book blogger's.

    { ++ } Each week, Rachel and Alison each feature one lucky blogger and the feature this week is Steph @ Steph Likes Books.  Everyone please head on over to her blog, follow, and show them some love!  It's a huge honor (I think!) to be featured.


    Q. How has your reading habits changed since you were a teen?

    { ++ } When I was a pre-teen and teen, I was reading a LOT of young adult books, and as I got a little bit older, I was WAY WAY into sci-fi/fantasy.  My tastes started to mature a little, branch out, and although I love both genres today still, over the years I've jumped over to this one or that one.  I definitely push myself these days to read books that are out of my comfort zones, and I try to mix up what I read - ie not all fantasy on a huge stretch, not ten women's fiction in a row, etc, so that I'm always reading something different.  I read a lot more genres now - urban fantasy, women's fiction, historical fiction, paranormal romance (BIG paranormal romance fan) but I DO still love sci-fi/fantasy and I am really partial to YA these days, which is a big change for me, since before Twilight (*gulps*) I hadn't read much YA in several years! 


    { ++ } Hosted by Jennifer at Crazy-for-Books, what better way to allow us book bloggers to mix and mingle than a bit of a reading-related social?  Every week she hosts this event, where we can throw our names in the hat so to speak, and hopefully end up with a few new friends who share our interests and our love (and in my case, obsession) of books.  It's also a party and it's all in fun!

    Q: Let’s talk crazy book titles! Highlight one or two (or as many as you like!) titles in your personal collection that have the most interesting titles! If you can’t find any, feel free to find one on the internet!

    { ++ } Hmmmm.  I've got one I've never read called The Mercy of Thin Air.  Then there's Patrick Rothfuss's The Name of the Wind, or Patricia Brigg's Steal the Dragon.  But I think my favorite is still Robert Jordan's The Eye of the World.



    The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and go, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth returns again. In the Third Age, an Age of Prophecy, the World and Time themselves hang in the balance. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.

    { ++ } This is the first book in Jordan's Wheel of Time series, and though I could go on and ON about how much this series means to me (I cried when the author passed away) I will instead just encourage you to read it.  : )

    Thursday, August 11, 2011

    Review: Nightshade by Andrea Cremer



    Nightshade by Andrea Cremer
    Published: 10.19.2010 (Philomel)
    Pages: 452
    Series: Nightshade (1)
    Rating: 4 stars
    Further info: Goodreads | Amazon
    Find the author online: site | twitter




    Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she'll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But when she violates her masters' laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might lose everything- including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice?






    My Review



    Calla is a werewolf - and an alpha, destined to lead a pack comprised of the next generation of her pack, and their rival pack.  Calla's life is all about what she is destined to do - her role in life, who she'll marry, who she can associate with - but I liked her from the beginning, because Calla is the type of female character who isn't blindly waltzing toward her set future.  She's accepting of it, but not docile.  Calla is spirited and strong, confident, sassy, and very loyal to her friends and family (also fellow Pack members.)  She's a strong alpha, and a refreshing change in narrarators.  One of my biggest pet peeves is female characters who doubt themselves every other page.  Calla didn't.

    Until she met Shay Doran.  Now that's a little bit misleading (purposefully.)  What Calla begins to doubt is not herself, but the future she's marching toward.  She starts to question the choices she makes, but in a way that leads toward the self-growth we see in her character over the course of the novel.

    Andrea Cremer creates a fabulous and lush backdrop for Calla's struggles in Nightshade.  Both the Nightshade and the Bane packs are well-developed, and one of the things I liked best was that this book had a more urban fantasy feel to it than it did a dark fantasy feel.  That's not to say there aren't dangers - there are - and forbidden romance - there is - but it all lended to the genuine vibe of the book.  These werewolves still have to go to school, interact with humans, and obey their Pack's rules.  I love authors that can bring something new and vivid to the werewolf story, and Andrea definitely did!

    I really enjoyed both the plot (of which I don't want to give too much away) and the characters.  Calla's intended, Ren, is someone that I hope Andrea Cremer reveals a little more of in the sequel, Wolfsbane.  Ren is very intriguing and I am very interested in finding out more about him, his family, and his past.  I also really liked a lot of the other, young wolves - Ansel (Calla's brother), Bryn, Mason, Dax, and Neville.  I look forward to Andrea creating even more depth to these characters, and I was fascinated by their loyalty to their alphas, and the connections that started to form throughout the joined Packs.  

    The plot itself was well done.  The pacing was quick when it needed to be, and stately when it needed to be, with enough twists to keep me on the edge of my seat.  I'm especially excited to see how some of what was revealed plays out in the sequel.  And of course...then there is Shay.

    I fell for Shay, pretty much from the first moment he was introduced.  Perhaps I'm blinded by love, and biased, but I think he is a very fascinating character: protective of those he cares about, and matured by events in his life, yet oddly and refreshingly young at times, fierce but laid-back, and someone who generally cares about Calla - not as an alpha, not as a future mate of Ren and a pack leader, but as Calla.  That's what I liked best about his and her interactions.  

    Overall this book was a great, solid read.  I don't have any real big gripes about it (I just don't give 5 stars easily.)  The only thing I'd like to see LESS of is the love triangle.  BUT in this case, I do feel that it served a purpose - it furthered the plot - so I'll forgive the author.  :) In closing...go get this book already!

    Memorable Quote




     "I'll help you with whatever's made you upset," he said. "But this morning you blew me off and I'm not going to kiss you today just so you can tell me to go to hell tomorrow."- Shay

    Tuesday, August 9, 2011

    Teaser Tuesday - #10: A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young



    { ++ } Miz B over at Should Be Reading hosts this weekly meme, where us book lovers get a chance to spotlight our currently-reading and basically...do a little teasing.  : ) The rules are simple: 

    • Grab your current read.
    • Open to a random page.  (Full disclosure: I actually go hunting for a good teaser.  heehee.)
    • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.  (Um.  Sometimes I post more than 2 sentences.  hee.)
    • 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 participants can add the book to their to-reads if they like your teaser.

    I can't answer.  I want to tell him everything.  I'm thinking that maybe I should try.  "It's not what you think," I start.  "When I saw Monroe, he - " 


    And it's like I'm punched in the gut.  A crushing pain fills my belly, and I double over, falling to my knees on the floor.  Harlin yells my name but I can't answer.  The room is spinning.  I feel like I'm dying. 


      We all want to be remembered. Charlotte's destiny is to be Forgotten...

      Charlotte’s best friend thinks Charlotte might be psychic. Her boyfriend thinks she’s cheating on him. But Charlotte knows what’s really wrong: She is one of the Forgotten, a kind of angel on earth, who feels the Need—a powerful, uncontrollable draw to help someone, usually a stranger.

      But Charlotte never wanted this responsibility. What she wants is to help her best friend, whose life is spiraling out of control. She wants to lie in her boyfriend's arms forever. But as the Need grows stronger, it begins to take a dangerous toll on Charlotte. And who she was, is, and will become--her mark on this earth, her very existence--is in jeopardy of disappearing completely.

      Charlotte will be forced to choose: Should she embrace her fate as a Forgotten, a fate that promises to rip her from the lives of those she loves forever? Or is she willing to fight against her destiny--no matter how dark the consequences.


      A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young
      Published: 06.24.2011

      Monday, August 8, 2011

      Leibster Blogger Award









      { ++ } Marie at Ramblings of a Daydreamer and Jean over at JeanzBookReadNReview were BOTH sweet enough to award me the Leibster Book Blogging Award.  Basically this is a neat little way for bloggers to point the spotlight on other book bloggers with under 200 followers, in order to send a little love their way. 

      { ++ } The rules, once you are honored:  


      1.  Thank the giver and link back to the blogger who gave it to you.
      2.  Reveal your top 5 picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.
      3.  Copy and paste the award to your blog.
      4.  Have faith that your followers will spread the love to other bloggers.
      5.  And most of all - have bloggity-blog fun!

      { ++ } My choices are...

      1. Kristen @ Kristin Can Read
      2. Karen @ The Scattered Bookshelf
      3. The girls over @ A Reader & A Writer
      4. Laurie @ Bona Fide Reflections (SUCH a sweetie!)
      5. Sophie @ Life Between Pages

      { ++ } So...go follow! 

      Review: Hourglass by Myra McEntire


      Hourglass by Myra McEntire
      Published: 06.14.2011 (Egmont)
      Pages: 397 (Hardcover)
      Series: Hourglass (1)
      Rating: 5 of 5 stars
      Further info: Goodreads | Amazon
      Find the author online: twitter | blog


      One hour to rewrite the past . . .
       
      For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.

      So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.

      Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?
       



      My Review



       I'm just going to say it and get it out of the way: I loved this book.  It gets 5 stars, of 5.  Which over the last couple years, hasn't happened very often.  As my reading tastes have changed, 4 and 5 stars is harder to gain.  But this book was...fantastic.  Start to finish.  I opened it and fell into the story immediately, and closed it on the last page only regretting I'd read it THIS soon and the sequel is not even titled yet, let alone publishing any time soon.

      Emerson Cole is one of the most refreshing lead female characters that I have come across in a long, long time.  All too often the trend in books tends to be heroines who have no faith in themselves, and in their abilities (whether said ability is supernatural, or simply doing well in school.)  If there is one thing I cannot stand, it's a female with no sense of self worth.  Emerson definitely did not fall into that category.  She had moments where she doubted herself, moments where she struggled to retain her grip on reality, and moments of self-doubt.  But she was also real.  And she had confidence.  I could go on and on about how much I love her, and can't wait to see more of her!

      Myra McEntire has created a stunning, yet believable premise with her debut novel, Hourglass.  Shaken by her ability (curse?) to see what she thinks are ghosts from the past, Emerson Cole is dubious when Michael Weaver - who is only a few years older than her - approaches her via her brother offering to help her learn to deal with what she is saying.  Even more shocking than her instant connection to him: she isn't seeing ghosts.  What she IS seeing, and Michael's involvement, sets the tone for the rest of the novel.  Watching Emerson and Michael get to know one another was fascinating, as was understanding their bond.  Too many authors pull out the "love at first sight" card, but what I liked SO much about these two is that they were "intense interest" at first sight, which grew and was explored over the course of the book.  They didn't rush into one another's arms - if anything, they both resist their attraction, with good reason, and the tension between Emerson and Michael only made Hourglass all that more enjoyable.

      I just cannot get over Myra's mythos.  The supernatural is definitely here, it's a prevalent theme, and Emerson's skepticism made it all the more genuine feeling, along with a fantastic cast of supporting characters.  For me, Michael's best friend, Kaleb was as interesting and alluring as Michael, if not so, in a couple ways.  I absolutely want to know more about the delicious Kaleb, and others, and I really hope Myra further explores the interactions and camaraderie between the group at Renegade House.  I feel like each of them has a story to tell, even Ava, who serves as a troubled foil for Emerson. 

      I want to say so much more, but I don't want to spoil anything for anyone.  (I'd LOVE to discuss in the comments though! Hint, hint!)  All I really can say is that this book...is one you need to read if you are a fan of YA, sci/fi-fantasy, and the paranormal.  The pacing is great - moves along quickly without leaving you behind.  The characters are fleshed out and believable.  The romance is subtle and genuine, but still left me a little breathless. 

      Hourglass just might be my favorite book of 2011 so far. 



      Memorable Quote





      "Most of what I say is complete truth. My edit button is broken."- Emerson


      Friday, August 5, 2011

      TGIF - #6: Week in Review



      { ++ } TFIG is a nifty little meme hosted by Ginger of GReads, which basically kick-starts the weekend by throwing out a fun little book-related question, and also giving bloggers a chance to recap what we've posted this week for anyone who may have missed one of our events.



      Q: Taking it Personal: Which books have effected you on a personal level and lingered in your mind long after you closed the pages?

       

      { ++ }  I read...a lot.  I read all genres, pretty much, with only a few exceptions.  I fangirl over books and pairings and awesome plot lines.  But the rare book that lingers and lingers with me...that's a special book.  And for me, I guess the answer is pretty simple...

      Louisa May Alcott's Little Women taught me so many life lessons.  It taught me about how selfless love can be, between family members.  My childhood wasn't horrible; neither was it perfect.  But this story of the March family and what they persevered through together was truly inspiring.  I cried with Jo when Amy burned her manuscript; years later, a writer myself, I reread the book and sobbed harder than before.  My heart wrenched for Laurie, declaring himself to Jo, only to be turned down.  I burned with fever with fragile Beth, and fell in love with John as Meg did.  I've read the book a couple of times now and in the next year or so, I will probably re-read it.  It teaches so much timeless wisdom: religion is a factor, but the book talks more about doing good things than it ever preaches at you.  And there is so much love, and laughter, and family loyalty.  I just adore the book.   


      { ++ } What about ya'll?



      This Week at Once Upon a Prologue

      Reviews




      Daimon by Jennifer Armentrout
      The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong
      The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell

       Memes

      Follow Friday - #13 + Book Blogger Hop - #11

      { ++ } Follow Me Friday, aka "Follow My Book Blog" is probably the coolest meme I've come across in awhile.  It's hosted over at Parajunkee's View and also now at Alison Can Read, and us amazing book-a-holics get the chance to answer a reading-related question, as well as make new friends over the weekend.  It's a great way to kick off said weekend, and a really fun and easy way of stealing our way into the hearts of fellow book blogger's.

      { ++ } Each week, Rachel features one lucky blogger and her feature is Bonnie at Hands and Home.  Alison also features a blogger, and hers is Me, My Shelf, and I.  Everyone please head on over to those blogs, follow, and show them some love!  It's a huge honor (I think!) to be featured.


      Q. Talk about the book that most changed or influenced your life (was it a book that turned you from an average to avid reader, did it help you deal with a particularly difficult situation, does it bring you comfort every time you read it?)

      { ++ } What a great question!  There have been several books over the years that launched my love of reading into a new genre, or ramped it up to a fever pitch.   Some authors, whether they will ever know it or not, have deeply changed the way I read books, or thought about my own writing style, and inspired me to dig deeper for my own creativity.

      Books/series that totally swept me off my feet as a pre-teen: Sweet Valley High (and later, University and Senior Year), The Baby-Sitter's Club, and R.L. Stine's Fear Street series.  

      Later in life: V.C. AndrewsPatrick RothfussBeverly LewisJanette OkeJ.R. WardJ.K. Rowling.

      And the the authors that, with their books and their writing, literally changed something about me, the way I read books, and the wy I think about good books: Jodi PicoultRobert JordanAnne Bishop. (I can pick up Bishop's Black Jewels trilogy, and I'm home.  I start crying at the touching parts.  I laugh and laugh at the hilarious parts.  It's a little cheesy at times, but it made sense to me.  The alpha males were fucking awesome.  They bled over a little into my writing - I've since learned how to write kick-ass alpha males.  And I adored the relationships and the plot.  The trilogy will forever hold a special place in my heart.)

      { ++ } What about y'all?



      { ++ } Hosted by Jennifer at Crazy-for-Books, what better way to allow us book bloggers to mix and mingle than a bit of a reading-related social?  Every week she hosts this event, where we can throw our names in the hat so to speak, and hopefully end up with a few new friends who share our interests and our love (and in my case, obsession) of books.  It's also a party and it's all in fun!



      Q: What is the one ARC you would love to get your hands on right now?

      { ++ } Just one?  Oh alright!  Probably Kelley Armstrong's The Calling...because um, hello, cliffhanger much?!  I so need to know what happens to these characters!  Um, wait, can I change my answer?  Maybe the third (untitled) book in Pat Rothfuss's The Kingkiller Chronicles trilogy.  BECAUSE UM.  KVOTHE.  AND GAH.  I HAVE to know how it all ends.  

      { ++ } I want to wish everyone a VERY awesome weekend.  I also want to say a big, happy hello to my new followers.  I am off to do some hoppin' and hopefully will see a few familiar and a few new faces around here soon.  : )  Peace out. 

      Thursday, August 4, 2011

      Review: The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell

      The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell
      Published: 03.07.2011 (Harcourt Children's Books)
      Pages: 293 (Hardcover)
      Series: The Vespertine (1)
      Rating: 4 1/2 of 5 stars
      Further info: Goodreads | Amazon
      Find the author online: site | blog | twitter

       The summer of 1889 is the one between childhood and womanhood for Amelia van den Broek - and thankfully, she’s not spending it at home in rural Maine. She’s been sent to Baltimore to stay with her stylish cousin, Zora, who will show her all the pleasures of city life and help her find a suitable man to marry.

      Archery in the park, dazzling balls and hints of forbidden romance-Victorian Baltimore is more exciting than Amelia imagined. But her gaiety is interrupted by disturbing, dreamlike visions she has only at sunset - visions that offer glimpses of the future. Soon, friends and strangers alike call on Amelia to hear her prophecies. Newly dubbed “Maine’s Own Mystic”, Amelia is suddenly quite in demand.

      However, her attraction to Nathaniel, an artist who is decidedly outside of Zora’s circle, threatens the new life Amelia is building in Baltimore. This enigmatic young man is keeping secrets of his own- still, Amelia finds herself irrepressibly drawn to him. And while she has no trouble seeing the futures of others, she cannot predict whether Nathaniel will remain in hers.

      When one of her darkest visions comes to pass, Amelia’s world is thrown into chaos. And those around her begin to wonder if she’s not the seer of dark portents, but the cause.
       

      My Review


      "I woke in Oakhaven, entirely ruined."

      I normally do not include first sentences, or passages from the novel other than to throw in one quote that stuck with me as I read.  But when it comes to Saundra Mitchell's The Vespertine, I have a feeling I am going to be talking a lot about the lyrical, poetic feel to this heart-wrenching and gorgeous novel.   From the captivating first sentence, to the breath-taking last sentence, until I closed the book, the words stayed with me.  When I was not reading this book, I was thinking about it, and longing to read just a few pages, to get back to the mythos Saundra created.  I have read a few reviews where readers had a difficult time getting in to this book, perhaps because of the setting, but I thought that was well-researched and well-fleshed out, and again, the language and the prose was just beautiful.

      Amelia Van den Broek comes to Baltimore with a mission: to make a proper match.  I liked her immensely, and right away, though, because Amelia, our headstrong protagonist, immediately falls for a Fourteenth: someone just outside the right circles, who is paid to round out the number of guests at a dinner party.  Amelia and Nathaniel Hawthorne circle one another headily throughout this book, in a way that utterly enchanted me, and at times, took my breath away.  Their relationship was, for me, the biggest draw to the The Vespertine - their instant, irrevocable connection, and the way Saundra Mitchell explored it.  It wasn't love at first sight, but it was interest and fascination at first sight.  Nathaniel is forbidden; Amelia absolutely cannot marry him.  That was part of their mutual attraction, but the other part was that these two characters shared something unbreakable and, in my opinion, were absolutely right for one another.  The depth of their tenderness toward one another, in spite of some highly tense and breathless chase scenes, really rang true for me.  It's not a game for either of them.  I found them incredibly believable as a possible couple, even though in the sense that this book is a historical novel, "couple" isn't even the right term, not for what they were to one another.

      I was also a huge, huge fan of the plot.  By the synopsis's own admission, Amelia has visions, but what I loved so much was that they were woven into the story very well, and they were not the entire story.  There is a whole cast of delightful and spunky characters in The Vespertine, and they all weave into Amelia's sunset visions, which originate almost as an accident, then become a regular occurrence, as callers begin to pour into the home where Amelia is staying with her cousins.  The novel waltzes toward a climax, based on one of Amelia's visions, that does bring on the tragedy the synopsis hints at, in such a way that I was tearing through the pages to see what happened from that point on.

      Another thing that greatly appealed to me was the few intervals in the present, where we saw a vastly changed Amelia.  The bulk of the story is told several months in the past, when most of the plot takes place, but the interludes with Amelia back home with her brother and her sister-in-law were particularly poignant, for this is Amelia after.  Shaken and bereft, we see her struggling to retain any sense of normalcy, and I thought those little breaks in the main plot were brilliantly done. 

      I also want to applaud Saunda Mitchell on her development of her secondary characters.  There were several that I wish we had seen more of, but my favorite was Zora Stewart, Amelia's close-in-age cousin.  Zora is even spunkier than Amelia (who tries to cling to propriety sometimes) and I just fell for Zora.  I loved her side-plot, and by the end of the book, I wanted to see more with her (and it seems we will get to in the sequel, The Springsweet!)
      The only reason that this is not a 5 star review is a simple one: I wish we had seen a little more info and back story on abilities like Amelia's, like where did she get hers?  She is not the only character in this book with "powers"...and I really really hope the sequel delves further into why those that do have them, do, what all they can do with them, etc.  It seemed like some of the abilities came out of nowhere.  Other than that...I loved The Vespertine, and will be swooning over it for a long time to come. 

      Memorable Quote



      The stars could have burned out around us, the moon could have fallen from the sky, and I wouldn't have known it. Not when he leaned indecently close and pressed his cheek against mine to murmur, "Tell me a secret."

      I wanted him to tell me how he stopped time like that. How he read my mind. I wanted to admit I wondered if thoughts of me troubled him when he lay awake at night. But I could make none of that come to my lips....


      Instead... I whispered back, "I've seen the future."


      He didn't laugh. He didn't mock, not like he had done at Privalovna's performance. In the middle of our waltz, he stopped, nose to nose with me. He uncovered me with a look that somehow bared him, too.  And his question told me everything - that he stopped time because he needed me, that he read my mind because we were one. That I troubled his nights, indeed, because what he asked revealed it all.


      "Am I with you there?"  -
      Amelia and Nathaniel