{++ } 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.
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. : )
{ ++ } 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.
{ ++ } 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!
{++ } 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.
{ ++ } 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?
{ ++ } 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!
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
{ ++ } 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! : )
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
{++ } 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.
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. : )
{ ++ } 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.
Moll is a lifelong, avid reader, who wrote her first "stories" in seventh grade. She continued writing through high school and into adult-hood. She's a twentysomething, Southern girl at heart, who loves crushing on fictional characters. When Molli isn't writing, she can be found spending time with her friends and family, on Twitter, or generally geeking out over music, movies, and her favorite television shows. (The Vampire Diaries, Supernatural, Doctor Who, and Once Upon a Time). She often wears more than one scarf at once, tends to say "y'all" too often, and adores: hot tea, chocolate, the color pink, shiny jewelry, kick-ass females, and swoon-worthy boys.
Love to the tips of your fingers. And when you find that love — wherever you find it, whoever you choose — don't run away from it. But you don't have to chase after it either. You be patient, and it'll come to you...when you least expect it. Don't be afraid. And remember — to love is to live. - Jen Lindley; Dawson's Creek
If you are interested in requesting that I read/review your novel, please send an email to courageousgrace (at) gmail (dot) com. The primary genres I read are young adult and paranormal romance, though I will read/review other genres on a case by case basis.
Please note that review requests are not guaranteed a specific date on which reviews will be posted. Typically, reviews will be posted within one month of my approving the request, unless otherwise stated.
Please see my review policy for more information and guidelines on review requests and blog tours.
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Cringe-worthy. This book is not worth your time. There were too many flaws for me to enjoy the story; the errors be it plot, grammar, etc overpowered the story.
Shrug-worthy. I enjoyed this book, but I likely won't be re-reading it. It was a good read but didn't make a big impression. There was a good story being told, but it either didn't hold my attention, or I didn't connect with the characters.
Beam-worthy. This one was really good! I would rate it between "good" and "great," and I am liable to reread it eventually. It had a few flaws but that didn't take away from my enjoyment of it.
Squee-worthy. I will definitely reread this book, because it left a lasting impression on me, and had few flaws! I am liable to wave this book in front of you to convince you to read it.
Swoon-worthy. One of the special books that affected me, emotionally, and won't ever be forgotten; this book was perfect. I won't stop until I've convinced multiple friends to read it.
FTC Notice
In accordance with FTC guidelines, this disclosure will serve as a notice that all reviews posted on this blog are my own honest thoughts. Review copies received via publisher or via author will be given an honest, fair review. No monetary compensation of any kind has changed hands for the books that I review on this blog. I am a reader who loves what I do. I review books out of a love of reading. Books received for blog promotion from the publisher/author will be noted with a small note in each review.
